Mine *don't read: being rewritten*

Chapter Thirty-Two

Riley's POV

"Are you gonna be finished with that soon?" Hunter whines.

I hold up a finger, telling him to wait until I finish the page. "Rileyyyyy."

"Hunter," I mimic his tone of voice. "Give me thirty minutes and I'll be finished with it."

"But then you'll need the second one." He pouts his lip.

"I can get that tomorrow, so that even when I'm home, I'll be able to be in my room. Reading."

"Fine," Hunter concedes.

"It's a great distraction, really," I continue talking.

"You're just not gonna want to wait until tomorrow for the next one. Then, when you finish that, you'll want the third one. When you get the third one, you'll finish it, and you won't be able to stop crying," Hunter explains, shrugging slightly.

"I'll survive."

A half an hour later, I have three pages left. Hunter pokes me and tries to get me to stop reading. "Three pages." He rolls his eyes at me.

"Where's the second one?" I nearly scream.

Hunter laughs, wrapping both of his arms around me. I can feel the pressure of his fingertips on my arms. Every part of me that he's touching is infused with electricity.

"Tomorrow," he whispers in my ear.

"Maybe I'll take it and listen to my dad. Because I'm supposed to be home in forty minutes." I laugh.

"No!" Hunter kisses my neck. And my cheek. And my lips. "You won't listen to him. You'll stay here with me."

"And why's that?"

"Because you love me more, that's why."

"Can you let me get up please?" I ask.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you'll just go and get that book."

"No, I won't. Promise. I actually want to go to sleep." I look up at him. He holds my gaze for a minute.

"Fine."

I start to go back to his room and turn around to see that he isn't following me. I stop and frown. Hunter's bright smile is visible from where I stand.

"Patience, my lovely." Hunter laughs. I roll my eyes. "I'm gonna wait up for Alex. I'll be back in a bit."

"You're like his father."

"Someone's gotta take the job." He flashes another smile. "He shouldn't be long." I see him raise his eyebrows.

I nod and walk into his room. I just brush my teeth and slip under the covers. Sighing ever so slightly, I close my eyes. I wish I could just go home without having to see my dad. Without having to be in the presence of the person who is the reason I almost killed myself.

Sam was right. I should've slammed the door in his face. Did I think that it would be easy? Did I seriously think that having him back would be easy? He's treating me like a child. Yeah, I'm not grown up yet, but I'm not a kid. I don't need a curfew. He really has no say over what I do, so why is he acting like he does?

But, then, Hunter is right, too. It does make me much less stressed. And, I guess I'm barely ever home. Even when I am, it isn't like I have to talk to him. I'm in my room or helping Sam with homework or playing with Bryce. It's so much easier yet so much harder at the same time.