can you hear me now?

falling

Hope's expressionless face had not shifted since she spotted the mop of hair so called Landon, and she heatedly walked to where he was.

She stood at the front of their table and crossed her arms. "I thought you were sick." Her voice went cold. It felt as if the whole room had gone silent. From afar was the brunette, nervously standing waiting for something to happen.

"I- I felt better." Landon shriveled under Hope's dangerous gaze. "A-and I came here to grab something when I ran into Wade here." Hope's eyes snap at the boy across from Landon. He avoided Hope's gaze, sitting nervously in his spot.

"So w-we decided to grab some food and talk." Landon had been tripping over his words like he was hiding something. Hope was tired and was not up for a fight, so she dropped it.

Without another word, Hope walked away leaving the two guys stunned. Landon visibly sunk back into the booth.

Still no noise coming from the auburn-haired girl as she slid into the edge of the booth across from the brunette. Hope was yet to show a different emotion.

And to make things worse for her she sees Penelope walk over to their booth. She rolls her eyes and leans back into the booth unbothered.

"You okay Hope?" Rafael decides to poke.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She mumbled, turning away from everyone.

"May I get your guy's drinks?" Penelope eventually arrived at their table, mostly paying attention to Josie. Everyone else answered but Hope, she was too busy staring at nothing drifting away from the real world.

"Hope? Hope?" She snapped out of her trance and looked up to see an impatient Penelope. "To drink?"

"Oh, um water is fine." She managed to show a tight-lipped smile. Penelope nodded and walked away.

Josie frowned. "You usually get the peanut butter blast with whipped cream on the bottom."

Hope shrugged not wanting to talk. Josie deflated, she felt the mood shift between them.

Sooner or later Penelope came back with the drinks, then taking a few minutes to have a small conversation with Josie. Out of jealousy Hope played with the rings on her fingers not knowing her right leg has been bouncing up and down aggressively. She eyed them, seeing how Penelope could say something so simple and Josie would burst out laughing.

Their chat died down and Penelope started taking orders. Once she reached Hope, the older girl couldn't meet Penelope's eyes. She rushed out of the booth and quickly rushed towards the exit to be met with Landon once again.

"H-hope, let me explain I-" The mop-head boy starts only to be completely ignored.

Without saying a word Hope turns around and dashes out of the diner. She had no other way to get home other than the van. By now, it had started drizzling, but the girl couldn't care less.