Coincidentally But Eternally Connected

Bring Me To Life

???: It seems easier if you know my name. I am Jake.

Hope: Lovely to meet you, Jake. 😊 Thank you for trusting me.

Jake: I would like to trust you, but I don't yet know you.

Hope: I understand. Nonetheless. I understand the need for discretion. I hope you'll come to see that I'm trustworthy.

Jake: Well, perhaps if I ask you some questions about yourself. Are you dating anyone?

Hope: Me? Goodness, no. I get along better with animals than people. 

Jake: That seems unlikely. You have already befriended everyone in the group. Jessy seems particularly close to you. Dan and Richy seem to be in competition for your attention as well.

Hope: I'm sure that's just the product of me being the newcomer. I'm really entirely uninteresting.

Jake: Somehow, I doubt that.

Hope: Is it possible that you're simply projecting your feelings?

My face flushed, and I was embarrassed to notice that my palms started sweating.

Jake: I don't know what you mean.

Hope: Very well, then. 😉 I'll let you get back to work.

Frustrated, I wiped my dampened hands off on my jeans. I stared at the chat screen long after she logged off. I seemed to be trying to will her to come back and enchant me further. I finally shook my head to clear it and attempted to focus.

I watched with jealousy as she turned her charm onto the others. When Jessy decided to cancel her date with Dan, Hope drove to the Black Swan with Richy and coaxed a drunken Dan into her car to bring him home, while Richy followed behind in Dan's car. She probably saved that man's life and listened sympathetically as he bared his feelings for Jessy to her. 

After Dan was safe, I listened uncomfortably through her phone's speakers as Richy flirted guilelessly with her in the car when she dropped him home. When she asked if she could start bringing the shelter's fleet of vehicles to him for maintenance and repairs, he sounded ready to profess his love to her. My blood boiled as he called it a "date," to which she laughed good-naturedly.  

I waited until she returned home and then I could not take it any longer. I messaged her without any sort of plan.

Jake: Hello, Hope.

Hope: Well, hi! I apologize that there is a delay in sending you the files, but I was on a rescue mission. 😅 I'm sure you already noticed, though.

Jake: I hope you understand why I monitor the chats. Does it bother you?

Hope: I do understand, and it doesn't bother me at all. 

Jake: It doesn't?

Hope: No. I find it comforting, knowing that you're watching over me. 

Jake: ...I am glad you think so.

Hope: 😊 I promise I'll send you more files soon.

Jake: Hope, wait.

Hope: Yes, Jake? Did you need something else?

Jake: I would like to ask you some questions.

Hope: Ask anything you like.

Jake: What hobbies do you have?

Hope: Well currently, my hobbies include decrypting files and ferrying drunk men.