Take A Walk (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 5 of The Hardships Saga)

Chapter One

❝warm (pronounced wɔːm or wawrm), adjective
of or at a moderately high temperature.❞

"Knock, knock?" said a deep voice.

"Come in," murmured Elle, not looking up.

Drew walked into her bedroom, and sat on the end of her bed. "Hey, stranger."

Her throat closed up suddenly, like she was about to cry. Swallowing down the sudden lump, she said, "Lie here with me."

He did so instantly, pulling the blanket over his own legs and pulling Elle closer gently. "You got back last night?"

"Yeah," she breathed. "Not a good day. Hurts."

"How can I help?"

"Hold me."

His grip on her tightened. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you more."

"So it wasn't Celeste?"

"We found her. Hunter's daughter."

He stiffened. "Huh?"

"Do you remember Cassie? Lola's cousin?"

"The good-looking one?"

"That's her. She's Lilly's and Pa's daughter. I'm... I'm Lola's cousin. We haven't told her yet, but we know. Pa says she looks just like a mix of himself and Lilly."

He looked shocked. "She... she doesn't know?"

"No."

Drew sighed, massaging her head gently, the way he did when she had a headache. It seemed he had the perfect intuition for this, he knew exactly what she needed and when. "What are you gonna do?"

"I dunno. Didn't think we'd get this far."

"Have you told Lola?"

"Again, not yet. We're gonna ask her for as much information as possible when we tell her, so that we can approach Cassiopeia in the same way."

"Right."

Elle seemed sad. "Are you okay?" asked Drew gently.

She hesitated, contemplating lying to him, then shook her head. "No."

"What's wrong?"

"I'm not ready," she whispered. "I'm not ready to leave."

"You don't have to leav-"

"But I do," she whispered, tears rolling down her face. "Drew, Cassiopeia lived in Europe and only came here recently. I don't know if she's meant to be moving back. And if she is, then I'll be going in her stead because Hunter doesn't want me, he wants her-"

"Don't say things like that," he breathed, and Elle began to sob quietly, scrunching up the fabric of his shirt in her fists

"I don't care about my real parents," she cried. "Hunter raised me, not them, and I want Ma and Pa, and I want you but I'm so f*cking scared-"

"I won't let you go that easily," he said softly. "I promise."

"What if I go with them? What if Cassie stays here and you fall in love with her and everyone forgets me-"

"I could never fall in love with anyone except you," he said.

"No, you don't understand, she's so f*cking perfect and she has red hair and the perfect body-"

"And I want you," he said. "Not her. I love you. I've loved you for longer than I can even remember."

"But- but when I die, she'll be all you have-"