Wishing for Hope

Chapter 4

"Hope you promised you would go to school" my mom ranted at me. 

I had missed the past couple of days. "I'm sorry , I'll go today." 

I dragged my body up the stairs and into my room. I surveyed my closets. I pulled out jeans and a regular T-shirt and my converse. 

Walking down the stairs I saw my dad look at me with a hopeful smile but I could see the sadness in his eyes. "Have a good day Hope, we love you." He said to me before I walked out the door. I gave him a small smile and said "love ya'll too"

I walked to my first period, my head looking out in front of me. I ran into someone and lost my balance and fell right down. I sat there a few seconds then looked up to see a stunned freshman boy looking at me.

 I stood up and moved past him, as I was walking away he blurted out "I'm sorry!" I kept walking not really wanting to talk to him.

 I was walking a little slower then usual and I heard someone running behind me. The freshman boy appeared beside me, and I started to walk faster. "Hope are you going to say anything to me?"

 I kept my eyes down and didn't say anything. "Hope?" He said in a desperate voice.

 I walked into my first class and he stopped at the door. When I took my seat and looked back he was gone and I was happy he was. I maybe shouldn't have been so harsh and I maybe should of said something. I know he's hurting too.

Lane walked in and we locked eyes. They were so green, but they held sadness. I remembered what I said to him a couple of days ago and I looked down. He sat on the other side of the room and didn't look my way again. Why did I feel hurt?
When it was lunch time I sat at my usual table by myself. 

I found myself wanting Lane to come and sit by me. Why? I have no idea. Stop thinking about him and focus on.. Well I don't even know. There's nothing in my life to look forward to or even to think about. 

"Hey there sunshine. May I sit?" I looked up to meet forest green eyes. I put on a small smile and it was actually real. I nodded my head a little and he sat across from me. 

"Is that a smile? Is there a smile on Hopes face?" I blushed a little and looked up at Lane. His face held a cheeky grin and he ate some of his food. 

"Where were you these past couple of days" Lane asked while stuffing food inside his mouth. I observed his eating habits for a minute then looked down at my untouched lunch and said "I wasn't really feeling well."

 He looked at me and must have sensed that I didn't want to talk about it. So he dropped the subject and said "Do you wanna do something after school?" I didn't look up and shock my head no before he even got to finish his sentence. 

I looked up between my strands of hair that covered my face. He raised one eyebrow and asked "How old are you?" I gave him a questioning look. "Just answer me."

 I widened my eyes a little. Lanes different from all of the other people at this school and in general. He gives me sympathy when it's needed but not all the time. He treats me like I'm normal and like nothing has happened. I like that about him. 

"17" I answered while looking at my hands in my lap. 

"And you'll be 18 when?" He asked. "Next month." I said. 

"You're a 17 almost 18 year old senior that sits by herself at lunch." He stated I looked up at him. "That'll just have to change won't it?" He said. "My mission is to make you better by your birthday. We have a month to bring back Hope" he said to me.

 Pain went through my body as I remembered mine and Caleb's plans for my birthday. But I don't think they're gonna happen though.

The final bell rang and I walked outside. Lane showed up beside me. 

"We have plans!" He sang to me and a small smiled spread across my lips. He took my hand, not really holding it, but holding it enough to pull me along to his car. He opened the door for me and I got in. It was a pretty nice car I guess. Lane got it and looked at me. 

"Yes?" I asked. 

"Well where do you wanna go?" He asked. 

I shrugged my shoulders and turned to look out the window.

 He started the car and drove out of the parking lot and down the road. I was thinking about what Lane had said to me about knowing my pain. I looked over at him and I guess I was staring because he chuckled and mimicked my tone and said "Yes?" Just like I had.

 I giggled a little then stopped and asked "what do you mean you know my pain?" He stiffened and his eyes stayed on the road. He didn't say anything for awhile and I was about to repeat myself when he said "I just know what it's like to lose hope." 

I decided that I didn't want to talk about it anymore so I didn't say anything back. We kept driving and I started to think about Caleb.

Flashback

"Hope get out of here!" Caleb had yelled at me. "No!" I shouted with tears streaming down my face. Caleb's face was flushed red with anger and mine was red with tears.

 "What's wrong with you?! I said get out of here! I don't want you here!" He yelled at me once again. "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?! I'm trying to help you and you're pushing me away!" I shouted at him. 

He looked at me and his eyes softened when he saw me crying, but his eyes feel down to the ground again. His hands were clenched and when he looked back up again his eyes were darker then usual. "Just leave Hope" and he walked out of his room leaving the door open. I wiped my tears away and walked out of his room and down his stairs, and out the door.

End of flashback 

A single tear ran down my face and I wiped in away quickly. 

"Are you crying?" Lane asked in a soft voice. I shook my head no, but didn't turn towards him. 

We pulled over and Lane faced me touching my shoulder lightly. He looked over at me and his green eyes again held that sadness, the sadness I saw in his eyes weren't just from me being sad. The sadness he held was for other things and not just my single fallen tear. Lane Rogers had so much more to him then I thought.