Daniel skipped through the door, a couple people that worked for her following him with a dress bag and cases of make up. Arabella looked around in shock as Daniel skipped over to her and hugged her tightly "Ties that..what?" she asked, totally flustered. She looked up at Hunter.
"What? Oh! Nothing..nothing" Hunter said awkwardly and took a step back, his cheeks slightly pink. Arabella looked up at Daniel as he looked her up and down.
"You are a beautiful girl, Hunnie, but we are going to do a lot of work" Daniel said with a twinkle in his eyes "Come on, let's go to the bathroom. Everyone can set up while we get you clean" he finished, pulling Arabella to her feet and steering her out of the living room. Arabella looked back at Hunter with wide, stunned eyes. She looked at Daniel as he pushed her away from Hunter and into the bathroom. He closed the door and looked through the cupboard for towels for Arabella "What happened to all of your towels?" he muttered to himself
"Danny, I don't know if I can go to this thing. I probably won't even win" Arabella said quietly, nervously covering her wrist with her hand "Can't I just stay home tonight?"
"You're full of crap, Hunnie. You are so going to win this and if you don't go, you're going to regret it. Alexander Wang has nothing on you" Daniel said with a smile "Okay, turn around" he told her and she sighed, turning so that her back was towards him. He unzipped her dress and turned so his back was towards her "Get in the shower, I'll wait"
"You really suck, you know that?" Arabella muttered but she slipped out of her dress and stepped into the shower, pulling the curtain closed. For the first time, she noticed that the bathroom was clean. Hunter must have cleaned it all up. She took a shaky breath and leaned against the wall, turning the shower on. Arabella looked down at the tub and nearly broke down right then and there. She could remember the feeling of her life slowly ebbing away like it was happening to her right then. Arabella closed her eyes, trying to focus on the water hitting her body.
"Are you going to tell me why you have a scar on your wrist?" Daniel asked and Arabella looked at the curtain. He had noticed. Arabella took a breath and she shook her head, even though he couldn't see her.
"No. I'm not talking about it" Arabella said simply, washing her hair. It seemed like it had been so long since she had really taken care of herself. She didn't know how tonight was going to go, but with any luck, everything would be fine.
"What about you and Hunter?" Daniel asked her and Arabella could hear the smirk on his face. She rolled her eyes and saw Daniel's hand in the shower with a bottle of conditioner "Use this. It's a special shampoo for blond hair" he told her. Arabella took the conditioner and squirted some into her hand.
"There is nothing to say" Arabella said eventually and Daniel laughed. She rolled her eyes and stuck her head out of the shower "Pass me a towel, would you? And shut up" she said and grabbed the towel out of his hands. Arabella wrapped it around herself and climbed out of the shower. Daniel smiled at her and took her by the shoulders, pushing her out of the bathroom. Daniel pushed her to her room and closed the door.
"Put some clothes on then meet us in the living room, Missy!" Daniel called to her and walked away. Arabella sighed and pulled on a pair of sweat pants and a tee shirt. All she really wanted to do that night was stay home with Hunter. Curl up on the couch and try to forget about what happened. She looked down at her wrist and closed her eyes. Arabella pulled a sweater on and tugging the sleeves down so that they almost covered her hands and walked out of her room and down the hall nervously. She looked around the room for Hunter. She felt like she was about to float away but Hunter was the rock that was holding her to the ground. Finally, she found him and she gave him a slightly nervous look. Hunter gave her a reassuring smile as Daniel pushed towards the middle of the room. Luckily, Daniel didn't bring too many people over. Just a few people that worked closely with Arabella. She didn't really want to see people that she wasn't close to. Daniel pushed her into a chair and started working on her hair right away. Daniel looked over at Hunter and smirked at him. "Hunter, are you going to help at all or are you going to sit in the corner and watch?" he asked and Hunter stood up
"I uhh, don't really know anything about this" Hunter said and looked at Arabella who shrugged at him. Daniel sighed and held up a braid of Arabella's hair.
"Just hold this" Daniel said and put the braid in Hunter's hand. Hunter looked down at Arabella and she put a little smile on her face for him. It wasn't long before Arabella's hair was done. Daniel took the dress bag from a woman and held it up for Arabella "I hope that this is everything you wanted it to be" he said to Arabella and he pulled the delicate dress out of the bag. Arabella looked at it and gasped. It was her own design. A dress that had been inspired by her mom and the time that she had spent with her. Arabella let the soft pink fabric run over her fingers and she looked up at Daniel.
"You made my dress" Arabella said softly, in awe of how beautiful it was. Daniel nodded and smiled proudly.
"Yes, we did. It should fit you perfectly" Daniel said then pushed her towards the bedroom, holding the dress in one hand. He quickly had Arabella changed into the dress and it looked almost perfect on her. The only problem was that it was a little loose on her. Daniel and Arabella stepped out of the bedroom and walked down the hall. Everyone from her team was complimenting her but Arabella only cared about Hunter's thoughts. He looked at her with a slightly stunned look on his face and Arabella could really tell what he was thinking.
"You..you look...wow" Hunter stammered and Arabella blushed, looking down at her feet. Everyone in the world could tell her that she was beautiful or stunning but it only really mattered when Hunter said it.
"Yes, yes..she's beautiful, you want to jump her bones..blah, blah, blah. We have work to do!" Daniel said and pushed Arabella to the middle of the room where the rest of her team was waiting. As soon as she stood still, they started working on her, fixing her make up and touching up her hair and taking in her dress. In a flurry of movement, the dress was done and Arabella was standing in the middle of the room, starting to look like herself again. The girls that we working on Arabella each said goodbye and hugged Arabella tightly before walking out to take all of their supplies to the car. They left Arabella alone with Daniel and Hunter.
Arabella looked up at Hunter who was still looking at her like she was made of gold or something. Daniel started to work on Arabella's hair, fixing little things here and there and finishing it up. Arabella looked up at Hunter and took a deep breath "So, Hunter? I uhm, I was thinking about this show and I uh, I don't really want to go alone" Arabella stammered "It's just..you know, big event and all that and I uhm, I was just wondering.."
