A Trophy Father's Trophy... Daughter

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Hunter's POV

It was about noon, and I was sitting on the couch, staring out the window. I heard footsteps, and looked over. Jesse was standing there. He looked at me, and sat on the arm of the chair. He looked out the window too, and began talking to me. 

"You know, I was never one to complain. I grew up in a loving home, with a mother and a father, who cared about me very much. I always had food on my plate, and the house was always heated. I did well in school, and I had a lot of friends. I started dating this girl, Leanna, in high school, senior year. She was amazing, beautiful. Her smile lit up the world. One day, she came to school with a big bruise on her back. I asked her what it was, but she just told me she fell down the stairs, and tried to blow it off. I later found out that her father beat her. Well, I loved this girl more than life itself, and I couldn't just stand by and watch her get hurt. So one night, I drove to her house, and knocked on the door. Her father opened the door, and I could smell the alcohol on his breath. He shakily asked me what I wanted, and I confronted him about beating Leanna. He started screaming at me, telling me it was none of my business, and that I better watch myself of he'd beat me too. I saw a figure sitting at the top of the staircase, peering her head around. I knew Leanna had woken up, and was trying to see what was going on. Her father looked into my eyes and said, 'You're nothing, just like Leanna. Neither of you will amount to anything. She's a little piece of sh...' And I couldn't listen anymore. I punched him so hard in the face, and it felt so good. But he got back up and punched me in the eye and the gut, and I fell backwards onto the floor. All I remember hearing was Leanna screaming at her father to stop, and hearing the slap of skin, and then waking up in jail. 9 months. But when I got out, the first thing I did was go to Leanna's house to see her. But when I got there, a little boy answered the door. She didn't have a brother. I asked for Leanna, and the boy was confused. His father came up behind him, and I asked him too, and he told me they moved a few months ago... I never heard from her again. Ever since then, I've become so protective of the people I know, especially those who mean a lot to me." He seemed like he was going to cry, but he sigh and looked down at me.

"Jesse... I'm sorry. That's horrible."

"It is, but life happens. I just want you to know that I'll be here for you Hunter. You're a special person, and God gave you a second chance for a reason. You have great things you're going to accomplish in life." He stood up, and opened his arms. I just stared for a breif moment, but then accepted the hug. He held me like he had before. The top of my head was only as tall as his chest, and I stood there as he wrapped his arms around me. I sigh, and a few tears slid down my face. He stroked the back of my head, and stood there as I cried again into his chest. When I finally was able to compose myself, I sniffed and pulled away from his embrace. He had tear stains on his grey shirt. I guess he had realized that I noticed it, and he said "Hunter, don't worry about it. I promise it's fine. I needed a shower anyway." 

I smiled a bit through my tears and turned away from him. "Thank you Jesse. Thank you." I felt his hand on my shoulder, and he patted my back and began walking away. "Wait....Jesse...wait." He turned around, and I just stared at him, knowing he was waiting for me to say something. "Sit down...please.?" So he did.

I told him everything. I told him about my mother leaving when I was 7, and how it made my father so bitter, and how he beat me, and was a hopeless drunk. I told him about the kids that bullied me forever, and how one day I had enough, and that's when I ran away. I told him how my car broke down in the horrible neighborhood they had found me in, and my car was destoryed and I left to basically die. I sobbed through my story, and he sat across from me, listening intently. When I was done, he came over, hugged me, and told me he was glad that I opened up to him, and that it was safe with him. He walked away, and I just stared out the window again.