I turned and looked out the window at the passing houses, each one mostly like the last. The roads were still wet, but it looked like the rain had at least stopped. In fact, the sun was even beginning to peek out. I was pretty sure we were getting close to the Perkins house. Or home, I still couldn’t decide. I didn’t really have a place that felt like home at that moment.
How long was I going to be living in Eltingville with my aunt and uncle? It was wonderful to be able to come back here when I was having a hard time, but I couldn’t stay forever. At some point I had to become a self-sustaining adult with a life of my own, even if I never totally got over what happened to my parents.
This was a rut I needed to get out of, and part of getting out was going to be cutting myself free of everything unresolved that had happened in the last few months. There was no point in having yet more baggage dragging me down. Maybe talking to Hunter one more time would be for the best.
I took a deep breath, my heart racing already at the prospect. “Actually there is one thing. I should probably get a new phone soon, so I don’t completely lose touch with the friends I made at school.”
“Good idea,” my uncle said quickly. “Maybe we can go to the store after dinner tonight. If not tonight, tomorrow. Don’t want to keep you from your friends.”
“Sounds great,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “Thanks so much.”
A chill ran through my body. Was it too late to work stuff out with Hunter? Probably, but I could at least make sure he was okay. There might even be a chance to find out what had happened the last couple weeks. Maybe I could call him the next day. Or that weekend. Soon, anyway.
We turned onto the street the Perkins lived on. I was feeling pretty hungry, actually. Maybe I would have a tiny snack before dinner. Just some chips or something. Nothing big. I didn’t know what the Perkins family usually had for snacks.
“Wonder whose car that is,” my uncle said.
I snapped out of my dreams of salty goodness and looked out the window. There was a beat-up old car the size of a small boat parked in front of the Perkins house.
My stomach churned with dread. I knew who it was before we even pulled up.
He was standing at the front door talking with Aunt Caroline, his head down. From the expression on my aunt’s face, the conversation looked serious.
It could only be one person.
Chapter Three
HEALTHY
I opened the door and got out of the car shakily. Hunter turned around.
My insides dropped in freefall. I blinked, and an image of the last time I saw him flashed through my mind. He looked better now, but a bandage stretched across the bridge of his nose and there were multiple cuts in various stages of healing on his face. The skin around his left eye was a deep shade of purple.
Under the weight of all the emotion, I had trouble standing up. I leaned against the door of the car to stay upright. What should I say? I wanted to run into his arms and bury my face in his chest and flee the scene all at the same time. How did he find me? Why was he here?
“Hunter . . . ”
His name caught in my throat and came out half-mumbled. I tried again to say it more clearly but found I couldn’t keep my voice steady. I didn’t want to burst into tears. Not now. Not yet.
His glimmering eyes met mine, a boyish smile tinged with sadness crinkling his face. “Hey,” he said quietly.
I bit my lip, casting my eyes downward.
Uncle Stewart cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Looks like you kids have a lot to talk about. I’ll be inside with your aunt.”
He gave a curt nod to Hunter before walking into the house. I watched Uncle Stewart leaving with a mixed feeling of relief and dread. Aunt Caroline gave me a smile and encouraging nod.
Hunter and I would be alone. We were finally getting a chance to talk. Before I left Studsen, I thought that this was what I wanted, but now that the moment was here, I wanted desperately to run away.
I swallowed and took a shuddering breath. Lips trembling, I tried again. “Hunter, I—”
It felt like my throat was swollen, and I just couldn’t get the rest of the words out. Warm tears welled in my eyes, streaking down my face.
Hunter took a few long strides and was suddenly in front of me, enveloping me in his scent. His arms wrapped around me tightly and held me to his body.
The familiarity of being in his embrace drove spikes of pain and regret through my heart. I pushed him away gently after a moment and searched his eyes.
Hunter brought the back of his hand up to my face, tenderly smearing away the wetness. “I’m sorry for this,” he said, his voice choked with emotion. “I’m sorry I made you so upset. Please give me a chance. I—I know I don’t deserve it.”
Words started tumbling out of my mouth, tripping over each other. “I’m sorry,” I slurred, the tears falling faster. “I’m so sorry . . . I wanted to stay and talk and I went to your place and then I waited but—”
He held on to me tighter and I buried my face into his soft hoodie again.
“I never meant to leave you like that after your fight,” I continued. “I failed all my classes and I was confused and I didn’t know what to do but you weren’t there and then Gary said . . . ”
Hunter held me close, rocking me slightly, not saying anything. My tears dampened the fabric of his hoodie, spreading to form a large wet spot. I could feel the warmth of his body seeping through his clothing, enveloping me.
His voice rumbled softly through his chest, like low thunder. “It wasn’t your fault. I shoulda been there for you, I shoulda told you what was going on but . . . I just—”
He sighed and shook his head.
I held onto him for a moment longer and then looked up into his face. His eyes were bright, even though his face was battered.
“Can we walk a bit?” he asked.
I nodded, sniffling and still recovering from the shock of seeing him. The pulse pounding through my ears was almost deafening. There were so many questions running through my head, so much I didn’t understand.
Why had he come out of the hospital with Ada? Had he been hurt? How come he didn’t tell me? Why had Hunter been fighting the day I left Studsen? Was it because of the breakup letter I left him? If it was, then why was he being so sweet to me now?
Hunter grabbed my hand and we walked down the path behind Aunt Caroline’s house, which led to a light wooded area. The sensation of his skin against mine jolted through me and almost led to another fresh round of tears. Touching him was a painful reminder of what we had lost, but I didn’t want to pull my hand away.