=Nicole's POV=
(Friday, 6/1/2018-2:30 pm)
(Archian Island, Berk)
(Berkian Academy)
A week gone by from Hunter returning to school, and it was very clear to see that something was wrong. I didn't know what, but I don't think it was being limited anymore. Hunter is quiet, and seems depressed. His mood hasn't changed since Monday when he left lunch; all of us friends have noticed. I don't know about Spencer and Glenn at home, but regardless; something is wrong with Hunter. I wanted to know what it was, to help, but Hunter won't talk about whatever is going on with him. Maybe he was upset about being limited now, or that he hated the pain, and being tired constantly. But I felt like there was more, so I was going to try and see if I could get him alone to talk, but not push him. In other things, final grades had to be submitted today and they'd be available for viewing on the school's online grade website. It was just a website that let students or parents log in to check missed assignments, grades, and email teachers. Exams were done on Thursday, so now we had to wait for everything to be grades, calculated for an average, and then put in by today. At least our final exam grades would be up by tonight, everything else by Monday, when there'd also be a bold notification about graduation status.
For those who passed and would be graduation on the 16th, cap and gown fittings would start on Tuesday next week. Monday was also Berkian Academy's Senior Spirit Week. We basically got five days of fun. Class pizza parties, being in our pajamas, we could even prank teachers, use silly string and washable graffiti on the buses as long as it was appropriate and no one got hurt. We could eat outside on the fields too; it was supposed to be a great time, so I looked forward to it and I hoped Hunter would cheer up too. Prom was coming up the Saturday after this one, on the 9th. I think originally it was going to be the 8th, but they decided to hold it Saturday because we'd be doing a lot of cap and gown fitting/graduation preparations during the week. It was fine with me; I hoped Hunter would cheer up some, I wasn't sure if we were going or not with how his mood was. When prom got brought up that tickets went on sale this morning during announcements; Hunter hasn't said a word. Our friends got their tickets at lunch, but Hunter seems so down and uninterested, so I didn't say anything.
My friends suggested bringing it up to him, and see what happens. I might, just not at school. I also kind of wondered if Hunter and I were still planning to have sex on prom night; those plans were made before his surgery. I'm not sure how good it would be, or if even safe to do as he'd only be at three weeks post operation by next Saturday. He'd be two tomorrow. I know he'd have an appointment with dad sometime next week to check on Hunter's recovery progress. I'll talk to Hunter when I see him tonight; we're supposed to go on a date, but it won't be until 6:30 or so because I guess he's going to the basketball team party as well. His coach insisted he come and I could have sworn I saw Hunter look more upset when he was basically being pleaded to come for a little while by his coach, Elijah, Devon, Shane, and Travis. Hunter almost got sounded angry or annoyed when he sighed and just said fine, I'll come. He walked away after that, and left the boys confused. Even our friends were a little perplexed as well. Hunter's mood didn't make sense; he was recovering, and almost halfway to being fully recovered…So why wasn't he happy?
I really hoped we could talk tonight; I wanted to help. I wanted to see him smile again. Right now, I was with our friends along C-Hall like we always met up after the last bell rang. Hunter hadn't come yet, which was odd. We know he didn't go home already as we'd seen him all through classes and lunch hour, so it didn't make sense where he was. I sighed some, checking the time. Now it was 2:35 pm.
"You sure he didn't leave at all?" Heather inquired.
I nodded my head. "He was in all his classes today." I replied as Fisher nodded to confirm that.
"Not that it's really class. Most of us just sit around and relax; our teacher let us read quietly, play cards, or even on our phones." Travis said.
"Because there's nothing left to do. Finals are done, and we're just waiting for next week to start when it's graduation prep." Mindy shrugged.
"Hunter was with you for last period, so where did he go when the bell rang?" Ashley asked.
"He was still at his desk when Fisher and I got up." I said.
"He said he'd join us soon, but needed a few minutes to work through some chest pain, and then use the restroom." Fisher added.
"You all need to chill when I don't show up right away…Seriously." Hunter's voice made us turn our heads to see him walking up to the group. "I'm never that far away." He added as I lightly hugged him. "It only takes me longer to get places because moving hurts. Staying in one place too long hurts. Trying to get through the hallway hurts because I get bumped into. And though slight, walking makes me short of breath."
"We know…We're sorry, babe." I told him softly as he wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed my forehead.
"It's fine…I know you worry about me after what happened…" Hunter muttered the after what happened bit. I caught it, but wouldn't draw attention to it.
"We still on for our date tonight?" I asked gently with a smile as I looked up at him.
"Yeah, I'll come pick you around 6:30," Hunter nodded.
"Dude, you said you were gonna come to the party tonight…" Travis rolled his eyes.
"And I will, for a little while. But then I'm taking Nikki out on a date…So I'm only staying for about an hour and a half. And I'm only going because you begged me to; it's not like I want to be there." Hunter remarked.
"Why don't you want to be there? It's a team party…Hunter, we WON the CHAMPIONSHIP! And majority of our games this year! It's a big deal!" Shane emphasized.
