"Hope, get your butt down here now or we�ll be late." Her father yelled into her bedroom.

"Dad, I am up." She slid the diary under her mattress; she knew it would be the first place a parent would look but she didn�t care, its not like there was anything she was hiding.

As she got dressed her mind wandered to Elijah. Rachel should be waking him up right about now; Rachel does the wake up calls, Hope would kill for her job. Rachel says it�s not all it�s cracked up to be; she�s just doing this job while waiting to have a script published. Rachel�s a writer or rather she wants to be.

"Morning dad." Her dad had his face buried in a book; if he�s not putting on hobbit feet or elf ears, he�s reading. "Did Rachel leave already to wake the guys?"

"Morning Hope. Yes, she left about ten minutes ago" He downed the rest of his coffee and stood. "Are you ready?"

"Yup." Rachel was living with Hope because they had been best friends since the third grade, and when Hope�s dad got hired on the set he pulled some strings and got her friend a job. He let her live with them because Rachel had no family in New Zealand, and no place to go. Hope grabbed her jacket and opened the door. She was still in awe of how beautiful New Zealand is, especially before sunrise.

When they got to the set the make up trailer was still dark so Hope knew Elijah and Rachel weren�t there yet. She walked in and turned on the lights. Her dad got out all the stuff he needed and five minutes later in breezed Rachel. It always amazed Hope that Rachel could wake up at 4 and still look like she had hours to dress. Rachel�s blonde hair was in a French braid with little ringlets of curls hanging down; she was wearing a blue sweater and a black skirt and, her blue eyes didn�t show any signs of sleepiness.

"Hey Hope, your man was hard to wake up. I kept pounding and pounding�" She stopped talking as Hope shot daggers with her eyes telling her to shut up. "Damn, Hope if looks could kill I�d be dead girl walking."

Elijah and the others walked in; Hope smiled and Rachel rolled her eyes. She watched Elijah out of the corner of her eye while she was trying to get some things done. He wasn�t quite awake yet, and he had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. God, he looked so sexy.

"Good morning Jeff." Elijah said to her dad. They made small chitchat while her mind raced to try and think of some way she could make him notice her. She went through this every morning; he would come in, smile at her and talk to her dad, and she would just stand there with her mouth opening and closing like some sick fish. Her mind wandered back to when she first met Elijah. She didn�t know he was playing Frodo, hell she didn�t even know his name. Rachel told her that he had played in Radio Flyer and she vaguely remembered him, but other then that she had never heard of him.

An hour and a half later Elijah and his friends stood and walked out of the trailer. Hope�s heart sank. Why couldn�t she talk to him?

"Well, I didn�t say anything to him this time either. Rachel, please tell me this will pass. I mean come on, he doesn�t even know I exist." Hope complained to Rachel. She did this almost every morning after the guys leave.

Rachel always told her the same thing, "Ask him out. Tell him his big feet turn you on." Rachel walked to the door, "I got to jet, I got class early today."

"Hey Rachel, I�ll ask Elijah out if you ask Orlando out." Hope teased

"I don�t want to ask that elf out, I just want to hire him to serve my every desire in all his elfish beauty; he�s a stud. Besides we�re just friends. I don�t think I could date a star," Rachel joked, "Bye, Hope."

"Bye."

Rachel was taking a writing class with some famous writer or something; Hope couldn�t remember his name. "Oh well," She thought, and started to pick up the trailer to get it ready for when it was time to take off the feet and ears. As she cleaned an annoying tune ran around and around in her mind.

"Why do I have this damn song in my head?" The song was "I Try" by Macy Gray. Hope started to sing softly while she cleaned.

"I play it off but I'm dreaming of you
I'll keep my cool but I'm fiendin.
I try to say goodbye and I choke
I try to walk away and I stumble
Though I try to hide it, it's clear
My world crumbles when Elijah is not near"

She giggled at the way she threw in Elijah�s name.

"Yeah, Hope you really have lost it now you�re singing about him," she said under her breath. She turned to throw out the rubber parts of the feet that weren�t used and saw Elijah standing in the door way. Her mouth dropped open and her heart raced.

"You have a great voice, although I think you got the lyrics wrong" Elijah chuckled and walked over to the chair that he was sitting in earlier. "I forgot my smokes." He walked back to the door; shot her a stunning smile and said, "Bye."

"Bye�" She said breathlessly.

"Hey Eli, hows it hanging?" Sean asked.

"I just had the weirdest thing happen. I went back to the trailer and heard someone singing. It was Jeff�s daughter. She was singing about me." Elijah blushed a little. Even though he wasn�t lacking in the �girls that wanted to sleep with him department� he never had a girl sing about him. "See this was the weird part. I thought she was with that girl Rachel. So why was she singing about me?"

Orlando laughed so loud it startled Billy, who tripped and fell on Sean. They ended up in a big pile on the grass. Elijah didn�t get the joke.

"No Eli, she not gay. She�s shy. Rachel and her have been best friends for awhile." Orlando enlightened him.

"How do you know? You don�t talk to�to�Damn I don�t even know her name." Elijah took out his cigarettes and lit one. He inhaled deeply and looked at Orlando.

"Her name is Hope. Rachel told me that Hope and her had been friends for I think thirteen years. Rachel�s gonna be a writer." Orlando babbled on about the famous teacher that Rachel had and why she was living with Hope.

"How do you know all this information?" Sean asked Orlando who looked everywhere but at Sean. "Someone got a crush?"

"Nah, we talk when she wakes me up, plus we�ve hung out a few times." Orlando told the group. "I know Hope�s got a thing for Elijah."

Elijah's eyes widened, "Oh a fan thing."

"Nah not really. Rachel said she didn�t even know who you were until she told Hope that you were in Radio Flyer." Orlando turned and looked at Elijah, "This was something I wasn�t suppose to tell. Don�t tell Rachel I told you."

"Why would I tell her anyway? Come on you guys we have to get to the set." Elijah started walking to the set and the four other guys followed him.

"Hey Eli, you gonna ask her out?" Billy asked.

"No, I don�t think so. I don�t really know her." Elijah walked past the makeup trailer unaware that inside Hope was listening to every word that was said.

Hope�s mind was spinning. How dare Rachel tell Orlando that she liked Elijah? And what did Elijah mean by "he didn�t know her"? He�s known her for a year and a half. OK, well, maybe not known but seen her around. She wasn�t some fan stalker. �Oh well� She thought. She hadn�t really ever planned on asking him out. From what she just heard he didn�t plan on asking her out either. So things would stay normal right? But that little voice inside of Hope�s head thought this was the time to speak up. �Yeah except now you have to see him every day and look at him knowing he knows.� "Oh shut up!" Hope said out loud to the voice. Hope dialed Rachel�s cell number and got voice mail.

"This is Rachel leave a message and if I feel you�re important enough I�ll call you back"

"Rachel this is Hope and I've got a bone to pick with you. Let�s just say it's an elf bone. Call me." She pressed �end� on the phone and the voice spoke up again, �He didn�t say he didn�t like you, all he said was he didn�t know you. You could get to know him. Start talking to him.� "Oh great I�m still hearing voices." She thought.

Later on that day Rachel came home from school and went looking for Hope, who was cleaning up her room while listening to her stereo on full blast.

"What the hell was the message you left me? About an Elf bone?" Rachel sat down on Hope�s bed and fished out Hope�s journal then started to read.

"HEY!" Hope leaped on to the bed and snatched the journal out of her best friend�s hand. "What the fuck do you think you�re doing?"

"We�re best friends we tell each other everything anyway right? So whats in there that I don�t already know?" Rachel sighed and leaned back on her friend�s bed.

"I can�t believe you talked about me to Orlando. What the hell where you thinking?"

"I was hoping he would tell Elijah so he would notice you and maybe start talking to you. I wasn�t trying to back stab you." Rachel told her best friend. She knew that she shouldn�t have talked to Orlando but she also knew that Hope was never going to talk to Elijah. "How did you find out I talked to Orlando about you. Did he tattle on me?"

"No. I was in the make up trailer and I was singing about Elijah and he walked in and�"

Rachel interrupted her, "Wait, hold it. Back the truck up. You were singing about him? What were you singing?" Rachel was cracking up at the thought of her friend singing about Elijah.

"�I Try� by Macy Gray. I put Elijah's name in the chorus. Anyway�" Hope waited for her friend to stop laughing. "He forgot his cigarettes and he was standing in the door. And he told me that I had a nice voice but I got the lyrics wrong. Then he left and I heard him talking to Orlando and the others. Orlando told him about my crush and Billy asked if he was going to ask me out. He said no. So now I have to see him every day until this movie is done knowing that he will never ask me out" Hope finally took a breath and looked at her friend. "So thank you very much."

"He just said no he wouldn�t ask you out?" Rachel had the feeling her friend was leaving something out to guilt trip her.

"Well, he said no because he didn�t know me very well."

"SEE! You just have to talk to him. I helped you out. You know it, you just don�t want to admit it." Rachel smirked at Hope; Hope smacked Rachel in the face with a pillow, and an all out pillow brawl began.

"You�ve never seen The Faculty? It�s really a good movie. Aliens take over the school. Elijah saves the day." Rachel was trying to convince Hope to watch it with her.

"Rent whatever you want. I�ll watch whatever you want. Assuming I can keep my eyes open." Hope usually fell asleep during the first hour of any movie. It didn�t matter what they rented; it also didn�t matter if Hope was sitting up, laying down, or sprawled on the floor; she always fell asleep.

"You�re like my grandma. Pretty soon you�ll be wearing your hair in a bun instead of a braid and need a walker." Rachel teased her friend. When they picked out the movies they went back to the truck and Hope�s dad was waiting.

"What took you girls so long?" Jeff asked as he backed the truck out. Rachel told him that they couldn�t pick out a movie. They drove the rest of the way home in silence. When they got home Jeff told the girls that he was going to bed; he always went to bed early after Hope�s mom left them. Hope didn�t talk about it much.

About an hour later Rachel was ready to tape her friend�s mouth shut. Rachel put The Faculty in and just about every five minutes she would hear a sigh and then Hope would ask the same questions over and over, it went something like this:

"Rachel, do you think I have a chance with Eli?"

"Hope, I don�t know. Get to know him."

"What if he laughs at me tomorrow?"

"Then he�s not worth it."

"What if he ends up asking me out?"

"Then say yes." Rachel turned up the volume on the TV.

"Rachel.."

"WHAT? I don�t know if he likes you. I don�t know if he�ll ask you out. Anything else?" Rachel pressed stop on the VCR and looked at her friend. She shouldn�t have snapped like that. "O.K. I think you�ve had enough movie for tonight." It didn�t help that Elijah was in the movie. "Let�s go for a walk."

