BARK! BARK! BARK!
Arabella groaned and she pulled a pillow over her head as the barking continued and got louder and closer. It was too loud and her head couldn’t take it. “Shut up!” She groaned into the pillow and she jumped a little bit when she felt something hop onto the bed. Next thing she felt was a wet nose against her ear and she quickly turned around, coming face to face with Jolie. Arabella flopped over onto her back and she scooped Jolie into her arms, holding her close. “How did you get onto the best, silly?” She asked and she looked over to the side of the bed. There was a chair that Jolie had clearly pushed over to the side of the bed and jumped on that before jumping to the bed. “You are a tricky little girl” She said and she put her head back, closing her eyes and petting Jolie softly. “Where’s Ajax? You never leave his side, like...ever” She yawned.
“Oh no!” Arabella gasped and she sat up quickly. Jolie, ruffled and annoyed, walked over to the side of the bed and jumped onto the chair. Arabella had forgotten about the wedding. She was getting married and she was in bed with a hangover, alone. Hunter was nowhere in sight. Arabella grabbed her alarm clock and she looked at the time. It was 2:30 in the afternoon. Arabella was supposed to be getting her hair done up all fancy and her makeup done. Then she was supposed to be going to the building to do the finishing touches and get into her dress. She was not supposed to be in bed.
And where was Hunter? Why wouldn’t he have woken her up and told her that it was time to get ready? Did he even get home last night? Arabella didn’t remember. She looked down at the shirt she was wearing and nervously, she brought it to her nose, taking a deep breath. Thankfully, it smelled like Hunter and it wasn’t some strange cologne.
And where was Hunter? Why wouldn’t he have woken her up and told her that it was time to get ready? Did he even get home last night? Arabella didn’t remember. She looked down at the shirt she was wearing and nervously, she brought it to her nose, taking a deep breath. Thankfully, it smelled like Hunter and it wasn’t some strange cologne.
Just then, she heard the front door open and footsteps coming up the stairs. Arabella turned her head to the door and she saw Hunter walking into to bedroom. Clearly, he was just getting home from a run and for some reason, he looked very angry. Arabella had never really seen him like this. It almost scared her a little bit. She watched as Hunter moved around the room, not talking to her. He grabbed a towel and some clothes, ignoring her the whole time.
“Hunter?” Arabella asked him in a low voice, twisting her hands in the blankets a little bit. She didn’t want him to be mad on a regular day. She really didn’t want him to be mad on their wedding day. Whatever she did, they could talk about it after the wedding. Arabella had already booked the fancy hall for their wedding and reception and they’ve already paid for it. She didn’t want it to all be ruined because she did something stupid when she was drunk. “Hunter, please tell me what’s wrong.”
“Look at your phone” Hunter told her and he walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Arabella looked at the door for a minute before she gingerly picked up her phone. When she turned it on, it was already at her pictures and she bit her lip as she looked through them. Her stomach got tighter and tighter as the pictures got worse and worse. There were pictures of her with all of the girls and then there were pictures of her kissing guys cheeks at bars and then at the end, there were pictures of her with what looked like male strippers. They were nearly naked and sitting on the couch with her in between them. There were pictures of one of them standing very close to her and dancing, kissing her cheek. There were pictures of her on their lap. In all of them, she looked like she was very out of it, hardly even awake. Arabella didn’t remember them at all.
The shower turned off and after a few minutes, Hunter stepped out of the bathroom. He was fully dressed and still had that angry look on his face. Arabella watched him as he dropped his running stuff into the hamper and grabbed his jacket. “I’ll be back later” He said to her in a cold voice. Without looking at her, he walked out of the bedroom.
“Hunter?” Arabella asked him in a low voice, twisting her hands in the blankets a little bit. She didn’t want him to be mad on a regular day. She really didn’t want him to be mad on their wedding day. Whatever she did, they could talk about it after the wedding. Arabella had already booked the fancy hall for their wedding and reception and they’ve already paid for it. She didn’t want it to all be ruined because she did something stupid when she was drunk. “Hunter, please tell me what’s wrong.”
“Look at your phone” Hunter told her and he walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Arabella looked at the door for a minute before she gingerly picked up her phone. When she turned it on, it was already at her pictures and she bit her lip as she looked through them. Her stomach got tighter and tighter as the pictures got worse and worse. There were pictures of her with all of the girls and then there were pictures of her kissing guys cheeks at bars and then at the end, there were pictures of her with what looked like male strippers. They were nearly naked and sitting on the couch with her in between them. There were pictures of one of them standing very close to her and dancing, kissing her cheek. There were pictures of her on their lap. In all of them, she looked like she was very out of it, hardly even awake. Arabella didn’t remember them at all.
The shower turned off and after a few minutes, Hunter stepped out of the bathroom. He was fully dressed and still had that angry look on his face. Arabella watched him as he dropped his running stuff into the hamper and grabbed his jacket. “I’ll be back later” He said to her in a cold voice. Without looking at her, he walked out of the bedroom.
Moving as fast as she could, Arabella jumped out of bed, tugging on the hem of the shirt that she was wearing. Where was he going? Why was he leaving? It was their wedding day. He couldn’t just leave. “Where are you going?” She asked him as she followed him down the stairs. He didn’t answer her. He just slipped into his shoes and grabbed his wallet and keys. “What about the wedding, Hunter? We’re supposed to be getting married today”
“It’s postponed” Hunter said, looking at her for a moment. He turned and walked out of the house, closing the door tightly behind him. With tears falling down her cheeks, Arabella walked up to the door and she slammed her fist against the door.
