"Love is the most powerful emotion, and that makes it the most dangerous."
A voice cried out as she chased after him. "You don't have to do this."
"Get away from me, Juliet!" He shouted down the street, probably loud enough for the neighbors to hear.
"It's okay Hunter, I know you didn't mean it."
"Are you really that naive?! I could of seriously hurt you! You have to stay away from me!" He said getting closer to her.
"I'm not afraid of you." She said stated, looking him in the eyes, standing proudly not moving away. His eyes were dark but not dark as in the color, more like filled with darkness. Hunter wasn't dangerous. He was just lost and she wasn't going to let him go that easily.
"Hunter?" A voice said, pulling him out of the memory. "What are you doing here?"
"Can we talk?" He asked in a shaky voice.
The gentleman nodded and led him to the couch in his office. "I didn't think you were back."
"Sorry I didn't call."
"It's alright. What's on your mind?" He said as he took a seat across from him on a comfy chair.
"I..." He fiddled with his fingers before he spoke up again. "When I came back to town, I suspected things to be the same but they're not."
"Go on." The man said nodding his head.
"When I left, things were really screwed up and I thought that if I left, things would be better for everyone. That I would feel better..."
"And did you feel better when you were away?"
"No." He shook his head. This was hard for Hunter, talking about his feelings about the night it all went wrong and all the pain it caused. In some ways he wishes he could go back in time and take it all back but now he knows that he can't. What he did all those months ago is done and he can never go back to change things like he wishes he could.
"I saw Juliet the other day. Does she know you're back?" He slowly nodded his head, looking down. "And you're brother? How did he take the news?"
He let out a chuckle. "Cody? He hates me. Probably wished I died while I was away.. And I don't blame him. Some days I wish I was dead too."
"Hunter, that's no way to talk. I know you have been through a lot but you always make it out okay."
"I quit drinking."
"Well that's great! See you're making progress."
"That was 98 days ago. It didn't last that long." Hunter stated.
"Why not?" The man questioned him, looking a bit confused.
"Because I'm back here."
"Then why did you come back?" Hunter shrugged and was pulled into another flashback.
He was drunk and angry, which was never a good combination. She walked into the house and jumped when she heard footsteps, only to see Hunter.
"Hunter, you scared me." Juliet said as she placed a hand on her chest to feel her fast beating heart.
"Sorry" He said. His eyes were glazed over and he didn't seem like himself.
"Are you drunk? What's wrong?"
He shook his head in digust. "What's wrong? What's wrong?!" He shouted. "You kissed Cody!"
"Okay... what are you talking about?" She said as she tried to get him to calm down.
"Don't deny it! You disgust me!" He spitted out.
"Hunter, I didn't kiss anyone.."
"Quit lying!!" He grabbed onto her arms a little to tightly and pinned her to the wall.
She was scared but she wasn't going to let him know that. "Hunter, calm down and let me explain."
He slammed his hand on the wall, making one of the pictures fall. The glass frame shattered next to them. "Shut up! You stupid whore!"
"It was a dare! A stupid dare! You didn't even want to go to the party!" Juliet shouted back. She wasn't going to let him shake her. He didn't have a right to be angry. Sure, they were getting closer but they weren't in a serious relationship. One of her closest friends invited her and a group of people to her house for a party. Hunter didn't want to go but Cody was there. The kiss meant nothing to her, clearly. Cody is one of her best friends. Her heart belonged to Hunter, no matter how wrong it was for them to be together.
"You kissed my brother!" The way he said those words, she knew he felt hurt and betrayed. A voice cut in and that's when everything came full circle.
"What's going on in here?"
Hunter stepped away and looked at his brother and then realized he let his angry get the best of him as he saw the picture frame on the ground. The glass pieces all around, surrounding them. "I... I need to get out of here." He bolted towards the door and took off out of the house before he hurt anyone else.
"Are you okay?" Cody stepped closer towards her, pulling her into a hug.
"Yeah.." She mumbled into his neck, looking at the door that was still open.
"Hunter?"
"Hmm.. what was the question?"
"Why did you come back here?"
"I guess, I just wanted to make things right."
************
Juliet was pacing her house. She barely slept last night because she was worried about Hunter. As much as he meant to her she knew nothing she could say was going to be able to help him get better. Unless he believe that he can be happy and let go of all his pain and sadness.
"Hunter, stop. Don't go." She reached out and grabbed his hand. There was no way she was letting him go.
"I have to Juliet." He pulled his arm away and looked at her. He was ashamed of himself. He couldn't stand to look at her, not after the stunt he pulled tonight. "I'm a monster."
"No, you're not. I know you think you're this terrible person that can't be loved but that's not true. I love you Hunter. I just need you to give me a reason to keep fighting for us."
"W-What do you want me to say?"
"The real reason that, that kissed upset you so much. Three words, eight letters.. say it and you don't have to be alone anymore." She had tries in her eyes while stood outside of his car. He had the window down and was looking straight ahead, trying to avoid looking at her because he knew once he did; he would break. Hunter meant everything to her. She loved him with all her heart and she believed he loved her too; she just needed to hear the words come from his lips.
"I... I..." His eyes were glossy and he was doing everything in his power to stop the tears from falling down his cheeks. "I'm sorry but I can't do this anymore." Those being the last words he would ever say to her for a year and 3 months. The last for her to remember him by. Leaving her was the biggest regret of his life.
And there she stood, on the sidewalk cold and crying. Losing her best friend and her true love all in one night. How will she ever get over him? She felt warm arms wrap around her but all she could do was stand there and cried, unable to stop.
There was a knock at the door and Juliet went to open it, wiping her tears.
"Hey, what's wrong? When you weren't answering my texts, I got worried." Cody said.
"Oh sorry.. My phone died. I'm charging it upstairs."
"Juliet, what's going on?"
"Nothing.. Want something to drink? I was just about to make cookies." She said grabbing the pan out of the cabinet.
"Stop avoiding the subject. It's about Hunter isn't it? What did he do to you this time?!"
"Nothing. Will you calm down and go easy on him? He's going through a lot."
"I bet." He lets out a laugh, not believing a word she said.
"I found him drinking last night."
"That's not exactly a surprise, you know. He always drank."
"No, this time was different. He had a sober chip in his hand. He got help while he was away but then ruined it all once he got back here."
"Then why doesn't he leave again?" He said rudely.
"Do you really hate him that much?" She said, questioning her relationship.
"He's a mess! You should stay away from him before he hurts you again."
"Stop! Stop right there! Stop telling me who I can and can't see!" Now she was getting angry. Cody wasn't the boss of her and she was tired of him telling her to stay away from his brother who was also her best friend once too.
"I'm not." He said, a little taken back by Juliet's reaction.
"But you are! You told Hunter to stay away from me and now you tell me to stay away from him? I can do whatever I want!"
"I'm just..."
"I know, trying to protect me but guess what Cody; I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself. I know what he's capable of now. So if aren't going to try to at least be civil with him I don't think I can do this anymore. This feud between you two is ridiculous! You are brothers for crying out loud! You should be the one person that's always there for him! Feelings for me aside because there is nothing to be jealous of. I chose you and I'm not going to leave you so stop thinking that!"
"Alright, let's just drop it okay?"
She nodded agreeing with him. It felt good getting that off her chest and she was relived that the words were out in the open now. "Thank you." She whispered.