Keep On Walking (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 3 of the Hardships Saga)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

❝motive (pronounced moh-tiv or ˈmoʊtɪv), noun
a reason for doing something.❞

It was the last day of January. The year had gotten off to a great start, and the coldness was there, but comfortable and fun. Everyone was playing in the snow, and having warm nights cuddled up with their families inside, with eggnog and stew.

Well, everyone except the two people who were once one of the happiest couples in Nashville.

Ryan woke up, feeling more tired than ever. Her back was facing Hunter, and his back was facing hers. They hadn't talked properly since the day they had found Nita. She was sleeping on the doggy bed in the corner of the room with Cole now. They had become the best of friends since Nita had been found.

She got out of bed and went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and got ready for school. She made herself breakfast, and left the house. Hunter would make them breakfast and drop them off.

She drove to school, feeling more down than ever. It was her day to work at the elementary school too, which meant that she wouldn't even have Mina to distract her. No, today was not her day.

She sipped on her tea, sitting down and sorting through some work, when Dahlia came and sat down beside her. "Wait, don't go," she said, as Ryan stood up. "I want to talk to you."

"About?" she said dully.

"Hunter."

"What about him?"

"Have you left him, or did he leave you?"

She frowned. "We're still together."

"Wait, what?" Her eyes widened. "Hold on. When did you tell him about Tulio?"

She looked up, frowning. "I... I haven't. Not yet."

"How... how did he... oh my God."

"What?"

"He... he came over a couple of weeks ago."

"Why?"

"He saw me at the pet store and offered me a ride home. And while he was there, he... he told me he knew about what you did. He told me that he had left you... and... and we slept together. He told me he wanted to get revenge on you." She shook her head, tears in her eyes. "I swear, Ryan, if I had known-"

"I don't believe you," said Ryan, though her voice was faint and all the blood had drained from her face. "You're- you're lying to me."

"I'm... I'm so sorry..."

"I- I-"

Lynette came into the staff room at that moment. But when she saw Ryan in distress, she simply looked away, and Ryan ran after her. "W-Wait! Lyn!"

"I don't... I don't know what to believe, Ryan," she said softly. "I'm sorry."

"You've got to believe me, please-"

But Lynette walked away.  "Hunter must have told her about Tulio," breathed Dahlia. "Ryan, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"What if the fans find out?" she breathed. "They'll kill me. And my children..."

"Go home and talk to him. Your marriage isn't healthy."

She looked at Dahlia for a moment. This woman had single-handedly ruined her entire life, directly by sleeping with Hunter, and indirectly by inviting her to a party where she might have been drugged. She shook her head.

"I'll... tomorrow. There's no school tomorrow. I'll... I'll tell him tomorrow."

"But-"

"It's my marriage, Dahlia, not yours. So thanks, but I don't need your advice."