YOU WRECKED ME

HUNTER'S P.O.V

(SIX MONTHS AGO)

Birthdays are supposed to smell like cake and candles, but mine smelled like blood instead.

"Ma, I'm home!"

It was the day after my twenty-first birthday.

My girlfriend, Vera, had planned a huge surprise party for me. Well, it wasn't much of a surprise because she threw me a party every year since we started dating. It had become a yearly ritual, so I already knew she was planning one.

All I had to do was act surprised each year and yesterday I did.

Almost everyone was in attendance. My friends, Vera's friends and a few of our course mates that I spoke to from time to time.

Vera's mother was there— and, to my surprise, so was her father, who was usually far too busy to attend events like this.

Everyone was present, everyone except the only family I had—my mother.

"Of course I invited her, we've been planning this party together for weeks."

That was Vera's response when I asked her about my mother's whereabouts. Halfway through the party, and my mum still hadn't shown up.

"I'll call her, just try and enjoy the party," Vera assured me, rubbing a soothing hand on my shoulder.

But it was hard for me to enjoy anything. The cake, my guests, even Vera's father, whose approval I'd always chased.

"She's not answering," I stated the obvious, after Vera's third call went to voicemail again.

"She's probably on her way already, you know it's a three-hour drive from her place," Vera reminded me.

"No, something's wrong, it's so unlike her."

I picked up my coat, turning to the exit to leave.

"Hunter, you can't go now, you have guests to attend to. All Daddy's lawyer friends are here and would love to see you. I'm sure she's on her way."

"But she was supposed to be here yesterday," I replied, looking at the door hoping that any minute from now, Mum will walk in.

"She'll be here. I promise," Vera said, her voice sounded so certain.

The only thing that kept me there was Vera, she had put so much effort just to make my party perfect.

She'd gotten her father to show up—her father and his powerful connections. I knew that was difficult for her to do, but she did it anyway. So, I decided to leave the second the party was over.

*

"Ma?" I called again.

Now I stood on the porch of my mother's house, ringing the doorbell continuously. I pulled the handle, but the door didn't budge; it was locked from the inside.

Quickly, I rounded the house, heading straight to the back yard, specifically my mother's garden.

I scanned the plants for a red flower pot, my Mum always hid her spare key there. I found the key and took it back with me to the front door.

The key opened the door, and I stepped in.

"Ma?" I called again.

The worry was already evident in my voice. I looked