It felt like an eternity before Bradlee finally texted back—but in reality it probably took less than five minutes. The corners of Hunter’s lips curved upwards before he lowered his head in a nod, letting me know that Bradlee had said yes. Stuffing his phone back inside his pockets, he lifted his body from his bed, and ran over towards me.
“Come on!” he exclaimed, grabbing my wrist. “Let’s go downstairs and watch him work his magic.”
I let out a small laugh, letting him lead the way. “Is he really that good of a cook?”
Twisting the doorknob opened, he tilted in head in thought before he answered me. “Seeing that he’s the only member of the family that really knows how to cook, yes—” He paused for a nanosecond,—“yes he is.”
“What about your sister?” I inquired, confused. “She made you that sandwich earlier today.”
He rolled his eyes, letting out a snort. “Please. You don’t need cooking skills to put something in a microwave.”
“Ah.” I nodded in understanding, almost laughing at that. “How did your brother learn how to cook if no one in your family does?”
He paused in his step, stopping before the stairs. “Our grandmother taught him before she passed away,” he said, whispering the last part under his breath. Hearing him nearing choking on his words, I felt like an ass for even bringing that up. Way to go, Lily.
“I-I’m sorry,” I said quickly, “I shouldn’t h—”
“Don’t worry about it,” he cut in, the smile back on his face—even though it was forced. “You didn’t know.”
“Still. I’m sorry,” I apologized once more, feeling like shit. Glancing at him in the corner of my eyes, I saw the clear anguish in his. Shifting my eyes back down at my fingers, I bit my lips, chewing on them nervously. “So, um . . . what’s for dinner?”
Hearing his quiet sigh, I knew he was glad I’d changed the subject. “He’s probably going to make spaghetti since you’re here.”
“What do you mean since I’m here?”
“It’s a non-vegetarian and a vegetarian dish,” he started to explain to me, talking with his hands. Before I had the chance to reply, he added in afterwards, “Well, unless you add in the meatballs which Bradlee won’t be touching.”
I arched my brow. “Why?”
“He loves animals so much that he won’t even touch meat,” he said, his eyes proud—probably at his brother.
“What about you?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“I’m fine with it.” He rolled his shoulders nonchalantly, “but I’ll literally cry if I consume meat.”
My eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“Yeah.” He laughed, covering his mouth. “One time my mom didn’t realize she gave me the wrong dish, and luckily I noticed it before I ate it, but I started crying immediately afterwards.”
“Oh wow,” I whispered quite speechless. “Your mom must’ve felt bad.”
“She did.” He nodded, as he leaned back against the railing. “She kept apologizing over and over again, no matter how much I told her to stop. Then she bought me backstage tickets to Taylor Swift.”
I barked out a laugh—throwing my head back. “You must really love her, don’t you?”
“I love country music in general,” he answered me truthfully, as he gave me a smile. “But she’s the only pop star I really like.”
“You know, I never actually pegged you as a country guy.” Looking up at his spike up hair, dark eyes, and his leather jacket—country was the furthest thing on my mind when I thought about him.
“Oh yeah?” He chuckled, crossing his arms across his chest causing the muscles underneath his jacket to flex. “What kind of guy did you peg me for?”
“To be honest. A dick.”
“Hey!” he shouted, his mouth wide open in shock. “I thought we were talking about music choices here, not me!”
“We were.” I grinned, as I started heading down the stairs. “But you didn’t let me finish my sentence.”
“Well go on then,” he said, as I heard his heavy footsteps pounding on the stairs as he tried running after me. I waited for him to catch up before continuing.
“At first, I hated you—” Seeing his eyes dimming, I hurried on with my sentence, —“But then you turned out to be a decent guy that likes country music, not rap—something I thought you'd like.”
“Oh please.” He laughed, waving his hand at me. “Rap is so overrated,” he stressed out to me, before the distress was back in his eyes. “I’m really sorry,” he began probably referring to the day we first had met. “I mean I know I can be a jerk at times, but it’s not my fault I tell it like it is.”
“I know, I heard—” The end of my sentence was drowned out by Ailee’s voice laughing loudly. When she saw us, her laughter stopped, causing Bradlee to pause. When he looked up, his eyes immediately went to mine. I sucked in a gulp of air, seeing the intense look in his eyes.
“Wow Hunter,” she spoke, walking in between Bradlee and us, breaking our eye contact. “You’re actually downstairs.”
“What do you mean? I’d been downstairs before.”
“Not before dinner,” she asserted, “you’re always upstairs and I’m usually the one that has to drag your ass downstairs.”
“It’s not my fault I have things to do whenever dinner’s ready,” he bit back.
“Yeah?” She cocked a brow at him. “Like what?”
