» FIVE

» HUNTER'S POV

I found a small pebble on the ground and chucked it the window, and after a few moments Ace came waltzing out onto the balcony. "Oh, Romeo. Oh, Romeo. Wherefore art thou Romeo?"

"Down here, idiot." I grinned. "Send down the ladder."

"I don't think that's how it goes," Ace said. "Therefore, I shan't send down the ladder to thou."

"Nice Shakespearean talk. But just send down the rope."

"Not until you complete the scene." Ace smiled down at me angelically. "I know that you know it, Romeo."

"But you haven't finished your lines, Juliet."

"Ugh, fine. I'm sending down the ladder." He retreated into the room and came back with the long length of roping that we had fashioned into a ladder.

"Also, be a little more quiet, would you? We don't want to wake up Bunny. She's been mad at me ever since I forgot to do my laundry shift." I winced. She hadn't let me out of the orphanage for the entire weekend. It was pretty rough.

"I tried to cover for you on that one, man. So, where were you? Cassidy's?" Ace inquired as I stealthily climbed up the rope ladder.

"Nah, I'm done with Cassidy. I was with Summer Ramsey. You ever heard of her?" I asked.

"I've heard of a Bellamy Ramsey. He's two grades below me." Ace answered, and I remembered that he was only fourteen, and going to be a freshman in the fall.

"That's her brother. Anyway, that's who I was with. She's pretty great. We're working on the project Mr. Clyde gave us." I explained.

"What is that project about, anyways?"

"You'll see," I said vaguely, just wanting to get some sleep. "Talk to you tomorrow, Ace."

"'Night."

»»»

I awoke to the sound of our newest arrival, Ethan, wailing at the top of his tiny lungs. He was only five months old - and like any typical sob story, he was dropped off on the steps of the front porch in his little carrier without a trace of his mother.

But, then again, so was I. Although, I had a letter from my mom promising to come back and collect me on my sixteenth birthday.

Obviously, that never happened - unsurprisingly. I mean, my eighteenth birthday is next week and I haven't heard from her once. And I doubt she'll want to take care of me after I'm a legal adult. So, basically, I'll never know my parents.

"Hunter! We need you in the kitchen!" Bunny yelled from down the hall, and I groaned loudly into my pillow. "I still heard that! You know how thin the walls are!"
Rolling my eyes, I got up and realized that I hadn't even changed out of my clothes from yesterday. I shrugged and headed out to the kitchen.

"Where were you last night?" Bunny raised an eyebrow in my direction. "We missed you at dinner. And, after. When you were supposed to be on dishes duty."

"I was invited to dinner, and I decided it would be nice to stay."

"That wasn't your decision to make," Bunny reprimanded and I bit my lip in anticipation of her punishment. But it never came. She sighed. "Your bike is out back. Connor got it from the shop for you yesterday."

"Yes!" I pumped my fist. "Thanks Bunny!" I ran out the door before she could say anything else. Over the years, I've learned that I need to do that, otherwise I could be stuck there for hours on end.

"Ace, I'm gonna roll out so see ya!" I grabbed my helmet from its place on my bedpost and headed out to the back parking lot. There, in it's rightful place, was my Triumph Bonneville T100, which was basically my only prized possession - something that I guilted the orphanage into buying me for my sixteenth birthday.

I jumped as my phone vibrated against my leg - I forgot it was in there. There were at least twenty text notifications reading 'party tonight?' I ignored all of them and climbed on the bike to make my way to Summer's. I was serious when I told her that she was my top priority. I couldn't afford to fail Life Skills if I wanted to keep my scholarship. I signed my early decisions stuff in Junior year, so I couldn't screw up in Senior year.

I revved the engine, grateful to finally have my ride back after it being in the shop for an entire month. After a ten minute drive, I arrived at the house that I remembered to be Summer's. At least, I hoped it was. That would be kind of awkward if it wasn't. Dang, her house seemed even bigger today. It was like twenty times the size of the orphanage. Rich people, I thought with a grin. Maybe I should just rob Summer. Nah, that'd be too much effort.

I hopped off my bike and tucked the helmet under my arm, running up to her front door. I knocked, tapping a beat on the intricately carved wood. "COMING!" I heard Summer shout from inside, her footsteps getting louder and louder as she thudded closer. "Oh, hey, Hunter." She breathed as she threw open the door, casually leaning against the frame.

"Nice PJs." I smirked, taking in the eclectic outfit. She had on huge, purple, fluffy slippers that slightly resembled sheep - but I'd never be quite sure what they were. I mean, seriously, these things were more disfigured than Edward Scissorhands. As for the rest of the assemble... let's not talk about it. I'm pretty sure Summer had like -100 sense of fashion, even if they were pajamas.

