"It's Saturday, Saturday, gotta get down on Saturday. Everybody's looking forward to tomorrow cause it's Sunday, Sunday. Satur-"
"For the millionth time, shut the fuck up!"
"Nope, I don't think I will!"
"Shut up, Taylors!"
"Why?"
"Cause I'm pissed off!"
"I'm Kat, nice to meet you."
Crash.
Hunter tackled me to the floor and I gasped for air when he practically sat on my stomach. He held me down by my shoulders, and used his weight to keep me from struggling.
"Can't...breathe!" I wheezed.
Hunter chuckled. "That's the point of it."
"Rape!" I screamed, kicking randomly at Hunter. "Rape! Rape! Mom?! Chris?! Hunter's trying to rape me!"
Chris walked into the living room, vaguely looking at me and Hunter as he strolled into the kitchen. He stopped, glanced briefly at us and raised an eye-brow.
"Rape, huh?" He asked.
I managed a nod.
"Hunter, stop trying to rape your sister."
"She's not my fucking sister." Hunter muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes as they glared into mine. Somewhere behind the danger, I could see that he was finding this situation kind of fun. Who knew? Maybe he'd even smile.
"I'm not his sister, I'm his friend." I explained to Chris.
Who suddenly became wide eyed.
"Friends?"
"Yup!" I grinned. "As of Monday, we're friends."
Chris was smiling now. "Is this true Hunter?"
Hunter just muttered something completely inaudioable under his breath again. Chris winked at me before walking back into his bedroom to my Mom. Actually, I was surprised that I wasn't in bed. It was about 10 AM, that was still sleepy time for me.
The week had gone by pretty quickly. Most people knew about Lux and Hunter by now, and even Mom and Chris knew...but I'd sworn them to secrecy so they never mentioned it.
Despite Hunter's lack of attention to Lux, she was convinced that he was 'falling in love with her.' He couldn't be though. They met up about once a week outside school and only spoke occasionally during school. When Lux was talking, Hunter's eyes were elsewhere. And when Hunter was talking to her...well that never happened.
He was one crappy boyfriend.
But I felt sympathetic.
Because the only reason he had gotten a girlfriend in the first place was because he wanted to be normal for once.
Usually I would have given him absolute crap on how it was wrong to use girls, but for some reason I felt sorry for him and just laid off the subject.
Me and Hunter however, were slowly progressing. He didn't threaten to kill me as much, didn't push me around as much, and when he made mean comments, I could see the joke to it. Like earlier this morning, it had been our first real morning conversation without him pouring steaming coffee onto me.
***Flashback to Morning***
"Are you awake?"
I made a weird groan, and then twisted around in my blankets so that I was facing Hunter. He was sat up, in his boxers, and his chest was on full display. He looked tired, but then again, he always looked tired.
I'd grown used to seeing his face pale and under eyes dark.
I was going to reply, but Hunter seemed to be amused at my morning face. My hair was literally everywhere and it was sticking up and down in random places. I hadn't taken my makeup off the night before, so my eyeliner was a bit smudged over my face and my foundation had darkened to make me look like an oompa loompa.
Hunter raised an eye-brow at me. "Beautiful."
I groaned. "Shut up, Hunter!"
He chuckled. "No, seriously! If Lux had that face, I wouldn't mind kissing her! I mean, you look a bit...exorcist-like but I can totally see past that and-"
He shut up as my pillow collided into his face. But the weird thing, was that he didn't strangle me for throwing something at him. Instead, he chuckled again and then simply threw the pillow back to me.
Not at me.
But to me.
***End Flashback***
"You should probably...get off me, shouldn't you?" I asked Hunter who was still...sitting on top of me with his hands on my shoulders. He seemed to be in a daze of some sort, but snapped out of it quickly.
"Um...yeah." He said, looking around aimlessly. He released my shoulders and effortlessly pulled himself up. I thought that maybe he'd offer a hand out to me to help, but it seemed as if we hadn't reached that stage in friendship yet.
"Want some breakfast?" I asked.
Hunter wrapped his arms around his bare chest. "Naah."
I grabbed his wrist, leading him into the kitchen. "Well, my Mom will just make you eat some later anyways, so you might as well have some now."
I pulled out a stool and pushed Hunter towards it. Thankfully, he dropped down but he didn't seem to be happy about the situation. I wondered why Hunter didn't like eating. He wasn't like...anorexic or anything, I hoped. He didn't seem too fussed about his weight. He just didn't eat. But who knew? Maybe I'd find out what he did like to eat one day and then I'd feel this mental relief.
"Toast...cereal...pancakes..."
"Cereal's fine." He said, resting his chin on his hand.
I nodded and then reached into the cupboard for the box of cornflakes. I grabbed a carton of milk and then 2 bowls from the shelves. After preparing 2 bowls of cereal, I put everything away and placed the food on the table. I sat down opposite Hunter and picked up my spoon.
Hunter picked it up as well, but just kind of pushed the cereal around.