Drowning the rest of their bickering out, my eyes focused back on Bradlee. I couldn’t help but smile seeing the love and care he had as he watched his two siblings. He must really love him. Just as I was about to look away, his eyes locked back on mine, zeroing in on me. Shit, not that look again. Even though I knew I shouldn't, I couldn’t help but stare into them. They were so light—so blue that it almost hurt looking at them. Suddenly feeling Hunter's dark chocolate brown eyes gazing at us, I turned my head to look at him.
I blinked, shaking my head. “W-what?”
“Nothing.” He shrugged, passing it off like it was no big deal. But I didn’t miss the bleakness in his eyes. “I was just waiting for Bradlee to answer me.”
Bradlee drifted his gaze over towards his twin before he started signing with his hands. Instead of speaking, Hunter signed back as well, his fingers moving in rapid speed. Bradlee just nodded in response, before he headed towards the dining area.
“What did you say to him?” I asked when Bradlee was out of earshot.
“Nothing much.” He ruffled his hair before stuffing his hands inside his pocket. “Just that I’m hungry.”
“Boys.” Ailee rolled her eyes, making a tsking sound with her tongue. “I just made you a sandwich two hours ago, and you’re already that hungry?”
“Hey!” Hunter cried, turning his body towards her. “I’m a growing teenager! I need my daily intake of protein.”
“Yeah yeah.” She waved her hand back and forth at him. “Just don’t get fat.”
He bit his lip, laughing. “Like I would. Have you seen my body?”
Her face immediately scrunched up in disgust. “Why the hell would I want to do that?
“Because it’s sexy.” He smirked, sticking his tongue out at her. “Duh.”
“Oh my gosh.” Her eyes bugged out. “You did not just say that! I’m so leaving!” she exclaimed, her long ponytail almost hitting Hunter in the face as she twisted around. “Avery, you can deal with this egoistic brother of mine. Good luck,” she said, before she ran towards the direction Bradlee had gone just moments before.
“Hey!” he shouted at her, “I am not egoistic!”
“Whatever!” she yelled back, before she disappeared from our sights.
I let out a laugh, watching the two. They reminded me of another set of twins I’d known growing up; Jeyleen and Danny. They were my older brother’s best friends during college, and from what I could remember, they faught all the time. “You guys totally fight like an old married couple.”
“Ew!” Hunter wailed, covering his ears like I’d just said some dirty secret. “Please don’t say that ever again.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.” I giggled, glancing behind him. Seeing their cozy living area, I pointed behind Hunter. “Want to study there while we wait?”
He shook his head quickly. “Let’s watch TV instead.”
“But—”
“—you promise that dinner is my break, so break time,” Hunter jumped in before I could even finish my sentence.
“Fine.” I sighed knowing that he was right. I did promise him that. “What do you want to watch?” I asked, as I followed him, bypassing all the white expensive furniture, including the rug that looked brand new.
“Not sure.” He sighed, flopping down onto the couch. Stretching his arms out, he patted the seat next to him. “I don’t really watch TV.”
“Then why—”
“—To keep me from being bored.”
“Ugh, typical.” I rolled my eyes at him, but sat down nonetheless. “Let’s just flip through the channels and see what’s on then.”
He grinned before turning his attention towards the flat screen TV hanging on the wall. “Works for me.”
Getting comfortable, I saw Hunter picking up the remote, and before I knew it, he was flipping throughthe channels in lightning speed before stopping at some random crime show. It looked like it was almost half way over, but seeing the look on his face, it didn’t look like he cared that he'd missed the beginning half of the show. Another ten minutes passed by, before the show was suddenly cut off.
“What the hell!?” Hunter jumped forward in his seat. “It was just getting to the good part!”
Before he could complain more, a lady standing before an abandoned building started speaking, “We interrupt this broadcast for an important news update. As you know the bodies of Allie and Alyce Bryant was found dead this past Friday in the city of Woodway, in upstate New York. The DA has reported six other girls killed in the same exact way in the past four months prior to the Bryant girls. The first two was located in Maine, the next two was located in New Hampshire, and then Vermont, followed by New York. We believe the serial killer will be targeting two girls in Pennsylvania area. If you’re girl whose name begins with the letter A, with the birthday June 18, and you were born around the time 11:35 PM, please be careful. All eight victims had these things in common. I repeat if you’re a girl—”
“Avery!” Hunter shouted frantically, grabbing my shoulders. I froze seeing the clear panic in his eyes. “Please tell me your birthday isn’t June 18!”
“Um—” I blinked, “—my birthday isn’t June 18.”
“Oh thank God!” He let out a breath of air, clutching onto his chest which looked like it was beating a mile a minute. “For a second there, I thought you would be in trouble since your name started with the letter A.”
“Don’t worry.” I laughed, as I watched his movements closely. “Even if my birthday was, we’re not in Pennsylvania.”
