✈ Hunter ✈

"Happy Birthday mum!!" I leant down for a quick peck on my mother's cheek. My mother giggled as she accepted the birthday present.

"Oh, you don't have to buy me anything, Hunter. I just want you to get along with your dad and Carter."

"Yes ma'am!"

"I'm being serious, Hunter."

"Me too, mum. Trust me." I winked at her which earned me an eye roll.

"Hey Hunter! Can you help me with this?" Carter peeked around the doorway. My mother gave me a push towards the door. I walked over to where Carter was tying the balloons.

"What do you need me for?" My question made Carter looked up with a grin.

"I was thinking if you can help decorate the garden with those balloons?"

I picked up the decorations and looked around for the perfect spot. Everyone were busy transforming our plain looking garden for my mother's birthday party. There wasn't a particular theme, we just want to fill up our place with my mother's favorite colours. Mainly purple and pink. Surprisingly, Carter and I worked well together for once. We finished decorating the garden and house in an hour.

"Hunter, since there's some time before the guests arrive, wanna have a chat?" I was seating on the steps leading to the first level as Carter came down from his room.

"What if I say no?"

"Oh c'mon Hunter.. Please?"

Once I heard the magic word, I immediately stood up and strolled down the remaining steps. No matter now angry I was with Carter, there would always be a limit. I have been giving Carter the cold shoulder, refusing to listen to his explanation. I mean when you've been framed for something you didn't do, of course you'll be super duper mad. Correct?

"Okay, you've got about ten minutes before the party starts." I gave my watch a long look, to emphasise that my patience also have a limit.

Carter took a deep breath in before opening his mouth to talk. "Sorry."

I was looking out of the front door when Carter dropped his unexpected apology. My eyes were instantly on Carter, however, he avoided my piercing gaze.

"Is that a confession? Because it sure as hell ain't long enough." I folded my arms against my chest.

"Listen, I wasn't the one who sneaked into dad's office," Carter said with a sigh. "Really." He insisted as he caught the doubt in my eyes.

"Then who?"

Carter immediately dropped his gaze and shifted uncomfortably under my intense glare. Another sigh escaped his lips as he ran a through his dark brown hair.

"Carter Quinn! You'd better start telling the truth! I'm sick and tired of your lies!" I warned in a firm and angry voice.

"Alright, alright. You know Trent the intern?" Carter continued as he saw the slight nod of my head. "He was found in possession of several of his colleagues' stuff."

"Wait what? He's stealing from his colleagues?" Disbelief masked my features as my head was shaking side to side.

"It's true."

"He must be one stupid thief. Leaving all the evidence in the office."

"Maybe," Carter's shoulder was lifted slightly. "Anyways, after cross referencing with the CCTV footage, he was the one who entered dad's office that night. Along with his admission of course."

For a moment, I didn't say anything. I was still trying to register everything that Carter just told me.

"Hey, I'm really sorry for not sticking up for you. I should be able to differentiate between you and Trent in that damn video." The look on Carter's face was so sincere, all the anger I had dissipated into thin air.

"Not only you, dad too," I said.

"Yeah.. That's why he want you to move back as soon as possible."

"No apologies?" One corner of my lips twitched up into a smirk.

"You wish. Dad's pride is as high as the tallest building on earth." Carter let out a rich, throaty chuckle as the tension between us slowly evaporated.

"Hunter! Your friends are here!" Our dad's loud voice boomed across the garden, travelled to our ears.

Carter went to double check if everything was in place. While I race out to find Tyler, Isabella and Amber having a conversation with my parents. Honestly, I was still angry with Amber after our last chat. But, seeing her today, wearing an orange, off the shoulder dress, a slow grin crept across my lips.

As I ambled down the steps of the porch, Amber glanced around and connected her gaze with mine. A small tentative smile was on her face. I kicked myself inwardly for being a jerk to her the last time we met.

My brows were slightly knitted together when I noticed Amber's pale face. When Amber saw me approaching them, she whispered something to Isabella and turned back to walk out of the garden.

I walked past Tyler and Isabella, to follow Amber. However, my mother's voice made me stop in my tracks.

"Hunter! Why aren't you greeting your friends?"

"Hi guys! Make yourself at home! I'll be right back!"

Without waiting for a response, I walked down the path which Amber had taken earlier on. I could not find Amber standing anywhere near my home. A few of my mother's friends came and I politely greeted them. After that, I started my quest for Amber.

I turned around a corner and heard someone calling for Amber. I started following where the sounds came from. When I found Amber, she was talking to Mrs Graham, living in the adjacent bungalow. I was about to say hi, but stopped myself short. I didn't want to interrupt them, so I took a few steps back to hide myself.

"How have you been, my dear? It has been what 6 or 7 years since your family moved away?" Wait, Amber lived around here before?

"It's already been 8 years," Amber said. "I'm fine, what about you and Uncle Sam?" 8 years? That's about the year my family moved here.

"Ha! I'm good. You know your Uncle Sam, he's always complaining about everything," Aunt Erica giggled at the thought of her grumpy husband.

"And that's what you love about him," Amber gave Aunt Erica a knowing look and she ended up laughing out loud.

"Why don't you come over for awhile? I bet Sam will be delighted to see you!" Aunt Erica reached over to hold Amber's hands.

"Really?"

"Of course you can, sweetheart! C'mon, let's go. Before your Uncle Sam started to complain how long I took to buy some groceries."

When I heard them approaching me, I quickly turn around and ran back to the party. Millions of questions darted around my brain, the only person who could answer them was Amber. But, they couldn't be answered right now.

My eyes kept glancing to the entrance, to check if Amber have returned. I decided to ask her all the questions from the moment she walked past those gates. Of course, not in front of everyone here.

Finally, after about 30 minutes, I saw her strolling past those guests that have just arrived. I immediately grabbed her hand and pulled her to the back garden. I tried to ignore how perfectly Amber's hand fit into mine. Amber was trying to pull away her hand, in response, I simply tightened my grip.

"Quinn! This is far enough! What the hell are you doing?" Amber made her point by yanking away her hand from mine. I felt a surge of disappointment when I lost grip of her small warm hand.

"Okay, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. But, you've lived in this area before?"

Amber snapped back her gaze to meet my eyes. She opened her mouth for a second before clamming it shut. I patiently waited for an answer, but there was something in Amber's reaction made me regret asking that question.

"If you don't want to answer, then it's alright," I said gently.

"Yeah I did live here once," Amber whispered.

"Which unit?"

Later on, the response I've gotten was way out of my expectation. Amber's lips started to tremble. Tears were formed at the brim of her eyes, threatening to spill out.

"Hey hey," I murmured and without thinking through, stepped forward and hugged her. I stroked my hand over her hair, to calm her down in case she really cried. Amber pulled away from my embrace as she wiped off an unwanted tear.

She cleared her throat and said, "Um, sorry for just now. I.. Okay wait." Amber took a deep, shaky breath in, to stop herself from quivering. "Yes, I've lived here till I was twelve."

I nodded my head as Amber's answer rolled around my mind. There was something odd in her choice of words. Then, I realised what's odd.

"Did you just say you've lived here? As in, in this house until you were twelve?" I hooked a thumb back to the house behind me.

Amber connected her gaze with mine before saying, "Yes."

A/N :
Hiii!! 😊 Things between Hunter and Amber seems to be getting more interesting now, isn't it? 😛 Tap on the vote, comment or share button, if you like this chapter! ❤