I felt Hunter tense and looked at him; his face was showing that he was upset. After a moment where he didn't say anything; he let me go and stepped back. "No. Not we, Shane. You and the others that were there won the championship. I had no part in the that victory, and on the side note…I hate parties, and everyone should know it," Hunter said. "I'm gonna go home and rest for a couple hours…I'll see you later, babe. I'll message when I'm on my way…Love you." He kissed me quickly on the cheek and briskly walked off to reach the student lot.
"Okay, what the hell was that all about?" Devon walked up with Eli, who went right to Raelyn and Devon stood next to Heather.
"We honestly don't know…" Heather sighed.
"What do you mean?" Elijah inquired.
"Hunter's been acting really weird since the surgery…" Fisher informed.
"Define?" Devon pushed.
I sighed now. "We feel like something is going on that he's not telling us, like something is wrong, but he won't talk about it and we're kind of afraid to push him. He basically just snapped at Shane about the victory party tonight, saying that it wasn't a we won deal."
"Yeah…He said you and the others that were there won the championship. I had no part in that victory. So it's like…I don't know." Shane shrugged.
"Maybe he feels like he shouldn't be included in the we statement, as he ended up collapsing and being rushed to the emergency room for surgery right before the game ended…" Elijah said now. "Perhaps he doesn't think he deserves to say he was part of the victory as the win happened after he was taken away by ambulance."
"But it's because of him we scored all those baskets…He got us that lead which helped us out in stalling the other team until the buzzer…" Travis stated.
"I dunno, I'm just offering an idea." Elijah shrugged.
"It's possible, but it's not this, guys and girls…" Heather closed her eyes.
"He's upset…" Ashley interjected, saying what he friend was going to say. Heather nodded to her, confirming her thoughts. "Something has to be bothering him…I can see it. I've always known when something is wrong and he knows that he could never hide it from me…Maybe I should try to talk to him; he's always been able to." She offered.
That comment rubbed me the wrong way. Ashley have zero place to be trying to talk to Hunter about whatever was bothering him after what happened where she wouldn't talk to him about whatever was wrong in their relationship. I folded my arms over my chest with a slight huff. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to talk to him…" I stated.
"Why not? I know him better than anyone here, and we have history as friends and ex-lovers." Ashley faced me.
"Knowing him doesn't work here because we all just established something was clearly bothering him. He's not telling anyone, what makes you so special? Because you were his first friend? Because you're his ex-girlfriend?" I shrugged, lifting my hands in a whatever fashion. "Maybe, but the history you speak of is bad history as his ex because you're also the one who shut down on him in the relationship you two had. Hunter isn't going to say anything to you, Ashley. He tolerates being around you for the sake of having mutual friends and not wanting to have to make them choose who to side with. The obvious decision being Hunter because he didn't do anything wrong; you did."
"Well, he won't say anything to you either. It seems to be his new thing, not telling anyone when something is up. The tumor being a prime example…" Ashley scoffed.
"Okay, I wasn't going to bring this up, but just to prove you wrong…I knew about the tumor before the surgery and us all being in that room when you found out." I stated.
"What?..." The group looked at me now, in shock.
"Obviously your dad told you…" Ashley said.
"No. Dad couldn't; it breaches patient/doctor confidentiality and my dad would lose is medical license, as well as serve prison time for breaking that. Hunter told me himself, the night of the shared birthday party and you all left." I remarked, making her flinch. "I told him something that happened to me before I moved here, and he came right out and told me about the tumor. Admitting that he didn't want anyone else to know…So I agreed to keep his secret. He didn't tell me because I'm his girlfriend; he told me because he trusts me and knew I'd understand his position about wanting to wait until after graduation so that the recovery wouldn't interfere with finishing school…You have no business trying to play the card of first friend and girlfriend to get Hunter to tell you what's wrong; he isn't going to say a word to you because of what you did to him."
"Things just weren't working, and we broke up." Ashley replied.
"That's the short and clean version to make yourself feel better when you should feel horrible. Yeah, okay…Maybe things weren't working anymore, or your feelings changed. That's where you should have sat Hunter down and told him the truth. But you didn't. No. You strung him along like a prissy, proper princess with a poodle until he decided to make you tell him what was really going on and even then…You lied to him. You pushed him away, hurt him by never talking to him. No problems were resolved, just swept under the rug. Nothing was fixed, just built up to one big argument where you kicked him out of your house. All he tried to do was understand why things changed, and you couldn't give him the courtesy to be honest that you didn't love him anymore? That you were seeing Bryan behind his back?" I stared with narrowed eyes.
Ashley was quiet. "You have no idea how much you hurt him, do you? Not just with what you did, but the things you said. Don't think I don't know about you taunting Hunter with your better and bigger sex life with Bryan either…" I said as Ashley tensed up. "Hunter told me what you said to him and I almost made him drive me over so I could scold you for being a petty bitch. You weren't satisfied with breaking his heart, were you? No, you had to go and knock his self-esteem down too and made sure it would stay with him."
