"Congratulations Cameron, you're on varsity swimming," Coach Wilkinson said.
"Thank you coach," I said thanking her before running out to go find Shay.
"Whoa Cam, what's up?" Shay asked as I pulled her aside and told her the unbelievable news.
"That's fantastic! Have you told Hunter yet?"
"Nope I wanted to tell you first," I said and I could tell that meant a lot to her, "plus you're my sister. I would tell my family before telling my boyfriend any day," I added and Shay hugged me before saying, "We need to celebrate tonight. I'll go call mom and dad to tell them what you told me." She walked off in the other direction with Jeremy who had seemed to appear out of nowhere.
I turned and saw Hunter's brother, Garrett, and immediately turned to pretend and act like I was following Shay.
"Hey beautiful," Garrett said walking right next to me and I tried to speed up my pace as he kept right in step.
"Garrett go away," I said focusing on walking to a less secluded area, in case he tried to get away with anything hopefully someone would notice.
"Why? Oh because you're scared and you're going to call my brother to come kick my ass? How pitiful, Cameron, you have been through worse shit than this and yet you're going to call "prince charming" to come and rescue you? Listen sweetheart," he said grabbing my wrist and I yanked hard as he held fast. If he was trying to intimidate it was working but I kept my emotions hidden and my face calm. He couldn't tell that he had scared me yet and continued with, "If you ever tell him about anything I do to you, I'll bail Brett out of jail."
"That's a meaningless threat," I said trying to call his bluff and replayed what I had just said in my head to make sure my voice hadn't quivered.
Garrett must have been able to sense that I was somewhat uneasy because he threatened, "Is it?" He pulled me to a quieter area in the school. I was tempted to yell and kick him, but my instincts were screaming inside of me that I would get harmed even more than what he was going to do with me.
I felt like a puppet being tangled up in its strings due to the puppeteer because he didn't care what happened to it, as he pulled me harder and backed me up into a corner.
"Yes now just go and piss someone else off," I said and Garrett could tell I felt vulnerable in the position he had put me in.
"Stupid response Cameron. You really need to work on making comebacks at a moment's notice." Watch his stance for now to see what he might do. I thought in my head as I watched him with flickering eyes.
"You know Cam," he said reaching into his pocket and I immediately thought I was a goner because he either had a gun or some deathly looking knife that he was about to stab me with. "If you continue to stay on my bad side... Well," he said and finished his sentence simply by pulling out a wicked looking pocket knife.
"He wouldn't would he?" I thought in my head but all I could muster up to say was, "I've had worse." Which in reality was true, but I had never been more terrified in my life because I had only met Garrett a few days ago, and no one was supposed to be terrified out of their minds about their boyfriend's brother. But this wasn't a normal circumstance. My boyfriend had a psycho brother who planned on doing who knows what and I could see it now. Some headline on a newspaper showing Garrett going to jail and Hunter committing suicide for Garrett's actions. It would be a deadly love triangle and I would be the cause of it because I didn't fight back or call for help.
"Well did it ever occur to some people in this world that not everyone has the same luck and opportunity of grabbing a phone and calling for help. What happens then if you get severely hurt and you cannot contact anyone? I can't call anyone if he takes my phone... Watch him!" my voice yelled and I held my breath as his hand smacked me near my eye. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks and I touched my eye because I felt the added pressure and swelling.
I was infuriated that he actually had the nerve to hit a girl and twisted his arm back and saw him grimace. I looked him dead in the eyes, "Rule number one Garrett, don't leave evidence that can't be hidden." I left and as I was walking away Garrett said, "Watch your back Cameron. If I were you I'd check the locks on your window and door."
"I'd watch your mouth Garrett. If I call the police and they see the evidence that you left, you'll be in a heap of trouble. Don't give me any other reason to have me get Hunter to harp on you about beating me up." I walked away leaving Garrett speechless like I wanted, and me crumbling on the inside with fear, which I didn't want.
I ran into Hunter later that day and he frowned, "what happened?"
"One of the girls got mad that I made varsity swimming and slapped me," I said biting my tongue as I lied straight up to him.
"Jeez that looks painful," he said kissing it and I repeated what I had told Garrett earlier, "I've had worse."
"Congratulations by the way," he said and caressed the bruise as I fought the urge to tell him what really happened. I thought of the pros and cons about telling him the truth. Pros, the truth is better, especially in a relationship. It'll get Garrett in trouble, which was my favorite reason. Hunter would protect me and maybe prevent it from happening again.
The cons, if Garrett was serious about me locking my doors and windows I would be encased inside my house due to fear. It would show that I had been unfaithful just now to Hunter. Garrett might really bail Brett out of jail, which was the worst fear ever and I hoped that wouldn't happen.
I decided the pros outweighed the cons somewhat and said, "Hunter?"
He looked at me with his adoring eyes that were a chocolate color and I felt like I was literally melting into them.
"If I was lying to you so I could protect both of us, would you hate me?" I spat out and avoided his gaze and then looked back up at him to see his reaction.
Hunter stopped and said with fury, "Did Garrett do that to you?"
I explained what actually had happened making sure not to leave a single detail out and Hunter grew angrier.
"Hunter please don't say anything."
"Cameron I won't let you live in fear."
"I'm not hiding in fear," I said and we both knew I was lying again.
