A few days had passed, and Sam’s leg had improved drastically. Hunter’s body was still slightly bruised, yet they were faded marks that didn’t bring along pain at all.
No one had dared to mess with Hunter since the incident, especially since Hunter had started to hang around the other boys as well now. Hunter used to be alone, never with anyone, only up until recently when he started being around Sam. However, now, Hunter was still the same, but he would not snap and walk away whenever Happy, Carter, Bear, Charlie or Kay came to sit with him or called him over.
In fact, the seven all hung out quite a lot and so no one wanted to mess with the lion that had now become a part of a pack.
The seven boys all sat in the sports hall as other students chatted away, messing around.
Hunter had got to get a drink from the cooler in the corner when Sam had approached him.
“Hunter?” Sam called as he tugged at the back of Hunter’s shirt. Hunter glanced down, smiling softly as he filled up his cup before he ruffled Sam’s locks gently. “What is it, baby?”
Sam frowned as if trying to figure out how to word it. “How did you… how did you end up here?”
Hunter averted his eyes for a second before he smiled softly at Sam and wrapped his arm around Sam’s shoulder. He walked Sam over to the bench where they sat down side by side.
“After the accident with my brother, I was put into foster care. I was even worse back then. I was cold, distant and lashed out at anyone who tried to approach me. I got put into a school where I acted the same way as here. I sat at the back, ignored everyone and hit anyone who tried anything. Well, there was one guy there who was friendly to me. I was fighting one day, and I look up and there he was with his hand out… offering to help me up. The two of us got close but I wouldn’t say I opened up to him or reacted any better to him. I just didn’t snap at him… which was a rare thing for me back then. Anyway, as time went on I started to notice that a lot more people were trying to start fights with me than usual. Every time I finished fighting he would be right there ready to help me sort out my wounds or help me up. A normal person would have just seen that as an act of humanity. But I was so full of anger and hatred that I knew no one could be that nice. I knew there was something he was hiding. However, I didn’t want to find out what because besides Park… he was the only one who was nice to me. Time passed really quickly as next thing we knew we were ready to leave school. But I had noticed a change in him. See, he came from a rich family—he got bored easily because he could always get whatever he wanted. People threw themselves at him and most of them only pretended to be his friend because of his status. I noticed that he was becoming more possessive towards me and reacting cruelly to anyone who tried to be nice to me. I found out later on that he was sending people to fight me so that I could have him to lean on afterwards. He wanted me to depend on him because he wanted to own me. When he found out there was a new kid in class who didn’t care about his status and could not easily be bought, he became intrigued by me and so he pretended to be this really nice guy but behind my back, he kept setting me up.”
Sam blinked slowly, trying to take it all in as he looked at Hunter gobsmacked.
“But you’re… surely, he must have realised you’re not the type to just go running into his arms weeping…he must have seen you were a fighter.” Hunter shrugged, he really seemed not to care yet Sam seemed hurt by this information. “He wanted to change that. He wanted to break me down so that I could no longer fight. He wanted to isolate me, so I’d only be able to rely on him because he was so spoiled he had to own people as well. I was just entertainment for him.”
Sam nodded slowly as he looked up at Hunter. “How did he get you sent in here?”
Hunter ran his fingers through his hair as he laid his arm back on Sam’s shoulder. “He set me up after I found him out. He made a bunch of students tell the head-teacher I had just started attacking them and well.. because I was a violent kid they believed it easily.”
Sam really couldn’t believe the carefree tone in Hunter’s words. Hunter did sound angry or seem pissed. Sam placed his hand on Hunter’s kneecap. “That letter the other day…”
Hunter turned his head as he looked down at Sam. “He was trying to get back into contact with me but don’t worry, I threw it away.”
Sam nodded as he turned to look back at the front of the hall. Hunter chuckled as he leaned down and kissed the side of Sam’s head. “Quit fussing, Bambi. Everything’s okay now.”
Sam smiled as he nodded, getting up with Hunter as they walked back over to the group.
Hunter genty gripped Sam’s shoulder as Sam paused, turning around to face Hunter.
“Sam… you have to be careful. Sometimes people will break you down, so they can rebuild you the way they want you to be.”
***
“GO HUNTER!!!!”
Screams and whoops echoed around the sports hall as the two clashed together.
Hunter chuckled, arms locking around the gigantic ones that pinned him down. Hunter rolled from under Bear, slipping out of Bear’s tight grasp as he managed to jump back up.
“C’mon, Bear! You got this!”
Sam laughed as he clapped, cheering for Hunter as Happy winked at him sending Sam’s face bright red.
Kay sat down beside Happy who wrapped his arm around Kay’s waist. “What did I miss?” Kay whispered as he passed out snacks to the group all sitting crossed legged.
“Nothing, babe, they’re still going.” Happy laughed.
“Beat’s so gonna win—look at the size of him.”
“Nah—no way, man. Hunter’s gonna win. He’s mad strong.”
