Hunt Me Down {boyxboy} ✓

Chapter 51

A/N: To those of you who write - have you thought about entering my short story/one-shot contest? There will be six prizes for the winner (different forms of advertising and feedback). For more info, check my The Contests Book, chapter May Challenge (link in the comments).

*****

Nathaniel's POV

The car dipped and we heard a splash as our mother drove over a puddle of melted snow.

"Such a shame there's so much mud on your first day back in school," she commented. "But at least the sun is shining."

"There wouldn't be mud everywhere if the sun wasn't shining so much and melting all the snow," Val commented with a pout.

When the white flakes had begun dropping on the ground last night, big and fast, my sister had gotten excited. She'd begun humming a random melody, while repeating the words 'snow day, snow day, no school tomorrow; snow day, snow day, extended vacation". When the weather softened and the flakes began to gently descend to the ground instead of assault it, her mood had diminished, but she'd stayed hopeful, the tune changing to 'Do you want to build a snowman'. I could only imagine how disappointed she had been when she woke up this morning, looked outside her window and saw slush everywhere instead of the white blanket she'd been expecting.

Now she was not only forced to go to school, but she was also not making a snowman; there wasn't enough material even for a snowball.

I shook my head at how insignificant her worries were.

For me the first day of school after our winter break was the first day of school with Hunter and me being together. Will we manage to keep our secret?

I'd never been a good liar although I seemed to have improved lately. But had I become good enough to keep my mouth shut about something like this?

Would I let something slip with my words or gestures?

Maybe someone would catch me staring at him and just know...

"Oh, I can see the building from here," mom chirped and I looked away from the side window and through the windshield. She was right: the school was already in sight, I could even make out the cars in the gradually filling parking lot.

I swirled my head to the side again. Simply looking at that place tightened the knots in my stomach. The nausea returned so I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply.

Hunter agreed to pretend that nothing was going on between us, I reminded myself. And Vallery promised she'd help me act that way too.

But I had very few classes with my sister. And even though I trusted Hunter when it came to hiding his feelings, could I bury mine away for the duration of the school day?

I would stare at him, I knew I would. And if I somehow managed not to, I'd be pointedly looking away and that could tip off someone as well, although they wouldn't necessarily know why I was avoiding Hunter Harris.

The worst option would be if I stared, he caught me staring and I blushed. One could not hide a blush.

"We are here," my mom announced, searching for a spot to park.

I bit both of my lips and took a deep breath through my nose. Vallery's hand landed on my knee, pressing it down to stop the rapping of my leg; I hadn't even realized I was fidgeting.

*****

Hunter's POV

Nathaniel got out of the car, turned briefly around - probably to say goodbye to that cow he called a mother - and walked towards the school, keeping his eyes forward. Even from here I could see how tense he was, his gait quick and stiff. Vallery was hot on her brother's heels, not letting him out of her sight for a second.