Fiction Friday: Hope Lives On, Part One

Fridays are going to be my day to share some of my writing, whether it be a story, a poem, or whatever. Hope you enjoy!

HOPE LIVES ON (Part One)

By Teresa Kander

Hope trudges out the back door of the diner. The long shift had her head spinning, her legs weak. After she unlocked the car, she sensed someone’s presence. She turned, blinking twice, not believing what she saw.

“Will?” She was barely able to make the words come out of her mouth. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

He pushed his blonde hair away from his twinkling green eyes and his mouth formed what Hope had once thought of as an impish grin. “You know what I always say--where there’s a Will, there’s a way.”

She opened the car door then turned back to face him before getting in. “I’m sorry you wasted your time. I’ve got nothing to say to you.”

Hope’s mind was racing during the drive home. What did he want? How had he found her? What was she going to do? The knot in her stomach was growing, and the tears in her eyes threatened to spill over.

She sighed, recalling her teen years in Ohio. She had dreamed of a career in the music industry, of being a pop star someday--but those dreams were broken and left behind, thanks to a disastrous relationship with Will. They fell in love, he introduced her to drugs, and her life went downhill from there. Now she was fresh out of rehab, working as a waitress and trying to put together a new life. She hadn’t seen Will since they were arrested, and she had certainly never expected to see him here in Arizona.

She had to pull herself together. She was no longer the girl she used to be. No way would she let herself be moved by one short encounter. She knew she was stronger than that.

By the time she got home, she had calmed her nerves and formulated a plan. She knew what had to be done, and just who could help her.

As soon as Hope got inside her apartment and locked the door behind her, she picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. The instant someone picked up, she had two words to say.

”He’s here.”

“Are you alright, Hope?” The male voice the other end of the line was full of concern. “What happened?”

Hope described her brief conversation with Will, then asked “So what do I do now?”

“Just go on with your daily routine, as long as he doesn’t threaten you. I’ll be there tomorrow, and we’ll take care of the problem.”