"She wants you to go to the show with her as her date" Daniel sighed, looking at Hunter with a raised eyebrow. Arabella blushed a deep red but she looked up at Hunter with pleading eyes. She really didn't want to be alone but she would rather go alone then with someone who wasn't Hunter. He looked down at her and their eyes connected for a second.
"Yeah, of course" Hunter told her, keeping his eyes locked with hers. The butterflies in Arabella's stomach went wild. She smiled up at him, a real smile and she felt herself relax a little bit more.
"Now we need to get you a suit, Hunter. Or you could just go naked. I would be okay with that" Daniel said and winked at Hunter. Arabella giggled when she saw Hunter shudder.
The award show went by in a blur. One minute she was leaving her apartment, next minute she was on the red carpet. When they called her name saying that she had won, Arabella thought that she might faint. It felt like it had only been 20 minutes when she was back on the red carpet, walking towards her limo with Hunter's arm around her. She was tired and worn out. Emotionally drained. But she was looking forward to curling up on the couch with Hunter and a cup of noodles. Arabella was happy that she went an entire night without having one person ask her about the chair out the window thing.
Suddenly, they were surrounded and Hunter's arm pulled her closer to him protectively. Cameras were going off everywhere Arabella looked and all she heard were people yelling questions at her. They kept walking, Hunter holding her close to him. But then someone had stood in front of them, blocking their way. He held a video camera and he was right in her face, not letting her get around him to their car. He was shouting questions at her "Arabella? Is it true that you're suicidal?" Arabella looked at him and froze. She wanted to break down right there. Her legs felt weak under her. He kept asking her questions "Have you ever tried to kill yourself before? Would you ever consider it?" he asked. Arabella felt like the world was spinning. Her arm started throbbing and she was overcome with an urge to slice through her skin again. Her breaths were shorter and quicker and her heart sped up. Arabella leaned into Hunter, feeling dizzy. She was having a panic attack. The man with the camera didn't stop though and when they tried to push past him, he grabbed Arabella's arm, the one that she had cut and tried to pull her back to him. Arabella let out a little yell of surprise. Hunter then did something that she would never have expected him to do. Something she wasn't sure about. Something that she didn't know whether to be thankful or angry.
Hunter punched the man. Right in the face. The man stumbled backwards and fell. Before Arabella could respond, Hunter had his arm around her and was pulling her into the limo. Once the doors were closed, Arabella broke down, curling up to Hunter's side and sobbing. His body was tense with anger and he looked livid but when she leaned into him, his expression softened and he wrapped his arms around her. Arabella but her head in her hands and sobbed, her entire body shaking.
"Shh, you're okay" Hunter soothed, rubbing her back gently. Arabella couldn't believe that this was happening to her. She was never that girl. The emotional one that broke down at a single word. She was strong and fierce and confidant in who she was. But now she felt like a total mess.
They parked outside of Arabella's apartment and Hunter helped her into the elevator. She felt so weak and tired and sore. She needed to lean on him the whole way. Once they got inside, Arabella stumbled in and kicked off her shoes. All she could think of was her sweat pants, her Camp Half Blood shirt and Breakfast at Tiffany's. As she walked towards her room, she pressed the button on the answering machine when she saw the flashing number. The voice that came out of it made her freeze in her tracks and look back at Hunter with a shocked look on her face.
"This message is for Hunter Reed. My name is Elliot Benson and I'm a lawyer. I need you to call me back as soon as you can. It's about your parents. Thank you"
Chapter 48 - Hunter
Hunter woke up that morning really early. For the first few hours, he looked at her. He just looked at her. She had dark circles under her eyes and her face was pale. He long flowing blonde hair was a tangled mess and it seemed darker, less like gold. She had lost a good amount of weight and looked absolutely ill. He imagined this is how he looked when he showed up at her office, what felt like months ago. He rubbed her arm gently as she slept and quietly hummed a lullaby he had learned some time ago. "Ύπνε μου, επάρε μού το κι άμε το στα περβόλια και την ποδιά του γέμισε τριαντάφυλλα και ρόδα." He sang quietly. He didn't remember when he had heard it, but it had been with him since he could remember. It translated into something with roses and gardens, but he didn't like it for its lyrics. She let out a soft moan as she rolled to her other side and sleeping soundly. Hunter gently moved his arm out from under her and cautiously got out of bed. He quietly stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him. He figured that she would be awake soon and she needed breakfast.
"Let's get going." He said quietly to himself as he walked into the kitchen. He sighed at the appearance of the room. He felt his chest ache at the anxiety of the feeling that she was dead. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before putting the kitchen back in order. After that was sorted, he started on breakfast. He cut up some fruit and put it in a a tupperware container. He sprinkled on sugar and shook it up. He walked out of the kitchen and neared the bathroom. It needed to be cleaned. This needed to never happen. He walked in and drained the tub before taking some towels and soaking up as much water as he could he dropped the wet towels into a hamper and grabbed a mop and a bucket. He cleaned the bathroom as best he could and by the end it looked good enough. You couldn't tell anything happened unless, you already knew.
He walked back into the kitchen and took out the eggs and some other breakfast food items. He quickly cooked it and put it on a tray with a cup of coffee and the fruit he prepared. He heard some quiet movement from inside her room and smiled softly. He picked up the tray and walked in. "I hope I put enough sugar in the coffee." He said with a smile. She looked at him like she had seen a ghost. He walked over and set the tray down on her bed before sitting down next to her. "How'd you sleep?" He asked her with a small smile.
"Best sleep I've gotten in a while." She said, taking another sip of coffee and picking at the fruit. Hunter honestly felt the same. He didn't sleep much when he was with Philippa or when he was on the street again. It felt good to finally sleep again. Especially next to her. He watched her pick through her breakfast before her eyes landed on her calendar. They widened and a sense of panic entered her face.
"What is it, Ellie? Are you okay?" Hunter asked quietly. She stood up with weak legs that looked like they would buckle under her. Hunter sat on the edge of the bed just in case she fell.
"Oh...no. No, no, no, no, no." She said with her head in the closet. She finally stepped out and put her forehead against the wall. "Dammit!" Hunter stood up and walked toward her. He was tempted to wrap his arms around her and put her back in bed.
"Ellie, what's wrong?" He said awkwardly shifting from one foot to another. He grabbed his hand behind his back and looked up at her. She turned around and looked at him against the wall. She took a deep breath.
