Mine *don't read: being rewritten*

Chapter Thirty-Five

Riley's POV

I walk through the door. I've never felt so relieved to get away from Hunter. Why am I so relieved to be away from him? He's right though, and I know it. But what kind of sister would I be if I left Sam and Bryce alone, with our dad. A pretty shitty one.

You'll never get out alive if you don't stop to think about yourself for a minute.

He's right. He's always fucking right. Why did I leave? I start to go upstairs so I can call him, but my dad stops me. Why did I come home?

"You were with him. Don't lie to me." His voice is low. And he's angry.

"Yes, I was."

"You know I don't like that boy." My dad steps closer to me.

"Why not?" I challenge him.

He slaps me. "Don't talk to me that way."

I take a breath. My cheek stings. "Why do you keep disobeying me?" he asks. His voice is dangerously low, like last time. I need to get out. Now.

I take a small step backward, but my dad grabs my arm. He lurches me forward, and thrusts his knee into my stomach. It knocks the wind out of me. I can't breathe. I end up on the ground, and he ends up kicking me in the stomach. His foot finds my ribs, and a squeal escapes my lips.

"Stop," I say, choking back a sob. "Please."

With one more kick to my stomach, he finally stops and walks away, leaving me curled up on the ground.

I somehow manage to get to my feet and out the door. I stumble to my car, and start it shakily. Something tells me that Hunter isn't home, and I don't want to bother him, anyway.

I grip the steering wheel tightly, trying to stop my hands from shaking. I don't think I've ever been more grateful that Hannah's place is as close as it is.

I weakly knock on the door. It takes a minute for anyone to answer, and I'm shaking by the time it opens. Alex looks down at me, his green eyes looking me up and down. Tears stream down my face and my cheek is red and my stomach hurts like hell. I feel like I'm gonna throw up.

Without saying anything, he places his hand on my back and leads me inside. "Shh," he whispers.

I don't see Hannah anywhere, and I start to wonder where she is. "Hannah went out. She'll be back soon," he tells me.

Alex sits me on the couch and sits next to me. "What happened? And why didn't you go to Hunter?" he asks softly.

I shake my head. "I fucked up. I really fucked up."

"Well, I know that Hunter doesn't care how bad you fucked up. So, if it's okay with you, I'm going to call him and have him come over because you need to talk to him. If you don't want to tell me what happened, you have to tell someone, and I think he's your person."

I nod slowly. I don't pay attention to his conversation with Hunter. The next thing I know, Alex is hanging up his phone and telling me that Hunter's on his way. I mutter an "okay" and close my eyes.

After a minute, I feel Alex slide an arm under my knees, his other wraps around my back, and he lifts me from the couch. I feel a gentle sway, and know that he's carrying me. "I'm still awake, you know," I mumble.

"I know," he whispers.

He carefully lays me on a bed, and I know it's Hannah's. I hold my head in my hands, taking slow, deep breaths. I feel the bed dip down as Alex sits. "You're okay, you know."

"Sure." I sigh.

"At least tell me what happened between you and Hunter? If I didn't know him as well as I do, I'd ask if he did that to you. But I know he would never."

"He was the amazing boy that he is and I was the dumb girl that I am." I shrug.

I hear the front door open and footsteps coming down the hall. "Thanks, Alex, but can you get out?" Hunter laughs a little, but he sounds strangled.

"Of course," Alex says.

"Rye," Hunter starts. He doesn't say anything else because I start sobbing. It hurts my stomach but I can't stop. "Shh, shh," he whispers. Hunter strokes my hair.

"Look at me," he coos. I move my hands from my face and look up at him. His eyes go straight to my cheek and his look of concern goes to anger. Although he's infuriated, his voice is soft when he says, "Oh, baby."

His fingers brush my cheek. "Is this it?" he asks. I shake my head. "Where else?" I point to my stomach.

Hunter slowly lifts my shirt enough to see my stomach. I glance down to see that it's already bruising. "Are you okay?"

"No," I choke out the word before I even know what I'm doing. He kisses my forehead carefully.

His fingers gently brush over my stomach. He adds a little bit of pressure, making me wince. "Sorry, sorry," he mutters.

Here he is, after I just freaked out when he was just looking out for me and I fucking hurt him, trying not to hurt me. He's not holding anything against me. I don't deserve him. He deserves someone who isn't a complete mess and someone he can ask to live with him because he wants to, not because he feels bad for her. How did I end up with this perfect boy?

He deserves someone as perfect as him, not me. Not me who can't even go home without coming right back to him.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper.

"Don't be." Hunter feels up my ribs and I flinch again. "Did that hurt?" He looks down at me.

I nod, and as carefully as he can, he places his hand back on my ribs. "Ow," I mutter.

"Take a breath, and tell me if it hurts."

I suck in a breath, but it doesn't hurt. I shake my head.

