Chapter 31

Aiden tossed and turned in his bed, the sheets tangled around his legs as he flopped carelessly onto his back for the hundredth time that night. His mind was racing— no, scratch that—it was practically exploding. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Hunter.

"Oh my God," He groaned loudly, rolling onto his stomach and burying his face into his pillow. "Why are his hands so big?! What the hell?! Why does he even need such big hands?!" 

"Aiden, shut up!" He kicked his legs violently, earning a scolding from his mother from another room. 

He peeked out from his pillow, eyes wide in the dark. "Wait…am I…do I–" He sat up so fast he nearly flung himself off the bed. "No. No way." He shook his head, frantically trying to deny the thought that was clawing its way into his brain. "I can't. He's my friend. Yeah I get it he's suddenly hot and all but he's still my friend." 

He slapped both hands over his mouth, heart racing. "Oh. My. God." He flopped back onto the bed, eyes staring at the ceiling now. His face felt like it was about to combust. He rolled over and grabbed his pillow, hugging it tightly. "I do like him!" he squeaked, kicking his legs in the air like a lovesick teenager. "I'm such an idiot! I didn't hate his kiss and I didn't even realize it!"

Slowly, his hand drifted up to his lips. "Wait…does that mean we had our first kiss already?" His entire body jolted upright again. "OH MY GOD!"

A loud bang came from the other side of the house. "Aiden, shut up and go to sleep!" his mom's voice rang through the walls.

"Sorry!" Aiden called back automatically, before flopping face-first onto his bed again. His heart was thudding in his chest, every memory of Hunter crashing into him like a tidal wave. The way Hunter always watched him quietly, the way his honey-brown eyes darkened when he was angry, the way his entire presence felt like a storm about to break.

Aiden rolled onto his back, flailing helplessly. "How did I not see it before?! He's perfect!" He gasped. "What if he likes someone else now?! I was such a jerk to him! What if he's moved on?!"

He sat up, eyes blazing with newfound determination. "I need to tell him. Right now." He jumped out of bed, only to stub his toe on the nightstand. "OW! OW! OW!" He hopped around on one foot, clutching his foot and cursing under his breath. "Okay, maybe not right now." He peeked at his clock. "It's, like…three in the morning. Mom will murder me if I go outside right now."

He flopped back onto his bed in pain. "I'll tell him tomorrow." He hugged his pillow tightly, face burning with embarrassment. "Hunter's gonna think I'm such an idiot…" He buried his face in the pillow and squealed softly, kicking his legs like a hyperactive puppy. 

The Next Morning…Aiden woke up with one goal, find Hunter's house. 

Easier said than done, considering Hunter had never told him where he lived. Aiden threw on his clothes, grabbed a piece of toast from the kitchen, and bolted out the door before his mom could ask what he was doing.

"Okay, Aiden," he muttered to himself, jogging down the street. "You need to use your extraordinary skills and think. Where would a hot vampire guy live?" He squinted up at the buildings around him. "Definitely not in a place with too much sunlight…and too expensive. My vampire is broke in comparison to other vampires."

His eyes lit up suddenly. "The café!" That was the only place he knew Hunter worked, so maybe someone there knew where he lived. He sprinted off in that direction, practically bouncing with excitement like he was on a mission.

By the time he reached the café, he was out of breath, but his determination burned brighter than ever. He marched inside and grabbed the nearest waiter by the arm. 

"Excuse me, urgent question. Where does Hunter live?"

The waiter blinked in confusion. "Uh…what?"

"Hunter," Aiden repeated, bouncing on his toes. "Tall, broody, honey eyes. Looks like he's always plotting someone's death? Come on, he's too handsome to forget his face."

The waiter frowned further thinking Aiden was some stupid kid. "Why do you wanna know?"

Aiden pouted and scowled at him for beating around the bush instead of telling him directly. "Because I need to confess my feelings to him, obviously."

The waiter stared at him, then slowly backed away. Now, he was sure he's definitely dealing with a weird kid. "I…don't think I should get involved in this."

Aiden groaned in disbelief, dragging his hands down his face in frustration. "Ugh! This is impossible!" He turned on his heel and stormed out. "Fine. If no one tells me, I'll just follow him after work."

