Don't Blame Me: Genius

Reality

~Hope pov~
Months Later, August
The flashes of the movie Jeepers Creepers light up Tess' room. Our bellies ache as laughter fills the air and comedic tears run down our faces. Although,I'm sure her tears are from being scared shitless and the laugh is to cover it up. I cuddle Tess as she twists in my arms covering her face, hiding from the unsettling monster on the screen. It feels so good to go back to some of our normal things.

"no no WAIT," she screams. "I hate this part," she buries her face into my shoulder. I let out a huge cackle. "It's not funn-AH!" she gasps at the eerie sound that comes over the TV.  "Turn it off, right now," she mumbles through her hands. I simply ignore her, my body still pumping with laughter. She jerks up sitting face in front of me, "BABE! OFF. NOW.," she commands with a hint  of a grin upon her lips. She could never get through the whole movie.

I grab the remote and quickly cut the movie off. I slide my hands down her arms trying to calm her, myself still coming down from a laugh. "Okay, baby, okay. It's off." I said calmly, grabbing her hands and kissing them. "I just love you running into my arms," I smile.

"So you scare the piss out of me? Brilliant." She flails up her hands in excitement. I know she loves it. "I hate you," she pouts, trying to gain more love from me.

I stare at her in awe, thinking about how we've come so far and everything we've accomplished. My thoughts trickled to when I begged Tess for another chance. I had already forgiven her for her mistake but if she wouldn't have said yes then we wouldn't be here right now. My smile starts to fade when I remember that I didn't tell Tess about my pillow talk with Malia. At the time I was sure it didn't matter, but now?

Tess snapped me out of my thoughts. "Hey! Hope.  Did you hear me?,"

"Yes, and I love you more," I roll my lips into a smile as Tess leans in for a kiss. Our lips brush against each other ready to lock. Mine simply parted to allow hers to enter my mouth. My hands danced around Tess' torso all the way up to cup her face, pulling her into a deeper kiss. She is breathing heavily now, pulling up onto her knees to gain more control. Tess breaks the kiss to remove her shirt, leaving me perfect access for a line of kisses down her neck. I unhook her bra and she allows it to start slipping but-

"You girls oka-oh!,"

"MOTHERFUCK MOM!," Tess screams, rambling to fix her person. "WHEN DID YOU STOP KNOCKING,"

She stayed silent as eyes danced around the room. "Hope...you okay?," she chuckled. I just knew that my face was pale as hell. My back was against the headboard and I had slid my knees to my chest. I cleared my throat and winced, "Yes ma'am," I'm embarrassed.

"Mmmkkay. Well Tess, you have a phone call," Tess' face drops when Tina pulls out her cell phone from behind her back.

"No, I'm not talking to him." Tess jumps off her bed and jets into the bathroom to throw her hair in a messy bun. "It's been a year and now he wants to speak to me. No."

It's true. For the past week Tess' dad has been trying to get ahold of her. Although they didn't see eye to eye mostly, she still loved him of course. But you don't just up and leave your family, trust me, I get it. I know how she feels. Tina and Tess are currently biting each other's heads off in the bathroom with Mr Larou on the phone. I, myself, find the courage not to listen to this and go down to the kitchen. Tina has to have some kind of snack here.

I get down to the kitchen to see Peyton devouring chocolate chip cookies Ms Larou had made. He planted his butt firmly on the kitchen counter as if this was his home, his father spread out on the couch in front of the TV. I narrow my eyes at the act and continue to walk towards Peyton.

"You don't mind if I have one of these, do you?" I asked, swiping the plate off the counter.

He chewed hurriedly, "Sure, sorry. They're really good," he covered his mouth, gifting a reply. I held my response while I grabbed a cookie. He was practically breathing down my neck for another one. I look at him from the corner of my eye and I turn to face him quickly. I stare at him for a few seconds still behooved at why he's sitting on the counter. Assuming that he catches my drift, he jumps down and faces me, crossing his arms. I'm still not a fan of Peyton. And plus it's law to not get along with the relative of the one you date.

"So you're still acting like Tess' brother I see," I said, taking a bite of my cookie. He raises his eyebrows, "technically I am like her brother now," I rolled my eyes at the comment. Tina and the sheriff weren't married, just dating.

"And you're still acting like the goodie two shoes girlfriend," he barked. "How long will that last,"
I grinned slightly, "Bite Me"
"You first"
——

Wednesday Evening
"Ok, bye. I love you"
"I love you,"
I ended the phone call with Tess, after jokingly planning how sad our goodbyes were going to be when we went off to college. I know I shouldn't joke but it's the best way to cope. We've gotten in so much time together this summer which makes up for last. We're moving in soon and the more we think about it the more sad it is.

Tess is spending the day with her family and my mom is still held up at work. I guess it is me and my lonesome against the world. Before I decide to turn on Hamilton again, I go downstairs to finish searching through the mail from yesterday.
Yesterday I got a letter in the mail to tell me who exactly I'll be dorming with for the next four years. It didn't take a genius to know that it was going to be Malia. Of course it was. Consciously we picked the same law school, but our brainiac levels were the same. Malia and I had exchanged apologies a while back for our behavior toward one another but being friends was going to be hard. As I search through unopened mail, I glance down over to a hidden one under the refrigerator. It's from a college;

Hope Marie Starr,

Congratulations and welcome! On behalf of LoveBurn University it gives us great pleasure to inform you that you have been accepted into our Law and Defense program.

We are confident that you will make significant contributions to the life of LoveBurn. We look forward to having you this upcoming academic year.

Sincerely,
Team LBU
~

A tear conjured its way into my eyes and ran down my face. I stared at the letter in disbelief and I couldn't decipher the emotion I was feeling. That was, until my mom walked through the front door.
"What is this?," I held up the letter, angry tears streaming down my face. She paused, sitting her things down. "Where did you get that?,"

I laugh, "oh ya know, just the worst hiding place ever,"
She didn't say anything so I continued. "You knew. You knew I got accepted and didn't tell me. Why?," my voice winced.  "Because you didn't really want to go there, Hope"

"Mom, I waited for that letter!,"I exclaimed.
"No, you waited to see if you could follow Tess. But you said you wanted to get away, so I just helped pick the brochure," she says. "I'm on nobody's side. You will thank me later," What a lie. My mom has always played both sides.

This is great. First, I get a rejection letter from a college I barely wanted to go to. Their excuse was due to recent concerns in reputation that they couldn't allow me a spot. Those unprofessional idiots called me over the phone to tell me that.
Secondly, my mother is playing frame your future again. I never said I was going to go, I just wanted the letter.

After rummaging through my thoughts, I stood my ground. "Mom. You are an inspiration and yes, I am your daughter. But l am NOT you...and you can't make me be,".

I rushed upstairs not allowing her to respond. I paced back and forth until I decided it was too quiet then turned on music. Ariana Grande for the win. As music plays I look over to my closet. Reality sets in that I only have tomorrow to finish packing. Reality sets in that I'm actually doing this. Reality sets in that I haven't said goodbye to anyone. And all I have is tomorrow.