They got their coats on as it was a bit chilly that night, and they walked on past the trailers and out past the outside filming area; they got to a building that said Closed Set.

"Hey Hope? Are you thinking what I�m thinking?" Rachel had an evil look on her face.

"I hope not because you�re thinking about breaking and entering."

"You know me too well, dear friend." Rachel walked around back and looked at the windows: they were shut tight, but in the back there was a door with a pad lock on it. When Rachel pulled on the door it opened about three feet; she squeezed in. Hope looked around and then followed her friend: once inside Hope flicked on a light.

"They must be building it." Rachel said. There were a whole bunch of plywood and paint cans. The lighting was up and the panel to control the lights was in the corner. Rachel walked over to the light panel and started playing with buttons.

At the same time outside the building Elijah and Orlando were walking by. Elijah was sick of sitting in his trailer. It was about nine o�clock it had just started to get dark. He wanted take a walk and smoke so he called Orlando. Orlando was babbling about what time Rachel was going to wake them up tomorrow.

"Hey Orlando, why is that light on? I didn�t think anyone was suppose to be in there."

"Hey you�re right. Let�s go see who it is." Orlando knew how to get in; he walked around back, opened the chain locked door and squeezed in. Elijah followed and heard Hope�s voice right away. She was singing something he had never heard. Orlando and Elijah stayed back in the shadows to watch. Rachel was messing with the lighting; Elijah watched the lighting change on Hope�s face. She was singing this:

As Elijah was listening he heard a squeaking noise and he looked up. One of the lights that was turning was coming undone. He watched in horror as it fell toward Hope. Elijah darted out of the shadow and shoved Hope out of the light�s path. They landed hard on the cement floor, and the wind was knocked out of her.

"Are you all right?" He asked while remaining on top of her.

"I�d be better if you would move so I could breathe." Hope�s eyes were watering so she didn�t know who was lying on top of her until she heard Rachel speak up.

"ORLANDO? What are you doing here? Hope, are you all right? Elijah stay where you are." Rachel snickered at her friend lying underneath the guy she had the biggest crush on.

Hope looked up at the guy and realized that it was Elijah. She shoved him off and stood up. "Please don�t tell anyone we were here. Please, please." She begged Elijah.

Rachel walked over to Orlando and said, "They won�t tell anyone." Rachel caressed Orlando�s face with her fingertips. She moved them down his throat past his collar stopping right above his belt. "You won�t tell Right?"

Orlando made a whimpering noise followed by a sound that kind of resembled "Right."

"So what are you girls doing in here?" Elijah asked as he watched his friend adjust his belt and jam his hands in his pockets. Orlando was being turned into pudding by a girl and Elijah was amused. He chuckled.

"What�s funny Elijah?" Hope asked him. She was worried that he was laughing at her. "

"Nothing." Elijah said quickly.

"We were just bored so we went for a walk." Hope spoke quietly.

"Yeah we were watching The Faculty and she almost fell asleep." Rachel teased her friend. She knew Hope would get her for doing that.

"You guys were watching The Faculty?" Elijah looked at Hope and wondered what she had thought of it. "You guys didn�t like it?"

"Well it was on TV. You know commercials and all." Hope quickly lied.

"No it wasn�t we� Ow!" Rachel yelped as Hope stepped on her foot. "Yeah they bleeped out all the cuss words. So, what do you guys have planned for tonight?" Rachel had a mischievous look on her face.

"Well, I was just going out for a smoke, other then that; nothing really." Elijah told her.

"You guys want to go out for a beer?" Rachel asked. She watched as Hope�s face turned bright red and suddenly Hope found something very interesting to stare at on the floor.

"Yeah sure we�ll go!" Orlando beamed a smile at Rachel.

"My dad will kill me if he knew I would be drinking." Hope said quietly.

"Don�t be such a stick in the mud. Your dad won�t find out." Rachel knew just what to say.

"Well, I shouldn�t be drinking either. I have to be up early tomorrow. We could just have coffee." Elijah suggested, he was trying to take the pressure off Hope.

"That�s OK too. But we could have beer." Rachel pointed at Orlando. "Right?"

"Yeah I�m up for it. Elijah could drive us if he�s not drinking." Orlando suggested. Orlando gave Elijah that say yes or die look.

"Yeah I'll drive." Elijah said.

So the group walked back to Elijah�s trailer and hopped into his car.

Chapter Four: Java Java Java

Well, it was about 11:30 when they finally found a place that looked like it
wasn�t quite as packed as some places usually are. They ordered their
drinks. Rachel and Orlando had some type of beer Hope had never heard of,
and Elijah and Hope had coffee. After about an hour the awkward silence
turned in to an easy banter. Rachel teased Hope about being a �daddy�s�
girl. Rachel wasn�t being mean Hope knew she was teasing but just the same
Hope still turned red and drank her coffee quietly.

After about an hour of more chatting and drinking Rachel announced that she
was going to dance. She looked at Orlando and he jumped up and walked with
her. After they left Elijah watched Hope with interest. She was very shy
and quiet compared to Rachel who after three beers was dancing with Orlando.
If they got any more bold out there Elijah feared that they would get
kicked out. Elijah thought that the silence had gotten very loud. So he
started talking.

�Are they dating?� He asked.

�No, I don�t think so. She says that she won�t date actors.� Hope couldn�t
believe that she could keep her voice from quivering. She was not the
smoothest person when it came to guys.

�Well he likes her a lot. All I hear is �Rachel this� and �Rachel that�.�
Elijah waved the waitress over and got them refills on their coffee. The
waitress studied Elijah for a moment and asked.

�Ain�t you that kid that�s filming the movie here?�

�Yeah that�s me.� Elijah smiled and hoped that the women would be quick
about this.

�Really? You were in flipper too, right?� the waitress asked. �My kid
loved that movie. �Can I have your autograph?�

Elijah signed the napkin and smile at the waitress. �There you go.�

�Thanks! You sure are a sweet heart.� She walked off.

�Does that happen a lot?� Hope asked Elijah.

�Um�Not as much as some actors but it does happen. I blend in and most
people don�t notice me.� He told her. �So, you and Rachel live with your
dad?�

�Yeah. It�s been that way since we came to the set.� Hope told him.
It got quiet for awhile. Not an awkward silence just a drinking coffee
silence then Elijah spoke again.

�Did your mom stay behind?� He asked. He wished almost right away that he
could take that back. He watched as pools of tears filled her eyes. She
didn�t cry.

�Well, she left us behind when I was six. She said she didn�t have time to
care for me. She was trying to break into acting.� Hope didn�t usually
tell anyone this. But she felt like she could trust Elijah. Elijah placed
his hand over hers.

�I�m sorry I didn�t know.� He looked in to her eyes watched her smile.

�It�s all right. I�m OK. Sometimes it hurts a lot.� Just then Orlando and
Rachel stumbled back to the table. Elijah didn�t move his hand, he just
squeezed Hope�s hand a little bit.

�I think we should leave it�s getting late it.� Elijah suggested. It was
almost two. Elijah had no clue where the time went, but he could tell that
Orlando and Rachel had too much to drink.

On the ride home Hope sat up front with Elijah, and Orlando and Rachel sat
in the back making out.

�You know she�s going to regret that when I tell her what she did tonight.�
Hope said to Elijah. Elijah looked at Hope and laughed. He wasn�t paying
attention and Hope yelled �HEY LOOK OUT!� Elijah braked hard and just
missed a person walking across the road. �Shit you could have killed
someone.� Hope said.

�I know.� Elijah�s heart felt like it was beating down in his ass.

�Hey Elijah, I thought we agreed that you weren�t drinking tonight.� Rachel
slurred from the back.

�I wasn�t drinking.� Elijah pulled back on to the road and drove off.
They got back to Elijah�s place and Orlando and Rachel walked in together.
Stumbled in together was more like it. Elijah sat down outside and lit a
cigarette.

�I�m to awake to sleep.� He told Hope who sat down next to him. For the
next couple hours they talked about everything. Boyfriends, girlfriends,
parents, life�everything. The next thing they noticed was the sun starting
to rise.

�Ah, shit. That better not be the sun. My dad will kill me and you have to
work today.� Hope said as she stood and stretched. They had sat outside
all night. Elijah held the door open for her and she walked in. �Where did
Orlando and Rachel go?�

�Probably to my bed. Oh I hope they just pasted out. I just had the sheets
washed.� Hope giggled at that comment. She felt giddy, awake, tired, but she
felt good. Elijah opened the door to his bedroom and Hope walked in and
looked around. His boxers where strung out all over, there where pictures
of different people on his dresser. Hope assumed that it was his family.
Then Hope spotted her best friend on the bed curled up next to Orlando who
was snoring loudly. Much to Elijah�s relief they were both fully clothed.

�Rachel wake up. It�s almost five. We have to get home.� Hope shook her
friend who smacked at her and opened one eye right as Elijah turned on the
overhead light.

�AHHH! Turn it off! Turn it off! Oh my head.� Rachel tried to hide under
a pillow. Hope grabbed her arm and dragged her off the bed.

�We have to go, NOW!� Hope knew her dad was probably already awake. Rachel
stumbled out of the bedroom and Elijah followed behind. �Thanks for a nice
evening Elijah. Maybe we could do it again sometime.�

Elijah rubbed his eyes. Hope looked at him, he looked roughed up, but in an
adorable way. His blue eyes were a little blood shot, but beautiful none
the less. Elijah sighed. He could already feel the long day that was ahead
of him. �Hey, tell Rachel not to worry about the wake up calls. I�ll wake
up the guys.�

�Really? OK thanks. I don�t know if I�ll be at work I might go home and
crash. But I�ll see you around.� Hope said. Rachel grumbled under her
breath. They walked off.

Elijah stood there for a little bit watching them walk away, "I'll see you
around," he said under his breath; he shut the door and walked back to his
room to wake up Orlando.
End chapter four.

When Hope got home her dad was waiting for her, "Well, it�s nice to finally see you," he said to her.

"Dad, I can explain," Hope said as Rachel walked past her and went for the bathroom. They heard her rustling around; followed by a small �pop� of the aspirin lid being popped off. The water ran, shut off, and Rachel walked back through and then she went on to her room with out greeting Hope�s dad.

"Well, she�s chipper, now tell me why she looks hung over." Her dad got up; got out the orange juice, and poured her some. He sat back down and looked at her.

