A Hope and a Chance

by Jennifer Foor

  Trevor nudged my shoulder. “Dude, you are so lucky to live in this house.”

  “Why is that?” I asked, despite the fact that I knew what he was going to say. I just needed him to make one asshole comment and I’d bury him in the ground.

  “Shit, if you ever saw Hope naked you’d know,” Trevor announced then snickered.

  It took every bit of my being not to take my beer bottle and hit him over the head with it. I could feel my hands trembling.

  “I fucked up letting that one go. She was a great piece of ass,” he added.

  I downed my beer like I was in a race at a frat party. I had to remain calm. They couldn’t know how I felt about Hope. “I guess I don’t really look at her that way. I mean she’s going to be Buffy’s step-daughter.”

  “Dude, you are kidding right? Look at her and tell me you wouldn’t hit that,” Trevor taunted.

  I reached in my pockets pretending I lost something. “Oh shit! Be right back, man.” I said as I ran into the pool house. I checked every cabinet until I found a small bottle of Jaeger. I took two shots and grabbed my cigarettes. I happen to look down at my phone and saw I had a text.

  When you see me in this suit just remember I belong to you. I love you, Chance. ~ H

  I knew Hope was in the pool so I didn’t write her back. I shoved the phone back in my pocket and took another shot. It was going to be a fucked up night.

  When I got back outside Buffy had turned on music. Mike and Trevor were closer to the pool and when they saw me they waved me over. I held up my cigarette letting them know I would be a few minutes. Mark’s view of me was restricted by bushes so I could look at Hope without being in trouble.

  She was sitting next to Buffy sneering with her frozen drink in her hand. She spotted me and smiled. I mouthed the words “I love you”.

  Buffy saw me smoking. “When you’re done get your butt in here with us, little brother.”

  I finished my cigarette and headed over to the pool. Mike ran behind me like he was my golf caddy and handed me a beer. “Thanks man.”

  “No problem. Hey you got anymore smokes? My dad doesn’t know, but I really need one.”

  “Sure.” I handed him one and my lighter and he disappeared behind the pool house.

  Trevor sat next to me at the other end of the pool. “So who’s Hope seeing?” He asked.

  I took another drink and was thankful that I was already starting to feel the effects of the shots. “I have no idea. Why?”

  “I just wanted to know what kind of douche bag she is putting out to now. I had to tell her I was a fucking virgin to get her to sleep with me. Her body is amazing, but she has no idea how to work it. It is a shame.”

  Calm down!

  “Didn’t you just say you wanted to sleep with her again?” I asked calmly.

  “Well yeah, I’d fuck her every day if I could, but it ain't the best I ever had. She never even liked taking off all of her clothes. Hell, sometimes she was wearing more than she has on right now.”

  I wanted to smile so badly. Hope was nothing like he was describing. She loved being naked around me and our sex was amazing. As much as I wanted to kill this dude, I also wanted to laugh at him. He had no idea who she was, he never did.

  “So how long were you together?” I asked.

  “About a year. She said I just wasn’t her type anymore. Whatever that shit means. If you ask me I think she may be batting on the wrong team, if ya know what I mean,” he laughed.

  “Yeah, I get it.”

  “Now her friend Rylee is a great piece of ass. She isn’t as pretty, but damn that girl knows how to work it. We hooked up a couple times. I’d definitely hit that again,” he noted.

  “Man, did Hope find out?” I asked wondering if that broke up their relationship.

  “Hell no! She would never talk to Rylee. Nah, we hooked up on nights where Hope had to study. A few times I drove her home and she gave me head. That was just mediocre though,” he said all nonchalantly.

  I really hated this dick. He needed to have the shit beat out of him. I didn’t know what Hope even saw in him. He was such an asshole.

