Lead Me Astray - Updated Every Monday

Chapter Eight ~ Hunter

My leg shook as Frankie and I waited for the tester to call me back. She wouldn't be going with me but just knowing she was there, calmed my nerves.

Not enough to keep me from shaking my leg, which must have gotten on her nerves because she put her hand on my leg, stilling it. I could feel the coolness of her hand through my jeans. That was weird. Usually people were hot but she was cold.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"It's okay. Relax. There's no right or wrong." She moved her hand and went back to her book.

"I'm not good at tests."

"There's nothing to be good at."

I calmed further. "Thanks for this." I sat up and rested my arms on my knees.

She shifted. "There's nothing to thank me for."

"No one else is here."

"You didn't tell anyone else."

That was true. I told Mom that I slipped a disc or something and that I was better now. She didn't seem to believe me but she didn't press me.

My mouth worked a bit before I spat out a question that'd been haunting me since yesterday, "How's Bradley?"

"What?" Her eyes streaked to mine. I could barely see them because she didn't turn her head but I could.

"Bradley. Your boyfriend. How is he?"

"Fine, I suppose."

I almost laughed at the suspicious way she was looking. "I mean his personality."

"Why?" She set her dark book in her lap.

I waited for her to look at me fully so I didn't say anything until she did. "Come on. Just tell me. I thought girls liked to brag about their boyfriends?"

"I'm a woman, vato."

I trailed my gaze over her body slowly. She was shaped like a woman.

Her eyes began lightening. It was weird. They were usually kinda dark and haunting but now? they were light and almost yellow. I wondered what she was thinking.

I licked my lips and watched as she watched me. "I believe you."

Her eyes closed briefly as she blinked really slowly. "Bradley is a person."

I'd forgotten about him. "Just a person?"

"What more could he be?"

"Your everything."

Her face twisted into disgust and confusion.

"Why are you with him if he's not your everything?" I chuckled.

"That's just bullshit Hallmark and Hollywood thought up to keep people miserable about fantasy not being factual."

My face dropped like the beat in a hip hop song. "What?!"

She jumped and looked around but not many people were there. "Shhh!"

"Frankie?" I pulled on her arm, ignoring how her touch lit me on fire. "Do you not love Bradley?"

"Ew. No."

I almost laughed. "Why not?"

"Love is a lie people tell themselves so life isn't so hard." She touched her glasses with her left hand before returning her hand to her lap.

My heart broke. No one should believe something so hopeless and hurtful. "Love is everywhere."

"Where?" She snorted rudely.