Hunter paced around the living room, nervously awaiting Arlene's arrival. Fortunately, his father was not home; he was at some press conference over an hour away and wouldn't be home for awhile. Hunter knew his dad would find some way, any way to make a big deal about having a girl over. He sighed. It's not like we're doing drugs, we're studying for crying out loud! All the anxiety and anticipation made Hunter wish his father would just yell at him already, just to get it over with. The fear of the unknown and uncertainty was eating him alive.
Suddenly, a loud, piercing ring echoed throughout the house, abruptly bringing Hunter out of his thoughts. He gulped, all of his worries rushing back, whelming up in his chest, so much so he couldn't breathe. Slowly, he got up, trying to calm himself down. It's just Arlene, it's just Arlene, it's just—
"Hi!" she exclaimed.
Before he had time to react, Arlene flung her arms around him in a big bear hug, causing the young teen's face to flush a bright red. He smiled as his nostrils inhaled her hair. Was it vanilla? No, no, coconut. Or maybe it was honey? Oh that's great Hunter, stand there like a fool guessing what kind of shampoo she used. He sighed. This is gonna be a loooooong night.
"So to get the x intercept, you…," Arlene asked encouragingly.
"Set y equal to zero!" Hunter cried in excitement.
"Yes! You got it!"
He quickly grabbed the pencil off the coffee table and finished writing the problem out. His hands flew across the page, formulas, graphs, equations oh my!
Arlene smiled as she watched her friend work. He was so cute when he concentrated; a soft smile tugging on the edge of his lips, his tongue slightly sticking out of his mouth, his hands moving gracefully across the page. She wanted him. She didn't care that he was her only companion and she could be risking their friendship. She just didn't care.
"Hunter," she said quietly.
"Hmm," he said absentmindedly, engrossed in his work.
"Hunter," she said again, softer this time.
When he didn't answer, Arlene grabbed his chin and gently brushed her lips against his, catching him completely off guard. She quickly pulled back, suddenly regretting her hasty decision, eyeing his shocked expression. She turned her head away, embarrassed by her immaturity of the whole thing, only to feel her face cupped in his hands in one, swift tender motion, her heart pounding the entire time. They locked eyes for a split second, his crystal blue eyes mesmerizing beyond belief. He closed his eyes and leaned in, their noses gently rubbing against each other, his minty breath lingering on her lips, she could almost taste it. She closed her eyes. This was it. There was no going back. Slowly, their lips met, briefly at first, then, deep and passionate. She ran her fingers through his auburn hair, smiling into the kiss. He gently caressed her cheeks, spreading instant warmth throughout her whole body. Time slowed down, and suddenly, Arlene and Hunter were the only ones in the room.
"Ahem."
Hunter shot up, immediately recognizing the voice. This can't be happening, this can't be happening!
"Dad?" he managed to choke out. He looked at Arlene, who was fidgeting with her sleeves nervously.
"That's right! Surprised to see me?" he shouted. Hunter could only nod.
"I thought you weren't suppose to be home for hours!"
"Funny how some things work out, isn't it? I did so well at the conference that it ended early. Imagine my surprise when I come home to find my son shoving his tongue down some whore's throat!"
"Hey!" Hunter shouted angrily, his veins pulsing rapidly. "Don't you dare call her that!"
"Oh, yah, tough guy, what are you going to do about it?" he shot back, taking a step closer.
Hunter quickly grabbed Arlene's arm and whispered in her ear so only she could hear, "Go."
She turned to look at him; though he tried to look brave, she could see the fear in his eyes.
"Go!" he said, choking back tears.
"But—"
"Now!" he shouted, eyeing his father worriedly as he took another menacing step.
Arlene froze, completely and utterly scared beyond belief. Now that she knew what Hunter had been going through at home, she didn't want to leave him to his father. There was no telling what he'd do now that Hunter had been caught. In a panic, she grabbed his hand in a death grip, unable to let go. Hunter moaned, the tight grip causing him to lose circulation in his hand. He struggled to free his fingers; his father getting closer and closer only made him panic more.
