“Hi Tom!” greet a girl on the stairs coming down.
“Hey! Where are you going???” his father stopped.
“The party start at six in the evening” looked at her watch. “But I said.”
“I know. Just… You’re beautiful.”
“Thanks..” the girl blushed. And would have opened the door.
“Wait!” Tom said afterwards. “You left it almost here.” He picked up a little box.
“I haven't got my birthday yet.” Hope put his handbag down.
“Yes. But…. This is a family heritage. It was still your mother.” He spoke to her daughter during a speech to turn around. “From his mother. And who's from her belt. And so on. You should have handed it to your eighteenth birthday.”
“It'll be two weeks later.” she said modestly. And her dark brown hair brought forward, that your father could put on her neck.
“But I couldn’t wait it.” finally connected the chain. “Finish. Turn around…Wow. You are… Amazing.”
“Al right.” the girl blushed “Then. I will be eleven.” closed the door quickly behind her.
“Hey! We talked about half past ten!” he laughed at himself. He returned to the kitchen, muttering himself. He’s a cook. The best chef of the city. The kitchen was his battlefield. Spices, vegetables, fruits and meats were his soldiers. The knife, spoon, fork, spatula and wooden spoon were his weapons. His enemy was his own criticism. “These are teenagers.”
*
“Deep air” Hope stood in front of the door “And…” opened it. Inside, purple-colored smoke escaped as she opened the door a little. The music swelled. When she entered a thick alcohol odor hit her nose. She closed the door behind her, three of 17 girls were before her. “Hi!” shouted Hope because she barely heard his own voice.
“Honey.” finally said the middle, having carefully weighed the new guest with her eyes. She didn’t roar yet clearly heard Hope that she was disgusting. “Are you trapped in this trash?”
The two girls behind her started to annoy. Hope took her, so she couldn't speak. Fortunately, or not, two guys came in. One is tall with black hair. The other one with a lower-headed friend, brown-skinned, very short-haired. They were both hold a paper cup, its content is probably beer.
“What’s wrong Samantha?” the higher boy asked.
“Ooooh Luke.” A girl named Samantha, who slammed Hope's dress, suddenly changed her voice. “I just welcomed the new guest. Isn't it fantastic that they have come so much?” leaned over Luke's arm.
“Yes. It is.” went a little further away from the sticky girl. Hope couldn't cope with this lust so she left the "love party" and went to find the bar.
“Who see my eyes!” she heard a well-known voice from behind. Hope turned back, Darcy Cox stood behind her. They knew each other since they were born. She is already a family member in Thomas's house. They went to kindergarten and primary school. But when Hope's parents divorced, with Darcy they only contacted the phone.
Darcy invited her to the house party. Because Hope hasn't gone to school yet.
“Isn't it Darcy Cox?” Hope was surprised.
“Good to see little girl.” Darcy hugged Hope.
“You are good too. Your hair is great.” Darcy's hair had been straight and reached the bottom. In their early years, they would have a lot of hair on each other, and Hope had always admired Darcy to endure that long hair for so long. Now turn. It just reaches her shoulder. She is curled up in a pinch, and one of her tufts is boldly painted red. She wore a red French cap on her head that went to her knee-length dress.
“Thank you.” She spun proudly. “Wow. That necklace. Wonderful.” looking at it close up.
“Hey.” Hope heard a voice, but she saw nothing from Darcy's hair, so she was forced to step back.
“Hey… Er…” in vain, she didn’t remember his name.
“Luke” the boy replied.
“Yes! Of course. Luke.” the situation became more and more awkward.
“I’m Darcy.” She saved the situation. “I'll get something to drink. Go girl!” she whispered to Hope's ear, then went.
“And you?” the boy finally said. “What’s your name?”
“Hope Ann Anderson. I… I use Hope.” She came to embarrassed. She didn't understand why she said her full name. No one said so far.
“Are you new here?” cursed Luke.
“Not really. Complicated. And boring. You shouldn't care.” She didn’t really want to tell.
“Worth a try.” He started to the stairs.
“Well.” agreed to Hope and went after the boy. “My father lives here. I went to kindergarten and primary school. But my parents divorced and finally moved to my mother. I went to school there... I don't understand, why I'm talking about myself.” Hope stopped.
“You have a nice name.” Luke switched theme.
“Thank.” she felt a little embarrassed that the guy had changed so fast.
“Hope.” he said mysteriously.
“Yeees...” Hope slowed down and stopped.
“What’s wrong?” Luke also stopped.
“Darcy should have come back.”
“She is your friend?” went on.
“Yes. Yes, the best. We've known each other since our birth.” caught up Luke.
“Tell me more.” he looked into Hope's eyes.
“So .... When my mom died, I had to move here.” Hope tried to smile.
“Sincere condolences. Why do you say the move is like a terrible tragedy.” he started off the stairs.
“With Tom ... My dad doesn't really ... How do I say that? Our relationship is not entirely bright.” Hope went after him.
“Do you call your father his name?” they reached the floor.
“As I said, our relationship is not bright.” The music became quieter. Hope looked away. There was a kissing couple, a girl browsing her phone, and a guy just came out of the bathroom. “Darcy is already looking for us”
“That necklace.” he pointed to the pendant. “Family heritage?”
“Yes.” Hope grabbed her necklace smiling. Then the grin disappeared from her face. “But how did you know?”
“Um...” then Luke's phone hummed two. The boy read it. And his face was gloomy.
“I think I’m going back” she went to the stairs. But Luke caught her arm.
“I didn’t want to scare you.” He told. His voice was scary.
“You did it.” Hope replied, pulling her arm. She got down the stairs and headed for the door. On the way, she took her smartphone out of her bag and started to call Darcy.
I'm Darcy. You shouldn't know about this number. But if you already have a message here. Beep!!!!
“Darcy!” Hope went out of the house. “Here's Hope. Look, it was very freaky and scary. Please call me as soon as possible.” she put the phone down and headed for her car.
She looked at her while driving. The house was next to the forest. There were no neighboring houses, so no one was disturbed by the music coming from the inside. The snowy landscape was beautiful. On the trees the hoarfrost glowed in the light of the full moon.
Hope looked at two yellow eyes from the corner of her eyes. When she looked there she found herself facing a black wolf. She didn't move. Her first thought was running. But the wolf just looked at her gently. Hope took a step toward her car before the wolf sat down. Hope took another step. The animal didn’t move, just tilted her curious face to the right.
“All right. Nice wolf.” She said with a heartbreaking heart as she looked into the wolf's eyes. He knew she shouldn't, but his yellow eyes caught her blue eyes. “Good, cute, calm wolf.” then her phone rang.
Hope winced and the wolf stood up quickly.
“Just pick up my phone. Okay?” she didn't understand why she was talking to an animal, but she found it a little calming.
She looked down at her bag to take her phone. When she looked back she looked. But the wolf only found the place of the wolf. She looked around strangely, but nowhere was a soul.
She got in the car and picked up her phone.