  I tried to avoid looking in Hope’s direction, but as the night progressed, and the girls got out of the pool to eat, I found myself glancing her way more often. It was friendly and nobody seemed to even notice it was happening. She would be caught up in a conversation and glance at me for just a second. When our eyes met we would turn away, but it let us know we were thinking about being together.

  After dinner Buffy made herself and Hope more drinks. I could tell she was starting to relax more, because she was looking my way quite often. I knew it was time for me to get out of sight before her father discovered the real person she desired at this party.

  I waved goodbye while walking to the pool house and closed the door behind me. It was hard being inside when I knew Hope was out there with that creep. I tried to watch television, but couldn’t stop muting it to hear what was happening outside. When I noticed it had gotten quiet, I looked out the door. Everything had been turned off and I could see people standing in the kitchen. As I looked further I noticed that I couldn’t spot Hope.

  Just being curious, I tottered outside and lit up another cigarette. I kept hearing this sound, but I had no idea what it was. I sat on the picnic table and leaned back just relaxing. I figured Hope had gone up to bed and would text me when she was ready.

  I put out my smoke and went to hide it in the flowerpot. As I turned around I heard the noise again. It was coming from the main house, but outside of it. It almost sounded like an injured cat crying. I turned the corner and tried to focus into the darkness and spotted three figures.

  They also spotted me. I don’t know what made me do it, but I started running toward them. All of a sudden two of them ran away and left one to fall to the ground. Once I got about five feet away I knew who the figure was.

  It was Hope. She lay there on the ground with a ripped shirt and a busted lip, with her underwear down to her knees. I ran to her side.

  “Hope, Jesus, are you okay?” I don’t know why I said that because it was clear that she was anything but okay.

  She was shaking profusely and seemed almost incoherent. I picked her up and started carrying her toward the kitchen door. I heard the voices out front and the sounds of car doors, but I ignored it and kept walking toward the house. Hope was my first priority. Once I knew she was okay, someone would have hell to pay.

  Buffy was in the kitchen cleaning up and ran to get the door for me.

  “Oh my God, Chance, what happened?”

  “I went outside for a smoke and heard this noise coming from the side of the house. When I ran over there they had her pushed up against the house. They left her there and ran away. I am going to fucking kill those little bastards.”

  “Chance, calm down. Get her sitting down and get me the first aid kit. Where is Mark? You need to go find Mark.” Buffy frantically cried out.

  Like a mad man I ran around from bathroom to bathroom until I found the kit, then I opened the front door to look for Mark. He was waving as a car pulled out of the driveway.

  “Mark, you need to come in here. There is something wrong with Hope.”

  He followed me into the kitchen and couldn’t believe his own eyes. His daughter who had just been fine was now beaten, shaking and bleeding.

  “What the hell happened?” He ordered an explanation.

  “I found them doing stuff to her beside the house. They ran away when I approached them.” I explained quickly.

  Mark looked confused. “You found who?”

  “Seriously? It was Mike and Trevor. Who else would it be?” I asked.

  I was getting more pissed by the minute. Take care of your daughter.

  “I just saw them. They were acting fine. There is no way they would do something to Hope. They have known her since they were children. Now tell me what really happened, Chance, or I will be forced to call the police.”

  Buffy interr
upted. “Mark, he wouldn’t lie.”

  “Really, Buffy, I’m getting really tired of you taking up for him. You know what he is capable of. He probably heard all of the good things happening to those boys and got jealous.” He turned to Hope. “Hope, honey did Chance do this to you?”

  “No!” She said.

  “Who did this to you, sweetie?” He asked.

  “Chance saved me, daddy. He always does. He wouldn’t do this.” She said before breaking down and sobbing in Buffy’s arms.

  I had to look away for my own good, but I honestly couldn’t take my eyes off of her. She was in pain, and I wanted to be the one holding her.

  “This is impossible. Hope, tell me what happened,” Mark demanded.

