Hunter

Chapter 8

"Hey, are you ready to head home?" Gabriel asks at the end of the day when I exit my last class.

"Yeah," I whisper with a tired smile while rolling my shoulders to relieve some of the tension as we make our way to our lockers. "Can I have a snack when we get to your house, please?"

Gabriel looks at me strangely for a second before answering; "I don't see why you can't have a snack when we arrive home. You know the house is your home, too, right?"

Blankly staring at him when we reach our lockers, opening ours, and I murmur; "I appreciate you saying that, but I'm not a real member of your family. I doubt I'll ever be a member of a your family either because I'm sure I'll be moved soon."

Gabriel sighs as he stuffs his belongings into the locker, grabbing his backpack with the homework he has to do before shutting the metal door and looking at me; "You really think that don't you?"

"Yup, I really do think that, Gabriel," I softly sigh, grabbing the stuff I need to do tonight, stuffing these into my bag. "I've never stayed at a home for too long, and it'll probably be that way until I age out of the system."

"I truly believe that you'll find your forever family sooner rather than later, Hunter. I truly believe this," he genuinely states, making me wonder if he knows something that he isn't telling me.

Figuring if he does know something, but can't share with me, I'll leave this alone while we make our way toward the exit with our backpacks slung over our shoulders. When we reach his vehicle, Blake and Reid are already there, so we just have to wait for Celeste's arrival. Gabriel unlocks the doors, and everyone climbs inside. Gabriel in the driver's seat, Blake in the front passenger seat, Reid and I in the back seat, and I'm sitting in the middle. Reid is sitting on my right, and we place our bags by our feet. Placing my head on his shoulder, and let my eyes flutter shut with a soft yawn.

Reid wraps his arm around my shoulders to pull me tightly into his side, murmuring; "Go ahead and sleep. I'll wake you when we get home."

Humming softly in reply, I let myself drift off to sleep, and the next thing I'm aware of is being shook by Reid while he tells me that we're home. Groggily leaving the vehicle behind Reid with my bag grasped in my right fist, I follow the others into the wall.

"Hunter? Are you alright?" Mrs. Carr asks worriedly as I bring up the rear into the house, and I'm rubbing my left eye with my fist.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Mrs. Carr," I reply sleepily. "Jus' tired. I think I'm gonna go to bed early tonight, if that's okay?"

She nods in agreement with a soft; "Of course you can, Hunter. If you're tired then you're good for going to bed early as long as your homework is finished by then."

Nodding at her as I place my bag on the table, pulling out my homework to work on before dinner. Settling myself down onto a chair, I start working, and an hour later, I've finished my homework while the others are still working on theirs. Placing away my stuff with a soft sigh, I quietly leave the table, and make my way to the bedroom.

Placing my bag on the floor against the dresser near the door, I scan around the room with thoughts in my brain - wondering if I'll have a family to call my own now or in the future. Like will I have a family that wants me as their child, if I'll have one parent or two? Will I have any siblings? Will I have a lover, have a home with them, and our own family?

"Are you okay, Hunter?" Mr. Carr asks from the hallway behind me.

Turning around in my spot to face him with a slight frown; "Yeah, I'm fine, sir. I'm just thinking about my life, and what could happen in the future for me."

He hums in response, eyes searching mine for a second before replying; "Do you realize we are glad you're here with us?"

Shaking my head, avoiding eye contact with him as I shift on my feet slightly uncomfortable. Who am I trying to kid, I'm uncomfortable with most adults, well, most people in general.

"Well, it's true, and I just wanted to make sure you know this," Mr. Carr replies gently. "I'll leave you to whatever you're going to do until dinner."

He turns on his feet toward the kitchen, and now alone again. Walking over to the bed, crawling up onto the top of the mattress, and settling myself on my stomach. Pulling the throw blanket that is next to me, over my head and shoulders, and fall asleep almost instantly.

Sometime later, Blake is waking me for dinner, and the sky outside the bedroom window is dark. Stretching my arms over my head, and my legs out straight, I give him a sleepy smile while rolling off the bed to my feet, and follow him out to the kitchen. Yawning softly as we enter the room, I inhale an appreciative breath of the hamburgers, mac-n-cheese, and corn that has been made for dinner.

"Dinner smells great," I softly praise, and blush when everyone turns to give me an appreciative smile. "Sorry I didn't help, but I promise, I'll clean up after dinner by myself to make up for not helping."

"Don't worry about that, Hunter," Mrs. Carr replies as everyone grabs a filled plate, and head toward the table. "You can help us clean up after dinner, and we won't make you clean up by yourself."

Slowly nodding, not understanding why I'm not being punished for not helping cook, and napping instead. When dinner is finished, I have to admit, that was the calmest I've felt during a meal in a long time, and I like that feeling, but it's also a strange feeling.