"Tonight is the CFDA awards. It's like the Oscars of the fashion world and I'm supposed to go because I'm nominated for Womanswear Designer of the Year." She said with a sigh. Hunter smiled at her.
"That's fantastic, Ellie." He said, tempted to hug her, but resisting the urge. "What's the problem?"
"I have nothing to wear! I need to have a red carpet dress and I need my hair and make up to be just right and I'm not ready for it at all. I totally forgot about it." She let a groan. She tries to commit suicide one minute and it seems like not having something to wear is the bigger crisis. He smiled gently and put his hand over his mouth. She smacked his arm and turned to her closet. She proceeded to scoop everything that she owned out into a pile in the middle of the room. Including underwear. Hunter blushed slightly and looked away.
"I'll, uh, I'll get you some more coffee." He said with a nod before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. He refilled her cup and set it down as he sat on the counter. There was a small chirp from the other room. He raised an eyebrow ad walked into the living room. He looked at the source on the table. Her phone. It chirped again and he picked it up. He examined it for a moment before sliding his finger across the screen and pressing the answer button. He held it up to his ear. "Hello?"
"Hel- Who is this?! Is this Chad?! I will go over there and I will-" A familiar voice shouted loudly into the phone. So loudly he had to pull away.
"No. NO! This is Hunter. Who's this?" Hunter said into the phone. He heard a gasp and a flurry of giggles. The voice returned and Hunter heard him clear his throat. Hunter finally realized who it was. "D-"
"Hunter! Hunter, this is Daniel." Daniel said with an audible grin. Hunter sighed and rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb. "I was wondering if Arabella was available." Hunter took a deep breath and looked toward her room and shook his head.
"I don't think so. She's a little tied up in her room at the moment." Hunter said, clearing his throat before realizing what he had said. "No, not lik-" He was interrupted by a flurry of giggles. Hunter facepalmed.
"I had no idea she was into that." Daniel said with a giggle. There was a pause where in Hunter rubbed his face and felt the short stubble on his face. Something occurred to him. "Well, I'll let-"
"Uh..Hold on, Dan-Daniel." Hunter said quietly. He had a feeling that he was going to regret this. "Can you do me a favor?" He asked reluctantly. Daniel let out a small gasp.
"Anything, Hunty."
"Okay, TWO favors. One, stop calling me that. Two, there's this award show tonight. I'm sure you know of it." He said clearing his throat. "I was wondering, El-Ahem. Arabella has...had a lot on her mind lately. Sadly, she's a little unprepared. Would you mind coming over with an army of designers, makeup...people, hair stylist people, anything that you can imagine? I really want this to go well for her." He said quietly. There was a small pause. "I'll really owe you one." He said, immediately regretting it. There was a gasp and a few more giggles.
"We'll be there in about 25 minutes." He said with a slight excitement in his voice. "Hunter, I'm glad to see you back." Hunter chuckled quietly. "I'll see you soon, Hunty! Okay, that was the last time. Bye!" Daniel said before hanging up. Hunter, not knowing what to do, set the phone back on the table. He sat down on the couch and ran a hand through his hair.
"Wow...This is great!" He said with a grin before sitting back on the couch. He sat there staring at the ground for a few minutes. "I should tell her. It would be so nice to see her get a surprise. She should know though. Yeah...I'll have to tell her....I'll tell her." He said with a smile before standing up and walking toward her door. He took a quick glance back at the phone just as he heard the door open.
"Hey, Hunter? How does this one look?" She said, walking out the door. He turned back without stopping walking and saw her pulling at the hem of her dress. He bumped into her and his hands landed on her hips. She looked up at him as her knees buckled a little. Hunter wrapped an arm around her and helped her stand up again. He immediately blushed as he walked her over to the couch and helped her sit on the couch. He finally took a few steps back and looked at her. Even with the dirty hair, the slightly bloodstained skin, the shabby clothes, and the shallow eyes, she looked beautiful.
"Wow...You look great, Ellie." He said with a grin. He sat down on the couch across from her and looked at her. She picked at her dress again and looked at it before shaking her head.
"No. It's not good enough." She said with a sigh. She went to stand up and Hunter sprung up and stopped her. She looked up at him oddly.
"Uh..Just calm down a little. You've got plenty of time before the show. It'll be taken care of. You'll look great." He said with a nervous smile. "Looks like I'm going with the surprise tactic." He said under his breath.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just uh...relax." He said sitting down next to her.
"Hunter, I still have to find a dress, do my makeup, do my hair, find a pair of shoes!" She said in a stressed-out voice. Just then there was a knock on the door. Hunter laughed a little and stood up. He made his way to the door.
"Ellie, it's okay. I've taken care of it." He said with a grin before opening the door. Daniel walked in and looked at her.
"Arabella! Broken free from the ties that bind, I see." He said with a giggle.
"Let's get going." He said quietly to himself as he walked into the kitchen. He sighed at the appearance of the room. He felt his chest ache at the anxiety of the feeling that she was dead. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before putting the kitchen back in order. After that was sorted, he started on breakfast. He cut up some fruit and put it in a a tupperware container. He sprinkled on sugar and shook it up. He walked out of the kitchen and neared the bathroom. It needed to be cleaned. This needed to never happen. He walked in and drained the tub before taking some towels and soaking up as much water as he could he dropped the wet towels into a hamper and grabbed a mop and a bucket. He cleaned the bathroom as best he could and by the end it looked good enough. You couldn't tell anything happened unless, you already knew.
He walked back into the kitchen and took out the eggs and some other breakfast food items. He quickly cooked it and put it on a tray with a cup of coffee and the fruit he prepared. He heard some quiet movement from inside her room and smiled softly. He picked up the tray and walked in. "I hope I put enough sugar in the coffee." He said with a smile. She looked at him like she had seen a ghost. He walked over and set the tray down on her bed before sitting down next to her. "How'd you sleep?" He asked her with a small smile.
"Best sleep I've gotten in a while." She said, taking another sip of coffee and picking at the fruit. Hunter honestly felt the same. He didn't sleep much when he was with Philippa or when he was on the street again. It felt good to finally sleep again. Especially next to her. He watched her pick through her breakfast before her eyes landed on her calendar. They widened and a sense of panic entered her face.