  In between cries she held her bruised face up and started telling us how she was hanging up the wet towels when Mike came up and grabbed her from behind, pulling her to the side of the house. She said he held his hand over her mouth so that nobody would hear. Then she said that Trevor was there. He pulled down her shirt, ripping it, so that he could grope his dirty hands over her breasts, and then he reached between her legs and started fondling her. She said that when they heard me coming they ran away.

  Mark was frozen, and I was waiting for an apology. “I wouldn’t lie to you, Mark. It was those two little assholes. You need to call the police.” I said while handing him a phone.

  “I don’t want to get the police involved. There’s too much at stake here,” he admitted.

  Buffy kept shaking her head, her eyes filled with tears.

  “You were going to call the police on me, but you won’t call on them?” I asked, feeling so pissed. I looked over at Hope who was still in Buffy’s arms. “I’ll check on you later. I need to get the hell out of here, before I say something I might not regret,” I announced, as I looked to Mark then headed out the door.

  I wanted him to feel like shit. That was his daughter and he was choosing money over her. He was as low as they were.

  32

  Buffy stayed the night in my room with me. She held me tight just like my mother would have. I never had a sister, but she was just as close. I didn’t care what she was to my father, I would always just think of her as my big sister.

  My father came in the room several times to try and talk to Buffy, but she refused to speak to him. After time he stopped bothering us and we were able to go to sleep.

  I heard my phone vibrating and Buffy got up and handed it to me. I already knew it was from Chance.

  Are you okay, baby?~ C

  Still shaken up. I can’t believe that happened. Buffy is sleeping with me tonight. ~ H

  Tell her not to leave your side. ~ C

  She won’t. ~ H

  I wanted to hurt them, Hope. I still want to hurt them. ~ C

  I do too. I love you, Chance. Thank you for saving me again. ~ H

  I love you too, and I WILL ALWAYS SAVE YOU. See you in the morning. ~ C

  I put my phone down and nestled myself back under the covers.

  “Did you tell him you were okay?” Buffy whispered.

  “Yeah, he knows you’re with me.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, Hope. I’ve been attacked by guys before. I know how scary it is,” she admitted.

  The next morning Buffy waited for me to get myself cleaned up before she even went to brush her own teeth. My lip was still swollen, but I wasn’t as bruised as I’d first assumed. My face had a red mark over my eye, but that was it. I had one small bruise on my abdomen, and two giant marks resembling fingers on each of my arms.

  Buffy insisted on taking pictures of each mark so that if my father came around we could give the documentation to the police. When I finally dressed into something comfortable, I waited downstairs for Buffy to get changed. Once she found me in the kitchen, she started making me something to eat. I sat up at the breakfast bar, my elbows on the countertop, leaning my chin on my fist.

  “So have you seen Dad?” I asked her while she was buttering my toast.

  “Nope, it looks like he left for work already.”

  I played with some sugar that had spilled onto the countertop, making funny shapes with my finger. “Thank you again, Buff.”

  “Hope, I love you. I want what’s best for you, and I’ll always be here no matter what happens with me and your father,” she explained.

  “I love you like a sister,” I blurted out. “Our relationship is important to me.

  Buffy turned around with a big smile on her face. I noticed her glancing toward the door so I turned to see what she was looking at. Chance was walking into the kitchen with a bunch of flowers in his hand. They were carnations and obviously weren’t picked from someone’s garden.

  “Good morning, ladies. Hope, these are for you,” he said as he leaned over and kissed my forehead.

  Before he could stop me, I pulled him in for a hug. His arms wrapped around my back, and I felt completely safe. Having him comforting me only made my emotions go into overdrive. I began to sob against his chest, and when he didn’t let go, it only reminded me what could have happened if he hadn’t found me.

  He rubbed my back, while I continued to cry. “It’s okay, baby. I won’t let them near you again. I promise.”

  I appreciated what Buffy had been doing, but Chance always saved me, even from myself sometimes. I couldn’t get what Trevor did out of my head, but suddenly, with Chance’s arms tight around me, I felt protected again.

