I’ll Reach For You

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 6

Rub The Guilt In Me
I wake up with the worst headache in the history. Oh, my god, I need water. I reach for my phone on the nightstand.

“Ouch.” I end up face down on the floor instead. I rub my temple like my head wasn’t in enough pain already. I move my legs, stand up, and stumble down the stairs. Hunter sits on the couch reading a book. She looks up fast and then back down. Still, she has bags under her blue eyes. Her gray sweater is full of small holes. It is old and too big for her. Maybe most of her cloth comes from the foster care or her old home.

“Um, where are mom and dad?” I ask to kill the tension.

“Out shopping.” She answers and gives me not one glance. I walk into the kitchen to take a painkiller and to drink some water. I should thank Hunter for last night. She took the blame for me. Not many would have done that. Why would she do it? The only thing I have been to her is an asshole. She should not have done that for me. I walk back into the living room, Hunter still reading her book.

“Umm, Hunter?” She turns her head to look at me. She does not say anything. So I just continue.

“I’m sorry about last night and thank you for helping me.” She gives me just a flat smile and starts reading again.

“Don’t you want to talk about it?” I ask and she just shakes her head, and I feel the anger building up inside of me.

“What? I come here to thank you and apologize, and you just don’t care.” Now she turns to look at me and shrugs.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” She says, closing her book and stand up. Hunter looks at me with sad eyes and then goes upstairs. I sit down on the couch and sigh. The front door opens, dad and mom come in with grocery bags.

“Give us a hand?” I nod and walk out to the car and take in the rest.

“Where is Hunter?” Mom asks as I put the milk and the soda in the refrigerator.

“Upstairs.” I answer.

“She okay?” Dad asks and I nod.

“She is really quite. It’s hard to talk to her.” Dad turns to look at me and sigh.

“I know, just give her some time and maybe she will come around.” He says smiling.

“Oh, by the way,” dad starts.

“Hunter is not allowed to watch TV, so if she happens to do it, just tell us, okay?” I nod.

“She will probably not do it anyway, but just to be sure.” He says. Yeah, just rub the guilt in me. I am so angry with Hunter for not talking to me, or even let her know how grateful and sorry I am. She is so goddamn quiet and closed in.

She is driving me insane. Why did dad have to be so kind? Couldn’t he just wait a little longer before taking her in? It is annoying just to know we share the same bathroom, everything is wrong.