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Chapter31~Ashlynn

I shot off like a bullet down the hall.

"Ashlynn? Ashlynn!"

I turned my head around. It was Ryan. I stopped running and caught my breath as he walked towards me. As he got closer, I noticed a bruise on his jaw, and his hair was all messed up. He gave me a quick hug and then pulled back.

"What were you doing over there?" He sounded a bit nervous.

"I was looking for Hunter and-wait-what were you doing there?"

"I was outside...I took a wrong turn or something and I ended up on the opposite side of the stadium from where my car is parked...this place is confusing."

"You're telling me. I don't have any clue how I ended up here." I paused. "What were you doing earlier when I called? And where'd the bruise come from?"

"Oh. Uhhhhh... I was talking with Rachael about how my first show went. I didn't want to make her wait. I'm sorry if I was rude."

"No, it's ok. I was just curious."

"And I got the when I slipped on some water and fell into a table." I winced, imagining the pain of his fall. "I'm fine though." He reassured me as he gave a quick smile.

I looked around us and realized we were back at the dressing room. "I'm going to check if he's in here." I gestured at the door.

"Ok. Good luck! I'm gonna go find my car. I left some forms in there that I have to give to Rachael."

"Ok, bye!"

"See ya!"

He gave me another hug and continued down the hall.

'That's strange... I thought Rachael drove Ryan here after his audition... Maybe I'm misremembering...Wait... is he limping?' I shook the thoughts away and continued on with my hunt for Hunter.

I unlocked the dressing room door and opened it. The only people in the room were on the makeup crew, and they said they hadn't seen him.

'Great. This is like a wild goose chase.'

I exited the room, went down the hallway on the left, and ended up in front of the meet and greet room. This time, I walked the other way until I found an exit. I leaned out of the door and looked around, but there was no one in sight.

I heard someone walking behind me, and I turned around just in time to see an orange onesie disappear behind a door. Hunter.

I walked over to the door and yanked it open. It was a janitor's closet.

"Hunt? Is that you? I've been looking all over for you! Where have you been?"

He kept his back to me. "I just needed some...fresh air."

"Are you ok?" I touched his shoulder and he flinched.

"Uh... Yea... Just got a little overheated, that's all..."

"Hunt?"

"Yea?"

"It's summertime in California...I'm pretty sure that if you were really overheated, you wouldn't step foot outside..."

"I just needed fresh air more than anything. I guess I wasn't that overheated, more stressed."

"Stressed about what?"

"Life."

"Well that narrows it down. How am I supposed to help you if you can't tell me what's wrong?"

"If I told you, you wouldn't listen." He turned his head slightly towards me.

"Oh. My. Gosh. HUNT! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE?!"