"Well, she is hung over," Hope watched her dad put on his �disappointed dad face�, "We ran into Elijah and Orlando last night. Well, they ran in to us. Anyway, Rachel invited them out for a beer. I said I couldn�t drink; so Elijah and I had coffee and Rachel and Orlando had beer. When we got to Elijah's place Rachel and Orlando pasted out on his bed, while Elijah and I sat outside talking. I promise I didn�t drink, and I didn�t let Rachel drive after she drank."

"Well, you know I don�t approve of you drinking, and Rachel is not my child so she can do as she pleases. I just wish you had called so I knew that you were going to be gone all night. I guess you�ll have to wake up the guys since Rachel seems to be indisposed." Her dad stood up to leave; "I�ll go to the trailer and start getting ready."

"I don�t have to wake the guys up Elijah said he was going to do it for me." Hope explained. She yawned and her eyes watered.

"Oh, all right. I�m guessing he didn�t get any sleep either. So we�ll have to try and get rid of the puffiness and redness of his eyes." Her dad said the last part more to himself then to her. "I�ll be all right without you today. Go to bed. Next time you plan to stay out all night with Elijah make sure you call me; also make sure that you both don�t have to work otherwise your curfew is one."

"Aw dad!" Hope started to argue.

"Don�t �aw dad� me. Now go to bed." He walked out the door.

Hope crawled in to bed at about six. She didn�t sleep until eight. She kept thinking of her night with Elijah. She finally drifted off while remembering Elijah�s hand over hers.

The next few days went by fast. Rachel recovered from the hang over, and Hope�s crush on Elijah was ten times worse; but at least she and Elijah spoke to each other now. Rachel was trying to avoid Orlando. She wasn�t successful; she couldn�t be when she had to wake him up every morning. She couldn�t really remember the night that she got drunk, but from what Hope told her it was a wild night. It wasn�t that Rachel didn�t like Orlando, she did. It was because he was an actor. She didn�t date actors because of the fact that they went wherever there was work. So after Orlando finished filming here who knows where he would be. She didn�t want to face hours alone knowing that somewhere Orlando was without her.

One day in the trailer after Rachel had finished waking up the guys Orlando cornered her. "We need to talk," he grabbed her hand and Rachel shot Hope a �help me� look. Hope just smirked. Orlando and Rachel left together.

"Hey, Hope. How are you?" Elijah asked after their friends left.

"I�m good, great actually." Hope told Elijah the truth although she didn�t plan on telling him why she was great was because she could talk to him with out freaking out or sounding dumb.

"Why are you great?" Elijah asked.

�CRAP!� Hope thought and that little voice spoke up again �tell him your great because you had fun that night. Tell him you love his eyes. Just tell him your great because he�s there.�

"Hope?" Elijah was looking at her funny. "You OK?"

"Huh? Oh yeah I�m fine." She shut the little voice out and smiled at Elijah.

"Good. I only have a half day of filming today, and I was wondering if you�re not to busy.." Elijah looked at his hands then the floor and finally back at her, "I was wondering if you want to go out for lunch."

Hopes eyes widened. "Lunch? With you? Lunch?" Hope babbled before she could catch herself and Elijah laughed.

"Yes lunch with me." He smiled at her.

"Oh, sure about what time?" Hope asked while trying to keep her heart from actually leaping out of her body.

"I�m done at twelve. So I was thinking one," he said, "if that�s all right with you."

"Yeah it�s fine. I�ll see you at one." That left Hope only a few hours to get ready. She was already running through what to wear.

"OK I�ll see you then." He looked at her and smiled a smile that would melt the coldest of hearts and walked out the door.

At the same time just outside the trailer Orlando was sitting with Rachel. "Why have you been avoiding me?" he asked searching her face for the answer.

"Orlando, I haven�t been avoiding you. I wake you up every day. It would be impossible to avoid you." Rachel didn�t quite meet his eyes.

"You know what I mean. We don�t talk, you don�t smile at me." He reached out his hand and cupped her chin, he met her eyes and said, "Rachel, the truth is, I miss you." He leaned toward her and their lips met, softly and first and then hard and passionate. Rachel�s hands moved over his back and through his hair. Suddenly she pulled away.

"No, this isn�t�We can�t�It won�t work�" Rachel felt tears burning in her eyes. She jumped to her feet and dashed off.

"RACHEL WAIT!" Orlando yelled as Elijah walked out of the trailer. Elijah�s smile faded as he saw his friend�s face. "She doesn�t want me. She doesn�t want me." Orlando said quietly.

"What happened?" Elijah asked. At that moment Hope walked out of the trailer. Seeing Orlando sitting with his head in his hands made Hope worried.

"What�s wrong?" Hope asked as she put her arms around Orlando.

"She doesn�t want me." Was all he would say.

"You two have to get to work. I�ll find her and talk to her." Hope said.

"You�ll talk to her? Really?" Orlando looked up.

"I�ll see what I can do. It�s not you, she likes you. It�s the acting." Hope told them. "Bye you guys. Elijah I�ll see you at 1."

"Bye." The guys said at the same time.

Elijah looked at Rachel who was peering over her book at them. Elijah smirked and leaned in and gave Hope a very long, very wet, deep kiss. Hope felt herself melt as Elijah�s lips met hers. �Will I ever get used to this?� She thought to herself. The kiss ended and Hope got out of the car.

"I�ll call you later." Elijah said.

"OK." Hope started to walk away.

"Um Hope? I would need your phone number to do that." Elijah called to her.

"Oh yeah." Hope felt the blush creep across her face. Elijah watched Hope turn red. He loved to watch her blush. She wrote her number on a piece of paper, and gave it to him.

"Thanks, I�ll see you bright and early in the morning." He said and started to back out of the driveway. Hope stood there and watched Elijah drive away. She turned and looked at Rachel who was trying to look like she had been reading the book all along.

"I take it you two had a good time?" Rachel asked closing her book.

Hope sighed and touched her lips with her fingertips. "He packed a picnic and drove to this beautiful hill. Then he held my hand and asked if he was moving to fast. Before I could answer he kissed me. Oh god Rachel if I died now it would be fine with me."

"Dude! Don�t say shit like that." Rachel knocked on the wood porch railing.

"Well, anyway then he invited me to a big party next weekend. I should have asked if you could come to." Hope said.

"It�s not a big deal. What are you going to wear to this party?" Rachel asked.

"I have no clue. I wonder what kind of party it is. I�m probably going to have to dress up huh?" Hope was already trying to think of ways to get her father to let her use the credit card. "I�ll ask him tomorrow." Just then Hope�s cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hi, I was just calling because I forgot to tell you that the party is casual. So nothing big." It was Elijah. Hope looked at Rachel and burst out laughing.

"Speak of the devil. That was so weird I was just talking about you. Oh I was wondering can Rachel come to?" Hope asked Elijah.

"Yeah, that�s fine. Tell her Orlando doesn�t have a date." Elijah laughed.

"Funny. I�ll tell her."

"Did you talk to her about him?" Elijah asked.

"Yeah I think it will work out in the end." Hope chose her words carefully because Rachel was listening with interest to her phone call. Hope smacked at her.

"Is she standing there?" Elijah asked laughing.

"Yes she is." Hope watched Rachel�s face as she realized that Hope and Elijah were talking about her.

"OK, well so I�ll see you tomorrow. Bye." Elijah said

"Hey Elijah?" Hope said quickly.

"Yes?"

"I really did have a good time today. Thank you again." Hope said and blushed as she remembered the kiss that they had shared.

"I had a great time to. We�ll do it again sometime." Elijah smiled.

"Yeah, bye."

"Bye, Hope." Elijah hung up the phone. Hope waited to hear the click and the empty line before she hung up.

"What did you guys say about me?" Rachel was being her nosy self.

"Elijah said you could come to the party. He wanted me to tell you that Orlando doesn�t have a date." Hope thought for a moment and said, "You should go talk to him and tell him that you were confused and worried he would leave you. Tell him about my mom. Give him a chance to talk. Then ask him to the party."

"I couldn�t do that."

"Why not?" Hope asked.

"Because I�m scared he won�t say yes." Rachel looked at Hope. "I messed up bad huh?"

"No you were confused. It happens to everyone." Hope told her friend.

"All right I�ll talk to him tomorrow morning."

"Good. Now come on and help me make dinner." Hope said.

The girls went inside and started dinner. They made pork chops, corn, and potatoes. Hope�s dad got home at six. They ate and Hope�s dad went to bed. Hope suggested that they finish The Faculty and Rachel rolled her eyes, but finally agreed. Rachel had so much on her brain. She couldn�t believe she was going to talk to Orlando and tell him how she felt. "Hope, please don�t tell Elijah that I�m going to ask Orlando, just encase I don�t get the guts to." Rachel said.

"All right I won�t." Hope said sleepily. She yawned and rolled over on the floor.

Rachel waited about five minutes and right on time Hope started to snore. "Goodnight Hope." Rachel watched the rest of The Faculty with Hope snoring on the floor. �Man if Elijah could hear that� she thought. Rachel wondered if she snored and made mental note to ask Hope if she snored. �How would she know? She always falls asleep first.� Rachel chuckled at that thought. When the movie was over Rachel put a blanket over Hope and turned off all the lights and went to bed with a knot of dread forming in her stomach. She didn�t sleep much; she had a bad dream but couldn�t remember what it was about. She didn�t really want to talk to Orlando tomorrow.

Rachel rolled around most of the night and finally when the clock hit four thirty she sighed and got out of bed. She took her time getting ready and finally left her room at five fifteen, Hope stuff was still on the floor in the living room so Rachel assumed she slept there all night. Hope was in the shower. Her dad was in the kitchen.

"Hello Rachel. You don�t look like you slept well. Was there a pea under your mattress?" Jeff joked.

"Yes I think there might have been." Rachel said, then muttered, "I think his name is Orlando."

"What?" Hopes dad looked up from his paper.

"Nothing Jeff." Rachel grabbed a muffin and opened the door; "I�ll see you in a bit."

"Bye." Jeff said as she shut the door and Hope walked in looking like death warmed over. "What�s this? Did you fight the sandman and lose?"

"Funny dad, I slept on the floor last night." Hope sat down and ate a muffin. Then her dad stood and they left to go to the set.

After Hope and her dad got to the trailer and set up Rachel walked in followed by Elijah who walked over to Hope, Billy came next, then Sean, Dominic, and finally Orlando. Elijah kissed Hope on the lips quickly and said good morning. Rachel walked passed Orlando who looked like he was in pain. Rachel walked over to Hope and Hope asked, "Did you talk to him yet?"

"No, looks like I may have chicken on my mother�s side of the family. I�ll do it later." Rachel said.

"Are you going to hang out here until I�m done? Do you have school today?" Hope asked.

