This gif above is of one of my favorite scenes in all of the High School Musical movies! I absolutely love them, and I don't care how old I am!;) Okay, sorry, carry on.

-Vivi Chung
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~Ashley's POV~

I was sitting on my bed just chilling and contemplating life. There are moments where I just sit and think.

I don't think about anything or anyone in particular, I think about everything and nothing.

Although, right now, I was thinking only about one thing. What I was going to do about my feelings for Hunter.

Of course, I couldn't tell him. I wasn't ready to commit suicide just yet.

My first instinct was to bury my feelings and never give them another chance. Then I thought, maybe I should think this through? Would I be worth my while? Then, I retrieved my sanity, and I'm back at burying and hiding my feelings for all eternity.

I will never tell another living soul that I had ever had feelings for Hunter. I could risk losing the Dare.

My phone buzzed beside me and I frowned. Who was texting me this late? Rachel left hours ago.

     I picked up my phone and pressed the home screen to turn it on.

     The green icon that signaled a text message popped up with an unknown number.

     I swiped left and the white loading screen opened up before me.

     When it finally finished, I looked at the text and my face instantly paled. It was from them.

     Anon: Hey there, have fun with Hunter last night?;)

     I frowned and furiously typed back: Who is this? Please stop texting me.

     Anon: Stop talking to Hunter. You should have nothing to do with him. 

     "Who is this? Why do you even care?"

     Anon: unless you stop, I will release information about you that you don't want anyone seeing.

      I gasped, what could this person possibly have on me? In fact, who were they?

     "Stop threatening me, or I'll come over and whoop your virtual ass," I typed back with a smirk. I wasn't going to let this stupid bully get to me.

     Anon: Haha, feisty, I like it ;). But I am serious, Stop now. Before I do something you're going to hate. Lots of lovexx

     I glared at my screen. I deleted the conversation and threw my phone across my bed in frustration.

      Why won't  this person leave me alone? What have I ever done? If they wanted Hunter so badly, they could go get him themselves!

     It was close to midnight as I laid on my bed while staring up at the ceiling.

      Tap, tap.

     I sat up and looked over at my window. Hunter smiled at me from the other side and I rolled my eyes.
    
     I reluctantly rolled out of my bed and opened the window. Hunter climbed inside and stood up.

     "Hey Sweetheart," he smirked, "What're you up to?"

     "Nothing that concerns you," I stated.

     "Oh Sweetheart, I bet it was the exact opposite! I'm sure you were thinking all about me," he winked.

     True. But he couldn't prove it.

     "What do you want, Hunter?" I sighed.

     "Come chill with me," he said. I gave him a look and he just shrugged. "You're he only one that's close enough or awake right now."

     I shrugged, "True. Okay fine, I'll come."

     I climbed out the window after him. We ran across the neighbor's roof  until we reached Hunter's house.

     He lead towards his treehouse and I followed. We climbed up a ladder and opened the trapdoor that lead up inside the treehouse.

     He hoisted himself inside and helped me get in after.

      We sat down on the deck and looked up at the stars. It felt like a very cliché moment, but I didn't mind.

     "Sometimes, I come up here to think. Some days are just fucking horrible, but it's peaceful up here," Hunter said to break the silence.

     I looked over in surprise, "Wow, the bad boy has a heart," I laughed.

     He playfully shoved my shoulder and shook his head smiling.

     "Tell me about it, this place," I said.

      He sighed. "My dad built it for me when I was little. I used to come up here all the time and play games. Now, not so much. It's usually too painful," he said, his voice lacking emotion.

     He's trying to put up walls.

     "What happened?" I asked quietly.

     "9/11. We were living in New York at the time, and he was just leaving one of the Twin Towers when it happened. They never found his body," he said quietly.

     I gasped, "Oh Hunter, I'm so sorry. That's so horrible." I placed a hand on my mouth. Tears were threatening to flow, but they didn't. It would take a lot more for me to cry.

     "It's not your fault," he said.

     I nodded. "Do you ever feel alone without him?" I asked. I knew this was a delicate subject, but I was finally getting to see the real Hunter.

