Rejecting Hope (Old Copy)

Chapter Forty Three - "Water Park."

(Ariana) 

        It was a moment of pure joy, running through the hallways of the hospital laughing and watching each other as the moments flash away one by one. We hit the door frame of Abigail's room to see her reading "The Lightning Thief", she barely has time to even look up before Hope picks her up in a bridal style and she starts laughing hysterically.

         "What are you guys doing!?" Smiling at her we shake our heads, "You have the day off little Missy! We're taking you to the Water Park!"

      "What!" She exclaims with the biggest smile upon her face. "How did you guys manage to do that!?" 

         "Well the doctors told us that you've been doing pretty well lately and that you should be allowed a day of fun, so we decided to give you a day at your favorite place." Hope tells her and suddenly she throws her arms around his neck, "Thank you! Thank you!".

       "Lacey is already at the park saving us a nice spot in the sun, however she isn't too happy with us right now."

            Suddenly Abby looks so confused as we carry her down the hallway to that of the car. "Wait... why wouldn't she be so happy? She's spending the entire day with little 'ole me!"

    "Oh the Confidence of the Hawthorne family never cease to amaze me." Hope laughs and I instantly kick him. "Ouch!"

          "Don't say such jerky things! Even if they are true!" I stick my tongue out at him and he just smiles at me and I can't help but feel myself melt and give into those eyes of his, so I just ruffle his hair to show that I won't give in to his gestures so easily.

    "Enough with the flirting already! Will somebody just tell me why Lacey's so mad!?"

              "Um-mm well, we kind of invited... Jack." I was expecting Abby to scold me but instead she just starts laughing hysterically.

  "Ha ha! She'll get over it! Hopefully those two will stop being idiots and just get together already!"

         "Yeah... hopefully!" I smile as we exit the hospital.

_________________________________________________________________________________

              "Lacey!" Abigail smiles as she jumps out of the car in her little yellow bathing suit, a color that is as bright as she is even in the darkest of her days. "Hey kiddo!" I see Lacey spin around and instantly smile as she picks her up into the air. I smile at the similarities between these two beautiful girls and their little yellow flowered bandannas that's wrapped around both of their heads.

 "Ariana?" I hear his voice and I look at him in his eyes.

       "Hm?" I let out and he squints at me ever so slightly, "What's on your mind?" I smile at him as I turn my head back to the beautiful scene before me. "Abigail... she is the one person that never ceases to amaze me, I wish that I could have such strength but... I am weak." My head falls and instantly I feel his hands on me, they find their ways to my cheeks and they move my head so that my eyes may find his, ever so bright and ever so sincere ones.

         "Don't say that, Abigail has gone through a lot, but so have you. You've gone through so much more in my honest opinion ... you're the strongest person I know and most certainly the most courageous."

     "Don't... you don't have to comfort me." I whisper trying to look away but he refuses.

            "No, I'm trying to make you see the truth Ariana." He whispers steadily and I know instantly that he will not let this die until I understand what he see's for myself. "After all of these years, to have gone through what you've gone through and to have kept it from others in order to save them from any suffering it might cause.... only giving yourself more anguish to suffer in the process. You are selfless and brave, never did you let that smile fall in front of others even though surely you must've been breaking on the inside each and everyday. Never did those lips speak of the horrid things you saw until you had no choice but to speak. Choking on the inside, helpless and asphyxiated... yet still strong enough to carry on and make it through as well as strong enough to not let it get to you. That in itself is amazing. In ways you are just like Abby." Self hatred started to well up inside me.

      "But... b-but do you know how many times I tried to kill myself? How many times I felt so utterly defeated by what he had done to me? So many times that I had cried or wanted to give up? Don't compare me to someone as beautiful as her, she fights for the gift of life that she was given! While I...! I fought so hard and still tried to end it..."

           "But you didn't Ariana, you're still here aren't you? You don't think that she wants to give up too sometimes? That sometimes she's not sad too? Trust me Ariana, she gets filled with the same emotions that everybody feels when dying too... Whether it's having your life taken at any second by the hand of a demented man or an illness. You both share a sense of strength that most would consider beautiful. I love you Aria and I-."

           "Hey Arie!" I hear Lacey yell and she runs up to us, "You little bitch! Why didn't you tell me that you had sent that idiot here.... Ariana? Are you okay!" Her tone of voice changes instantly when she see's the tears upon my cheeks. I nod instantly as I wipe the tears away. "Yeah, of course I am!"

        Lacey seems to not believe me, how ever she seems to think better than to pursue it anymore than it has already been pursued. "Ah... well then, no more tears okay! Today is supposed to be a happy day! So let's try our best to make it as amazing as we possibly can okay!" For some odd reason her charisma makes me laugh, "Okay Lace, I'll do it. For you."

            "Thanks sweetheart! Now lets go get some sun!" She chants as she runs forward towards Abby, grabs her hand and races past Jack completely ignoring him, however sadly he seems used to it and runs after the both of them anyways.

         I'm about to run after them when suddenly Hope stops me, grabbing my hand and spinning me around. "Ariana I-!" he begins looking worried but I stop him immediately by pushing myself upon my tippy toes and crashing my lips hard into his. Immediately I can tell that he is surprised, but soon he gives in and when I let go he chuckles a little out of breath. "Well... that was a nice way to tell me to shut up. Either that or somebodies got more courageous in that department, huh?" I giggle and just shake my head, "Don't worry, I see your side. You made a good argument." Suddenly his eyes light up.

      "So you agree?"

            "Nope! I said that I see your point, doesn't mean that I have to agree with it now do I? Now, no more tears! It's like Lace said today is a happy day so let's go!"

          Taking his hand we run, I don't know how much longer this will last, but I need to enjoy every moment I can now before my time runs out....