48 Reasons To Be With Him

Author's Note// Prologue

Hello there. This book will be alternating between Jade and Hunter's POV's. The first chapter will be when they are both sixteen and Hunter first realizes that he likes her but has to keep it a secret. Thanks for reading!

Book started: September 10, 2017
Book ended: —

***

♚Hunter Reed♚

I trudged down the stairs and plopped down in front of the T.V., waiting. I took my phone out of my pocket and checked the time. A few more minutes and she'd be here.

She—meaning my best friend, Jade. Jade and I had been friends since we ganged up on our preschool teacher, Mrs. Woods, when we were three. Yes, you read that right. I don't regret a thing.

Imagine how you'd feel if you had a bunch of four year olds advancing upon you, waving maracas and drumsticks and all sorts of oddities around threateningly. Poor Mrs. Woods. Not to mention, all of this was just for a snack break during a particularly horrible music class.

I had a smile on my face as I snapped out of the memory. Ah, the good old days when there was no such thing as liking girls, soon-to-be divorced parents, or newborn little sisters that took all the attention away from you.

Beep. A text came in from my phone.

*an hour ago*

I had turned the TV on and dug my phone out of my pocket. I read the text and frowned in confusion. It was from my girlfriend, Gianna.

Gianna: Hunter, I really hate to do this, but we're done.

Hunter: What?

Gianna: I'm breaking up with you.

As the true meaning of those words sank in, I felt my heart sink.

Hunter: What? Why?

Gianna: I'm sorry.

Hunter: Gianna...

Gianna: It's hard to explain.

Hunter: Gia, I thought you trusted me enough to tell me anything.

Gianna: I did, but....

Hunter: But what?

*back to present*

Gianna: Okay. About two weeks ago I saw you one day in the park with Jade. I know she's your best friend, but I still felt jealous around her. But, I didn't feel that streak  of jealousy when I saw you two a few days ago and I just knew that I didn't like you anymore. Maybe because I knew that you would never like me as much as you obviously like (maybe even love) Jade. And that sucks a lot, but I've moved on. Sorry.

I felt a pang of pain in my heart. Deep down, I knew that Gianna would eventually break up with me, but I didn't think that it was a real feeling. 

But...I was also confused at why Gianna proposed the idea of me even liking Jade.

I felt like one of those cliche book characters in the books that Jade made me read with her. Shit, I'm beginning to actually understand Gianna now, always thinking about Jade and always comparing her (albeit mentally) to the girl I supposedly 'liked'.

I sighed, mentally chatising myself until the doorbell rang. Upon opening the door without checking who it was, it revealed my beautiful (not to mention mischevious) best friend Jade, wearing her ever-present smirk.

She smiled at me, and frowned as soon as she saw my face.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Crap. Here I was actually thinking that I keep it together.

I let my face fall and I said, "Gia dumped me."

An unreadable emotion flashed across her face before threw her arms around me.

"Well... how about we go out to lunch and then shopping? It'll be fun for both of us!" she exclaimed, letting go of me. 

I raised an eyebrow skeptically, training my deep blue eyes on her. "How the hell is shopping going to be fun?"

"You can get those new Nikes you wanted," she taunted, smirking.

I sighed and shook my head. The damn girl knew my weakness.

"Fine," I relented and went to grab my wallet. 

Together, we headed out the door and into my Mustang.

***

As we arrived at the mall, I sighed, thinking about Gianna and what she said. Did I really trust Jade more?

As Jade wrapped her arm around my waist, I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a side hug. To an outsider, it would look like we were a couple. But obviously, we weren't.

I definitely trusted Jade more. 

As I made up my mind, another question floated into my consciousness. Did ever like Gianna as anything other than a friend? 

I shook my head, clearing that thought as we walked into Olive Garden together.

***

Back at my house, Jade bid me goodbye, getting into her own car and driving away.

I sat down on one of the beige porch chairs, an orange Nike shoebox resting under each of my arms as questions floated through my brain, even though I hadn't given them permission to. 

If I had no doubt that I trusted Jade more, then why did I ever think that I liked Gianna?

And then it hit me. Suddenly, I knew why I would always trust Jade more. Crap. I knew why Gianna suspected what she did, and she was right. 

I was in love with my childhood best friend, Jade Alexandria Carson.