Calm down Hunter, calm down. Finally, he managed to pry her off. Arlene looked up at him, worry etched on her face. She looked so helpless, it almost made Hunter cry. She was everything he ever wanted, and here she was, standing right in front of him, but he couldn't enjoy it. He couldn't be with the one person who understood and respected him. He gritted his teeth in pure frustration as images of his father flashed through his mind. Quickly, he ushered her out of the room, buying himself more time.
"Hunter, I can't leave you!" Arlene cried, a single tear rolling down her cheek.
Hunter wiped it with the back of his thumb, and cupped her face in his hands and said, "Arlene, you have to! I'll be alright, I promise," he said, not so sure he sounded convincing. Apparently she thought the same thing, for he could see the doubt behind her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but he quickly silenced her with a kiss.
"Hunter, get back here right now!" shouted his father, interrupting the couple's heartfelt goodbye.
Arlene stood, physically shaking. Seeing her uneasiness, Hunter squeezed her shoulders comfortingly, a small smile forming, trying to reassure her that everything was going to be okay.
"Hunter!"
Nodding at the trembling girl, Arlene took one last look at her best friend before running out the door, never looking back.
Hunter stood in the doorway, watching Arlene's long brown hair swish back and fourth. He sighed. She was so beautiful; he had always stared at her in class, daydreaming that he would finally get the courage to ask her out.
"Hunter! You get here this instant!" threatened Mr. Hollingsworth.
Hunter turned to look at his father, a drunken, angry mess.
"Dad have you been drinking?!"
Mr. Hollingsworth glared at his son. "That is none of your business! If I'm stressed out at work, I can have a drink or two."
"More like a truck load," Hunter muttered under his breathe.
"What was that?" demanded Mr. Hollingsworth.
"Nothing!" Hunter said quickly, covering up his tracks.
His father eyed him suspiciously and muttered, "That's what I thought."
Hunter gulped and looked around the room nervously, wondering what on earth his father was about to unleash.
"Now, what's this I hear about you getting in a fight?!"
Hunter groaned as he remembered his encounter with Zig. "Dad, that wasn't my fault!" he cried desperately. "Zig was the one who started it!"
"Oh really, then how come you got detention?" his father shot back.
Hunter opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out; he couldn't answer. If his dad found he was the one who punched Zig… he shuddered.
"Well?" his father asked impatiently.
Hunter gulped. His mind scrambled to come up with something, anything, to get him out of this, but when he came up shorthanded, he took a deep breathe and said,
"Because I punched Zig."
"You did WHAT?!" cried Mr. Hollingsworth.
"Alright, fine. I punched Zig! But it was only because he was making fun of me in front of everyone!" Hunter added quickly.
"Stop blaming others for your failures!" his father cried, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration. "You got yourself detention, not Zig!"
"But he started it Dad!" Hunter cried in exasperation. "He grabbed my arm and I walked away, but then he—"
"Enough!" Mr. Hollingsworth bellowed, scaring Hunter into silence. "I'm sick and tired of hearing you make up excuses! Not only did you get in a fight and as a result get detention, you also failed your test!"
"Dad I'm sorry!" Hunter cried, choking back tears.
"You're a failure! I can't even stand to look at you!"
"Dad please!" Hunter begged, the tears streaming down his face. "I'll try harder next time, I promise!"
"It's too late for that!" his father cried.
"No, it's not!" Hunter said, determined to prove his dad wrong. "That's why Arlene was here, to help me study!" as soon as he said this, he instantly regretted it; Mr. Hollingsworth was clenching his jaw in fury. He looked at his son like he was delirious and laughed sarcastically,
"Since when was making out considered 'studying'?"
Hunter looked at the ground. He had to admit, his father did have a point, but they really did study! They just happened to kiss when they were done… but Hunter didn't understand why his father was making such a big deal out of it! His mom practically caught Frankie and Winston having sex, and did his dad say anything about that? No! And now it was suddenly a crime to kiss someone?
