Lasting Hope .5

meeks 3

This has been probably the most out of the most wonderful morning wake up calls ever. Hearing her voice first thing in the morning... I couldn't have asked for more. I could feel my skin stretching wide as I greeted her. Her eyes opened wide at the sight of me, and perhaps the fact that I knew her name. I was delighted. I almost sighed in content, if it weren't for my 'aunt'.

"Ah, Hazel meet, um, Dylan. He's my, um, nephew?" Opal introduced us, but she made it sound more like a question. I don't blame her.

"Dylan huh? Aren't you the new boy starting at my daughters school?" A new voice called out beside me. I smiled tightly when I saw who had spoken. She hadn't changed a lot over the past couple years. I suddenly pictured her holding my uncle's beefy arm. Resting her head on his broad shoulders. Looking up at him with such adoration that made me jealous. "Honey, are you okay?" Mrs. Matthan asked me.

"Yes, thank you for asking. It's just that I haven't realized I would be going with her. And I was going to ask her now if she'd mind showing me around, now that we've met. But I realized she might not want to..." I recovered quickly. I smiled sheepishly at her, knowing my words were going to work. After all, who will reject a boy with manners?

"Why she'd be delighted to!" Mrs. Matthan responded

My face blanched when I saw her immediately look to the ground. She didn't want too. Of course not. "Maybe it'd be better for me to discover how this whole schooling thing works. Maybe impress somebody with my quick thinking." I bit my tongue. I hadn't meant to say that last part.

Hazel looked at me closely. The faintest smile appeared on her lips. "No, I'd love to show you my school. Tell you which kids to steer clear of, what type of cafeteria food is best, and which teachers won't mark you late if you're just a minute late. The rest of them are very punctuational. " She forced a giggle out, blood covering her cheeks at her sudden outburst.

I wouldn't blame her for being mortified, all of us were looking at her. "That would be an extremly angelic thing for you to do. I'd be in your debt. Not that I would mind of course." I flashed her an easy smile.

"You are sixteen correct?" Mrs. Matthan looked at me suspiciously.

Ouch. It hasn't even been two decades where she thought I was the only one good enough for her daughter. I smile pleasantly. "I can assure you that I'm probably just about five months older than just sixteen." I joke.

Her mother puts her hand up to me, and for a second I fear she's going to strike me, but her hand just sort of hangs in midair. I look panicked around, what in heavens name am I supposed to do? "You've never had a high-five?"

"Um, I'm not exactly sure what this high five is. Where I come from, physical attention is frowned up on, unless you were helping someone, meeting them for the first time, congratulating them, or they were in your circle, like family or lovers." I answer, my eyes subtly peeking at Hazel.

"Oh, well here as long as it isn't hurting someone in some way, it's totally okay. A high five is when you bring your hand and someone else's and hit them together. It's oddly satisfying. Sometimes I high five people that I just met if I'm really happy." Mrs. Matthan explained to me. She grabbed my hand, and this completely caught me off guard. I press my lips together. No body has ever touched me like that. And I'm also scared she'll feel that I have no beat, just cold skin. But no, she claps my hand together, and she is right. It is satisfying. I turn toward Opal, and reach for her hand. She laughs which makes everyone burst out laughing.

"I hope you guys will let us show you around here."Mrs. Matthan said.

I glanced at Opal. Well this was the plan...just a lot quicker than we had thought. "Violet, I can not think of anything greater at this point. I feel like this will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship" My aunt Oprah said.

Hazel's mother just beamed.

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After six hours of what Hazel's mum said was vigorous hiking, we 'collapsed' at the fireplace. Opal and I weren't exactly out of breath, and coincidently, neither was Hazel. Though of course there was this unspoken rule about making it seem as if our muscles were melting from exhaustion. "I have no idea how all of you are without breath. Does it have to be with the way all of you are skinny?" Mrs. Matthan joked, apparently we weren't as good actors as we thought.

Nervous giggles surrounded us, mostly coming from Opal and myself. I had noticed that Hazel was slowly warming up to me,and kept stealing glances at me. As I did. My soul mate who wasn't meant to be...

"I know this might be a little early, but I wanted to ask, do you babysit? I'm heading off to a road trip, and it's going to take me some time...and I'd rather not leave Hazel alone for a long time, ya know? I asked Hazel, and she says she wouldn't mind having you as her guardians for the time being. So what do you say? Take care of my angel for around three months?" Mrs. Matthan opened the door to our mission. But even if we weren't trying to get close to Hazel, her hopeful expression, melted our hearts.

"I'd love to. I love children, I mean, um, teens. This will be great. So when shall we come over?" Opal asked. She sealed our contract.

As the adults worked out the details, Hazel and I just looked at each other, discretely. I couldn't wait to get to know my other half for real.