Bought For Protection

2

Seven years ago

"I want to play, " I said running on the school ground, we were 10 years old and in middle school. I now have two more friends other than Hunter there are Emily and Ambrose, they are twins with hazel brown hair and green eyes

"Don't fall, " Hunter yells as he runs after me. He was the most handsome, boy in our class with mysterious looks and an empty face but I know he looks better when he smiles, he has the most beautiful smile I have ever seen, it was crooked and unused, but the dimples on his cheeks takes my breath away.

I sat on the swing and smile innocently at him, his lips lifted a little bit but it was gone before anyone could see. He walks behind me and starts pushing my swing, we take turns of course but he makes me play more, he makes sure I always get more

I take a break and sit under a tree and watch Hunter play football, he has always been good at sports and physical activities. Me? I have always sucked, so I prefer to sit back and watch him play.

I hold a water bottle in my hands to offer it to him when they stopped playing but I see a girl from another class approach him shyly and offer him her bottle.

I frown at them when he politely takes her bottle and drinks from it. I don't know why but I don't like her, she giggles when he spoke to her. I stomp my way towards them and pull him away from her "don't talk to him like that, he is mine, " I don't know why I said that but that got the attention of all the students on the ground.

Hunter pulls me away from everyone and we walk to our locker room, it was empty, I stay silent throughout the way because I knew he was angry. He doesn't say anything but quickly changes and we get our things before leaving the school building

Mr.Duke our new driver was already waiting for us in the car. We drove back home in silence," Hunter, " I say his name shamefully but he ignores me.

I regret behaving like a spoilt brat but I wanted everyone to know that he is my best friend.

I follow him inside our room with my head down. I held his hand stopping him from "I'm sorry Hunter, please don't be mad at me, " I plead guilty, my eyes tingle with tears.

He looks at me intensely "why did you do that?" He asked strictly, sometimes I feel like he is a mini version of my Papa but I don't say it.

"I just wanted them to know that you are my best friend, " I mumble avoiding his eyes.

"What if I liked her and wanted to be her friend?" He asks me, I snap my head at him fearful, and I hold his hands tighter

"I... I can. Apologize to her tomorrow, " I say holding back my tears

"What if I want to hold her hand?" He asks waiting for my reaction

I swallow nervously when my throat went dry "you can, " I whispered not meeting his gaze

"What if I want to kiss her?" I snap my head at him wide-eyed, my heart beating very fast

"You can, " I mumbled

"Not on the cheek" he clarifies, I swallow again with my trembling lips

"Like Mr. and Mrs. Cooper?" I ask him as my grip on his hands loosens, he holds my hands before I let them go and pulls me closer to him, I have always been shorter than him and more girly whereas he has always been more mature with the taller body.

He nodded leaving one of my hands and softly cherished my lips, then dragged his thumb across my lower lip then let it go when his eyes darken

My breath accelerated at his actions but I stood my ground "you can, " I whispered heartbrokenly

He chuckles amused, I relaxed when I learned he was just kidding, I hit his chest "i***t, you gave me a heart attack" I laughed nervously still shaken by his statements

"I do want to kiss though," he said cutting my laughter, I stare at him sadly

"You can, " I said

"You sure?" He asked looking into my eyes deeply staring at my soul

I gulp nervously and nod, staring at my feet not meeting his eyes because I knew he can see the truth in them.

He lifts my face by my chin and before I could question him. He leaned down and captured my lips with his, I freeze not knowing what to do. It was just a peck on the lips but I could feel my heart beating wildly in my chest.

"There, " he said and left the room without losing a second. I just stood there not knowing what had happened, I lift my hand to feel my tingling lips and blush to giggle

"My first kiss, " I say running to jump on my bed and hide my now tomato-red face.

I was giddy the whole day but all that cracked when Papa announced that Hunter was going to boarding school for a while so he can train.

I tried arguing with my father but he was a strict man, and before he could beat me, Hunter went to our room dragging me with him to pack.

He was supposed to leave in the morning, I cried like a baby when I saw him putting away all his clothes in a suitcase, he hugged me, kissed my forehead, and promised me to come back as soon as possible, but that made me cry harder on his chest, he kept consoling me with sweet nothings but I understood, nothing I do will stop him from going away.

"I swear I will be back soon, " he said as we lay on our bed, he cherishes my hair soothingly

I hiccup while crying " You Promise?" I hold out my pinky and he smiled tears leaking out his eyes as well

He linked our pinkies together," Promise, " I smiled tearfully at him and cuddled his warm body, he held me tightly as if I might disappear in front of him and I was doing the same.

He nuzzled his face in the crook of my neck, his warm breath tickling my skin, and his wildly beating heart assured me that he was still here.

I fell asleep in his arms but I woke up alone. He was gone from his side of the bed but there was a stuffed oger soft toy we brought together, I told him that he had the same stone-cold face as the oger

I held the soft toy closer to my chest and cried, I cried so much that I fell asleep again with only one thought in my mind he swore that he will be back and Hunter always kept his promise