"I mean, honestly Hunter—"
"Shut up! Shut up!" Hunter yelled, cutting his father off. He clenched his jaw in anger, his chest rising and falling with the sudden adrenaline rush. But he was just getting started.
"You have no right to judge who I kiss!" he exclaimed, his father's stunned expression urging him to continue. "You cheated on mom with your assistant for crying out loud!"
Mr. Hollingsworth opened his mouth to speak, but Hunter, fired up, shouted, "Don't you dare say you got caught up in the moment, because you and I both know that isn't true! You had an affair for months!" he said, taking short huffs of breath in an attempt to calm down.
Mr. Hollingsworth looked at his son, amused at how upset he was getting. "You couldn't have at least picked a prettier girl? Or one who people actually know?" he said, laughing in between insults.
That did it. That set Hunter on edge. Without warning, he charged at his father, furious by his condescending remarks. Mr. Hollingsworth saw his son come at him out of the corner of his eyes. He smirked, having just enough time to grab his wrist. Hunter flailed his arms around violently, trying to break free from his dad, but he held him down firmly.
"Let me go!" Hunter cried, the annoyance evident in his voice.
"Fine, whatever you say," his father replied, an evil smirk tugging on his lips. Hunter looked up at his father, angst written all over his face.
Mr. Hollingsworth let go of Hunter's wrist and flung him with such force that his back crashed violently into the wall. He groaned as he lay disoriented on the wooden floor, his body in a tangled heap. He tried to get up but the shooting pain in his back instantly made him collapse. He gritted his teeth, the frustration setting in. He knew his father was watching, amused at his misery. He probably thought he was weak because he couldn't take a beating, or stand on his own two feet for that matter. As Hunter was thinking these thoughts, he looked around him and noticed for the first time that the house was completely empty. He gulped. With no one home, there wasn't anyone to witness his father's treachery.
"Get up!" his father shrieked, the sound ringing in his ears. Hunter quickly scrambled to his feet, his father's sudden tone of voice scaring him greatly.
Mr. Hollingsworth, seething with rage, grabbed Hunter's shirt collar and yelled, "How dare you talk to your father like that! What I do with my life is none of your business!" he declared, his breath huffing in short bursts of anger. "I will not be a made a fool of by my own flesh and blood!" he finished. He let go of Hunter's shirt briskly, causing the young boy to stumble backwards.
"Now, do you have anything to say for yourself?" Mr. Hollingsworth stated calmly.
Hunter looked up at his father, his brown eyes staring back at him expectantly. He looked away, thinking. What if he said what was on his mind? His siblings got away with everything; Miles did drugs, Frankie sold nudes, and now all of a sudden Hunter kisses someone and it's a crime?! Unbelievable. Was he just the third sibling who didn't even matter? Did no one in his family even care for his existence?
"Well?" his father asked again, more impatiently this time.
Hunter turned his gazed back to his father, eyeing him wearily before replying, "Yes, I have something to say," he began. Mr. Hollingsworth looked taken aback, but Hunter ignored his stunned expression and continued, "Miles had Tristan over all the time without asking permission! Same for Frankie with Winston! And they both did some questionable things," he said, checking for some kind of reaction, but Mr. Hollingsworth was expressionless. Sighing, Hunter went on, "I have Arlene over to help me with homework, something neither Tristan nor Winston seemed to do I may add," he paused, his rant making his throat dry. He never imagined he would have the courage to stand up to his father, especially after the crazy week it had been; his father had talked him down so much that he felt like he couldn't speak his mind or stand up for himself when his father was being unreasonable. But, with the help of Arlene, (and a little gaming) Hunter realized that no one, not even his own father could silence him. No matter what, he was going to make sure his voice was heard loud and clear, and it started now:
"You catch me kissing someone I really like, and then scream at me? Why? What's the point? I'm just going to see her again! You never got involved when mom practically caught Frankie and Winston having sex! Or what about the time when—"
Word after word that flowed from his lips angered Mr. Hollingsworth more by the second. His patience was wearing thin and his temper was flaring. How dare Hunter disrespect him! Not to mention throwing his siblings under the bus like that. He shook his head in disgust. Rage boiled throughout his body. He barely had a chance to think of his actions; the only thought running through his head was getting Hunter to shut up.