"God I need to stop being such a compulsive liar!" I shouted inside.
"Then why can't I tell someone?" Hunter taunted, or at least that's how it sounded.
"It'll be drama for your family," I said weakly which was true but not entirely the reason.
"B.S. Cameron Madison, that is not why."
I shut my mouth and shrunk back a few inches as Hunter sighed and tried to gain control of himself.
"I'm telling the authorities because if he gets you alone again, it'll be worse."
I didn't underestimate what Hunter was saying, and I knew that the only other person who knew Garrett as well as Garrett knew himself, would be Hunter. Hunter would be able to at least know ahead of time if Garrett was planning something, in case I didn't catch it. Or at least be there to prevent me from being alone with Garrett.
"Would your parents be mad if I stayed the night?" Hunter asked as we sat in my room.
I looked at him to see that he was being serious and I answered, "I... don't know." I got up and went to go consult with Shay. I at least knew that if I asked her first before I asked my parents she wouldn't tell them. Also she would understand and advise me not to ask them so that they didn't think I was crazy.
"Nah, they know you're a good teen. Plus Jeremy has spent the night before."
The fact that my parents were fine with a guy sleeping in my room I wasn't sure if I found that completely amazing or insanely unsettling. I was happy that Hunter could spend the night, but a thought also crossed through my head what if I was becoming like Deborah. What if this is the first thing she did before she became essentially a prostitute? I pushed the thought out of my head and went back in to check on Hunter. When I came in I saw Hunter putting his phone away, and I assumed he had just gotten done with a phone conversation.
"What did the authorities say?" I asked assuming he had called them or maybe his parents.
"They're going to investigate; I contacted my parents as well. They weren't too happy and at first I thought they weren't going to believe me. Though I don't know why they wouldn't because they know what Garrett is fully capable of doing."
"Hunter I'm sorry." I said hugging him, and he held me closer as I inhaled and smiled secretly. He smelled extremely good, it reminded me of a fruit but with an ocean odor mixed in. Which reminded me of something tropical and I wondered if it was inhumanely possible to smell this good and look this good as well.
"For what? It's time for him to learn a lesson."
I sat on my bed crossed legged and Hunter lay down next to me, either exhaling or sighing.
"If you could change one thing about your life what would it be?" Hunter asked.
"Learning to stand up for myself, you?" I asked having a feeling I already knew his answer.
"Nothing. I wouldn't change one thing," Hunter commented and I blushed feeling good inside and figured that's something he would say.
He sat up and put his arm around me as I leaned into him.
"You really don't think he can bail Brett out of jail do you?"
"Baby that won't happen. What is it about Brett that scares you so much?"
"He's insane beyond belief and is gross... like rape and murder gross."
"He's threatened you?" Hunter said cross and I merely nodded, while Hunter tried to gather his thoughts.
"That's not right," he decided to say and laid back down with me. His hand tenderly ran through my hair. I moved so that my head was lying on his bare chest and he continued to play with a single strand.
"I know but it's in the past." I yawned and ended with, "Goodnight Hunter."
"Night Cam," he said and wrapped his arms around me protectively as we slept.
I had a dream that Hunter had spent the night with me and woke to see it was real. He was still asleep and I unwound myself from him to check the time. It was only one in the morning and I was wide awake. Remembering what Garrett had said I checked to make sure my window was locked. It was and I turned to head back into Hunter's arms. His grip naturally tightened on me when I laid right next to him and I was curious if he was awake or just had a feeling that I had left him? As amazing as this scene was I could not go back to sleep. My thoughts wandered to Garrett or Brett coming back after me.
My alarm went off the next morning and I was still awake. Hunter woke up and he had a concerned look on his face.
"Did you sleep at all?"
"Not really."
"Okay stay home and I'll take notes for you."
"Hunter that's not necessary." I started to object but Hunter interrupted me with, "Yes it is. I'll check on you during lunch." He kissed me on the forehead before leaving.
The day dragged on and I napped sporadically. Hunter texted me every few hours to see how I was doing. At lunch, he came to check up on me but I was asleep. Not wanting to wake me, I heard the fridge open and shut. He sat down next to me and draped his jacket over my shoulders.
I opened my eyes so that I could enjoy the moment and Hunter said, "Hey sleepy head. I brought you food and put it in the fridge."
"You didn't have to do that," I said and sat up.
"Yes I did and you look very cute when you wake up, especially with bed hair."
I jumped up to go check for myself and saw that my hair was perfectly fine. Hunter chuckled as I came back in and punched him playfully, "thanks."
"Anytime baby," he said and kissed me.
"Remind me how I got so lucky to have you?" I asked him.
"Fate, God, irony, I don't know," he said as I took off his jacket that I had been wearing.
"Keep it," he said and I zipped it up gladly, inhaling his seductive scent that I was questioning if I could get addicted to in a healthy way?
"Here," I said taking a ponytail holder off of my wrist and handed it to him. He put it on his wrist and smiled, "Listen Cam," he began and then changed topics, "Crap. I need to go, do you want me to drop off your stuff later or when I get home?"
"Probably later. I need to spend time with my family..." I trailed off and added, "What is it you were going to tell me?"
"I'll tell you when I drop off your stuff," he promised.
"Okay, I love you."
"Love you too Cam," he said and left to go back to school.