Honorary Hope

Gone?

It's the next morning and I go downstairs to see Marlon on the phone. Once he notices me he quickly hangs up.

"Where's Carly? I need her to take me to dad's after school" I ask him

"Think she stayed at Vanessa's last night. She didn't mean what she said you know she'd be really sad to see you go and so would me and April." He explains.

"It didn't sound like it last night." I reply truthfully.

"Just talk to her, Yeah? Before you go moving out." He tells me.

"Fine but I need to get to school." I say pulling on my shoes and leaving the house.

To Carly: Need to talk

Did you Mean it?

Carly?

I gave up her texting her once I got to school since we weren't supposed to have our phones out anyway. I looked at my phone at both break and lunchtime but there was still no reply. So I sent her one last Message.

Fine I'm going back to dad's need a lift after school.

I came out at the end of the day and immediately checked my phone but there was still no reply. I got the bus back to the village with Liv and Gabby and then made my way back home. April and Marlon were both sitting in the living room.

"You seen Carly? She isn't answering my messages." I ask Marlon.

"she's gone to a birthday party." April tells me.

"Yeah a big birthday party so she might be gone a couple of days. How about you go and find Leo's action man upstairs and we'll take it back when we pick him up." Marlon tells April and she goes upstairs to try and find it even though I know it's on top of the fridge.

"Where's she gone then?" I ask

"Spain I think." He replies.

"What? Why?" I question confused.

"She had a job offer but she'll have just gone to turn it down. You have to do these things in person." He tells me which I don't entirely believe.

"Can we just keep it quiet though for April's sake, she acts like she hates her but she'd be upset if she thought Carly had left." Marlon explains.

"Fine." I reply

"Oh and your staying here. No one else is leaving." Marlon says sternly

"alright. April I found it." I call getting the action man as she comes racing down the stairs.

"Thanks." April says taking the action man and pulling on her shoes.

"Come on Dad and you Ava." April says in impatiently as Marlon isn't going fast enough. I slip on a pair of shoes since I hadn't actually planned on going.

I quickly grab my coat as we all head out the door. We make our way over to Rhona's and pick up Leo since he was staying at ours tonight. We stopped by the park on the way.

"Ava come play." Leo says pulling my arm and I can't resist but follow him over to the climbing frame.

This kind of reminds me of when I was first in the village and April asked me to come and play with her. I'd just told Carly what dad did and she said I could stay. I just don't get how she could go to Spain without even telling us. I put that to the back of my mind though as I play in the park with Leo and April whilst Marlon sits on a bench nearby.

I'm full on playing with them both, apparently we were prince's and princess's so I was twirling around pretending to swish my ball gown like April was as Jacob walked past. It's at this point that I realise he can't see April since she's hidden by the climbing frame wall and I turn bright red with embarrassment. I wait until he's out of sight before going back to our game.

"Come on you guys we better be getting back for dinner." Marlon calls and we all climb down and walk home.

"I can't believe how muddy you two are, go and get changed please." Marlon tells them and they both go upstairs.

"I don't know who was having more fun there you or them." Marlon laughs as we go into the kitchen.

"I don't know what your talking about. I totally wasn't to involved to notice Jacob as I twirled around and embarrassed myself." I say.