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Chapter20~Hunter

The one time I get hang out with Ash alone, Ryan just has to make an appearance. And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, he pushed his way into getting an audition to play the bass for us while I was in a cast.

Instead of chatting with Ash like old times, I feel like I'm third wheeling on a date with the two of them. I just want to go back to the hotel. 'I'm clearly not wanted here.' I told myself. 'I'm just getting in the way again, like always. I need to get a life.'

"Hunt!! Watch out!!" Ash's voice cut through my tangle of thoughts like a sharp piece of glass.

I backed out of the way of a girl on crutches and right into a display stand of jewelry and hats. 'Way to go, Hunter. Can't you do anything right?'

Everyone in the store stopped what they were doing and turned to look at me.

"OH. MY. GOSH. OMIGOSH OMIGOSH OMIGOSH!! IT'S HUNTER MARVEY!" A scream broke the silence.

That's when I realized my sunglasses had fallen off. 'Shoot.' Once again, I had to ruin everything.

"AND YOU MUST BE..." The girl had turned to Ash. "ASHLYNN SPIRK?! AAAAHHHHH!!"

Now there were a few more squeals and "Oh my gosh"s and people were coming up to us. Ryan held out his hand to me, which I reluctantly accepted and I stood up. I replaced my sunglasses and started to pick up all of the items I had knocked down.

"Alright, folks, nothing to see here. Please stand back." Phil to the rescue.

"Oh, don't worry about those, sir. I'll pick them up." I looked up to see a tall, brown-eyed girl with dyed blonde hair. She had a name tag attached to her flannel and a lanyard around her neck with a key on the end of it, obviously a worker at Pacsun.

"No, no. It's my fault, I should clean up my mess."

The girl blushed.

'Must have caught sight of Ryan... After all, he has everything I don't...like Ash.' I thought.

Just as I was picking up the last pieces of jewelry from the floor, I started to feel lightheaded. 'Oh no... Not here. Not now. Not in the public eye...'

I felt my breath coming in and out in quick gasps. I squeezed my eyes shut. 'Please let no one notice. Please let no one notice. Please let-.'

"Come on, Hunter what are you doing? We have to go!" Phil called out to me. I opened my eyes as I struggled to put the necklace in my shaky hand onto a hook.

The second the gold chain left my grasp, I was being yanked through the door and before I knew it I was back in the SUV with just Ash. No Ryan.

As I tried to remember how I ended up in the vehicle (everything had gone by so quickly during the panic attack), I saw a hand wave in front of my face. I looked up to Ash's clear blue eyes and pretended that nothing was wrong. 'Just don't think about your breathing.' I told myself.

"Hunt, what's wrong? You look sick..." A look of concern evident on her features.

"I-uh-f-I-erm-n-uh..." I couldn't think or speak straight and my voice was shaking. 'You're a mess.'

Ash stood up in her seat and started speaking to Jimmy in the passengers seat. I tuned them out and tried calming myself, but sad thoughts kept preventing me from progressing. I clutched onto my curls with sweaty palms and ringing ears.

'She doesn't want to deal with you, that's why she went to talk to Jimmy. You're a burden to everyone, especially Ash. You are useless. No one has time for your problems. No one wants to deal with someone as messed up as you. Stupid. Worthless. Going nowhere. Loser.'

*Memory*

The first time I went through depression, it was started by my classmates. The guys would tell me hateful and cruel words and called me names, and I believed them. Also, at the time, I had a crush on a popular girl and she found out when one of my 'friends' betrayed me. She laughed in my face, teased me, and told me no one would ever love me because I was ugly and stupid. They would just walk into the classroom and I would shut down. The teachers would send me to the nurse until my panic attacks ended. I started failing classes and blamed it on video games. Sure, my parents were really upset with me but I couldn't let anyone know the truth.

It was my freshman year and Ash had gone to our city's public school; it was the only year we weren't at the same school. She had no clue what I was going through at the time and I planned to keep it that way. We would hang out after school every day in our treehouse that sat in between our houses. I faked smiles, laughs, and my "normal" behavior for a whole year. I was so happy the day she told me she would be transferring to my private school for sophomore year. I would finally have a friend at school again. I slowly but surely got better over the summer, and by the time school started up, I was practically my old self again. Everyone left me alone, and some of the transfer guys became my good friends. Life was finally back on track, and I was set to be starting quarterback on the football team for junior year. But in a crazy turn of events and only two months into sophomore year, Ash and I met Hazel, Shawn, and Eric through our record label. No Strings Attached was formed, and we shot up to the top of the charts after a week with our first album. Three years later, here we are, selling out arenas around the world. I thought by making it this far, I was proving to my bullies that I could be something. Here, I was just trying to prove it to myself. And it was working.

*End memory*

I held my head by my knees and ran my hands through my hair vigorously as if it would help me relax. I moved around in my seat trying to get comfortable and ended up subconsciously unbuckling my seatbelt. Then, dizziness overtook me and I fell on the floor of the SUV. 'What a mess I am.'

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(A/N:)

Yeaaahhh, sooooo, it's been a while...😅 I'm so sorry I just had a ton of homework to do and, well, I missed writing this story.🙊 I was also very uninspired until this afternoon when I got an idea for this chapter!!💁🏼 Go me!! Haha.

What's your favorite scent? 👃🏻🌷🍕Weird question, I know... It was the first one that came to mind though, haha. Mine is Snowflakes and Cashmere lotion from Bath and Body Works.😛🤙

Ok, that's all for now. Please vote and comment, and don't forget to follow me!!!

Love y'all beauties!!❤️❤️😘😛

See ya!!

~T🌽🥁