"No I don�t have school. I�ll stay here if you want." Rachel sat in a folding chair and watched Orlando become an elf. When the guys were done getting stuff stuck on them they left and Hope finished picking up. When she was done Rachel and her walked out of the trailer together Elijah met them at the door.

"Guess what." He said.

"What?" Hope said.

"They have horse trouble. I guess one is sick or something. Anyway we don�t have to shoot until they get a new horse. Bad news is I have to stay on set." Elijah said, "But we can hang out here if you want."

As he said that Rachel gasped, and pointed. "Who�s the bitch?" Rachel asked pointing at a girl who was walking with Orlando. The girl had brown hair and she was very tan. From what it looked like Orlando was enjoying her company.

"Hey!" Hope scolded Rachel. "You don�t even know her."

"You know for someone who doesn�t have feelings for Orlando that was pretty uncalled for." Elijah said smirking. "Maybe they�re just friends. As Elijah said this Orlando kissed the girl on the cheek and gave her a big hug. All three of their mouths feel open.

"Or not." Hope muttered.

"He can date whoever he pleases. I had my chance and I turned him down." Rachel�s attempt at being a hard ass failed, Hope saw through the act. "I�ve had enough of the freak show." Rachel said as Orlando started to walk toward the group. Rachel turned on her heel and stomped off. Hope watched her go in to the make up trailer.

"Whoa." Elijah said. "Hey Orlando, isn�t this great we don�t have to shoot until they find a new horse."

"I know it is great except I have to spend the time dressed as an elf. Elijah, Hope I want you to meet my sister. Samantha this is Elijah and his girlfriend Hope." Hope�s face turned white then red as she heard him say Elijah and his girlfriend.

"It�s nice to meet you both." His sister said.

"You�re his sister?" Elijah just realized what happened and busted up laughing. "Hey Hope this is his SISTER." Hope started laughing and Orlando looked at his sister who shrugged.

"Hey Orlando you really ought to go find Rachel and talk to her." Hope said as tears streamed down her face from laughing so hard...

"She doesn�t want to talk to me." Orlando said quietly.

"Trust me she does. I would check the make up trailer for her. I saw her go in as you came over." Hope told him.

"All right. Samantha will you be all right here?" He asked his sister.

"Sure I�m fine." She told him.

Orlando left the group and walked back to the make up trailer. His mind was racing. Hope told him she was going to talk to Rachel for him. He wondered what Rachel wanted to talk to him about. He opened the door and Rachel was sitting in the folding chair reading a book. "Hello?" He said softly. He cracked a smile when Rachel jumped four feet in the air.

"Oh it�s you!" Rachel shot him a dirty look, stood up and started to walk past him.

"Wait, Rachel." Orlando stepped in front of the doorway. "Hope said you wanted to talk to me."

"Well I was going to tell you how I really felt and then ask you to the party next weekend, but I seen your new girlfriend so I�ll just save my breath." Rachel spat the last words at him and shoved past him and walked out of the trailer. She walked back to the group where Orlando�s "girlfriend" was standing.

"Hey Rachel, I like you to meet Samantha, Orlando�s SISTER." Elijah put a lot of emphasis on the word �sister�. Rachel�s mouth fell open and hung like that for a full minute. Orlando walked up beside his sister and smiled. He understood why Rachel was acting weird and why Elijah and Hope were laughing.

"Hey Rachel, I would love to go to the party with you." Orlando said. A guy walked over to the group and told Elijah that they were going to shoot now. So Orlando, Samantha and Elijah said their good-byes.

After the guys left Hope turned to Rachel and asked, "What happened in the make up trailer?"

"Well do you mean besides me looking like a complete jackass? I told him that I was going to tell him how I really feel and ask him to a party but I saw his girlfriend so I would just save my breath. Then I shoved past him and met up with you guys." Rachel said.

"Oh man! I bet he was shocked. It was so funny after you stomped off he came over and was all like �this is my sister� so I sent him after you to clear things up." Hope said. "Well what do you want to do now?"

"Go home and watch a movie?" Rachel suggested.

"Sounds good."

End Chapter 8

For the next week things went smoothly. Rachel and Orlando were together a lot more now. Orlando sent her flowers during her class one day and it embarrassed the hell out of her. But Hope was the only was who knew that Rachel thoroughly enjoyed the attention, telling everyone that her boyfriend was the sweetest guy alive. Nothing really exciting happened to the new couples until the week of the party. On that Monday Hope received a voice mail from her mother.

�Hope? This is your mother. Your dad gave me this number. I am going to be on a break from filming my new movie. It�s going to be a hit I just know it will make me a star. I�m going to play a mother to some up and coming actress. Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to fly to California during my break and visit me. We could catch up on being mother and daughter. Well sweetie call me back when you get this. Your father has the number.�

Hope deleted the message right away. She didn�t tell anyone that her mother called. After her father got done on the set he came home and Elijah came over for dinner. Hope was still thinking about the message. �My father knew how to contact my mother all this time? Had they been talking? Why now of all times does she want to see me?� Those thoughts kept running through her mind.

Her dad walked in and playfully yanked her hair, and then sat down at the table for dinner. �Hope what are we having?�

�Ham and potatoes.� Hope said snappily. She started to feel the anger and sadness building up.

�Didn�t we just have ham a few days ago?� Her dad asked. That was the last straw. Hope snapped.

�IF YOU DON�T LIKE WHAT I COOK WHY DON�T YOU CALL MOM AND SEE IF SHE�LL COME BACK AND COOK FOR YOU.� Hope yelled at her father. She felt useless and had to get out of the house before she started to cry. She slammed the plate down and stalked outside.

�Hope? What�s wrong?� Jeff started to follow his daughter outside.

�No, Jeff I�ll go. I�ll try and find out what�s going on with her.� Elijah followed Hope who sat down on the porch crying. �Hey babe.� Elijah said softly. He sat down next to her. �Tell me what�s up?� He wiped a tear off her cheek and she looked at him.

�Nothings wrong, why would anything be wrong? My life is just peachy.� Hope snapped. She didn�t have the strength to be angry anymore she leaned on Elijah and cried until she couldn�t cry anymore. Elijah sat with her and rocked her until she stopped.

�So now tell me what is making you sad. I�ll make it go away if I can.� Elijah said.

�My mom called me today.� Hope said quietly.

�OK, why did that upset you.� Elijah didn�t understand.

�Because my father knew how to contact her and he never told me. He just told me she left us. He lied.� A hot tear slid down Hopes face. �All this time I wanted to talk to her, he knew where she was. All the times I wanted my mother. He lied.�

�Maybe he had a reason. Did you ever think that your father didn�t give you the number because he knew your mother didn�t want to talk to you?� Elijah asked.

�Why wouldn�t she want to talk to me? I�m her daughter.� Hope asked. Her head pounded, and her heart ached.

�Some people aren�t cut out to be parents. That�s probably why your mom left. I think your dad did a pretty good job by himself. Don�t you?� Elijah asked. He was trying to help her because he understood the situation all to well.

�I guess he did. But, why is she calling now. When I don�t need her the most?� Hope asked.

�I don�t know. All I can tell you is I understand how you feel.� Elijah told Hope. �I don�t talk to my father much at all. It�s not that I don�t want to. It just is we don�t click. He doesn�t have what a person needs to be a dad.�

�I�m sorry, I didn�t know.�

�It�s all right I got over that along time ago. He�ll call me every now and then and we�ll talk about getting together. But it never happens.� Elijah told her.

�I don�t know if I should call her back.� Hope looked at Elijah and his heart hurt for her. He knew what she was going through.

�Don�t call her tonight. Give yourself time to think.� Elijah said.

�All right.� Hope wasn�t mad or upset anymore, just a little sad. She looked at Elijah and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. They stayed like that for a long time, with Hopes dad watching from the kitchen window. Finally they went back in and started dinner.

�Dad I�m sorry for snapping at you. Mom called me tonight, and I was upset that you didn�t tell me that you knew how to contact her.� Hope said quietly.

�I�ve always known how to get a hold of her. She made it very clear that she didn�t want to talk to you. She called last week for your cell number and I gave it to her. I didn�t think she would call you. I didn�t want her to hurt you again.� Her dad told her. He had tears in his eyes. �I love you very much Hope.�

�I love you to dad. I�m not going to call her. I don�t want her to leave me again.� Hope said.

�You can do what you want. I can�t control that. All I ask is that you think about that before you make your decision.� Hope�s dad said.

Elijah was listening to all of this and he was wishing that his dad would be like this, loving and caring. He wanted to change the subject to give Hope a break. �Not to change the subject but where�s Rachel?� Elijah asked.

�She went out to dinner with Orlando.� Hope told him.

�Oh really? Do they ever spend time apart?� Jeff asked.

�Yeah I think it�s about 5 hours a night when they are both sleeping.� Hope joked. After dinner Hope and Elijah decided to watch a movie and Jeff went to bed. About a half-hour in to the movie Hope fell asleep. She had her head in Elijah�s lap and she was snoring softly. Elijah got as comfortable as possible and dozed off.

Hope woke up to black and white TV fuzz. She stretched and realized that she was sleeping on Elijah. She sat up and looked at him. He had his arm across the back of the couch and his head was resting on his arm. His mouth was open slightly and he was snoring. She looked at the clock and saw that it was 1 am. She shook him slightly and he opened his eyes.

�Hey you. You snore.� She said softly. �Come on lets go to my room.�

�What about your dad?� Elijah wasn�t quite sure what she meant.

�My dad won�t care as long as your clothes stay on. It�s too late to go home you�ll never get back to sleep.� She told him.

�Oh OK.� Elijah was very relieved that she didn�t mean what he thought she had meant. He really liked her but he wasn�t ready to move to the next step just yet. They went back to her room and she went to the bathroom and put her Pj�s on. Elijah stripped to his boxers and tee shirt. �Are you sure your dad won�t care?�

�He won�t care.� She climbed in bed first and he followed. She moved close to him and put her head on his shoulder. She could feel his heart beating and she sighed.

�Hey Hope?� Elijah said softly.

�Yes?� Hope Yawned.

�You snore too.� He laughed. They kissed and Elijah wrapped his arm around her and fell asleep like that.

The next morning Elijah woke at 5 am. He tried to untangle himself from Hope. He had to go home and change. He moved Hope�s hand off his chest and kissed her fingers. She woke up and looked at him. �Are you leaving?� She asked sleepily.

�Yeah I have to go home and change. I want to get there before Rachel does, so she doesn�t try and keep knocking.� He whispered.

�Just go to her room and tell her that you stayed here.� Hope mumbled she wasn�t quite awake yet.

�Um, Hope I don�t think Rachel came home last night�� Elijah grabbed his pants and leaned down and kissed her forehead. �I�ll see you in about an hour.� He walked out of her room and into the kitchen where Jeff was reading the paper.

