Before You

Chapter Seventeen.

That night we'd stayed in the middle of that corn field in my secret hideaway until the sky began to lighten as the sun hit the horizon. We laughed about more embarrassing old stories, almost cried about others, and we contemplated our whole lives up until this point. I would've hated to admit it to him, but Hunter shocked me with how deep he really was. It had been easy to write him off as a cocky playboy with more muscle than brains, but the more time I spent with him and the more comfortable he got with me, the more his walls dropped and I saw the smart, calculated, funny and caring guy he tried to hide by acting like he was unaffected by anything.

What shocked me even more was how open I was able to be with him.

Sitting in the bed of his truck we'd leaned on opposite sides, our legs meeting in the middle under the giant quilt and I told him everything. Once I started talking, it was like the words just wouldn't stop tumbling forward. Every thought I had, it came right our without any thought or reservations. I was weirdly me.

The me that usually stays in my head, not the one who takes care of my friends or talks herself out of ever doing anything for herself. I was truly myself and it felt amazing.

I tried to tell myself that the easy flow of conversation was because I was in my special place. I'd always been centered there and able to block the rest of the world out. I knew though that it wasn't the place that made it happen. It was the person. Hunter saw me for who I am, and it didn't scare him away like I've always feared would happen if I was ever to let my guard down and let myself be vulnerable.

When we finally left, the birds slowly waking and beginning their singsong, he drove me home and I crashed in my bed feeling completely content.

"Hello?" My head buzzed as I fluttered my eyes open, feeling that I was being watched. "Anyone in there?" Macy asked.

I sighed, rolling over in my bed to stretch only to run into Jessica sitting on the other side of my bed. My heart raced and my calmness seemed worlds away as I saw Sarah walk into my room too, coming to stand at the foot of my bed.

"Is this an intervention?" I joked nervously.

Jess giggled, smacking me playfully on the shoulder. "No." She smiled, then narrowed her eyes. "Why? Are you finding yourself addicted to a certain guy lately? Because you know I'd encourage that, not talk you down." She winked.

My face flushed. If you only knew which guy's presence I was finding to have an addictive pull, I thought to myself as she looked down at me.

I turned from her gaze, the now familiar sting of guilt in my belly becoming too much.

Macy flicked her ponytail and puckered her lips. "You were completely MIA all day yesterday." She said. "And now you've slept away most of today also."

"And?" I countered, sitting up in bed to cross my arms over my chest.

"Uh-oh." Sarah whispered dramatically.

I narrowed my eyes at her and she rolled her eyes. "What?" I snipped.

"Nothing, I was just going to say that a certain someone must be really into this new guy if you're being so defensive, and you're only further proving my point." She shrugged with a knowing smirk.

Macy and Jess laughed. "Hush," Jess came to my defense. "I think it's great she's falling for someone finally. It's been too long and no one deserves it more than you."

I sucked in a pained breath at her kindness. I'm such a shitty person.

"I'm not falling for anyone." I insisted too loudly.