Finding Hope (Book 1)

Chapter 2: Meeting Hope

As I was stretching, I thought over the routine over and over again. I was nervous. I then looked over at my dance teacher.

"Can we go over the dance again before we go on?" I asked.

"No, because we are going on a minute. Just go over the counts again Hope." She explained. I did as I was told and soon enough I was in my own world. Just me and my own thoughts. But almost as quickly a I entered my world, I was brought out by none other than my teacher. "Come on it's time to go on! Don't worry you'll be alright! I guarantee you will rock the house." I then put on a confident face immediately and walked into position with the rest of my team.

I stood in my starting position waiting for the familiar song to come on. After a while I could tell that my face showed my emotion I was feeling, nervousness. I then put on the smile that the judges want to see. Oh how I wish I could just freak out right now. What if they don't like our routine? What if I fell during the kick line? What if a group of ninjas came in and tried to ninja chop everyone till we were all unconscious? Okay come on Hope get realistic here.

The music then started and all the previous thoughts washed away. I soon started to get into it and all the movements flowed together to make a beautiful masterpiece. I felt the beat, I felt the emotion, I felt all the pain, anger, happiness from all the hard work my team and I put in. Time passed and soon we were three fourths of the way done. Now I just have to suck in a breath and trust my fellow teammates to be able to hold my weight and flip me. I quickly put my arms around my two teammates and bent down at the right time. I flew threw the air and landed gracefully on the floor.

****Several Hours Later****

"We got first place! I am so proud of my team. We have worked hard for this and now look where we are at!" I excitedly said to my aunt over the phone.

"Oh I'm so excited for you honey! I wish I could've come, but your father..." She replied.

"I know... love you Aunt Eleanor."

"Love you to sweat heart." And we both hung up our phones.

A sudden wave of sadness washed over me. I wish I could just live with my aunt. She knows about all the abuse, and the only reason why she hasn't told the police is because I have asked her not to.

I never knew my mother, and my father is quite abusive. But you know I kinda deserve the abuse. I made my mother leave. I don't deserve happiness. My smile I just had, dropped. This is for the best. Plus my father spoils me. He has let me dance since the age of 2. I mean yes I get free lessons, but that is only because I told my money situation to my dance teacher.

I have plenty of time to dance because I don't go school. Oh how I wished I did though. I go to the library and check out as many books as I can. Lets just say I'm a nerd.

We get to the dance studio two hours later. As we all pile out I grab my four bags and start walking home. Thirty minutes later I see something pass in the corner of my eye. I turned and looked but nothing was there, so I kept walking. Soon, I am on my front porch but I see it again and turn to look. All of a sudden a owl appears and swoops in and settles on my shoulder. I looked at the strange bird. Owls are nocturnal! What is one doing out in the middle of the day? I take a second look at it and notice that it has something in his beak. I take it out of his mouth and look strangely at the piece of paper.

On the front of the paper in tiny letters the words

"Ms. H. McBride

The front porchbythedoor

7654 Diddlerally Ave.

Austin, Texas, United States"

I quickly put the peculiar letter in my pocket knowing that my father would take it and rip it up. The bird then flew away. I watched it with sad eyes intell it was too far away to see.

With my bags over my shoulder I walked inside.

"HOPE?!" My father screeched. "Is that you?!"

"Yes father! I'm home." I replied. I looked towards the stairs where my father was trying to get up and climb up the few steps. I carefully set down my bags right next to the stairs and started making my way towards my father. I carefully watched his hands (expecially his right hand, because of the now empty bottle that was filled with achol) that could fly at any moment and connect with my body.

"Hope help me up you worthless pig!"

I put my hands under his armpits and lifted him up. But my spaghetti arms couldn't hold my father in place. Him and I both went spiraling to the floor, him falling right on my arm that was trying to hold me up.

A small yelp escaped my thin lips. All of a sudden my fathers mood changed from the mad drunken man to the bully drunken man. His fist that held the bottle crashed into my belly. He stood up and started to kick me over and then over again. I just put my body into a fetal position, letting my body take the abuse.

After a while my father suddenly stopped. I looked up and noticed him looking at my back pocket. He soon bent down and grabbed what he was looking for. After it was too late I noticed what he was looking at, my letter.

He smiled one of the most wicked smiles I have ever seen on him. "Open it." He demanded.

I shackally opened it.

My eyes scanned the paper quickly. This couldn't be true!

"Read it out loud." My father grumbled.

"Dear Ms. McBride,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all nessisary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl no later than the 31st of July.

Your sincerely,

Minerva Monginigal

Deputy Headmistress."

"What is this?" I questioned.

"You obviously got my side of the genes." He stated. "I'm a wizard and you are a witch.