Crush

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

Hunter-

I quickly scanned the paper, cursing under my breath before crumpling it up myself. I shot Gabrielle a glare before I ran out the door after Cami.

"Mr. Wilder!" the teacher shouted. "You're going to get detention!"

I didn't care. I hurried down the hall and saw Cami rounding the corner ahead of me. I ran to catch up with her.

"Cami, wait up."

"Go away."

"It's not true. I swear to you it's not true. She's screwing around with you, and it's working. Don't let her do this." I was desperate for her to believe me.

She stopped, tears running down her face. I was getting really tired of seeing her so sad all the time.

"Come on." I grabbed her by the hand and pulled her after me. She didn't ask where we were going. We walked in silence to my car, and she climbed in when I held the passenger door open.

I went around to the other side and joined her.

"We really need to discuss things. I know everything has been messed up, and I know it's my fault, but I can't take seeing you cry anymore. I want you to be happy. Talk to me please, and let's see if we can work this out somehow." I stared while she played with the edge of her notebook.

She finally looked up. "I want to believe you, Hunter, I really do, but you keep so many secrets from me. I know there is stuff going on you don't want to talk about, and I've tried to respect that, but when you combine it with doing drugs and partying I have a hard time trusting you. I was under the impression you were trying to get away from that type of thing. Apparently I was mistaken. Then this very suggestive picture of you surfaces, showing you with someone else. She says she was with you, and the picture seems to support her, but you say nothing happened. It makes me realize—despite how I feel—I don't really know you. Other than making some nice memories of our own, and being extremely attracted to each other physically, you're practically a mystery." She gave a deep sigh as if this let a huge weight off her chest and laid her head against the seat.

I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel nervously, knowing I needed to tread carefully. I wanted to tell her everything, but I couldn't—both for her safety and mine. Things were so royally messed up. I should've never gotten involved with her. I knew this, but I couldn't seem to make myself walk away.

"As far as Gabby goes, I can only tell you nothing happened. Honestly, the play by play went something like this—I was stoned and zoning out. I'd drifted off to sleep and was kind of dreaming or thinking of you subconsciously, and I could even feel you next to me—your hand sliding down my body. I jerked awake, and she was there. I shoved her away and told her I was with you. She said she didn't see you around anywhere, and climbed on top of me, sliding my shirt up. I shoved her off hard enough she fell on the floor. She was mad at me, said I hurt her. Derek called her over, and she started making out with him. That's when I left the party. I worried I was too blitzed to drive so I pulled over at the theater. I considered going in to watch a movie and let things get out of my system a little, but I was really tired—and I was afraid to see the disappointment in your eyes—so I fell asleep in the car. That's it. You know everything. Please tell me you forgive me and we can move past this. I never meant to hurt you."

I waited, every nerve tense, wondering what she would say.

"Are you going to do drugs again?" She wouldn't look at me.

"I'd love to tell you I'll quit right now and walk away, but it's not that easy." I was so frustrated. There was no way I could make her understand why I used, or why they were so important to me.