"What is it, Ellie? Are you okay?" Hunter asked quietly. She stood up with weak legs that looked like they would buckle under her. Hunter sat on the edge of the bed just in case she fell.
"Oh...no. No, no, no, no, no." She said with her head in the closet. She finally stepped out and put her forehead against the wall. "Dammit!" Hunter stood up and walked toward her. He was tempted to wrap his arms around her and put her back in bed.
"Ellie, what's wrong?" He said awkwardly shifting from one foot to another. He grabbed his hand behind his back and looked up at her. She turned around and looked at him against the wall. She took a deep breath.
"Tonight is the CFDA awards. It's like the Oscars of the fashion world and I'm supposed to go because I'm nominated for Womanswear Designer of the Year." She said with a sigh. Hunter smiled at her.
"That's fantastic, Ellie." He said, tempted to hug her, but resisting the urge. "What's the problem?"
"I have nothing to wear! I need to have a red carpet dress and I need my hair and make up to be just right and I'm not ready for it at all. I totally forgot about it." She let a groan. She tries to commit suicide one minute and it seems like not having something to wear is the bigger crisis. He smiled gently and put his hand over his mouth. She smacked his arm and turned to her closet. She proceeded to scoop everything that she owned out into a pile in the middle of the room. Including underwear. Hunter blushed slightly and looked away.
"I'll, uh, I'll get you some more coffee." He said with a nod before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. He refilled her cup and set it down as he sat on the counter. There was a small chirp from the other room. He raised an eyebrow ad walked into the living room. He looked at the source on the table. Her phone. It chirped again and he picked it up. He examined it for a moment before sliding his finger across the screen and pressing the answer button. He held it up to his ear. "Hello?"
"Hel- Who is this?! Is this Chad?! I will go over there and I will-" A familiar voice shouted loudly into the phone. So loudly he had to pull away.
"No. NO! This is Hunter. Who's this?" Hunter said into the phone. He heard a gasp and a flurry of giggles. The voice returned and Hunter heard him clear his throat. Hunter finally realized who it was. "D-"
"Hunter! Hunter, this is Daniel." Daniel said with an audible grin. Hunter sighed and rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb. "I was wondering if Arabella was available." Hunter took a deep breath and looked toward her room and shook his head.
"I don't think so. She's a little tied up in her room at the moment." Hunter said, clearing his throat before realizing what he had said. "No, not lik-" He was interrupted by a flurry of giggles. Hunter facepalmed.
"I had no idea she was into that." Daniel said with a giggle. There was a pause where in Hunter rubbed his face and felt the short stubble on his face. Something occurred to him. "Well, I'll let-"
"Uh..Hold on, Dan-Daniel." Hunter said quietly. He had a feeling that he was going to regret this. "Can you do me a favor?" He asked reluctantly. Daniel let out a small gasp.
"Anything, Hunty."
"Okay, TWO favors. One, stop calling me that. Two, there's this award show tonight. I'm sure you know of it." He said clearing his throat. "I was wondering, El-Ahem. Arabella has...had a lot on her mind lately. Sadly, she's a little unprepared. Would you mind coming over with an army of designers, makeup...people, hair stylist people, anything that you can imagine? I really want this to go well for her." He said quietly. There was a small pause. "I'll really owe you one." He said, immediately regretting it. There was a gasp and a few more giggles.
"We'll be there in about 25 minutes." He said with a slight excitement in his voice. "Hunter, I'm glad to see you back." Hunter chuckled quietly. "I'll see you soon, Hunty! Okay, that was the last time. Bye!" Daniel said before hanging up. Hunter, not knowing what to do, set the phone back on the table. He sat down on the couch and ran a hand through his hair.
"Wow...This is great!" He said with a grin before sitting back on the couch. He sat there staring at the ground for a few minutes. "I should tell her. It would be so nice to see her get a surprise. She should know though. Yeah...I'll have to tell her....I'll tell her." He said with a smile before standing up and walking toward her door. He took a quick glance back at the phone just as he heard the door open.
"Hey, Hunter? How does this one look?" She said, walking out the door. He turned back without stopping walking and saw her pulling at the hem of her dress. He bumped into her and his hands landed on her hips. She looked up at him as her knees buckled a little. Hunter wrapped an arm around her and helped her stand up again. He immediately blushed as he walked her over to the couch and helped her sit on the couch. He finally took a few steps back and looked at her. Even with the dirty hair, the slightly bloodstained skin, the shabby clothes, and the shallow eyes, she looked beautiful.
"Wow...You look great, Ellie." He said with a grin. He sat down on the couch across from her and looked at her. She picked at her dress again and looked at it before shaking her head.
"No. It's not good enough." She said with a sigh. She went to stand up and Hunter sprung up and stopped her. She looked up at him oddly.
"Uh..Just calm down a little. You've got plenty of time before the show. It'll be taken care of. You'll look great." He said with a nervous smile. "Looks like I'm going with the surprise tactic." He said under his breath.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just uh...relax." He said sitting down next to her.
"Hunter, I still have to find a dress, do my makeup, do my hair, find a pair of shoes!" She said in a stressed-out voice. Just then there was a knock on the door. Hunter laughed a little and stood up. He made his way to the door.
"Ellie, it's okay. I've taken care of it." He said with a grin before opening the door. Daniel walked in and looked at her.
"Arabella! Broken free from the ties that bind, I see." He said with a giggle.
Chapter 47 - Arabella
Waking up the next morning wasn't easy. Arabella was sure that it had all been a dream. Hunter showing up would be too perfect. Maybe she was dead. Maybe she had actually died in her tub and she was now in the Underworld. But with a shock, Arabella realized that if she was in the Underworld, then she would know. So yesterday must have happened and she must have fallen asleep next to Hunter. Arabella sat up quickly, but she regretted it. She was light headed and her body ached. Her arm was throbbing and she looked down at the scar running up her arm, almost reaching her elbow. Slowly, Arabella looked around the room and saw that she was the only one in there. Hunter wasn't there. Hunter had left her. Arabella's heart sunk and she took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. Everything that Hunter had said to her last night was all just a lie. He only said those things because he felt guilty. Arabella leaned back against her pillows, staring out her window with blank eyes.
