Shaking his head in disappointment, Hunter let go of her arm. He scoffed before asking, “Really, Love? Was I really abusing you? Be honest and tell me, did I seriously hurt you?” Hera averted her eyes from his accusing ones as she couldn’t bear the hurt pasted all over his face. She regretted her choice of words because Hunter never hurt her physically. But it’s not the time to back off. So she held onto her only weapon, anger. 

“You don’t have to get physical to hurt someone. Harassing mentally and playing with one’s emotions is the biggest torture, Hunter,” Hera said in a definite tone.

Hunter’s nostrils flared as he breathed in anger. Wrapping his fingers around Hera’s arm again, he dragged her back to her bed and made her sit. He stood leaning against her study table, arms folded around his torso. His expression determined while Hera’s looked confused. 

He spoke before she could ask what’s he doing.. 

“Let’s get done with it. Let’s talk, tell me what’s in your heart? I want to know where we stand in each other’s life. Just omit everything you’ve stored inside,” he said, surprisingly sounding calm, waiting as if he’d all the time in the world. Biting her bottom lip, Hera glanced at his intimidating stature. Her wandering gaze shifted to his crotch before it came up to his face. 

She knew that it’s too dangerous to provoke him at a time like that, yet her curious self couldn’t resist asking him. 

“Is that thing switching on again?” Her finger was pointing at his manhood. “Why don’t you touch it and check?” Hunter snapped, and his reply made her shut up. “Can we talk now?” He asked, sounding irritated. Hera took a deep breath before answering him. “What’s there to talk? I clearly know where I stand in your life and what my status is. Your friends made it very clear during my welcome party,” Hera said defeatedly. She couldn’t avoid this talk forever. 

Hunter frowned. “Keep my friends out of it for once, will you? And what are you talking about?” He asked. Though he looked annoyed, his tone sounded clueless. Hera laughed, ridiculing the confused look on his face. “Stop pretending, like you don’t know anything. I’ve read your messages, Hunter and your friends let me know, exactly what your intentions are,” Hera said, eying him in distaste while Hunter sighed in irritation. 

“Will you stop beating around the bush and get to the point? My patience level is limited, and you know it, Goddess, so stop testing it,” he snapped at her. 

“Aw, how sweet and understanding you are,” she shot back with sarcasm. One look at Hunter’s hardened, angry face, and Hera got the warning loud and clear. So she jumped right into the concerned issue without wasting any time. 

“Your friends labelled me as a certified whore, or at least that’s what they made me feel. Because they very confidently believe that now I’m willing to spread my legs for everyone, so anyone can come and fuck me if they want,” Hera stopped when he uncrossed his arms and glared at her.

“Hera,” he simply called her name, but she heard the warning in his tone. She laughed humourlessly. “What, Hunter? You don’t believe me?” 

‘Of course, he won’t ever believe me over his friends.’ 

That knowledge hurt the same it did all the other times, and Hera gulped down the sourness it spilt in her mouth. 

“I’ve read your messages in your group chat, and it was pretty obvious how untouched Hera and her virginity is your ultimate prize. It was so exciting to know how you’re going to enjoy getting into my pants, how excited you’re to scribble one more victory on your scoreboard. Oh, wow! How lucky I am to have the honour of becoming one of your sluts,” Hera said, intertwining her fingers in a praying manner, plastering a mocking happy grin on her face. 

“Shut up,” he shouted suddenly, making her flinch. “What the hell are you talking about, Hera? Are you even aware of what you’re saying? I wasn’t even here in the first place. How the hell would I know what my friends were discussing in my absence? I haven’t checked or replied to any of their messages,” he said defensively. His hands were clutching the edges of the table, and he was so angry it seemed like if not for the table, he would’ve smashed every other thing in her room. 

Hera was well aware of his bad temper. 

“Then what that party was for, Hunter? Why the whole school gets an invitation and why so much hype about my periods? Why, Hunter? Is it because now that my body reacts to your touch, do you want to sleep with me? Is that why your dick comes to life every time you touch me? Do you want to fuck me?” Hera asked, tone filled with disgust and anger. 

The way she asked her last question made him wince. 

“You know, Love, at least on some special occasions like this, you could spare me with a benefit of the doubt,” Hunter said softly. His eyes and his voice told her how much her words hurt him. “As I said, I wasn’t even here. That was supposed to be your welcome party. I planned it, even before school started. It was your first day of high school, and I wanted to make you feel special. I don’t know what happened in my absence, but at least give me a fair chance to prove my innocence,” he begged. 

He moved closer, and Hera stood up from the bed cautiously. 

Hunter looked straight into her eyes, a tiny smile playing at the corners of his mouth. That smile, squeezed Hera’s heart painfully because it was a sad, disappointed smile. She could feel the unmistakable pain filled in his eyes. 

‘He’s hurt, and I’m the one hurting him.’ 

“The way you implied I want to fuck you, you made it sound so cheap. You’re insulting my feelings for you, Goddess,” said Hunter, and though it hurt to see him so defeated, Hera still laughed at him. “Come on, Hunter, I was not born yesterday. If you don’t want to fuck me, then what else do you want to do? That thing in your pants is more than enough proof to prove your innocence,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone. 

She watched him clenching his fists in anger. She arched her eyebrows up and smirked, confirming that she’s mocking his so-called innocence. 

“Hmm, fucking sounds cheap, you say? What’s it, then? Yeah, right, it’s called making love, isn’t it, Hunter?” Hera asked. “So you want to make love to me? Now that I’m capable of producing offspring, do you want to make babies with me?” She sneered as she walked back to the mirror. She ran the hairbrush twice brushing her hair and gathered all her hair to one side. Since Hunter likes her hair down and free of hair ties, she decided to do the opposite. She’s going to do a side braid. 

Splitting the hair into three sections, Hera started to braid her hair. When finished, she placed an elastic band around the end of the braid, securing it. She was scowling the entire time. The silence suddenly made her realise Hunter was oddly silent. She turned around searching for him, only to find him standing, exactly where she left him. However, an amused smile was playing on his face while he had eyes fixed on her. 

‘He sure is bipolar.’

“Talking about babies now, are we?” He asked with a chuckle. “I assure you, we’ll certainly talk about making babies someday in the future. But now is not the right time, my Love. We’re too young for that discussion. We have a long way to go, but eventually, we’ll get there. When we’re officially married, we’ll think about making babies,” he promised. 

Hera glared at him with her murderous look. Her breathing rhythm changed into heavy and without blinking her eyelids, she threw the hairbrush at him using all her strength. It was so sudden Hunter couldn’t dodge it. He didn’t expect her actions to be so violent. It hit him right under his jaw on the left side before falling on his feet. He clutched his jaw, wincing in pain. 

“I hate you, Hunter. I really do. I hate you so much,” she said before leaning against the wall next to the mirror. She closed her eyes to hide her pain from him and bit her trembling bottom lip. A teardrop escaped through her left closed eyelid first and then another one from the right eye. His words hurt so much that she couldn’t stop the flow of tears. 

Hunter and Hera had talked about their future so many times in the past. They’d talked about their babies and dreamed about their happily ever after. But now it only made her feel as if he’s rubbing salt on her wounds.