�Good morning Elijah.� Jeff said looking at him and then back at his paper. He quickly looked up and again and stared.

�We fell asleep. She woke me up at one this morning and told me to come to her room. We didn�t do anything but fall asleep. I swear.� Elijah said quickly. He hoped her dad wasn�t planning on hurting him.

�Oh, well OK. As long as nothing happened I guess�� Jeff was trying to deal with the fact that Hope had a guy in her room all night long. �I�ll see you in an hour.�

�Oh OK great!� Elijah was relieved. He walked outside and pulled the door shut. After Jeff heard Elijah�s car start he yelled.

�HOPE GET OUT HERE NOW.� Jeff walked into the living and Hope walked out of her bedroom. �Did you do anything with Elijah?�

�No dad I didn�t. He slept in his clothes and I slept in my Pj�s.� Hope said. �It was to late for him to leave.�

�All right. I know your 18 but I don�t want you sleeping with guys under my roof. I don�t care if he is famous.� Jeff said.

�DAD!� Hope said irritated that he would even bring this up. �I�m not sleeping with anyone anywhere if you must know.�

�Good, now get ready.� He said, �By the way, where the hell is Rachel.�

�My guess is she�s sleeping with someone not under this roof.� Hope joked.

�God I didn�t want to hear that.� Her dad said, �I knew she was a bad influence.�

�DAD!� Hope exclaimed. �She can do what she wants.�

�I suppose I just hope she was careful.� Her dad said.

Hope couldn�t believe her dad was talking about this. She left the room and went to get ready for the day. She walked into her bedroom and looked at the bed. The pillow where Elijah had been sleeping was still indented. She couldn�t believe that she already missed him.

Later on Hope was in the make up trailer when Elijah walked in. �Hey babe.� He said.

�Long time no see.� Hope joked. She kissed him. �Did you see Rachel?�

�Yeah, she and Orlando came to my house.� As Elijah said this the other guys walked in. Rachel was walking with Orlando. They were holding hands.

�Rachel I want to see you.� Hope snatched her friend away from Orlando and went outside. �Why didn�t you come home?� She asked.

�Well we both were drinking and I didn�t want to drive home so I stayed the night.� Rachel explained.

�Did you sleep with him?� Hope asked. Rachel just looked at her. �Oh my god you did. Were you careful?�

�Yes I was careful. Don�t worry. What about you and Elijah I heard he stayed at our house.� Rachel asked.

�Yes he did. But you know I�m waiting to have sex.� Hope always told herself she would wait.

�I know, I know, waiting for the right guy. I think Orlando might be my right guy.� Rachel said.

�I hope so.� They went back inside. They really didn�t talk the rest of the day. Rachel had class and Elijah went to the set, so Hope spent the day by herself.

The rest of that week flew by. Hope didn�t call her mom. Rachel spent lots of time with Orlando. Before Hope knew it the night of the party was there. Some producer that Elijah had worked with in the past was giving the party. Rachel and Hope spent all Saturday getting ready. They had gone shopping early that morning and got their make up, and hair done later. The party was at 7 that night. Elijah and Orlando showed up at their house at six. When they got to the party Elijah and Orlando got them all drinks and they stood around talking. Elijah was called away by someone Hope didn�t know. He left promising he would be right back. Orlando and Rachel had disappeared, and Hope was just standing there looking at all the stars. Everyone who was important was there. Hope was a little star struck after meeting Brendan Fraser who was working on a movie with the producer that was giving the party. He was nice enough; she never really realized how tall he was. Elijah walked back over and stood next to Hope.

�Hi, I�m Elijah Wood.� He stuck his hand out and shook Brendan�s hand.

�I�m Brendan Fraser. I�ve seen The Faculty.� Brendan said.

�Oh really?� Elijah asked.

�Yeah it was pretty good.�

�Thanks.� Elijah smiled. Brendan excused himself and walked off.

�Well I�m glad your back.� Hope said and slipped her hand through his. Someone tapped Hope on the back.

�Hope is that you?� A voice said. Hope turned around and looked at the person. Her mouth dropped open and Hope took a step back, which caused Elijah to turn around and look at the person.

�Mom?� Hope asked.

�I thought that was you Hope. Give me a hug.� Hope�s mom wrapped her arms around her and squeezed so hard that Hope had trouble breathing. Hope cold smell the booze on her mom�s breath when she kissed her cheek, Hope didn�t hug her mom back.

�Mom what are you doing here?� Hope pulled away from her mom�s embrace. Elijah placed his arm protectively around Hope.

�I�m engaged to a guy who is working on the lighting for the producer who is throwing this party. I never expected you to be here.� Hope listened to her mother babble on about flying down here and the guy she was going to marry. Every now and then her mom�s eyes would glaze over and she would slur badly. When this would happen Elijah would squeeze her hand. He had a few bad meetings with his father and he knew what it was like.

After ten minutes of listening to her mother babble a guy walked over and her mother introduced him as Chad. �Wow you are the spitting image of your mother.� He tried to pinch her cheeks but Hope had enough.

�DON�T YOU TOUCH ME.� She yelled.

Her mother blinked and then said. �Don�t you talk to Chad like that he�s going to be your stepfather soon.�

�My stepfather? Oh yeah how is that possible when your barely even my mother?� Hope spat the words at her mother. �You�re a piece of trash who isn�t fit to be a mother.�

�You little bitch, don�t you talk to her like that.� Chad stepped forward and spilled beer on Hope. �You want to talk about trash? Look at yourself. Your just jealous you want to be a great actress like your mother but you don�t have the talent so you have to settle for dating a cheap two bit, loser, actor wanna be.� Hope�s mother laughed at the comment about Elijah.

�You know I remember why I left you. Your �I�m better then you� attitudes. Maybe I should have never had you.� Her mom slurred. Elijah knew it was time to go.

�It was very nice meeting both of you now if you�ll just excuse us��

Chad interrupted Elijah; �Holy shit! It speaks. You know I didn�t hear anyone shout �action� so why don�t you shut that pretty little mouth of yours before I shut it for you.�

�Come on shut it for me, I dare you.� Elijah�s blue eyes turned into slits, the tone in his voice was an menacing as Elijah could muster. Elijah wouldn�t have had a chance if this guy was sober, but when Chad swung at Elijah he ducked and threw a punch that landed in Chad�s gut. Orlando saw what was going on and grabbed Rachel, they both ran through the crowd to help their friends.

When they got there Elijah and Chad were on the floor and a circle had started to form around them. Orlando broke through the circle and started to try and pull Chad off Elijah. Hope�s mother started hitting Orlando in the back.

�Bitch!� Rachel yelled at Hope�s mom. Rachel smacked Hope�s mom in the face. Hope�s mom tried to punch Rachel, but she ducked, the punch hit Hope right in her eye.

�Oh my god, Hope I�m sorry!� Her mother said.

�Sorry my ass. You are not my mother. You will never be my mother. You might as well be dead to me. You never called, never wrote, you never even tried. Just leave me the hell alone.� Hope looked at her friends and said, �Come on guys lets go. Hey mom why don�t you have another drink? It�s on me.� Hope poured the rest of her pop on her mother and walked off.

As they walked off Rachel said, �That was your mom? You poured pop on your mom? Wow this has been one hell of a night.� After they had walked outside Rachel stopped and said, �Your mom�s boyfriend started a fight with your boyfriend, and Elijah actually hit him?� Hope started to laugh. �Why are you laughing that man could have hurt Elijah. She did hurt you. How is your eye.�

Hope touched her eye and flinched. �Sore as hell. But at least I know why my dad didn�t want me talk to her. Elijah could you smell the booze? No wonder my dad doesn�t want me to drink.�

�Yeah I could smell it. I�m sorry you had to go through that. Let�s just go back to my house for awhile.�

They got in Elijah�s car and drove off. Rachel sat in the back with Hope. �So that was your mom? Damn girl she was a mess. So why did her boyfriend start shit?� Rachel was trying to catch up on the story since all she caught was the end of the fight.

�Well, Chad was just talking to me and he told me that I was the spitting image of my mom and then he tried to pinch my cheeks. I didn�t want his hands on me. I had enough with my mom trying to act like she gave a shit. So I told him not to touch me. Then he said some shit about me being jealous and how I was dating a two-bit loser actor. He threatened Elijah�s pretty mouth. Then Elijah punched him in his big gut and you guys came over.� Hope filled Rachel in on the story.

�So your mom is just a total bitch?� Rachel asked.

�Yup pretty much. I understand why my dad didn�t want me to see her.�

They pulled up in to Elijah�s driveway they all got out. �You guys can hang out here for awhile if you want.�

�You know, I really hope that people weren�t taking pictures of the fight.� Orlando said.

�Shit! I never even thought of that. I hope it�s not in the papers.� Elijah sat down at the kitchen table. Hope sat next to him and held his hand in his lap.

�Why what�s the big deal?� Hope asked.

�Well, if we get negative press it affects how people think of the movie.� Orlando explained while rooting through Elijah�s cabinets. He got out a pot, some butter, milk, and a box of macaroni and cheese.

�Jeez dude! Just help yourself. Mi casa su casa.� Elijah told him.

�I know, I already was.� Orlando laughed and went in to the living room and flicked on the TV while waiting for the water to boil. Just then the doorbell rang and Elijah got up to answer it. Before he could get there the door burst open and Billy darted in, followed by Sean.

�Hey mate. We heard you left the party early because of a fight?� Billy asked. He saw Hope who was sitting with ice on her face and exclaimed, �Oh bloody hell. Who did that to your face?� He sat down beside her. Sean just stood in the doorway.

�My mom hit me at the party. But she didn�t mean to she was trying to hit Rachel, because Rachel smacked her for hitting Orlando, who was trying to pull Chad off Elijah.� Hope explained. Billy�s mouth hung opened.

�Is that Macaroni and cheese I smell?� Sean asked hopefully.

Elijah decided that it was a good time to have his friends stay for a late dinner. He really didn�t want Hope to go home and be by herself tonight. So while the two girls cooked hamburgers and mac and cheese he went into his bedroom and called Jeff.

�Jeff, this is Elijah. I just wanted to know if it would be all right if Hope stayed here tonight. Her mom was at the party that we went to.�

�Oh my god. Was she drinking?� Jeff sat down in the kitchen. His heart went out to his daughter.