"I hope that I put enough sugar in the coffee"
Arabella turned her head quickly to look at the door. Hunter was standing in the doorway holding a tray of scrambled eggs, toast, fruit and coffee. She let out a small sigh. He didn't leave her. Arabella wanted to throw her arms around him and stay there. Finally, she settled herself against the pillows and tried to give him a small smile. She didn't want him to feel guilty or sorry for her. She didn't want him to see that she was still a mess. Arabella pulled her knees up to her chest as Hunter placed the tray by her on the bed. She picked up the coffee and took a sip "It's perfect" she said gently and looked down at the food. Arabella wasn't hungry, at least, she didn't feel hungry. Arabella picked at the fruit, popping a strawberry into her mouth.
"How did you sleep?" Hunter asked Arabella in a gentle voice, sitting down on her bed. Arabella looked up at him and took a sip of her coffee, thinking it over.
"Best sleep I've gotten in a while" Arabella confessed and looked down at the tray of food. The truth was, she had slept well because she had fallen asleep with Hunter by her side. Arabella bit into another strawberry and looked down at her wrist for a brief moment before finishing off her coffee. With a sigh, she looked at the calendar by her bed and her heart nearly fell into her stomach.
"What is it, Ellie? Are you okay?" Hunter asked her in a worried tone, seeing the look on Arabella's face. Had that much time already gone by? It almost seemed like yesterday she was writing that note down. Arabella slipped out of bed and even though her legs were shaky, she hurried as fast as she could over to her closet.
"Oh...no. No, no, no, no, no" Arabella moaned, looking inside at the rows of clothes. Of course, it would be this day that she didn't have a dress. It would be this day that she needed a fancy one the most and it wouldn't be there. Arabella put her forehead against the wall and closed her eyes "Dammit!"
"Ellie, what's wrong?" Hunter said walking towards her. He sounded worried about her, like there was something really terrible and that she was going to do something stupid again. Arabella sighed and turned around so that she was looking at Hunter and leaned against the wall.
"Tonight is the CFDA awards" Arabella said in a stressed out voice "It's like the Oscars of the fashion world and I'm supposed to go to it because I'm nominated for Womenswear Designer of the Year and Fashion Icon of the Year" She added and Hunter gave her a small smile.
"That's fantastic, Ellie" Hunter said in a proud voice "But what's the problem?"
"I have nothing to wear! I need to have a red carpet dress and I need my hair and make up to be just right and I'm not ready for it at all. I totally forgot about it" Arabella moaned and hit the back of her head against the wall lightly. Arabella looked at Hunter and he looked like he was trying to hold back a chuckle. Of course the one thing that would get Arabella out of bed and starting to move around again like a functioning human being would be the fact that she has nothing to wear. Arabella rolled her eyes, gave Hunter a smack on his arm and turned back to her closet. She started pulling out every dress, skirt and shirt that she could find. The pile on the floor got bigger and bigger and Hunter looked more and more uncomfortable as Arabella started throwing bras onto the pile.
"I'll, uh, I'll go get you some more coffee" Hunter told her uncomfortably but Arabella didn't acknowledge him. She was too busy trying to find something, anything that she could wear. Once Hunter had left the room and Arabella and pretty much emptied her entire closet, she sat down on the floor, looking at all of the pieces. The hardest part about trying to put together an outfit for fashion awards was that it was fashion. Everyone was going to be looking at her dress. Everyone was going to be studying her dress. Arabella let out a sigh and laid down on the pile and moaned. Why did it have to be tonight, of all nights? Arabella searched through her clothes for a few moments and she finally found a dress that might work, if she wore it the right way. Arabella slipped into the dress that hit about mid thigh and was a basic, black bandage dress. She looked at herself in the mirror before she padded down the hall to see what Hunter thought of it.
"Hey, Hunter? How does this one look?" Arabella asked him nervously tugging at the hem of her dress.
"I hope that I put enough sugar in the coffee"
Arabella turned her head quickly to look at the door. Hunter was standing in the doorway holding a tray of scrambled eggs, toast, fruit and coffee. She let out a small sigh. He didn't leave her. Arabella wanted to throw her arms around him and stay there. Finally, she settled herself against the pillows and tried to give him a small smile. She didn't want him to feel guilty or sorry for her. She didn't want him to see that she was still a mess. Arabella pulled her knees up to her chest as Hunter placed the tray by her on the bed. She picked up the coffee and took a sip "It's perfect" she said gently and looked down at the food. Arabella wasn't hungry, at least, she didn't feel hungry. Arabella picked at the fruit, popping a strawberry into her mouth.
"How did you sleep?" Hunter asked Arabella in a gentle voice, sitting down on her bed. Arabella looked up at him and took a sip of her coffee, thinking it over.
"Best sleep I've gotten in a while" Arabella confessed and looked down at the tray of food. The truth was, she had slept well because she had fallen asleep with Hunter by her side. Arabella bit into another strawberry and looked down at her wrist for a brief moment before finishing off her coffee. With a sigh, she looked at the calendar by her bed and her heart nearly fell into her stomach.
"What is it, Ellie? Are you okay?" Hunter asked her in a worried tone, seeing the look on Arabella's face. Had that much time already gone by? It almost seemed like yesterday she was writing that note down. Arabella slipped out of bed and even though her legs were shaky, she hurried as fast as she could over to her closet.
"Oh...no. No, no, no, no, no" Arabella moaned, looking inside at the rows of clothes. Of course, it would be this day that she didn't have a dress. It would be this day that she needed a fancy one the most and it wouldn't be there. Arabella put her forehead against the wall and closed her eyes "Dammit!"
"Ellie, what's wrong?" Hunter said walking towards her. He sounded worried about her, like there was something really terrible and that she was going to do something stupid again. Arabella sighed and turned around so that she was looking at Hunter and leaned against the wall.
"Tonight is the CFDA awards" Arabella said in a stressed out voice "It's like the Oscars of the fashion world and I'm supposed to go to it because I'm nominated for Womenswear Designer of the Year and Fashion Icon of the Year" She added and Hunter gave her a small smile.
"That's fantastic, Ellie" Hunter said in a proud voice "But what's the problem?"