"What's all this about?" Bryan asked, looking to his girlfriend for answers now. Ashley bit her bottom lip.
"Oh, so you're still keeping secrets? Well, I say that since you wanted to go and start all this, flaunting that Hunter will tell you anything; everyone gets to know the truth. "After the breakup, when she and Bryan went public with their relationship; Ashley went to taunted Hunter about Bryan having a bigger dick, and Bryan being able to show her what it was like to be with a real man." I informed.
"Ashley…Why would you do that?" Bryan inquired. "Come on…It was bad enough you cheated on him, not saying I'm any better because I allowed it…But you don't go hurting him more by taking shots at his self-esteem. Guys are weird about that, all of them."
"You don't go telling your ex that your new guy is better. Just leave things alone…" Shane said.
"Seriously fucked up, Ash." Travis stated with nods from Fisher, Devon, and Elijah too.
"For the record, bitch…Hunter wasn't bad at sex. It just wasn't good for you because you didn't love him anymore. Yeah, maybe the first time you two did it; things didn't go spectacularly because you guys were sixteen, first time, and nervousness on both ends. What do you expect when you've never done it before? There's no practicing beforehand, no stamina, and I know it was done completely random too. Every time you two did it after that; it wasn't good for you because you were already with Bryan, so your heart wasn't in the act of making love with Hunter. It's not making love when there's not love on both sides…" I pointed at her. "He was beating himself up over what you said about and to him."
"The more and more I find out regarding your past relationship with Hunter makes me honestly believe that you never loved him at all. That you took advantage of his kind, caring, and shy nature…And used him to get your first time over with, like a friend with benefits to build stamina, confidence, trying different things…Only you played it under the title of girlfriend because you were pretty quick to keep fucking him after admitting that the first time wasn't good at all. So why did you stay with him if it was so bad? Hm? To get used to how sex worked, so it wouldn't be so nerve-wracking with a new guy? And I will standby that belief because you can't make me see it any other way. You admitted that you got with Bryan after the first time with Hunter…How long til you fucked him? After the three months you cheated on Hunter?" I continued. "Or were you fucking both of them?"
Ashley still didn't say anything. "You know...I wanna go as far as retracting what I said about no practicing beforehand when you have sex..." Ashley looked up at me now. "Hunter was your practice at having sex. You used him to prepare for what sex would be like with someone else. He wasn't your boyfriend after foreplay started, was he? No...He was your living, breathing sex toy...That you threw away when you felt you were good to go." I stated. Ashley was quiet, with wide eyes. "So nothing to say for it all? No trying to deny what I just accused you of? Is it true then? Did you use Hunter to get over the fear of having sex for the first time, and then continue to do it until you felt confident you wouldn't be such a newbie at it? Or did the guilt wrack you that you were cheating on Hunter? That you were telling Hunter I love you while you're laying in the arms and bed of another man? Sleeping with Hunter when you didn't actually love him at all? Did you use him, Ashley?" I asked firmly.
Ashley didn't say anything, it looked like she was trying to come up with some excuse to defend herself, or straight up lie. Ashley froze up, looking a little scared. I was about to say something else, but I suddenly felt someone beside me and looked to see Hunter there. "Oh, don't freeze up on my account, Ash. Come on, you said were friends and had no secrets between us…" Hunter said now.
"Hunter, I…" Ashley started, but then hesitated. I saw Hunter's fist tighten at his side; that was definitely anger.
"Don't you dare lie either," Hunter glared. "You dodged me before we broke up, after we broke up and the only reason I know why you left now is because Nicole told me. Otherwise, I'm sure you had no intention of ever telling me that you stopped loving me and were cheating. Now I find myself wondering if Nicole is right, and that you didn't love me at all." Hunter stepped towards her now. "For once, be honest and give me an answer to something I'm asking you about us…Tell me the truth, Ashley…Did you love me the entire time we were together?
"What?" Ashley squeaked out, almost surprised he asked that.
"I didn't stutter. Did you love me the whole time we dated?" Hunter repeated.
"Not after I met Bryan…" Ashley said.
"That's not what I asked. You're doing the same thing you did both before and after the breakup with not giving me straight answers. I asked you a yes or no question, and one of those two words is the only response I want right now. Did you love me when we dated, from when we got together at homecoming, September 2015 to when you broke up with me December 2016? The entire year and three months we dated, did you love me the whole time?" Hunter asked again.
"No..." Ashley glanced down.
"No, don't look down. I want you to look at me when you answer. Did you cheat on me with Bryan? I know you were secretly dating him after the first time we had sex…So I guess the better way to ask is if you fucked him while you were with me still?" Hunter questioned. She went to close her eyes. "No, you look at me…"
"Yes…" Ashley answered.
"Last one and I'll stop," Hunter said as she waited for the question, eyes closed as she waited. "Look at me, Ashley," Ashley looked at him, guilt in her eyes. "Did you use me?"
"Yes…" Ashley stared at him.
