Secret Love (Hunter Hayes Fanfiction)

Explanations

Okay, A) Why did they change the Works section?! I just flipped out a while because I didn't understand. xD

And B)...I got a kick out of all the happy comments on the last chapter. :3 You guys are amazing, and I'm so glad you are so adamant about Hethany! :D 

But C) Come on, guys. It's like you  don't know me at all. :P

"You what?" Bethany pulled away, banging her head against the wall as she retreated out of Hunter's arms. "Ouch!" she rubbed the sore spot, but was unable to stand due to Hunter's arms still constricted around her. "Hunter, let go of me!" she exclaimed, pushing on him and trying to stand.

"No, Beth, wait! I'm sorry. I didn't mean...I just...Beth, please let me explain!"

She took a deep breath and stopped shoving him. "Fine."

Hunter blushed, and was glad she couldn't see it in the dark. "Um..." What could he say? He hadn't expected such a violent rejection. I mean, she had kissed him! Had he somehow misread that signal?

What am I supposed to do now, Beth? I love you. I do. It's true. I can't change that.

"Um?" Beth said. Hunter blushed again, having not realized that so much time had passed. "That's your big explanation?"

He felt the pull of frustration on his frazzled emotions and turned more fully towards the sound of her voice. "Beth, you kissed me! What was I supposed to take from that?"

Bethany froze. Why did you do that? What did you think it was going to accomplish?

"I, um..."

Hunter snorted derisively. "Great explanation." She blushed, but his sarcastic reply had her fuming in seconds.

She stood. "I want you to leave now."

He stood as well, having felt her leave his side. He didn't want to leave it this way. He couldn't.

"No," he replied stubbornly. Then he softened, reaching towards her and trailing his fingers down her arm. She shrugged him off, but he kept moving forward until she was backed into a corner and couldn't go anywhere else. "Beth, I was telling the truth. Whether you believe me or not, I do love you. I've loved you for a long time. You need to know that."

His breath whispered against her cheek, and her heart beat faster than it had ever beat before. She didn't believe him, but she still wanted to. Oh, foolish organ, she grumbled.

"No, Hunter, you don't. Even if it was true, how could I believe you now? You knew I was crying over you when you came in here. Anything you say now can be chalked up to pity. And..." the tears were pressing against her eyes again, but she shoved them down to say, "You are in a difficult place right now. I mean, you just found out you're going to be a father," her voice broke, and she wiped away the one tear that had escaped, "And this whole court case and just..."

Hunter shoved away from the wall. I can't make her understand. Without another word, he turned and walked out of the closet. It was obvious she wasn't going to listen to him. That kiss had meant something. Maybe she wouldn't admit it now, but he would keep coming back until she did. He was not going to lose her for good. Not this time.

Beth sank to the floor again, and sat there until the knot in her throat loosened. Her breathing slowed and her heartbeat decelerated, and finally she was able to stand and head for the door. Just as she was reaching for the knob, she heard two pairs of feet approaching, and halted.

Hunter had left the door open just far enough for her to peer through the narrow opening to see Amanda and a dark-haired man standing outside the closet. She recognized the man as someone who often arrived with Amanda's vast entourage, but she had never seen Amanda speak to him before. Now, he had his hand around her upper arm, and the look on her face indicated that he was not holding it gently. In fact, it looked like Amanda was crying...and terrified. 

"Matt, please, you're hurting me!" Bethany could hear Amanda's choked little whisper, but watched as Matt turned her forcibly around and gripped her other arm as well.

Beth took out her phone as a reflex, remembering what her mother had once told her about abuse. She'd told her that abuse could be punished and could be stopped, but not if nobody knew it was happening. Instinctively, Bethany knew Amanda was being abused, and though she hated her for ultimately ruining her relationship, she had to do the right thing. So she opened up her phone's video camera and began recording the scene through the crack in the door. 

"What the hell was that, Amanda?! I thought you said you weren't really pregnant? Why are you fainting? What's wrong with you? What else have you screwed up on, huh?" The man was shaking her, and Beth could see Amanda holding back her tears bravely. 

"Matt, I'm sorry. I was going to tell you about the baby. How was I supposed to know I would -" 

"How were you supposed to KNOW?!" The man managed to put all the force of a scream into a barely audible volume, but the look on his face sent shivers down Beth's spine. "You were supposed to have this PERFECT! We shouldn't even still be here right now! We should be back home, counting the stacks! You swore to me, Amanda!"

"I know, Matt, I know! It'll work, I promise, it'll work!" The man finally let her go, and ran his hands through his hair, pacing back and forth for a moment. Bethany had never seen Amanda look this way, staring at her shoes and rubbing the red marks on her arms.

Amanda, I'm so sorry. Nobody should have to deal with that.

The man -Matt, as Amanda was calling him - stopped his pacing and moved closer to Amanda again, making her visibly cringe. "What about that doctor? Are you sure he won't rat on us? Do you even understand the consequences of that?" Amanda nodded, but he continued. "If that judge realizes that we falsified the data on that DNA test, you're going to JAIL. You know that, don't you? Because you'll have no proof that I was in this with you. You'll have nothing. My people are better than your people. My people can make all the evidence your people could scrounge up disappear forever. You know that, don't you? And if that doctor spills, you're going down. I don't care if you are pregnant. I'll beat the sense into both of you. Do you understand that?"

Amanda nodded, still looking at the ground. "Do you understand that?!" he bellowed, his voice raising for the first time. 

As Bethany watched with her hand covering her mouth and her hand shaking the video camera, Matt raised his arm and slapped Amanda's pretty face. She stumbled and fell to the carpet, and a few of her tears finally spilled over. Oh, no. Oh, no. This isn't good. This isn't good at all. 

Beth froze, watching as the man walked away, shaking off his jacket like he was proud of his work. Amanda stayed on the ground for a moment, but got up and followed him after a moment. Bethany turned off the video and saved it, replaying what she'd just seen in her mind.

They falsified the DNA test. Hunter isn't the father. Amanda is being abused. I am dealing with more dangerous opponents than I'd ever imagined. What am I supposed to do?

DANG. So, somebody complimented the intensity of this work back when Amanda showed up at the awards show. I told them it was going to get more intense. Did I deliver or what? This is so intense it's actually hard to write! But thank you all so much for reading! It means a lot! :D

Vote, comment, follow me, etc. I have another work called "Do Me a Favor?" if you want to check it out. It's got a very different portrayal of Mr. Hayes.

God Bless and Happy Reading!