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Chapter 16
HUNTER
Mid-Marchmeansspringis on its way. It also means the shop is busier than usual. When I mean busy, I mean I’ve seen a total of five customers this whole day. Definitely better than winter. I don’t know how the owner is able to keep this place open. Although, thinking back to the summer months, we were pretty busy. At least, on the days I worked when I wasn’t lifeguarding. And camping gear can be pretty expensive depending on what people want. However, the owner must be loaded or have a side job to keep this place running.
I’ve already swept the floor at least three times today. I washed the windows yesterday, so they don’t need to be washed today. The shelves have been restocked. I’ve signed for orders and don’t expect any more today. The clothes have been steamed and the new sleeping mats have been put out. I think it’s safe to say I can goof off on the internet until a customer enters. If any do.
By goof off, I mean check my email. Since returning from the ski trip during winter break, I have applied to at least five summer internship programs offered by the nearby high schools. I have also attempted to apply to two elementary schools, but in order to teach little kids, more background information is needed. By the time I got everything put together, most of the elementary schools had already found interns to fill their positions. It sucked, but what can I do? And I totally understand where the schools are coming from.
It’s not like I hate high school students or anything. Or middle school kids for that matter. I think my expectations for the ski trip were too high. I thought they would act a bit more like me and Lucas and less like…well…Seth. I should have known that high school students may be bigger, but they are also kids and still learning and growing. They also can be little punks. That I was not expecting. I fear for Maria’s future, and it has me wondering if I was just as much of an ass to my dad as those kids were to me.
I don’t think I want to know the answer.
I open my email and do a brief scan of my inbox, finding several advertisements on protein shakes and running shoes before I see, at the very bottom, an email from Lawson High School. I know Lawson. I went there. I had a blast playing football there. It was one of the schools I applied to as soon as I returned home this year.
I grimace while staring at the email, seeing the beginnings of the message. It starts out with the typical Hello, but I can’t read much more without clicking on it. I don’t know if I want to find out now. It will ruin my day and I still have a few hours left in my shift. But, if I don’t click on it and read it now, I’m going to be thinking about it for the rest of my shift, obsessing and wondering for the next hour until I finally force myself to read it.
I open it, bracing myself for a hard no. My eyes widen as I read the message, not believing my eyes.
Dear Hunter Smith,
Thank you for your application for the position of Intern Physical Education Instructor for this summer’s session at Lawson High School. We are pleased to inform you we have accepted you in our program. Training begins—
“Yes!” I shout while jumping up and down. I don’t dare to read anymore. My eyes immediately go to the door leading into Bob’s office, worried he might come out here and wonder what the yelling is about. I really shouldn’t be reading my email during working hours.
When he doesn’t come out, I do my little victory dance and immediately grab my phone to give Rachel a quick call.
She picks up on the first ring. “Hey,” she says sweetly. “I can’t really talk right—”
“I got in,” I rush out. “I’m going to be an intern at my old high school.”
“Really?” Rachel shouts on the other line.
“Really, really.”
“Hunter, that’s amazing. We should celebrate tonight.” I hear something fall followed by a loud groan which seems to come from Rachel. “I’m sorry. I’m in the middle of something.”
“Oh, sorry, I’ll let you go.”
The bell on the shop’s door rings and I immediately straighten. I glance at the door, but the customer has already moved to the corner of the shop where there’s a row of shelves I can’t see behind.
“It’s really great news, Hunter. We’ll talk about it tonight when we’re all home.”
“Yeah. I’ll talk to you later, Rachel. Good luck with…whatever it is you’re doing.”
I hang up on Rachel’s chuckle and quickly hide my phone before Bob can come out and scold me for slacking off during my shift. Honestly, Bob isn’t a bad guy. He’s never really scolded me before, but I don’t like disappointing the guy. During the ski trip, he always had my back. He always made it fun no matter what bullshit was going on, or what the kids decided to pull any given day. And he’s partly responsible for helping me get my internship, given he’s the one who offered me a counselor position on the ski trip.
“Hello,” I call while striding around the counter and making my way toward the customer.
From behind, I can see it’s a woman about my age with long blond hair kept in a high ponytail. She’s wearing leggings with a windbreaker and a yoga mat packed away and slung over one shoulder. As I approach, I can see she’s gripping the strap of her purse with a well-manicured hand, her nails painted bright pink.
Usually when a customer comes in, I give them a good look over to see what it is they would like. Given the way this woman is dressed, I have a feeling she may just be stopping by to have a look. Maybe she will want some new hiking pants, or a better windbreaker. The one she’s wearing looks like it’s mainly for fashion rather than actually keeping her warm.
“Is there anything I can help you with?” I ask cheerfully.
The girl turns around, and to my horror, I see Millie, smiling right at me with that smug look I’ve grown to hate so much. I take a step back as if she struck me, but she hasn’t moved at all. She’s only smiled at me. Her head tilts to the side as if she’s confused by my response. How the hell did she find me? I assumed she would have given up bothering me after all this time. I don’t get why she is pestering me. What have I ever done to her to earn this?
Wait. Calm down, Hunter. Maybe she actually needs something. Hopefully she’s been going to therapy and has moved on from whatever demon possessed her to insist I sexually harassed her when I didn’t even touch her. If anything, she was the one harassing me. I should have reported her when I had the chance. I just didn’t want to make a big deal out of anything.