His plan was perfect. No one could stop him. Today, Aiden was a man on a mission—and that mission was Hunter.

Aiden sat outside the café, munching on snacks as he waited for Hunter's shift to start and end. His legs bounced with excitement, and he kept glancing toward the entrance like a kid waiting for his favorite cartoon to come on. He had bought extra snacks too—just in case Hunter got mad and he could bribe him with them. 

Snacks could fix anything, right?

Finally, Hunter stepped out of the café, hands shoved deep into his pockets, shoulders hunched slightly against the evening chill. Aiden's eyes lit up. "Showtime," he whispered dramatically to himself, sliding his hoodie over his head like he was some kind of stealth ninja. He carefully tiptoed after Hunter, proud of his sneaky skills.

Except…they weren't that sneaky.

With every step, the crinkling sound of snack wrappers echoed through the quiet street. Aiden froze, clutching the bag to his chest. "Stupid snacks!" he whispered harshly, trying to silence them. He resumed his stalking only to step on a particularly loud soda can. 

Hunter's head snapped up, his entire body going still. Aiden squeaked and dove behind a parked car with a racing heart. "Crap, crap, crap!" he whispered, pressing himself against the vehicle. He peeked out, only to find…nothing. Hunter was nowhere in sight. 

"Huh?" Aiden blinked perplexedly, looking around. "Where did he—"

Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed his arm and yanked him forward. Before he knew it, he was shoved against the cold brick wall of a nearby old shop while his arm was twisted behind his back.

"AHH! I'm sorry! Don't kill me!" Aiden squealed and squirmed. The grip on him increased and Aiden squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for the worst.

"Aiden?!" Hunter's confused voice cut through the night. He stopped his fist which was about to land on Aiden, thinking it was someone else. 

Aiden blinked through his trembling lashes. "Oh. Hey, Hunter," he said nervously, twisting around to give a shaky grin. "Fancy meeting you here!"

Hunter let go of him immediately, stepping back like Aiden had burned him. "What the hell are you doing?" His voice was sharp but panicked, but he quickly masked it with a glare. "Were you following me?"

"Jeez, could you be any rougher? You almost broke my arm!" He pouted, giving Hunter his best 'kicked puppy' look whilst rubbing his wrist which was still aching. "I just wanted to see where you live."

Hunter stared at him blankly. Then he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a long, deep breath like he was trying not to explode. "Why would you want to know where I live?"

Aiden blushed, shifting nervously on his feet, fidgeting with snacks. "Uhhh…no reason."

"No reason?" Hunter's eyes narrowed at him dangerously "You stalked me across town. You're hiding behind cars. Your snacks are loud as hell, by the way. And you're telling me you don't have a reason? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to follow someone at night? What if I had hit you now?" 

"I'm not a stalker!" Aiden snapped back, puffing out his chest indignantly. "I just…I wanted to make sure you were okay!"

"I don't need you to check on me!" Hunter shot back, his frustration boiling over more than ever. His tone and eyes grew colder. "How many times do I have to say it? I don't want to see you anymore, Aiden. Stop following me. Stop showing up everywhere."

Aiden flinched at those words. He thought they were kind of okay after last night. "W-What?"

"Why can't you get it at once?" Hunter's voice was icy as well as his eyes which pierced daggers in Aiden's upset face. "I don't need you in my life anymore."

Aiden's heart dropped into his stomach. His fists clenched at his sides to keep his overflowing emotions at bay. "Why a-are you saying this?"

"Because it's the truth." Hunter looked away, he doesn't have the patience to deal with Aiden's tears today. "I was an idiot for thinking we could ever be friends."

Aiden's lip quivered, tears filling in his eyes. "But…but I…" His chest ached and before he could stop himself, the words slipped out of his mouth. 

"I like you, Hunter!"

The street went dead silent. Hunter's eyes widening in disbelief, his heart felt like he would jump through his throat. "What?"

Aiden wiped his tears while sniffling as he glared at Hunter with an angry puff. "Yes, you jerk! I like you, okay?! I don't care if you're mean and push me away. I like you. So stop saying all those horrible things!" His voice cracked and he shoved Hunter weakly. "You're such an idiot."

Hunter stared at him, completely shell-shocked. It felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over his head. His heart pounded so hard it hurt, and for once in his life, he had absolutely no idea what to say.

