No Place Like Home
you weren't supposed to see this.
It didn't take long for Colton and Hunter to agree to let Loren stay there, neither of them knew much about Will's life back in Chicago but they knew it wasn't the best and Will's mentioned a few times that he needs to help his sister so Loren showing up really wasn't that surprising. When Will was counting down the days until his 18th birthday he was a scouring the Internet trying to find an affordable and non-creepy place to live as far away as he could. Which is how he ended up in Scottsdale Arizona. He found Hunter and Colton's ad and talked to them both for a few months before he moved out and it seemed like they would get along fine. Colton and Hunter have been friends since middle school and although Will has only known them for a few months when he moved in they treated him like they've known them all their lives and it wasn't long until Will really felt like he had a real family.
It's something Will has never had growing up, the sense of family. Sure he had it with his sister but their parents are such cruel and manipulative people that being raised by them felt more like being raised by sadistic drill sergeants than anything. Now that Will has a makeshift family and knows what it's like to have people who care and protect him like real family should, he wants to show Loren that its possible too. It's possible to ignore the pain of growing up, it's possible to have friends, have a job, have fun and to have a real family and its what Will wants to provide. He wasn't strong enough when they were growing up and he was selfish and left the second he could but now, now he's strong and he isn't going anywhere.
++
When Loren woke up again it was nearing four o’clock and she couldn't believe she slept so long, she knew she needed sleep but she didn't realize she needed it this badly. She allowed herself to lie in bed for a few more minutes before finally getting up and going downstairs. The living room had been transformed with streamers flowing from corner to corner and all the chairs in the kitchen had balloons on them. She walked further into the living room and saw someone reaching as high as he could to tape a banner to the wall.
Loren held in her giggle, “Need help?”
The boy turned around, “You weren't supposed to see this.”
“Oh, shall I leave?”
“Maybe you can help me hang up this banner then go back upstairs until you hear Will and Colton come home then come back downstairs and just pretend that this didn't happen.”
Loren nodded, “Okay, I can do that.” She walked to the kitchen grabbing a chair and heading back to the living room. “You’re Hunter I’m assuming.”
“Your assumptions are correct. Happy birthday by the way.”
“Thank you. So how high does this banner have to go?”
“I’m not too sure, as long as its not crooked. Colton has a thing about crooked things like that.”
“Right, I’ll do my best. I don’t think I’m as tall as you but I can try.”
“Honestly just holding it up so it’s not bottom heavy will be great.”
“Okay cool.”
Loren had to stand on the tips of her toes and stretch her legs to get it to where Hunter could reach. He finally pinned his side on the wall and walked to where she was, climbing on the chair behind her. She wasn't sure what cologne or body spray he was wearing all she knew is that he smelled amazing and she kind of wished he wouldn't be so close to her. Hunter finally pinned that side and got off the chair holding out his hand for her to take and help her down. Once she was down she stepped away from Hunter so his cologne wasn't surrounding her anymore.
“Do you need help with anything else?”
Hunter shook his head, “Nope, you are free to do as you please except for being down here.”
Loren laughed and nodded, “Alright fair enough. When will my brother be home, do you know?”
“Uhm, he should be here soon.”
“Okay. Well I guess I’ll see you later.”
“That you will.”
Loren smiled at him and practically darted up the stairs just wanting to get away from Hunter and his cologne. Once in her room she dug around her purse for her phone and charger and decided to text her friend, Heather, letting her know that her plan worked but she didn't plan for her brother’s roommate to smell nice. Loren tucked her phone under her pillow and thought about dozing off again since there was nothing else to do. Right as she was finally dozing off she heard the front door open and all the boys talking to one another. To make it seem more legit that Loren hasn't been awake for a while she stayed in bed for about thirty more minutes before finally going back downstairs.
“She’s up!” Colton yelled.
“Surprise!” Will shouted after Colton.
“Thanks.” Loren laughed glancing at Hunter who just smiled.
“Oh you haven’t met Hunter yet, this is Hunter.” Will said pointing to Hunter.
“As you've said.” Loren retorted. “Hi, Hunter. I’m Loren.”
Hunter laughed, “So I've heard. Nice meeting you Loren.”
“You as well.”
“Come see your cake.”
Loren glanced back at Hunter when Will turned around and grinned, Hunter winking at her. Loren bit her lip to suppress a laugh and followed Will into the kitchen. He showed her the cake and all the food he bought to throw an impromptu birthday celebration.
“Anyone want to battle some Mario kart?” Colton asked walking towards the living room.
“You’re just going to lose, I don’t know why you insist on playing.” Hunter rolled his eyes but followed him nonetheless.
“Do you want help?” Loren asked Will.
“No, it’s alright.”
