Show me something the rest never see.
Give me all that you hope to receive.
Your deepest regret dies with me.
I want it all.
Bring your honor, bring your shame.
All your memories, I will change.
Won't you lay down, down your guard.
Share your silence,
And unpack your heart.
- Phillip Phillips
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I can't remember the last time I enjoyed school this much. After a dreary morning spent dodging Sean and his stupid comments, having Hunter here just seems to fill the entire day with life.
It's different from when I first started talking to Sean. Being with him seemed to bring out the worst in me in every possible way. I was insecure and frantic and anxious, and I never really felt like myself. But I like who I am when I'm with Hunter.
I'm almost sad that the day is coming to an end, but then I remember he's taking me somewhere after school, and I'm giddy all over again.
Where's he taking me? I still don't know. He won't tell me, which really sucks considering how curious am.
"Come on, please?" I say as we make our way to the school parking lot.
"No, it's a surprise," Hunter says.
"You know, all this secrecy," I say, glancing at him. "Should I assume you really are an axe murderer?"
"Seriously? You're still on that?" he laughs, running a hand through his hair.
"Not really," I admit. "I just hoped it might make you tell me."
Hunter grins at me. "Well, I promise you won't have to wait much longer, it's not far."
He stops in front of a black car in the lot, and I'm struck by how nice it is. I mean, I'm not exactly an automobile expert. Actually, I don't really know anything about cars, but it doesn't take a genius to tell that this is an expensive one.
I mean, most of the kids at our school have cars that are nicer than your average high school kid's junker. It's a private school after all, but Hunter's looks even nicer than the other ones in the lot. It's got a classic American muscle look to it, but it's not so lavish that it stands out too much. I can't help but wonder what kind of parents would spend so much on a car for their teenage son.
My attention is brought back to Hunter when he opens the passenger side door for me. "Besides, have I ever given you any reason not to trust me?" he asks.
I think about it, and, honestly, no, he hasn't. I realize that there's not many people in my life that I can say that about. Hunter's never given me any reason not to trust him.
In fact, he's given me every reason to trust him. Every time I've needed someone in the past couple of months, he's been the one there for me. Not Zack or Jay, not Rose, and definitely not Sean, but Hunter. It's been Hunter. Why has he been there for me? I don't really know, but the fact is, he's never left me when I needed him. And so far, that's made all the difference in the world.
I smile back at him and answer. "No," I reply before climbing in. I buckle my seatbelt as he walks around to the driver's side and gets in.
After a quick fifteen minute drive, we pull off of the road near a small wooded area. The car comes to a stop, and Hunter cuts the ignition, before quickly hopping out of the car.
I quickly unbuckle my seatbelt, trying to hurry out of the car to follow him, but before I know it, he's over on my side opening the door for me. I climb out as gracefully as I can, thankful that my school shoes are flats and not heels, because the ground is a bit rocky.
"So, bringing me out to the woods huh?" I say as I take a look around. "I'd like to revisit that whole murderer thing."
"Ha ha very funny," he says. "Come on, I really want to show you this." He holds out his hand for me, and I take it, letting him lead me into the tree line.
We walk past bushes and low hanging branches. We've already been going uphill for a minute or two before I speak again. "Did I ever tell you that I'm not the biggest fan of hiking?" I ask.
Hunter chuckles. "We're almost there, I promise." He looks so excited, and I have to stop a smile from creeping onto my face at the sight of him like this. He's like a child trying to show you something they've made.
His grip on my hand tightens as we pass over a particularly rocky area, and when we come out on the other side of the tree line, I see why he wanted to show this to me so badly.
We're standing on a ridge just above a cliff. It's a little intimidating, being so high up, but it's worth it for the distance it allows us to see.
Almost the entire city is spread out below us, with its buildings, houses, and tiny moving cars. The sun is shining brightly in the sky, coating everything in a golden glow, and you can even see the ocean just barely peaking out on the edge of the horizon.
"Wow," I breath out, speechless at the sight in front of me.
"Here, come on," Hunter offers, urging me forward. He moves to sit down, and I sit next to him, thankfully not too close to the edge. I still have a lingering fear that I'll somehow fall off, so I lean towards him for support.
"You know, I've lived here pretty much my whole life, and I've never seen a view like this," I say. "How did you find this place?" I ask, turning to face him.
"It was couple of years ago," he replies, still looking out over the landscape. "I was having just a really shitty day. Everywhere I turned felt like a dead end, so I got in my car and just drove," he says, shaking his head. "I was gunning the engine so hard it overheated, and I had to pull over. Basically, I ended up waiting here for a tow truck until sunset. Now I come out here when I need to be alone, or when I need to think. Being out here, away from everything else.. It helps me remember who I am, who I want to be," Hunter says.
