How To Save A Life

{7} How To Save A Life

7. The changing Paradigm

"What the heck?!" Jenna yelled, stomping up to Hope. This really scared her.

"What?"

"How could you just go out with another girl's boyfriend right after they broke up?"

"We haven't even gone out yet." Hope said in a quiet voice.

"Oh please! You come off all sad and mysterious, but you're really just a slut!"

That hit Hope hard. She knew she wasn't a slut, but yet she still felt dirty. "But you started going out with a guy too. Didn't you?"

"No! Josh and I broke up because we are just better as friends. Quit with the innocent act."

"I...I didn't mean to make you angry."

She just rolled her eyes. "Just stay out of my way." She started to walk away, "Bitch." She whispered as she walked away.

Hope looked down and went to her locker. She heard someone walk up next to her. "So I was thinking. Since you're so good at cheering, maybe you should go out for the team."

Hope shut her locker and stared forward. "I don't know." She started to walk away, but he grabbed her arm.

"Hope, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." She didn't make eye contact.

"Why don't you want to try out?"

"Well there are a lot of reasons. For one, I don't want to wear shorts. Two; I don't cheer anymore."

"Well you don't have to wear shorts."

She looked at him like he was stupid. "Did you forget about the mini skirt I would have to wear?"

"Hope, your legs are not that bad."

"Josh, no. Cheering was something Faith and I did together. I don't cheer anymore."

"Hope, listen, you love cheering. Faith wouldn't want you to stop doing something you love just because she's not here anymore. She would want you to be happy."

"I can't."

"Can't what?"

"Be happy." She looked down. He saw a tear slip down her cheek.

"Why can't you just let go? Faith wouldn't want this."

"Josh, don't even try acting like you know anything. You know nothing! Stop bothering me." She ripped out of his grasp and walked away.

He just stood there shocked. He only wanted to help her. He knew that he might be stretching the boundaries, but he knew there wasn't much else he could do. Just going about like nothing happened wouldn't help her. He didn't want her to just live and be like this the rest of her life, he wanted her to get back to her old self.

That night Hope laid in bed and couldn't fall asleep for the longest time so she went downstairs and took some sleep medication and drank some milk. There was no school tomorrow, so she wouldn't have to worry about not waking up.

She went back upstairs and laid down. She thought about Faith and about Josh. What if he was right? What if she should just go cheer, because that's what Faith would want? Hope just couldn't bring herself to think about trying out, because cheering was something her Faith always did together and always had in common. If it was a hard day at school, or a boy broke her heart she would just walk into the gym say 'hi' to Faith and everything else wouldn't matter.

She finally fell asleep.

'She was running down the familiar street, knowing she was being pursue. She was so scared. She panicked and began crying, but then when she came to the alley way that she remembered all too well, and turned around, it wasn't the drunk men, it was Faith. She stood there illuminating the whole dark alley. Hope stood there watching. "Faith?" She said quietly.

"Hope, listen to me. You need to quit mourning over me. I love you and I'll always be here for you. I'm happy and in heaven. I know how you constantly think that it should have been you dying, not me. No. Don't think like that. You were saved for a reason."

"What reason?"

"I can't tell you that. God works in strange ways."

"I can't do this without you though! I miss you so much."

"All I want is for you to be happy. And so does someone else."

"Who?"

"That boy that I know you really care for now."

"Josh?"

"Yes, all he wants is for you to be happy. He cares so much about you even though you don't see it. He's a good kid. Hope, I know you think I'm gone, and it upsets you, but I'm not. I'm still with you and I always will be. We're Faith and Hope: you can't have one without the other." Faith smiled and walked towards her. "So do what you love."

"Cheer? But all those girls are so shallow and cruel. The only reason I could stay part of it was because of you."

"Hope, you are a very strong person. I remember always having to keep you in check and make sure you don't say something you regret and you know what? I'm still here to do that. Like I said I'll always be here."

"Are you really here in my dream right now?"

"I am."

Hope gave her a hug and she returned it. "So you think I should start cheering again?"

"Yes I do. It makes you happy."

"But Jenna is the head cheerleader and she hates me."

"Hope, I guarantee you that you are far better than her. Show her up. Prove to her you are not the sad little girl she thinks you are. Be who you are! The Hope I know and love. And you know things can't change unless you try and change them. It's all your choice. You can choose to be unhappy, or you can choose to live in the moment. Remember the good times. Don't mourn me anymore."

"Alright."

"I love you, girl. Keep on going. I'll always be here to help."

"Promise?"

"Promise." They did a handshake that they made up when they were eight.

"Goodbye Hope. I'll see you around." She waved and started walking away.'

~*~

Hope was about to run after her, but then everything stopped and she woke up. She quickly sat up, breathing heavily. 'Was that really Faith?' she thought to herself. Something down in her convinced her it was. She smiled. She smiled and laughed. Her grandparents came running in. "What's the matter Hope?!" They looked over and saw her smiling a big toothy grin and laughing. Mary's eyes started to water.

"Good morning." Hope said cheerily.

"Well good morning cupcake." Her grandfather said. "Feeling better I see?"

"Yeah. I really am."

"What happened?" Mary said sitting next to her.

Hope sighed. "I don't know. My dream last night was just so....miraculous."

"Thank the lord!"

Then something in Hope's head connected. Josh. She pushed him away yesterday. After that dream last night, she realized she can't go on without him. She was so depressed that it was clouding her mind, she couldn't see clearly. She had no Faith anything would work out. Now she did.

She jumped out of bed and ran to get ready. She had to go talk to him.

"Where are you going Junebug?" Her grandma asked her.

"I have to go talk to Josh."

Mary's heart swelled. She wasn't sure how much more she could take. Her granddaughter was back.

**=D I like this chapter. Writing about Faith was cool. =) Hope you liked it too!!!**