Unwanted. Broken. Abused

Chapter 14

<Xavier's p.o.v>

My mum phoned up the school just before she went to work, to tell them that we were all sick.

Man, you've gotta love my mum sometimes.

She bid us goodbye, and warmed us not to break anything, and left.

Now it was time for the fun to really begin!

Hope still looked slightly unsure, and still kept glancing at the door.

I just pretended not to see, and instead told her to come with us.

She obliged gratefully, and we got into a taxi.

Then she wrote;

Where exactly are we going?

I grinned at her.

"Ever heard of pizza?" It was intended as a joke, but she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

Pizza??

My jaw dropped open.

"Don't tell me you've never had pizza?!"

She shrugged apologetically.

Blake and I exchanged glances.

"YOUR GOING TO LOVE IT!!" He cried. I laughed and nodded in agreement.

I still can't believe she had never had ice cream!

The taxi stopped. We paid and exited the taxi.

I grabbed Hope's hand dragged her along to the best pizza place in the enitre world.

We stopped at the window, and Hope gazed in, curiously.

I grinned at her and pulled her inside.

Blake ordered at the desk and Hope and I found a table for three.

Hope's face was a mixture of excitement and curiosity.

I beamed at her.

She was going to love it.

I was sure of it.

Blake came back with our pizzas and Hope glanced curiously at them. Then she wrote;

A whole pizza, to myself?!

"Well, duuh! Plus, if you don't finish it, I'll have it." Blake told her.

"And me!" I chipped in.

Hope grinned and dug in to her pizza.

Me and Blake watched her reaction before starting ours.

Hope chewed for a while, then her eyes widened, and she licked her lips and took another bite.

Her eyes closed in bliss.

I smiled. I knew she'd like it.

* * *

After we'd finished our pizzas, we went back to my place.

We asked Hope about what she thought and she jumped up and and down exitedly, just thinking about it.

Then, once she had calmed down, I asked her about this morning.

The smile faded from her face completely, and tears were brimming in my eyes.

I knew immediately that this was the wrong question to ask, as she was close to tears.

"Actually, Hope. Don't answer that. I'm sorry for asking." She nodded, but she didn't perk up.

I knew immediately that I'd killed the mood in the room, and Hope looked away.

An awkward silence filled the space where Hope's excitement had once been.

Hope's face was now removed of emotion and her eyes were glazed over.

Then she stood up and wrote;

I just remembered that I had a massive art project coming up next, and I need to finish it.

And with that, she was gone.

I knew she was lying because I was in the same class for Art as her and I'd have known if we had a big project coming up.

But why?

Why would she lie? After I saw her house and her mum?

Her life seemed fine, so why lie?

Then I realized that Blake had spoken, and I hadnt heard.

He was looking at me expectantly.

"What?" I asked.

Blake laughed, and repeated what he'd said.

"Why do you think she lied?"

I looked him straight in the eye, and said,

"Why was she here his morning?"