Page 32 of 2204 Hunter Lane
As per usual,all by my self.
???
“I’m goin’ boarding, be back later.”
I grabbed my helmet and jacket, stepping into my boots before snagging my snowboard in the hallway closet.
The intermediate hills at Rivertown Slopes were some of the best I’d ever experienced and I wasn’t leaving this weekend without feeling that adrenaline rush again.
“Hunter,” Payton called out from the opposite side of the wall. “Why not take Marley with ya?”
I turned the corner into the living room which was attached to the kitchen, throwing a glance over my shoulder to where Bambi was planted on the couch reading a book.
“Oh, I’m uh –” she stuttered, her face as red as a damn tomato. “I’m good here.”
“Yep,” I agreed, palming my wallet and keys from atop the kitchen island.
“You don’t like boardin’?” My dad asked her, almost too pleasantly.
How the tables have fuckin’ turned I guess.
“I don’t really know how to…” She began, placing her book to the side. “I mean, I tried skiing once but that was definitely a mistake.”
Payton chuckled and even my own father cracked a damn smile but I kept my jaw tight, itching to get out of this conversation.
“Hunt’s been boardin’ since he was a kid.” My dad’s attention was now on me, nodding Bambi’s way. “Why don’t you take her out on the kiddy hill, yah?”
“You’re fuckin’ hilarious.”
I saluted a two finger wave at the rents before rotating on my heel out of the family room.
“Wait –”
Hervoice called after me.
I stopped in my tracks and turned around, coming face-to-face with Bambi and her fuzzy grey turtleneck.
“Maybe I…” her voice was small, like the rest of her. “Maybe I can come with you, actually.”
The fuck?“Why?”
She cleared her throat, pulling down the sleeves of her sweater so they hung over her knuckles. “It’d be nice to get some fresh air.”
I scratched the back of my neck and peered to look at my dad who had his back turned to me, helping Payton cut some vegetables.
“Why don’t you be a good little bunny and read your bedtime stories?”
“Bunny?” She huffed. “I thought I was Bambi.”
I don’t know why that did it for me but it did. My grin almost cracked.Almost.But fuck her for tryin’ to bring one out of me in the first place.
My dad told me to play nice this weekend, so that’s what I’ll do, even if every fiber of my fucking being went against it. If she wanted to learn how to board, I’d teach her, but not on that damn kiddy hill. Something a little more… intense.
“Alright come on then, slopes close in three hours.”
Her tiny physique disappeared into the living room before she emerged a minute later wearing her red puffer and a white beanie.
“I don’t have a snowboard.” She said, following me out the door.
