Our Hope

20 - Hope

The next afternoon, Maria and Hope were at her house studying. Well, Hope did. They were in her bedroom. Hope sat at her desk. Maria laid on Hope's bed. Maria's viewer lit her face while she stared blankly at it. Hope read the Perfect System extended version on her laptop and she jotted down notes on her scratchpad to her right. She breathed in her favorite pumpkin spice flavored coffee. It was still warm, and she tasted the cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg. She put the cup down and picked up her cold metal stylus again and twirled it between her fingers.

She pondered the many ways they had attempted to break up Skye and Cole. They had set up Skye with new guys and showed Cole the news articles. Maria brought her to that movie premiere, expecting her to hook up with one of her exes. Nothing was successful.

Hope's viewer beeped a high-pitched chirp. Hope read it out loud. "This week's updated GPA report."

She displayed holographic rankings above her viewer.

"Any better?" Maria asked.

"No. I'm still ranked 2nd, while Cole dropped to 11th."

"He dropped again," Maria said.

Hope said, "I'm going to call her father. Cole dropped to eleventh and they're still together. I can't wait any longer."

"Woah. Woah. Wait."

"We already wasted half of the year," Hope said, complaining.

"Please give me time. I already took care of it."

"How?"

A tear fell down Maria's cheek and her eyes were bloodshot.

Hope embraced her and said, "You're taking this too hard. What's going on?"

Maria cried and sniffed, clearing her nose. "No matter which way I do this, it ends up with me leaving. Please do not call her dad. I'm sorry, I have not been thinking clearly. Do not compete as his girlfriend. Tell him that as your best friend. He must get rid of her. Have him come over now."

"OK."

"I will leave you two alone." She left and closed the door behind her.

Hope began keying a message when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. Cole entered.

She was nervous, but this plan was ideal because she did not believe he would choose her to be her girlfriend. Yet, she believed her best friend case was far better. She met him in the doorway.

"I need to talk to you."

She held his coarse and dry hands. She gazed into his eyes. She reconsidered which argument again. Girlfriend? Or Best friend?

He raised his eyebrows and said, "... and?"

"As your best friend, I don't think Skye's right for you."

"Why not?"

"What is more important to you? Passing these tests and going to Mars or dating Skye? Something that will not last."

"Going to Mars, obviously." He glanced down at his Betrothed / Mars or Bust bracelet.

"Consider this an intervention. She is like a drug that pulls you away from obtaining your lifelong dreams. Our moment to shine is happening right now. The old pre-Skye Cole would understand and do the right thing."

"Do what?"

"Break up with her."

"No way," He said slowly and clearly.

"Does she push you to accomplish your goals?"

"No. Not really."

"No. Not at all. Before Skye arrived, we spent every moment together and we had the same dream. I know that you still want that, and we can accomplish it together. We can still catch them, but I need you be the way you were before Skye arrived."

She wished that she would have been kissing him, but he did not choose her over the Trillionaire Princess. She wanted to spill her guts and tell him how she felt but feared he would reject her. Plus, she would have plenty of time on the six-month trip to Mars.

"I can do both."

"No, you can't. We're behind in both classes, and if you don't wake up now, we will not make it."

He stared at her.

She continued, "I can earn a spot on my own. When we had to pick partners, I did not question which person to ask because I knew together, we were unstoppable. We've spent our lives working towards this dream. Don't throw everything we've worked towards for some girl. That does not make you a good best friend. Do the right thing and break-up with her."

He considered her ultimatum.

"I know you're right, but she's more than just some girl. She's rich and hot."

He thought about a little longer, "Did I mention she's hot?"

It hurt her every time he said she was hot because that meant that she was not.

"Wow. She is like a drug," Cole stated. "This may be the toughest thing I've had to do."

"I will be here with you."

"I'm sorry. I promised you we would do this together and I have not held up my end of the bargain. But I will end it with her and re-focus on school."

She was overjoyed, but still empathized with what Skye was going through.

"This is everything we've been working toward. I'm gonna call her and tell her." He pulled out his viewer.

She ripped his viewer out of his hands. "You can't call her. You have to do this in person."

"In person?" He groaned. "I'm going to need your help. Did I mention she's hot?"

His viewer announced, "You have an incoming call from Skye,"

"Seriously? I told her not to bother me."

"Answer call." A spotlight shined over him.

Hope moved out of view, but he reached for her hand and pulled her next to him.

"I hope I didn't bother you."

"Name Jinx!"

Hope pinched Cole hard.

"Dammit!"

Hope knew Skye understood that she was bothering them but did not care.

"Hey, Skye. Are you ok?"

She wore a half-opened robe that revealed she was wearing nothing underneath.

"I'm incredibly bored, and I wanted to see if I could convince you to take a break. Come back over here and I will definitely make it worth your while." Skye drank the rest of the red wine in her glass and placed it on her nightstand. The empty bottle was next to it.

"You know what Skye, I'm glad you called. I also wanted to speak to you about something important. I'll be right over."

"End Call." Skye's image disappeared.

He glanced at Hope, "Can this wait 'til tomorrow?"

Hope smacked him in the back of the head.

"Now is not the time for jokes. She's a drug. End it," she stated, forcefully.

"Right."

They headed out her front door hand-in-hand.

"Just keep in mind. What's more important, our future or some girl?"

They marched toward her house. She still hated picturing them together, she was fortunate to not be not around for most of it. Although, that meant she had missed out on time with her best friend.

Good riddance.

She imagined Bugs Bunny, grabbing a golf club, teeing up Elmer, pulling back the club, and smashing Elmer into the sky. Bugs waved goodbye to the distant Elmer that whistled away, never to return.