Chapter 4

Ava

Hunter and I stand in the hall, not saying a word to each other. My anger only starts to settle as I watch him smile at the photos on the wall. Like an actual smile, not a stupid smirk.

I’m mesmerized by him. He’s very interesting to watch; plus, he’s hot, so it’s a win-win for me.

I’m just glad my mum isn’t home. If she was, I know she would simultaneously be excited for me and angry that I didn’t warn her beforehand so we could make a good first impression. She’d be asking so many questions that I wouldn’t have the answers to, and the whole situation would just be awkward for both me and Hunter.

Hunter glances around for a few more seconds and then holds my gaze. I can feel myself getting lost in those emerald-green eyes that remind me of the forest.

“Ava.” He says my name barely above a whisper, but I can hear him loud and clear. I love the way he says my name; the way it rolls off his tongue just sounds so nice.

I smile at him. ~Guess it’s time to find out why he’s here.~

“Hunter, not to be rude or anything, but why are you here?” Taking a deep breath, I prepare myself for whatever he’s about to say.

He doesn’t say anything for a while, and I fear I may have put it too bluntly. As he continues to stare into my eyes, I can see the cogs turning in his head, trying to figure out the best possible way to respond.

“Look, can we talk somewhere more, I don’t know, comfortable?”

I nod and motion for him to follow me. Since no one’s home, we might as well go upstairs.

I know what you guys are thinking, but the idea that I would do something like that is repulsive. Sure, he’s hot, but he’s an ass and a player. He probably has some type of disease the way he’s been going, sleeping with nearly every girl in the school.

We walk upstairs, and when I sit down on my bed, he sits next to me, making himself at home as if we’re old friends. I scowl at his behavior, but he’s not looking at me; he’s looking around my room. Hunter raises an eyebrow at all the popsicle sticks and tissues lying on the ground in a complete mess.

“What?” I say innocently while mentally slapping myself. I’ll have to remember to pick them all up later.

I know what he is thinking—that I’m a greedy pig and a crybaby—but right now, I don’t care what people think of me. Well, I do, but I’m trying not to. I need to be stronger, to not let my emotions show, but it’s hard because I’m a sensitive person.

Hunter looks at me, and I see something etched upon his face, but I can’t tell what it is. The emotion disappears as quick as it came.

“Ava, I saw the video…” He pauses, waiting to see my reaction, his voice soft as if he’s trying to make this as easy as possible.

I nod, but there are tears in my eyes. I look away because I don’t want to appear weak in front of someone like him who never lets their emotions come through.

He continues, “I want to help you.”

There’s complete silence as I register the words that he just said. ~Hold the phone—did Hunter Black say he wanted to help me?~ ~Me, out of all the people in the school. There has to be something in this for him because he wouldn’t do this out of the kindness of his heart; I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have one.~

My head snaps over to where he sits on my bed. I stare at him wide-eyed, but he carries on, not paying attention to my reaction.

“I know you must like being invisible, as it stops people from noticing you and bullying you, but you can’t anymore. So, I’m offering you the chance to get out of the shadows and into the light without people making fun of you, and the only way to do that is to be my fake girlfriend.”

I stare at him for a moment and then burst into fits of laughter. I’ve got to admit, it was a pretty good prank.

Hunter stares at me in confusion, his eyebrows knitted together.

“Tell me, where are the people with the cameras hiding this time? This is hilarious! Were they hoping I would say yes? Wow, got to hand it to you, you nearly had me there.” My words come out between laughs, and I’m not sure if he heard me, but I just can’t stop.

Hunter shakes his head and puts his hand down on my shoulders, which abruptly sobers me. I look up into his blank, expressionless face and try to read him.

“Ava, I’m being very serious.”

I stare at him, my eyes wide. He must be joking; he has to be. Hunter never dates. Ever! He hasn’t even dated Jessica, even though she goes around the whole school telling everyone they are a couple.

“Hunter, you never date; you are the biggest player there is at school! Why on earth do you think I would trust you and agree to date you?”

He stares at me blankly. It’s not my fault he doesn’t want to hear the truth—I’m just stating facts.

“Look, Ava, you can’t judge me; you don’t know my story, like I don’t know yours. I have my own reasons for helping you, and I’m sure you will have your own reasons for accepting and using me.”

I feel guilt swamp me as I realize Hunter is right. I don’t know him, and I don’t know his story, so I have no right to judge him. But he can’t actually think that I would just say “yes” at the drop of a hat.

“I’m sorry. However, I haven’t accepted your deal yet, so just hold your horses.”

Hunter’s gaze hardens slightly, then he lets go of my shoulders and turns away as if deciding his next move. When he turns back, he tries again, “So, what do you say, will you be my fake girlfriend?”

I think about it before asking the one question that’s been on my mind. “What’s in it for you?”

Hunter’s gaze intensifies as he leans closer. This close, I can see the slight freckles on his nose, which are usually obscured by his tan.

He leans even closer and puts his mouth right next to my ear. I can feel his hot breath fanning my ear and neck, making shivers run down my spine and other parts of my body tingle. “You will be mine.” His voice is so soft yet holds a command in it, and I gasp at his words.

He doesn’t sound as if he is joking, and I feel vulnerable by his side.

I know I can’t let myself get so close to him. I’m smart enough to know that if I do, it will only end in him sleeping with me and then leaving me heartbroken.

I won’t be stupid enough to fall for Hunter and let him violate me in such a way; I can’t go through that type of pain. That guy at the library, who I didn’t know, was bad enough. I shake my head, and a frown overtakes Hunter’s features.

When he looks me in the eyes, tears threaten to pool over. He mutters, “No one says ‘no’ to me, princess. You are no exception. No one says ‘no’ to me and gets away with it!”

With that, he storms out of my house, slamming the front door.

I sit there, frozen, for what seems like hours, realizing that Hunter could make my life a living hell, more so than Jessica ever could.

~What have I got myself into?~