Alex: "After we left that party, everything just went from bad to worse."

Hunter: "Dude, don't even get me started. It was a living nightmare."

Azalea: "I still can't believe that note Hannah found—or the person it was addressed to..."

Hannah Ivory Mun:

It wasn't long after I'd called Stefan that he, Alex, and Hunter picked me up from the forest. I was cold and shivering when I crawled inside the car, but I was still grateful to be rescued.

We dropped Alex off at the hospital, then doubled back to the party to get Hunter's car. Hunter was still really loopy, so I offered to drive it.

Stefan said his parents were pretty freaked, and they were demanding he return home immediately. I thanked him for his help before he left in his own vehicle, then Hunter and I rode to my place, hoping to get some answers about what the heck had been going on the past two hours.

"It's so weird," I said to Hunter as we drove, passing trees on either side of the paved road. "I saw Azalea go outside, but after that, my mind just goes blank. I don't remember being kidnapped, or even getting knocked out." I paused. "But I do remember one thing—right before I woke up in the forest...I felt something prick the back of my neck."

Hunter was barely awake in the passenger's seat, his only response a nearly inaudible mumble.

I sighed to myself, eyes wearily surveying the road.

"...Hannah?" Hunter's voice shuddered through his lips.

"Yeah?"

"Does Azalea hate me?"

"What?" I shook my head. "No, of course not."

"How do you know that?" His words quivered with every syllable. "She t-tried to hide it, but...I knew she was mad when I left." He hesitated. "...And now she's...g-gone."

"...Don't say that," I begged. "It's been hours since you left for that party. For all we know, she's still back at my house wondering where I've been."

"She does hate me, doesn't she?"

"Hunter, no. I already told you..."

"It's all my fault, Hannah." He palmed his face with trembling hands. "I never should've gone to that stupid beach house. I should have stayed with her." He shook his head. "I'm her boyfriend, and I let her get kidnapped just so I could—"

"Stop that," I ordered, cutting him off. "That's not fair, Hunter, and you know it. The only reason you were even there is so you could make up with Callista."

"Yeah, and I'm so stupid I actually thought that'd work." He shook his head again, pain tearing through his voice.

"Hunter..." I reached out my right hand, rested it on his squared shoulder.

"I'm so pathetic." He sighed, defeated. "She's amazing, and I'm just...me. I can't believe I ever thought I deserved someone like Azalea."

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a single tear stream down his cheek and fall in the darkness, dripping melancholy on the seat cushion.

I pressed my foot on the brake pedal and turned to Hunter as we slowed to a stop. "Well, maybe you don't think you deserve Azalea," I said deliberately. "But I bet she does..." I looked away briefly. "And I know I do."

"I left her," Hunter spoke just above a whisper. "I left her all alone."

"You 'left her' with me," I corrected. "It wasn't your fault that I got kidnapped. And if something really did happen to her, then that wasn't your fault either."

Hunter sniffled, covered his eyes with his hands.

"It's okay, Hunter," I whispered. "It's okay. We're going to figure all of this out. I promise." I pulled him into a soft embrace, shuddering under his warmth as he melted into my arms.