Finding Hope

chapter two

"Hey."

"What? How did you wake up?" I whisper not wanting to wake anyone else up.

"I couldn't sleep... You know, my parents would love to take you in like they took me."

"Ava-"

"Hope! I'm trying to help you stay out of campus! You cannot run away, it's against the law!"

"Shh you might wake someone-"

"Listen! If you think I'm just going to let you leave, you are wrong. You have to at least, try it. We could be sisters. We hang out all the time, so we practically are. Let's go to your parents attorney to get their will figured out. Okay?"

I'm almost in tears. "Ava, I don't know what to say."

"Say okay." Jack says.

"Okay, I'll go." Everyone almost kills me with their hugging. "Let's go."

--

"Ah, Hope. Nice to see you! So, what're ya here for?" Arthur asks.

"To get my parents will figured out. If they wrote one," I explain.

"Hmm... Let me check their file's. Right here! Do you want me to read it to you or do you want to do the honors yourself?"

"Um... I guess I'll read it." 

We, Mr. and Mrs. Leall, would like to leave our wealth and everything in our name to our only daughter, Hope. She must be, at least, 18 years of age and/or graduate with her high school diploma.

"What're you going to do with it until I turn 18 or graduate?"

"Well, leave it alone. I can't do anything to anything of theirs. You can, you do work for the family business right?" Arthur asks.

"Yeah, of course. Why?" I ask.

"Well sense you're the last of the Lealls, you own it now. I can help give you pointers on how to pay the bills of it, if you want, but I'm pretty sure the people that work for you can help more than I. Also, you make the decisions," he explains further. "Buuuuut according to this," he pulls out a piece of paper, "all of the employees sort of quit... So you don't have any employees."

"Well damn, Hope." Jack says.

"We'll work for you!" Lia says excitedly. 

"Wha-" Jack starts.

"And no pay either! We'll be volunteers, until you get back on your feet with everything else," Toby smiles. 

"Oh my gosh! Really? Thank you guys so much! You all are too nice."

"Then after it's growing amazingly, we'll get some pay right?"

"Of course Jack." I say, rolling my eyes.

--

"When're you going to ask your mum about the fostering me too, thing, Ava?" I ask.

"Oh I didn't tell you?" 

"No, tell me what?"

"Yeah, they're totally up for that. They just have to get the paperwork and stuff, but other than that, they think you're a good kid and they know what you've gone through, you just have to tell them when they're pushing limits. They also want you to stay at our house tonight, but it's only if you want to," she explains. Everyone says a variation of "that's great"s and "yay"s.

"That's amazing! Of course. I would like to see how living with your family feels before they go through all the paperwork, though," I say.

"Okay. I really hope it works out. Anyway, what are you waiting for grab your bags!" 

I rush up the stairs, leaving my lunch plate on the table, and grab my bags. Going back down the stairs, I realize that everyone has everything cleaned up and Ava's parents are here. "Oh, when did they arrive?" I ask.

"Like two seconds ago," Lia says. 

I nod, and Ava's parents take my bags to their car. I run back upstairs and grab the last of my small things. "Are your guys' parent's coming soon?" I ask.

"Yeah." They all say at once. 

Weird...

--

Getting settled in someone else's house is very different than moving. It kinda feels like a slumber party, but you get your own bed and room and closet. 

"I'll leave you to unpack and stuff," Ava says.

"Okay," I agree. I finish unpacking, make my bed, hang up my ribbons and posters, put my knife under my pillow, and plug in my phone. I turn the light off, close the door, and walk down the hallway silently. I already know this house by heart so it's not hard to move around. I stop just before the kitchen doorway because I hear whispers and decide to listen. 

"I can't help but feel that she's not like us though," Ava's dad says.

"Me too but we can't just say oh sorry you're weird you can't live with us anymore, after she's already settled in," Ava's mum says.

"You're right but-"

"But nothing. Maybe we can 'use' whatever you thing she has or doesn't have that makes her nonhuman. I mean, it's kinda hard to tell a person they can't live with us anymore," she continues.

"We could say that the papers backfired?" 

"What do you even think she has?" 

"Something that could be very dangerous to this family. I don't think it's safe. Her real parents were weird enough as it is anyway. I feel bad and all but still. She needs to go," he explains.

They're talking about me. I know it and I can't take this anymore. I sprint back into my room. I'm leaving. Only this time, I'll make sure no one follows me or stops me. This time, I'll leave without warning and if I do have something, I'll find out what it is and how to use it. 

--

"Goodnight."

"It's only 9:30." Ava points out.

"I know, but I'm tired I've had a long day."

"Okay. Goodnight Hope." We hug, and I leave to my room.

My phone is buzzing when I get back. Arthur. I sigh and answer it, "hello?"

"What time were you planning on stopping by to pick up the key so you all can start the business back up?" He asks.

Crap. I forgot all about that. I guess I'm not leaving... "Around noon, since it opens at one o'clock," I say.

"Okay fine by me. Just making sure before you get there with no key and don't know what to do." He chuckles. 

"That all?" I ask.

"Yeah, that's it. G'night Hope."

"Goodnight Arthur." I hang up. 

WHY DOESN'T ANYTHING EVER WORK OUT FOR ME?! WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE TO GET THIS?! AHHHH!!! I wish I could scream out loud but I don't want anyone to come. Anyone but my parents that is. I guess I'll just have to some find hope.