Hope

CHAPTER 4

I walk down the road, nearing Hazel's house. I turn into her dirt driveway. The door swings open and out runs Hazel, followed by her husky, Jack.

"Oh my gosh how boring was it?" she asks me.

"I just read the whole time," I tell her, "Hold on, I need to call my mom." I pull my phone out of my pocket and dial my mom's number.

"Hello?" she answers.

"Hey Mom, I am at Hazel's house, can you pick me up?"

"Sure, I have to pick Summer up from dance and then I'll get you," she tells me.

"Ok, I'll see you in a little while, love you, bye." I hang up the phone.

"My mom is coming to pick me up after she gets Summer from dance." I inform Hazel.

"Let's go up to my room," she suggests. We walk into her house and up to her bedroom. We do what we always do when we're at each others house, listen to music, play with the guinea pigs, pass around a softball.

Soon we here, "Kaitlynn, your mom's here!" Together, we walk down the stairs.

"Bye," Hazel says.

"See ya tomorrow Hazel."

We get in the car and Mom asks, "How was your day?"

"It was fine," I lie. Mom and Summer talk, but I don't say anything for the rest of the ride.

. . .

The next day on the bus I sit on the window-side and Hazel sits on the aisle side. We talk about my detention last night.

"That is the stupidest reason to get detention!" she tells me.

"I know right!" I agree. I see Lynn walk up the steps of the bus and walk down the aisle. Before she passes us she smiles at Hazel. Hmm, that doesn't seem like Lynn. Just then Lynn falls on her face and jumps up quickly.

"What the heck Hazel!" she screams, "Why'd you trip me?!"

"Wha- I- uh- Huh?" Hazel looks around, confused. I knew just what Lynn was doing. She is mad at me (for some unknown reason) and to get me, she's taking out my best friend.

"Hazel Mosley!" The bus driver yells back to us, "If you can't behave on this bus you shouldn't be allowed to ride it. You have lost your privilege. Get off and walk."

"Bu-But she didn't do anything!" I stutter.

"Would you like to join her?" he asks. Hazel and I get off the bus and walk down the road to school.

"Lynn is a terrible person," I tell Hazel.

"Ya. Why did she even do that?" she asks.

"I don't even know," I say, even though I know exactly why.

We walk into the school and separate to go to our lockers. Sadly, mine is right next to Lynn's because they were assigned alphabetically. Kaitlynn Allen, Lynn Anders. I am putting my lunch box on the shelf when Lynn opens her locker. As I pull my hand away my locker door slams shut, catching my fingers in the process.

"Aah!!" I whimper. My fingers feel warm. It stings a little though. My vision goes blurry and black at the edges. The darkness closes in until that is all I can see. I here someone yell, "Oh my goodness! Kaitlynn just passed out, and her fingers are black and blue and bleeding!"

"Are fingers supposed to bend that way?" someone asks.

"No, someone get the nurse!"

Soon I feel something cold on my hand. I fight the darkness that has consumed my vision.

"Oh, oh, she's waking up!" someone says.

"Does your hand hurt? Do you need medicine?" a lady asks.

"Ya, it hurts, I'll take some medicine," I tell her. When my vision clears I realize the lady is Miss Williams, the school nurse. She hands me an orange capsule and a plastic cup of water. I put it in my mouth, take a sip of water, and swallow it.

"We've called your mother and she is going to pick you up and bring you to the hospital," Miss William tells me.

. . .

I stare at the bright green cast around my hand, up to my 4 broken fingers. I hate Lynn Anders. She is a terrible person. The terrible person that put me in this cast. I look out the window and see Hazel running up the driveway. Soon my door opens and Hazel steps in, holding up a sharpie.

"Can I sign?" she asks.

"Sign away," I tell her. She holds my arm steady and writes Hazel inside a heart across my palm. She walks across the room and turns on my radio. She sits back down next to me and draws little designs on my cast.

"You know, after you left Lynn had to go to the guidance counselor's office. Tomorrow you and her have to be in the principal's office," she informs me.

"Great. I get to spend some quality time with my new BFF," I say sarcastically.

"I found out something really interesting today," Hazel says.

"And what would that be?" I ask.

"Lynn's parents are getting a divorce and her dad is moving to Virginia. That's a long way from New Jersey."

"Ya."

"I mean that's sad and all but, that's no excuse to torture an innocent person," Hazel rages.

. . .

That night before I fall asleep I realize, I've never seen Lynn just walking through the hall with her friends. She always sits by herself on the bus and I have never seen her in the cafeteria. Where does she go for lunch?