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As I walked past the shells I noticed more letters on them I looked back at the ones I’d already passed and read ‘This was’ I took a few ot to the top of the stairs and more seashells but no Hunter

There were fourteen stairs; each held a letter that spelled out ‘I’ in the kitchen, hands in his front pockets, hat backwards, leaning against the counter His long sleeve T-shirt stretched tight across his broad chest, tattoo peeking out at the collar of his shirt

"Hi," he said with a sad smile

I looked up into the blue eyes that I’d e of crying, but I didn’t want to do it in front of him "Hi"

"I’m sorry" He said bashfully I know he is; I can see it in his eyes We were dealt a shitty hand and Hunter thought he was doing his best to protect Ryder and me

I huffed, "I read," then looked back towards the steps

He didn’t try to take a step closer and I was thankful for that because I wouldn’t be able to form a sentence, let alone think clearly

"This wasn’t my idea I was ambushed into it just like you I’ll leave as soon as one of theets back with a car" Hunter explained

My heart rate sped up I didn’t want hied my shoulder "It’s okay, it’s your house"

I walked into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water froe

She was so close, I just wanted to reach out and hold her She grabbed a bottle of water then went to sit at the kitchen table

"Where’d you get the shells?" She asked Figures she’d catch on to that

"You aren’t the only one that collects therandma did too There’s still a box of thee closet"

Da brown hair, clear blue eyes, it was like watching the ocean in her eyes She was dressed in tight ass jeans and a crea the ht colored loss stuff that made her lips shimmer

She shook her head, turned to look the other way and whispered, "I’m sorry too" She looked so broken, so lost I never wanted to put that look on her face again

I went and sat across fro with the label on her bottle "You don’t have any reason to be sorry, CC I should’ve told you fro like this froht I would lie awake and think how stupid it was that I hadn’t told her I knew she’d understand; she’s theperson I know

"I’s your father put your fah No one deserves that" She said as she looked me in the eyes

I reached across the table and took one of her hands inher to remember what it meant to us, "I can conquer the world with one hand…"

"As long as you are holding the other," she finished for me