Chapter 1: Lie low (Hope's POV)
"Dad! I'm going out!" I called out.
"With who?" he asked, showing up at my bedroom door.
"With... Jonah."
"The boy you've been hanging out with this month?" he asked.
"You say that like I get a new guy home every month," I rolled my eyes.
"You know what I mean," he said, coming inside and sitting beside me.
"Dad, you met him. You said you liked him."
"He's nice but... what happened to the prince and princess?"
"What?" I laughed in confusion.
"The Rivers' son."
I froze, stopping in my spot as I was tying my laces. "Blake?" I asked.
"Yeah, what happened to him?"
I turned to him. "I left him. Two years ago. Without saying goodbye. I disappeared from his life. The prince doesn't always end up with the princess, dad. I gotta go." I stood up, grabbing my phone, shoving it into my purse.
"I thought you were planning to lie low until school started after Christmas break. Honey, it's nowhere near that."
"Christmas break is in a week. And I was lying low. I met him at the coffee shop, remember?"
He shrugged, "Okay. Be back by midnight. Have fun." He kissed the side of my head before leaving. I followed him downstairs and then out the door where Jonah was waiting in my driveway.
The deal is, I moved back home in November. I'll sum it up quickly for you guys. I left our hometown, St. Helena, California, two years ago when my mom passed away in a car accident. It took too much of a toll on me mentally and emotionally, so I got myself enrolled in a boarding school in New York, and I ran off without telling anyone but my dad. He had to stay here to keep working and it's not like I needed him there at a boarding school anyway.
Now, after two years, he's asked me to come back. He never said it before but he gets lonely. And I feel kind of guilty, leaving him by himself after he lost his wife, but I needed an urgent escape route and that was the first one I saw. Call me selfish, but your brain doesn't really like comprehending that you just lost your mother.
So, I got back in November, leaving the semester early, and joined a homeschool program until now. In two weeks, the public high school here will start their Christmas break. Once that break ends, I'll be joining the students at school. Let's come back to the present now, shall we?
"Hey," he smiled, pecking my cheek.
"Hi," I grinned.
He opened the passenger side door for me and I climbed in, thanking him. He shut the door and climbed in beside me, starting up the car and driving us out.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"Hope, how long have we known each other now?" he asked.
"About... three, three, and a half weeks."
"And where did we meet?"
"At Serene Cafe," I chuckled.
"In honor of making it three weeks, I'm taking you back to the cafe." I smiled, watching him drive with ease and he smiled at the road ahead of him.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked.
"I have a plan, but it's a secret, I can't tell you. I'll just have to show you," he grinned.
Way to lie low, Hope.
We pulled up to the cafe fairly fast since it's only ten minutes away from my house. The place is starting to set up their Christmas decorations and it's all coming into place. It's November 30th, our Christmas stuff should be up now.
"You wanna grab a table? I'll get our drinks."
I went and took the table in the far back, sitting on one side of the booth. He came with our drinks and sat on the other. "So, what's up?" I asked, holding the warm cup of tea in my hands.
"I've been meaning to ask you something, I'm just really hesitating," he chuckled awkwardly, a soft blush coating his cheeks while he scratched his eyebrow.
"Why? What's going on?"
"You see, Hope. I kind of really like you."
Oh.
"And I kind of want to ask you to be my girlfriend." Oh, we're skipping the going out stage. I see. We're going straight into the girlfriend-boyfriend stage. "You know, the thing is I've been out with girls before and it just gets really complicated if we're not deciding what we are."
"Okay," I nodded.
"So, I'm just asking you to be my girlfriend straight away. That doesn't mean we have to act like a committed couple, you know? I just want to be with you."
"Are you sure? I mean, you haven't known me very long."
"I'm sure," he nodded, "I've been sure for a while. And anyway, we've been going out, haven't we? We just haven't kissed."
I nodded hesitantly, "Right," I said slowly.
"So, will you? Be my girlfriend?"
I thought about it for a minute. I mean, what have I got to lose? He's a really nice guy, he's so sweet and he loves treating me out and taking care of me, he's a genuine person and he seems to really like me. Why not?
"Yeah," I nodded.
"Yeah?" he asked in surprise.
"Yes," I chuckled.
"Great," he grinned, leaning forward.
I leaned forward and my lips met his above the table. I will say, it's not the best kissing on top of a table but it will work. He pulled back moments later, his ears turning pink. "You look cute when you blush," I stated.
He ducked his head down, chuckling. "How about I take you on a date this weekend?" he asked.
I nodded, "Sure thing. Pick me up?"
"Seven o'clock," he agreed.
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I closed the door behind me, locking it shut. The kiss he just gave me was definitely better than the one at the cafe... but I'm still waiting on those butterflies. You don't always have to get butterflies right away, I'm sure they'll come along.
I went upstairs to my room, where I was more than settled in, and grabbed pajamas to change into. I changed and then was plugging my phone on charge at my desk when I saw someone outside through my window. It was definitely a guy. He was wearing a black muscle tee and basketball shorts and was running, seemingly around the block. He looked familiar but I didn't see much of a face from out here.
I shrugged it off and crawled into bed, watching a little bit of Unsolved Mysteries before falling asleep.
"Hope! I'm going to work!"
I groaned, pulling the pillow over my head and blocking out my dad's voice. I lay on my stomach, turning my head and instantly regretting it because the sun was now blinding me and my eyes weren't even open. I need to get some freaking blinds. I grunted, sitting up and rubbing my eyes, slowly opening them.
"Hope!"
I got out of bed and to my door while throwing my hair up in a bun. "What's wrong?" I called out, peering my head over the staircase railing.
"The boy from last night left flowers for you on the porch. Put them in a vase, they're on the kitchen counter!"
I froze. "Um, is there a note?" I asked, scratching the back of my neck.
"There sure is, want me to read it to you?"
I ran downstairs, snatching the note out of his hands quickly. "That's okay, have a great day at work," I smiled, hiding the note behind my back. I'm sure it won't be anything inappropriate, he doesn't seem like that kind of guy.
"I already read it, you're a tad late," he scoffed. "It just said something about how he had fun last night and he's glad you're his girlfriend or... some sappy shit. How you go out with guys like that is beyond me," he rolled his eyes.
"What do you mean guys like him? He's so sweet."
"Yeah, but he seems a little boring to me. I mean, date him, I'm all for it. Just... don't marry this guy, please. Have a good day, hun," he patted my head before grabbing his toast and leaving.
I rolled my eyes at his words and diverted my attention to the note.
I had a lot of fun last night, I'm glad you're finally mine now.
"Exactly the sappy bullshit we hate," I sighed, sitting on the barstool and smelling the flowers. It's a bouquet of lilies. Not my favorite but they look pretty. "But we'll learn to like it," I told myself.
I grabbed the bouquet and took out the flowers, throwing them into a vase half-full of water. I was adjusting them when I saw the same guy from last night through the kitchen window. I rushed to the front door to see who it was but only caught a glimpse of his back as he ran. I let out a low whistle, leaning against the doorframe. I stiffened, realizing what I was doing.
"You have a boyfriend now, Hope. Eyes to yourself," I mumbled, closing the door. "Right," I cleared my throat, "Let's make hashbrowns for today."
I made myself breakfast, sat on the counter, and enjoyed it myself. I'm trying not to think about it but... who the hell is that guy? Do I know him?
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Chapter 1
Tell me, tell me, tell me, how did you like it???
btw I changed our mc name from Nick to Blake cause we already had a Nick in The Wedding In Miami
next chapter: rumor