Thin Ice ✔️

chapter forty five: a little help

Hunter's POV

I never thought one person could affect me so much. And not in a good way. My sudden sleep was disturbed when I felt this looming feeling in my chest.

It was enough to wake me from my slumber. I blinked my eyes open and easily adjusted to the darkness of the room. I became aware of a weight on my stomach and as I tilted my head, I saw her laying across me.

I thought she said she was just taking a nap. Well, I did too and now, I tapped my phone, it's 4:13 in the morning. I felt a tremendous amount of guilt as I looked at her. She didn't need to be involved in this.

I dropped my head back on my pillow and let out a sigh. This situation just got a whole lot more complicated. And it's making me stressed out.

Lightly, I lifted her head up and slipped out from under her. I grabbed the box of conveniently placed cigarettes on my desk and went out to the balcony.

Leaning over the railing I lit one and routinely placed it in between my lips. Taking a drag I blew out the puff of smoke nonchalantly. I've done this so many times before and never once have I liked it.

So why the hell do I keep doing it?

I guess I did it over stress. I mean that's exactly what my father did. He claimed he lit up because life was too hard. So pathetic.

Thinking about him made my blood boil. I never liked that man, one bit. I figured that hate affected me so much that I gained a habit of his.

"That's seven minutes, ya know." I heard a soft voice behind me.

I tense up, keeping the smoke in my mouth for an extra second. Blowing it out I stared at the burning edge of the paper. Just another reason to hate this thing.

Rolling my eyes I toss the cigarette to the ground. "What are you doing out here?" I ask with a frown.

"I uhm–I heard you get up." I saw her fingers wrap around the railing next to me. "And I just assumed you'd come out here."

I nodded my head in understanding before looking over the balcony. My mind was just going through it all. I mean I just couldn't understand. How could someone be so obsessed with another person? I didn't get it.

The wind blew into my face and I realized how freezing it was outside. We really shouldn't be out here. I snapped out of my own thoughts as I felt her hand on my arm.

Tugging it off the railing she pulled me into a hug. Slipping her arms around my torso she held me tighter. In surprise I tentatively wrapped my arms around her in return.

"What are you doing?" I asked, sort of unsure why she was hugging me.

"You looked a little...stuck in your head I guess." she said against my stomach.

It was always shocking how she managed to read me so well. I leaned back and looked her in the eyes. Those amazing green eyes. Even with how dark it was outside I could still see the color in them.

Without much thought in what I was doing, I kept my hands on her shoulders and backed her into the railing. As her waist hit the bar I saw her cheeks flush red.

Only then did I realize what I was doing. "I'm uh–I'm sorry." I backed away, shocked by my own actions.

As I took a few steps back I saw her face flash with, disappointment? I think. Maybe or maybe not, I couldn't really assume that.

As I reached the door I turned around. "Are you coming inside or not?" I asked hoping it came off nicely.

"Uh-I uhm–yeah." she stammered before walking past me.