The Gift of Hope

Word Count: 761

The Gift of Hope

         She had no idea where she was going. All Abby knew was that she was leaving. Her mother’s heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs, and Abby allowed herself a sigh of relief. The door slammed, and then she was gone.

         Why did it have to be like that? Why did her mother have to be so incorrigible? After Abby’s dad had died two years earlier, things had gotten so much work. Work had been her mother’s pastime, but now it was the only thing she cared about, and when Abby tried to talk to her, her mother shouted her down.

         Abby flopped onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling. At least she only had one more month until graduation, and then she’d be far, far away in college. Her dad’s good-natured pressure to study hard and receive high grades had paid off—Abby had a full scholarship to an out-of-state college up in Maine. There would be no more of this unhappiness, no more of the frenetic pace of D.C.

         That thought led to the next—how some of her friends weren’t even bothering with college, and how some of the others had gotten full rides to the colleges of their choice. Their faces clearly came to mind, along with the offer that one had made her. That morning, he’d grabbed her hand and clasped it tightly before disappearing into the rush of students heading to class, leaving her with a crumpled piece of paper. Abby had waited until after first period to read it, and even then, she’d made sure she was in the bathroom.

         The note asked, Will you be my girl?

         The boy who had given it to her was Corey, her secret crush and longtime best friend. For the first time since she’d received the letter notifying her of the scholarship she’d won, Abby felt that maybe there was more to the future. At lunch, she’d given him a reply note, and he jumped up and gave her a hug, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around.

         Lying on her bed, Abby smiled slightly, remembering it. Her grin disappeared as her stomach growled loudly. It was almost dinner time, and her mother hadn’t even bothered to make dinner. Abby stretched and reluctantly stood up.

         She went downstairs to find the lights off and the kitchen dark. Sighing, Abby pulled out some pots and began preparing a small meal. As she waited for the water to boil, the phone rang.

         “Hello?”

         “Hi. This is Corey—”

         “Oh, hey, Corey! It’s Abby.”

         “How’s it going, Abby?”

         “I’m alright. Just making dinner.”

         “Just alright?”

         “Yeah…”

         “Abby, what’s going on?”

         How could he tell that something wasn’t right? Then Abby realized that she’d forgotten he was her best friend, who already knew her secrets and problems at home. Just because he’d asked her to be his girlfriend didn’t mean he’d changed at all.

         “Mom was in one of her bad moods again.”

         Silence. Then—

         “Where is she now?” There was a change in Corey’s voice, something hard and fierce, and at the same time, protective.

         “I dunno. I think she’s at work, but it’s really nothing—”

         Corey actually laughed. “Abby, when a girl says it’s nothing, that’s never the case. Are you going to be okay?”

         She had to smile. “I think so. She hasn’t gotten violent or anything at all.”

         “Look. I know school’s almost over, but do you think she’d let you come to the beach with my family this summer? You can share a room with my cousin Emily, and that way you won’t be stuck at home alone while I’m off having fun.”

         Corey always had a solution to every problem—that was part of the reason she loved him. The best part was that her mom couldn’t object, because she’d promised Abby that she could go to the beach with Corey and his huge family sometime before college. “That sounds great, Corey.”

         “Just hang in there, Abby. Only a few more weeks to go.”

         The water started to boil, and Abby had to go. “I’m sorry, Corey, but I’ve got to go. I’m making dinner and—’’

         “Say no more, love. I’ll talk to you later.”

         “Thanks, Corey. I love you.”

         “I love you too, darling. Adios.”

         “Bye.”

         And with that, Abby was filled with hope. Like drowning person who had just been save, she’d just seen the light at the end of the tunnel. And maybe, just maybe, her mom wouldn’t be in a foul mood when she came home…