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I blink away the water in my eyes, Hunter at my side, and look to the empty riverbank.
Everyone who just tried to kill me is gone.
I ball my fists over and over again, shivering under the hot water as it soaks my icy clothes.
Congrats, Dylan. Everyone hates you now.
As if they didn’t already.
For my family, I’m something to handle. For Kade, someone to tolerate. To the Pirates, I’m a girl taking up too much space. And to the Rebels, I’m a toy. Maybe even Aro’s only kind to me because of Hawke.
I peel off my flannel and drop it on the shower floor, hearing it slosh like a wet mop. My teeth chatter and locks of wet hair hang in my eyes as I hug myself over my tank top and jeans.
All the Rebels are no doubt congratulating themselves. They’re probably down in the street, watching the front door in hopes of seeing me run out and back to the Falls.
I squeeze my fists again so tight my nails dig into my palms.
I’m alone here. I’malone at home.
The shower curtain whips open and I dart my eyes up, seeing Hunter glaring down at me.
“I don’t want you here,” I tell him.
But he steps into the stall anyway, wearing fresh, dry jeans as he squats down in front of me, getting wet again. “I’m the reason you didn’t drown tonight.”
“You’re the reason for all of this,” I try to shout at him, but my throat is thick with tears.
He’s supposed to be on my side. Not Pirates or Rebels.Myside. What the hell did I ever do to him? He cut me off. He’ll barely speak to me now.
Steam billows around us and everything blurs in my view. Does he have any idea how hard it’s been at home? What made him think I wouldn’t miss him? This isallhis fault.
“You were mybestfriend,” I say, tearing up. “Did you know that?”
I search his green eyes. They never used to look like his twin brother’s, though. Hunter’s were always a little bigger, as if he were either perpetually in wonder of something or waiting for something.
Now, they’re angry. They’re always formidable.
“I don’t have very many friends,” I tell him, in case he gives a shit. “They talk about me behind my back at school. They’re nice to my face, but they think I’m a joke.”
He narrows his eyes.
“Did you know that?” I ask.
He says nothing.
I swallow through the needles in my throat. People all but pat me on the head and think my entire personality is some phase that I’ll grow out of.
“And you keep looking at me like you hate me,” I whisper, my cheeks burning under his scowl. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”
I care about him. I care what he thinks. He’s not just anybody. He’s a part of me. Our fathers are only stepbrothers, but that never mattered.
“Why do you hate me?” I ask. “I needed you. There were so many times when I was dying to tell you things.”
“Tell Kade.”
“I wanted to tell you!” I shout.
Why is he trying to insert me into his and Kade’s bullshit? We’re not a package deal. This is about him and me. No one else.
