Page 28 of Hunter
I don’t say anything because he’s not wrong. And when we look at each other, he knows that what he’s thinking is right.
“You like her, Holy shit, you really like her,” he says while smiling and hustling me around just as we hit one of the school's entrances.
“You just figured that out?” My brother says all matter-of-fact like.How’d he figure it out before I did?
“Fine, you’re right, I fucking like her. Now stop with that shit, my back hurts.”
“Of course it does, bro, you literally slept on the floor outside her door. I’d expect that shit from Chase, not you.” Max punches me in the arm, and I glare at him.
“I’d honestly expect it from you out of everyone,” I tell him because it’s fucking true. He fell fast and hard for my sister. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before.
“Not me, man, I actually sleep in a comfy bed with my girl.” I know what he’s thinking about, and I fully intend to skate over his fucking throat the next time we’re on the ice.
“It’s like you have a fucking death wish or something. I gotta go this way, I’ll see ya later,” I tell them before I need to split off to go down a different path through campus.
“Yo Hunt, don’t be late tonight, Jake’s been in a mood and he won’t hesitate to leave your ass to walk.”
“What’s this meeting about anyway? We just had one two days ago.”
“No fucking idea, I don’t think it’s just us though, I think it’s everyone,” he says while holding up his fist for me to bump while texting with the other. “I’m gonna go get Eves, see ya, man.”
He takes off in the other direction before I can kick him in the ass, and hustles down the path to get my sister from class. This dude will wait outside the door for an hour just to walk somewhere with her for ten minutes. I’ve never seen one of my teammates love their girl like he loves my sister. It’s also all I fucking hear him say. He ends every conversation that he has with her with those three words.
And I’ve never said them once to anyone other than my parents and siblings.
I’ve never given out flowers or bought a birthday gift for a girl. And I’ve never done anything like what I’m about to do when I open the door to the cafeteria and take the stairs two at a time.
I feel nervous walking into the dining services office. I have no idea how this works or if it’ll even work, but it’s worth a shot. I don’t want her walking around here hungry with no way to eat for one more fucking second.
I’ve got money saved up and an emergency fund for this exact reason. I’m such a dick for not thinking of this earlier. This is the fucking bare minimum of what I owe her.
“Can I help you?”
“I’d like to add funds to an account.”
“Name?”
“Edison Santos.”
“Birthday?”
“Shit… I have no idea. Is there any way around that?”
“What are you trying to do?”
“I want to add a meal plan to her account. She’s my math tutor.”
“That’s a sweet way to say thank you,” she comments while looking at my hat. “You play hockey here?” I nod my head yes while we wait. I don’t feel like talking to anyone today. Or ever. “There,” she states while staring at her computer, clicking through screens. “Which meal plan do you want?”
“How much is it for an unlimited plan?”
“That one’s $5k per semester.” Fucking hell, the only place I’ll actually be able to take her to eat really will be the cafeteria.
“It's fine, I'll pay it as long as it kicks in right away,” I tell her, and she smiles, nods, and takes my debit card. And in one swipe, my bank account’s on fucking life support. I don’t give a shit, though, I'll work triple this summer if it means she gets to eat.
I sign my name on the receipt, walk out of the office, and scan my card into the dining hall.
The large room is filling up. I grab a tray and a to-go bag before walking to the deli station.