“You never know!” he shouted, as I saw the worry in his eyes. “The killer might change his plans and kill two more victims in New York instead.”
“I know,” I muttered. “I just hope the authorities catch him soon.”
“So do I,” he agreed quickly. “Whoever he or she is killed Allie And Alyce.” My head shot up hearing the sheer anger in his voice.
“Did you know them?”
“My sister knew them,” he replied back with. “I wasn’t really close with them personally, but I’d seen them around. From what I heard they were super nice. They didn’t deserve to die like that.” He ended his sentence in a whisper, as his shoulder slumped.
“Was your sister close with them?”
“I’m not sure, but for the past few night I overheard my sister crying in her room.” He clutched his hands in tight fists at the mention of his sister crying. He really does care for her. “I-I just wish I could do something, you know?”
“Me too. Whoever—”
“Hunter!” Ailee’s voice shouted down the hallway. My head turned towards the direction her voice was coming from, seeing her head peaking out from the dining area. “Dinner will be ready in five minutes, so get your butt in here and help set the table!”
“Alright already!” he shouted back at her. When she left, he faced me. “Before we go, please don’t mention any of this to Ailee. I don’t need her breaking down during dinner.”
“I won’t,” I promised him as I got up.
“Thanks.” He smiled down at me. “Now let’s go before she starts screaming at me again.”
I laughed, nodding. Following right behind him, we reached the dining table just as Ailee was walking out of the kitchen. In her hands held a big bowl of salad, with a wooden spoon placed right smack in the middle.
“Well, don’t just stand there,” Ailee spoke, motioning her hands at the empty table. “Help me set the table.”
Hunter rolled his eyes at her. “Stop being pushy woman.”
“I wouldn’t have to be if you’ll start moving,” she retorted, jabbing him in the shoulder.
“I will,” he uttered, bypassing her.
“Ah . . . ” I began getting his attention. “What do you want me to do?” I asked before Hunter disappeared.
He turned around, giving me a wide smile. “You’re my guest Avery. So you just sit, and wait.”
I bit my lip. “Are you sure?”
His smile brightened. “Of course.”
“Are you sure—”
“I’m sure.” He chuckled. “Now stay here and I’ll be right back with the dishes.”
I lowered my head in a nod, watching him leave.
“You know,” Ailee started off, once she knew he wouldn't hear her. “I’m surprised Hunter’s doing all of this.”
“What do you mean?” I asked confused. “Doesn’t he do this all the time?”
“Him?” Her voice went up an octave, as she started laughing. “Right. I think he’s just trying to impress you.”
Just as I was about to open my mouth to speak, Hunter came rushing back with four plates in his hand; the top plate holding the silverware. Going around the table, he neatly placed two plates on each side, leaving a decent space in between each set, before grabbing the silverware and placing them accordingly next to each china plate.
“Bradlee will be out soon with the main course,” he announced, looking at both of us after he was done setting the table.
“Good!” Ailee shouted happily, placing the bowl of salad in the middle of the table. “I’m starving.”
He barked a laugh. “Look who’s hungry now.”
“Unlike you.” Her eyes glared. “I haven’t had anything to eat since this morning. So shut up.”
His eyes cut into slits at her. “Don’t tell me to shut up.”
“I’ll say what I want to—”
I was just about to break up their little argument before Bradee came forward carrying a bowl of spaghetti. He shook his head at his siblings—probably already used to it—before he came around me, placing the food next to the salad Ailee had set down earlier. I licked my lips hungrily, smelling the delicious aroma of tomato sauce and whatever he’d mixed in with the sauce. Whatever it was, I couldn’t wait to eat it.
Grabbing the seat nearest to me, I saw Hunter moving for the seat next to me, before Bradlee took the seat instead. He paused in his steps, biting his lip. It looked like he was about to say something but in the last second he debated against it, and took the seat across from me, leaving Ailee in the chair next to him.
“Let’s dig in!” Ailee cheered excitedly.
“Let’s—” I started to say, when Crystals started playing loudly. All three of their heads turned to look at me, eyeing me. “Um, I’m sorry,” I said, feeling embarrassed. “I forgot to put it on vibrate.”
“It’s fine.” Hunter smiled. “Go ahead and answer it.”
I lowered my head gratefully at him before pulling my phone out. Glancing down at my screen, I saw Dennis name flashing against my wallpaper. The corners of my lips immediately widened seeing his name. Finally!
“Dennis, hey—”
“—oh God!” he shouted, as I heard heavy breathing on the other end. My eyebrows knitted down in confusion. What the hell is going on?
“Dennis?” I repeated his name. “Hello?”
“—T-that’s it baby. M-mor—”
My eyes widened when I realized what was going on—h-he’s cheating.