The First Steps (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 1 of the Hardships Saga)

Chapter Thirty-One

❝chaos (pronounced ˈkeɪɒs or kay-os)
when shit hits the fan❞

Marcella and Kurt hadn't changed much. Marcella still had those cold brown eyes, though now her skin was visibly more aged than it had been. There was grey streaked through her hair, and she looked at Lilly and Hunter, not offering them any sort of greeting.

Kurt wasn't very tall, even by Hunter's standards. Hunter wasn't taller than him, but Kurt was still probably only a few inches taller. He had dark brown hair, like the shadows you might see on a wooden table. He had a cold, calculating look, and everything about him basically said, "Posh, posh, posh."

"Mother, Father," Lilly started. "How wonderful to see you again."

They didn't look very happy, rather like they were getting some business done that they never wanted to be a part of. "You've gained weight, Lilliana, you must work on becoming thin again," said Marcella coolly, and Lilly felt Hunter stiffen behind her.

"Yes, Mother," she said quietly, and the two came inside their home. Hunter shook Kurt's hand, and kissed Marcella's as a show of respect.

"Sir, ma'am, my name is Hunter. I'm Lilly's partner," he said.

"Partner, hmm?" said Kurt. "So you're the one who's been dominating the radio these past few months?"

Hunter chuckled nervously. "I wouldn't say dominating, really-"

But Kurt didn't listen to his answer, and he and Marcella proceeded through the house. "Why aren't you living in a bigger house?" asked Marcella.

"We didn't think it was worth the money, Mother," said Lilly.

They sat at Hunter's and Lilly's small dining table, and Marcella looked around at the walls and furniture. "How quaint."

"I'm glad you think so," said Lilly, and Hunter smiled and nodded, though he wasn't entirely sure what 'quaint' meant. Didn't it mean something like cute? Was that meant to be sarcastic?

"Um, would you like some tea, coffe-"

"How are your studies going, Lilliana?"

Lilly gulped. "Alright, I think. I'm finishing up next year."

"What is it that you're studying again?"

"Astronomy." She looked at her parents for a moment. "Where's Rose?"

"Rosemary is at Colin Heckstall's house. You remember Colin Heckstall?"

Lilly cringed. "Yes, I do."

There was an awkward silence, until Lilly said, "I'm going to go and check on the turkey," and left the living room, leaving Hunter alone with Lilly's parents. He gulped nervously and offered them a smile, though at the moment, he didn't like them one bit. He had a feeling that they felt the same about him.

"So, sir, ma'am," said Hunter. "I've been wanting to meet you for a while now."

"You were that friend she kept going to see by lying to us, weren't you?" said Kurt, and Hunter blushed.

"I wasn't aware she was sneaking out to see me, sir, I thought she was allowed."

"May I ask your full name, young man?" asked Marcella.

"Hayes, ma'am. Hunter Hayes."

Kurt looked interested. "Were you, perhaps, related to Rutherford B. Hayes?"

"I don't believe so, sir," he said, and they immediately looked disappointed again.

There was silence once more. "So, you wrote a song about Lilliana?"