"You don't eat much, do you?" I asked sarcastically.
Hunter shrugged. "Guess not."
"Why?"
"Just don't feel like it."
"No other reason?"
"Not that I know of."
"Oh, ok then."
About 5 minutes later, I was just about to finish my cornflakes and Hunter had eaten about...2 spoonfulls? Seriously, I just wanted to shove the food down his throat and laugh. Well maybe not laugh but, you know, take pride in managing to get him to eat.
"You should smile more..." I said absentmindedly.
"Huh?"
"I said you should smile more." I said, reaching back to place my bowl in the sink. "Or laugh. I don't think I've ever seen you genuinley laugh at something other than me crying because you've insulted me."
Hunter rolled his eyes. "I don't need to smile."
"You should though."
"I don't want to."
"Why not?"
"What's the point in smiling when you have no reason to?"
I nodded, understanding Hunter's words entirely and then I thought about dropping the subject. It was obvious that he was not into the 'laughing' and 'having fun' part of life. But I wanted to change that.
"I'd do anything to see you laugh." I admitted.
Hunter raised an eye-brow. "Like what?"
"I dunno. I'd get my lip pierced even though I'm amazingly scared of anything breaking my skin."
He grinned. "You are so going to regret that."
I shrugged. "Possibly. But you can't just laugh for no reason. It has to be a genuine laugh."
"And you'd seriously get your lip pierced just to see me laugh?"
I smiled. "Yes I would."
"You're so fucking stubborn."
I smiled wider. "Yes I am."
Chris wandered through yet again with an empty cup of what I assumed was coffee. He stood next to where Hunter sat, and then smiled gently.
"So you guys are actually getting along?" He asked us.
"A bit." I replied.
Chris grinned. "Well that's good, because me and your Mom are going to be going out tonight. As it's the anniversary of when we first met, I'm taking her to a hotel for a night of luxury and entertainment. You guys will be alright on your own, wont you?"
"Yup."
"Hunter?" Chris asked. "Are you alright with this?"
He just shrugged.
Chris looked back to me. "How you can get anything out of him is a wonder."
***Later That Night***
It was about 7pm, an hour after after Mom and Chris left and me and Hunter were sat in the front room watching TV. As an attempt to find out more about him, I tossed Hunter the remote and he chose the show that we would watch.
As a result, I found out that Hunter liked horror movies as he'd put on 'Paranormal Activity 2.'
Halfway through it, there was a knock at the door.
"Who's that?" I asked.
Hunter stood up from the couch. "Lux."
"Lux?"
"Yup."
"You invited Lux over?"
"Well she actually invited herself, but she's here either way."
"Is she staying the night?"
"If she wants, I guess."
"Where will she sleep?"
"Your bed."
"No way!"
"My bed then."
"No way!"
"You're fucking annoying Kat."
"Likewise."
"Can I get the door now?"
"Whatever."
Ok, so I guess it was an understatement to say that I was a bit upset that Lux was over. Me and Hunter were finally starting to get along for the 1st time in years, and now his girlfriend was gonna come over and make us fight.
Well, that was a bit overdramatic.
I was just enjoying the time with Hunter and would rather Lux come round another time.
But...she was my friend and I had to smile for her.
I heard the door opening and small murmurs of conversation, then the door closing and footsteps approaching the front room. I popped my head to the side and smiled at Lux whose red curly hair was tied in a loose bun and who wore white shorts and vest top.
She smiled at me, but not the friendly type.
It was like a glare.
Which was so uncalled for.
"Hi Lux."
"Hi Kat."
"How are you?"
"Good, now that I'm with Hunter, of course." She said, taking Hunter's hand.
For a moment, I honestly thought that I saw Hunter flinch. Flinch. Chris had explained to me a while ago that Hunter only flinched at someone's touch when he was uncomfortable. Normally when he was in situations which remained him of his Dad. He hated being held, restrained, forced to look into somebody's eye.
But why would he flinch because of Lux? Was he not comfortable with her? Not comfortable in a relationship? Being physically close?
Or was I going too far with the possiblity of seeing Hunter flinch?
I mean, I might have imagined it just so that I could dislike Lux even more.
I brought my eyes up to Hunter and he was looking down at the floor, unmoving. With his free hand, he was picking at his lip ring...and that's where I realized that yes. Hunter was definitley uncomfortable with Lux.
But why?
"Hunter, you ok?" I asked.
He nodded gently.
"Fine." He said, before looking up and straight past me. "We're gonna go in...the bedroom. See you later." I nodded, and then waved slowly to Lux as she headed to the door. She however, didn't risk another glance at me.
For about 20 minutes, I sat aimlessly watching the remainder of Paranormal Activity 2. Without Hunter though, I wasn't remotley interested. All that I wanted to do was to go into my bedroom and collapse on the bed. But I couldn't because Hunter and Lux were most likely kissing 'passionatley' on Hunter's bed.
I shuddered at the thought.
