Chapter 32

The next few days were intolerable. 

Hunter was always good at hiding his emotions. He always has a better tendency to bury them deep under his cold exterior. But now, he felt like he was suffocating those emotions. 

The cigarette in his hand burned down to his fingers before he realized it. He hissed and dropped it onto the floor and didn't bother to pick it up. Goosebumps erupted all over arms when the cold wind drifted from the broken window. 

Winter arrived too soon for him. And with it came the silence. A silence he once craved, though now it only made him restless. 

Because the only noise he ever tolerated in his quiet life has been lost for days now. 

Aiden never came back after that night. 

Hunter stood and slammed his fists against the wall, the thud echoed through his empty room. He punched non stop until his knuckles were bloody. It was his punishment which wasn't enough or even close to what he did to Aiden. 

Every time he closed his eyes, Aiden's wide eyes trembling with tears slipping down his cheeks as he backed away from him like Hunter some kind of monster would come crash on him. 

His hands halted, chest heaved and sweat dripped down his face. His hands throbbed in pain but all he could see was Aiden's terrified expression. 

The person he has loved for so long, the one person who always looked at him like Hunter was his safest place. And that night, the same person looked at him as if he was nothing but danger. 

"Ugh!" Hunter hit the wall again, harder this time but the sting in his knuckles was nothing compared to the ache in his heart.

Hunter ran a hand through his hair, tightly tugging at the roots in frustration. It was for the best, that's what he kept telling himself. What he did was wrong but the results came from it were promising. Aiden, who was extremely persistent and stubborn, didn't show up after that. 

If Hunter hadn't pushed him away, he would have kept following him and getting involved in things he had no business getting involved in. Aiden didn't understand how dangerous Hunter's life was now and how dark the world he lived in had become. 

The backstreets of the club where he lived was no place for someone like Aiden. Every night, people would stumble out of the club, high or drunk, looking for a place to crash or someone to screw. Fights broke out in the alley where Hunter lives everyday. Deals went down in the shadows around his rented room. So, the last thing Hunter needed was Aiden wandering around, trying to "save" him.

"Dumbass," Hunter muttered under his breath. He pressed the heel of his palm against his eyes. "Why the hell did you follow me?"

Hunter didn't want to go that far because he was in his full senses. He was just looking for a way to scare Aiden and make him give up. Hunter didn't mind his slap because he fully deserved it but what left him in shock was Aiden's confession. 

A confession, he's still not sure whether Aiden was serious or only made up so that Hunter won't scold him. Because knowing Aiden, he's never sure of his feelings. His mood and feelings changed every hour. 

He was the same person who avoided Hunter for weeks, told Hunter that he should stay away from Casen and then told Sophia that he likes girls. And now, suddenly he likes Hunter? How could he believe that? 

So, Hunter forced himself to not take those words seriously no matter how much that confession made his heart flutter. Because what if Aiden changed his mind again? What if he woke up tomorrow and decided it was a mistake? Hunter wasn't strong enough to go through that again. He'd rather be hated by Aiden in order to keep him away.

But God did he miss him? 

His life feels extremely colder with Aiden's loud and dramatic presence. There's no dumbass now who would fill every corner of his life with his warmth and chaos. No Aiden begging him for his help with exams or whining about how studying was going to kill him. No Aiden stealing his fries and claiming it was "tax" for being his best friend.

Hunter let out a shaky breath. "Why do you have to make everything so fucking hard for me? Why can't you make up your fucking mind?" 

His phone sat on the floor, the screen cracked from the last time he threw it. He stared at it for a long time before finally picking it up. His fingers hovered over Aiden's name in his contacts. He wanted to call him just to hear his voice and to know if he was okay.

But his thumb didn't move.

Instead, he pressed his phone to his forehead and sighed. "It's better this way." 

◾◾◾

Casen was flipping through his book when Hunter slipped inside silently, the door clicking shut behind him. It got Casen's attention and he looked up, his little face lit up with a side smile. 

Most of his bruises had faded and the side glow of his face was beginning to return. 

"I thought, you won't come today," He greeted, placing the book on his lap. 

The gloomy boy simply shrugged. He sank into the chair next to Casen's bed, resting his elbows on his knees with his fingers intertwined. 

"Finished my shift. Thought I'd drop by. I'll leave once Sam gets here."

Casen chuckled softly, leaning back against the pillows. "You don't have to wait. I'm not planning anything stupid this time. I've got good friends now."

Hunter just nodded while staring blankly at the floor. The silence was comfortable for him but not Casen. He watched him carefully and his eyes fell on his bruised hands. He didn't want to pry but Hunter's silence felt suffocated today. It wasn't just the usual quietness. 

Casen had an idea of Hunter's discomfort. So he asked. "Are you still mad at Aiden?" 

Hunter's head snapped up to him instantly. "What?"

Casen flinched slightly under his gaze, the corner of his mouth twitching nervously. So, I was right. It is indeed about Aiden. 

"I mean…I just figured. You've been on edge for the last few days. And It's written all over your face."

Hunter's brows knitted together and his face hardened. "You don't need to worry about it. Just focus on getting better."

Casen nodded slowly, though his eyes stayed on Hunter's face. He could see it in his eyes, the tightening of his throat every time Aiden's name was mentioned. It didn't feel like anger but pain.

"You know…" Casen started softly, trying his luck until Hunter told him to shut up. "I can tell how much you like him."

Hunter didn't react much but Casen smiled faintly. "To me, he seems pretty fragile when it comes to showing his emotions. He acts like he's carefree, but deep down, he cares a lot. If you're still angry with him about my case, don't let it drag on too long. I never held him accountable for not standing up for me. It wasn't his fault." 

Hunter stared at him for a while. He was shocked how strong Casen was for not blaming anyone for his condition. He was stronger than those bullies who seeks joy by hurting others, stronger than Aiden, who doesn't understand his own feelings, stronger than him who needs to hurt the person he loves in order to save his heart. 

Hunter let out a bitter laugh and shook his head. "It's not me who's angry. It's Aiden."

Casen frowned as he didn't understand. "What do you mean?"

Hunter exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. He leaned back in his chair, his head hitting the wall with a soft thud. "Doesn't matter."

Casen watched him for a long moment before speaking again. He understands that Hunter wasn't the person who would easily open up with others. But he can at least try. 

"You know…I used to think love was easy," he said softly and watched as Hunter's attention turned back to him. Casen chuckled dryly, sheepishly looking down at his hands. "I learned the hard way that it's not."

Hunter didn't want to be nosy but he was curious. "How?" 

"Sam and I…we've known each other for a long time. When I realized I liked guys, I wanted to experience love. So I got involved with the wrong person. He was older than me and more popular. I thought he loved me. Sam warned me about him, but I didn't listen thinking that Sam was just rude and overthinking."

Hunter stayed silent and watched carefully how his voice became low. 

"I thought I was in love but he used me. And when I found out he began to blackmail me. He made me cut off everyone who cared about especially Sam. I pushed Sam away, thinking he was just jealous. But the truth is…Sam was right."

Hunter shifted uncomfortably. "What happened?"

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