Page 7 of Tangled Up In You
“For fuck’s sake, Hunter, can’t you at least be a supportive best friend for a minute and be happy for me?” I asked, shaking my head. “This is my dream college, a fucking competitive one too, and they wantme.”
“Iamhappy for you,” he said in a softer tone. “I love you more than anything and want you to be happy. But if you leave, I can’t come with you.”
“Can’t or won’t?” I snapped.
Hunter didn’t respond; he just held my gaze with his sad brown eyes.
“You just won’t come with me, because you’re a fucking coward,” I said, glaring at him. “Mr. Routine and Predictability can’t handle change.”
“Don’t be like that,” Hunter said. “This is my home, Cor.”
“Yeah? Well, I don’t want to be stuck in this town forever,” I responded, trying to control my anger. We’d always said we’d follow each other everywhere and I couldn’t believe he was doing this. “I settled with U of A because the school I wanted chose someone else. I was never happy about it.”
“Oh.” Hunter glared and crossed his arms. “You were justsettlingwith me then.”
“Goddammit, that’s not what I said,” I snapped. Blood rushed through my veins like fire, and I clenched my jaw. “You’re being selfish.”
At first he didn’t say anything. He walked to the edge of the lake and looked out over it. I walked up beside him, fighting the urge to pull him into my arms.
I was so pissed at him, but my heart hurt too.
“I’mbeing selfish,” he whispered, still not looking at me. “Maybe I am.” His brown eyes flashed to mine. “But so are you. The difference is mine derives from the fear of losing you, while yours comes from your inability to be happy with what you already have. Here, you have college, football, and me. It just isn’t enough for you.I’mnot enough.”
I realized right then that he was right. I wanted more out of life. But he was wrong about me not thinking he was enough.
“We can still be together,” I said, refusing to give up so easy. Hunter wasn’t just my best friend.
I was in love with him, and you didn’t just throw that shit away.
“No. We can’t.” He returned his gaze to the water. “Maybe in the beginning we could, but after a while, you’ll meet some guy or girl and wanna fool around with them. To actually feel someone instead of just talking to them. I’ll be nothing but a picture on your phone and a name you start saying less and less.”
“That’s not true.” I gritted my teeth so hard my jaw hurt. “And who’s to sayyouwon’t be the one finding someone else?”
“Don’t be a fucking moron, Corbin,” Hunter said with a scoff. “The only person I’ve ever wanted is you.”
“Same here,” I shot back, feeling my heart start to crack. Hunter had been my first true crush, my first kiss, my first love. Everything. “And don’t call me a moron.”
“Then stop behaving like one,” he countered, facing me and pinning me with a glare. “So, hotshot, when do you leave?”
My eyes stung, but I blinked back the tears. I didn’t know if I was more sad or pissed off.
“They want me there ASAP so I can start the summer program,” I answered. At my words, his anger faded and I saw the raw pain hidden beneath it. I couldn’t keep my distance any longer and reached for him. “Hunt…”
“Don’t touch me.” He jerked out of my hold as tears streamed down his face. “Don’t fucking touch me, Cor.”
The ache that’d started in my chest deepened, turning into a crater right where my heart should be.
All of our years together flashed through my head.
Hunter giggling when we were kids as I chased him through the elementary playground—how we’d hide in those huge tires and try to skip class. When I’d stayed the night at his house, sometimes we’d go to his parents’ diner Saturday mornings, and we’d torment the customers by running up and down the aisles before his parents kicked us outside. We were little demons, but we’d always had so much fun.
Then, I remembered our first kiss.
We’d been lying on my bed watching TV when our fingertips had touched. I had looked at him, and he’d returned my stare. Instead of moving our hands away, we moved them closer and linked our fingers. My heart had been like a war drum in my chest, and the blood had rushed through my ears. Hunter had leaned toward me; his brown eyes flickering to my mouth.
And then contact.
His lips had melded perfectly to mine; soft and sweet, but firm.