"I have nothing to wear! I need to have a red carpet dress and I need my hair and make up to be just right and I'm not ready for it at all. I totally forgot about it" Arabella moaned and hit the back of her head against the wall lightly. Arabella looked at Hunter and he looked like he was trying to hold back a chuckle. Of course the one thing that would get Arabella out of bed and starting to move around again like a functioning human being would be the fact that she has nothing to wear. Arabella rolled her eyes, gave Hunter a smack on his arm and turned back to her closet. She started pulling out every dress, skirt and shirt that she could find. The pile on the floor got bigger and bigger and Hunter looked more and more uncomfortable as Arabella started throwing bras onto the pile.
"I'll, uh, I'll go get you some more coffee" Hunter told her uncomfortably but Arabella didn't acknowledge him. She was too busy trying to find something, anything that she could wear. Once Hunter had left the room and Arabella and pretty much emptied her entire closet, she sat down on the floor, looking at all of the pieces. The hardest part about trying to put together an outfit for fashion awards was that it was fashion. Everyone was going to be looking at her dress. Everyone was going to be studying her dress. Arabella let out a sigh and laid down on the pile and moaned. Why did it have to be tonight, of all nights? Arabella searched through her clothes for a few moments and she finally found a dress that might work, if she wore it the right way. Arabella slipped into the dress that hit about mid thigh and was a basic, black bandage dress. She looked at herself in the mirror before she padded down the hall to see what Hunter thought of it.
"Hey, Hunter? How does this one look?" Arabella asked him nervously tugging at the hem of her dress.
Chapter 46 - Hunter and Arabella
Arabella thought that she was dreaming or maybe she was just imagining it. But she swore she could hear Hunter's voice. He was yelling. There was pain and panic in his voice. Arabella wanted to open her eyes and tell him that it was going to be okay, that he didn't have to feel sad or guilty. He could move on with his life, grow old with Philippa, live a wonderful life. But she couldn't. Her body was weak and she felt herself slipping away. It was the end. It was too late for Arabella to say all of those things to Hunter, to say everything that she wanted to say to him but she had kept to herself. A small part of her felt him pulling her out of the water and placing her on the floor. After a few seconds, the small part of her that was still alive knew that he had her in his arms. She could feel his arm under her head. It was her favorite spot in the whole world. It was kind of comforting to know that Hunter was with her. He would never want her, but maybe he still cared about her. Arabella tried to open her mouth, to tell him that she was sorry, but her mouth wouldn't move. Arabella wanted to tell him that she loved him and that she was happy, now. But then she felt Hunter put something in her mouth. It tasted like the pesto that Hunter had made for her. Slowly, it was like everything was coming back to her. She could really feel and hear things, not like they were from a distance. It was like waking up from a long sleep during the flu. Arabella's whole body ached. Her arm throbbed and her hands stung where the glass had cut her. Suddenly, she took a deep breath, a gasp, and her eyes flew open.
"Ellie...I-Oh, my gods!" Hunter didn't know what to do when he heard her start breathing again. He fed her another piece of ambrosia and she chewed on her own. "Ellie! I can't...why...You..." He held her tightly and smiled. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou." He whispered as he lightly rocked back and forth, cradling her in his arms. "What do you need, Ellie? I will give you anything you could ever want. Please, tell me." Hunter said. He never wanted to let go of her again.
Everything seemed brighter, louder and more real. The water and blood on her clothes and in her hair was making her shiver but the heat in Hunter's arms and body were keeping her warm. Arabella looked up at Hunter with weak and tired eyes before letting herself fall apart in his arms. Her body went limp and she pressed her face into his body, sobbing like she had never sobbed before. She didn't answer his question. She didn't know if she could even work her vocal chords. All she wanted was Hunter. But how could she tell him that? How could she tell him that the only thing she wanted was Hunter when he was going to go back to Philippa? "I'm sorry" she was able to whisper in a weak voice.
Hunter was so happy to see her alive that he didn't know what to say. "What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything wrong." He held her closely as he fed her another piece of ambrosia. "I shouldn't have...I'm the one who should be sorry." He kissed her lightly on the head before grabbing a towel and throwing it on top of her. He wrapped her up and rubbed her arms to try and get the blood flowing to the rest of her body. "Come on, Ellie. Let's get you out of this water. You need to rest." He helped her stand, but every time he let go even a little she would fall. "Come on. Up up." He said as he lifted her up into his arms. She was so light. "Ellie...I'm so sorry. Let's put you to bed and I'll make you something." He said quietly. He walked into her bedroom and set her gently on her bed before helping her get out of her wet clothes and into some dry ones, without looking, of course. "Lie down. Rest. I'll be right back."
Arabella let Hunter lift her into his arms and carry her off to her room. Part of her was angry at him. She didn't want to live but he had stopped her from doing that. Everything was just going to get much harder now. Hunter was probably going to feel like he needed to stay with her and stay in her life, so Arabella was going to have to see Philippa. But the rest of her was sad and afraid and incredibly alone. She was sore and tired and vulnerable and the last thing she wanted was to be alone. Hunter set her down on her bed and told her that he was going to be back. She shook her head and looked at him with broken eyes, tears falling down her cheeks softly "Please don't leave me" she whispered desperately.
Hunter nodded and sat down next to her in her bed. "I won't. I'm never gonna leave you." He whispered as he put an arm around her. Could he bring himself to confess his love to someone who had just tried to kill herself? That might make her feel worse. "Ellie, I..." He didn't know what to do. He always knew what to do. He always had some idea as to what to do and when he didn't he knew where to find out what to do, but now... "Ellie, I'm so sorry."
Arabella collapsed in his arms, leaning against him. She felt so small and weak. Hunter's arms around her felt so strong and protective. Arabella closed her eyes and took shaky breaths, trying to wrap her brain around everything that had happened to her and everything that had just happened. "Don't be sorry, please don't be sorry" she whispered and shook her head "This is all my fault. You don't need to feel guilty" she whispered and leaned into him more, hiding her face in his side "I didn't mean to hurt you"
Hunter shook his head and ran a few fingers through her hair. "Ellie, I don't care. I've been hurt plenty. What you did was nothing new, but I need to know that you're okay. You're the one who just tried to kill herself for Olympus' sake." He lightly rubbed her arms and looked at the wrist that she had cut. The bleeding had stopped and in place of the gash was a thin white scar. Without thinking, he lifted her arm and gently pressed his lips to her wrist. "You're alive." He whispered.
