Chapter 10

Hunter

Hunter was trying his best to avoid Cassia like the plague. He made a mistake by saving her. He shouldn't have interfered, shouldn't have upset Liana, but he had and now Liana was mad at him and Cassia had unnerved him with those stupid brown eyes of hers - and he couldn't get the image out of his mind.

He was going crazy.

Everyone littered the field around Dawson, who was preparing the next contest, which was a knotting contest. Hunter scanned the area. He should be looking for Liana who hated him, but instead he found Cassia, like he always did, and he froze at the sight of her deflating. Ever since lunch, she looked as if Liana had knocked the confidence out of her.

And he shouldn't care. His heart shouldn't stir at the sight of her. But yet, it did.

"She makes me so mad," Hunter said. "I've never met a girl who could drive me crazy like this."

Chase snorted. "Cassia? I think she drives us all mad."

Hunter sighed. He wasn't sure if they were talking about the same type of crazy, but he said nothing.

"She isn't making this easy for you, is she?" Chase asked.

"No, not at all."

"I think we underestimated her." Chase glanced at Cassia, who was talking to Astra now. They were off to the side and away from everyone who surrounded Dawson, and yet, she stood out like a sore thumb. "We thought she'd be a fool people could easily manipulate, but instead she's a nightmare you can't wake up from."

Hunter snorted. Sometimes he could stand up for Cassia, but other times he had to agree when his friends compared her to a nightmare.

"Well, she sure does haunt me at night," Hunter said.

Chase barked out a laugh and shook his head. His curly hair bounced and his eyes drifted away, and he tensed.

"Talk to Liana," Chase said. "She's still mad at you and she has every right to be mad. You interfered in something that wasn't your business."

Hunter huffed. Chase was right, but yet he didn't want to apologize. Because the truth was, he wasn't sorry for what he did.

But, he didn't want Liana to be mad at him, so he strolled over to where she stood alone. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she was tapping her foot against the grass, and occasionally, she would shoot Cassia dirty looks. She'd always been fierce - someone who could light up easily, but he'd never seen her this outraged. It was as if Cassia was igniting her into a volcanic eruption.

"Liana," Hunter said.

His voice was gentle and her eyes flung to him and she scowled. He ran his fingers through his hair, settling next to her.

"What do you want traitor?"

Liana's blue eyes blazed with anger. Her red hair was braided back and it exposed the delicate features of her face; the small nose and sharp chin, and the gentle curves of her cheekbones. Hunter had always thought she was pretty. He'd been flattered when she asked him to kiss her until she forgot everything, but his heart never stirred at the sight of her.

"I'm sorry for interfering," Hunter said. "You shouldn't have pushed Cassia - that's not up for debate, but I'm sorry I looked as if I cared more about Cassia than you."

Liana's shoulders grew slack. Her bottom lip quivered and Hunter felt horrible.

"I just don't get it," Liana said. "What does Cassia have that I don't?"

Hunter's stiffened. "What do you mean?"

Liana shook her head. She continued to sulk and Hunter was lost for words.

"I know we're supposed to... do this" Liana said. "But, I just don't get why you're so fascinated with her."

Hunter tensed. She spoke so quietly only he could hear, but yet, fear slammed against him.

"I don't understand," Hunter said, leaning closer to whisper. "Aren't I doing things right?"

Liana shook her head. She let out a sigh and Hunter pulled back, growing confused.

"Just hold my hand," Liana said, reaching out to Hunter. "And let me pretend for a little bit."

Hunter hesitated before he reached out and took Liana's hand in his. Their fingers intertwined and her cold hand gripped onto his tightly, as if she feared he would leave. He tensed at the touch. They may touch each other in private, but never publicly.

"Well everyone, it's time for the contest!" Dawson exclaimed. "Come on up, you all must get tied up and the race is to see who can untie themselves the fastest. This will be useful if any of you get captured one day."

One by one, they went up to Dawson who tied them up with rope and they littered the field. As usual, Chase and Liana stuck by him. And even after they were tied up, Liana slid over and took his hand in hers, and Hunter tensed under the touch.

Soon, everyone was tied up and Hunter's eyes scanned the field everyone sat around. Their legs and arms were tied together and their job was to untie themselves the fastest. Hunter wasn't used to working with rope, so he sighed before his eyes slid to Cassia.

