I am Chloe

Chapter Nineteen

So! The guy on the right is Hunter! I know how much you guys love him, haha. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

*** 

The arcade was more crowded than usual, probably because it was a Sunday, who knew? I stood on my tiptoes looking for someone I actually wanted to see. I didn't know anyone there, I almost retreated when I spotted Zach playing air hockey with a friend.

"Zach!" I yelled out as I made my way through the crowd, "Chloe, hey!" Zach said, his mind was mostly on the game.

"Is Amanda here?" I asked.

"Nope it's just me, she's got some exam tomorrow." The game ended and he won, as usual, the guy he was playing against cursed and paid Zach some money.

"Hey listen, umm Hunter explained and Amanda and I are really sorry, I mean we shouldn't have judged you like that," Zach said as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

I actually smiled to myself, Hunter did agree to it. Was his secret that bad?

"It's perfectly fine, I would've freaked out too if I were you." I told him.

"Yeah it was a pretty dark one, but it must've been a hard time for you." 

I shrugged, "I guess so. Hey do you want to play?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

Zach smiled, "Sure, I'll go easy on you, okay?"

"No, not easy," I begged him.

I inserted two quarters into the slot and waited for the surface to be frictionless.

"So, what's up?" Zach said as he hit the puck.

"I'd be lying if I said not much. I mean, I feel lost, Zach, I learned so much I didn't know these two days and I don't know how to feel," I confessed; it felt good revealing things you didn't want anyone to know. I hit the puck hard and it sped almost reaching my goal, but Zach blocked it anyway.

"I don't know what you learned but it is tough learning the truth, I've been there. I guess all you can do is accept it, I do that all the time and it works fine with me." Zach shrugged.

"I guess so," I simply replied, I blocked the puck and hit it straight to my goal, and I earned a point.

 "You're good," Zach said, I shook my head.

"No, I'm great." Suddenly the puck got in Zach's goal on my side, "but not as great as me," Zach replied. We played for ten minutes till I unfortunately lost to Zach, he scored seven points but I scored six, it was pretty close.

"Woah, what's going on?" Zach asked, I followed his gaze and saw two police officers coming through the arcade door. The arcade started to get quiet, well everyone was whispering about what it might be. They asked a group of teenaged guys something, and they looked pretty mad. The staff of the arcade I had never even known existed talked to the two officers pointing their fingers in some directions.

"What are they nagging about?" Zach yelled out. I shrugged even though he didn't see me do it.

The two officers got into a room, I couldn't see what happened but I heard a couple of gasps from some girls.

"Holy shit," Zach muttered.

"What is it?" I said, standing on my tiptoes didn't help this time.

"They got Hunter." 

I smirked, so the truth does come out. I weaved my way through the crowd; trying to catch a glimpse of Hunter.

"Why do they have him?" A blonde guy next to me asked his friend, "I don't know, he was stealing some money from the cashier, something like that," his friend replied.

So that was his secret...it was a pretty lame one to be honest, I was craving something juicier. Hunter locked eyes with me, he looked at me with anger. I mouthed to him, not me. He nodded at me, that was the last of our two second conversation, and I smiled to myself.

I turned to get back to Zach, who was leaning on the black wal when a voice I dreaded stopped me in mid-walk.

"Henderson! Long time no see." 

"It's the weekend, Steven," I replied.

"Yeah I know," Steven said, leaving his 'gang' while approaching me, 

"Okay?" 

"Umm listen," he turned around and grabbed my arm, not the one David and my father grabbed me from for once. He checked to see if any of his friends were looking.

"I know I've been such a jerk lately, and I-I really am sorry. I had trouble with stuff so I got my anger out on the wrong person. You seem kinda fun to be around with, actually." He started to look around, avoiding my eyes to lower the tension. 

That was a surprise, "Uh..thanks. I guess I'll see tomorrow at school," I said while shrugging.

Steven nodded, "Yeah." 

People do change after all.

I headed to the door when Steven stopped me for the second time.

 "Chloe?" That was the first time he called me by my first name. 

I turned around to look back at him. "Yeah?"

"Good luck on your tournament tomorrow," he said with a shrug.

I smiled. "Thanks." 

I had completely forgotten about the swimming tournament I had tomorrow. Coach picked me to be co-captain, but I couldn't become captain because I was the last member of the team. It was nice of her to pick me as co-captain anyway. 

I left the arcade and started to walk to the place I didn't want to return to. Home.