Aiden stood frozen too, his heart pounding so loudly he could barely hear anything else. The night air felt colder now, sharp and stinging against his heated face. Hunter's dark and indistinct gaze pinned him in place, and Aiden couldn't help but shrink under it like a scared kitten. Hunter slowly advanced toward him with deliberately slow steps, his honey-brown eyes getting darker with the advancement. 

Aiden instinctively stepped back, his breath catching in his throat. He hit the cold brick wall behind him, the rough surface scraping his palms as he pressed against it. Hunter didn't stop until he was close enough that Aiden could feel the warmth radiating off his body. The streetlights cast shadows across Hunter's sharp features, making his unreadable expression all the more terrifying.

"What did you just say?" Hunter's voice was deep and hoarse from the cold but it still sent a shiver down Aiden's spine.

Aiden couldn't get the words out of his mouth. Why do I suddenly feel scared of him? I have never been afraid of him. Was he always this scary? 

"I…I said I like you–ahh! 

Hunter suddenly rested both arms against the wall, caging Aiden between them. Aiden gasped softly, eyes flicking to Hunter's lips before darting back up to his eyes. His throat felt dry and his heart threatened to leap out of his chest.

"Why?" Hunter asked, tilting his head and staring deep into Aiden's trembling eyes while his tone was colder than ice. "Why now?" He leaned in closer to Aiden, his cold breath fanning against Aiden's heated cheek. "Just a few days ago, you couldn't even look me in the eye. You told Sophia you liked girls. You avoided me like the plague after I confessed. So…why the sudden change of heart?"

Aiden opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He looked into Hunter's eyes, desperate to find the warmth that used to be there, but all he found was a darkness that made his knees weak. "I…I realised last night. I kept thinking about you. I don't know why I was so scared before, but I'm not anymore—"

"Is that right?" Hunter let out a bitter chuckle cutting him off. He leaned even closer causing their noses to almost touch. Aiden pressed himself further into the wall. "And I'm supposed to just believe you? Just like that?"

"You should believe me!" Aiden insisted, resting his hands against Hunter's chest to push him but the latter didn't budge which made him even more nervous. "I'm telling the truth, Hunter."

Hunter slightly pulled back with his smirk only turning more dark, his menacing gaze dropping to Aiden's trembling lips before meeting his eyes again. "Prove it then."

"What…?"

Hunter extended his right hand and cupped Aiden's face ever so tenderly. Aiden shivered feeling his cold fingers against his burning face. Hunter's dark eyes observed his expression very closely and his own heart picked up speed. Aiden sucked in a deep breath when he felt Hunter's other hand slid down to rest on his hip making him gasp softly. If the closeness and the hot breath from Hunter every time he speaks wasn't enough for him to lose his sanity, this action did. 

"If you really like me," Hunter whispered smoothly against his lip, they were painfully close but not fully touching. "then prove it."

Aiden suddenly felt like disappearing from this situation. For some reason, he felt like whatever Hunter was going to ask him next, it would change everything. Their friendship that was already on the verge of breaking, their bond and their…trust. 

But he still dared to ask. "H-How?"

Hunter's lips instantly curled into a smirk, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Simple. Let me fuck you tonight."

The words hit Aiden like so hard the snacks slipped from his hands and landed on the ground. His body went numb and he fought the urge to fall too. For a good moment, he couldn't believe his ears. Slowly, his scared eyes darted to Hunter's face and was startled when he saw how serious Hunter was. 

He blinked wondering who the person in front of him was. Because his Hunter won't ever say words like this. His Hunter won't even joke about it let alone frighten him like this. "W-What?" 

Hunter's thumb brushed under Aiden's eye, wiping away a tear that had slipped free. "That's what you want, isn't it? You're not here because you like me. You're here because you want something from me." He bent in, his lips grazing Aiden's ear. "You lost your 'friend privilege' the moment you pushed me away. Now…I only see you as something else."

Aiden's heart shattered. He pushed Hunter away with trembling hands, his eyes wide with fear and betrayal. He still doesn't want to believe that Hunter was actually saying such nasty things. 

