Forbidden Hope | H.S.

02

December 15th, 2016

I just got home from the police station, I spent all night there. I can't even write how I am feeling right now. How can I? He's gone. He's really gone and there's nothing I or anyone can do.

I closed my journal and looked out the window. My thoughts engulfing me like a wave.

I took a few steps toward the tree hoping maybe I can scare him out of the spot.

"Boo!"

"OH MY GOD GRAYSON!"

Grayson was laying on his back.

Dead.

I screamed out my sobs engulfing my words.

"SOMEONE HELP PLEASE! ANYONE!"

I ran next to him. His throat had been cut. Who could do this to an innocent 12-year-old?

His blue eyes that were once so full of life, now lifeless as he laid there.

Someone ran up behind me and gasped, shocked by the sight in front of them.

"Someone call an ambulance!" I knew that voice.

I shook Grayson trying to find any signs of life in him.

"Grayson please, oh my God, please Grayson hang on." 

"Hope!" My mother yelled.

I looked up and saw my mother staring at me in shock. I felt a stinging pain in my leg, I looked and saw I had clawed into my leg and was bleeding.

"I'm fine mom don't worry. It's just a scratch."

I stand up from the window hoping my mom doesn't start asking me questions.

"Hope. What were you thinking about?"

Grayson.

"Uh nothing, I wasn't thinking about anything don't worry, I'm going to go clean up."

I walked past my mom into the bathroom and locked the door. I ran the faucet and grabbed a rag. I had to clean up the blood but all I could do was stare at it. Unable to move my eyes from the crimson liquid dripping down my leg and onto the floor.

Staring at my blood-covered hands someone grabbed me from behind and pulled me away from Grayson. I looked up and saw Niall's blue eyes staring down at me. There was so much blood everywhere.

It was all over me and Grayson. Who would've thought that a 12 year-old would have that much blood in their body?

"Hope!"

I turned around and saw my mother and Athena walking towards me. I blinked and my mother's arms were around me. She pulled back and took my cheeks in her hands.

"Oh my gosh, Hope are you okay?" Her eyes filled with worry.

My mouth opened and closed, unable to form the words. But our attention was redirected by a scream, my head snapped in the direction and I saw Athena down on the ground next to Grayson shaking his body.

Someone knocked on the bathroom door.

"I'm in here!" I yelled out to the person outside.

"Hope, can I come in?" It was Athena. I didn't want her to see me like this. But I knew she needed me.

"Uh yeah give me a second." I looked down and the bleeding had subsided.

I quickly scrambled to clean up the blood that remained. But no matter how much I scrubbed it wouldn't come off.

I scrubbed harder and harder but still, the blood wouldn't leave my skin. I screamed out in frustration and threw the rag in the sink. I sank down against the wall and covered my mouth to hide my sobs.

"Hope? Hope are you okay?"

I propped myself up and composed myself. I had to be strong for her. I wiped the tears off of my face and dried my leg. My breath shaky as I breathed in and out for a couple of seconds. 

"I'm fine Athena you can come in."

I took one last deep breath as I unlocked the bathroom door to let her in.

"Hope, I need to talk to you about Grayson."

My heart shattered the second his name left her lips.

"Of course sweetie what's up." I smiled lightly at her to know that it was okay to talk.

Athena looked up at me with tears threatening to fall from her innocent eyes.

"I- I miss him so much, Hope!"

I knelt down to Athena's level and grabbed onto her. I pulled her into my chest as she wrapped her arms around my neck. I let her sob on my shoulder.

I took a deep breath trying to hold in my tears. Grayson was the little brother I never had.

"Me too Athena, me too." 

We stayed in the bathroom for a few minutes until her sobs quieted down. I picked her up and brought her into my room. I laid her down and got into bed next to her, she moved into me and I held her as she silently cried.

No 12 year old should go through the loss of their best friend.

After an hour or so Athena had fallen asleep. Tears stained her cheeks, her arms placed against my chest. She was so peaceful and I didn't want to wake her considering the trauma she's going through.

I got up carefully trying not to wake her. I made it to the door when I heard her whimper. I turned around and saw her move, I walked back and knelt down beside the bed. I slowly stroked her hair hoping she would go back to sleep. Instead she  opened her eyes and looked at me.

God, I could get lost in those eyes.

"Hope?"

"Yeah sweetie what's up?"

"Please don't leave me."

I looked at Athena and my heart broke even more. I sucked in a breath at her words.

"Okay sweetie, I will never leave you I promise."

"Do you pinkie promise Hope?"

I tilted Athena's chin up so her eyes would connect with mine so she knew I was serious about the words I would say next.

"Athena Rose Anderson, I pinkie promise that I will never leave you."

She smiled and turned onto her side to go back to sleep. I got back in the bed knowing I couldn't leave her there. We laid still until the world faded away into the darkness of the night.