After the movie was over and Hope came back with Vanille, Lightning tried to maintain her demeanor as best she could, and also tried to keep it from Hope. She didn't want to ruin his evening with her woes.
He needs to learn…
Hope got into the car after Vanille went in.
Lightning started the car, "How was the show?" She asked, trying to make her voice sound interested.
Hope smiled, "We saw Battleship, good action film." Hope and Vanille explained in detail of how good the film was to Lightning.
The next stop was rather uneventful where Lightning took the two kids to a park. Vanille asked Hope to go out first, since she said she needed to use her phone.
Only problem was, with Lightning's keen eye for detail, she knew that Vanille never carried her cell phone on her dates. So, something was up and luckily she would find out shortly.
"Hey Lightning…"
Lightning was all-calm about it on the outside, but her interest was piqued on the inside. She turned her head and gave her gaze to Vanille.
"Um, I got to know something. About you and Hope."
Didn't expect that so soon. "What's up?"
"What I've heard is nothing but rumors, but you've been hanging out at Hope's place recently, right?"
Lightning sighed, but said nothing. She wasn't dumb. She had been hearing the rumors since the day she had stayed at his place. She didn't care either. "If you're gonna ask why its nothing for you to be concerned about."
Vanille opened the door, "Lightning…I may not be a close friend of yours, but I do keep tabs on the news at school. There are a lot of people out there that don't get it."
"Get what?"
"Why you're spending so much time with him, I mean, he is two years younger than you. Not only that—"
"Vanille. I like you as a friend, and I respect you, however, it's none of your concern and if you keep pushing me I'm going to have to hurt you."
Not fazed, Vanille nodded, though obviously not satisfied from just that. She got what she wanted out of the way and now she had to return her attention to Hope, which was now more important.
Vanille got out of the car and as soon as she was gone, Lightning had another big sigh.
"This chapter is not ending this way," Lightning said, completely throwing the plotline off center and freaking the author out considerably with her fourth wall awareness.
But…what Vanille said had come close to hitting a nerve. Lightning had always dodged explaining why she was hanging out with Hope but it was extremely personal and she didn't like sharing it with anyone. She just found Hope to be a decent change to the people she used to hang out with.
Not only that but he was also sort of cute, in personality and more. Hope didn't know how much he had changed her, nor did he know how much he meant to her.
But as much as Lightning wanted him to know she didn't feel comfortable telling him yet. He had Vanille to be with after all, and as it was his first date she didn't want to ruin it.
At least, not intentionally.
Hope and Vanille sat at a table in the park's cafe, and having a late dinner. The conversation they were having concerned school, activities after that, and all the while trying to get around to the subject of a certain pink haired woman, which Hope was somehow avoiding with every skill he had learned prior to this.
"So, if there's anything else you want to ask, go ahead," Hope said.
"Well, why is Lightning-"
Hope set his head on the table, clearly disappointed, "Is that why you made me go out with you? So you could ask about Lightning?"
Finally hit the nail on the head.
"I've heard from all sources that there's nothing going on between you and her, but you've seen her naked at least once-"
"That was an accident."
"She was in your bed with you-"
"Uh...that was her sleepwalking-"
"And have your face in her breasts-"
"And you're okay with speaking about that IN PUBLIC?"
"If you ask me you're closing in on home base," Vanille said with a small smile.
Hope wished he could have died at that point, "And I've never even got up to bat yet..."
As Hope hopelessly listened to Vanille trying to get more out of him about the other girl, he soon finished eating and Vanille followed suit.
Lightning was leaning against the hood of her cab, arms crossed and looking so damn cool standing there you'd be overcome with the awesomeness.
She saw the two lovebirds coming her way and Lightning finally moved to the driver's seat. Once the two got inside, Lightning took a quick look at them. She saw Vanille smiling, like she had been satisfied in a nonphysical sense, but Hope looked very depressed, like his joy had been drained. She probably got him to talk about me, Lightning thought.
Doesn't matter, she thought, Neither of them will know the truth until I choose to tell them. Especially Hope.
"Well, kids, I'm going to have to let you know that the ride's nearly over."
Vanille expressed disappointment, "Really?"
"Yeah, got to return the car before they think I stole it again," Lightning replied, "Besides that it's almost midnight and I need to sleep."
Hope looked up, "You're heading to your place this time, right?"
He really hoped that Lightning was heading home once Vanille was dropped off at home; he mentally crossed his fingers as well as wished he had a four-leaf clover in his shoe and a couple horseshoes up his sleeve.
However...as this story has shown, poor Hope seems to have the gods working against him.
As well as the forces of nature, since a quick flash of lightning followed by a loud rumble of thunder made his wishful thinking go down the proverbial storm-drain.
"Well, I usually have to walk home but that's not gonna happen now that it will be pouring down rain soon, so Hope I'll have to crash at your place again."
Hope's jaw dropped.
Vanille made it worse, "Mind if I stay too? I'm not liking the idea of walking home in the rain either."
'Doesn't anyone have their own car!'
Hope's night was just beginning, and it would without a doubt get worse.
The ride to Hope's house was quiet, at least until Hope reached the door to his home. No one was home, which makes one wonder if Hope actually has parents or they're just mentioned to move the plot forward...
Anyway, Vanille and Lightning stood on the front sidewalk, having a chat. And it just happened to be about Hope.
Vanille had her hands on her hips but a smile on her face, "So, we going to fight over the poor boy or should we share?"
Lightning was more mature than that, "Don't be like that, I don't plan on making him even more uncomfortable."
"Then I won't do anything that will make him that way either," Vanille replied.
As Lightning smiled she felt the rain start to fall, but before she even took a step the downpour got the both of them and they were drenched.
Vanille took her shoes off on Hope's porch, "Dammit...the rain got me by surprise...I'm soaked."
Lightning followed in and tossed her jacket to the side, equally soaked and giving Hope a smile, "Guess I'll be staying for awhile."
And thus the poor boy's jaw was nailed to the floor. Surely things could not get any worse for him...
"Oh well, I'll just go take a bath before I go to bed," Vanille said out of the blue, starting to walk into Hope's house.
"Hey, you don't know where the shower is. I need to take one too, so I'll join you."
It just got worse.
