Orphan

Chapter 39

"Painful." I muttered biting my bottom lip as Hunter placed his hand on my side underneath my arm. "It feels painful? Fuck that's almost never a good sign." He frowned and I nodded, before tilting up my head to meet his gaze with knit eyebrows. "Almost never a good sign?"

"Yeah." He agreed in a serious tone as he lifted my shirt and examined the bruising skin. "When is 'painful' ever a good thing?" I asked, more curious than I should have been. "You know when the doctors ask, 'On a scale of 1 to 10 how much does it hurt. One being painful and ten being kill me now.'..." He mumbled in the worst Russian accent ever spoken by another human being. "...or when he gives you the good loving and it leaves you painful in the morning." He smiled and we both laughed before the moment grew cold and he shook his head as we both thought back to the memory of Harry pressing me up against the window. "Uh... Let's keep going I don't think I need any more tending to...I'm a big girl after all." I smiled pulling my shirt down and looking back where I could no longer see the house among the trees, I had been walking for a long time and the sun had just begun to go down. "Can't I just run?" He frowned. "Hunt...no. I'll work something out please... But don't run they'll come after you and I won't be able to save you then." I mumbled with a growing fear in my heart. I knew once he ran they'd kill him.

"I've gotta get back to school, and my parents Monique... Your parents miss you so much. It's been so long." He frowned rubbing his arm as I nodded. "I haven't seen my reality in so long. I can't even remember my own family. How my mother sounded, how my father laughed..." I smiled trying to gather bits of memories, but by now things might have changed. Stress and worry changes people. I could picture them in my mind, but it seemed so far out of reach. My old life among the middle class seemed like a dream now. Compared to what I was living.

"I won't let them keep you here for much longer Hunt...promise." I hugged him. "Your mom said she loves you. Every day. She used to say it. I came over one day and she was in your room. The clay stain on the wall is still there, she said it was from a sculpture you and him were told to make...she sits on your bed and wishes you were home. Talks to the bears on your bed as if they would help her calm. She's missing you...and your dad, he's a shell of a man. He's been so quiet. He doesn't laugh anymore. His jokes his awful jokes... He doesn't tell them anymore. He doesn't eat anymore, well he does, but barely anything. He's so thin now and they're trying to cope. You need to come home Monique. They miss you. Everyone misses you. The school kids started rumours, some think you're dead, others think you're part of the gang now. The town is mourning another loss as if you were dead." He sighed as I wiped my eyes dry. "I miss everything so much..." I could barely speak without tearing up. The hues of orange and red sky were now oceans of dark blue abyss.

"You need to get back to the house its dark." I heard Harry's voice from behind me as I wiped my tears away. "Are you seriously following us?" I mumbled turning around noticing the frown on his face. "I...uh. I had to make sure you were safe."

"Yeah, right. More like you had to make sure no one escaped." Hunter muttered under his breath as he walked back bumping past Harry- who luckily ignored the act of aggression. "Did you-"
"-Yes, I heard everything. Let's just get back." He breathed out with a slight frown forming as he dropped his head, looking at the grass.

"Sorry." I frowned. He didn't respond and the evening grew cold. By the time we got home everything was back to normal as if it never happened, but I couldn't shake what Hunter told me. It was stuck on repeat, like an endless loop.

“Harry?” I mumbled quietly as his emerald orbs met mine. “Can we go out tonight?” He stared at me briefly before nodding hesitantly.

“Good. Let's go.” I smiled softly, as his head shot up. "What you meant now?"
"Yes." I chuckled slightly going out front, where he followed me into his old treehouse. "You brought me...here?" He smiled softly, shaking his head at the thought before climbing up to meet me. "I don't know anywhere else." I confessed laying back and looking up at the stars. He did the same.

"I know those two get under each other's skin and fight a lot, but they're soulmates." Harry piped up suddenly after our moment of silence. I nodded then thought for a while.
"Do you believe in soulmates?" I asked curiously as I turned my head to him. He remained in his position viewing the celestial wonders of the sky.

"Yes I do. I believe there's someone out there for everyone who's destined. We don't always end up with them though." He shrugged.
I nodded thoughtfully and placed my hand on my stomach and the other behind my head. I couldn't possibly be sane enough to be here with my kidnapper... Maybe he was mine and this was destined... Did I want that?

"Do you think you've already met yours?" I wondered, hoping the answer would satisfy the pounding in my chest. "No." His answer came fast, yet slowly. Then my heart dropped.

"Cool." I muttered shifting uncomfortably biting my lip. "Could you please talk to the guys and let Hunter go? Please... He's here for something that wasn't his fault. Please Harry. I'll stay I'll do anything...just let him go. I promise you he won't say anything. I just need him safe. I promise." I frowned as Harry turned to me and stared at me for a while, examining my features as if trying to detect emotion like a robot.

I watched him quietly. Then he nodded, turning back to the stars.