Sam chuckled as he heard the comments from whispers all around. Of course, this was not a real fight but a playful one where everyone had suddenly started arguing over who would win in a fight; Bear or Hunter?
Some voted Hunter but then some argued back with Bear and as Carter made a cheeky grin and dared them to fight it out, the two began to wrestle as they tried to pin each other down.
So far neither had beat the other.
“You know… what happens if neither is stronger than the other?” Kay asked as he threw some chocolate to the back of his mouth. Happy shrugged as he pulled Kay in closer to him.
“CMON HUNTER YOU GOT THIS” Sam whooped, cupping his hands around his mouth. Hunter grinned at his baby’s voice echoing through the hall as he suddenly got a surge of pride and pinned down the gigantic bear.
“I FUCKIN TOLD YOU! GIMME THAT TWENTY”
Sam jumped up, clapping as Hunter stood up, panting as he held out a hand to Bear who took it and jumped up. “You’re a good opponent.” Hunter chuckled, slapping Beat’s arm. Bear nodded down at Hunter as he grinned at him.
“You too.”
The two walked over as Hunter flopped down beside Sam, resting his head on Sam’s lap and not giving a shit about anyone making a comment. Mostly because no one dared too… Sam smiled as he ran his fingers through Hunter’s hair.
“Well done—I knew you’d win.” Sam laughed. Hunter chuckled, kissing Sam’s hand before he turned so he was laying on his back, head still on Sam’s lap.
The seven continued to talk when suddenly Happy and Kay was approached by a young student who leaned down and whispered, “The head teacher wants to see you two.”
The two got up, heading out of the hall as the rest continued to talk. They laughed, joking with each other as Carter got up to act out a story he was telling, his expression sending them into fits of laughter as well as his horrible accents.
Bear’s deep laughed boomed around the hall as he sat beside Charlie. He turned to Charlie to see if he was enjoying himself. Charlie was sat beside Bear, his usual peaceful expression marked on his face with a soft smile as he looked up at Bear.
Bear grinned down at him, “Did you like my fight, Charlie?”
“I’m very proud of you, Isaac.” Charlie smiled.
Everyone fell silent, Hunter’s head turning in Sam’s lap, his black locks brushing softly against Sam’s exposed skin as Carter paused his terrible acting and Sam stopped slurping at his drink.
“D-Did you just. did y—” Carter stuttered out as he looked around the make sure he wasn’t the only one who had heard the silent monk talk.
Bear laughed deeply as he shook his head. “I didn’t hear anything…”
Hunter smirked, catching on as he winked at Sam, “I didn’t hear anything either…what about you, baby?”
Sam pretended to think, brows furrowing as he tapped his chin with his index finger, “Hmm…no. No, I can’t say I did.”
Carter clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he placed his hands on his hips, “very funny. You’re all assholes.” he joked.
They all burst out into laughter as the sound of the doors opening creaked around the hall. Happy and Kay came rushing back in, both a giggling mess as they almost ripped their belongings off the floor in order to rush out.
“Whoa, whoa” Carter voiced as they paused. “What are you two all happy about…”
Sam nodded, confused. “Yeah… what happened in the head teachers office?”
“Was it something good?” Hunter asked as he turned his head to look at them from Sam’s lap. Kay grinned as he shook his head.
“Nope! Bad news.” He winked at Happy as the two burst into laughter before rushing off.
The group frowned at one another before the same boy approached Hunter and Sam nervously. “Erm… the head teacher wants to see you.”
Hunter and Sam glanced at each other. Sam’s gaze was full of worry and confusion, but Hunter stood up, squeezing his shoulder in reassurance before they walked out the hall and down the halls to the head’s office.
Hunter raised his hand, rapping on the door with his knuckles as a ‘come in’ sounded.
The two cautiously entered the room as the head looked up at them from his stack of papers. He sighed as he sat back in his chair. “Take a seat, boys.” he sighed.
Hunter and Sam eyed each other before slowly sitting down in the chairs as Sam nervously jiggled his leg.
“It’s not good news boys.” The head frowned. He looked disappointed yet not surprised as if what he had to tell them he had been saying to a lot of others.
Hunter waited, his brows furrowing slightly as he saw how anxious Sam was from the corner of his eye.
The head shuffled his papers, opening their files as he ran his fingers through his hair that was fading away. “Well.. looks like you two have had quite the year…”
The two remained silent, Sam averting his eyes as Hunter stared at him as if saying, ‘yeah..so what?’
The head looked up, leaning forward as he crossed his hands on the table, staring at the two boys.
“I’m afraid… because of your bad behaviour… you will both be staying here for the next year as well.”
Hunter and Sam glanced over at one another, the two of them biting back their smiles as it suddenly made sense why Happy and Kay were so excited… they probably had also been told they would have to stay on for another year… meaning they were not going to become separated.
“I hope you two became close this year because you’ll be stuck with each other for the next year.”
THE END
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