Chapter 31 Hope
HOPE
Marie is waiting outside her house at the curb when Heath pulls up. She rushes over to my side and tries to open the door but it’s locked.
She sends a glare through the window to Heath who smirks.
“Let her go. She is staying with me,” her voice is muffled but we hear her.
He leans over the console and says, “In your dreams, Blondie.”
“What? No!”
“Yes.”
I turn to him and his gaze quickly avert to me, then my lips, back to me. “I’ll be okay.”
He scowls. “I know.” He runs a hand through his hair. “I just don’t want to let you go.”
A smile tugs on my lips and lean forward and kiss him. “I’ll be with you for the whole day tomorrow.”
His tense expression softens a little as if the thought consoles him.
A bang raps on the window and we both see Marie staring at us in waiting.
I shoot her smile before facing Heath. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He rolls his eyes and presses a button that unlocks the car.
I’m about to open the door when he cups the back of my head and pulls me in a long, deep kiss that I feel in my toes.
They curl as he devours me, plunging his tongue into my mouth but being careful to not overwhelm me.
His heat sears through me, burning everything else until he’s the only thing in my head.
The kiss is hungry and full of anger as if the thought of letting me go tear him at the seams.
When he breaks the kiss, I can barely feel my lips.
My breathing is hard and fast.
“I’ll call you later,” he murmurs and tucks my head behind my ear. “Have fun with her and don’t worry about anything.”
How he can talk after a kiss like that is beyond me. I can’t even breathe properly.
I felt that kiss in my soul.
“I love you,” he says.
My heart jumps. “I love you too.”
With that, I get out of the car and shut the door.
Marie quickly envelops me in a hug and suffuses her warmth into me.
Leaning up into my ear she says, “That was a hot kiss.”
Blush spreads over my cheeks.
On instinct, I sneak a glance at Heath and he’s watching me.
A grin splits on my face and he shoots me a wink then drives down the road.
“Finally!” Marie lets go of me and puts her hands on her hips. “He’s gone. I was afraid that he wouldn’t let you go and I wanted him to let you go. He’s too much in love with you.”
“He is,” I say.
Her eyes widen. “What?”
“Last night he told me he loves me.”
“Oh my God! I can’t believe it.” She starts jumping and grinning from ear to ear. “Oh my God! It happened.”
I start laughing seeing her like this.
The fact that he loves me makes her so happy. I’ve always wanted this sort of friendship.
At once the metal entrance door slides and a man steps out.
He’s tall, lean and handsome. Dressed in a navy blue suit and polished shoes he starts walking towards us, his eyes locked on Marie.
Upon close proximity, I notice his features.
His eyes are the same color as hers — hazel, a beautiful blend of brown and green — and their nose and lips also look the same.
With a chuckle, he near us. “Lia, what got you so happy?”
Marie stops jumping and tries to stay still as she explains to him, “Heath loves Hope. He told her. He finally told her. I’m so happy.”
He grins before turning to me. “I assume you’re Hope Hanson. My daughter’s best friend.”
The man is so handsome it renders me speechless.
Heath and Marie both have insanely beautiful parents. It’s intimidating.
“Uh, yes,” I mumble.
“I’m Issac Anderson, Marie’s dad. It’s nice to meet you.” He seems like a kind, warm person. “Don’t be alarmed when I say that Marie has told me a lot about you.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Marie snuggles up to her dad and wraps her arms around his waist. “My dad is my fourth best friend.”
Issac chuckles. “Fourth? I didn’t know I’ve moved so down the list.”
Marie turns serious. “I have different categories. You’re number one in the parent best friend category.”
“But overall, I’m fourth.”
She thinks for a second then nods.
Another chuckle, then he says to me. “Apparently, Heath is on the third spot, you stole the second spot and the first spot belongs to Sebastian.”
“Sebastian came before her and I love him a lot.” Marie justifies.
Her dad playfully rolls his eyes. “Yes, I know. Just don’t remind me.”
“You can’t pretend he doesn’t exist.”
“But I can pretend that you’re single and I don’t have to worry about you being with a boy.”
“You’re good friends with the boy.”
That shuts him up and Marie giggles and turns to me. “He pretends he doesn’t like him but he does. They play checkers whenever he’s over.”
“He’s a decent player.”
“He’s beat you more than you’ve beaten him.”
“Precisely why I don’t like him.”
