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A week. A whole week of my summer break wasted. I should be at the beach right now, with Stacey and Carmen. I should be laughing, happy that we aren't in our small town anymore, that we are finally viewing the ocean from more than just an old picture of us from the previous summer.
It's a tradition of ours. We always take the two-hour drive to the closest beach at the end of the first week. What are they thinking right now? Were they looking for me? Were my family searching? Did the police even know?
The answer is pretty obvious. The police don't know. They would have found me by now for sure otherwise. The Skulls must know The Razors have me.
Obviously, my dad has made the decision not to get the police involved. It probably has to do with the fact that they had broken the rules. They had been getting jobs in The Razors territory, illegally. Or, it has something to do with their actual job. I try to suppress the uneasiness.
The first night that I slept in the barn, the two blankets that Ridge had dropped at my feet weren't enough, even in summer. "I tried to warn you," Ridge had said, anger and disappointment laced his voice.
The memory from class swarms my brain. He had tried to tell me, but it wasn't enough. He didn't tell me directly what was going to happen, so how could he make it seem like I'm in the wrong?
On the second night, just before I was about to fall asleep on the uncomfortable hay, Hunter brought me a sheet and a duvet. He didn't want me to know it was him, I was sure of that. He had worn a hoodie, hiding most of his face. But I saw his eyes and that was enough. He had purposely chosen the moment I was about to fall asleep to walk in, I know that too.
I know the routine now. Breakfast is at seven, every day. Marcos, the guy who had kidnapped me, brought it in every morning. He never speaks and rarely makes eye contact.
At eleven, Hunter comes in to walk me around outside. I'm not sure if that was originally part of the plan. The first day he came in, telling me I had to walk with him, Andy had pulled him aside later on, asking what the hell he was doing. I could hear their hushed, urgent fight outside the barn. But after that, Hunter came around at the same time, every day.
The only way I know my schedule is because Ridge had told me one day, out of nowhere. He was just trying to make conversation, I could tell. He brings in my lunch, hardly ever speaking. Then my dinner is brought in my Marcos, just like breakfast. I often try to speak to him, just to see if he will finally break. He never does.
"Put your shoes on," a deep voice says from the door.
I look up from the book I'm currently reading, the one Hunter had given me. I don't know if I'm allowed to have this either, but I don't care. At least I'm not as bored.
"It's eleven already?" I ask. I've tried to sleep in most days, to make the painfully long days shorter. But I am always woken up at seven, no matter what.
"Yep," Hunter says, leaning against the door. He's wearing a white t-shirt. His jeans are a faded blue, and I wonder how he isn't dying from heat stroke.
They'd given me some old clothes. Luckily they're women's clothes, but I had no idea who they are from. I haven't seen a single female the whole time I've been here.
I pull my hair into a high pony, wiping the sweat from the back of my neck. I pass the shower and toilet in the corner of the barn. The shower only has cold water. Usually, that would be a problem, but it's a good escape from the heat.
I walk over to the tap near the barn door, splashing my face to cool down. The water splutters out, hardly giving me enough to wet my cheeks, let alone my whole face.
Hunter opens the door wider so that I can step outside, past him.
This is the only time of the day I'm allowed past the freaking door. Most of the time it lasts half an hour, maybe less. Andy usually calls out to Hunter to take me back inside. I think he's mostly worried that I'm going to plan my escape. He shouldn't worry, Hunter only walks me around the acres of land they own. I never see the road that leads away from the house.
Today the sun is extremely hot. It seems to follow me as I walk next to Hunter. He doesn't say anything, just fixes the backwards cap on his head. I watch the few strands of blonde hair that stick out at the back of his neck before I look away, squinting from the sun.
Although I hate him, I often still try to make conversation. I'd seen one too many documentaries on solitary confident and I know what loneliness can do to people.
"Have you lived here your whole life?" I try to sound bored, but even I notice the interest in my voice.
Hunter nods. "Born and raised. My mum even gave birth to me here. Didn't make it to the hospital."
I notice the way his voice changes when he mentions her, but I don't ask.
"What about you?" he asks, peering over at me. I'm walking slightly behind him, already exhausted from the sun's rays warming my back.
"What about me?" I ask.
"Have you lived in Meterpoint your whole life?"
I don't know if I want to answer. I need to remember who he is, but a stupid part of me speaks anyway.
"Born and raised," I mimic, making sure my answer is as vague as possible. I don't want him to get to know me, even though I'd asked him the same question.
He smiles but quickly looks away. He jumps the fence to the paddock. When he's over, he puts out a hand for me to grab. I don't take it. Instead, I pull down the wire, the lines ingraining into my hands as I push myself over.
He just grunts, amused. I don't look at him when I'm over the small fence. I walk on ahead, knowing the route we take like the back of my hand now.
Hunter quickly catches up to me, his long legs only having to take small strides. I'm not short by any means of the word, but I look like I am next to Hunter.
"Any university plans?" he asks.
"Why? So you can come and kidnap me?" I snap. I don't miss the small tug of his lips. It only made me more annoyed.
"Geez, you're still sensitive about that?"
I do not find that funny at all. Doesn't he get how awful this is for me?
Before I even realised it, my eyes are full of tears. I look away from Hunter but I know he's already seen them. "Asshole. Just because you get everything you want, doesn't mean you have the right to take away other people's lives."
For the first time, I actually see hurt written across his expression. It gives me a satisfaction I didn't know I needed.
"You think I get everything I want, huh?"
I scoff. Of course, that's the only part he actually listened to. "Did I hurt your big ego? Should I have said something kinder?"
He lets out a loud laugh, but it's not one I've heard before. He's annoyed. "You're infuriating, you know that?"
"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to fucking upset you!" I stop walking, turning to him as I jab a finger at his chest. "Let's not forget that I'm the one being held here. Don't you think that my anger is justified?"
I cross my arms in front of my chest, huffing.
"You make it so easy," he smirks.
I roll my eyes. "Whatever, you womanizer. I'm not falling for your bullshit. Let's not forget you punched my brother, on multiple occasions."
His eyes drop, looking at my feet. "Yeah," he whispers. "Can't say I love the guy."
I keep walking, not wanting to see his face. I honestly don't know what to think of Hunter. I've seen so many different sides of him, it's crazy.
He's almost seemed happy, open even, and then a true Razor; cold and shut off.
"Is it almost time to go back?" I question.
"Do you want to go back?" he replies.
I sigh. Hunter is a few paces behind me, deliberately walking slow. I'm glad he's received the message to stay away.
"I don't know," I answer, honestly. This is my only moment of freedom. Well, the closest I will get to ever having freedom while I'm here.
I lean against the fence, turning my back to Hunter. I can feel him standing behind me, but I don't turn around. I don't want to see his close proximity to me.
"Can I ask you something?" I whisper. At first I don't think he hears me. But eventually, he answers.
"Anything," he says. I feel him move closer, so I press myself further into the fence, ready to leap over it and go back to the barn. I close my eyes, breathing out slowly.
"When can I go home?" the vulnerability in my voice leaks out before I can stop it. I bite my lip, regretting it instantly.
I hear him breathe out slowly, before answering. "I honestly don't know, Ellie. I don't get told much about anything."
I can tell he's telling the truth, and I didn't know what's worse. The truth, or the fact he's being honest with me, as my enemy.