HIGH HOPES | S. SALVATORE

eleven

After spending a few days recovering, Hope finally returned to school. She was sure the news of her miscarriage had already been spread as all eyes were on her as she walked to her locker. Their eyes burned into her back, and their words echoed through her mind.

Perhaps she had come back too soon.

"Alright, you all have precisely 30 seconds to scram before I beat you," Stefan's stern voice rang out through the hallway.

The students, under his harsh gaze, quickly made their way to their classes, leaving Hope alone with the emotionless vampire.

"Thanks for that," the blonde rubbed her arm and looked down at her worn out converse. She finally looked up at him, only to find his forest green eyes starring down at her. "Elena told me you shut off your humanity. She said you were an asshole."

"You should get to class."

"You're not meant to care about anything, and yet, here you are caring about me," Hope furrowed her brow. "Which means that there is still a little bit of humanity left in you. And I have hope that we can restore it."

"Your hope is admirable, yes, but foolish nonetheless," Stefan looked down at her with an emotionless expression.

"Well," she slammed her locker shut, "I'd rather be called foolish than heartless."

Hope turned on her heel and walked away from her best friend, fat tears falling from her eyes down her cheeks.

-

The girl returned home, tears no longer flowing from her bright eyes. She slammed the front door behind her, and headed towards the stairs.

"Hope?" Her mother called from the kitchen. "What are you doing home so early?"

"I, uh, I felt sick," Hope shrugged, adjusting the bag strap on her shoulder.

"Well, this came for you," a crisp white envelope was passed into her hands.

"Thanks."

Hope continued on her way to her bedroom, dumping her bag by her desk and sat down on the bed with the envelope in her hands.

Her name and address had been written in cursive handwriting on the front.

She instantly knew who it was from.