Hunter followed Arabella all the way to her floor and into her office. He was definitely out of his normal atmosphere. Everywhere he walked he seemed to be bumping into someone. He had been in a crowded place before, but it wasn’t like this. He made sure to just keep his head down and to follow Arabella. He had been in front of this building plenty of time, never even thinking about going inside. After plenty of time outside, in 1 week he goes inside twice. He glanced around and immediately felt minor contempt for many of the people. Many times he had seen these people walk by him as he begged for any help they had to give. Many of them he had asked and they walked by. Many didn’t even give him eye contact. Many of them didn’t even acknowledge his existence.
After Arabella talked to a few people, she finally made it into her office. Hunter walked in and sat down on the couch in her office. “No wonder I didn’t come up here.” He said quietly under his breath.
“What?” Arabella said as she sat down in her desk chair and started to organize everything.
“Oh uh…Nothing.” He said clearing his throat. “I see they replaced the glass in the window.” He said pointing to the window he had broken days earlier with an arrow.
“Hmm? Oh. Yes. Sadly that wasn’t the first time that window was broken.” She said with a blush and a giggle. Hunter gave her a nod.
“I’ll let you tell me that story another day.” He said quietly as he continued to glance around. “Your secretary said that you had a phone call from your dad?” He said finally letting his gaze land on her. Arabella snapped her fingers.
“Yes! Thank you for reminding me. I wanted to give you something though.” She said as he picked up the phone. Hunter stood up and rushed over to stand in front of her desk.
“Arabella, I can’t accept anything else from you.” He said. “I’ve already-“
“Yes. I need two artists to my office, please. Thank you, dear.” She said into the receiver. She hung it up and put her hands together on her desk before looking up at Hunter.
“Arabella, I’m not going to accept any more gifts from you. I refuse to.” He said looking right at her. Arabella chuckled as someone knocked on the door to her office.
“This isn’t a gift for you.” She said as she stood up and walked to the door. “This is a gift for me.” She grinned as she opened the door and in walked a shortish woman with thick-rimmed glasses and short black hair and a man who was all too familiar to Hunter. Daniel.
“Who is this, sis?” Daniel asked in his usually high voice. He walked over and put his hands on Hunter shoulder. “He’s familiar in a way.” He said looking into Hunter’s face.
“You remember my brother, Daniel, don’t you, Hunter?” She said with a devious smile on her face. Daniel’s face immediately lit up and looked Hunter right in the eye, uncomfortably close to his face.
“Hunter?!” He said, finally releasing Hunter and taking a step back. “ Have you gone for the hipster lumberjack look, Hunter?” He said looking Hunter up and down. Hunter gave Arabella a look of desperation. A look that screamed, ‘I can’t believe that you would do this to me after I saved your life.’
“Daniel, Lynn-tzie, I want you to give Hunter, here, a makeover. I figure this will be a good opportunity for you to practice with male models.” She explained, trying to hold back giggles.
“Oh, goodie goodie.” Daniel said giving Hunter a look that made him shudder. Daniel grabbed him by the hand and started to pull him out of the office. “Come on, Hunty.” He said with a giggle that made Hunter VERY uncomfortable.
“Have fun, Hunter.” Arabella said, giving him a wave. Hunter resisted as much as he could without becoming violent.
“I hate you.” He said just loud enough that Arabella could hear it.
“I love you, too, Hunter.” She said still waving, only sort of holding back her giggles. Hunter finally let Daniel and Lynn-tzie drag him out of the office and through the hallways to a room in the back.
“Alright, Lynnie. I’m thinking a total mass overload. Everything short of surgery.” Daniel said as he rifled through a vanity mirror and brought out a small belt of tools. “Let’s get started!” He said excitedly.
“You sit here.” Lynn-tzie said, patting a chair in front of a mirror. Daniel snuck up behind him and pulled off Hunter’s shirt with a giggle. Hunter nervously glanced at Daniel before reluctantly sitting down in the chair. He looked in the mirror at the man he had come to know. “Just relax. We know what we’re doing.” She said. Hunter was glad there was another person in the room. Hunter still had flashbacks to the last time Daniel and he were alone in a room together. Hunter nodded and closed his eyes. A moment later Daniel and Lynn-tzie were working away. He lost track of how much time he was there, but when he opened his eyes and looked in the mirror it was shocking.
“I….Wow…” Hunter managed as he slowly reached up and touched his face. He didn’t believe what he looked like. He hadn’t seen this Hunter in a long time.
“That’s right. You’re back to being the stud you once were.” Daniel said with a grin. “Hey, Lynnie. I’ll finish up here. You go into the back and pick out some clothes for this hunk.” He said with a wink. Hunter’s eyes widened.
“So uh…Daniel. How did you end up working for Arabella?” He asked trying to keep the subject away from himself.
“Oh, Arabella is such a sweetie.” He said with a happy sigh. “After she moved back here from California, she stopped by camp and remembered how well I used to cut hair and she offered me a job. I immediately said yes and now I’m cutting hair for the stars!” He said with a giggle. Hunter nodded nervously before glancing over where Lynn-tzie had left, hoping that she would come back.
“How do you like working here?” He said as Daniel cut some spare hairs from his neck and sides.
“I absolutely adore it. I L-O-V-E love working with my sister. She is such a darling here. She’s nice to everyone and she treats everyone fairly. Ugh! She’s so great even after that thing with Brian. It’s sad, really.” He said with a sigh. Hunter looked at him in the mirror.
“What’s sad? That thing with Brian?” Hunter said, slightly worried.
“No. Well, yes, but that’s not what I was talking about.” Daniel said as he brushed the loose hair from Hunter’s neck. “She’s been so lonely, lately. Her family moved out of the city, so she rarely sees them. I’ve offered to take her clubbing and stuff, but she refuses. ‘It’s just not for her.’ It what she says.” He said with a sigh. “Oh, Lynn. Let’s see what you’ve got.” He said as Lynn-tzie emerged with an armful of clothes. She handed them to Daniel who examined them. “Girl…You are GOOD.” He said as he stood Hunter up and led him to an alcove behind the curtain. “Okay. Try these on.” He said as he pushed the clothes into Hunter’s arms. “I promise I won’t peek….MUCH!” He said with a giggle that made Hunter want to cry as he pushed the curtain out of the way and closed it behind him.
He put on all the clothes except for the shoes and looked at himself in the mirror. “I would never wear this.” He said as he looked at himself in disbelief. He sighed as he laced up his green Chuck Taylors and walked back out.
“Oh. My. Gods.” Daniel said, looking Hunter up and down again. “I forgot how hot you were, Hunty.” He said, biting his lip. Hunter gagged silently before regaining his composure.
“You guys, honestly, did a really good job. I just wanted to say thanks.” He said with a nod. He opened his arms up for a hug toward Lynn-tzie who gave him a quick squeeze and a smile. He turned to Daniel and extended his hand. Daniel didn’t even look at it before running toward him and wrapping his arms around him. Hunter swallowed and reluctantly hugged him back. Daniel hummed into the hugs and rubbed his hands down his back until they were on Hunter’s butt. Hunter jumped and pushed him away. “Don’t overstay your welcome, Daniel!” He said pointing a finger at him. Daniel turned to Lynn-tzie.
“Worth it.” He mouthed before turning back to Hunter. “You’re welcome, Hunter.” He said with a nod. Hunter blinked a few times before slowly backing out of the room and back toward Arabella’s office. He walked back and looked at her through the windows. She had a somber look on her face. Hunter walked in and sat back down on the couch.
“Arabella? You okay?” He asked, giving her a worried look.