The Road Ahead (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 4 of The Hardships Saga)

Chapter Fifty-Four

*definition will be friend*

"Hello?"

Ryan's voice was timid. "H-Hey."

"I'm sorry," Hunter said instantly. "I- I didn't mean- Ryan, I swear I would never-"

"I know." She sighed. "Hunter, I... I know I told you to leave but... but I never wanted that. I've never wanted you gone. I care about you too much for you to be gone."

He felt himself relax. "So... you don't want me gone?"

"I couldn't. Not even if I tried to get rid of you."

He chuckled slightly, the relief almost overwhelming him and moving him to tears. "How are you?"

"I've been better," she said quietly.

"I know. I blame myself that-"

"It's no one's fault but my own, Hunter. I promise you that."

"But-"

"No. Don't blame yourself for everything that's happened. I've had my part in it, too. A rather large part, in fact."

"Part," he said. "A part. But a part of it is my fault. You can't deny that."

"I suppose I can't."

They were quiet for a little while, listening to each other's soft breathing on the other end. This felt comfortable. Natural, even. This was the same as all the times they had woken up in the middle of the night and lay there together, hand in hand, gazing at the ceiling or at each other.

"We're going to where Celeste's address is listed as. It's some street in the east, a bit out of the way."

"Oh?"

"If it's not her, we're out of options. Cassiopeia is impossible to find. We've tried everything. Her parents' names don't show up in any address books, she has no online accounts, and she apparently moved to Europe after she was born. We don't have that kind of time."

"Yeah. What do you think Elle will say?"

"She wants to stay with us, I know that much, but it's better for her if she goes." His voice sounded strained. "The incident with Chad proved that."

"That wasn't your fault," she said.

"It was. It was my fault because I didn't do anything properly." He was quiet. "Because... because I'm a coward."

"Don't start this again, Hunter."

He sighed. "I'm sorry."

She was quiet again, and Hunter said, "R-Ry?"

Hearing him call her by her old nickname for her was like a stab through the heart. "Yeah?"

"Can we... can we decide what we are? Friends, lovers, strangers?"

"I don't want to be strangers," she said.

"I don't know how healthy it is for the two of us to be lovers, either," he said.

"Yeah," she breathed. "I know what you mean."

"So..."

"Friends?" she asked meekly.

Hunter closed his eyes. He thought about her eyes, big and aquamarine. Her lips, soft and pink, sweet and salty. Her body, like an hourglass. Everything about her was to die for, but he had messed this up. He wasn't about to ruin her life any longer. No matter the cost of his own happiness- Ryan was more important to him than that.

"Friends," he agreed softly. "But- but best friends. The closest friends you could ever imagine."

"Of course," she said quietly. Hunter knew that voice- it was the voice she had a moment before she began crying.