And he froze because she was already staring at him. But instead of with a look of hatred, she stared at him as if she was viewing a sight she shouldn't be seeing - like a car about to crash.

He gaped at her, wondering why she looked so helpless and his heart lurched forward. She was pretty close to him and he yearned to crawl over and touch her face - to will her to stop staring at him with that hopeless expression of hers.

Liana pulled her hand away as Dawson asked if they were all ready. Cassia looked away and Hunter shivered. Merely from the way Cassia observed him, he was shaken.

"Okay, this contest is to see who is the fastest, but I expect everyone to finish untying themselves," Dawson said. "Ready? Begin!"

Everyone scrambled to remove their knots. Hunter clawed at the ropes that stuck his wrists together and he began to unknot them. Liana was cursing next to him and Chase was grunting, and they were squirming as they desperately tried to be free.

Hunter swiftly released his wrists and then focused on his legs. There was a giant knot tying his ankles together and another one tying his knees, and Hunter went for his ankles.

But as he tried to unknot himself, his eyes wandered towards Cassia. Her tongue was sticking out, her brown eyes concentrated on the ropes that tied her legs together. And like him, her hands were untied and she was working on the rope with her nimble fingers, her face set with concentration.

And his heart lurched forward at the sight of her. Her cheeks were rosy and her hair were tied back, unveiling the curve of her jaw and the softness of her cheeks. Maybe she didn't have a unique beauty like Liana, who was all fire and ice, but Cassia was beautiful. The type of beautiful that Hunter could imagine waking up to again and again, and still being amazed by the realness of it all.

"What are you doing?" Chase asked. "Focus, Hunter."

Hunter snapped out of his thoughts and returned to the knots on his ankles. They were horrible knots - knotted in ways he'd never seen before, and he picked at it and tried to untie them, but it was too hard. So hard to when his eyes fought to stay on Cassia.

"You're behind," Liana hissed. "Cassia is already done the knots on her ankles."

Hunter glanced at Cassia who's ankles were now free. She was working on the knot on her knees and he worked faster. He still had to win.

Because anything less than perfect, would be punished.

Hunter's fingers ran through the knots and he began to undo them, swift and nimble, and the rope lessened and lessened around his ankles until they were free. Both Chase and Liana were still struggling on the knots on their wrists and Hunter rushed towards the knots on his knees.

But then, Dawson spoke. He spoke the words that made Hunter freeze. "Cassia has finished! Congrats Cassia, you are the winner of the contest."

Astra cried out to cheer Cassia on and a few people clapped as well. Cassia was beaming, her eyes gleaming with a joy he'd never seen her wear and he paused.

"But continue with your ropes. We still need to determine your points based on your ranking."

Hunter grumbled and went back to working on the ropes on his knees. Liana was cursing Cassia off and Chase was shaking his head, looking disappointed.

"I like you like this." Hunter jumped at Cassia's voice. His head flew up and there was Cassia, looming over him and smirking. "Tied up."

"Am I fulfilling your greatest fantasy in this position?"

Cassia's eyes flew wide and Chase coughed beside him, seeming to be choking on his bold statement. Even Liana gaped at Hunter. Hunter faltered, ready to take back his words, but then blush crept into Cassia's cheeks - a shy look crossing her face. And immediately, his statement was worth it.

"In your dreams," Cassia shot back. "Now I see what you fantasize about."

This time, Hunter blushed madly. Chase laughed and Hunter wished the earth could swallow him up.

"Anyways, look who won," Cassia said. To his surprise, she smiled a gentle smile, as if she was genuinely happy for once. "You were a fearsome foe, but I finally got the upper hand."

Hunter undid the last of his knots and brushed them away, and he stood up to peer down at her, his body shielding her from the sun.

"We still have three more months," Hunter said. "And guess who's still in first place."

Cassia rolled her eyes. She shot him a look, but no longer was she seething at the sight of him.

"Wonderful," Cassia said. "More time for me to crush you."

She shot him a smug smile before she strode back to Astra and Hunter shook his head. But, he couldn't stop the smile that blossomed onto his face at the sight of her. She was just so infuriating. And well, she drove him crazy.