My Lion. || BXB

chapter fifty-one.

surprisingly, my dad hadn't questioned my morose mood since he picked me up from school and i couldn't be more thankful. as soon as we got home i darted straight upstairs and climbed into the comfort of my bed. my mind was too overwhelmed right now to talk.

although clearly my father didn't take the hint, as he quickly followed me upstairs and i then heard him knocking on my bedroom door. "huntley? please talk to me. what's happened?"

i wiped my teary eyes and mumbled out, "i don't know what to do." he clearly took this as an invitation since he then entered my bedroom. i sat up snd turned to look at him.
"tell me what's happened." he said while encouragingly placing a hand on my knee.

i took a deep breath, "long story short... my friends hate me, i've been avoiding lionel, i have had no choice but to eat my lunch in the toilets the past week. i am utterly alone in school, i don't want to go anymore." i watched his face shrivel in discomfort at seeing me being so miserable. "please don't make me go back there." father's eyes started to water which only made me feel worse. not only had i betrayed my friends, ditched my 'almost' boyfriend but now i've made my own dad cry.
"oh hunter." he pulled my body closer to him and wrapped his arms around me tightly, "just breathe."

we stayed like that for awhile, calming ourselves down in each others company. throughout my life i hadn't ever really had this sort of close relationship with anyone in my family, so it was nice to feel comfortable enough to seek help from my dad in times like this.

"come on." my dad suddenly spoke up, pulling his arms back from the embrace. "i'm taking you out."
"what? no father—"
"huntley i refuse to let you feel like this any longer. now get out of bed, i'm hungry." i stared at him while he stood up and swiftly moved out my room. i let out a groan, but followed him nonetheless.

"so where do you plan on taking me?" i said when i entered the kitchen and saw my father.
"like i said, i'm hungry! let's go get burgers, ey?"
"okay..." i felt unsure, due to the fact my face was still pink and my eyes were aching from crying — but i appreciated the effort and i didn't want to let him down.

him and i made our way to his car and then he started driving us to the fast food place. i turned on the radio to be greeted with taylor swift. "now this is a mood enhancer." i instantly said after recognising the song to be out of the woods. i love taylor swift.

we pulled up to the burger place and got ourselves a table in the window. as my dad was talking to the waitress about getting a triple cheesburger, i got a text from my phone.

lionel
how are you?

well that can't be good. i really hope his mom didn't tell me about my little incident in the office, i don't need lio to start worrying about me too.

hunter
i'm fine why?

lionel
i haven't seen you in a few days
can i come over?

hunter
a lots been going on

i do want to see lionel, hell i've missed him a very large amount. but i feel so guilty, which i know isn't fair on him. i want to see him, kiss him, i want him to hold me and tell me everything's gonna be alright. but how can i do that without feeling culpable?

i felt my dad's hand on top of mine, "huntley? the lady is asking for your order." he said quietly and i instantly snapped back into reality. putting my phone face down on the table, i told her my order of a single beef burger and then she walked away.

"who is it?" my dad asked, nodding towards my phone.
"...lionel"
i watched my fathers face turn into a frown, "you two should talk, son. maybe he can sort your problems out at school? why can't you go hang out with him if you're friends are being off with you?"

"that's the thing, every time i'm with lio i feel an unreal amount of guilt. i knew what i was doing from the start, but it's different now my friends know. it's different now i know that they actually unfriended me over it. i feel like i'm breaking the law or something just by being with him." i explained, glancing momentarily at my father before turning back down to the wooden table — unable to meet his eyes.
"listen to me hunter," and then he grabbed both my hands. oh boy. "i think you're friends have convinced you that you're doing this insane thing that is unforgivable, but you're honestly not. i understand they don't like him, but you clearly do. he is nice to you and i can tell he cares with how overprotective he was when i tried to get you to see that doctor. that boy let you sleep round his house everyday for nearly a week. he cares for you, and your friends should be happy that you found someone who treats you like a king because that's what you deserve hunter.

i know you haven't had an easy life, i know that. you've struggled with making friends and have been without a mother for years. it's been tough. but this relationship you have with lionel, it's good. and in life you don't get many good ones. hold on to him, huntley, you'll regret it if you let it slip away just because your friends don't agree with it."

i listened to his every word, and i took it in without disagreement. i think that was the first time i truly listened to my father. his words comforted me like never before, and all i wanted to do in that moment was hug him as tight as my body would let me. father was right. i wasn't doing anything criminal or back-stabbing.

i fell in love.