Destined

Chapter 4- The Losing Battle

Hope watched as her and Michael’s feet moved in perfect synchronization across the orange tiled floor. She could hear the faint sound of Michael’s gentle voice in the background, but her thoughts were clouded. Her mind was fraught with the unremitting image of the seraphic boy. Nobody had ever captivated her as much as he and she was dating the absolute hottest boy in her school… Just the thought of him filled her with desire and longing and that was so unlike Hope.

She could feel her boyfriend’s grip tighten around her hand. She shook herself out of her daze and realized that he was watching her with concern. His beauteous eyes melted into hers and the thought of the boy diminished. He could see something was consuming Hope’s mind and he looked down in worriment. His face twisted into a bizarre position as he attempted to put a façade of bliss upon it, but Hope could tell something was discomfiting him.

She watched his face closely and observed words trying to fight their way out of his mouth, but they remained trapped and instead he just attached his eyes to hers once again and planted a false smile on his lips. He curtly stepped forward and placed his lips ferociously close to hers and lightly brushed up against them. Hope’s breathing staggered in surprise. Before she could even register what was happening Michael placed a gentle kiss upon hers and she grinned uncontrollably. His warm breath traveled down her neck as he let out a lighthearted chuckled. He grabbed the side of her face and bared his eyes into hers.  

“Alright babe I gotta head to first period but I’ll see you at lunch,” he said still grinning. Hope nodded and bit her bottom lip in enchantment. He nodded and kissed the top of her head one last time before departing, leaving her with feeling coldness. But she knew something was different about Michael, and she just couldn’t put her finger on it.  

“Hopey!” Courtney’s voice boomed in a startling proximity to her. She felt her long arms wrap around her slim waist. A smile grew on Hope’s face as she turned around to see her best friend. Courtney’s arms unraveled from around her abdomen and she smiled warmly. Her dark brown hair framed her face in the most admiring way and her perfectly shaped lips formed a blissful smirk. Hope could feel the wistfulness resonating from her tiny body, “Ugh It feels like it’s been forever since I saw you!” she pulled her in for another hug and gave her a hard squeeze.

That’s because it had been Hope thought to herself. She never saw Courtney anymore; accept for in school and most of the time she was with Breton, as if they didn’t spend enough time together outside of school. Hope felt the desire to roll her eyes, but she figured she mind as well enjoy her friends bizarre display of nostalgia. Hope gently tugged her off of her body and grabbed Courtney’s shoulders.

“I know right!” Hope simply responded. Courtney chuckled and began to examine Hope’s outfit.

“Wow you look good!” Courtney resumed chewing her hidden gum and scanned her body with her eyes, “Someone is trying to get laid,” she winked. Hope giggled and shook her head in disapproval. She turned her around and continued down the hallway in route to her first period.

“Just because you and Breton fuck every night doesn’t mean everybody else does,” Hope replied. They both laughed briefly and allowed the crowd to watch them with great perspicacity.

“What’s that I hear? Fucking? Oh yeah me and Courtney do a lot of that,” Breton suddenly crept up behind them and enfolded Courtney in his arms. Courtney responded by closing her eyes and gently running the back of her hand along his warm cheek, longingly. Hope rolled her eyes as Breton swiftly swooped Courtney away to a nearby wall.

“Catch you later Hope!” Courtney’s words managed to escape through their aggressive kissing.

“Yeah… whatever,” Hope said perfunctory. She continued on her route to class and let her brain mindlessly wander around different thoughts, forgetting about the boy. And of course he popped into her mind. She took the peregrination back to the moment her eyes landed on him. She scanned his body over and over again trying to catch every detail of his seamless being. Her heart ached to see him again, to feel his presence enchant her once more.