A/N: Song/Lyrics Kelly Clarkson - "You Found Me"


Chapter 3

"Misunderstandings"

It was around midday, and close to sunset when Hunter received an unexpected phone call from Blake. He took a break from all his paperwork as the conversation went on for an hour. They discussed current happenings with the Thunder Ninja Academy and the crazy life as a factor rider. While being taken by surprise with their small talks, Blake continues on bragging about his current girlfriend named Irish.

"She reminds me of Tori." He stated all of a sudden. "Gorgeous and dangerous. The only difference is Irish has red hair."

Hunter chuckled despite the way things ended between his brother and Tori. But it was nice to hear that Blake has finally found someone he could possibly commit to in a long run. "She sounds hot, bro."

"Yeah, well next time I'll let you two meet. Anyway, I have to go. I'm hooking Jesse up with a hot date and I don't want to keep him waiting. Talk to you later."

"Take care, bro." Hunter hangs up the phone and kneels back comfortably on his chair. It has been another exhausting day of teaching when suddenly Leanne comes walking in his office. He looks up and grunted after being rudely disturbed. "Dude, what happened to knocking?"

"Oh, didn't you hear? It was so last season." Hunter rolls his eyes. "Anyway, there's a phone call waiting for you in line one."

He yawns tiredly. "Who is it?"

"Dustin."

"Okay. Thanks, Leanne." She nods slightly before leaving the room. Hunter picks up the phone.

"Yeah. Hello."

"Yo, Hunter." Dustin spoke from the other line. Hunter rubbed his eyes as he held the phone to his neck and typed a few keys onto the computer. "A bunch of us are going to the movies and we thought you want to come with."

He looks at his watch and grunted at the time. It was already seven. "Now? Dude, I have stacks of papers to fill out."

"Can't you use some time off? I mean how often do we get to hang out together? Come on, it'll be fun."

"I don't know, man..."

"Hunter, you've been sitting there for hours. Just go!" Another voice interfered into their conversation as a bewildered look spread across his face. "I can take it from here."

Hunter groans once he recognized the voice. "Leanne, get off the phone!"

"Okay. Bye!" She giggles and hangs up. He sighs with Dustin still hanging on the other line.

The goofball chuckles. "Cool! Meet us in front of the theatre by eight. See you there, dude."

---------------------

Dustin hangs up the phone and turns to Tori. "So is he coming?" She asks.

"Oh yeah."

"Good." Tori walks over and hands him the phone. "Now all you have to do is make one more phone call."

Dustin gives her a disorientated look. "Who else are we inviting?"

"We? You are gonna call Marah and invite her to come along." She smiles.

"What?!"

"Don't be a wuss, Dustin. You know you want her to go."

"I am not a wuss!" He argues back offensively. "I'm just--"

"Nervous?"

"Yeah!" Dustin shook his head. "I mean no!"

Tori crosses her arms and smirks. "It's okay to be nervous. It doesn't have to be a date. I mean how could it be when it's a bunch of us guys right?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

"Come on." She places the phone down on his lap. "Just call her."

---------------------

Class has already ended as Kira sat on a bench in front of the school, strumming her guitar and waiting for Ethan to show. Meanwhile, Conner slowly walks up behind the singing diva in attempt to surprise her, but stopped as she sings softly and beautifully to herself.

is this a dream

if it is

please don't wake me from this high

i'd become

Comfortably numb

until you opened up my eyes

to what it's like

when everything's right

oh i can't believe

you found me

when no one else was looking

how did you know just where i would be

yeah you broke through all of my confusions

the ups and the downs and you still didn't leave

i guess that you saw what nobody could see

you found me

"Wow." Conner whispers breathlessly as Kira looks over her shoulder and finds him kneeling against a tree with his arms crossed. "That was beautiful."

She took out a curly strand of hair away from her mouth and smiles nervously. "I didn't know anyone was watching." Kira says, getting up.

"Oh...I didn't mean for you to stop. I was just heading over to Principle Randall's office."

