A Touch Of Hope✔️(Wattpad version)

Rockin around the Christmas tree, part 2

I walked up to Ace, and he signed, "What are you doing?"

"Shopping, what does it look like?" I signed back.

"But why?" Ace asked.

"Because I needed to buy food for Charlie and me," I answered.

"But we have food," he signed, looking confused.

"We can't take your food. You already offered us a place to stay. At least I can take care of my brother and me," I signed.

"Hope when we offered you a place to stay. We also offered you food and support," Ace signed to me.

"Ace, I caused this mess. I was the one that bought that stupid tree, which caught fire and left us with nothing - first, my parents and now my home. Charlie didn't deserve any of it. He's done so much for me and gave up so much to help me, now it's my turn," I signed to Ace. "Now, if you excuse me, I need to get this food to your house so that we can eat."

With that, I walked away. I didn't need a charity or a pity party. What I needed was to take care of my brother. It's at least I can do for everything Charlie has done for me.

I returned and walked into the kitchen to see Charlie eating. He looked up and signed, "Where have you been?"

I looked down at the bag in my hand, and he looked at it, and I quickly put it behind my back, "Um, nowhere, I will go."

With that, I made a hasty retreat out of the kitchen, leaving Charlie and the others confused. Great, I can't even take care of my kid brother. I went upstairs and had something to eat. I pulled out a loaf of bread, jelly, and peanut butter along with a plastic knife and sat down on the floor, and made a sandwich. That was by far the best sandwich I ever ate.

Ace walked in a few minutes later. "Did Hope come home?"

"Yeah, she went upstairs carrying a bag of stuff," Charlie said.

Chase and Braxton came walking into the kitchen as Chase asked, "What's up with Hope?"

"What do you mean?" Asked Ace.

"We saw her digging through two dumpsters and trash. Then she was carrying a bag of bottles," Brax said.

Ace looked at them, then he and Charlie headed upstairs with the others hot on Ace's heels. Ace opened the door to see me sprawled out on the floor, eating a sandwich, and the stuff all around me.

Ace signed and walked over, taking a seat in front of me. "What are you doing? Hope?"

"Having lunch, then in a few hours, I'll have dinner," I said, picking up my sandwich and eating. I needed to save enough to have dinner and something for tomorrow.

Ace rubbed his head, then put his hand on mine. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I'm not a charity case, and neither is Charlie!" I snapped.

"Is that what you think this is? Charity?" Ace questioned.

"Well, isn't it? I mean, the deaf girl's parents abandon them, and then she burns down her house because she bought a dry tree for her brother so that he could have a nice Christmas."

He looked at Charlie, and Charlie walked over, sitting in front of me. "Wait, you bought that ugly tree so that I could have a decent Christmas?"

"Well, yeah," I answered.

"Why? I mean, having you is enough," Charlie signed to me.

"Because I didn't want Christmas ruined because we have loser parents that skipped out on us. It's not fair to you, and you've done so much for me. Now it's my turn," I signed back to Charlie.