Loren nodded and hugged her brother thanking him in the process before joining the boys in the living room. They offered her a controller but she declined, just wanting to relax. As she sat in the living room watching her new roommates play video games and knowing her brother is right there if needed, she couldn't help but feel at peace. It struck her then that she really did make the right decision by sneaking out and showing up at her brother’s house. Loren knew nothing was going to be fixed just because she moved but she had a good feeling about Arizona and she’ll be damned if she doesn't take advantage of this opportunity.
It's something Will has never had growing up, the sense of family. Sure he had it with his sister but their parents are such cruel and manipulative people that being raised by them felt more like being raised by sadistic drill sergeants than anything. Now that Will has a makeshift family and knows what it's like to have people who care and protect him like real family should, he wants to show Loren that its possible too. It's possible to ignore the pain of growing up, it's possible to have friends, have a job, have fun and to have a real family and its what Will wants to provide. He wasn't strong enough when they were growing up and he was selfish and left the second he could but now, now he's strong and he isn't going anywhere.
++
When Loren woke up again it was nearing four o’clock and she couldn't believe she slept so long, she knew she needed sleep but she didn't realize she needed it this badly. She allowed herself to lie in bed for a few more minutes before finally getting up and going downstairs. The living room had been transformed with streamers flowing from corner to corner and all the chairs in the kitchen had balloons on them. She walked further into the living room and saw someone reaching as high as he could to tape a banner to the wall.
Loren held in her giggle, “Need help?”
The boy turned around, “You weren't supposed to see this.”
“Oh, shall I leave?”
“Maybe you can help me hang up this banner then go back upstairs until you hear Will and Colton come home then come back downstairs and just pretend that this didn't happen.”
Loren nodded, “Okay, I can do that.” She walked to the kitchen grabbing a chair and heading back to the living room. “You’re Hunter I’m assuming.”
“Your assumptions are correct. Happy birthday by the way.”
“Thank you. So how high does this banner have to go?”
“I’m not too sure, as long as its not crooked. Colton has a thing about crooked things like that.”
“Right, I’ll do my best. I don’t think I’m as tall as you but I can try.”
“Honestly just holding it up so it’s not bottom heavy will be great.”
“Okay cool.”
Loren had to stand on the tips of her toes and stretch her legs to get it to where Hunter could reach. He finally pinned his side on the wall and walked to where she was, climbing on the chair behind her. She wasn't sure what cologne or body spray he was wearing all she knew is that he smelled amazing and she kind of wished he wouldn't be so close to her. Hunter finally pinned that side and got off the chair holding out his hand for her to take and help her down. Once she was down she stepped away from Hunter so his cologne wasn't surrounding her anymore.
“Do you need help with anything else?”
Hunter shook his head, “Nope, you are free to do as you please except for being down here.”
Loren laughed and nodded, “Alright fair enough. When will my brother be home, do you know?”
“Uhm, he should be here soon.”
“Okay. Well I guess I’ll see you later.”
“That you will.”
Loren smiled at him and practically darted up the stairs just wanting to get away from Hunter and his cologne. Once in her room she dug around her purse for her phone and charger and decided to text her friend, Heather, letting her know that her plan worked but she didn't plan for her brother’s roommate to smell nice. Loren tucked her phone under her pillow and thought about dozing off again since there was nothing else to do. Right as she was finally dozing off she heard the front door open and all the boys talking to one another. To make it seem more legit that Loren hasn't been awake for a while she stayed in bed for about thirty more minutes before finally going back downstairs.
“She’s up!” Colton yelled.
“Surprise!” Will shouted after Colton.
“Thanks.” Loren laughed glancing at Hunter who just smiled.
“Oh you haven’t met Hunter yet, this is Hunter.” Will said pointing to Hunter.
“As you've said.” Loren retorted. “Hi, Hunter. I’m Loren.”
Hunter laughed, “So I've heard. Nice meeting you Loren.”
“You as well.”
“Come see your cake.”
Loren glanced back at Hunter when Will turned around and grinned, Hunter winking at her. Loren bit her lip to suppress a laugh and followed Will into the kitchen. He showed her the cake and all the food he bought to throw an impromptu birthday celebration.
“Anyone want to battle some Mario kart?” Colton asked walking towards the living room.
“You’re just going to lose, I don’t know why you insist on playing.” Hunter rolled his eyes but followed him nonetheless.
“Do you want help?” Loren asked Will.
“No, it’s alright.”
Loren nodded and hugged her brother thanking him in the process before joining the boys in the living room. They offered her a controller but she declined, just wanting to relax. As she sat in the living room watching her new roommates play video games and knowing her brother is right there if needed, she couldn't help but feel at peace. It struck her then that she really did make the right decision by sneaking out and showing up at her brother’s house. Loren knew nothing was going to be fixed just because she moved but she had a good feeling about Arizona and she’ll be damned if she doesn't take advantage of this opportunity.