He turns to me. "I've never brought anyone else up here before."
"Really? Never?"
"Never."
I look at him. "So what made you decide to bring me?"
He shrugs his shoulders. "You shared things about your life with me," he says. "I want you to know that you can trust me with that. I figured the best way to do that is to show you that I trust you too," he finishes. I can tell he's working hard to look casual, nonchalant, but his voice gives him away. He sounds nervous, like he's afraid I'll reject him.
His confession makes my heart beat wildly in my chest and my face burn hot. I smile at him, placing my hand over his. "Thank you," I say. I'm scared that he'll feel my pulse through my fingertips, so I quickly draw my hand back, even though I immediately miss his warmth.
We sit in silence for a few moments, until Hunter speaks.
"Mia?" he says, tentatively.
"Hm?" I respond, giving him my full attention.
"About my family problems," he begins.
"Oh, Hunter, you don't have to..," I start.
"No, I want to," he says. "I just.. Give me a minute. It's not really something I talk about very often."
I look away to give him time to gather his thoughts, but out of the corner of my eye, I can see him taking calculated breaths. I know this isn't going to be easy for him.
He lets out one more breath before speaking.
"My parents..," he begins, then pauses like the words are hard to find. "They don't get along very well. Actually, they're always fighting. And the crazy part is, I'm pretty sure they think no one can tell bad it is," he says.
"Whenever there are people around, they pretend like everything's fine. Like we're just this big happy family, but it's all fake. They fight all the time. In the middle of the night when they think I'm asleep, or in the afternoon when they weren't expecting me home from school so early. It's almost worse when it's quiet though. The quiet just means they're not even talking," he pauses, and I watch as his jaw grows tense and hard. "I've known for a while now that things are never going to get any better, I'm past that. I know that the only reason they stay with each other is because if they split up, people would talk. They have this image they need to keep up, and it doesn't matter what it costs them to do it."
"This morning," he continues, shaking his head and letting out a short bitter laugh, like he can't believe what he's about to say. "This morning, my dad said they needed to talk to me. And he sounded all serious, you know? I thought this was finally it. I thought they were finally going to tell me it was over. Turns out, they just needed me to show my face at this stupid business meeting. They made me miss class because my dad's more marketable as a family man. Which is insane, because we haven't been a family in a long freaking time. At this point, they're just two people who are only together because it would be inconvenient not to be. Seriously, it's a wonder I was ever even born," he scoffs.
"And it makes me wonder sometimes," he continues, "why they even brought a kid into all this. I mean, I must be a huge fucking inconvenience to them, having to pretend for me all the time..."
"Hunter, don't," I say, interjecting for the first time. I don't want to interrupt him, not when he's just started opening up, but he needs to hear this. "You're not an inconvenience to anybody," I say. He just shakes his head and remains silent, staring down at his hands.
"I'm serious, Hunter, look at me," I say reaching out and placing a hand on his cheek, like he's done to me so many times. I lift his head until he's looking into my eyes. "You're not an inconvenience. I'm sure your parents love you, but they're human. They just don't know how to be there for you the way they should be, and that's their fault. But I promise, it's not you. You're not an inconvenience to anybody, not to your parents, and definitely not to anyone else. Especially... especially not to me. You're the exact opposite of an inconvenience. Everything is easier with you around, and I need you to know that, okay?"
Hunter holds my gaze for a moment, like he's searching my eyes for something. Then he places his hand over mine and leans into my touch. "Okay," he says, the tension disappearing from his face. He brings both of our hands down, and laces his fingers with mine, holding my hand tightly in his own. "Being with you makes everything a whole lot easier for me too," he says softly.
I offer him a small smile. "Thank you," I say, "for sharing that with me. It makes understanding you a little easier. And trusting you too."
He shakes his head. "Mia, that was just one piece of the trainwreck that is my life. I know I asked you to try to trust me, but I had no right to do that. Not when there's still so much..," he pauses and lets out a breath. "Look, I don't deserve that kind of trust. Not yet, not from someone like you," he says.
"Pretty sure that's for me to decide," I reply, repeating the same words he said to me on Saturday. "And it's my decision."
Hunter looks out across the cityscape. He nods his head, like it's something he needs to come to terms with. "So, Mia Valiente trusts me..," he says. Then he looks at me, and I can tell just by the intensity in his eyes that he intends to take this seriously. "I promise I won't let you regret it," he says, holding my hand even tighter.
And for the first time in a long time, when someone promises me something, I believe it.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N - This chapter was definitely inspired by the song "Unpack Your Heart" by Phillip Phillips. I heard it, and it gave me inspiration to write this chapter, and I just think that it fits Hunter and Mia's relationship really well. Let me know what you guys think!
Alright, Hope you guys enjoy! Please please comment and vote! xx