<Hunter's Point of View>
_______________________
We all decided to stay at my house that night. My parents are out of town, on casting calls in Northern California for the week.
It's 2am. I'm sitting on my bed, with my head in my hands, on the verge of a breakdown.
After we found Averly, we brought her back into the car and headed immediately to my house. We assumed she wasn't all that seriously injured, since she was asleep and didn't wake when we touched her. We got home about two and a half hours ago. Everyone else is asleep. Everyone but me. I don't want to have to tell her what happened. She won't remember, she was too drunk. She's at peace now. I should never have left her. Tristan's right. She does deserve a better man than me. I'll never be like Tristan. He's got that whole tough guy vibe. Girls feel safe around him. Though he's no stronger than me, I don't give off that sense of protection. I should have been there for her. I should have cared for her better. I should have stayed by her side. Instead I screwed everything up. Seeing her like that broke me. You know that horrible punched-in-the-stomach feeling you get when something awful has happened? I feel exactly like that, right now, times a thousand.
Tristan will never forgive me.
May will never forgive me.
Tawny will never forgive me.
Averly will never forgive me.
How can they forgive me if I can't forgive myself?
"Hunter?"
My head springs upwards.
Averly.
I quickly become aware of the state I'm in. I didn't realize before, but I'm sobbing.
"Hunter, what's wrong? Are you alright?" Averly asks, concerned, as she stands in my doorway. She looks self-conscious. She's still dressed in her ripped party dress and Tristan's gray jacket. Bruises cover her legs and her battered chest.
"Huh? Oh yeah! I'm great!" I lie, quickly painting on a huge smile. It kills me to see her this way.
She looks at me sorrowfully. She slowly walks over to my bed and sits with me. I observe her bruises all over her. She still looks beautiful. Broken, but beautiful. She sits on the bed with me, quite a distance away. Not enough distance for anyone else to notice, but enough for me.
She doesn't remember though. She was too drunk. Thank God she doesn't remember. That would be miserable for her.
"Tell me what's wrong. Please?" She pleads.
I remain silent.
I'm not sure how long the silence lasts, but I know when it's broken, it won't end well.
"I screwed up," I admit.
She stays quiet.
"At the party...for just one second I turned around...I couldn't find you. You were--" I muttered as tears began to fill my eyes.
"Shh....Hunter, it's ok. I know," she says soothingly.
"No, no, you don't know, Averly. You were--" I began.
"Yes. I do know. I was abused by some guys at the party. I was drunk, yes, but I wasn't drunk enough to forget that. I could never forget that," she says harshly.
I was taken aback at the severity of her tone.
"Averly, I am so sorry. I hate myself for what I've done. I shouldn't have left you. I should have stayed with you. You shouldn't have gone with me. You should have gone with Tristan. He could have been there for you. He could have protected you. He's the better brother. I'm not as good as him. I never will be. I completely blame myself for everything that happened to you. I'm not asking for your forgiveness, because I don't deserve it. I hate myself for this," I sob.