  “I love you.” I whispered in his ear.

  He leaned down and kissed my nose. “Me too.”

  Chance got himself some coffee and sat next to me to eat his breakfast. Buffy said she wasn’t hungry, and I knew it was because she and my father were having problems over what happened to me. I appreciated that she took my side, but I felt bad for her being in the middle.

  I wondered if she would’ve been on my side had Chance and I not been involved. Would she have just thought I was some spoiled brat kid, trying to get my daddy’s attention?

  Just as we finished eating we heard the door shutting. My father marched into the kitchen. He never even acknowledged me, but instead asked Buffy to come into his office. I felt hurt, but as they left the room Chance put his hand on my leg. “You okay?” He whispered.

  “As long as you’re here I’m fine.”

  We sat there leering at each other, until we heard loud hollering coming from the office. Chance and I both got up and crept closer to the hallway so that we could hear what they were saying.

  “I won’t let you do that, Mark. Do you have any idea what he has been through? You owe him an apology. I can’t believe it was so easy for you to jump to conclusions about him. Was it that much easier for you to accuse my brother than those little assholes?” Buffy slammed.

  “This business deal could determine our future. I can’t let some misunderstanding affect that. Hope is going to be fine. She’s a strong girl and she never has to see those boys again. I don’t see why we can’t just let it go,” my father snapped back.

  “Let it go? Are you fucking kidding me? Your daughter was sexually assaulted last night, and you want to let it go?” Buffy yelled.

  “I would hardly say she was sexually assaulted, Buff…”

  Buffy interrupted him. “If it weren’t for my brother she could have been raped. They exposed her and fondled her. What is your fucking idea of sexual assault, because obviously we have different views?”

  “I refuse to argue about this shit with you, Buffy. I’ve got too much riding on this deal to have teenage drama get in the way. Go find your brother. I need to speak with him.” My father ordered.

  We ran back into the kitchen until we saw Buffy emerging. She had tears in her eyes, and I could tell she was not a happy camper. “Chance, Mark wants to see you.”

  I led her to sit down while I sat next to her.

  The men’s meeting wasn’t loud like he and Buffy’s. After about twenty minutes Chance came walking into the kitchen. He didn’t say a word as he sauntered past u
s and headed outside.

  Buffy got up and immediately went running after him. It killed me that I couldn’t be outside with them, but I didn’t want to get into trouble.

  My father came into the kitchen and I turned to face him. “Hope, I’m very sorry about what happened. I wasn’t aware of what Chance did for you. I didn’t realize he would do something so noble. As far as what happened last night, I can only ask for you to try to let it go. I have too much at stake to ruin this deal, and I realize that’s hard for you to understand. It’s what has to be done.”

  My eyes filled with tears. I hated him.

  I got up and ran outside toward the pool house. He wasn’t going to keep me from checking on Chance. I didn’t care if I lived out of my car.

  As I got closer to the pool house, I could hear them yelling.

  “I don’t have a choice, Buffy.” Chance was losing his calm demeanor, more by the second.

  “You could have said no. Do you have any idea what this is going to do to her?” Buffy asked.

  “Of course I do, don’t you think this is killing me? I don’t know what else to do. I’m kind of stuck, and Mark knows that. Can you blame him? He knows if I stick around I’m going to the authorities. If it was up to me they’d be in jail instead of with their daddy at some club. This is bullshit, and he knows it. It’s not like it’s forever. It’s just until the deal is over. I’ll be back. I’ve got no other options,” he exclaimed.

  My heart started beating faster. I knew something was wrong, so I rushed into the pool house and stood there waiting for an explanation.

  “Maybe I should leave you two alone,” Buffy suggested.

  I shook my head. “No, please stay.”

  Chance pulled me over and sat me down on the chair. “Hope,” he said before getting choked up. “I have to leave.”

  This couldn’t be happening.