?WINGLESS AND BEAUTIFUL?
?EPISODE 91?
“She didn’t tell me,” Hunter was quick to say in mydefense. “Just remember, Denise. Just because you thinknobody’s looking, doesn’t mean no one is. You’re on myradar. Always.”
“Seriously, Hunter?”
“It’s none of my business,” he told her. “But I hope youget out of that infatuation quickly. Buckley is bad news.”Denise glared at him and for a while I thought they weregoing to fight.
Then Denise sat back onthe couch. “Youdidn’t have to tell me. We’re done.”
“Oh my God, Denise. Are you okay?” I asked, sittingbeside her, putting a comforting arm around her shoulder.
“I’m okay. It kinda felt good that I didn’t have to hideanymore. Arthur’s no fun. He doesn’t get me.”
“What do you expect? He’s a generation older thanyou,” Hunter muttered.
I widened my eyes at him, warning him not to make itany worse.
“He’s only a couple of years older,” Denise argued. “Butanyway, we’re through.”
“Are you okay? I mean… are you upset about it?”
She shrugged. “I’m actually surprised I wasn’t as upsetas I thought I would be. I’m… okay.”
“Good. But… I’m here, if you ever want to talk.” I gaveher shoulders a reassuring squeeze.
“I know. But really, I’m okay.” She smiled back at me.
“Wait, tell me more about Chaise.”
I stared back at Hunter. He sighed and then he toldDenise everything that Chaise did.
“Holy crap!” Denise cursed. “I can’t believe he did that.”
“Me too,” I said.
“Would you ever forgive him?”
I shook my head. “I really don’t know.”
“The things we do for love, huh,” Denise breathed,looking thoughtfully into space.
I looked at Hunter and he smiled back at me.
“Yeah,” he said in a gentle tone. “The things we doindeed.” He gave me a wink.
“Except that I don’t think I was in love with Arthur in the first place,” Denise said thoughtfully.
“No,” I agreed. “I didn’t think you were.” I gave her anencouraging smile. “Don’t worry. You’ll find love soonenough. And it will be much more special than what you hadwith Arthur.”
It is true. Love happens when you least expect it to.
It happens in the most wonderful ways and to the least likelypeople.
Even when Hunter was blind, and he thought hewould be a burden to the person he was with, I still fell inlove with him.
Even when I thought my scars made me lookugly and monstrous and no one would even like me, Huntersaw the real me and thought I was beautiful enough to like, protect and love.Graduation was just around the corner and I was
anxious to receive acceptance letters from the universities I
applied to.
Soon after that, I received one of the best news of my life. I got in to MIT and also received financial aid.
Meredithwas quite relieved and happy. She really wanted the best forme because she thought I was brilliant and deserved goodthings in life, but she was afraid she could not afford to sendme to a good university.
Before I got the news of my acceptance at MIT, Hunterand I were having arguments about my university options.
He offered to lend me money to pay for my tuition, but Irefused to let him help me financially. He was already takingcare of me in many ways.
But I cannot receive any financialfavors from him. I made it clear to him that I wanted to besuccessful in life because I worked hard for it.
Not because Ihad a rich boyfriend, who was always looking out for me.
Hunter also chose to go to MIT, while Denise chose to goto Harvard. We all planned to share a three-bedroomapartment in Cambridge.
I intended to find a job to pay formy share of the rent. I knew Hunter already had some ideasin his head but there was no way I would allow him to makeme live in that apartment rent-free.
Soon enough, high school was over. I exited LeightonHigh with flying colors.
I stood in front of hundreds ofLeighton High senior students with my chin up as I deliveredmy valedictory speech.
When I finished, everybody stood upand cheered—including Chelsea Braxton and Don Winston.
Today, a week before Hunter, Denise and I set off toCambridge, Hunter asked me to spend the weekend with him in his lake house.
Meredith didn’t object. But before Iwent out of the house, she called, “Have fun. And be safe.”
I know what she meant. But she didn’t sound tooconcerned because she knew that Hunter and I were both adults now, and we were both responsible.
And during ourmany dinners with her, Hunter always dropped hints that heintended to marry at a very young age.
I also showed hermy gorgeous promise ring and told her what that ring meantto Hunter and me.
I was sitting on the passenger seat of Hunter’s Escaladeas we drove to his lake house. He reached out for my handand brought it to his lips.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
I nodded.
He gave my hand a gentle squeeze. He must havesensed that I was uneasy, but he didn’t say anything.
The truth is, I was nervous as he..ll, I was on the brink ofasking him to turn back the car.
True, we’ve been left alonebefore in the lake house, and Hunter had spent many nights on the couch of our house whenever Meredith had anovernight shift.
But still, this weekend at the lake house feltdifferent.
For this trip, I didn’t know what to expect. But God knows I’m ready. And I do not want to share myself withanyone else but Hunter.
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