CHAPTER SIX

kim and hunter together.

                                       KIM

It had been a week since the dreaded incident. I did my best to avoid hunter. I never stepped out of my room only occasionally leaving the house to take a walk along the beach. I was wishing I could run into him. His age didn’t really bother me. He was probably the first guy I’d actually enjoyed spending some time with.

I’d taken to playing more on my guitar. It was my only solace. All memories seem to leave me when I started playing the guitar. Some I wish I could permanently erase. Wash it off my memory. A clean slate. I needed a clean slate.  I and dad had eased into this comfortable routine. We would talk a little during dinner time. The topic of hunter was left untouched, even though it was the elephant in the room. It sometimes as if felt he was trying to hold something back. As if he had something to say but was afraid to. I didn’t want to push him. I was okay with this. I wasn’t really ready to deal with the tides.

               

                              HUNTER            

It had been a really tough past week for me. I’d spent the entire time working from my home office. I preferred it this way anyways.                Being the boss of your own company had its perks. But the thing is, even though I tried my best, my thoughts always drifted back to Kim. Always. I hated that this happened. I didn’t want that she had such power over me and I couldn’t have her. I consoled myself saying it was for the best.

                                                           KIM  

“Hey honey. I’d like it if we could speak in the dining area” my dad stood at the entry of my room. 

“Sure” I said getting up and walking out

“I don’t know how to approach this topic. I want you to know that even though I left you 12 years back. I still loved you. More than you can ever know. I couldn’t live with the fact that I failed you. I thought I hurt you to the point of no return”

What he said hurt. I tried to hold back my tears “just tell me dad”

“Umm I have someone I would like you to meet” he said with tears in his eyes before pointing at the entryway. There stood a lady with long blonde hair. but she wasn’t what caught my eye. I looked down to see her holding the hand of a young girl. She had dark hair just like mine. And then it hit me like a brick wall.  She had my father’s eyes. And his nose. I felt tears pooling in my eyes.

“How old is she dad?” I asked him. Still not taking my eyes off the girl who was now smiling at me.

“hi I’m Taylor! I’m 12 years old!” the young girl said before taking a few steps towards me. And I knew.

It was like a thousand knives to my heart. I felt unwanted, worthless.

“ I’m sorry Kim. I’m really..... Sorry” my dad broke down sobbing and fell to the ground. The blonde lady ran to help him. But I didn’t care. I rally didn’t care anymore. I felt broken.  I ran out of the front door. I ran until I reached hunters door. I banged on his door. Ugh! Banging as hard as I could. I hoped could just punch the s**t out of the door.

     HUNTER

I heard loud banging and I ran out to the door. And there she was.  Tears streaming down her face. Her dark hair covering half her face.  It felt wrong thinking she was the most beautiful girl id ever known.

“Hey...” but she didn’t let me finish as she crushed herself to me and laid her head on my chest and cried. I picked her up and carried her to the room. She held on to me like I was her lifeline as she kept bawling. I laid her down and tried to free myself from her grasp so that I could get her some water but she held on.

“Please… please don’t go. Just stay here” she almost whispered and I got into the bad and held her against myself as she cried.

After some time. Minutes? Hours? Days? I don’t know, because time with her always seemed to stop, she said

“Taylor. He left me for her. My father left me. For his other daughter,” she said before breaking down again.

And then it hit me. I’d met Taylor, she was a sweet girl . I’d known she was Mr. Burns daughter, I had also assumed that Kim knew about Taylor. I suddenly felt a little anger for Mr. burns for what he did.

“Baby. Did you talk to him? Did you listen to his side of the story?” I tried to reason maybe hoping there could be a solution to this.

“I doesn’t matter. I now know why he left me. I don’t have to wonder anymore about that question right?” she said and broke into a laugh which sounded the exact opposite of humorous.

“I’m here for you. Anything you need” I said to her looking directly in her eyes hoping to let her know I sincerely meant it.

She turned quiet for a minute before looking down at my lips. I looked at her before she closed the distance and placed her lips on mine. Her lips were the softest. I couldn’t react for a moment before I suddenly felt heady from having her kissing me and soon I was spiraling into the feel of her soft lips moving against mine.