"Why?"

He shrugs it off. "Detention."

"Again?" She chuckled quite amusingly. "That's four days in a row, Conner. What did you do this time?"

"I arrived in class two seconds later after the last bell. Two seconds and Ms. Carter gave me detention for being late." He said furiously. "Isn't that lame?"

Kira nods. "Totally."

"Well, if it isn't my two favorite people in the world." Ethan exclaims out of sarcasm as he comes in to interrupt their moment. He places his arms around them as he turns over to Conner, and then Kira. "So you guys ready to work on the science project, lab partners?" He questioned as Conner and Kira exchanged weird glances. Ethan stood back with a bewildered look. "What?"

"The project isn't due till like next month, dude."

"Yeah. So?"

"So...usually normal kids wait till the last minute." Conner joked as Kira slapped him on the arm for the comment. "Ow!"

Ethan rolls his eyes. "Wouldn't you rather get it over with? Oh wait, why did I even ask? You don't even do your work."

Kira snickers silently to herself as Conner beams coldly at him. "I, for one thing, don't like the idea of cramming when final exams are just around the corner." She added to break the tension. "Besides, it's an easy project. We can always go to Dr. O's for help."

"Thank you. At least someone here cares about how important this project is, which by the way is 20 of our grade. It makes a difference when you're lying on the border."

"Whatever." Conner muttered in defeat, feeling rather out of place. "I'll meet you guys at Hayley's later."

"Have fun in detention."

He looks over his shoulder with a sarcastic look. "Gee, thanks."

---------------------

An hour has passed once Hunter arrived in front of the movie complex where Shane, Cam, Kapri, and Marah were patiently waiting for the others. He joins them shortly after as Tori and Dustin made their way over to them not too long ago. Everyone greeted Hunter with friendly handshakes and hugs--being the only guy not associated with the Wind Ninja Academy.

"I'm glad you can make it."

Hunter scratches the back of his neck. "Yeah, man." He smiles. "It's been awhile. I missed you guys."

"So do I get a thank you for letting you out early?" Dustin suggested.

Hunter looks up to think. "Uh let see...what about no?" He replies jokingly. "Nah, I actually could use a break." He says while rubbing his fatigue eyes. "My new students are driving me nuts nowadays."

Shane scoffs. "Dude, I know how you feel."

"How's Blake? Have you heard from him?" Cam asks all of a sudden.

"Actually, we did talk on the phone earlier." Hunter grins. "He arrived in Canada a few days ago. Did you guys know he has a new girlfriend? Her name is Irish." Everyone exchange awkward looks as all eyes turn to Tori. Hunter didn't realize she was there as the blonde beauty lowers her head to avoid their gazes. "Oh...umm..." He stammers on his words nervously while looking at her. "I didn't mean to bring it up. I'm sorry." Hunter shamefully apologizes.

"It's fine." Tori brings her head up and smiles forcefully for their sake. Hunter grimaced as she chuckled, looking at him. "Stop it already. Really, it's no big deal. Let's just pick a movie, okay?" Tori wanted to get off the topic before anyone begins feeling sorry for her. However, Hunter felt bad enough already for bringing it up the first place. The last thing he wanted was to ruin anyone's night, especially when they put the trouble to plan a day off.

"So...what do you guys want to watch?" Dustin asked to break the long silence.

No one answered as Tori brushes her hair back frustratingly. Although she had moved on by now, the news was secretly driving her crazy. "Actually, umm...you guys go ahead." They give each other puzzled looks. "I think I'm gonna go for a walk."

"But--"

"Save me a seat, okay?" Tori turned around and begins walking off by herself into the dark. Looking her way, Hunter sighs deeply.

"No." The dirty blonde stops Dustin from going after her as he grabbed his arm. "Let me talk to her. I brought it up. Save me a seat, and we'll be right in."

He nods and pats him on the back. "Alright. Good luck, man."

"Thanks."