He pursed his lips and raised his hand back, throwing it forward as hard as he could, and whipped it across his face. The crack of skin contacting skin echoed off the walls. Vibrations of pain started in his palm and spread all the way to his fingertips. His palm was bright red, the same shade that matched the one on his son's face. Hunter started at him with his eyes wide as his hand slowly made its way to his fiery red cheek.
He should've felt some kind of remorse, but he didn't. Not one organ in his body could possibly produce guilt for his actions. A triumphant grin spread across his face as he watched pure terror engulf his son.
Miles sat in his room upstairs, a huge textbook at the foot of the bed and loose papers with scribbled notes sprawled around him at every possible angle. He was trying to understand the difference between mitosis and meiosis when he suddenly heard shouting coming from downstairs. He tried to tune it out, but the noise was too much. He groaned, the fighting in the house never seemed to cease. He slid his feet over the edge of his bed, glancing at the list of remaining things he still had to study. When would he ever need to know this stuff?!
As he made his way through the dark hallway, Miles noted the eerie silence (other than the ruckus that was coming from downstairs of course). He wondered where the rest of the family was; Miles was pretty sure his father had some big conference hours away, so he couldn't be the one yelling. That only left his mom and Frankie and Hunter. He frowned. That didn't seem right; the three of them always got along, at least to Miles's knowledge. Anyone other than dad couldn't be that hard to get along with he thought.
He peered around the corner to the den but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the scene unfold. He felt as though he had been paralyzed by some unseen, mind numbing force. How. . . Why. . . For how long. . . Thoughts flew discordantly through his mind as he failed to comprehend the scene before his eyes. Hunter was hurt. Being hurt. The lumbering hulk of their father stood above his brother's frail form, a scowl clear on his face, his fists clenched.
All at once Miles was freed from his confusion, now possessed by a passionate hatred, a fury at the beast that could dare claim the title of their father. Hot blood rushed through his veins, and he could feel his heart pound with a mantra of vengeance. I'll kill him. I'll kill him!
Hunter stood frozen, his world completely flipped upside down. For so long, Miles had been trying to convince Hunter their father was evil, that he was the one tearing the family apart. Hunter had pushed those thoughts away; he still held hope for their father deep down. He still believed that Mr. Hollingsworth was the family man he remembered him as. But time after time again Hunter saw his father change, molding and taking shape as an abusive monster. But because of Hunter's stubbornness and obliviousness, he was now paying for it in the form of a crimson welt, fresh on his cheek.
"Come out, Miles," Mr. Hollingsworth called. Hunter froze at the sound of his brother's name. He was here the whole time?! "Miles Hollingsworth, if you don't come out this instant—"
Before he had time to finish his sentence, the older Hollingsworth brother appeared, his hands shaking and his whole body trembling in fear as he entered the room. Hunter looked down.
"Now," their father said, crossing the room to where Miles stood. Hunter watched helplessly as their father grabbed Miles's shoulder roughly and whispered in a hoarse, raspy voice,
"If you tell anyone, anyone at all, what you just saw," he said, his fowl breath lingering on his lips, sending shivers down Miles's spine. "I'll end you."
Miles's eyes widened in fear at his father's words. He held his breath, expecting some sort of blow to the head to follow his menacing threat, but when none came, Miles looked up, surprised, only to be met by darkness.
A/N
I know, I disappeared, again, for god knows how long. But it was because I had trouble framing this chapter. About halfway through I looked at it was like nope, this is completely out of character and scrapped it. I spent several weekends reworking it, trying to built it up. I think this chapter is the climax of the whole series, and I think I finally know where to go from here. Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter, it's the longest I've written so far :)