�Yeah. Her boyfriend picked a fight with me and I hit him.� Elijah told Jeff the story and Jeff laughed thinking about Elijah punching a big guy. Elijah finished telling the story, �Then Rachel ducked and Hope got smacked in the eye.�

�That bitch hit my daughter?� Jeff was pissed off. He wanted to go find his ex-wife and ring her neck. Her drinking is why Jeff left her. He told Hope that her mother left because he felt it would be easier on her. �I guess it�s all right if she stays. But Elijah if you do anything to hurt my daughter you�ll deal with me.�

�Don�t worry Jeff I�ll treat her good.� Elijah said goodbye to Jeff and hung up the phone. He noticed the light on his answering machine blinking. He hit play and heard this�

�Eli? This is your mom. I am just calling to tell you that we are having a birthday party for your sister in three weeks. I am really hoping you can make it, she misses you. How are you doing? Oh by the way you can bring that girl that your seeing along if you want. I love you sweety and I miss you. See you soon.�

Elijah turned and saw Hope standing in the doorway. She was sobbing softly.

�I wish my mom would love me. I want my mom.� Hope�s voice cracked as the events of the night sunk in. Hope felt like the world was caving in on her. She couldn�t breathe. Elijah started to walk toward her. �Don�t! I just need to be alone.� She turned and ran to the bathroom. Rachel watched as her friend ran through the kitchen, and Elijah following behind.

�What the hell did you say to her Elijah?� Rachel accused.

�She heard my mom on the answering machine. I think she�s having a breakdown, or something.� Elijah walked to the bathroom door and Rachel stopped him.

�It�s a best friend time Elijah. She�ll be all right.� Rachel opened the door and said something softly to Hope, went in and shut the door.

Inside the bathroom Hope was sitting in the tub with her face in her hands. Rachel shut the lid on the toilet and sat down. �Well, wanna talk?� Rachel asked.

�My mom doesn�t love me. What�s there to talk about?� Hope felt like her happy little world was spinning out of control.

�Maybe she doesn�t love you.� Hope couldn�t believe her friend was doing this to her. �But we do. Your dad, me, maybe even Elijah, we all love you. You did fine without your mom before. It will be the same, except now you know that she�s not worth your time and tears.�

Hope never thought of it like that. Now she knew her mom wasn�t worth it. �I guess that makes things a little easier. I still wish I had a perfect mom.� Hope said

�Everyone does. You have a great dad, a best friend, and a wonderful boyfriend who is out in the kitchen worried about you.� Rachel stood up and Hope climbed out of the tub. They walked back out into the kitchen where Elijah looked very relieved.

�Here you finish cooking this. I can�t even cook grill cheese, let alone hamburgers.� As Elijah said this, a rather large grease fire exploded in the pan.

Elijah screamed like a small girl and jumped back. Rachel grabbed the lid and slammed it into the pan. The fire went out and Rachel said, �I hope everyone likes their hamburgers char broiled.�

After the fire was put out and dinner was served, Billy and Sean left. Rachel and Orlando were in the living room; Hope and Elijah were in the kitchen cleaning up. �So Hope are you OK now?� Elijah asked. He was worried about her and he didn�t want to talk about this in front of everyone that�s why he waited until now.

�Yeah I�m fine. Rachel helped me see that I have lots of people who love me. She also told me that I shouldn�t waste my time and tears on my mom when she doesn�t waste her time on me.� Hope looked and Elijah and said. �You know I could use a hug, and maybe a kiss��

�Really? Hmm I think that can be arranged.� Elijah wrapped his arms around his girlfriend and squeezed her. He placed his lips over hers and he felt her sag against him. He sighed and wondered if there was anywhere else he�d rather be. When they finally broke the kiss they decided to go watch the movie with Rachel and Orlando. When the walked into the living room Hope saw that Orlando and Rachel were locked in a very tight kiss, she cleared her throat and the couple flew apart. Hope laughed and Elijah groaned.

�Hi you guys.� Rachel said as she fixed the top button on her shirt.

�What are you watching?� Hope asked.

�Uh, well.� Rachel looked at Orlando who shrugged. �We have no clue.�

Hope laughed again as Rachel turned bright red. They decided on a movie, Hope and Elijah sat on the floor, Rachel and Orlando stayed on the couch. In the middle of the movie Hope lay down and put her head in Elijah�s lap. �Give her five minutes Elijah and she�ll be snoring so loud we won�t be able to hear the TV.�

�Shut up. I�ll stay awake.� Even as she said that Hope felt the need to sleep overwhelming. The stress of the day was soaking her energy away. Elijah started to rub her back softly. He stroked her hair, and in seven minutes, not five Hope was sleeping soundly in Elijah�s lap. After the movie was over Rachel and Orlando left. Elijah shut the door and went back to the living room where Hope was sitting rubbing her eyes.

�Ah, shit what time is it?� Hope asked she completely forgot about her father and her 1 o�clock curfew.

�It�s 2:30.� Elijah said. He walked over and sat on the couch.

�I have to get home. I�m in so much trouble.� Hope stood and went to put on her shoes. Elijah grabbed her hand and pull her on to the couch.

�I called him earlier. Right before you heard my answering machine. He knows your staying here.� Elijah told her.

�My dad agreed to let me stay here?� Hope asked amazed.

�Yes but he threatened my life if I do anything to hurt you.� Elijah said. �You know I�ll do my best to never hurt you. Hope the last I want in this world is for you to be in pain.�

�I know. I�m glad I found you.� Hope kissed Elijah.

�Well actually that can be debated. I saved you from a light.� Elijah said after the kiss.

�Yeah but I started the whole thing when I was singing about you.� Hope remembered that day. �You know I heard you talking outside the trailer that day. When Billy asked you if you were going to ask me out.�

�You did?� Elijah forgot about that.

�Yeah. I was so embarrassed because you heard me singing.� Hope yawned.

�Well I think it�s time for bed. At least tomorrow is Sunday and we don�t work.� Elijah and Hope walked into the bedroom. Hope felt a sudden urge to explain something to Elijah.

�Elijah, I�m waiting to, um, well have sex. I hope that you understand. I don�t want to rush into anything. I know that you must think I�m weird.� Hope took a breath and looked at Elijah.

�Hope if I just wanted sex from you I would have made a move when we slept in the same bed at your house. If I just wanted sex I could get it anywhere. What I have with you is so much more important then sex.� Elijah told her.

�I don�t have anything to sleep in.� Hope said.

�Let me see, I have this one shirt that my mom got me for my birthday. It�s huge and comfy. He pulled out a short sleeved black shirt that said �No worries� on the front with a picture underneath. Hope changed and the shirt went almost to her knees. They climbed into bed and Elijah kissed Hope and wrapped his arms around her. Suddenly he realized that no matter what he would never let this girl go.

Elijah woke before the sun came up. Hope was laying there with her back to him. He lay there and listened to her breathing. Elijah knew how hard it was to find someone who wanted to be with him simply because he was Elijah, and not because he was famous or had money. He watched as Hope rolled over, his heart skipped a beat when he saw that her eye had swollen shut. Elijah fought the urge to get up and find her mom and shake her until she realized what she was loosing. Elijah wasn�t sure yet but he thought he loved Hope. Elijah reached for Hope�s hand, he found it, and wrapped his hand around hers. He fell back to sleep like that.

When he woke up again Hope wasn�t in bed. Elijah heard the shower running. He stretched and got out of bed. He went into the kitchen and started the coffee. He liked waking up with someone else in the apartment; he didn�t feel so alone. Elijah heard the shower shut off. He grabbed two bowls and two spoons. He got a box of cereal out of the cabinet. Elijah poured himself some and started to eat. Hope came out o the bathroom and he laughed.

�What? I didn�t want to put my clothes from yesterday on, so I opened your closet and found this. I hope you don�t mind.� She was wearing a black Smashing Pumpkins tee shirt and a pair of blue running pants that had a white stripe down the side. Her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail. �I look like crap, I know.� She put a hand over her eye that was swollen shut. Elijah couldn�t believe that she said that.

�No way, you look damn sexy.� He stood and walked over to her and kissed her. He tasted mouthwash. He laughed, �You used mouth wash before breakfast?�

�Aw, Elijah you made me breakfast, and you didn�t start any fires?� Hope sat down and poured some milk over her cereal.

�I�m never going to hear the end of the grease fire, am I?� He faked a hurt look.

�No, probably not. You shrieked like a girl.� She teased. �So what are our plans for today?�

�Well you�ll probably want to go home and change. I told you dad what happened with your mother.� Elijah said the last part carefully. He wasn�t sure how she would react.

�You told him? I�m glad it was you and not me. He probably would have went to find my mom and�well I don�t know what he would have done to her.�

Elijah nodded to her eye and asked, �How does that feel?�

�It�s my first black eye. It feels great.� Hope tried to make light of a hard topic. Her eye hurt like a bitch. �It�s sore and I can barely see out of it.�

The phone rang and Elijah jumped up and grabbed it. �Hello?�

�Hey Lij! What�s up?� Orlando yelled in the phone. Elijah pulled the phone away from his ear.

�Hi Orlando. Why are you so awake at this hour in the morning?� Elijah asked. Usually on Sunday Orlando didn�t wake up until at least 11 and it was only 8:30. The line got quiet for a minute and then Orlando spoke.

�Well, uh, Rachel woke me up.� He said that a bit to quickly.

�Oh really?� Elijah�s eyebrow raise and he made a face. Hope mouthed the words �What?� Elijah shook his head and mouthed the words �you don�t want to know�.

�What are you guys going to be doing today?� Orlando asked trying to change the subject before more questions were asked.

�Well, I hadn�t thought about that yet we just woke up.� Elijah told his friend.

�Oh, really?� Orlando mocked him.

�Shut up. You know what I mean.� Elijah rolled his eyes.

�Well I was thinking that we could treat our ladies to lunch and then do something exciting.� Orlando said.

�What did you have in mind?� Elijah didn�t like the sound of his friend�s voice. Lately Orlando had been throwing himself out of planes.

�I was kind of thinking bungee jumping. There�s a place that does it and I called and they are open today. Rachel�s up for it, but she says Hope�s afraid of heights.�

�Bungee jumping? I�ll do it but let me ask...� Before Elijah could even get her name out Hope said, �No way. Uh huh. Never. I�ll watch you guys.�

�She said she�ll come along, but she�s not jumping.� Elijah was kind of disappointed he wanted to try one of the double person jumps, but he didn�t want to force Hope to do something that she wasn�t comfortable with.

�Well, I guess she can take pictures or something. How does 11 sound to you?� Orlando asked.

�Good we have to go back to Hope�s house to get her some clothes.� Elijah told him.

�Oh really?� Orlando teased again.

�Shut up!� Elijah laughed.

After they cleaned up the breakfast mess Elijah drove Hope to her dad�s house. He waited in the kitchen for Hope to switch clothes.