---------------------

so here we are

and that's pretty far

when you think of where we've been

no going back

i'm fading out

all that has faded me within

you're by my side

now everything's fine

i can believe

i was hiding

till you came along

and showed me where i belong

Ethan gradually looks up from his science book as Kira continues to sing and play the guitar nearby. He rolls his eyes and grunted in annoyance as she repeated the second verse a few times till it reached perfection. But once she got to the point where she wasn't going to stop anytime soon, Ethan dropped his pencil and stared directly at her. "Yeah umm that sounds real great, Kira but I'm trying to concentrate here."

"Oh." She stops and places her guitar aside. "Sorry. I was just working on a new song."

"When you should be working on the science project instead?" Ethan said out of paranoia. Kira's eyes furrowed. "Look, I'm sorry." He sighed. "I just hate being the guy who does all the work."

"If you just give your group members a chance and trust them with the work, then maybe you wouldn't have to feel that way." She averts from his gaze when suddenly Trent approaches their table with Ethan's order of lemonade.

"Here you go, man." He places the drink in front of him.

"Thanks."

"So how's the project coming along?" Trent asks as he stole a quick glance of Kira. She too stared at him from the corner of her eyes.

"Barely even started." Ethan grunted as Kira takes out her binder and begins working for his sake.

He nods. "Well, I'll leave you two alone then. Good luck with it."

Kira looks up and watches Trent walk off. They haven't spoken since yesterday, and she wanted to continue where they left off. "Be right back." She excused herself from the table and follows him not too far behind. "Hey, Trent."

He turns around and smiles her way. "Yeah?"

"Can we talk?"

"Sure." Trent places the tray down on the table and folded his arm to listen. "What's up?"

"About yesterday..."

"Oh, that?" He chuckles. "Forget about it, Kira. I wasn't sure what I was thinking."

She arches her brow. "What were you thinking?"

"It's nothing. Really it isn't. I was just worried."

"Why?" She asks curiously.

"You weren't being yourself yesterday. It seemed like you were..." He trails off to come up with the right words. "Well...jealous."

"Jealous?" She chuckled. "Why would I be?" Kira questions all of a sudden with an offensive tone.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Were you?"

"No."

"Well, okay then. I was wrong. And just for the record, you should never feel jealous. You're as beautiful, smart, and talented as she is. But better." He adds with a wink.

Kira looks away in pleased embarrassment. "Gee...thanks. So we're cool then?"

Trent smiles. "Definitely."

---------------------

Meanwhile, Hunter continues to follow Tori as he leaves a gap between the two of them before making the right approach. He didn't want her to suspect that she was being followed, although it was no secret that she was. Once Tori stopped in front of a record store, she took a seat on a nearby bench and sighed deeply to herself. Hunter looked down and casually caught up to her to make his move.

"Hey."

The blonde looks up and forced a weak smile. "Why aren't you inside with them?" She asks while averting from his gaze.

Hunter slowly takes a seat on the other end of the bench, getting the picture that she wants to be left alone. "I didn't want you wandering all by yourself in the dark, and I figured that you wanted company." He lied.

Tori chuckled at the thought, knowing Hunter that is. "Yeah right."

He bit his lip. "You're not completely over him are you?"

She shot him a glance. "What makes you think that?"

"The way you just walked off after telling everyone."

Tori brushes her hair back and grunted irritably. "Look, I've said this many times before. I moved on, Hunter. And to be truthfully honest, I'm glad he found someone else. It's just that—"

He tilts his head once she paused in mid sentence. "What, Tor?"

"I'm scared, okay." Tori admits rather shamefully.

"Scared?" Hunter wrinkled his forehead. "Of what?"

She shifts her gaze over to him as their eyes met. "Of being alone."

"What?!"

Tori groans due to his abrupt response. "Never mind."

"No. I mean…I'm just surprised you would say that."

"Why?"

He shrugged, not knowing where to start. "Well, you're gorgeous, smart, athletic, and tough. Who wouldn't want you?"

Tori looks at him and smirks. "You."


A/N:Want more? Review.