Arabella watched as Hunter lifted her arm to his lips and while her skin tingled with his touch, she looked up at him "I don't want to be" she confessed in a heart broken voice. Arabella let her arm fall out of his hand and she looked down, away from him and the look on his face. It was horrible to see the pain in his eyes. Arabella felt so tired from all of the blood loss. She felt like she could fall asleep and not wake up.
"Don't say that." Hunter said putting a hand under her chin. He raised her face to his and lightly kissed her forehead. "Ellie, you're...amazing. How could you do this to yourself and waste such a bright, beautiful, kind, and wonderful young woman like yourself? People would miss you. Your father would miss you. Everyone at camp would miss you. Everyone at your company would miss you." He brought her in for a hug. "I...would miss you." He whispered, gently kissing the top of her head.
"Oh, whatever, you're supposed to say that" Arabella whispered, trying to wipe the tears off of her face "No one would miss me" she added in a soft whisper, more of an undertone. Like she was talking to herself. Arabella looked down at her arm before closing her eyes "I'm not any of those things, Hunter. You don't need to lie and say those things to me to make me feel better"
Hunter was taken aback. Did she really think that he would just tell her what she wanted to hear? How could he say what he meant and make her know that he meant it? "Ellie, you know me better than that." He said quietly. "Don't you dare say that no one would miss you. I would miss you. I would miss you more and more every day after your death. Your funeral would break my heart over and over again until it was nothing. Everyday I would look at a picture of you and I would never stop missing you." Hunter held her in a hug briefly before letting go and standing up. "If you think that no one would miss you, than what am I doing here? I came here to tell-" He stopped himself and looked at her for a moment before clearing his throat. "I came here because I missed you."
He missed her. But he wouldn't love her. What he had written in that note were just words. Arabella wrapped her arms around her legs, pulling them up to her chest. The moment he let go of her, she felt empty and alone. She looked up at him and bit her lip "I missed you so much, Hunter" she whispered then put her forehead on her knees. After a few seconds of silence, Arabella took a shaky breath, trying to calm herself down and regain some of her composure "You should call Philippa. I'm sure she's wondering where you are by now" she whispered and looked up at him.
Hunter's heart sank. Had she seen him with her? She couldn't have known that he wished it was her the entire time. He shook his head and looked at her. When she said she had missed him he had sat down next to her and put his arm around her again. "Philippa and I...we're not...anymore." He said awkwardly. Could he give the reason without saying too much? "Ellie, I'm all yours." He said with a small smile before kissing her temple and gently rubbing her arm. He felt her shaky breaths in his side. She was so hurt. He didn't want to leave her. Ever.
When he said that he wasn't with Philippa, Arabella's heart leaped. He said that he was all hers. Arabella could stay in hunters arms forever. He made her feel warm, safe, protected. Arabella closed her eyes and let herself relax in his arms. "Everything hurts" she whispered to him and put her hand on her wrist, covering the thin scar "I'm sorry about Chad. I didn't know that you had written that note until it was too late" she confessed.
Hunter had almost forgotten about the note. "Oh uh..." He said quietly. Everything had happened so quickly, he didn't know what to say. He had written with the thinking that he might not see her again. He didn't entirely expect to have to talk about it. "It's okay. I don't want to talk about Chad. If I ever see him again..." He didn't know what he would do. The sound of his name made him want to break something. The sight of her crying on the couch holding her face with Chad standing over her. His fists clenched. Her dress askew. Hunter could feel his fingernails pressing into his palm. "You need to rest, Ellie. I'll be right here. Go ahead and sleep. We can talk more once you feel better." He said with a small smile.
Arabella looked up at Hunter and nodded softly. She was so tired and weak from all of the blood she had lost. Arabella's eyes were dry and sore from crying so much. Her whole body felt heavy. Arabella looked up at Hunter when he told her that she should sleep. She wanted to protest, to tell him that she wasn't tired and that she wanted to talk to him now. She was afraid that once she closed her eyes, he would leave. But she was already starting to fall asleep in Hunter's arms and she couldn't stop it. Arabella closed her eyes, leaning into him "Thank you, Hunter. For everything" she breathed before drifting off into a light sleep.
Hunter smiled gently as she fell asleep. It was about 1 in the morning and checking his watch made Hunter realize how tired he was. He gently rubbed her hair and lightly caressed the scar down her wrist. "I'm never going to leave you, Ellie." He whispered quietly to her before putting his head on hers and falling asleep.
"Ellie...I-Oh, my gods!" Hunter didn't know what to do when he heard her start breathing again. He fed her another piece of ambrosia and she chewed on her own. "Ellie! I can't...why...You..." He held her tightly and smiled. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou." He whispered as he lightly rocked back and forth, cradling her in his arms. "What do you need, Ellie? I will give you anything you could ever want. Please, tell me." Hunter said. He never wanted to let go of her again.
Everything seemed brighter, louder and more real. The water and blood on her clothes and in her hair was making her shiver but the heat in Hunter's arms and body were keeping her warm. Arabella looked up at Hunter with weak and tired eyes before letting herself fall apart in his arms. Her body went limp and she pressed her face into his body, sobbing like she had never sobbed before. She didn't answer his question. She didn't know if she could even work her vocal chords. All she wanted was Hunter. But how could she tell him that? How could she tell him that the only thing she wanted was Hunter when he was going to go back to Philippa? "I'm sorry" she was able to whisper in a weak voice.
Hunter was so happy to see her alive that he didn't know what to say. "What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything wrong." He held her closely as he fed her another piece of ambrosia. "I shouldn't have...I'm the one who should be sorry." He kissed her lightly on the head before grabbing a towel and throwing it on top of her. He wrapped her up and rubbed her arms to try and get the blood flowing to the rest of her body. "Come on, Ellie. Let's get you out of this water. You need to rest." He helped her stand, but every time he let go even a little she would fall. "Come on. Up up." He said as he lifted her up into his arms. She was so light. "Ellie...I'm so sorry. Let's put you to bed and I'll make you something." He said quietly. He walked into her bedroom and set her gently on her bed before helping her get out of her wet clothes and into some dry ones, without looking, of course. "Lie down. Rest. I'll be right back."
