FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM - HER FIRST LOVE

'For sure he and Hera have the same mannerisms.' 

Hunter thought and glared at Michael with a displeased scowl while his best friend slash brother kicked his footwear off. He rolled down his socks and sent them in the same direction his shoes went. 

Meanwhile, Eric sat on the white sofa chair, and Hunter left the bed to take his seat on the white sofa opposite Eric's. Hunter opened his books while Eric emptied his bag on the square glass coffee table set between the sofa set. It was their study time. They would explain and discuss with each other whatever they learned in school. 

Hunter had missed school, and thanks to his friends, he could keep up with all that he had missed. His notes were all up to date. 

"Where's Danny?" Hunter asked. 

Eric shrugged in reply. Michael climbed the sofa from behind and slumped next to Hunter. "That dickhead has lost his sanity. Don't know what's going on with him," Michael said. 

"Before we left school premises, he said he's an appointment with his matured girl," Eric said, fingers quoting the last two words. Hunter's brows arched up while Michael snickered. "Appointment?" Hunter asked incredulously. "Is that stupid into a sex worker or what?" He asked, shaking his head both in disbelief and disappointment. 

"Can I talk now? I have something interesting to show you," Michael said impatiently. He didn't wait for his reply and took out his cell phone from his pocket. He opened his Instagram account, and once he found the saved post, he tossed the phone to Hunter's lap, who caught it with an unimpressed frown. 

Once he saw the post, his eyebrows furrowed as his frown deepened. He remembered Hera showing those posts and how it had made his Goddess upset. He was confused by seeing his own face in some stranger's social media account. He eyed Michael, and his eyebrows lifted in a single up-down flash. Michael read the confusion in his looks and laughed. 

"Bro, it's a thirst trap. Can't you tell by just looking at the painting? Whoever created this was mind-fucking you when they did," Michael said, amusement dancing in his eyes and his tone sounded far too entertained. The corners of Hunter's mouth twitched downward in distaste. "Mike, I don't even know who this is," Hunter said matter-of-factly. 

"And yet, they know you so intimately that they could capture your emotions so well in their art," Michael stated. 

"Intimate?" Hunter thought aloud as he remembered Hera stating the same. Michael chuckled beside him. "Oh, I can't wait to show this to my baby girl and see her reaction," he said, sounding too amused. Hunter rolled his eyes and sighed. Bending forward, he picked up one of his books and flipped the page, not concentrating on anything. 

"Hera knows. She already showed it to me before you," Hunter revealed, making his best friend huff in disappointment. "Aw, man, you always have to ruin my fun," Michael said accusingly. Hunter let out a quiet laugh.

"So who's this? Do you know her?" He asked, and Michael shook his head. "I would've remembered the pretty face if I'd met her," he replied. Both Hunter and Eric snickered at that. "No, you wouldn't have remembered," Eric said. Michael glared at his friends as he seemed offended. "Well, look who's speaking. You are the worst compared to me. You won't even remember their names after screwing them," he stated, and Eric shut his mouth. 

Hunter looked at Eric, who lifted his brows questioningly. Eric exhaled through his nose and took out his phone. "I don't remember meeting them either," he admitted. "But I think I can answer your queries," he said before showing him Gisela's messages. 

Hunter read the messages while Michael peeked into the screen, doing the same. He vaguely recollected a fight in the New York club's restroom. He now remembered helping two girls, but he could hardly recognise their faces. It was still blurry in his memories. 

"It seems she's sent you a friend request," Michael said and instantly checked Hunter's phone. He found the two girls' names among the other requests and showed it to Hunter. 

Returning Eric's phone, Hunter took his phone from Michael. His friends watched while he rejected the requests without any second thoughts. "I don't need them to thank me again and again. I wasn't expecting anything in return when I helped them. Any of us would've done the same if we found a girl in danger, right?" He asked rhetorically. His friends agreed. 

Eric went to his profile settings and made his account private to avoid further interaction with the girls. Hera wasn't that dumb to not grasp how the girls were hitting on her boyfriend. Eric knew if Hera had already seen the posts, then it wouldn't be a favourable move on his part if he entertains the stranger's request. It wouldn't bring any good to Hera and Hunter's love life, and Eric would never be the cause of hurt for his best friend. 

IT WAS FRIDAY, and Hera had just finished her classes. She ran into her room as fast as her legs could move, changed out of her uniform and took the fastest shower of her life. She brushed her teeth twice because she wanted to match Hunter's pearly white grin when they greeted each other. 

She brushed her short hair and smiled, noticing the growing length. Putting on her dress, Hera bent down to grab her flip-flops from under the bed. Her damp hair kept dribbling water drops into her dress. She packed her bag at super speed. 

She couldn't wait to see Hunter. 

A broad grin plastered on her face, Hera jumped into Hunter's Range Rover while his driver John held the door open for her. 

"Finally," she muttered as soon as she settled herself in the seat and fastened the seatbelt. 

"How much more time till we reach, John?" Hera asked impatiently. Her knee kept bouncing while her fingers rapped against the leather seat the whole time. John laughed at the urgency in her tone. As he promised, he brought her to the mansion in twenty minutes. 

Hera greeted Jessica at the kitchen counter before sprinting off to Hunter's bedroom. The household staff laughed at the girl's impatient behaviour as she ascended the steps two at a time. 

Hera pushed the door open without knocking, only to find the room empty. She tossed her bag on the neatly made bed. Thrusting her footwear under the bed, she pushed the door to the bathroom again without knocking. 

"The fuck,"' she muttered into the empty bathroom. Puffing up her cheeks, Hera huffed out in anger. Her anxious feet took her to the balcony, only to face disappointment once again. "Where are you, stupid Hunter?" She muttered, cursing again. 

Hera stood in front of the mirror, and her eyes narrowed while she guessed where she could find her Mr Hunter. She brushed her damp hair with her fingers. Pulling the cabinet drawer of the dresser, she found her strawberry flavoured lip balm and moisturised her bare lips. She had forgotten to do that in her dorm room. She was too excited to meet her man to pay any heed to her makeup. 

Hera turned around, surveying the empty bedroom. 

Smiling, Hera snapped her fingers. "I know where you would be," she said out loud and moved towards the door to the adjoining library. 

This time she didn't forget to knock on the door. However, she didn't wait for anyone to acknowledge before thrusting the heavy door open. Hunter turned his head over his shoulder, and Hera was pleased with the way his face lit up by seeing her. His lips twitched into a smile before it broadened into a wide grin. He stood from the chair and took a few slow steps towards her. 

Hera ran into his open arms and wrapped herself around him. She felt stupid for getting emotional, but her eyes watered. It felt like they had spent years apart. 

Hunter pulled away from the hug first and cupped her face in his palms. Hera smiled before it transformed into a wide grin resembling the one on his lips perfectly. 

His heart skipped a beat, and Hunter inhaled sharply before kissing her tears away. It amazed him how her smile never changed. The innocence in her eyes, the honesty in her emotions, the purity in her smile, it was still the same. It never let him forget the day he met her for the first time. It was the same smile she gifted him that day when he pulled the puppy out from the hole. 

It reminded him of the day he met her in that church on her fifth birthday. She greeted him with this same smile when he tugged her pigtails. She smiled the same when he kissed her goodbye that day. 

Hera reached on her tippy toes and placed her lips on his. Hunter smiled against her lips and let her lead the kiss.