AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hearing him speak of this girl makes me want to cry. I’m not much of a crier, though, so the sensation is a bit unsettling.
“I’m sorry,” I say, “that you guys lost a part of you.”
Again, he searches my eyes. For what, I’m not sure.
“You don’t need to be sorry.” He reaches up and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Maybe you’ll end up fixing what was broken that day.”
My pulse is pounding from his words and his touch. “It sounds like some pretty big shoes to fill.”
“They are,” he agrees, tracing his fingers down the side of my face. “You’re so beautiful.”
I don’t think he means to say the words aloud because, the second he does, he pulls back and clears his throat.
“But yeah, anyway, I’m totally crossing the BFF line. I know.” He goes straight back to the smiling Hunter so quickly that I nearly get whiplash. Then he checks the time on a clock on the wall. “Shit, it’s getting late. You should probably call your aunt so we can get you settled in for the night.”
Way to change the subject. Part of me wants to call him out on it, but something stops me. Maybe it’s this heaviness in my chest. Or the way his eyes are watery, as if he’s still teetering on the edge of an emotional cliff. Whatever the reason, I let it go, nod, and then dial my aunt’s number.
“I just hope she’s not a huge pain in the ass,” I mumble as I wander to the bed and sit down, waiting for her to answer.
He watches me momentarily, hesitancy written on his face. Then, muttering something incoherent under his breath, he walks over and sits down beside me, so close that out legs touch.
“Everything will be okay,” he tries to reassure me while sweeping a strand of my hair out of my face. I’m starting to become aware that he likes touching my hair a lot. That’s okay. Deep down, I can admit I like it, too.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been touched so gently.
The phone rings four times before my aunt answers.
“Hello?” she sounds confused, probably because she doesn’t recognize the number.
“Hey,” I say as I continue to bite on my thumbnail. “This is Raven.”
“Why are you calling me from a random number?” The confusion in her tone instantly morphs to annoyance.
“Because I broke mine,” I admit.
“Well, I’m not buying you a new one,” she sneers. “You’ll just have to deal without having a phone.”
I bite my fingernail harder, to the point where I expect it to split and peel off. Hunter reaches over and moves my hand away from my mouth. I’m about to toss him a thankful look when he places my hand on his leg, palm up, and begins tracing the lines of my skin with his fingertip. The sensation is so soothing and sedating to the point where I almost feel stoned.
“I just called to ask if I could spend the night at a friend’s house,” I tell my aunt in a calm voice.
She snorts a laugh. “Nice joke, but I know there’s no way you have friends.”
The scars on my side throb.
“Well, I do, and I want to spend the night.” My tone is a bit unsteady, but Hunter keeps on tracing those lines, trying to calm me down. “And if you let me, you won’t have to deal with me for the night,” I add on enticingly. “Won’t that be nice?” I hold my breath, waiting for her to answer, hoping she doesn’t get my uncle involved.
Hoping I don’t have to go back to that house,
To the walls made of nightmares,
And roof made of bars,
Where the monster lives and feeds,
With its claws that like to peel back the flesh of bruised, rotten apples.
“You know what? You can stay over there. But you can’t come home tonight to get your stuff.” With that, she hangs up on me.
