3. Hunter
Chapter three
Hunter
Junior Year of High School
Loving Ellie James has never felt like something that happened—it’s just something that always was.
Like eye color. One day you suddenly notice it.
What I do remember clearly is the moment I realized she didn’t love me the way I loved her.
We were having a typical Dawson’s movie night with all the cousins and some of our friends and neighbors. Popcorn, candy, and soda bottles were strewn across the basement, and Avengers was on the screen.
Ellie and my cousin, Raquel, are gushing over Chris Hemsworth as Thor. “He is the hottest guy ever,” Raquel says, shoveling a handful of Mike and Ikes into her mouth.
“I hope my future husband looks like him,” Ellie says with a wistful sigh, staring dreamily at the screen.
I study the screen as well, trying to see what Ellie sees. All I find is this: I look nothing like Chris Hemsworth. I have dark hair, dark eyes, and I’m long and lean instead of broad and cut like him. Granted, I could work on that last part.
I can’t quite put my finger on why this bothers me. I frown and there’s a prickling feeling at the back of my neck. I immediately think of the celebrities I’ve found attractive in recent years—women like Hayden Panettiere and AnnaSophia Robb. People who all look a lot like Ellie.
“You know who looks like him?” Raquel asks, waggling her eyebrows. “Carter Wilson.”
The two girls squeal and I’m tempted to plug my ears. Carter Wilson is in my grade, and all the girls think he’s some kind of dreamboat. I think it’s mostly because he’s the star forward on our school’s basketball team. I don’t even think Ellie knows what a “forward” is in basketball.
Whatever.
“He asked me to go to the movies with him next Friday,” Ellie says with a huge smile on her face.
A feeling like a knife to the gut cuts through me. Ellie’s going on a date?
But … she’s too young for that. It’s one reason I haven’t asked her.
I clear my throat, needing to get away from this conversation about Chris Hemsworth’s obnoxiously long hair and Ellie’s stupid date with Carter freaking Wilson. Gross.
“Carter totally gives off those protective Thor vibes,” Ellie says, an offhand comment that feels more like a backhand to my face.
Carter gives protective vibes? The only thing that guy knows how to protect is his precious free-throw percentage. I dare anyone to find a person alive who’s protected Ellie more than I have.
I stand up, mumbling an excuse about needing to make more popcorn, even though we have plenty.
Alone in the kitchen, I shake my head. What did I think? That because little-kid Ellie always chose me as her play husband when we were kids, she’d automatically marry me in real life? I scoff at my own ridiculousness.
I tell myself it’s just one date with Carter Wilson. No big deal.
But the hollow feeling in my chest says otherwise.
For the first time, I realize I might lose Ellie—and she doesn’t even know she’s mine to lose.