Michael ignored her and Hera glared at him in return. She knew why her plea for help got royally ignored. Because it’s Samantha, who’s troubling her and the bitch was one among them. Why would they go against their own friend? But very conveniently they would come raging war against Hera if she even glanced at a boy. Just like as Samantha said earlier.

“Why are you so special, Hera?” Samantha asked, demanding Hera’s attention. Hera didn’t know what to do with her. She’s too drunk, and it’s useless to expect her to behave.

Samantha gave Hera the once-over and grimaced. Her face scrunched up in disgust as though Hera was a dirty litter. Honestly, Hera couldn’t blame the girl. She grew conscious in the presence of Hunter’s friends.

.

Samantha was beautiful in the hot way boys prefer. Not an ounce of unwanted fat found anywhere on her tall, slim body. She had worn her long, curly ash-blonde hair into a twisted side ponytail. It rested gracefully on her shoulder, and the short bangs on her forehead made her look innocent.

Her short, button nose, full lips, fair skin with pink undertones, her baby-blue eyes, everything contributed more to her attractiveness. Her black tight short skirt had a slit on one side, and she had matched it with a pink silk slip top. From head to toe, she was sexy. If Evelyn was a fairytale princess, then Samantha was no less than a Disney Barbie. Hera couldn’t figure out what made Samantha so insecure in front of her.

“What’s so special about you, Hera? I don’t know what he sees in you,” Samantha said, and this time her tone certainly sounded clueless. Sometimes, Hera too wondered the same. She had been just plain, ordinary, simple. In short, no match for Samantha’s gorgeousness. “You don’t even know how to please him. Look at yourself, Hera, you’re such a child. All you do is bother him. A crybaby, that’s what you are,” she said, and her scowl deepened.

Hera sensibly thought she would rather shut her mouth than provoke her. Samantha waved her hands in every direction gesturing Hera to look around. “He planned all this. Everything was his idea. Needless to say that the money came from his own pocket. Ace wanted to make you feel special and please you,” Samantha revealed and laughed as if mocking her. “What a pity! In the end, the host himself couldn’t make it to his party.” She clapped her hands gleefully.

The satisfaction she’s trying to fake, only made Hera pity her. Then she went silent, her head and upper torso lying comfortably on the table in a sleeping posture. Thinking that she’s passed out, Hera tried to touch her to wake her up, when she suddenly spat in anger shocking Hera. “Do yourself a favour, Hera. Go die somewhere before I strangle your neck,” she said, and her baby-blue eyes turned a shade darker in anger before they shimmered with unshed tears.

Hera wanted to reach out and help, but the unwelcoming look on her face made her back off. Samantha yelled for her to leave, and Hera’s feet took off.

Eric gave her a look when she walked past him. His silent glare asked, “Where are you going without my permission”. Hera wanted to roll her eyes but decided against it. “I’m calling it a night,” she said over her shoulder and left. She was tired and just wanted to sleep peacefully until morning. She left that “supposedly her welcome party” and walked into the house through the back door.

Some of the junior students were already dozed off because of the high quantity of Booze they had consumed. Of course, Hera had no idea who they were as she never spoke to them. They’re Hunter’s friends, not hers. Some of them lost in a deep sleep in the guest rooms they’d occupied downstairs. Some were dry-humping, or whatever they were doing, she ignored them all and ran upstairs hastily. If there’s any safe place in this mansion where nobody would disturb her peacetime, it’s the bedrooms upstairs.

She walked up to the one she was searching for and swirled the doorknob. Luckily, she found it unlocked. She entered the room and locked the door from inside. Eyes closed, she inhaled sharply to calm her racing heartbeats. But the intoxicating scent surrounding the room only made her heart more restless.

His natural scent, the aftershave and the cologne he used seized her sanity. It’s him she smelt everywhere. Hera slowly slid down the door she was leaning against. She’d slept countless times on this bed.

She was in Hunter’s bedroom. 

Her eyelids pried open, sinking into every inch and every detail of the room. Flood of Memories started pouring out of her heart. She hugged her knees to her chest, resting her chin on her folded hands.

Hangovers were for the drunk people to experience the morning after. Hera didn’t drink, but yet she could detect the headache lurking around her temples. It was a hard day, and she’s too tired to stand on her legs for another minute.

The distance between her and the bed was not that long, but she couldn’t move an inch. She felt as though something heavy tied around her ankles held her glued to the spot. Hera felt that heavy tugging in her chest too. The headache was getting worst, and Hera let her mind wander to distract it from the throbbing pain. She recollected the day’s events and felt sorry for herself because she spent half of the day crying and the rest went by enduring humiliation.

Hunter was not there to trouble her, yet she went through all the same torture.

They’d been bullying her and causing trouble for her since the day they met. Hera realised that it’s high time she should take control of her life. She wouldn’t let them treat her like a slave, and definitely, she wouldn’t let Hunter walk all over her like she’s some old, used doormat. No, not anymore.

She needed to get away from this place and him. Samantha said she’s a crybaby and Danny implied the same. Were they wrong when they thought of her as pathetic? Hera realised that it’s admittedly pitiful of her because despite everything she still gave Hunter so much power over her life.

How did she allow his presence to affect her so much? She needed to stop grieving over him. Hera made a promise to herself that she would never cry for him ever again.

It’s time to get rid of the bitter past from her memories and to make new happy ones. Sure, they wouldn’t let her have a boyfriend. It shouldn’t matter as she would have plenty of time for the boyfriend in the future. For now, her focus should be on carving a simple happy life for herself.

“I can’t let Hunter bully me forever,” Hera whispered to herself. Determined to do what she wanted with her life, she crawled into the bed. “The first thing to do in the morning is to get out of here,” she muttered, resting her head on the soft pillow.

But Hera couldn’t sleep a wink that night.

Whenever she visited this place, she always slept in his bedroom. They hugged and cuddled on this very bed. Hunter used to say that a husband and wife should sleep together and that they do more than cuddling and kissing. Naive Hera always believed him and obeyed his every command. He used to kiss her Goodnight and in the morning greeted her with a kiss.

It was just a peck on her cheeks and lips until her twelfth birthday.

After her twelfth and his fifteenth birthday, he asked her permission to kiss her the way he wanted to kiss her. That had been his birthday gift. The peck got replaced by smooch since then. He taught her how to kiss, here on this same bed.

That’s what Danny meant when he said, she sleeps with Hunter on his bed. Now that Hera remembered, Hunter did take pictures of them kissing and sleeping together.

Every time after kissing her, Hunter would ask how did she feel about it. Hera never knew how to answer that question. All she could feel was a tickling sensation, everywhere his lips and hands touched. Other than that, the only feeling she could identify was the feeling of being close to him, to be kissed by him with love. Hera felt safe in his arms because she always believed that he’s her home.

One day, out of the blue, Hunter confessed that he wanted to do more than kissing. He desired to touch her, but Hera wasn’t ready, and she felt awkward by his unexpected request. Hera thought it was absurd. He’s the one who educated her about what the husband and wife do in the bedroom. Hera was innocent and scared to death. Hunter wanted to ease her fears, so he promised her that they would wait for their wedding night, and he would never do anything to hurt her.