Chapter 2: Just Friends…Right?
Hunter was in the backyard watching as Kylie showed him her form that Dustin was teaching her. "You sure you want Dustin to be your sensei?" Hunter asked.
"What, I don't think he's that bad," a voice commented.
Hunter looked over to see Tori walking up. "Oh hey, Tor, what's up?" He asked.
"I came to talk to Miss Hart," she replied.
"Mommy's gone," Kylie informed.
Hunter picked Kylie up and set her on his back. "Yeah, mom left an hour ago to go to Turtle Cove. Apparently Alyssa was having a total meltdown," he put in.
"I hope everything's okay," she commented.
"Oh yeah, Aunt Dana went through the same thing when little Ryan, but my mom couldn't leave because at the time she was mentoring the Time Force Rangers," Hunter answered.
Tori pushed some hair behind her ear. "So, what did Cole and Alyssa have?" She asked.
"A boy!" Kylie giggled.
Hunter chuckled and had Kylie go inside. "Yeah, named him Richard after Cole's father," Hunter put in.
"Has to be hard, I mean, growing up not knowing what happened to your parents and finding out that their best friend killed them," she commented.
"Yeah, but thanks to Alyssa's help Cole was able to get through that."
Tori nodded. "Do you feel like that sometimes?" She asked.
"Like what?" He asked.
"Like you just wish your mom and dad were still alive?"
Hunter sat down. "I would be lying if I said I didn't. But I love my life now. I have a great mother who'd give her life up for my siblings and me. We have great futures thanks to our mom. Sometimes, I miss my mom and dad, I mean, they were my parents. They gave Hannah and me life and heck the life they gave us before their deaths weren't so bad. I do miss them sometimes, but I wouldn't trade in this life," he explained. Tori nodded her head.
"I'm home," Hannah called out.
"Back here," Hunter informed.
Hannah came out. "Oh! Hey, Tori," she greeted.
"Hey, Hannah," she greeted.
Hannah sat next to them. "What's going on? Where's mom?" Hannah asked.
"Mom went to Turtle Cove. Alyssa's having a meltdown with Richard," Hunter replied.
"Oh, okay," Hannah answered.
Things were quiet for a second. "Hey, Tori, could you give me another surfing lesson?" Hannah asked.
"Sure, loved to," Tori replied.
"Well why don't we all go to the beach?" Hunter suggested.
"Yeah," Hannah agreed.
Hunter got up and went into the house. "Hey, Kylie, we're going to the beach wanna go?" He asked. Kylie nodded and ran upstairs to get ready. Hannah laughed as she went upstairs to get her things. Hunter walked into the living room and he spotted the family photo that was taken right before he and Blake left. He and stood in front of the picture that Kimberly kept hung up on the wall.
"Perfect family photo," Tori commented.
Hunter smiled. "Yeah…" he agreed. He looked over at Tori. "So when did you and my mom become best friends?" He asked. Tori shrugged her shoulders.
"Miss Hart and I just like to get together and talk that's all," Tori answered.
Hunter nodded with a small smile. "I'M READY!" Kylie shouted. Hunter picked his sister up.
"You are?" He asked.
"Yeah."
Hunter grinned as he kissed his little sister's forehead. Hannah came down the stairs. "I'm ready," she informed.
"Well let's go," Tori announced.
Then they left the house to go the beach.
(The Beach)
Hunter watched Tori teach Hannah how to surf. His eyes were drawn to the beautiful blonde that he was so in love with for a year. A smile came across his face as he thought about the amazing things he and Tori could do together. She was everything he had ever wanted. However, he was afraid to be hurt again. After everything that he went through with his parents, losing Hannah, losing his mom on several occasions, losing Rose to Dustin, and losing the woman he loved to his brother. The last thing Hunter wanted was to get hurt again.
That evening, Hunter was standing out on a hill, watching the sunset. "Hey," Tori greeted. Hunter looked at her with a grin.
"Hey…thought you'd be going home by now," he commented.
"What you want to get rid of me?" She asked.
"Nope."
Tori smiled. "So how have you been holding up?" He asked.
"I've been doing alright. Not crying over Blake anymore if that's what you mean," she replied.
Hunter nodded. "Have you heard from your brother?" She asked. Hunter shook his head.
"Not for awhile. The last I heard from him was after he won another race," he replied.
"Oh…" she mumbled.
Hunter looked over at her with a grin on his face. "You weren't that good out there today," he teased. Tori looked at him.
"What?" She asked.
"You surf like a little girl," he replied.
"You did not just call me a little girl again."
"Looks like I did."
Tori grinned as she got into her fighting stance and kicked at him. Hunter laughed and grabbed her leg. After a bit of their little sparring match, they accidentally slipped on the hill and rolled down it. Hannah was watching them in a distant with a smile on her face.
Once Hunter and Tori hit the bottom of the hill, Hunter landed on top of her. They were laughing and enjoying themselves…until they realized how close they were. They quickly pulled away and stood up. "Umm, I'll see you later," she told him.
"Yeah, see you later, Tor," he answered.
He watched her go and let out a sigh. "Oh man," he whispered. He felt someone pulling on the hem of his shirt. He looked down to see Kylie there.
"Do you like Tori?" She asked.
Hunter grinned as he picked her up and walked back up the hill. "Of course I like Tori," he replied.
"No, I mean like, like," Kylie stated.
Hunter chuckled as he had Kylie go inside. "Well, do you?" Hannah asked.
"I think that's my business. Tori and I are just friends," he replied.
"Right," Hannah teased.
Hunter sighed and looked back to where Tori left. "Back off, Hunter you'll never have the chance. This is your brother's ex-girlfriend. You stay away from your bro's ex," His mind scolded. Hunter then went inside.
Tori drove home, but her mind was drifting back to Hunter as she drove home. "How can you do this, Tor? This is Blake's brother. You can't just date your ex-boyfriend's brother," her mind scolded. Tori bit her lip as she kept driving. "We're just friends…right?," she questioned.