�So how is she doing after last night?� Jeff asked.

�I think she�s all right. She didn�t seem all that upset today.� Elijah drank the coffee that Jeff set in front of him. Hope came out of her room dressed in shorts and a tee shirt.

�All right I�m ready.� Hope said. �Dad, Elijah and Orlando are taking me and Rachel out to lunch and then I guess we are going bungee jumping.� Hope saw her dad flinch at the bungee jumping statement so she quickly said, �Don�t worry dad I�ll be careful. I don�t even think I�m jumping.�

�OK. I don�t want to have a �Hope Pancake�.� Jeff joked. �I trust you to use your best judgment, just please be careful. �

�I will. Besides Elijah will protect me.� Hope smacked Elijah's butt.

Elijah looked startled, and then he broke in to a quick smile and said in his best super hero voice, �Don�t worry Jeff I�ll protect her. Lois shall we join our friends for lunch?�

�Sure Clark.� Hope grabbed her light jacket and kissed her dad on the cheek and walked out of the house.

Hope got into Elijah�s car and buckled her belt. Elijah turned on the CD player and a loud song blasted out. Hope listened for a moment before making a face. �What is this?� She asked.

�Smashing Pumpkins.� He said looking at her like she should have known who the band was.

�Oh, I don�t think I�ve heard them before.� Hope said. �This song is interesting��

�Wow, you�ve never heard their songs? Like 1979 or Tonight, Tonight those have been played on the radio.� Elijah couldn�t believe that she didn�t know them.

�Nope, I�m more of a �pop� girl.� Hope said. Elijah made a move to turn off the radio. �No leave it on, I want to hear it.� Elijah instead slid his hand around Hope�s and he checked the review mirror.

They got to the restaurant; Rachel and Orlando were already there. At lunch Orlando was trying to convince Hope that jumping off a bridge was completely safe. Hope wasn�t buying it.

�I don�t see how tying a rope around your ankles and leaping off a bridge is safe, sorry.� Hope ate a bite the taco salad in front of her. Orlando looked like he was ready to give up. Then his face lit up.

�What if we do a double jump?� Orlando said. Elijah was glad Orlando brought that up.

�How does that work?� Hope asked.

�Well we tie you to Elijah and you jump off together, bounce together, and get back up safely together.� Orlando explained.

�That�s what Orlando and I are doing.� Rachel said. Rachel was moving her food around with her fork. �Do you guys think it�s a good idea to be eating before we jump?�

�It�s fine. We�re not jumping for another 2 hours.� Orlando said. Hope looked thoughtful. She was actually thinking about doing it. What could happen if she was tied to Elijah?

�Hey, I�ll think about jumping but only if I�m tied with Elijah. Elijah would that be OK with you?� Hope asked.

�Sure, I was going to suggest that this morning but I didn�t want to make you feel like you had to jump.� Elijah told her.

�Aw, isn�t he sweet?� Rachel teased Hope.

�Well I�m not promising anything.� Hope said. Orlando let the topic drop. The rest of lunch was uneventful. The trip up to the bridge was long. It gave Hope a chance to think about the jump.

They got to the bridge in about an hour and a half. Hope�s stomach was queasy at the thought of jumping. Deep down inside she knew that she should face this fear and now would be a good time to do it because Elijah would be with her. Elijah turned, looked at her and smiled. It was at that moment that Hope knew she would be making the jump with Elijah. They parked the car on the side of the bridge, which Hope thought was only used for bungee jumping, and not for cars to cross because it wasn�t wide enough for a car to pass let alone two cars. The instructor gave them a lecture on what to do, or not do.

�There�s a camera on the ground to take a photo of you guys and the jump so when you bounce smile pretty.� Those were the last words from the instructor. Orlando began getting ready for the jump. A lady helped Rachel with the rope and Elijah turned to Hope and looked at her.

�Are you going to make this jump with me?� He asked.

�Yes, I�ll do it.� Hope said. She felt a very large herd of elephants move into her stomach and start to play with the taco salad she had eaten earlier.

�WOOOOO!� Orlando shouted. �I get to keep the picture of us.�

After Hope was tied to Elijah, she tried to back out. �You guys I don�t think this was such a great idea after all. Hey sir,� Hope called to the instructor, �Can you please untie me?�

Elijah took her hand in his and looked into her eyes and said, � Hope I will never let anything bad happen to you, trust me.� Hope felt her heart melt.

�All right but we better do this soon.� Hope said.

�You guys are ready on the count of three jump.� The instructor told them, �One, two, THREE.�

They jumped off the bridge and Hopes heart was beating so hard she thought it would beat out of her chest. The way down seemed to go in slow motion for Elijah. He was going to tell Hope he loved her. He felt the last of the rope stretch and he leaned close to Hope and yelled above the roar of the wind. �I love you.� They bounced up and Hope yelped. Elijah thought she hadn�t heard him. �Oh well.� He thought, �There�s always next time�

Hope had heard him but the bounce up startled her so badly that she yelped before she could say anything. Which was fine with Hope because she wasn�t sure what she wanted to say. She knew she felt something with Elijah, she just wasn�t sure what.

After they had stopped bouncing they were pulled back up and given the picture. Orlando cracked up laughing.

�Hope it looks like your going to puke.� He teased.

�I was going to.� Hope told them.

�I�m framing this.� Orlando exclaimed.

�Oh yeah, frame the picture were it looks like I got my hair styled by the bride of frankenstien.� Rachel took the picture and studied it.

�You look fine.� Orlando told her.

Elijah wasn�t talking. He was trying to figure out if Hope heard him or not. He couldn�t tell. After Orlando jumped again they left the bridge and headed toward home. Elijah was a bit worried because Hope jumped in the back seat and gave Rachel a look. Rachel also got in the back seat. �I guess it�s me and you in front Lij.� Orlando said and hopped in the passenger seat. Elijah�s heart sank when Hope didn�t say anything to him the whole way home. She was to busy writing on a piece of paper.

�What�s wrong Hope?� Rachel asked as her friend scribbled on the piece of paper. Hope shook her head �no� and said.

�Nothing is wrong.� Hope finished writing on the paper and slid it to Rachel. Elijah saw all of this in the rear view mirror. Rachel looked at Hope and crinkled her eyebrows. She unfolded the note and read.

�When we jumped Elijah said, �I love you�. I don�t know what to do.� Rachel�s mouth dropped open. She reached for Hope�s pen and scribbled back. She handed the note to Hope, it said, �Did you say it back? We�ll talk about this at home when Elijah�s not watching from the rearview mirror.�

Hope looked up and caught Elijah�s eyes. He looked worried. Elijah opened his mouth to say something because the car had gotten very quiet but Orlando turned on the radio to a popular music station and cranked up the volume. Rachel yelled over the music, �I love this song.� It was Aerosmith �I don�t wanna miss a thing.�

Elijah listened to the words and he finally understood the depth of what he was feeling. He never wanted to let Hope go. He thought that if Hope didn�t love him back he would die. He was worried that the pain would tear his heart out. He glanced at the rearview mirror and watched Hope who was singing softly with the music. She looked up and saw him looking and smiled. Elijah wondered if she had heard him. Maybe she hadn�t. He would have to wait to find out.

They decided since everyone had to work early the next day that Elijah would just drop off the girls and take Orlando home so everyone could get some sleep. Rachel got out of the back seat and leaned in and kissed Orlando on the lips she whispered, �Goodnight babe.�

�Night.� Orlando smirked and stroked her hair.

Hope got out of the back seat and leaned into the front. Elijah said, �Hope, when we jumped did you�� Hope didn�t let him finish. She kissed him and walked to her front porch.

�See you tomorrow guys.� Hope said and went inside.

Elijah decided that Hope didn�t hear him say those words. He drove off.

In Hope�s kitchen Rachel had starting making a sandwich. She turned to Hope and said �I can guess from the fact that you two didn�t say �I love you� when he drove away you didn�t say it back.�

�Right.� Hope sat down and placed her head in her hands and looked at Rachel. �What am I going to do?�

�Do you love him?� Rachel asked with a mouth full of sandwich.

�It�s only been a few weeks.� Hope said back.

�Do you love him?� Rachel asked again.

�It hasn�t been long enough.� Hope stood and started to walk out of the room.

�Love has a time limit?� Rachel asked as Hope walked out of the kitchen. Hope sighed and turned around.

�Yes I love him. Happy?� Hope snapped

�Whoa why snappy?� Rachel didn�t understand her friends change of attitude.

�I love him. He�s an actor. He will leave me.� Hope said simply. She walked out of the room. Rachel couldn�t believe that her friend had said that. She had a feeling that Elijah would never leave Hope no matter what. Rachel followed her friend and sat on Hope�s bed.

�I seem to remember when a friend of mine told me it�s better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all.� Rachel said. �You should tell him.�

�Yeah I probably should.� Hope said, �I�ll do it tomorrow.�

�No, how about now.� Rachel handed Hope the phone. �You should never put of telling someone you love them. You don�t know how long you�ve got.�

�He�s probably not home yet.� Hope said. She didn�t think she could do this. �I can�t call him.�

�You jumped off a bridge today, and you can�t tell the man you love that you love him?� Rachel said, �And I thought I was a chicken ass.�

�All right I�ll call him.� Hope picked up the phone and dialed. She didn�t think he would be home yet and that�s the only reason she called. She was going to leave the message on his machine.

�Hello?� A very breathless Elijah answered the phone.

�Shit.� Hope said under her breath.

�Hello?� Now Elijah sounded mad, �Who is this?�

�It�s me, Hope.� Hope said. Her heart was beating somewhere in her throat. �I�I�was just calling to make sure you got home OK.�

�Yeah, I made it.� Elijah sounded confused. �Anything else? Or you just missed me?�

�Nope, that�s it.� Rachel elbowed her friend. �OUCH! OK that�s not it. Elijah�� Hope lost her nerve and Rachel mouthed the words �I love you, you stud.�

�Yes?� Elijah thought that Hope was acting very strange.

�Elijah I just wanted to say�.I Love you too. That�s it goodbye!� Hope said quickly.

�WAIT, wait. You heard me?� Elijah was shocked.

Hope sighed as Rachel got up to give her friend some privacy. �Yes, I heard you. I just wasn�t sure what to say. What happens now?�

Elijah wasn�t sure what she meant, �I don�t understand what you mean.�

�Well we both know we love each other, what now?� Hope asked.

�We enjoy the time we have with each other. There�s no hurry to rush anything.� Elijah said.

�Yeah your right. Well then I guess I�ll see you tomorrow. Night Elijah.� Hope said.

