Life Goes On (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 2 of the Hardships Saga)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

❝fix (pronounced fɪks or fiks), verb
to repair something
eg. I can fix it!❞

Hunter woke up the next morning feeling warmer than he had for a long time. He looked beside him and saw Ryan sleeping on the other pillow. Her hand was still holding his, and her lips were slightly parted. He could see her freckles more clearly, and he liked them. She was gorgeous, she really was. He let go of her small hand, and she stirred slightly. "Shh, sleep. I'll make some breakfast," he breathed, before getting out of bed. She moved into the warm spot where Hunter had been lying, and sighed softly in her sleep. He smiled a little. She was beautiful.

He wandered into the kitchen, where Elle was quietly watching something on TV. "Good morning, honey."

"Is Ryan still here?"

"Yes. She's sleeping. Don't ask her too many questions, okay?"

"Okay. Is she okay?"

"I hope so. What do you want for breakfast?"

"Rice Krispies."

"And a hot chocolate?"

"Yes, please. And I want two strawberries."

"Two?" laughed Hunter, going to the fridge. "Only two? Why?"

"I don't want three, 'cause that's too much, but I don't want one, 'cause that's too less."

Hunter didn't bother to correct her grammar; she was six after all. "Two it is."

As he was preparing her breakfast, he heard footsteps behind him. Ryan sat at the table almost silently. Her hair had been brushed, her makeup all done so that her bruises were invisible. Elle smiled at her. "Good morning, Ryan," she chirped. "Papa's making breakfast. What do you want for breakfast?"

"I'm not very hungry."

"Nonsense, Ryan," said Hunter. "I'll make you some tea, and toast?"

"Really, it's fine-"

"No, it's not. You're a guest at my house, and I'll treat you as such," he said.

She was quiet, before saying, "Do you have strawberry jam?"

"Of course," said Hunter, glad that she was eating something. "I'll make you some tea as well. Elle, here you go. Eat, then get ready to go to Jasper's house."

"Jasper? Why?"

"I'm going to the studio today."

"Why can't I come?"

"I'm not gonna be able to look after you, sweetheart. Plus, Aunt Lucky and Uncle Parker are back now, and they're going to watch a movie at the cinemas."

"Why can't I stay with Ryan?"

"She's coming with me."

Ryan choked, and Elle said, "But you can't look after her!"

"She's not a kid, sweetheart, she can look after herself." Hunter handed Ryan her mug of tea. "Lucky will be here to pick Elle up soon. You can take a shower or whatever you need to."

"I knew Lucky in school. She was in an older class, but she was always nice to me."

"Oh, really?"

"Only Parker's come to interviews, though. She's always busy in the evenings."

"Yeah, she teaches dance in the evenings. Traditional Indian."

"She was always an incredible dancer."

"Yeah. You know, when I first moved here, I dated her."

"Really?" She thought harder. "Oh, you were the guitar playing neighbour of hers?"