The world moved again when Hunter was out of sight. Everybody wanted to know what happened. People went to Don’s side to ask him if he was alright.
I turned away from them. Don must have said something stupid, which he didn’t know was offensive. Hunter was a very sensible, level-headed guy. His time being blind should have taught him to think first before he reacted. Don must have done something to provoke him.
“I can’t say Winston didn’t deserve that,” Chaise said, shaking his head. He stared at me for a moment. “Denise’s cousin seems like a firecracker, though. Worse than her.”
“Where is Denise anyway?” I asked, trying to change the topic. “She’s been too busy to have lunch lately.”
Chaise inclined his head to the right. “Ask her yourself.”
Suddenly, Denise sat down in front of us, settling her tray on the table. Her face was flushed.
“Everything okay?” Chaise asked her.
Denise shook her head. “Hunter is out of control sometimes.”
“We could tell,” Chaise said. It didn’t sound like he cared.
“I just don’t get why he’s a dynamite in pants. Before his accident, he was just playful… conceited even. When he lost his mom and his sight, he was angry at the world. I get that. But now that he could see again… I thought he’ll go back to being the smug, mischievous boy I used to know. I was prepared to handle even that. But not this… quiet, brewing, impatient trouble-maker that came back as him.”
“Maybe he’s still adjusting to school again,” Chaise suggested.
“I hope so. I didn’t want to worry about him all the time. But I can’t help it.”
I can’t help it too. This was not the Hunter I knew. Even when he was blind and mad at the world, he wasn’t like this. He wouldn’t start unnecessary fights… especially not when he was in an institution with rules to follow and authority to respect. He was smarter than that.
I told Chaise and Denise that I would be heading off. I still had to pass by my locker and my next class was starting in a couple of minutes.
The hall was still almost empty when I got there. Most of the kids were probably still in the cafeteria, having lunch and gossiping about the incident with Don and Hunter.
I saw Hunter standing in front of his locker. My heart pounded in my chest. I took a deep breath and gathered my courage. I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to know for sure if he knew who I was. If he did… and he didn’t care about me anymore, then I knew I should move on. I should let go of any hope I still held on to in my heart.
I stood a few feet behind him. I took a deep breath again and then I said, “Hunter…”
The minute I called him, he stopped what he was doing but he didn’t turn around to face me. He took something out from his locker.
“What do you want?” he asked in a cold voice.
Yes. What do I want?
I drew in a deep breath again. “Do you… do you know who I am?” It was the only question I could think of… simple, short and direct to the point.
Hunter paused for a second, but he still didn’t turn to look at me. I waited for like an eternity before he closed his locker with a stronger force than required and then finally he turned to me. A cold expression was pasted on his face. He stared at me for a moment with narrowed eyes, as if he was trying his best to recognize me, remember me.
“No,” he finally said shaking his head. “Apparently, I don’t know you at all.” I thought my heart broke at that instance. Then he added, “Oh, wait. Right. You’re Chaise Anderson’s girlfriend,” he said flatly, his eyes were devoid of any emotion… like he didn’t care at all.
That surprised me. The last time I checked, I was his girlfriend but he was acting like he wasn’t interested in me anymore. He was acting like we didn’t have a past and the mere presence of me disgusts him, just like the rest of the kids in this school. I couldn’t find my voice. My heart was breaking inside and I was struggling to stand straight or breathe properly.
He took a step towards me. His eyes were boring through me. He stood too close, I could almost feel his warmth. I could smell his sweet, masculine cologne. I could see his pupils dilating.
He continued looking down at me with that angry expression on his face. I couldn’t recognize him at all. He looked the same as the guy I loved… but this wasn’t him anymore. Even though he couldn’t see me before, he never looked at me this way.
“Is there a problem here?” a familiar voice asked behind us, taking us both out of the trance we were in.
I turned around and found Chaise looking carefully at Hunter. Without taking his eyes from him, he reached out and pulled me away so I could stand next to him.
“Are you okay, babe?” he asked as he looked down at me. I couldn’t answer. I could still feel Hunter’s closeness electrifying me.
Funny, I could now see the huge difference between these two boys. Being close to Chaise felt like being safe and comfortable. Like you’re snuggling your childhood blanket. Being close to Hunter felt electric, like pulling away from gravity or magnetic poles. No matter how hard you try to fight it, you won’t win against it… no matter how dangerous and unsafe it is, no matter how much pain it might bring you… you still want to succumb to it… give in… give it all up for him.
“Babe? Seriously?” Hunter laughed as if it was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard. I wanted to slap him because he made it sound like Chaise dating me was a laughable joke... like anybody dating me was a laughable joke.
Chaise apparently felt the same way too. “Yes! Seriously! Do you have a problem with that?” he asked angrily. He shoved me behind him, as if he was shielding me from Hunter. I was reminded of the night he saved me from those potheads. I almost forgot that Chaise felt it was his mission to protect me.
Hunter looked at how Chaise stood in front of me and he seemed disgusted even more. He balled his hands into fists and raised a challenging brow at Chaise. My heart pounded inside my chest. I didn’t want this to get out of hand.
Oh no! This is not happening!
“Chaise… let’s go,” I said, pulling Chaise away.
Chaise was looking at Hunter angrily too, he didn’t even move a muscle when I pulled him.
“Chaise, please,” I begged.
Finally, I felt Chaise relax. He pointed a finger at Hunter and said, “Stay the hell away from her!”
Hunter glared at him said, “Gladly!”
Chaise finally took my hand and we walked away. After a few seconds, we heard a loud bang. Neither I nor Chaise turned around but we both knew what that noise was. Hunter couldn’t resist punching his locker door.
Chaise shook his head coolly, as if he couldn’t believe there was a guy who had such a bad temper and could stay angry all the time. I couldn’t believe it too. Hunter, even when he was blind and mad at the world, was cool. He was quiet and he bottled it all up inside him. He was smart enough to keep his emotions under control. But now… he was randomly punching kids and insulting people… insulting me. And he didn’t even know me. He looked like he didn’t recognize me, not even my voice. If he really loved me… my voice would have been familiar to him, even if he had no idea what I looked like. And even if he didn’t remember me, I didn’t know Hunter could be so mean. The way he looked at me… spoke to me… it was like he was disgusted with me.
“You okay?” Chaise asked, concern was all over his voice.
I nodded. “I thought you were going to fight with him. I felt scared. He just had a corneal transplant, and I’ve seen you fight. It won’t be good for his operation.”
Chaise stared at me for a long moment. Then he grinned. “Well… I don’t care if he gets blind again. He has no right insulting you like that. You know I will always protect you, right? I am your guardian angel, after all.”
I smiled at him. I may have forever lost Hunter’s love… but at least I was thankful that for now… I have Chaise’s friendship to count on. It may not be fair to Chaise that he was only a friend… a protector… a guardian angel to me. But I was hoping things would all fall into place someday.