Chapter 17: Hunter

       "Hey, you know what we should do?" Cannon asked me, randomly walking into my and Violet's suite.

       "Okay, before you answer that, how did you get in?" I asked.

       "Oh, simple," Cannon said. "I swiped your card key when you weren't looking."

       I reached into my pocket and sure enough, my card key wasn't there. I sighed and held out my arm. "Give it back."

       "Lame," Cannon said as he handed the card key over. "So, I was thinking that we should be nice and perform a few Christmas songs tonight for the people who are here. And we can set up a donation bin near the stage so since we're performing for free, some people might want to donate and we can give the donations to one of the many charities around here."

       "Ooh, I like that idea," Violet said. "You should totally do that."

       "I like it too," I said. "Another question though. How come you're always so generous and giving, yet you're an annoying brat to me?"

       "Two answers," Cannon said. "One, I'm your best friend. It's what I do. And two, you broke my heart, jerk."

       "I've told you many, many times that I am straight."

       "Yet you...." Violet began.

       "Please don't say it," I said.

       "I'm going to say it."

       "I'll divorce you."

       "No you won't. You...."

       "Don't."

       "Kissed him."

       "I want a divorce."

       "Hunter, don't be rude to your wife," Cannon said. "Geez, why did she even marry a jerk like you?"

       "Shut up."

       "I'll shut up if you kiss me. Again."

       "Don't you have a wife to bug and flirt with?"

       "Yes, but she's taking a nap," Cannon said. "So, are we performing tonight?"

       "Yeah, sure, but you better leave me alone," Hunter said.

       "No chance of that," Cannon said. "I'm going to go talk to the people here."

       When he left, I sighed and rested my head against the back of the couch. "Why did my parents have to be best friends with his parents?"

       "Oh, come on, he's not that annoying," Violet said. "You just can't handle the fact that you used to like him."

       "I didn't used to like him," I said. "I only kissed him, that's it."

       "Why did you kiss him?" Violet asked.

       I shrugged. "I don't know. You just broke up with me, I was struggling with my drinking problem again. He was just there and it just happened. I might have been a tiny bit tipsy. I don't know if I was. I'm just saying I was so it seems less weird. Now please, stop bringing it up."

       "Aww. But Annalise and I started planning your wedding again."

       "No, not this again," I whined.

       "Shush, and let things happen," Violet said. "So, how does a chocolate wedding cake sound?"

       "Oh, perfect," I said sarcastically. "We had a vanilla wedding cake for a reason, Vi. I'm supposed to avoid chocolate, remember?"

       "Still?"

       "Well, considering Wilson's disease is stuck with me all my life, I would say so."

       "So....You haven't had chocolate since you were sixteen?"

       "Sucks, doesn't it?"

       "That's lame. Not even hot chocolate?"

       "Uh, I'm pretty sure you have noticed already whenever you ask if I want hot chocolate and I say I can't."

       "Oh. I thought it was because you weren't cold."

       I snorted. "Yeah, that's why I can't have hot chocolate."

       "Okay, so how about a red velvet wedding cake."

       "That....actually sounds pretty good. Wait, no. No wedding cake. I'm not marrying Cannon."

       "You're no fun."

       "Whatever."

       Later tonight, Violet and I met with Cannon and Annalise in the lounge so the two of us could perform some Christmas songs. The donation box was set up by the stage and some people were already gathered around.

       We got on the stage and sat on the two stools set up. "Hey, what's up, people vacationing here?" Cannon said. "So, for those who don't know us, what's wrong with you? You should know us."

       "Stop being so rude," I said.

       "I'm kidding," Cannon said. "Kind of. Anyway, I'm Cannon Venturi and this is my boyfriend...."

       "I am not his boyfriend," I interrupted quickly. "I am happily married. He's happily married. Annalise, you going to let your husband act like this?" Annalise just shrugged with an amused smile on her face.

       "Okay, so this is my best friend, cough, boyfriend, cough, Hunter Bolton," Cannon said, making me glare at him. "We're going to be performing a few Christmas songs in the spirit of it being Christmas Eve. Hey, and now I see Munro Wilde. Aww, hi, Munro."

       "Would you ever stop annoying everyone?" I asked.

       "Nope," Cannon said with a smile. "Oh, and by the way, there's a donation box beside the stage for you to donate money, toys, anything, and we'll be giving it to charity. So, without further ado, here you go."

       Cannon and I started performing a song, but halfway through, my throat was starting to hurt about. When the song ended, I asked Violet if she could get me some water and she soon returned with a water bottle.

       After a quick drink, we started singing another song, but the feeling didn't go away. In fact, it soon made it unable for me to sing.

       Luckily, we just ended a song. "Are you okay?" Cannon asked away from the microphone.

       I shook my head and pointed to my throat.

       "Oh, then I'll finish up the songs," he said. "Go drink some water and see if you can get it checked out."

       I got off the stage and walked to Violet. "Did you lose your voice?"

       I nodded.

       "How long do you think it will last?"

       I shrugged. Hopefully not too long or I wouldn't be able to tell Cannon to shut up.

       "You think it will be better by New Year's Eve?" she asked.

       Once again, I shrugged, but then my eyes widened once I realized why she asked that.

       Cannon and I were supposed to be performing in Time's Square on New Year's Eve.

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Ooh, dun dun dunnnnnnnnn.

I'm going to love the next chapter. cx It features one of my new favorite couples.