Bella's Hunt

SIXTY-FIVE

"Are you sure you're alright, love?" Linda asks and I continue looking out the window. We were sitting quietly in her car as she droves us back home.

"Yes, I'm fine." I mumble against the cold glass. My breath causes it fog and I reach up and trace my fingertip around it.

We are both quiet for the rest of the ride.

Once we pull up in front of my dad's house, I get out and quickly walk over to my car. I grab my duffel before locking my car and following Linda up the porch and inside. "We're home!" She shouts loudly.

A pair of arms instantly wrap around me and my eyes go wide. "Bella!" I place Beverly's voice with her face when she finally pulls away from me. "I missed you!"

"You saw me the other day." I state and she grins.

"I know!"

I walk up the stairs and down the hall to my bedroom. I sit my duffel down by the door and go to lay down on my bed.

My mind repeats the previous events from tonight, causing me to squeeze my eyes. I wonder what he looked like when I said those words to him. I bite down on my bottom lip at the thought.

I wonder what he looked like when I broke his heart.

My eyes snap open and I lean up faster than the speed of light. "I-I broke his heart." I whimper quietly.

I mean, it's fair, isn't it? He broke my heart, I break his. It's fair! I shouldn't feel this bad. I should be feeling fucking happy.

But I don't. I feel more broken than I ever have. Even when he first left.

I hurt him. Badly.

I broke his fucking heart.

"Bella?" I look up at the door when I hear someone knock on it.

"C-Come in."

The door opens and Linda leans inside. She walks in with a giant smile and her hands behind her back.

My brows furrow instantly, "What's going on?"

She sits down next to me on the bed, her smile never faltering. "I have an early Christmas present for you." She states.

"What? Why not just give it to me on Christmas?" I ask.

"Because I don't think I can wait that long." She chuckles before passing me the small rectangular present, wrapped in Santa Claus wrapping paper.

"It's just from you?" I ask.

"Yes, just from me." She grins before nodding at the present, telling me to open it.

I sigh heavily, "Thank you, Linda."

"Just open it!" She ushers me and I laugh. I run a hand through my hair before ripping the paper. My heart drops into my stomach as I stare at the gift with wide eyes.

It's a small, white picture frame with the picture of Hunter and I from Thanksgiving. My eyes narrow on Hunter's face to see that he never looked at the camera when Linda took the picture. His eyes were on me the entire time.

"Bella? Why are you crying?"

My eyes snap up to Linda's to find her brows furrowed. She cups my cheek and runs her thumb under my eye, catching my tears.

"I-I-" I look back down at the picture. "I just really like it." I sniffle. "Thank you, Linda."

"You're welcome." She rubs my back and I sigh heavily.