Marie comes to me and loops her arm with me. “C’mon, let’s go inside. I made chocolate cookies with Mom.”
We wander inside the property and walk down the long driveway.
Issac tells me that I’m always welcome here and should make myself at home.
He also mentions the countless stuff Marie made her parents buy for me over their travels.
I feel embarrassed about it but as if he can read my mind he tells me that it’s because she truly cares about me.
She never asks them to bring her stuff. It’s always for other people.
When we enter the mansion, Camila grins brightly and hugs me.
“Hope, you’re back. You should come here often,” she advises.
Marie tugs on my hand. “We’ll be in my room.”
Her parents laugh at her eagerness.
I give them a polite smile, then follow Marie to her room. The state of it makes me gasp.
There are clothes and shoes everywhere. It looks like someone broke into her room and searched through all the stuff.
“Excuse the mess,” she mumbles as she rushes over to the bed, collects all the dresses, tops and jeans and dumps them on the floor without a thought. “You can sit.”
I carefully make my way over to the bed and take a seat.
“What happened here?” I gesture around.
She grins. “I was looking through my stuff to help you get ready for the date.”
I frown. “You know about it?”
She nods. “Heath was at Sebastian’s place and I was there. He told us that he’s going to take you on a date today.”
I sigh. “Tomorrow.”
“He texted me about that. What made you change your mind?”
My gaze drifts around the room, avoiding her curious, worried stare. She knows something is up. I just don’t know how to tell her that I’ve been kicked out of my home.
She has loving parents and a safe home.
I wish I had too.
The fear of where I’m going to stay is eating me alive from the inside. Heath has offered to let me stay with him, and knowing Marie she will do the same, but I feel like an intruder. Their homes aren’t where I belong.
I don’t belong anywhere or with anyone.
Marie touches my hand. Her touch ignites a spark of warmth inside my veins, burning away my anxious thoughts and fears.
“You can talk to me, Hope,” she says softly, as if reaching a wounded bird. “It’s alright. You know I won’t judge you or anything.”
“It’s not that.”
She scowls. It’s my first time seeing that expression on her. She usually doesn’t get annoyed or irritated.
“Is it Heath? Is he pressuring you?” She adds without skipping a beat, “You don’t have to worry about it. Tell me and I’ll kick his ass.”
A laugh bubbles out of me. The way Heath cares about her, he’ll probably let her hit him.
“No, he would never do that,” I try to calm her down.
Worry lines mark her forehead. “Then what is it?”
I have to tell her.
She’s my best friend.
My chest aches as I force in a long, deep breath that fills my lungs. As I let it out, I tell myself that it will be okay. At least I have these people in my life. I’m trusting them to not abandon me — it takes a lot of courage for me to do that.
“Last night, my parents got into a huge fight. My dad told me that I was a mistake, that they never planned on having me. He wanted my mother to get rid of me but she didn’t—”
“What?” Tears shimmer in her eyes.
My lips tremble seeing her sadness. “My dad—”
“No, I got it but what do you mean? You’re not—” Marie lets out a sob, breaking herself off.
I quickly reach for her and she wraps me in her arms.
“You’re not a mistake,” she chokes out. “He’s wrong.”
I rub her back, calming her down.
It’s hard not to believe something when it’s said with such conviction.
And my own father said those words.
He meant it and I believe him.
“Mom jumped in to shut him up but he hit her and she got hurt. I moved to help her but she backed away from me. Then, she gripped my arm and pushed me out on the porch and said to not come home.”
Marie’s cries get quieter as she listens and clings to me.
“I stayed with my neighbor. She is kind and called Heath for me.” I hug her tightly. “I spent the night with Heath.”
“You can stay with me, as long as you want.” She tells me in a muffled voice.
A smile breaks out on my face. “I will, but he is insistent that I stay with him.”
“Of course, he is. He loves you.”
“Yes,” I whisper, feeling my heart jump.
“What else happened?”
“He told me he loves me, which is crazy. I never expected him to fall in love. I thought he only liked me.”
Marie huffs out a laugh and pulls back to wipe her tears away. “Loving someone means liking them a whole lot.”
“I love him too. I told him.” I rush out.
“I’m glad you did. He needed to know that. You’re the only person who’s made him feel anything after Emery’s death. He was a walking shell, angry at the world and hating himself. He hated everyone — he still does — but you’re his exception.”
I’m his exception.
I smile. “He’s the only person who’s made it easy for me to trust him.”
Marie smiles.