Unexpected

Chapter 25

"I don't know what happened... I'm sorry." I stuttered, quickly climbing off his lap and standing on the other side of the room.
"Kate, don't apologize. I should be the one saying sorry." Hunter stood up and shook his head, as if he was hoping this whole thing was a dream. Shame and guilt was written all over his face- he felt bad that he kissed me back.
"I just... And Marco- oh God! Marco!" I started crying, leaning against the wall and my breathing had become extremely unsteady as I clutched my chest, "he's going to hate me! I don't want him to hate me! Oh my God I messed up!"
"Kate, shh it's okay." Hunter quickly rushed over to me and pulled me into a hug, the guilt stained his eyes as he tried to calm me down. I clung to him, my stomach twisting.
"It's not okay! How could it possibly be okay?" I cried into his chest, holding onto him tightly like he was the only thing keeping me alive and if I let him go I would fall into a broken pit of darkness.
"It was a mistake, you made a mistake that neither of us meant." He whispered and it stopped my crying, in fact, it stopped my heart and made me feel sick.
"A mistake?" I looked at him. Oh the guilt and regret in his eyes was enough to break my heart into a million pieces. Of course he didn't actually feel that way about me. He nodded before answering me, making my heart sink further into numbness.
"We just have to act like it didn't happen... It's not like it's gonna happen again." He gently stroked the side of my face, obviously trying to calm me down. But his words unsettled me, not because of Marco or anything else but because I was terrified that he was right and I would never be able to feel that way again.
"Hunter..." I said softly.
"My little KitKat?" He looked at me with concern, I looked down.
"Do you really think it was a mistake?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"I love you, I'm not going to stop loving you. But I know that you love Marco." He said simply. All I could do was look up at him, my mouth slightly open.
"I... I don't know..." I said softly. I looked down again as guilt filled me. Of course I loved Marco, but Hunter made me feel a way that I didn't think I'd ever feel and I know that I've never felt that way with Marco.
"Just pretend it didn't happen." He said and smiled sadly at me, his words had me pulling him to my body as I hugged him and shook my head slowly.
"I-I don't want to pretend, Hunter I don't regret doing that..." I heard his sharp intake of breath like what I said was physically painful for him to hear, he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my head. I knew how badly I messed up, tears itched there way down my face again.
"I'm sorry." He whispered and I could hear the pain in his words. We sat there, him cradling me and me crying into his chest, for what seemed like hours.

Things weren't awkward between Hunter and me after that night, he didn't let them be. We pretended as if what happened- didn't, just like he said. I know that he thought about it as much as I did though, I know it meant something to both of us even if we didn't want to admit it. We slept cuddled up that last night of our trip, it was the same as it always was. Hunters protective arms around me and making me feel safe, my body tucked against him. He was still my best friend and nothing was going to change that.

The car ride home was excitable at the beginning, we blasted music and sang along. After about an hour and a half of driving, I reached over and took Hunters hand. A small smile graced his face as he looked down at our interlocked fingers.
"Hey Kate?" He asked after a few minutes.
"Yeah?" I looked at him, he looked like he was trying to focus on something but it wasn't sticking there.
"Look, I just... You know I've never liked you being with Marco." He bit his lip and his confidence seemed to have evaporated within seconds of this sentence filling the car. I didn't say anything, I simply looked at him and bit my own lip.
"I just... I want you to think about the person he is and if you're really happy with him." He said softly, keeping his eyes on the road.
"Is this about what happened with us?" I asked and looked down, my fingers were still tangled with his and I didn't want that to change, so I held on tighter.
"No... Yes... Maybe, I don't know. Just... Think about it okay?" He asked, his voice sounded sad.
"Yeah, I will." I said and I felt him relax a bit and give my hand a squeeze.
"I love you my little KitKat."
"I love you too Hunter." I smiled softly and held his hand for the rest of the trip home.

Hunter had gone to his room, letting me go say hello to Marco. I took a deep breath as I neared his room, I felt nervous but also happy that I was going to see him. It felt like my heart was going to jump right out my chest as I got to the door, only to have it slam right back and take my breath away when I heard the conversation on the other side of the door.
"Asshole." I placed the voice easily as Jonathan's.
"Jono, please don't be mad at me right now..." Marco sounded apologetic. I frowned as my chest tightened and my heart got caught in my throat.
"No, she's a nice person. I've gotten to know her and she's really cool." I don't think I've ever heard Jonathan so annoyed before.
"For the love of God Jonathan, why do you think I picked her? I can at least have a decent conversation with the girl!" Marco sounded defeated.
"Like I said, asshole. You can't just use a girl like this, it's not right and she doesn't deserve it." Use a girl? Who was he using?
"Can we not talk about my girlfriend right now?" I heard Marco mumble and I felt my heart shatter, what the hell was he talking about? I heard a few muffled sounds and I tried to get my head in the right place, Marco was using me...
"That doesn't fix this..." I heard Jono sigh.
"I can try harder..." Marcos voice was enough to drive me over the edge, I quickly made my way away from the room. I felt like I was going to be sick. I bit my lip to keep from crying, I never thought Marco would be that kind of person. All guilt I previously felt flew out the window and I went straight to Hunter.