"Thanks, I - wait, that was sarcasm wasn't it?" She caught on a little bit late and I stifled a laugh at how slow she was.

"It most definitely was," I winked and pushed past her, marching into the kitchen and opening up the fridge.

"Okay, come in then," Summer said snarkily and ambling in behind me. "Fine by me." I ignored the sass and pulled out the milk.

"Where do you keep your cereal?" I asked and started opening cabinets at random.

"Eat all our food too," Summer muttered under her breath. "See if I care."

"What was that?" I questioned as innocently as I could, shooting her a winning smile as she closed her eyes in what I assumed was frustration. I almost snorted over how easy she was to annoy.

"Oh, I said first cabinet to the left of the sink."

That I snorted at. "Liar."

"No, the cereal is definitely - oh, you mean...? Okay, fine. I didn't say that. Sue me." She held her hands up.

"Hunter!" Bellamy chose that moment to enter the room, his eyes dancing with excitement. "I didn't know you were coming this early!"

"Yeah, little man. We have the whole day to play FIFA." I opened the cabinet and retrieved the Cap'n Crunch.

"Hold up," Summer interrupted. "I thought you came over to work on our project, not get all bromance-y with my twelve year old brother!"

"We can work on our project too, but we don't have to do that 24/7, obviously," I gave her the you-should've-known-that look. "Hey, um, where are your bowls?"

"Check the dishwasher I think they're - you know what? Never mind. We need to work on this project, Hunter. We need to take this seriously. I know you don't want to fail anything because your whole future could depend on this one grade!"

"Whoa, Sum. Chill. It's like nine in the morning." Bellamy remarked and opened the dishwasher, getting out two bowls. "Can I get in on that cereal?" He turned to me expectantly.

"Sure." I poured in the cereal and milk into both bowls as Summer watched, clearly pissed. I faced Bellamy. "I think we're going to have to take a rain check on that match. Maybe some other time, okay?"

"Fine." Bellamy took his bowl and stormed back up the stairs, making me feel terrible.

"Thank you," Summer said quietly. "So, my parents left about an hour ago, and we have the next glorious month to do whatever the hell we want!"

"Whatever the hell we want." I repeated with a giant grin slowly spreading across my face. Maybe I would end up being better off in life if I robbed Summer.

"So... I was thinking we could just start out asking each other a bunch of questions that AREN'T the lame ones on the sheet." Summer suggested, looking at me inquisitively and I shrugged in response.

"Sounds good to me." I spooned some cereal into my mouth and almost choked.

"HUNTER DON'T DIE ON ME!" Summer screamed dramatically. "I mean, calling 911 would be too much work. I'd have to walk around the counter and pick up the phone and dial the whole number - wait, what's the number again?"

"You're not serious." I recovered from my cough attack.

"No, I'm not. Do you really think I'm that dumb?"

"Yes...?"

"Shut up, McCall. That was a rhetorical question." Summer sassed and I stuck out my tongue at her. "Wow, those are some sexy cereal bits."

"I know," I flipped my non-existent long locks of hair. "I can make anything sexy, to be honest."

"That's debatable."

 "Think what you want, but I know it's true," I wiggled my eyebrows. "I'll start the questions. What's your favorite memory?"

"Probably meeting Cara. I was such a loner as a kid. So when she moved here from Wisconsin in the fifth grade, I was surprised when she came up and started talking to me, of all people. I remember the first thing she said to me was 'why are you sitting all alone?' and when I told her I didn't have any friends she told me that everyone deserved someone. Ever since then, we've been inseparable." She admitted shyly. "What about you, Mr. Popular? What's your favorite memory?"

"Mr. Popular? That's the nickname you choose?" I evaded the question, my mind going blank. I didn't want to tell her about the orphanage situation, so I couldn't really give her a good memory from there... and other than that there wasn't really anything.

"Stop stalling and answer the question."

"New rule: you can't use the same question twice."

"Well I asked before the rule was set, so therefore you have to answer." Summer challenged.

"Um, yesterday. It was really nice seeing you with your family," I realized my slip up and rushed out, "You could say my parents are... distant."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Erm. Here's my real question," She stuttered out awkwardly. "What's something you've never told anyone before?"

"How about I just show you?"

a/n: it's a lil on the shorter side, but i wanted to get something out after such a long wait. sorry if it sucks

DEDICATED TO JessR11 FOR THE AMAZINGGG VIDEO TO THE SIDE!!!!!