I'll Reach For You (GirlXGirl)

24. Even Angels Go Through Hell

"Hunter come on, kick it!" I yell. It is late in the evening and we are playing soccer on the beach. She takes a quick peek at me, and then shoot. The ball flies long over my head and out in the water. I turn to look at Hunter upset, and she runs over to me.

"Goddammit, Hunter. You can dribble like a football star, but pass like an ass." She has a bright smile on her face.

"Calm down, Skylar. It's right there in the shallow." She points at the ball that flows in the water.

"Yeah, and it's your fault it is right there." I mock. She runs out into the water, splashing it everywhere and pick up the ball. I laugh as she comes back up with her shorts soaking wet.

"The water is still warm, let's play in the shallows."

"Okay." I answer, she throws me the ball and runs back out in the water. I follow her out and she is right the water is warm. I throw the ball down, watching it flow. Then I look at Hunter with a teasing smile.

"You know I can take you easily." She says.

"Come on then." I mock. She smirks and then move towards me. I lob the ball in between her legs and run pass her taking the ball again.

"HA-HA, smart-ass." She says.

"Thought you said it was easy."

"Yeah, well you kicked water in my eyes." She says while drying her face.

"Don't be such a loser." I mock. She looks pissed off. She runs towards me, I turn around, and run with the ball; it doesn't go any fast the water slows the ball down.

The feeling of water splashing on my back makes me know she is right behind me. She grabs my shirt.

"Hunter, no cheating!" She holds me back, making me stop and she takes the ball away from me and kicks it long. I follow her and do the same as she did, taking her shirt.

I hold her tight stopping her and she turns around with a laugh, making me run into her, and I fall down on Hunter into the water. Now we are both soaking wet.

"Goddammit, Hunter."

"You said no cheating." She teases.

"You did it first." I hit her in the arm. She splashes water on me and I push her.

"You mocked me." She says. I turn to look at her. Hunter's hair and clothes are soaking wet, just as I am. There are drops running down her cheeks. My eyes find her gorgeous blue ones, her eyes are smiling. They do that a lot lately.

"Skylar?" I shake my head coming back to reality.

"Yeah?" I answer.

"You are staring at me."

"I know." I say honest, she looks away with red cheeks.

"Hunter, please join the soccer team next year with me." She looks at me again.

"No." She shakes her head.

"Why not? You are so good, well you may need to practice on the passing." I tease and she snorts.

"No."

"Tell me why and I will stop asking." She sighs.

"Okay, um." She clears her throat. Then she itches her neck, she seems nervous or maybe uncomfortable.

"Um, I actually hated football, until the day I saw you play. Because it reminds me of my older brother, Andy. We played a lot together, when he turned eighteen he left me alone with my parents.I was thirteen at that time. I was angry that he just could leave me alone with them, but I could not really blame him for leaving." She looks down at in the water and starts to play with the sand with her fingers.

"But after he left things got worse," I take Hunter's hand and hold it.

"Much, much worse. I can still hear the heavy footsteps in my head. They will not go away, Skylar. They are always there." She freaks out. I move her and cup her face.

"It's okay, I'm here." I promise her. Tears rain down her cheeks and I take them away.

"I can't make the sounds or the voices go away. The screaming, the yelling it's killing me Skylar." Watching her in pain makes me feel my own tears coming down my cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Hunter. But I do not know what to do." She looks me in the eyes, her blue shining.

"You have done so much already, Skylar. You make me sleep at night, you make me feel something else, then pain, you make me happy. I can play football with you, without thinking about my past. It is like you make the bad memories turn into good ones, new ones. You changed everything, Skylar. You have done much more than anyone else has. Maybe after a while, all the other things will fade as well." She smiles.

"If you will stay with me that long."

"Of course I will, Hunter." The tears on her face is gone now. The water is getting colder and darker is almost settled.

"I promise you that I will try harder to tell you things..."

"Hunter, you do not have to until you are ready. I will always be here and wait for you. I know you have been through hell, more than you should or even deserve. Take your time." She nods with a smile. It is weird to think that even angels go through hell.

"Can we go to bed, I am freezing my feet off." I laugh as I take her hand and start walking back to the house.