Begin Again

8 - Cold Shoulder

Author's note: Introducing... Gem's P.o.v.!
There'll be a lot of changing P.o.v.'s in this story. If you don't prefer it that's okay.. if you like it thanks so much for reading!
Xx chels
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Gem

"Oh god." she muttered under her breath and held my gaze before Hunter Anthes walked right up to her chair and put both his hands on the handles. He looked like the Hunter I knew, only thing that changed about him was a slight etching of worry lines between his eyebrows.

"Hi Eric. Haven't seen you in a long time." The mask of unreadable expression that was his resting face broke and was replaced with a kinder expression.
"Hey Hunter." I extended a friendly hand to my bro.

"Elle and I were just going to enjoy dinner and a movie." said Hunter.
"Oh yeah.. how could I forget? You said you had a movie night planned for me yesterday.." said Elle to Hunter. She faced me. "Well Gem, care to join? If you're not doing anything that is~" asked Elle.

She sounded so hopeful. How could I refuse?

"Sure, I'm free for the night." I replied.
"Yay! We really need the time to catch up on life." said Elle.
Hunter was visibly unhappy.

"I'm sorry, Eric, but three is a crowd in a small ward. I don't want Elle to have difficulty breathing." Hunter stated, and though he was pulling a concerned face, he had a tone that was cold. He seemed to be displeased with me, for some reason.

Nah, he probably wasn't. Just having a bad day I think.

"Aww c'mon Anthes. Don't be mean." countered Elle, playfully. I glanced from Hunter's insincere face to Elle's enthusiastic gleaming eyes. He didn't reply her. Instead, he pushed Elle's chair 'round the other direction.

"Well.. bye Eric. Nice chatting with you. We could go out for a drink some time. I'll call." he called out, looking back slightly while pushing the wheelchair towards the hospital in a hurry.

"Umm.. bye-"
"No, Hunter.. it's okay if he comes! Hunter, stop." Elle's request cut interrupted my goodbye. Hunter kept pushing her.
"Don't ignore me. I want to stay in the garden for a while longer. Stop!" She put her hands on the wheels in attempt to stop the chair from moving.

Hunter either ignored or didn't notice her hands and he continued pushing (hard). "Aah!" her small, high-pitched scream reached my ears. She didn't mean to scream, it was just a response to the pain when the tyre friction-burnt her hands.  She pulled her hands back and clasped them together to her chest. Hunter stopped pushing the wheelchair, too. "I'm so sorry!" he said immediately.

I rushed to her side.
"You okay?" I asked. I took her hands in mine and examined the friction burns. I blew gently on them. Elle stopped looking down and smiled weakly at me when I returned them to her.

"You didn't have to blow on them Gem, I'll be fine. Thank you anyways." said Elle softly.
"Yeah. You didn't have to do that. Let's go Elle." said Hunter. What was his problem?
"Sigh. Alright, Hunter. I guess I gotta get going. Goodbye, you two.  Enjoy your movie night. Take care, Elle." Hunter gave me a curt nod.

We were supposed to part ways now. But I felt something weird going on. I felt like I had to follow them.

**********

"Hunter, I can wheel myself."
Hunter ignored her and continued to push the wheelchair. Elle was a little annoyed at Hunter's interrupting and swiftly ending her conversation with me. Although polite, it was still uncalled for. What was I doing here? He already explained that Elle and himself had a movie planned for the evening, snacks enough just for two. I've never eavesdropped on my old buddies plans like this before.

If only she had a louder voice instead of her high soft one, then maybe Hunter would actually respond. "I'm a coward when it comes to your confusing, unstable best friend." I remember her telling me that, rolling her eyes.

I ducked into another hallway when Hunter turned and looked around before closing the ward door.

I was about to inch closer when a nurse stopped me. "Hello sir what's the matter?"
What was I doing? I must be crazy. I need to go back. I'll visit her another day. Nothing's going to happen.

"Very sorry, I seem to have no idea where the exit is."
"Oh it's no problem, go back and turn right twice."

And still a lingering uneasiness hung over me as I drove home.