~Hunter's POV~
     I woke up early the next morning still laying on the floor. Ashley was still curled up next me.
     Her breathing was slow and there was a little furrow in her brow from her dream. Despite all that happened last night, she looked peaceful.
      Usually after sleeping on the ground, I have an ache in my back. This time, I don't. I was perfectly comfortable laying down with Ash beside me.
      Obviously I'd be comfortable with any girl by my side in the morning, Ash was nothin special.
       Reluctantly, I sat up and the warmth of Ashley's body quickly evaporated. I stretched out and yawned.
        I stood up and paused for a moment. I looked down at the ground.
How is she still sleeping?
     I rolled my eyes. I couldn't just leave her like this. I sighed.
     I crouched down and scooped her up into my arms. She instinctively wrapped her arms around my neck and laid her head on my shoulder.
     "Don't worry...The elves will save us..." she mumbled in her sleep. I had to fight the urge not laugh out loud. What was she doing dreaming about heroic elves? 
      "But the pixies are after us!" I whispered in order to influence her dream.
     It took a few seconds, but she finally shifted around and mumbled, "Its okay...Queen Glenda stole their magic..."
     I smiled. What a little kid.
     I carried her bridal style up the rest of the stairs and into my bedroom. I gently laid her down on the bed. I pulled the covers over her and tucked her in like the child she was.

     She'll probably want clean clothes when she wakes up, I thought to myself.

     I opened my dresser drawers and pulled out a random T-Shirt of mine. I walked to my sister's old room and found some athletic shorts and grabbed them.

     I left them at the foot of the bed and nodded to examine my work.

     She'll be fine.

     I grabbed my phone and texted Patrick to meet me to hang out. I left the room and my house and climbed into my car. I sped away without a second thought.
~~~~~~

~Ashley's POV~
     I woke up sometime in the morning with a splitting headache. I sat up groggily and surveyed my surroundings.

     I was surprised to find myself in Hunter's room. When did I get up here?

I looked around and realized that he had actually cleaned up. Clothes were off the floor, picture frames were straight, and all his dresser drawers were shut.

I swung my legs up and stood up on the ground. I immediately fell over and landed on my face. "Ow..." I groaned.

Apparently, my legs had forgotten to wake up with the rest of my body. I actually fell out of the bed. Smooth.

I was still in the uncomfortable clothes that I was wearing last night. I noticed a shirt and shorts at the end of the bed. There a was a little piece of paper on top of it and I frowned.

I walked over and the paper said:

Went out.
-Hunter

I rolled my eyes. Of course he left. At least he had the decency to leave me some clothes.

I quickly changed into the shorts and threw the shirt over my head. The shirt was clearly too big for me, but I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty comfortable.

I walked downstairs and grabbed my keys off the table where I had left them the night before.

I walked out the door and over to my house. As I unlocked the door my dad shouted at me, "Hey Sweetie, where were you last night?"

"Hey Dad. I spent the night at a friend's house," I replied.

"You should really tell me these things..." my dad trailed off.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry," I shrugged and made my way upstairs.

I walked into my room and threw my keys on my desk. I yawned and turned around and jumped in surprise, "RACHEL!" I screamed.

She was just sitting on the edge of my bed smiling evilly at me.

"You scared me," I whined and she laughed.

"Good," she said seriously, "You deserve it."

I sighed and frowned, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what were you thinking? Hanging out with Hunter all night! You knew Alex was insecure about that!" She yelled.

I breathed deeply and looked down at the ground. She didn't know yet.

"Alec and I broke up," I said quietly.

Her features instantly changed to sympathy and regret. She sighed and walked over to me. She gave me a big hug and laid her head on my shoulder. "What happened?"

"Well, like you said, I was hanging out with Hunter. And Alec walked in on us in an intimate position that was purely platonic, it just didn't look that way," I breathed.

She nodded. "Are you sure it was purely platonic?"

I blinked. Rachel knew me better than anyone. She knew that it wasn't totally innocent. I knew it too. Although, it was just because of the position we were in, no emotions involved.

"It doesn't matter," I said at last.

She shook her head at me and sighed, "Are you going to say it?"

I frowned. What was she talking about?

She rolled her eyes and chuckled, "Don't play dumb," she laughed.

"I'm not playing?" I said with confusion.

"God, you're so freaking difficult sometimes, Ash," she said with her exasperation clear in her voice.

"You're not a walk in the park either," I said defensively.

"You're avoiding the elephant in the room..." she said with a sing-song voice.

"What elephant? You're actually being so annoying right now," I said rolling my eyes.

She gave me a look that said: Are you serious? "Oh please, just admit it!" She pressed.

"ADMIT WHAT?" I screamed back with desperation.

"THAT YOU LIKE HUNTER!" She announced.

I just about fell over.

I burst out laughing. I clutched my stomach and tears were starting to form.

Was she serious? I couldn't tell if she was joking. Okay, she definitely was. Me, like Hunter? Hahahahahahahaha, no way!

"Haha, good one, Rach!" I chuckled.

I looked over at her face and saw that she was not laughing. She was dead serious.

My smile faded and my face became twisted with concern.

"I'm not kidding, Ash. You really do like him," she said with wide eyes.

I shook my head back and forth violently, "No way. I do not like Hunter."

She looked at the floor and nodded. I couldn't believe she was saying this? How could this have ever crossed her mind?

     "Ash, c'mon. You know this is true," she pleaded.

     I shook my head. It isn't possible.

     "Do get a sick feeling in your stomach when you see him? Like it's doing backflips? Do you ever start shaking because you're thinking about him? Does he ever just randomly cross your mind? Is he always the first person you think of?"

     I kept shaking my head, but as she was speaking I started to realize, I did like him.

     I did get butterflies when I hung out with him. I did start shaking when I thought about him. Sometimes I think about what Hunter would say or what he would want.

     "No..." I whispered quietly.

     I can't like him! That would mean losing the Dare! That would mean humiliation and having to suffer through his taunts.

      "I...I like Hunter," I said softly. My eyes stared wide open at the ground in front of me.

      "Thank you," Rachel breathed a sigh of relief as she fell back onto my bed. "See, was that so hard?"

       I shook my head "no," but in reality, it was the hardest thing. Not because I'd lose the Dare, although that was a huge no-no, but because he would never like me back.