The Secrets That Free Us

Chapter 17

"Gracie"

"Gracie"

Why can I hear Hunter's voice?

"Gracie come on, your fat heads gave me a dead arm."

What the fuck kind of dream is this?

I open my eyes slowly and take in the navy blue walls, the soft black banket wrapped around me, the pieces of popcorn littering the bed, and the human underneath my 'fat head'.

What the..

"Well good morning sunshine" Hunter beams at me and I try to work out why I'm waking up in his bed. As my brain starts catching up with it's self I realise we must have fell asleep watching TV.

I grumble at him in greeting. I am not a morning person. I mean I'm not as bad as Mia but still, who likes mornings?

"How did we fall asleep?" I groan.

"Well, I think at some point we closed our eyes and then BAM, we were spooning." Hunter speaks to me like he's explaining basic math to a small child.

"We did not spoon."

"Oh, we so spooned."

"My Mom and Dad are going to flip." I sit up in Hunter's bed and rub my tired eyes.

"Yeah um about that" Hunter looks at me sheepishly as I narrow my eyes at him.

"What?"

"Okay so maybe it wasn't 'bam we fell asleep' maybe you fell asleep first, and maybe I asked my Mom to let your Mom know you were here and had already fell asleep, and then after that I might have spooned you." Hunter finishes his confession with a smile that I'm sure is supposed to look cute but just makes me want to hit him in his stupid face.

I open my mouth to yell at him when it dawns on me, I haven't slept this well in so long. No nightmares, no insomnia. Just sleep. I would even go as far as saying I fell almost rested.

But why now? Surely it can't be because I slept with Hunter? I mean I've always felt safe with him, but that's because we're friends. I think.

Maybe it's because my anxiety quietens down when I'm with him. It's still there just not so loud.

Hunter's still rambling away as I'm trying to shuffle through my confusing thoughts. I hear him mention something about next time I can be the big spoon and I join back into the one sided conversation he's been having with himself.

"No, there won't be a next time, they're shouldn't have even been a this time." I tell him and I mean it. As much as I enjoyed actually sleeping last night this is a dangerous road to go down.

I can't get too close to Hunter again and mess up his life like I do everyone else around me. I'm a fuck up and my family already worry about me enough, Hunter doesn't need to put his life on hold for me too.

"Gracie, we only slept for fuck sake" he says and although his tone isn't harsh his features are. His eyebrows are drawn together and his playful smile is long gone.

I get out of his bed and stand at the bottom, I put a fake smile on, "Thank you for letting me sleep Hunter, I have to go though." My tone is polite and I think that confuses him even more.

I hear him sigh as I walk out of his room and make my way down the stairs.

I'm thankful I don't run into Eva as I slip on my shoes and close the front door quietly before cutting across the grass to my house. That could have been extremely awkward.

However I'm not so thankful when I walk into my own kitchen and spot my Dad reading the newspaper.

He doesn't look up from what is most likely the sports section as he says, "I'm just reading the paper and minding my own business. I don't see you and don't deem the uncomfortable conversation we will have to have if I acknowledge the fact that I've seen you necessary, as long as I know you were safe."

I choke on my own saliva and let out a cough at his choice in words. "As in not being murdered or kidnapped, not the kind where I have to think about my teenage daughter having unprotected sex with the gangbanger next door." He lets out quickly.

I know my dad actually likes Hunter, so I don't take offence to his words. But still I find myself defending him, "Hunter isn't a gangbanger Dad. Actually I don't think anyone is these days, who even says gangbanger?" I try to supress a smile when he mutters something about Joey calling him it first.

"Well he looks like one. With his leather jackets and tattoos." He huffs.

"I thought you liked Hunter?"

"Your mother likes Hunter. When you're married you like who your wife likes and dislike who she dislikes. Like the woman from the salon who always chews gum obnoxiously while your Mom gets her hair done. We hate that bitch." He informs me, his tone serious.

"Okay, well as interesting as this whole morning has been, I think I'm gonna get ready for school."

"Okay sweetheart. Remember to always close your mouth when chewing gum in public." He yells after me as I make my way up the stairs to get washed and dressed before I have to face Hunter at school.