You know what I hate most about big family dinners. It is that every time it happens, they ask the same goddamn questions. How is school? How are things going with you? Have you gotten a boyfriend yet? Every goddamn time, no matter how many times it is annoying.
It is like they care, but really they don't. The whole living room is full of uncles, aunts, and cousins on my mom's side. The kids are running around out in the garden in the sunlight. Playing hide and seek. There is one person in this room that does not have one family member in here, and she is sitting on the couch. Hunter looks uncomfortable and out of place. Her jeans are full of holes as usual, and she is wearing a navy blue thin sweater.
"Skylar." I turn around to my aunt Kristen. She is my youngest aunt, only five years older. She is my favorite and the most annoying one.
"So how is soccer?" Yeah, that is why I like her the best because she talks about the things I like.
"Great, the coach looks impressed." She smiles brightly.
"That's good because you are good." I chuckle.
"So do Hunter play soccer?" Kristen asks, and we both turn to look at her. Still, she looks like she wants to run away.
"I don't know." I answer honestly.
"She seems a little lonely over there, I should go over and talk to her." I simply just nod.
After dinner, my aunts and uncles came up to me talking. It was like they stood in a line or something. Asking these boring questions. Now they are talking to each other. Conversations about work, family, and weather. I just stand in the background, so I think I can simply just disappear.
I walk up the stairs and up on the roof. Hunter is leaning on the railing, looking out to the view. The sun is about to go down, it looks as beautiful as always. The sun shines on Hunter's hair. I walk over and stand next to her. She does not turn to look at me, just watching the sunset.
We stand here for a moment of quiet. The only sounds we can hear is the children having fun downstairs. Their yelling and laughing, it's kind of nice to listen to them. Keeps the awkwardness between us away. I turn to watch her, and she moves to look at me too. Her eyes tell me she has been crying, her skin looks sore, red. She has a smile on her face, but that can't hide the hurt in her eyes.
"You okay?" She smiles brightly and nods. Obviously, she is lying. Hunter turns to look at the last view of the sun, and I do the same.
"It's beautiful here." She says, still her eyes are on the pink sky. Yeah, it was until you showed up. I sigh. She turns to look at me with a crooked smile and sparkling blue eyes, it makes my stomach tingle again. I can't remember anyone watching me like that before, and it is a weird feeling.
"Okay, I am going back down." I say uncomfortable and step downstairs. Seems like some of them have left. Mom talks with Kristen, and it looks like dad is looking for someone. He walks over to me.
"Skylar, have you seen Hunter?" Of course.
"Yeah, she is on the roof." His eyes widen.
"Alone?" I nod.
"Well, it's not like she is going to jump." I roll my eyes. His eyes wide and hard again.
"If you had to go through what she has been through, then you would."
"Well, it's not like you have told me anything, so I do not know!" I yell a little too loud. He breathes out. I look around finding people watching us. Dad looks behind me and I follow his gaze finding Hunter. She stands there scratching her neck, looking uncertain. Then she walks back up. I turn to dad, his face is blank.
"I should go and talk to her." He says more calmly. I just nod, afraid to talk.
The crowd is getting smaller and smaller as the time has passed. All of the children are gone and their parents. I step out into the garden into the night. There is nothing like the smell of the cold night of May that wakes you up. The sound of the door behind me makes me turn.
"You okay, honey?" Mom asks, taking on a jacket.
"Yeah." I answer. She moves beside me. We stand here in quiet for a little while, enjoying the sound of the birds singing. The sound of the cars driving on the road. On their way home to their families or on to their late shifts at work.