“Dammit!” She yelled and she put her forehead against the door. Arabella stood there for a few moments, crying. Why did he have to leave? Why couldn’t they sit and talk about it? Arabella had messed up and her stomach was a twisted mess of guilt and anger and sadness. Why did she have to screw this one up? Why couldn’t she have just had a quiet party with her friends and woken up early for their wedding in Hunter’s arms.
“It’s postponed” Hunter said, looking at her for a moment. He turned and walked out of the house, closing the door tightly behind him. With tears falling down her cheeks, Arabella walked up to the door and she slammed her fist against the door.
“Dammit!” She yelled and she put her forehead against the door. Arabella stood there for a few moments, crying. Why did he have to leave? Why couldn’t they sit and talk about it? Arabella had messed up and her stomach was a twisted mess of guilt and anger and sadness. Why did she have to screw this one up? Why couldn’t she have just had a quiet party with her friends and woken up early for their wedding in Hunter’s arms.
After a few minutes, Arabella walked into the kitchen, quickly making a cup of coffee. She didn’t want to eat, she felt like she couldn’t eat. Her stomach was too sore and she felt too horrible. Arabella gingerly picked up her hot cup of coffee and she walked upstairs. Ajax, Jolie and Piggy followed her up to the bedroom where she put her coffee down on the bedside table. Arabella picked up each animal one by one and placed them on the bed. She tugged on the buttons of Hunter’s shirt for a moment before she crawled into bed next to the dogs and laid down, looking up at the ceiling.
Jolie and Ajax put their heads on her stomach and Piggy curled up on the pillow by her head. As Arabella looked up at the ceiling, she started to cry again. Everything had gone wrong and she felt horrible. There was no way for her to call Hunter since he didn’t have a cell phone and she had no idea where he went, so she couldn’t follow him.
Jolie and Ajax put their heads on her stomach and Piggy curled up on the pillow by her head. As Arabella looked up at the ceiling, she started to cry again. Everything had gone wrong and she felt horrible. There was no way for her to call Hunter since he didn’t have a cell phone and she had no idea where he went, so she couldn’t follow him.
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Arabella woke up early the next morning in an empty room. The dogs had jumped off the bed and left. Hunter wasn't there and she was still wearing his shirt. She let out a little dry sob and she twisted her fingers in the hem of the shirt, feeling like crap in so many different way. Arabella rolled over onto her side, looking over to the empty spot beside her. On a normal day, Hunter would have his head on the pillow and he would be smiling at her like she was a diamond. He would tell her that he loved her and that she was perfect and then he would make breakfast.
But she wasn't perfect and he wasn't beside her. They should be waking up in each other's arms and getting ready to go to Greece. They were supposed to be husband and wife.
Her phone was buzzing on the bed and Arabella grabbed it quickly, hoping that it would be Hunter. She answered it and held it up to her ear. "Hunter?"
"No, sorry..It's Daniel" He said and Arabella let out a sigh, falling back into the pillows.
"This isn't the best time, Danny. Hunter left yesterday and I have no clue where he is and I'm tired." arabella muttered and she closed her eyes.
"What happened?"
"He saw some pictures on my phone from the party. I'm like..sitting with the strippers and it looks horrid. I mean, I don't even look like I'm awake" Arabella huffed and she put an arm over her eyes.
"Oh, sweetie...I'm sorry. But look, Hunter's probably with Will or Kyle. He probably just wanted to have some time alone to clear his head. He wouldn't leave you just because of this. He'll be back" Daniel said and Arabella bit back a few tears.
"I wish that I could talk to mom, you know? I haven't seen her in ages and I just wish that I could get a hug from her and tell her about everything. She's the goddess of love. I'm sure that she knows what the best thing to do it" Arabella said, turning her head to look out the window.
"Well..let's talk to her" Daniel said in a determined voice and Arabella sat up, raising an eyebrow. "Look..I'll be there in five minutes. We'll go to camp and we'll see if we can talk to mom. I don't have any drachmas left and I know that you don't either, so...we'll go see if we can borrow some to get a hold of mom."
"Five minutes? Daniel...I've been in bed since I got home from the party" Arabella said, looking around with a small look of panic on her face.
"Five minutes" Daniel said and he hung up before she could say anything. Arabella groaned and she hung up the phone quickly, jumped out of bed and ran to her closet. She didn't have time to find anything else to wear so she just pulled on a pair of black leggings. Hunter's shirt was so long on her, it was almost a dress so she just left in on and she threw on a scarf. Arabella grabbed her big leather purse and slipped into a pair of ballet flats as she ran down the stairs.
In five minutes, Daniel was pulling up in her driveway and Arabella walked out of the house, pulling her hair back in a braid. She walked over to his car and slid in, giving him a sad little smile. Daniel looked over at her and he hugged her tightly. "It's going to be okay, trust me" He said to her softly and he pulled away, starting the car and driving out of their driveway.
Arabella watched as the world passed them by in the car. She watched as the populated streets turned into backroads and all they saw were trees. She let out a little sigh and she closed her eyes when Daniel parked the car. It wasn't going to be easy but she really wanted to talk to Aphrodite. Daniel slid out of the car and he walked over to Arabella's side, holding the door open for her. He took her hand and he pulled her out of the car and he dragged her up the hill with him.
Arabella looked down at the familiar camp and she chewed on her lip. It was like coming home and she wished that she was with Hunter. "Come on.." Daniel said softly and he nudged her down the hill. He linked his arm with hers and as the walked into the camp, Arabella turned to head up to the Big House but he was pulling her towards the Aphrodite cabin.
"Danny..we need to go to the big house, remember?" Arabella asked him in a confused voice and she looked up at her brother's face. What she saw made her a little bit worried. He was smiling. No, he was grinning.
"We're not talking to mom" He said, clearly about to laugh.
"Daniel. What is going on" Arabella asked and Daniel pushed her into the Aphrodite cabin.
"Your wedding"