Hope

Part One - The First Love

Romans 15:13 (ESV) -- May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

"And I-IIII will always love you-uuuu!" I belted out, sinking to my knees. In my usual over-dramatic fashion, I reached out for Kaitlyn, then tugged an invisible rope back.

Kaitlyn slid forward, in sync with my rope pull. "Never mind, I'll find someone like you-oo. I wish nothing but the best... for you!" she sang into her microphone hairbrush.

"Once more you open the door, and you're here in my heart, and my heart will go on and on." I softly sang, in my best Celine Dion voice. I hummed the rest of the song and stretched my arms out wide, imagining Leonardo Dicaprio's arms wrapped around me.

Kaitlyn leaped onto my bed and played a rocking air guitar solo. She banged her head, hair flying everywhere. After months of seeing Kaitlyn wearing her hair up, it was refreshing to see her long hair swishing around with her movements, and I am more glad to see the return of her blonde hair. "Thank you everybody!" she yelled with a flop backwards onto my bed.

I grabbed the end of my bed and jumped up. With my cheerleader background still fresh in muscle memory, my legs spread apart into a split jump, but I collapsed together as I landed on my bed. Kaitlyn nodded in approval.

On my bedside table, my phone screen lit up and the vibration buzzed against the wood. "Wanna check that for me?" I asked Kaitlyn.

She shrugged, picked up the phone, and gave it a confused look. "Who is Jared?" she asked. I winced.

"Latest ex-boyfriend. If I could ever call him that."

"That bad?" Kaitlyn sympathized. "Sorry Ry."

"You aren't the one who needs to apologize."

Kaitlyn messed around with my phone. "He says sorry."

"I know. But just saying it isn't enough."

She nodded, then sat my phone down. As she did, I saw her eyes widen. "Ryan, what is this?!" She snatched a small piece of notebook paper off of the table.

My mouth dropped and I attacked Kaitlyn. "Give it!" I demanded. If she sees that, she will make me call the number!

Kaitlyn cackled and reached away from me. "Six, three, zero," she shouted out, reading Alex's number. "Hyphen, Alex."

I pushed my best friend over and snatched the paper out of her hand. "Ha!" I yelled in her face. I tucked it behind my bed, but I still made a mental note so I could retrieve it and stare at it later.

Kaitlyn didn't even look for the paper. She pushed me off with a huge grunt, grumbled about how heavy I am, then unexpectedly grabbed my phone. I couldn't believe it when she typed in the number, correctly!

"You wouldn't," I growled. Kaitlyn smiled at me deviously as her finger swayed over the call button.

"Oh, I would, my dear Ryan." I sent my iciest glare. "Don't give me that look," Kaitlyn taunted.

"Or what?"

No response. Kaitlyn simply tapped my phone screen and I watched in horror as my phone began to call Alex. It only took two rings before I heard his voice pick up. "Hello?"

I slapped my hand over my mouth, not daring to breath. "Hello?" Alex Taylor asked again. "Is anyone there?"

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. "Hi Alex," she answered. "This is Ryan." I smacked Kaitlyn's arm, hard, but she just shrugged it off. "I didn't mean to call you. At least, not now. I was just entering your number into my phone."

I couldn't hear Alex's response, but Kaitlyn laughed. "You're right."

"Why is he right?" I hissed. Kaitlyn just smirked.

"No. Yes. Sure. I guess." A long pause. "Sounds good. Bye Alex." And then Kaitlyn hung up with a grin.

We stared at each other in silence, Kaitlyn with a smile and me with my glare. "What did you do?" I muttered, drawing out each word in deadly length. 

Kaitlyn dropped her smile. "Well, if you are going to be a grump about this, I'll call Alex back and cancel your date with him."

I squealed, demeanor changing, and jumped on Kaitlyn, squeezing her. "You got me a date with Alex Taylor?"

"I sure did."

"I can't believe you! You are the best friend ever!" I released my probably suffocated friend and fell backwards onto my bed. My skinny jeans resisted, stretching uncomfortably against against my legs. I did not care at this moment. "Details, Kaitlyn."

"Well, he was able to tell right away that our voices were completely different. So he asked if I was a friend of yours. I told him yes. He laughed."

"How could he realize it wasn't me?" I mused out loud.

Kaitlyn snapped her fingers in my face. "Hush. I'm talking."

"I'm sorry. Continue."

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes, playfully, and continued to to recount the conversation. "He asked to talk to you, which I declined because you were acting weird. Then he continued to ask me if you were free tonight." She paused. "So now you have a date at seven o'clock. He will be here at six thirty. Dress warm, it will get chilly tonight."

I squealed and hugged my pillow. "This can't be real."

Kaitlyn sighed. "Ryan. I just talked to him on the phone. No other interaction. I need details about how this guy acts and looks. I need to know why you are so head over heels for him."

I sighed and looked up at my ceiling. "Think Liam Hemsworth but our age and without a beard. Strong jawline, pointed - but not too pointed - chin, tan skin, brown hair with the perfect quiff in the front, blue eyes that remind me of the perfect Caribbean waters, and a voice that could seduce angels. Kaitlyn, his physical beauty is best described as ugh."

With a raised eyebrow, Kaitlyn scoffed, "So he sounds like a pretty boy who thinks he is God's gift to man. Is he a cocky football player too?"

"No!" I protested. "Okay, well, he might be a pretty boy. He is the quarterback for our team. But it was only for this year! He has been basketball captain all four years at this school, and he was offered scholarships to play in college. He isn't cocky, he isn't a player, but he is a heartthrob. He knows how to sweep a girl off her feet, but he has also caused a few heart breaks."

Kaitlyn nodded. "Okay, and an important thing: is he religious?"

I nodded. "His faith, though nothing compared to Sam, is strong. He only dates girls who don't have bad reputations, but he is rumored to have some sexual experience. However, no one thinks he wants to settle down because he will only date people for a short amount of time."

Kaitlyn frowned. "He sounds perfectly fine, but it's nerve-wrecking that he won't commit."

"Maybe he believes that the girl won't encourage him spiritually. Maybe he doesn't want to continue to date someone who he doesn't believe he could marry."

Kaitlyn shrugged. "That's true I guess. I'm just glad he is a Christian and will treat girls right."

I grinned. "I've always had a slight crush on him. Even while dating those other guys, I liked Alex Taylor. But I never made any advances. I'm just not confident around guys any more, but you know that."

Kaitlyn smiled, in pity or maybe in kindness. "I don't understand why. You are a great person who has a lot to offer a great guy."

I shrugged. I clearly don't have a lot to offer if guy after guy can find someone better than me. "Can you just help me get ready? You probably have a better idea of what to wear than I do."

Kaitlyn smirked. "Oh, I know exactly what you are doing. So yes, I know the perfect outfit." Kaitlyn marched over to my overflowing closet. "If I can find it through this mess," Kaitlyn muttered, barely audible.