I wondered if Hunter was a good kisser. His lips were definitley...good looking. But what about the lip ring? Did he take it off for make out sessions? I hoped he didn't because it was actually kind of a turn on for most girls...
Wait? What the fuck am I thinking about that for?
Because I'm secretly in love with Hunter and love the idea of his lips against mine.
Ha, ha. Yeah right. I hated Hunter. Well, not anymore. I guess I liked him as a friend now. But that was it. Nothing more, nothing less. Well, less when we were fighting, of ccourse.
In hope of curing my boredom, I decided to make some strawberry milkshake. I skipped into the kitchen, grabbed some strawberries and milk from the fridge and then started cutting the strawberries up.
"Shit." I muttered as the blade of the knife sliced the tip of my finger. That really hurt...like an absolute bitch.
I set the knife down and reached into the cupboard to find some plasters but none of them came into sight. I tried another cupboard, and then another, and then another, and then finally decided on just asking Hunter.
I made my way out of the kitchen and towards my bedroom, but just as I was about to knock, I got the mischevious idea of eavesdropping.
Nope, that would be evil.
But being the evil genius that I was, I pressed my ear up against the door and listened in.
At first, there was complete silence and I had a pretty good idea that they were kissing or something else which involved silence. I shuddered at the thought once again, and then waited for some actual conversation.
"What's wrong, baby?" I heard Lux asked, her voice breathless.
"Nothing." Hunter said, and I practically heard him touch his lip ring. "I just-"
"If nothing's wrong then why do you keep moving my hand?"
I shuddered deeply at the thought of where her hand was...
"Cause I don't want to..." he said slowly.
Lux laughed a bit. "But you're a guy...don't you always want to?"
"I'm not like every other guy, Lux."
"I know. You're even better."
Ew. Well that line was so cheesy. There was obviously something wrong with Hunter and there she was...well she wasn't really doing anything wrong but I didn't like her at the minute so I automaticaly hated everything which she did.
"Lux, stop it." Hunter's voice was a little demanding now.
"Don't you want me?" Stupid, attemptive, seductive voice.
"Not that way."
"Why not?"
"I just don't want to."
"Are you like...frigid?"
Ok, I wanted to slap her!
"I just don't fucking want to!" Hunter muttered.
There was a small silence.
"Look, why don't you just go?"
"Do you want me to?" Lux asked, stupid, attempt at a seductive voice again.
"Yeah, actually."
"Well...ok then."
As I realized that Lux was about to leave the room, I immediatley ran back into the kitchen and stood casually next to the strawberries. Nobody would suspect anything if you were leaning next to strawberries with a bleeding finger.
I heard the room door open, angry footsteps storm across the room, and then the front door slam.
I sighed to myself, and decided that I'd finish off the milkshake and bring some through to Hunter. Maybe I'd ask him what had happened...act as if I hadn't eavesdropped on him.
After finding the plasters under the microwave of all places, I wrapped one around my finger and then dumped the strawberries into the blender along with the milk.
After about 2 minutes, the milkshake had blended and I poured it into 2 cups. One for me and one for Hunter.
I picked the glasses up and headed through to the bedroom. The door was wide open, and as I enterred, I saw Hunter lying down on the bed with his arms folded behind his head.
Like he usually lay.
"I bring milkshake!" I cried, trying to lighten the mood. I placed one glass down on Hunter's bedside table and then i went over to sit on my own bed.
"Are you ok?" I asked, pulling my feet up and lying down. Hunter looked at me, as if thinking 'how the hell do you know that i'm not ok?' and I just shrugged. "Lux left in quite a hurry."
"Fine." He said.
"You want a hug?"
"You want a lot of hugs recently."
"It's a hobby. So...you want one?"
"Not exactly."
"Ok then."
A few minutes passed and Hunter was just staring intently at the ceiling. I thought about making conversation, but as I was about to, Hunter opened his mouth to speak.
"Kat?"
"Yeah?"
"Have you ever been in love?"
This was probably the last thing that I expected to come out of Hunter's mouth. Did Hunter even know what love was? Because from what I'd heard, he wasn't loved as a son. So who else could have showed him what it meant?
To him, it must just be some kind of strange language.
Something foreign which he didn't understand.
"No, I don't think so." I said, folding my arms across my chest. "What about you?"
Hunter stared at the ceiling harder, and whilst playing with his lip ring, he murmured very quietly.
"I don't think I'm ever gonna love anyone."
"Why not?"
"I don't know what it means."
"You'll know one day."
He shook his head. "Nah I don't think so."
And that's where it hit me. The reason that Hunter was the way he was, was because he didn't know how to act any different. He wasn't a delinquent because he'd been through something so traumatic as an attemptive murder.
He was a delinquent because that's how his parents acted around him.
And he had never been loved.
But that's where I wanted to change it. I wanted to make Hunter feel different, feel happy. I'd get him to smile, get him to laugh, get him to enjoy life.
And then one day he would know what love was.
______________
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