     He nodded. "All the time. I have my sister, but she's off at college. My mom disappears for days at a time. In reality, I have no one."

I instantly shook my head and placed my hand on his shoulder. "That's not true," I stated with sympathy. "You have me."

He turned his head to look at me. He looked down at his shoulder. I realized that my hand was still there, but I didn't move it.

He stared at it for a little longer before looking away again. I felt him tense up under my hand, and I let go.

He sighed, "And I'm glad for that. Despite the circumstances we met under, I am glad we met."

I nodded. Within the next few minutes, we had come to a silent understanding. We didn't want to talk anymore. We just want sit and listen to the quiet. I could respect that, and I knew he could too.

We sat and watched the sky for what seemed like forever. It had a calming effect on us.

"Hey," I said as I placed my hand over his. He looked down at our touching hands and instantly pulled away. I frowned, but continued anyway, "What time is it?"

He gave me a side look and then moved his eyes back up at the stars. "It's time for you to leave," he said coldly. There was no emotion in his voice. Complete monotone.

My eyes widened in surprise. What had happened? Did I do something wrong?

I decided not to ask. "Okay, good night," I said as I climbed down the trapdoor. As I was climbing down the ladder, I realized that he hadn't even said bye back.

     I slowly made my way back to my house. I climbed inside my room and collapsed onto my bed.

I thought about everything Hunter had just told me. He seemed so sad about his dad. He truly feels alone. I bet all that bad boy crap is just a mask.

Eventually I fell asleep. I fell asleep with thoughts of Hunter and the past couple nights with him. Despite the break up and whatever act Hunter just pulled, they had actually been fun.

I knew that I was stupid for even liking Hunter the slightest bit. I would just end up hurt again.

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~Hunter's POV~

I continued to sit for another hour up in my treehouse after Ashley left.

I had to send her away. Something wasn't right.

Everything was going fine until I started talking about my dad. I don't know why I did, I never talk about him. Something about her made me want to spill my feelings out.

I felt so...vulnerable.

If the weirdness of my sudden gush of feelings wasn't weird enough, when Ash touched me, my skin flared up like fireworks.

I got so hot I swear I started to sweat. When she touched me, I went into shock.

Tingles ran up and down my arm and my pulse started to race. I had no idea what to do, but I knew that I didn't like this feeling.

It was new and uncomfortable. I don't know why it happened when Ash touched me, but I know that it won't happen again. I would never open my myself up and leave myself vulnerable like that again.

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~Ashley's POV~

I walked into school the next morning and looked around. I didn't see Alec anywhere.

I spotted Patrick and Rachel talking and I walked up to them, "Hey, guys," I said sighing.

"Hey, Where were you last night? I called you like three times," Rachel asked with concern.

I guiltily looked at the floor and she instantly knew. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You were with Hunter, weren't you?"

"So what if I was?" I snapped back.

"Hold on, why is this such a big deal?" Patrick asked.

"Ashley likes Hunter," Rachel said with a glint in her eye. I squinted at her but let it go.

"Wait, actually?" Patrick said. He laughed and shook his head, "This is priceless!"

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever, it doesn't even matter."

I looked up at Patrick. He was giving me a weird look and I frowned. "Yes?"

He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it. He opened it again with a frown and said, "What were you two doing?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. We just went up to his tree house and talked about his dad-"

"You went up in his tree house?" Patrick interrupted.

I nodded, "Yeah. Is that so weird?"

"You're telling me, that you actually went up in his treehouse and talked about his dad? With him?" Patrick repeated.

"Yes, Patrick, I did," I said putting a hand over my face. A headache was starting to form.

"Is that a bad thing?" Rachel asked with confusion.

Patrick shook his head. "No, it's just weird. Nobody has been up in his tree house since his dad died when he was kid. The only time Hunter has ever talked to us about his dad was when he was still alive."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Patrick gave me a slow nod. He looked at me wearily. I looked over at Rachel and she looked just as confused as I did.

"Hunter must really like you," Patrick said finally.

I took a deep breath and glanced sideways.

Now what?

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Thank you so much for reading! Chapter seventeen will be up soon!

Follow my new Instagram @ Viviana.Chung <33

-Vivi Chung