Hunting Cheaters | ✓

22 | Rose-colored

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"I lived like an island, punished you with silence. Went off like sirens, just crying"

~ Afterglow (Lover)

OLIVIA

I blocked out everything during the days leading up to when I was supposed to give my sample. Hunter seemed to notice, but he never brought it up. He only did once, to tell me Noah had given his sample on Thursday and that the clinic was just waiting for me.

On the day of, I felt like I was having an out of body experience. I was walking alongside Hunter, my hand gripping onto his. I smiled when I needed to and spoke only when spoken to. I kept it short and sweet. I could feel Hunter watching me closely. He always was nearby just in case I needed him and I couldn't put to words how much I appreciated every ounce of strength he offered me.

Before much time passed, I'd given my sample and Hunter and I were on our way home. We had small talk here and there during the drive, but nothing about what had just happened was mentioned. I silently thanked him for understanding, for not pushing me when all I needed was for him to just be there.

When we got to my place, we watched the Avengers series from beginning to end. By the last movie, I'd fallen asleep, leaning on his shoulder and engulfed in his arms. For a while, my world was peaceful and I swam in the clouds all blissful. Then I woke up the next day, and everything rushed to the front of my thoughts before I even opened my eyes. Naturally, I tried to push it to the back of my mind, trying to forget everything until I had something to actually worry about.

So for the following couple of days, we ignored the test. We pretended as if I hadn't submitted a sample for a paternity test. Instead, we acted like life was fine...normal. We laughed, we talked, we bickered and I loved it. It felt comfortable, being with him like this. We did everything but perhaps the one thing we should've done to prepare us for what was coming.

A week later, the results came in. I sat next to Hunter on the couch, practically sitting on him, clutching onto him as if my life depended on it.

"Shall I open it or do you want to?" he asked, softly, offering me his phone.

I shook my head rapidly and hid my face in his neck. "I can't. I-I can't, Hunter."

"It's okay," he cooed, rubbing my back, "I'll open it."

"Oh God," I cried into his neck, my nerves eating me up. That man could be my dad. No matter how low the chances were, it could still be true. And that fact had my heart working way over time, whether it was to escape my body or to prepare me to run just in case the news was bad, I didn't know. I didn't even know what the bad news would be. If he's my dad, he still left me. He still abandoned me. He still let me grow up feeling worthless. He still let me grow up to become hateful. He still hurt my mom. He hurt her. I can't forgive that, at least not easily. It was something that would take years and I wasn't sure I even wanted to try.

If he wasn't my dad, I would be back at square one. And I liked being at square one. I was comfortable there. I'd built a life there. I didn't want it ruined.

Before the lump in my throat could choke me, Hunter spoke. His voice was soft but stern. "Whatever the outcome, I'm here, okay? Promise me that you get that."

I nodded frantically. "I promise."

"Okay," he blew out a breath. He took a short pause, before tapping on his phone, taking another short pause and then saying, "Holy shit, Liv, Noah is your father."