Hunter

Chapter 2

   "Why were you crying?" Hunter asks as he sits right beside me, pressing his back onto the wall. I sigh heavily and shrug, sniffling as I do. "Bad day?"

   I scoff. "You don't even know."

   "I can tell," He points at my head. "No one goes around walking with gum tangled in their hair." My cheeks flush and I look to the floor.

   "Call it a fashion trend, I guess." I sigh. He stares at me for a second before bursting into fits of laughter. The sound makes me laugh along with him.

   "Why are you out here anyway?" I ask, taking in a deep breath as my nostrils finally clear. "It's the first day. Shouldn't you be in class?"

   "There's too many people in my classes," He says. "I'm switching it around so it isn't that way." I nod in understanding. "What about you?" I raise my brow at him.

   "Oh." He nods. While he snorts, he adds, "That's quite a sticky situation, then." I smile as I cover my face with my hand.

   "That's so lame!" I laugh. He shrugs and smiles.

   "At least you laughed!" He mutters proudly. I shake my head, moving my hand away to look up at the ceiling. The song changes and my stomach flips.

   The tunes ring in my ears and I feel my self floating in a pool of nostalgia. It's almost as if the gravity shifts and I'm just in the air, moving with the sound of the music. It's as if I was engulfed in intense waves of the ocean, and I find security in it. I'm drowning in euphoria, and I don't think there's a feeling better than this.

   "Your taste in music is amazing." I mumble. I look towards him and see him rub his neck nervously. He chuckles awkwardly.

   "T-thanks, I guess?" I smile at him and he stares for about a minute then looks away towards the wall in front, clearing his throat. I let out an awkward breath and look there as well.

   "You sigh a lot." He points out. I look back at him. "Why?" His eyes find mine and I feel my stomach flip again, but I blame it on the song quietly erupting from the headsets.

   I simply shrug. "There's a lot to sigh about, I guess." He hums.

   I wasn't lying. Everything about my life revolves around the endless, infinitive amount of sighs I make, and will ever make. Nothing about my life is exciting, and honestly, I'm not really complaining.

   At least I think I'm not.

   After about a minute, he stands stretching only for a second before looking down at me. He lets out his hand and speaks. "Let's fix that, then."

   My brows scrunch up in confusion. "Fix what?" I ask.

   "The lack of enthusiasm and excitement in your life."

   I hesitate as I stare at his hand. His attempt to 'fix' my enthusiasm, or lack thereof, can go in many different directions. I can take his hand, throw a middle finger up at my inner demons and finally chill the fuck out for once in my life. I can also say no and turn around running to the shadow of fear in the back of my head with open arms, not even giving Hunter the chance to earn any of my trust.

   It's settled then. I'll take his hand.

   Wait. I think again.

   What if it's just a trap? What if I take his hand and he ends up crawling his way into my life as someone I care for, then spits in my face, fleeing from me? I can't let that happen, not again. I don't know what I'll do if another faux friend slithers in and out of my life, exactly like a snake.