The Baby Between Them

Chapter Three

Rae was about an hour into her homework, after enjoying a long, hot shower, when her phone buzzed with a text message. She smiled, knowing exactly who it would be.

Nash – I'm bored and steroids suck!

Rae – Don't be such a whiny baby! Do you want to get better and get out of there or not?

Nash – Stop being so reasonable... Come visit me. I'm sure Abi would sneak you in!

Rae – Aww do you miss me Nashie?

Nash – You're my best gal. What do you think?

Rae – You're such a sap on roids lol!

Nash – But you still love me :D

Rae – <3

Nash – ...

Rae – T...T...Today sunshine!

Nash – Are you ok?

Rae – I'm fine Nash. Rick's home. Something happened last week. He's trying to stay sober.

Nash – Yeah Hunter told me. He was the first on scene.

Rae – Why didn't anyone tell me????

Nash – Rick asked him not to and Hunter told me to keep my mouth shut. Rick said he wanted to fess up to you himself.

Rae groaned and scrolled through her contacts until she found the one she wanted.

Rae – Why didn't you tell me about Rick's accident?

Rae nearly jumped when he replied almost instantly. She hadn't expected him to reply at all, let alone so quickly.

Hunter – He asked me not to.

Rae – And when has that ever stopped you before??

Hunter – I have to when it comes to my job Rae. Why are you mad at me?

Rae – ...

Hunter – ReRe?

Rae growled at him using the nickname he'd called her as a kid. She still loved it. It made her feel all tingly. She put her phone down, wanting to ignore him and finish her homework, but she couldn't concentrate.

Hunter – Ignoring me now?

Rae – I don't know why...

Rae – Today's just been... A day :/

Hunter – Is everything ok at home?

Rae – And how'd you know I was mad at you?

Hunter – Rae!

Rae – Ugh! Home's fine... How'd you know?

Hunter – I just know you *shrug*

Rae – Barely...

Hunter hesitated before replying. Wanting to say so much to her to prove that he knew her and cared about her, but knew he had to be careful. If the wrong people saw her messages and he'd written anything that even remotely hinted to how he actually felt about her, he'd get into trouble and he'd be no help to her if he got shipped off to another station, or worse... Jail...

Hunter – I know you better than you realise ReRe.

Rae's heart pounded slightly as she read his message, but before she could reply, another one from Nash came through.

Nash – Don't be mad at Hunter. He has to be careful with information now he's a cop.

Rae – Did he dob on me for messaging him?

Nash – You're messaging my brother?? Eww!!

Nash – Nah just kidding ;) He said you were being a cranky pants and yes... He used those words.

Rae – Ugh whatever! I'll apologise to the sookie lala.

Nash – Good! I don't like being the meat in the Rae Hunter sandwich. It's weird man! LOL!

Rae smiled. "You're weird." She thought to herself.

Rae – I'm sorry for being a 'cranky pants'. Forgive me?

Hunter – Always.

Rae – I know I'm a brat.

Hunter – Yeah you are :P But Rae... You make every day special, just by being you. Remember that. I gotta go. The 7-11 is being robbed again *sigh*

His words set off a whole barrage of questions in her mind.

Did he think she was special?

Is that what he was saying?

Or was he just trying to make her day better because it had been crap?

"How do I even reply to that?" She wondered to herself.

"UGH!" Rae screamed into her pillow in frustration. After punching it a few times, she sat up and calmed her breathing down. "He was just being friendly." She said with a sigh. "He's too old for me... He'll never see me as anything other than Nash's best friend and that's ok."

She flopped back onto her bed, put her pillow over her face and screamed into it again, knowing she felt the exact opposite of what she'd just said.

At the exact same moment, Hunter hit the steering wheel of his cruiser.

"Why did I say that?!" He growled as he turned the corner and sped up the street to the service station. The tires of his cruiser screeched as he slammed to a stop near the front door. "She's going to think I'm the biggest weirdo."

His phone lit up with a text message, as he unbuckled his seat belt.

Rae – Stay safe please Hunter. You're kinda special too.

A smile spread across Hunter's face and he felt like his heart was about to pound straight out of his chest. There were so many women in town... How is it that this one... A teenager... Can make him feel more alive than anyone else has ever even come close to?