Hunt Me Down {boyxboy} ✓

Chapter 54

A/N: It's official - I'm changing the cover to Hunt Me Down. I don't have a new one yet, but don't be surprised if you see an unfamiliar cover in your reading lists anytime soon. Well, probably not tomorrow, as I have no idea what I want for the story. Besides, I'll have to make time to make the cover and I'm working on YATA tomorrow.

*****

Nathaniel's POV

Betty was the one who opened the front door, a lit cigarette in her mouth. She didn't ask me what I wanted, just stepped to the side and nodded for me to enter. As I strode towards the staircase, I wondered how far she thought things had gone between me and her nephew.

Of course, her silence might've been brought on by my appearance; I was sure I looked distraught. Not only had I upset my ex girlfriend when she saw me kissing a guy, not only did I dread her sharing her discovery, but I was at a loss at what had happened once I'd gotten home. My mother's rapid mood swing was disturbing enough, but I was also confused by her aggression towards me.

Was it my fault?

Had I mistreated her?

I'd spoken back at her, but did that warrant such a severe retaliation?

Or was the problem rooted deeper and if so, where?

Mom had seemed fine lately, doing whatever she usually did: cook, clean, chat with the neighbors and gossip. Had I overlooked anything?

For the past two weeks, I'd spend every moment of freedom with Hunter. Perhaps I had missed something... Some kind of event, some sort of signs.

I lowered my head as I stepped on the landing, remembering how on two occasions I'd faked a stomach ache, making mother worried. What if she'd already had problems and I'd only made things worse?

It might be best if I confronted her about this. Or maybe I should speak to my father first?

Would he be surprised at her reaction?

Would she get angry that I'd told him?

If she got angry, that would make matters worse, there was no doubt about that.

I knocked on the door; there was no response. I knocked louder and then once more, even louder, and I finally heard him shout 'Enter'. He seemed surprised to see me walk into his room; he'd probably thought I was his aunt.

Hunter was sitting in his bed, his back leaned on the headrest. Large headphones covered his years, but he removed them as soon as he saw me. I heard faint sounds coming from the ear pads, but I couldn't make out the tune.

"What are you listening to?"

I was avoiding what I was there for and he knew it. Hunter was smart - not the educated, but the perceptive type of smart - and he realized I once again needed him to give me time. He placed the headphones on the nightstand and shifted to the edge of the bed, his feet touching the floor.

"Tupac."

"Oh." I didn't know much about the artist. Actually, the only things I knew about him were that he was a rapper and that he died in the nineteen-nineties; I didn't even know how.

"Are you going to stand there all night?"

I closed the door and moved away from it, stopping a few feet away from him. He nodded to the bed and I sat next to him, on the edge.

My gaze wandered around the room. Nothing had change since I'd last been here. Not that I'd expected it to; I'd visited Hunt the night before, briefly, to wish him sweet dreams and to get a kiss from him.