Searching for Always and Forever

Chapter 23

Hope and Landon only returned to school after dinner. They spent the whole day together, just having fun, talking and kissing. After they were back they said their difficult goodbyes with one long lasting deep kiss, then they went their separate ways. Hope's first route was to see the kids. She hadn't seen them in almost two days and this never really happened before. She felt super guilty about it but she really needed some time for herself and she trusted the school more and more to take good care of them. She entered their shared bedroom, they were already in their beds.

"Hope!" They both screamed and got up and ran to her. They hugged her fiercely and Hope hugged them back as she got on her knees. "I'm so sorry, Hope! I'm so sorry for dumping cereal on you. Please don't leave us." Riley said in a worried tone.

"I didn't leave you. I was around school all day. I'm sorry if you guys thought I left."

"I will sleep in Finn's room if you promise me you'll never leave us again." Jack said as his eyes filled with tears.

"Jack. I told you I didn't leave." She caressed his worried cheeks and saw that Riley wasn't going to calm down either. "Come here." Hope got up, held both their hands and pulled them on one of the beds. Hope laid in the middle and Jack and Riley laid on both sides of her. "Which is your favorite book now?" Hope asked and Jack handed her a colorful book with a fun story. Hope read the book to them as they listened to her carefully, while they clutched onto their big sister from the side. Hope put the book down when the kids could barely keep their eyes open anymore. "I love you both. Don't ever think I'm leaving you. That will never happen." She said and kissed them both on their forehead, but it just made them hold onto Hope even stronger and she didn't have the heart to leave them. Hope closed her eyes for a moment but the next thing she realized was that the sun was rising. She quickly got out of the bed.

"Don't go." Riley begged sleepily.

"I have to go get ready." Hope whispered. "I'll see you at breakfast. okay?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, and you know what, I don't care about the stupid school rules. You two can stay together in this room as long as you like. I will make sure of that." Hope kissed their little cheeks, then she rushed to her own room.

Hope opened the door quietly, but she knew her sister was a light sleeper, so it didn't really matter.

"Where were you, Hope?" Grace asked as soon as she closed the door behind herself.

"With Riley and Jack. I fell asleep in their room." Hope explained briefly.

"Oh...I thought you actually spent the night with someone else."

"Why would you think that?" Hope rolled her eyes.

"Because Lizzie saw you kissing Landon Kirby last night." She giggled teasingly. "And she said it was long and passionate, his hands were on your ass... she was pretty sure there were tongues involved."

"Oh my god Grace!" Hope threw a pillow at her sister.

"So, what did you do yesterday? Landon Kirby?" Grace giggled loudly.

"No, Grace! I just had to take a day off... I'm kinda dealing with something right now."

"Is it Landon?" She asked and Hope gave a really annoyed look to her sister. "Fine, just be careful! We don't need anymore kids."

"Oh god... I'm not having sex with him... at least not right now but if I promise you I will be extra safe if that ever happens."

"Then spill, Hope! What happened?" Grace asked impatiently.