Don't Blame Me: Genius

Genius

~Hope pov~
Friday Morning, Nine AM
Move In Day
"Here Hope, let me help," my mom reaches for one of the two suitcases in my hands. "No, it's okay," I sniffed. "I just need you to drive, please,". My mom was doing everything she could to keep me stress free today, but I wanted everything to keep my mind busy. I had to be moved in and checked in by noon. Is it bad if I said I don't want to go? I lugged two giant suitcases down from upstairs and put it in my trunk. College freshmen weren't allowed to have cars the first year so mom was going to take me and then take care of my baby.

"I have a few more things to put together and then I'll be right down," I told mom. I ran upstairs to put my toothbrush, deodorant and other bathroom belongings in a box. I stood in the middle of my bedroom looking around. This moment felt so surreal. I've waited forever for this, and now that it's here I'm scared....scared but excited. I'm about to follow my dreams. Tears started to grow. I'm not going to cry. Let's go.

I called Tess about thirty minutes ago while she was out with Tina getting some last minute necessities. So I told her to meet us at Moo-vie Bites for Breakfast. The cafe was at the perfect meeting point. Tess was going to go one way and I was going the other.
——

"Can I get a breakfast brownie, regular water, and green apple flavored water please," I ordered my usual breakfast. "And I would like a cheese omelet and an apple juice please," Tess ordered.

We took a seat at a picnic table in the back of the cafe and waited for someone to break the silence. "So Tess, what time do you need to be moved in and checked in?," my mom asks. Thank you. "Noon. Same as Hope," short and sweet, she said. The silence fell once more. "Hope has an activity brochure to follow when she gets to school," my mom continued an outspoken conversation. We didn't say anything. Well, do you girls think you'll love it?," I interrupted mom with a clearing of my throat. "Tess, wanna get some air?"

Tess followed me out of the cafe. We walked down the sidewalk for a while in silence. It was loud and you could cut the tension with a knife. It was the kind of tension that said ihavealotofthingstosaybutidontknowhowtosaythem or maybe idontwanttoloseyouandimafraidiwll. Our silence led us to school, LoveBurn High, so cinematic. We ended up in the school parking lot, heading towards the front doors in a habit. "We can't go in there, it's closed," I chuckled. Tess returned the laugh. "I wasn't going to say anything. I was just going to follow you,"

"You've been following me your whole life. Come on," I motioned her to the courtyard.
"I've been in love with you my whole life. I just didn't know it yet." she huffed out a small laugh.
We stopped in the middle of the field and looked around, taking in the fact that this was the last time we were going to be here. We've spent the last four years here and we are about to leave highschool for something greater. This is lowkey the cheesiest thing ever. I took in a deep breath and blew out letting the memories in and washing them away.
"Do you remember how Mr Price would always threaten us with detention?" Tess' laughter filled the air. "And he never gave it"

"And that one time he did, it was just to get us to be friends again. We were his favorites forreal,"I replied.
"He was our favorite. He had us writing terrible assignments, expressing our feelings?" she reminisced.
"Ew, omg, I am crying under a bridge," I cringed at the eleventh grade memory. "I cant believe that essay caused our first kiss,"
Tess looked with realization, "you're so right! I still have trouble believing you chose me after I tried to get you blame me,"

"Oh my, that was when everything about us was crazy! And please, I wouldn't write this for just anyone." I pulled out of my mini backpack the essay assignment I had written in eleventh grade. I framed it. It is her reminder that she was always the one. Tears started to flow from her eyes, I was tearing up myself. It was an emotional moment. We were leaving each other. "This is still so corny," Tess laughed her tears away.
"And I'm still hopelessly devoted to you," I said.

We headed back towards the parking lot. Apparently our parents knew us very well, because they showed up in the school parking lot. I look to the left to see my red Toyota Camry, my mom leaning up against the driver's door and then Tina's station wagon, her sitting in the driver's seat with the door wide open. Then the sheriff's car, with Peyton and the sheriff sitting on top of the hood. I glanced at Tess and smiled before another cop car pulled up to the scene. To my surprise, another missing piece. Mommy jumped out of her car and walked over to mom and hugged her, I couldn't help but smile.

"You know after everything we've been through, the greatest adventure was finding your love," I said to Tess.
She turned to me and took my hand, "From fighting to fingerprints, you'll just never know when it comes to us," she laughed. "I'm glad you're getting to go to the college you want though."
"And you! I'm so excited you picked something you had interest in," I said. "The Female Police Academy seems like a great fit for you,"
Tess smiles,"I think so too. And I always have back up," she points to Peyton and the sheriff.

Tess lets out a huge breath, "Okay, you ready?". It was time to go, but damn, was this going to be hard. This wasn't like a regular goodbye, the emotions and looks told it all. My head sank to the ground and my voice became tight. Tess lifted my chin for me to look at her, to look at her smile. She tucked my hair behind my ear, then pulled me into a big hug, which I then melted into. I was so sad, already lost without her. She was crying, I was crying. Still hugging her, I strained out a whisper, "It's okay. Ethic Law is only two hours away. If you need me, you know what to do. I don't care how long it takes," I told her.

We let go of our hug and looked back at our parents who were just as emotional as us. I started to laugh about that because why? I walked Tess to the front seat of her moms car. The Female Police Academy was literally just around the corner, she would get there in like thirty minutes. I opened the door for her but she stopped and turned to me.

"You know only geniuses go to Ivy League schools?," she grinned.

"Well, only a genius could love a woman like you,"

I grabbed Tess by the nape of her neck and she wrapped her arms around the small of my back. Our parents, and the rest of whoever else was watching got a flash of what real highschool sweethearts look like. That's my girlfriend. And I could never blame her.

Hey Alexa, Play 'Genius' by Labrinth, Sia, Diplo

AN; THE END!!! Thank you so much for reading :)