Tragic

Chapter Nineteen: Haunted

Hunter

My dad called yesterday. I haven't spoken to him in at least a year, and I've only seen him once since my mother and I moved here from Texas right after I turned sixteen. It's funny how no matter how hard you try to run, your past always finds a way to catch up with you. Even though I sent his call to voicemail it's all I've been able to think about. Elliot has been working hard to put me in a better mood. She always has an innate way of sensing when something is bothering me even if I try to hide it. She can't help me with this, and I don't want her to.

The next night I wake up in a cold sweat with Elliot gently shaking my arm, alarm written all over her face. There are certain things I don't want her to see, and this would be one of them.

I'm slightly disoriented, staring blankly back at her for a moment. It's been a long time since I had a dream like that. I can almost taste the blood clogging my throat when I try to take a full breath.

"Hunter, are you okay?" she asks softly. The distress radiating off of her is still palpable as I nod. "Are you sure? You were—"

"I'm fine," I interrupt a little too loudly. I take another quick breath and collect myself, turning toward her. "I mean—I'm okay, baby. I'm sorry."

Her hand is clutching her stomach as she remains up on her knees at my side. "You scared me. I couldn't wake you up." She slowly sinks back into the covers and curls against my side again.

I wrap my arm around her while I continue to try to catch my breath. "It was just a dream, everything is fine."

Elliot pops her head up, searching my face. "Hunter, you're still shaking. Does this happen often—do you want to talk about it?"

I shake my head. "No, I'm fine. Really."

She doesn't look convinced, but she also doesn't press further. Instead of lying down beside me again, she gets up from the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to get you some water," she says, pulling on a pair of sweatpants.

I sit up quickly and throw the comforter aside. "Elliot, get back into bed. I said I'm fucking fine, will you just let it go?"

Her face contorts in disbelief. "Hunter, you were literally screaming. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine, but I'm trying to help you."

I throw my hands up and stand up from the bed, walking past her. "I don't need your help right now." I know my words come out harsher than I intend them to because her face falls.

She wraps her arms around her tiny frame and nods. Causing her to feel that way almost breaks me, and I curse under my breath as I walk back to her. "Baby, I'm sorry." I kiss her forehead and then her temple before pulling her into my arms. "Okay? It just caught me off guard is all. I'm sorry."

Her face presses harder against my chest, her voice barely a whisper. "I love you. You can talk to me about anything."

My arms stiffen around her. Elliot loves me? I pull her back a little so I can see her face. I heard her plain as day, but I want to hear it again.

"What did you say?"

She wipes a tear from her eye and smiles. "I said—I love you, Hunter."

Leaning down, I kiss her once softly. "I love you, too." I wrap my arms around her and hold her against my chest again. "So much."

As much as I try to stop it, a tear begins to fall down my cheek. What will she think of me when she finds out who I really am?