Chapter 5: Greasy, Unhealthy Goodness

How would you feel if you learned that your neighbour, the cute guy you had a crush on, knew all your secrets? 

Including the fact that you had a crush on him? 

And the fact that you lied to him and told him that you were dating your friend? 

And then that friend turned out to be a traitor too?

And the guy you liked, who knew that you liked him, was dating the girl who bullied you for three years and was also a friend who left without any explanation!

It was a mess but I had one word to describe it perfectly. 

Awkward. 

But I had the perfect cure for that. 

Well, I didn’t but Paige did… 

“This is awesome!” I grinned at my best friend. 

“I know. It was my idea, after all!” Paige smirked at me. 

I giggled as I walked up to Dan’s love, his car… 

Yes! We are taking revenge… 

Does that sound petty? 

Well, I’m still legally a kid. I don’t think before doing anything!

Thinking is for the adults!

I shook the can before I removed the cap and started painting on the beautiful, soon to be ruined, car. 

I almost felt bad for ruining the beauty but since Dan’s uncle had his own car-paint shop, I knew that Dan could get his car fixed easily.

He will just have to use the school bus for a few days though… 

It was Paige’s idea that we take our revenge on Dan. And since he loved his car as much as I loved my gummy bears, here we were, dressed in all-black with spray paints. 

You see, the whole situation was a mess but like someone once said, it might be bad but it could’ve been worse. 

So I was going to make it worse.

Paige and I giggled quietly in the silent night while showing off our horrible art skills on Dan’s precious car. 

It was the perfect therapy as we continued painting to our heart’s content.

At the end, I made a smiley-face and wrote, ‘You’re forgiven’ on the hood of the now colourful car. 

“Now, let’s go make art on your neighbour’s car.” Paige said. 

“Actually… I was thinking about leaving all this and just going to eat some burgers now.” I sighed. “I think we’ve done enough for one day. And besides, Ryan’s car is usually locked in his garage.” I shrugged. 

“Okay, burgers sound good.” Paige agreed. 

The two of us walked in silence of the night to the diner that was close to Dan’s house. 

“Will you ever forgive Dan?” Paige suddenly questioned as we walked. “Or Ryan?” She added.

Well, that’s a big question… 

What they did makes me feel uncomfortable to even think about but I think that maybe I might forgive them… Just not now. 

I mean, if even a small part of my friendship with Dan was real, then I will forgive him after a while. 

But Ryan was just another story…  

Everything that happened was making the old questions, about what actually happened before high school started, resurface.

But I knew that there was no way I would find any answers… 

And if Dan knew the answers all this time, then maybe I wouldn’t be able to forgive him either… 

“I don’t know.” I answered honestly. 

“What about Hunter?” She asked. 

“I don’t think he will even want me to forgive him.” I told her. “I don’t know why he suddenly started talking to me but I know that he will go back to ignoring me sooner or later.” I shrugged. 

“Umm… Liv?” Paige’s nervousness made me look at her. “I think I’ve seen that car at school before.” She said as she pointed to the car in the parking lot outside the diner we were going to. 

I couldn’t really focus on the car as my eyes went straight to the diner.

Burgers!

“So, what, Paige? Maybe someone from the school also wanted to eat late-night burgers!” I waved her off as I rushed inside the diner. 

“Liv!” The old man behind the counter cheered when he saw me coming in. 

Okay so the owner of the diner knew me by my name… 

Can’t a girl be known for her love of burgers and fries?!

“I want my burger, Papa Joe!” I grinned at the old man who was lovingly called ‘Papa Joe’ by everyone.

“Coming right up, little girl.” He replied before turning to Paige. 

“The same burger as her, Papa Joe.” Paige answered, sounding a little nervous. 

“You guys go and sit down, I’ll bring your burgers in a jiffy.” Papa Joe replied as he went to make magic. 

I skipped to my favourite seat in the corner only to freeze when I saw who was sitting in my seat. 

“What are you doing out here so late at night?” he asked me as if he was my father. 

“I could ask you the same thing.” I said. “And you’re in my seat.” I told him, crossing my arms. 

“Olivia, what are you doing out so late?” Hunter asked again, ignoring my words. 

“Waiting for my burger.” I replied, sitting down in the seat in front of him with a sigh. “Paige!” I called out to her when I saw her standing at a distance. 

“Can’t we sit somewhere  else?” Paige asked me. 

“Nope!” I replied. “This is my seat.” I told her. 

“But he’s already sitting there, Liv!” Paige whisper-yelled. 

“He doesn’t mind.” I told her nonchalantly. 

“Actually he does mind.” Hunter told me. 

“Then he can leave.” I replied with a smile. 

“Olivia.” Hunter spoke in a low, warning tone. 

“Hunter.” I copied his deep voice. 

“Why are you here so late at night?” He asked in a soft voice. 

“Burger.” I replied. 

He looked at me for a while before relaxing back in his seat. 

“I used to help you sneak out at night so that we could come here to have burgers whenever you felt down but didn’t want to show it. Hunter said, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. 

“My friend used to do that. Not someone who never spoke to me or acted as if I didn’t exist. Not someone who didn’t tell me that one of my only friends was lying to me.” I shot back. 

Hunter was silent for a while as he looked at me. 

“Are you going to go back to being friends with Ryan and Kaylee?” He questioned.

I sighed heavily as I thought about it. 

Will I? 

Kaylee clearly didn’t want that, so maybe not… 

But Ryan seemed to want that… 

We all had a lot of things we never talked about. Without that discussion, we could never go back to being friends. 

And if we did go back to being friends, it wouldn’t feel the same without Hunter… 

“Why did you stop talking to me?” I asked Hunter. I took a deep breath before looking away. 

“I’ll drop you home after you eat your burger.” He told me. “I’ll drop your friend off too.” He said as he looked at Paige who was now sitting next to me.

“What is it that you don’t want to tell me, Hunter?” I asked him. 

“I’ll wait for you two in my car outside.” He said as he got up. 

“You haven’t even had your burger yet.” Paige frowned. 

“I’ll kiss you if you don’t answer!” I told Hunter as he looked between where Papa Joe was making our burgers and at his seat.

Hunter’s eyes widened and I knew that Paige was gaping at me too. But I kept my eyes focused on Hunter. 

Uncomfortable situations usually reveal the secrets… 

Hunter’s expression then changed as he sat down with a smirk on his face. 

“I don’t think you will.” He told me. “And even if you do, it’s a win-win for me.” He shrugged. 

“Gasp!” I said, my hands flying to cup my cheeks to complete the shocked look. 

Yes, I said the word ‘gasp’... Deal with it, people! 

“Do you like me, Hunter?” I asked him. 

“I wouldn’t mind kissing you.” He replied bluntly. 

He’s avoiding the question… My Olivia senses are tingling… 

But do I really want to know the answer?

I can’t think straight when I can smell the greasy, unhealthy goodness! 

I need my burger!

“Turns out that you were right. I won’t kiss you.” I replied just before Papa Joe came with our burgers. 

Now, I wouldn’t mind kissing my burger!