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

Chapter Two

❝sexuality (pronounced sɛkʃʊˈaləti or sek-shoo-al-i-tee), noun
a person's sexual orientation.❞

Spencer was sitting and watching an old Disney movie. He couldn't remember what it was called- he couldn't pronounce it, either- but it had something to do with rats. He looked up to where Elle and Drew were sitting. Drew had his hand in Elle's hair, and she was fast asleep, lying across the couch with her head in his lap. He noticed Spencer staring and smiled slightly, to which Spencer turned back to the TV and blushed.

When the lady chef and the man chef kissed, he looked at Drew again, finally deciding to ask what had been bugging him for so long. "Drew?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do boys always like girls? And why do girls always like boys?"

He looked struck for a moment. "Erm-"

"Do you know?"

He gulped. "Well, uh, it's not always like that. It doesn't show it much on TV, but some boys like boys and some girls like girls."

"Why?"

"It's just the way that they are."

"Do you like boys?"

He hesitated, then nodded. "I like both. I like boys and girls. They're both... they're both very nice."

"So it's not weird to like boys?"

"Maybe to some people," said Drew. "But in the end, you'll find someone who loves you. They matter. What other people think doesn't." He looked down, stroking Elle's hair. "It'll be okay either way."

"Really?"

"Of course. Now, let's keep watching. This is the good bit of this movie."

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Elle's heart was pounding when she saw Caleb and Lola at the front door. She wished Drew had stayed, but knew that he wouldn't have- it just wasn't practical. "Hey, you!" said Lola, wheeling in and hugging Elle. "Good to see you!"

"You too," she said weakly as Caleb hugged her as well. They made their way inside, where Ryan had made some sort of curry for dinner to eat with naan bread. Hunter, too, looked tense, and they sat down at the table. Ryan tried to make conversation, but it constantly died down again. There wasn't enough energy at the table.

Soon, the kids had gone to bed, and Elle looked at Lola and Caleb. "We actually called you both over here for a reason."

"Go on," said Lola, sounding confused. "You've been really quiet all night."

"We've found Hunter's daughter," said Ryan.

"Oh!" said Caleb. "That's fantastic news!"

"It's Cassie," said Elle.

Lola blinked. "It's what?"

"Not what. Who. Cassiopeia. Your cousin."

"She's... she couldn't be."

"She was born in Nashville the same day as Elle, and she looks like Lilly and Hunter combined," said Ryan. "It's got to be her."

Caleb, somehow, didn't seem all that surprised by this. "I had a feeling."

"What?" asked Hunter, speaking for the first time.

He smiled slightly at Elle, looking over her for the first time. "You look just like my sister."

"Your sister?"

"She would be your biological mother. Her name was Ivy." He looked slightly sad. "Watching you grow up is like watching her all over again."