"Hunter..." I breathed out and he turned his head towards me. "I need to know about Zachariah." I stared at him. 

I felt him shift uncomfortably and he sat up. I didn't bother sitting up, so I just kept lying down. Besides, I was feeling really weak due to the wound. Hunter breathed out and I felt as if he was fighting with himself whether he should tell me or not. Hunter his trust in me would be confirmed once he told me everything about himself. I wouldn't be shocked if he told me that he actually killed people, because he already confessed that he is a murderer. 

Is Zachariah the reason why Hunter considered himself a murderer? Did he really kill other people aside from his parents? That could be. I continued staring at Hunter, giving him his time to make himself ready to drop the bomb. Maybe it's not that bad though; maybe I'm just over exaggerating. I sat up and looked at Hunter. His blue eyes stared into my green ones as I took his hands in mine. I could feel him relax a little. 

"Look, Hunter, you can tell me whenever you're ready. You don't have to push it. I can wait." I said and he sighed. 

"No, you have the right to know everything, but to be honest with you, I'm scared that once you find out who I was, you'll go away and leave me alone." he said and for the first time, I saw hurt and fear in his eyes. 

I chuckled humorlessly. "You said it yourself, you were that person. You're not that person anymore. And as far as it goes to me leaving, I don't think you'll be able to get me out of your hair that easily." 

He chuckled and rubbed his eyes. "You're right. How would I be able to get rid of someone as annoying as you." he sighed dramatically, making me gasp and hit him on his upper arm. He narrowed his eyes at me, but soon his playfulness was gone and he became all serious. "I was part of the mafia, Zoe." he said all of a sudden. 

Yeah, I got that hint already. 

"I think I figured that out already." I nodded in acknowledgement.

He chuckled. "Anyways, it started when Blaze got admitted to the hospital. I needed the money. I met Zachariah when I was just a kid. He saw me crying on the street. I have no idea how he talked me into it. It's probably because I needed the money for Blaze's treatment. I was getting enough money, but it felt horrible. Seeing people die everyday—in fact, I killed most of them myself. I was the best Zachariah had. I didn't care about anything anymore. The only thing I cared about was Blaze's life. I was so scared to lose her. She was the only one I had left." he rubbed his face in frustration. "I have no idea how Blaze found out about all this. She told me she received a call from an unknown number and the person told her that I was a..." Hunter stopped for a few seconds. "...criminal." he continued. "I told her that I was doing it for her, but she didn't listen. She told me to quit it, or else she was going to end her life herself." 

"And you quit." I breathed out, a small smile forming on my lips. 

"Yeah, I did." he frowned. 

That does explain a lot though. Him being in a mafia gang made him care less about people. He killed people without even thinking about their loved ones. It kind of sent a shiver down my spine. All the people he killed had people that looked forward to seeing them. They might even have had their own families. 

"I regret doing everything I did now." Hunter pulled me out of my thoughts. "I was doing it all to save my sister. And now, because I don't have the money yet, the doctors refuse to do the last surgery. They know that that would save her, but they refuse to do it, because I don't have enough money. I still need ten thousand." he swallowed. 

I gave his hand a squeeze. "We're going to find a way, Hunter. We will save Blaze." 

---

 I felt someone hug me from behind as I walked to the library. I grinned  and turned around, thinking that it was Hunter, or even Dylan, but my smile fell when I saw Alyssa. I jerked her hands off me and she frowned. I gave her a blank look and walked into the library. I always loved books, and I doubt that I would ever be able to live without them. I rubbed my eyes and walked over to one of the bookshelves, looking for a good book. 

"Why are you doing this?" Alyssa appeared. "Tony is not at my house!" she huffed. 

"I don't care. But I sure as hell do know that you know where he is. He can even be out of the country, and you know it. Don't lie to me, Alyssa. Tony was someone you loved more than you cared about me, so you know where he is and what he's planning. You might even have told him that I'm still alive." 

"Yes, I do know where he is, because he left his address for me. But I swear, he is not at my house." she said and I sighed. 

"Look, Alyssa. I don't care that much about this anymore. I just can't wait for the day Tony appears in front of me, and as for our friendship, I don't think that I'll still be able to see you as the person I used to. You have ruined everything." I said and her jaw hung open. 

I rolled my eyes and continued looking for a good book. 

"But, Zoe! I didn't do anything wrong! I was just caring! I didn't want you to be around Hunter." she said, making me scowl at her. 

"Oh please. Didn't you notice how happy I am with Hunter!? Hunter made my life better. He cares for me just like my parents did. Something that Tony never did!" Tears streamed down my face. "All Tony ever did was hurt me. Hurt me in ways no brother would ever do. He scarred my body, my mind, and my soul, Alyssa. I never told you..." I sniffed. "I never told you anything. I kept acting like I was happy. But now I'm happy for real. Hunter is all I ever wished for." 

