Lost in the Love Letter

ch. 10 - feeling the heat

A week had passed since the incident. On the first morning after the fight, Mandy had woken up with a badly bruised wrist and was sore. Hunter had checked in on her everyday since. They both agreed to not tell anyone about it, because they didn't want to risk starting rumors or drama. Mandy even kept it from Dominic. Other than that, she was trying to get on with her life, and worked on building up her reputation at school.

*In English class*

Mandy: "Dom, can I ask you something?"

Dominic: "Of course, what's up?"

Mandy: "Okay I don't know if this is in any way possible, and if not it's fine, but is there any way I can apply to be on the ASB team here? I just keep thinking about how I had to turn down my position as ASB president at my old school, and really would like to see if there was anything I could do to serve here."

Dominic: "I don't know for sure, but I'll ask my advisor today and explain your story to see if he can arrange something!"

Mandy: "Oh wow, thank you so much!" *she leaned over to hug him*

Hunter came in, interrupting the serenity of their hug. Things had been a little heated between him and Dominic recently.

Hunter plopped down his bag and leaned over to Mandy.

Hunter: "How you holding up? Anymore trouble?"

Mandy: "I'm all good. My wrist is pretty much fully healed. How's your lip? And your arm?"

Hunter gave a playful puckered up (kissy) face to Mandy, showing that his lip was healing well. Then he turned around and flexed his (pretty big) muscles to show the cut on his bicep was also healing. Dominic saw that.

Mandy: "Wow, I'm glad it's getting bet-"

Dominic: "What do you think you're doing?" *he interrupted Mandy and was addressing Hunter*

Hunter: "Excuse me?"

Dominic: "I saw that. Puckering your lips up and flexing your muscles. Stop flirting with my girl."

Woah

Mandy was speechless. Not because of him calling out what he saw, but the fact that he said Hunter was flirting with her... and called her "my girl". Both of those things were a lot to take in. She wasn't sure with how she felt with him calling her that, and thought it sounded a little possessive.

Hunter: "I'll do whatever I want, and she's not your girl. Stop being possessive."

It's as if he read her mind.

Mandy: "He wasn't flirting with me Dom, he was just-"

Dominic: "No Mandy, I don't think you understand. He was definitely giving you some looks. And he has been for a while now-"

Hunter: "Buddy don't declare my actions by what you see, you don't know half the story. Either way, get away from her and let her experience love with a real man. Not some FAKE picture perfect goodie two-shoes."

The two boys stood up and went face to face.

Mandy: "Hunter! How could you say that?" *she turned to Dominic and hugged him, trying to ease his frustration, then glared at Hunter*

The three of them all sat in their seats, and didn't mutter a word to anyone for the remainder of the class.

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*time skip*

Mandy was mad at Hunter for what he said, and tried to avoid him. But she couldn't help but wonder why he said that about Dominic. There just seemed to be more details behind those 2 that she didn't know... yet.

Mandy: "Hey, Dom, can I ask you something?"

Dominic: "Man, you've had all the questions lately. What's on your mind?"

Mandy: "Sorry... I was just wondering... is there something between you and Hunter that I don't know about?"

Dominic: "I don't know, I just remember during sophomore year, he got pissed at me for a bunch of stuff."

Mandy: "Like what?"

Dominic: "Well it was his first year here, and we ran against each other for Class President, but I won by many votes, because I was obviously better. And then kids were like making fun of him for stuff he said about his past, and he asked me to stand up for him, but I couldn't risk my title, so I let him be."

Mandy: "What stuff?"

Dominic: "I don't really remember... he was a little weird back then and told stories... like some stuff about how he did some strange karate stuff for years, and there was some girl he missed from his hometown, who had a thing for him."

Mandy's thoughts: "What 'girl'?? He couldn't possibly mean... me???"

Mandy: "Why is that weird??"

Dominic: "Cause there's no such thing as that here in Utah. Like, it's strange that some kid from nowhere shows up bragging about how he's some taekwondo freak."

Mandy: "I see..."

Dominic: "Why are you so curious?"

Mandy: "Oh.. I was just wondering, but that clears a lot up."

She distanced herself from everybody for the remainder of the day.

And then she found a note...