"They're probably just bruised. Your ribs, I mean."

Was it really only today that we were both on the ground in laughter? How is it that only a few hours ago, Hunter was on top of me, tickling my sides as a punishment for me calling him a skyscraper? Now, we can barely even talk to each other.

"Okay."

"Do you need anything?"

"Can we talk?" I ignore his last question.

Hunter sits down. "Of course."

"I want to move in, I really, really do."

"Riley, it's fine." Hunter shakes his head. Riley. He's hurt, I know it. His eyes are hurt and his face is hurt and he is just...hurt.

I swallow the lump in my throat. "No, it's not. I was acting dumb."

"Rye, just drop it. Really, it's fine. I just wanted you to know that you were welcome." Even his voice is hurt.

I take a shaky breath. "Let's make a deal," I start. "Next time this happens, if it happens again, I'll move in with you. Okay?"

"Babe," he mumbles.

"I just hate hurting you."

"Riley, if you move in, I want it to be because you want to, not because you hate hurting me." Riley. I act like it doesn't bother me.

"Well, I want you to ask me to move in because you want me to, not because you feel bad for me."

"I don't feel bad for you... Well, I do, but that's not why I want you to move in. I want you to move in because I love you." Hunter laughs lightly.

"And I want to move in with you because I love you, so we're even."

Hunter shakes his head. "Okay."

"Are we okay?" I ask, my voice smaller tan I'd like.

"Yeah, we are."

"Are you sure?" I whisper.

"Yes, Riley, I'm sure."

"I love you."

Hunter knows that I'm saying it to assure him, and that I'm not just telling him, so he replies with, "I know."

"I really do."

"I know, Riley Ann."

"That's all I wanted," I mumble.

I wrap my arms around Hunter's waist, and his arms wrap tightly around me. I'm enveloped in his scent of mint and winter. He kisses the top of my head.

"I love you, Riley Ann." It's kind of crazy how just five words can make everything better. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Hunter starts to talk or ask me a question, but I'm already asleep.

I'm waken by Hannah's voice yelling, "Dinner, lovebirds!" I groan into Hunter's chest.

"Come on. We can go back to my place after we eat," he mutters in my ear, rubbing my back.

"I'm not hungry."

"Yes, you are. Let's go."

I try to hold him back when he stands up, but there's not even a fight. He easily takes my arms from his waist and pulls me up after him.

"Pathetic, Riley Ann." He places a kiss on my lips, a smile playing on his own.

I dodge most of Hannah's questions; I don't really want to talk about it right now. I eat everything on my plate, mostly so Hunter will stop giving me that look. That look where his eyebrows knit together and the corners of his mouth turn down a little and his eyes fill with concern and sadness and I can barely look at him.

Then we're back at Hunter's and I'm curled up at his side. He scratches my back lightly. "What do you want for Christmas?" I ask.

"You," he mutters.

"No, really." I laugh. I look up at him, expecting him to be looking at me with a little smile, but instead his eyes are closed.

"I don't know, Rye. Just kiss me a few times. That'll be enough." He smiles.

"I have to get you something," I state.

"Why?" he asks, opening his eyes.

"Because...I don't know, because you're Hunter. And I love you."

"You don't have to get me anything, though."

"But I want to."

"But I don't want anything."

I groan. "You're so damn difficult."

"You're cute when you're annoyed, Riley Ann." Hunter laughs and pokes me nose.

"I'm annoyed because of you." I roll my eyes.

"That's why it's so cute." He kisses the top of my head. "Get some sleep, babe."

"I love you," I mumble.

Hunter kisses me softly. "I love you, too, Riley Ann."

~

I wake up early. So early that Hunter isn't even up yet. He's on his side; his arms wrapped tightly around me. I look up at him and smile. He's watched me sleep so many times. I know because I always wake up and he's just watching me.

I've never noticed how peaceful he looks in his sleep. His belly rises and falls with every breath. His lips are just slightly parted. I run my fingers over Hunter's features, tracing over his cheekbones, to his chin, up the bridge of his nose, over his lips.

"Good morning," he mumbles against my fingers. His breath is warm against my cool fingers.

"Hi."

I try to move my hand, but he grabs my wrist, holding my hand against his mouth. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I reply.

"I don't want you to go home," Hunter mutters, his voice still heavy from sleep. The only time his voice is ever raspy are in the mornings and when it's late at night.

"Me neither," I agree.

"We never finished decorating."

I guess he didn't want to do it on his own. "Okay. Let's do that."

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A/N

really sucky ending and short chapter sorry i just wanted to update.

i'm gonna post something with more detail about this tomorrow but I don't know when the next time i'll be able to update will be. i'll talk about it tomorrow.

i hope you liked the chapter.

please, vote if you liked it and comment what you liked or didn't like!

thank you sO much for 3k+ reads!

i love youuuu (:

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