�Night Hope, I do love you.� Elijah said and he felt his heart swell with love and longing, he wanted to be with her right at that moment. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, however long that may be.

�I love you too.� Hope said and hung up the phone.

The next six months of Hope�s life went by very fast. The Lord of the Rings finished filming. Rachel went to live with Orlando. Hope and Rachel talked on the phone every day. Hope moved to California with her dad but for all intensive purposes she lived with Elijah. She traveled with him to his next film and helped on the set. One night Hope decided it was time to take the next step with Elijah, they were going to make love. They had waited seven months and finally the wait would be over. Elijah said he had something very important to ask Hope over dinner and if it was what Hope thought it was Hope was going to be a very happy girl. Hope cooked Elijah dinner. She cooked steak and potatoes with corn. She set the table in the apartment that Elijah called home. She placed candles on the table. When everything was ready Hope showered and got dressed in a light blue dress and swept her hair off her face into a French twist. By the time Hope got back downstairs Elijah was walking in the door.

�Hello sweetness.� Hope called to Elijah. Hope was in a very good mood.

Elijah had a bouquet of flowers and he handed them to Hope. �Hi babe.�

�Aw, thanks! How was the shoot?� Hope asked while putting the flowers in a vase.

�It was good. A few girls mobbed me. Nothing to big.� Elijah joked with Hope.

�Well dinner is ready.� Hope walked in to the kitchen and sat down. Everything was out and ready on the table.

�Wow this looks great.� Elijah said as he sat down.

�Thanks.� They began eating.

�Hope we need to talk.� Elijah said as he put his plate in the sink after they had finished eating.

�Yeah?� Hope said and turned from the dishwater to look at him. Elijah dropped to one knee and held out a small box.

�I know we�ve only be together for about seven months, but I already can�t imagine my life without you. Hope will you marry me?� Elijah asked.

�Oh my god.� Hope knew this was coming but it was too much. She started to cry and said, �Yes I�ll marry you Elijah Wood. I love you.�

He slid the ring on her finger, and kissed the fingertip. �I�m glad you said yes.� Hope grabbed his hand and led him to the bedroom.

�Elijah, I think I�m ready. I have always said I was going to wait for the right guy and I�m pretty sure that you�re my right guy.� Hope slid the strap of her dress off her shoulder and Elijah shut the door.

The next morning after Elijah left for work Hope called Rachel, �Hello?�

�Hi, Hope.� Rachel said. �God it seems like forever since the last time I talked to you. When was that? Oh yeah, yesterday.�

�Funny, guess what!� Hope yelled into the phone.

Rachel jerked the phone away from her ear, �God woman. Loud much?�

�Elijah asked me to marry him.� Hope said.

�Oh my god! I�m maid of honor right?� Rachel asked.

�You know it.� Hope laughed

�When is wedding?� Rachel asked, then she placed the her hand over the phone and Hope heard her talking to someone, Orlando she guessed, �No it�s ON the shelf. Not in the drawer. It�s right here.� Then back on the phone, �Sorry Hope when was the wedding?�

�I don�t know yet. We are having dinner with his mom and my dad tonight to tell them all the news. I can�t wait.� Hope finished talking to Rachel and hung up the phone. Around six-o clock she showered and put on a red dress. She was doing her make up and she accidentally dropped a small hand mirror. It shattered and Hope started picking up the pieces. �Seven years bad luck.� Hope didn�t think anything could make her feel bad, not even the mirror. She was on cloud nine. Elijah arrived home a short time later and after a quick shower they were off to the restaurant. Elijah had flown his mom in from California and Hope�s dad drove up. They weren�t at the restaurant yet. Elijah sat down and looked at Hope.

�You know you make me so happy. I can�t wait to call you my wife.� He told her. He placed his hand over hers like when they had first went out. It was then that their parents arrived and were seated.

�Well you guys, Elijah and I have some news.� Hope started.

�Your not pregnant are you?� Hope�s dad blurted out. Hope blushed bright red and her mouth dropped open.

�DAD! No I�m not pregnant. We�re getting married.� Hope showed them the ring and Elijah�s mom started to cry.

�Oh Eli, I�m so happy for you. When is the wedding?� His mom asked.

�Well I was thinking next summer.� Elijah said looking at Hope.

�Yeah that sounds good.� Hope said.

�We don�t have to rush into anything just yet.� Elijah said.

�There�s so much to be done. Flowers, the dress, the cake, the guests�� Elijah's mom was counting things off on her hand.

�Mom! Calm down.� Elijah said. �We�ll worry about that in time. We have plenty of time.� The food came and the newly forming family ate. Sometimes Hope would look at Elijah and he would look at her and smile, Hope knew she would be with him for the rest of her life. After dinner Hope�s dad kissed his daughter and told her that he would call her soon. He had to leave that night because he had to be at work the next morning. Elijah�s mom was staying at a local hotel and she left to go to bed, after all it was getting late. Elijah and Hope walked to his car and he opened the door for her and she got in. Elijah got in the other side and buckled his belt. He backed out of his parking spot and drove in the direction of home.

�Hey Eli where did I put my purse?� Hope asked.

�I think you threw it in the back seat before we went in the restaurant.� Elijah told her as he stopped at a red light. Hope unbuckled her seat belt and turned around to find her purse. The light turned green and Elijah started to go.

�Ah ha!� Hope grabbed the purse and turned back around in her seat. She reapplied her lipstick and looked at Elijah. �Do you know how much I love you?�

Elijah looked at her and said, �You love me a lot.� Elijah wasn�t paying attention to the car in front of him who had stopped for a red light.

�ELIJAH STOP!� Hope screamed right before Elijah rear-ended the car in front of him going thirty miles an hour.

The crash was loud. Metal squealing, glass breaking, screaming. Hope wasn�t wearing her seat belt. She was flung into the front window, the glass gave and broke. Hope landed on the trunk of the car in front of them. Elijah saw his love fly out the window before he hit his head on the steering wheel and he passed out.

Elijah awoke in an unfamiliar bed. His head hurt. He struggled to sit up. �Don�t strain Elijah.� It was his mom. �You�ve been in a bad car accident. Do you remember?�

Images flew through his mind. Hope telling him she loved him. The red light and the car in front of him. Hope body flying through the window. Elijah started to cry. The pain in his head became worse.

�Elijah lay back. I�m going to give you something to ease the pain.� A new voice said to him.

�Hope?� He asked.

�Just rest.� The new voice said. Everything swirled around Elijah and he welcomed the darkness.

While Elijah was swimming in darkness the world went on. Hopes dad came back up. Rachel and Orlando flew back to the hospital. Elijah suffered a cracked collarbone and a broken nose from the steering wheel. Hope on the other hand was much, much worse.

�Is he going to be all right?� Rachel asked Jeff. She really wanted to know about Hope but she was too scared to ask.

�Yeah he�ll be fine.� Jeff said and his voice quivered.

�Hope?� Rachel asked. Jeff shook his head and tears slid down his face.

�Doctors are doing all the can. Brain damage.� That was all Jeff could get out. Rachel hugged him and started to cry. Elijah had heard everything that was said.

�Hope�s got brain damage?� Elijah asked from his bed.

Rachel jumped and Jeff looked at him.

�Yes, Elijah. I shouldn�t be telling you this but the doctors don�t think she�ll make it.� Jeff said softly.

Elijah ripped the needle out of his arm and stood. �I want to see her.�

�Elijah I don�t think that�s a good idea.� Elijah�s mom said from a chair in the corner.

�I don�t care what you think. Now tell me where to find her.� His blue eyes flashed and his mouth twisted into a look of pain. His chest hurt like hell. But his heart hurt worse. He always thought he would be the last one to hurt Hope and now this. Jeff lead him to Hope�s room. He laid his head on her chest.

�Hope you can�t leave me. I love you. We are going to get married. Hope can you hear me?� Elijah was crying. �Hope? It�s my fault, I�m sorry. Hope I love you so much. Please don�t leave me.�

The doctors came in and told the family that Hope probably wouldn�t live through the week. They watched her slip away. Elijah spent all of his time in Hope�s room. Elijah couldn�t believe that his fiancée, his life, his Hope, they were slipping away. She looked frail and lifeless. Hope�s dad was in the room, so was Rachel, Orlando opted to stay outside. Elijah�s thoughts were spinning. He kept hearing what the doctors told him.

�Brain damage, the machines are keeping her alive. No chance of waking up. No hope.� That�s all the doctors knew how to say. Elijah was torn up inside. On the outside he was a stone wall. He wanted to be away. He wanted to be someone else. He spent all of his life pretending to be other people and now he was living what seemed to be some cruel horror show in which the good person dies. He held all the blame inside of him, all the guilt smoldering like a hot flame. He should have been watching the street, he should have made her buckle her seat belt, or they should have stayed home that night. He kept seeing Hope flying out the front window. Elijah�s Hope was gone.

Rachel walked up next to Elijah and placed her hand on his shoulder. �She loved you more then anything.�

�I�it�s my fault�..I�m so sorry�� Elijah�s knee�s gave out and he sunk to the floor. �I never meant to hurt her.�

�She didn�t put her seat belt on, you had yours on.� Jeff said. He knew what Elijah was going through. In the two years he had known Elijah he had grown to love him like a son.

Elijah�s Hope died at 4:30 PM on a Thursday. The sun was shining and it was breezy. Elijah felt cold even though it was 80 degrees outside. In the hospital the three people who Hope loved most stood and watched her die. The doctors came and moved them into a family room where Orlando joined them, he patted Elijah, then went and sat by Rachel.

�We were going to get married.� Elijah said softly. A tear left his eye and dripped on to the table.

Rachel started to cry quietly. �She was my best friend.�

�She was my daughter.� Jeff�s voice quivered. Orlando remained silent holding Rachel.

They had the funeral on the next Monday. Reporters gathered to photograph Elijah but guards held them back. Hope was buried a blue dress holding a picture of her dad, Rachel, and Elijah.

Elijah didn�t cry that day. Jeff and Rachel did. Orlando went up to look at Hope one last time. When no one was looking he placed the photograph of them bungee jumping in her casket. �Goodbye Hope, I�ll miss you. Keep an eye on Rachel and don�t worry, I�ll be good to her.� He whispered.

Elijah took a year off acting to let the bones and his heart heal. He had gained a little bit of weight, and didn�t talk much. Elijah went back to acting a year later. He won an Oscar the next year. He dedicated it to Hope.

Jeff and Rachel still talked. She was like his other daughter. Jeff was dating a woman who had two sons. Rachel and Orlando were married a year after Hope died on Christmas. Faith Bloom was born ten months later, on Hopes birthday. Rachel made Elijah Faith�s Godfather. No one forgot Hope.

The end.

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