Page 16 of Her Passionate Hero

“You have the prettiest hair.”

“I do?” she asked, her Czech accent thick.

“Yes,” he smiled. Hunter’s smile made her think of one of her favorite songs because it made her heart happy. He didn’t do it often, but when he did, it showed the creases in his cheeks. He would hate it if she called them dimples.

“You and Mamie are the only reasons for me to stay, but I have to leave, you understand that, don’t you?”

She shook her head, but saw his dismay, so she quickly nodded.

It hurt, but she gave her best smile possible.

“It’s okay Hunter, I’ll be fine,” she lied.

He sighed. “I have something for you.”

She frowned. He pulled out a small box from his beat-up backpack and handed it to her. Her hands trembled. Hunter was giving her a gift. She was excited but scared. She hadn’t thought to give him anything.

“I don’t have―”

He laughed. “Chaquita, just open it.”

It wasn’t wrapped, just a brown box. Inside was a sunflower. She picked it up with reverent fingers.

“You remind me of sunflowers. They grow through the pavement and are strong and pretty, like you.”

She huffed out a breath. “I’m not strong. I’m weak. That’s why you have to take care of me.”

“I hear things. There’s a lot you don’t tell me. You live with a lot of abuse. Yet you still manage to come to school every day no matter what those bitches do. I admire you more than anyone else I know.”

She didn’t understand him. He was the brave one. He was the one who was going to be a soldier, and he thought she was strong? He was crazy.

“No,” she said in Czech, then realized her mistake. “You’re wrong, Hunter.” She hated it when she sounded foreign. When she said as much, he smiled.

“I like how you talk. It’s different. It’s cute.”

“You’re acting odd,” she accused.

“It’s because I won’t see you for a long time. I needed you to know I’m going to miss you. Look at what else is in the box. I looked it up in one of Mamie’s books and went to a special store to buy it for you.”

She pulled a delicate gold chain with a gold medallion out of the box. It had a woman who looked like the Virgin Mary on it. “Is it the Blessed Mother?” she asked.

“You’re so Catholic,” he teased.

“So are you,” she shot back.

“I just go to mass,” he laughed. “That’s Saint Rita, she takes away loneliness and protects women from abuse.”

Aliana’s eyes widened. She’d never heard of her. “Really?”

“Honest. Let me put it on you.” He stood up from his seat and walked behind her. She watched in fascination as the medal dropped down in front of her, feeling it as he fastened the clasp at the back of her neck.

“There.”

She lifted and turned it so she could look at it. She jumped up from her swing, dropping the box on the ground, but still gripping her flower firmly in her hand, then flung her arms around Hunter.

“This is the best present I ever got. Thank you. Thank you.”

He laughed. “You’re welcome.”