"Y-You're lying. That's not true. I—"

"Then why are you here?" Hunter cut him off harshly. "You think I'm just going to forget everything because you suddenly realised you have feelings? You don't get to play with me, Aiden. You came all this way," Hunter murmured, his thumb tracing Aiden's cheekbone. "Isn't this what you want?"

Aiden swallowed hard, his body frozen against the wall. He was unnerved beyond repair. "W-What are you talking about?"

Hunter smirked, eyes flicking over Aiden's trembling form. "Don't play dumb, Aiden. You've been trailing after me like a lost puppy all night, desperate to prove your 'feelings.'" His hand slid down Aiden's side, resting on his hip, fingers tightening just enough to make Aiden gasp. "If you really mean it…let me have you." His fingers slid under Aiden's hoodie, tracing the bare skin of his waist. "Prove you're not just playing games anymore with me. Let me fuck you."

Aiden felt like the air had been knocked out of him. "Hunter…" His voice broke while his hands gripped Hunter's shirt in pure terror. He wanted to push Hunter but it seemed that his body was paralysed. "S-Stop…Please…you're scaring me." 

Hunter chuckled darkly, brushing his lips against Aiden's collarbone. "What? Didn't expect me to be so honest? Or maybe this is what you wanted all along." He pulled back just enough to look into Aiden's eyes. "You wanted my attention, didn't you? Well, congratulations. You've got it. Now give me what I want." 

Aiden shook his head, tears brimming in his eyes. He never wished to see his friend behaving like this. "That's not…that's not why I'm here." 

Hunter scoffed. "Then what is it? You like me?" He let out a bitter laugh. "You suddenly realised your 'feelings' after pushing me away? After telling everyone you liked girls?" His fingers dug into Aiden's hips violently, making him jump. "Do you even know what you want, Aiden?"

"I-I do!" Aiden sobbed. "I like you! I swear! Just stop whatever you're doing Hunter. You're scaring me." 

"I'm scaring you? Well, it's not my fault that you never realised what I truly wanted from you from the start," A cruel smirk tugged at his lips as he wiped Aiden's tears. He lowered his face and his lips grazed Aiden's neck. "Let me take you right here, against this wall. Show me just how much you 'like' me."

Aiden's eyes widened in horror. His heart raced painfully in his chest, his breath catching in his throat. "S-Stop…"

"What's wrong? Isn't this what you wanted? I'll accept your feelings if you let me do whatever I want," He left a soft bite against Aiden's neck before pulling back. He tilted Aiden's chin up, forcing him to meet his gaze. "Or are you just a liar? I swear I won't let you feel any pain and after a while you'll even begin to feel good. You just have to bear it for a little while and—!" 

"You're disgusting!" Something inside Aiden snapped. His hand flew up, cracking across Hunter's face with a sharp slap that echoed in the night. Hunter's head whipped to the side, his hair falling over his eyes. For a moment, there was only silence. Aiden stood there, trembling, his chest heaving with laboured breaths.

Aiden shouted, tears streaming down his face. "I came here because I wanted to tell you how I felt! Not…not this!" He pushed Hunter away. "I thought…I thought you cared about me! I hate you! Why did you do that Hunter? Have you lost your damn mind?!"

Hunter kept his head lowered until he noticed Aiden running away. Finally, he looked up and his eyes were bloodshot. He gritted his teeth and punched the wall he had pinned the only person he cared about just now. He punched again and again as if that would help him get rid of his guilt, get over the tears Aiden spilled because of him. 

But at least now, Aiden won't ever try to come near him. At least he was successful in his act to make Aiden hate him. 

He huffed aggressively as he stopped punching, blood dripped from his knuckles. Ignoring the pain, he looked in the direction where Aiden ran away. 

He wanted to run after him but held himself back not knowing that it was his biggest mistake. 

◾◾◾

Aiden ran as fast as his legs could carry him, Hunter's foul words still echoing in his ears. And as he ran, blinded by tears, he didn't see the shadows lurking ahead.

"Well, well…look who it is."

Aiden skidded to a stop, his breath catching in his throat. Some familiar faces stood in front of him ready to make some things even with him what was left uneven in the principal office that day. 

Aiden's heart skipped a beat when he saw the hockey sticks and bats in their hands.

"Thought you could snitch on us and get away with it?"

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A/N

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