Chapter 24 Hope
HOPE
“Heath asked you out on a date?” Marie squeals. “Oh my God!”
I smile, watching her jump in excitement.
We’re at her house after school because Heath had something to talk about with Sebastian. He looked grim so I assume it’s something serious. I wish he’d tell me about it since we’re in a relationship and people tell each other everything.
Don’t be a hypocrite.
You haven’t told him how nervous you are about the date.
Marie rushes over to me and grabs me by the shoulder. Excitement is buzzing through her veins. Her hazel eyes, a delicious blend of brown and green, are filled with delirium.
“Please tell me this is real and not a dream.”
I laugh. “It is real.”
“Oh my God! Yes!” She squeals again.
A knock sounds on the door. A second later it opens, revealing a grinning Camila who leans against the doorframe. She is dressed in a fitting red pant suit and white heels with red bottoms.
I love those heels. The red bottom is such a nice touch.
I bet they cost a lot.
“Heath is taking Hope on a date.” Marie announces, grinning ear from ear.
Camila lets out a rich laugh, her eyes sparkle with the same happiness as her daughter’s.
She says with a grin, “It was about time.”
“I’ve been waiting for this day,” Marie adds.
Camila turns to me. “Where is he taking you?”
I get nervous. “I don’t know. He didn’t say.”
“So, he’s planning.”
“He has to take her to an amazing place,” Marie announces.
Camila walks into the room. “Now, love, you are right. But it is his decision and I know he’ll choose wisely.”
“He better. Hope deserves the absolute best,” Marie says.
“She does.” She shoots me a motherly smile.
Backing away, she says, “I’m heading out to pick up your father from the airport. I’ll be back in an hour or two. If you need anything, text me.”
“Okay, bye!” Marie waves and so do I.
When the door closes, all her attention falls on me.
“Do you have something nice to wear?” she asks.
I wince.
Nothing in my closet is perfect for a date. I only have clothes that make me feel comfortable but look boring. I’ve never bought anything fancy—not that I could with the money issues at home. And all the money that I had saved up is all gone—I try not to think too much about it.
“Not really.” I shrug.
“It’s fine. I can come over and help you pick out something.”
Panic grips my heart. “No! No. You can’t come over.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want you to get hurt.” Those words pain me as I say them. I feel terrible that she can’t feel safe in my house.
Her eyes soften in understanding. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about—”
I shake my head vigorously. “You can’t come over. Please.”
“Then how else will I help you with the outfit?”
“I don’t know.”
“Hmm.” Marie gets lost in her thoughts.
A few seconds later, she gets up from the bed and walks into her walk-in closet. Taking out one outfit after another, she fills her arms with dresses, cardigans, sweaters and scarves. The pile builds up so high that it hides her from my view.
Satisfied, once she can’t find anything else in her closet, she returns and dumps all the clothes on her giant bed.
“That took a while,” she breathes out. “But I think I got everything.”
I stare at the pile, then her. “For what?”
She meets my gaze. “You can wear something of mine to the date.”
“No, I can’t.” I protest.
“You can.”
“This is too much.” I don’t even glance at the pretty clothes. “I’ll find something in my closet.”
Marie comes closer and grabs my hand. “This is not too much. This is just enough. Friends do a lot more for each other.”
“I can’t, Marie.”
“Look at it this way. After school you come here and change. You look pretty and feel pretty—it is important to feel that way. Then Heath comes to pick you up and his jaw breaks and falls to the ground because you look perfect. You guys go out have fun and eat some place nice. And then you come back, change and go home.”
“You’ve thought this through.”
She nods enthusiastically. “I have. This way you’ll be safe—” We both hang on to that word, but she recovers quickly. “—and won’t have to worry about anything.”
“Safe,” I whisper. That one word hits me like a bullet.
Marie stiffens. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend—”
“You didn’t.”
“Then why do you look sad.”
I sigh. “My parents don’t know that I’m going out on a date. I should tell my mom. But I won’t because she doesn’t like Heath at all.”
“Why not?”
“She thinks he’s like my dad,” I say, not thinking about the fact how openly I’m telling her stuff. Somehow it’s become easier to just say what I want to say.
Marie gasps. “What the fuck? Heath would never hurt you.”
I nod. “Yes. But she doesn’t think so. In her head, I’m making the same mistake as her younger self.”
“You are not.” She asserts.
I smile.
Swiveling my head, I look at the clothes. They are expensive and the fabric is in beautiful colors and designs. It’s like a rainbow burst open and this is the result.
“You like anything?” Marie asks, watching me.
I shake my head.
Despite the fact that these clothes look stunning, not a single article piques my interest. Something that I’d prefer to wear on a date with the guy I love.
“I think I love Heath,” I tell Marie without meeting her gaze. “No, I’m sure. I love him.”
The room goes quiet and tension fills the room so thickly that it feels hard to breathe.
Just then a squeal echoes in the room and Marie climbs over the bed and starts jumping.
“You love him!” She throws her arms above her head and laughs so loud that the fact I haven’t told my mother—whom I’ve been close with since I was little—doesn’t bother me.
“Oh my God!” She gets down and attacks me with a hug.
Her arms squeezes me hard as she surrounds me with her bright, warm energy.
“I can’t breathe, Marie,” I wheeze.
“Oh sorry!” She quickly moves back and sits with cross-legs beside me. “I got too excited.”
A heartfelt laugh bursts out of me as I straighten up and tuck my legs underneath me.
When it dies down I say, “You’ve the first person I’ve told this to.”
She grins. “That means I’m special.”
I return her grin. “You are. The most special person I’ve ever met.”
Her eyes start to water but she quickly wipes away the moisture, not losing her million-dollar smile.
“When will you tell him?” she asks.
“I don’t know…” Never seems like a good answer.
What am I thinking? I have to tell Heath.
“Are you nervous?” Before I can answer she says, “You don’t need to be. I’m more than sure that he feels the same way.”
She can’t be serious. “What? No! That can’t be.”
Marie scoffs. “Heath is obsessed with you. If it’s not love then what is it?”
“Just obsession?”
She shakes her head. “It’s love.”
I shrug, not wanting to get my hopes up. The last thing I want to do is hear that he doesn’t feel the same way about me. I would be shattered if he told me that he only likes me. Maybe it’s better that I keep it inside me.
“Tell him!” Marie insists, reading my mind. “You have to tell him.”
“What if he doesn’t—”
“Still, you should tell him. He deserves to know.”
I cup my face in my hands as anxiety engulfs me. “I feel so scared.”
“Hey!” Marie comes closes and wraps her arm around my hunched shoulders. “Don’t get in over your head. It’s just voices.”
I put down my hands and listen to her.
“You should tell him because you have to be honest with yourself,” she assures me. “Also, I’ve him for more than a year and we’re best friends. I’m telling you he’s already waiting at the love stop. I’m pretty sure he fell for you weeks ago.”
My heart races. “You think so?” I ask in a small voice. Getting my hopes up despite what I told myself a minute ago.
“Yes,” she says.
“But how?”
“Because you’re an amazing girl and he’s so damn lucky to have you,” she replies without skipping a beat. As if it’s pretty obvious.
“Is there a rule about confessing love on your first date?”
“Nope. But even if there were, who cares. Every love story is different.”
I look up at her and smile. “You’re right.”
She smirks. “I know.”
I giggle, feeling lighter in my bones and excited about the date.
Marie leaves my side and stands on the other side of the bed and presses a dress on herself. “So, let’s pick a dress for the date.”
“Are you sure?” I hesitate.
She only shoots me a mega-watt smile.
Somehow that says it all.