Arabella let Hunter lift her into his arms and carry her off to her room. Part of her was angry at him. She didn't want to live but he had stopped her from doing that. Everything was just going to get much harder now. Hunter was probably going to feel like he needed to stay with her and stay in her life, so Arabella was going to have to see Philippa. But the rest of her was sad and afraid and incredibly alone. She was sore and tired and vulnerable and the last thing she wanted was to be alone. Hunter set her down on her bed and told her that he was going to be back. She shook her head and looked at him with broken eyes, tears falling down her cheeks softly "Please don't leave me" she whispered desperately.
Hunter nodded and sat down next to her in her bed. "I won't. I'm never gonna leave you." He whispered as he put an arm around her. Could he bring himself to confess his love to someone who had just tried to kill herself? That might make her feel worse. "Ellie, I..." He didn't know what to do. He always knew what to do. He always had some idea as to what to do and when he didn't he knew where to find out what to do, but now... "Ellie, I'm so sorry."
Arabella collapsed in his arms, leaning against him. She felt so small and weak. Hunter's arms around her felt so strong and protective. Arabella closed her eyes and took shaky breaths, trying to wrap her brain around everything that had happened to her and everything that had just happened. "Don't be sorry, please don't be sorry" she whispered and shook her head "This is all my fault. You don't need to feel guilty" she whispered and leaned into him more, hiding her face in his side "I didn't mean to hurt you"
Hunter shook his head and ran a few fingers through her hair. "Ellie, I don't care. I've been hurt plenty. What you did was nothing new, but I need to know that you're okay. You're the one who just tried to kill herself for Olympus' sake." He lightly rubbed her arms and looked at the wrist that she had cut. The bleeding had stopped and in place of the gash was a thin white scar. Without thinking, he lifted her arm and gently pressed his lips to her wrist. "You're alive." He whispered.
Arabella watched as Hunter lifted her arm to his lips and while her skin tingled with his touch, she looked up at him "I don't want to be" she confessed in a heart broken voice. Arabella let her arm fall out of his hand and she looked down, away from him and the look on his face. It was horrible to see the pain in his eyes. Arabella felt so tired from all of the blood loss. She felt like she could fall asleep and not wake up.
"Don't say that." Hunter said putting a hand under her chin. He raised her face to his and lightly kissed her forehead. "Ellie, you're...amazing. How could you do this to yourself and waste such a bright, beautiful, kind, and wonderful young woman like yourself? People would miss you. Your father would miss you. Everyone at camp would miss you. Everyone at your company would miss you." He brought her in for a hug. "I...would miss you." He whispered, gently kissing the top of her head.
"Oh, whatever, you're supposed to say that" Arabella whispered, trying to wipe the tears off of her face "No one would miss me" she added in a soft whisper, more of an undertone. Like she was talking to herself. Arabella looked down at her arm before closing her eyes "I'm not any of those things, Hunter. You don't need to lie and say those things to me to make me feel better"
Hunter was taken aback. Did she really think that he would just tell her what she wanted to hear? How could he say what he meant and make her know that he meant it? "Ellie, you know me better than that." He said quietly. "Don't you dare say that no one would miss you. I would miss you. I would miss you more and more every day after your death. Your funeral would break my heart over and over again until it was nothing. Everyday I would look at a picture of you and I would never stop missing you." Hunter held her in a hug briefly before letting go and standing up. "If you think that no one would miss you, than what am I doing here? I came here to tell-" He stopped himself and looked at her for a moment before clearing his throat. "I came here because I missed you."
He missed her. But he wouldn't love her. What he had written in that note were just words. Arabella wrapped her arms around her legs, pulling them up to her chest. The moment he let go of her, she felt empty and alone. She looked up at him and bit her lip "I missed you so much, Hunter" she whispered then put her forehead on her knees. After a few seconds of silence, Arabella took a shaky breath, trying to calm herself down and regain some of her composure "You should call Philippa. I'm sure she's wondering where you are by now" she whispered and looked up at him.
Hunter's heart sank. Had she seen him with her? She couldn't have known that he wished it was her the entire time. He shook his head and looked at her. When she said she had missed him he had sat down next to her and put his arm around her again. "Philippa and I...we're not...anymore." He said awkwardly. Could he give the reason without saying too much? "Ellie, I'm all yours." He said with a small smile before kissing her temple and gently rubbing her arm. He felt her shaky breaths in his side. She was so hurt. He didn't want to leave her. Ever.
When he said that he wasn't with Philippa, Arabella's heart leaped. He said that he was all hers. Arabella could stay in hunters arms forever. He made her feel warm, safe, protected. Arabella closed her eyes and let herself relax in his arms. "Everything hurts" she whispered to him and put her hand on her wrist, covering the thin scar "I'm sorry about Chad. I didn't know that you had written that note until it was too late" she confessed.
Hunter had almost forgotten about the note. "Oh uh..." He said quietly. Everything had happened so quickly, he didn't know what to say. He had written with the thinking that he might not see her again. He didn't entirely expect to have to talk about it. "It's okay. I don't want to talk about Chad. If I ever see him again..." He didn't know what he would do. The sound of his name made him want to break something. The sight of her crying on the couch holding her face with Chad standing over her. His fists clenched. Her dress askew. Hunter could feel his fingernails pressing into his palm. "You need to rest, Ellie. I'll be right here. Go ahead and sleep. We can talk more once you feel better." He said with a small smile.
Arabella looked up at Hunter and nodded softly. She was so tired and weak from all of the blood she had lost. Arabella's eyes were dry and sore from crying so much. Her whole body felt heavy. Arabella looked up at Hunter when he told her that she should sleep. She wanted to protest, to tell him that she wasn't tired and that she wanted to talk to him now. She was afraid that once she closed her eyes, he would leave. But she was already starting to fall asleep in Hunter's arms and she couldn't stop it. Arabella closed her eyes, leaning into him "Thank you, Hunter. For everything" she breathed before drifting off into a light sleep.
Hunter smiled gently as she fell asleep. It was about 1 in the morning and checking his watch made Hunter realize how tired he was. He gently rubbed her hair and lightly caressed the scar down her wrist. "I'm never going to leave you, Ellie." He whispered quietly to her before putting his head on hers and falling asleep.
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