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I just ran. I ran out of the library, away from Alyssa. She was right. None of this was her fault. She didn't know anything, she was just trying to help me. But all she did was making it worse without her even knowing it. I could feel my face burning red as I cried. I have no idea why I was crying. I ran out of the school's property and ran further, to the park not far from the school. I sat on one of the benches, pulled my knees to my shoulder and cried. 

Perhaps it was all the pain I ever endured that made me cry. I feel so messed up right now. All the nightmares I get every night, all my random breakdowns, all my depression... Hunter was enduring all this without ever complaining. I didn't want to be a burden to Hunter. He already had so much to worry about. He had Blaze to take care of, and now that I'm in his life, everything is just more complicated. 

***TRIGGER WARNING*** I DO NOT SUPPORT SELF-HARM! PLEASE DO NOT GET ANY WRONG IDEAS!!***

People walked past me, giving me weird looks. I almost wanted to chuckle at how pathetic I might be looking right now. Just a random girl in the park, sitting on the bench and crying about the stupid teenager problems I have. I feel so sad for myself. I sniffed and wiped the tears away, but they just started flowing again. The last thing I wanted was for a fucking waterfall to flow down my fucking cheeks. I took my bag and unzipped the small pocket of my backpack. I fished in the purse pocket and took out the small razor wrapped in a piece of paper. A hiccup released from my mouth as I stared at the paper with a razor wrapped in it. 

No, you can't do this. This is wrong. 

But it feels so right. All the pain, I am able to end everything right now. I can end everything right now. Hunter will have no problem handling a messed up girl anymore. He will only have to care about Blaze. I swallowed. I have the power to end everything right now. No more depression, no more sadness; no more nightmares, no more pain; no more Tony, no more life. It all lies within my hands now. With this small razor, I can end everything within minutes. 

Don't do this, Zoe, the voice in the back of my head told me. I could end all of this... 

"Zoe!" a voice pulled me out of my thoughts. 

I looked in the direction where the voice came from and my heart started pounding when I saw Hunter running towards me. I took a moment to actually have a proper look at him. He was wearing black skinny jeans with a white shirt and a blue and white checkered button-up shirt, unbuttoned. I gulped as I saw him approaching me and I quickly threw the razor in my bag. Hunter kneeled down in front of me, his face showing nothing but worry. The tears were still streaming down my face and the hiccups were still there. Hunter cupped my cheeks and looked at me straight in the eyes. 

"What's wrong, Zoe? Why are you crying?" he wiped the tears off my face, but that was no use since the tears started running down my cheeks again. 

"H-how did you k-know I was h-here?" I managed to say between the hiccups and sniffs. 

"Alyssa told me." he said and sat down next to me. He took the bag from my hands and placed it next to him. "Now, why are you crying?" he asked once again and the tears started to flow even more now. 

"H-Hunter, all of this is my fault..." I breathed out. 

"What is your fault?" he frowned and I sniffed again. 

"Everything. My parents their death, Tony turning into a psychopath... Everything is my fault. Now I'm nothing but a useless burden. I'm making your life horrible." I sniffed. "Aren't I?" I violently started wiping the tears from my face. "I am so stupid! I am nothing but depressed and insecure. I hate myself." I cried. 

Hunter quickly pulled my hands away from my face and held it as far away as possible. He cupped my cheek with one hand while holding my hands with the other one. "Zoe, you're not a burden. There is a reason why I chose you, and nothing is ever going to change that. I have taken full responsibility of you and nothing is changing that either. You're not stupid, Zoe. You're one of a kind, There is no one like you and there probably will never be." he said and I looked up at him. "I told you, Zoe, you're mine and I will keep you safe." 

I couldn't hold myself back and I grabbed his shirt and hugged him as I sobbed on his chest. He hugged me back and kept holding me until I was calm again. I have no idea how he did that. I have no idea how he always manages to calm me down. I pulled away from him and he wiped my tears from my face.

He grabbed my bag and stood up, picking me up bridal style. I giggled. "Come on. Let's get you back to school." he kissed my forehead. 

This idiot. 

---

Now, wasn't that sweet? 

He didn't smile tho... BUT HE STILL WAS THERE FOR HER. 

I wish I had a Hunter *frowns* but I will never have one lol xD Anyways, I hoped you guys enjoyed the story and I will update soon. It is possible that the next chapter is going to be a cliffhanger and probably a deadly one too. I SWEAR I WILL RUN AWAY AND YOU WILL NEVER FIND ME!!!! 

Hehehe, I'm fucked up :) [that smile is supposed to be creepy by the way.] I can't wait to see what you guys have to say in the next chapter when the cliffhanger is there. You guys gon' kill me for real. I'll go for now and wait until the next chapter lol. I see you guys soon. I seriously hoped you guys enjoyed this. Thank you all so much for all the reads and votes. I really didn't think it was worth it. Thank you so much <3