Chapter Twenty-Nine: Hope

Flying back wasn't comfortable. About fifteen people were cramped together in a single plane.

An army plane, so it didn't have any seats whatsoever.

We were all cramped into the backpart, guys on one side, girls on the other. Hanna being the exception, being able to walk around and talk to people. As long as she was careful.

Emily was in her corner, crying with Dylan and Zoe, Dylan was only crying because Emily was crying. I wanted to join them but Carly and Joey were being normal brother and sister and annoying each other as best as they could, so I was stuck with baby sitter duty. Jace and Xavier were fast asleep and Kade was trying to get some sleep. Cameron and Isaiah were playing what they could of iSpy.

I watched intently as the different groups entered their own little world and seemed to have vanished from reality.

Exaushtion crept into my eyes and threatened to make me close them. And I did.

When I woke up, someone was shaking me. Hanna.

"Wake up. Wake up, we landed. Wake up! C'mon pretty girl wake up!" Hanna was desperately, trying to get me to move.

I sat up and realized that that was the best sleep I had in a while. No dreams, just relaxation.

I smiled.

"C'mon! Hope we landed on the ship! People want to see you!" Hanna was tugging me up.

Someone wanted to see me?

I slowly made me way off the plane and stepped shakily out onto the ship. Almost immediately, I was embraced in a round of hugs. First my only brother, Jason. His eyes were red and puffy and he had a huge smile on his face.

"Hope! I missed you so much. I love you. I'm so glad you're home. I will still be your one and only Bubba!" Jason was sobbing into my shoulder.

Skylar and Melanie and Kenny, my adopted uncle, were next, burrying their faces into my stomach. Then Kayla and Deedee and John, my other adopted uncle. When they pulled away, tear stains were streaked across my dark shirt.

My mom was next, same with my Dad and step-mom. I stood there for a long time, embraced in a sob filled hug. Then my grandparents.

When I broke away, I could see that Emily and Katie were embracing their parents in a hug. And when I looked closer, I could see that Candy and Dylan were included. An angry cat was sitting like a parrot on their dads shoulder. Bella.

That was the best. Families reunited with everyone. People drank. Cheered. Danced. All in all, they partied... and hard for some people.

By the time night came, everyone was too tired to stay up past nine.

So once we injected everyone with an illness and we set our destination for the nearest, slightly secluded, island or land mass.

Jamaica.

That's where we're headed. The party, though, would be on the boat. Or at least I'm thinking.

As I sit here with Jace by my side, we talk about our adventures, standing on a tall stage, telling small kids, teenagers and adults alike of our struggles. We went into detail. Well, detail that wasn't that horrific. It seemed to play out like book. Chapter after chapter of the struggles we had to go through. It seemed to play out like a movie, that streamed from our mouths. It entranced everyone entirely.

The story was even told from Zoe's point of view. Even Joey, Hanna and Carly. Isiah and Cameron's.

Everyone was fascinated. Question's were asked. Answers were given.

By this time, it was late, probably ten oclock.

Jace and I were walking together along the edges of the boat. The boat was waving back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Rocking like a babies crib trying to get it to sleep. Coaxing it to close its eyes.

We weren't saying anything just holding hands and walking.

"Hope?" he said after a while.

"What?" I asked, turning to face him.

"W-Will you got to the uh"-gulp-"dance with me?" His eyes twinkled in the light. His blue eyes bore into mine as they pleaded for my answer.

Of course I had to say yes. I didn't want to go with anyone else. Even if he/she was realllyyyy hot! "Duh!"

Our lips locked onto each others. He titled me back, using his arms for support. One hand on my waist, the other on the back of my neck.

Footsteps approached and we abruptly pulled away. Two figures emerged from around the corner. Two females. Both holding hands. We stood still for a moment. It hadn't seemed like they'd seen us.

"Candy?" a girl said, turning to the to the other.

"Hm?" Candy replied.

It must've been Candy and Dylan.

"I know...this is kind of... cliche. The scenery I mean. But..." she took a few breaths to calm herself down. "Will you go to the dance with me?"

You could hear Candy inhale sharply from where we stood. She didn't answer. Instead she looked at her feet.

Oh please say yes! Please! I ship you! I screamed into my head.

"Yes." Candy looked up again. "Yes Dylan, I will."

The two shadows combined into one.

"Aw..." I mumbled.

"Ew." Jace turned away to look at me.

I slapped him playfully.

The two figures walked towards us, closer and closer.

"Hope?" Dylan called out. "Did you just see that?"

"Yeah and-"

"And I wish I didn't see that," Jace interuppted.

"Don't be a little fuck okay?" I snapped. "Yeah I saw it. It was cute."

Jace grumpled, hitting me back.

"Oh," Candy said. "I guess we'll see you later then."

"No," I said. "We'll see you. You two will be wrapped up in each other."

Pink rose to Candy's cheeks and amusement shot through Dylan's eyes.

"Oh," Dylan sneered. "We know."

Candy waved good-bye as Dylan pulled her away, towards the cabins. My eyebrow was raised when they turned the corner and out of sight.

Jace glanced at me, his eyebrows raised.

"What?" I laughed. "It's cute!"

He chuckled, swinging his hand forward to take mine.

"C'mon," he whispered into my ear. "We have to get going anyway."

"What for?" I looked up at him.

"Don't we have to go to bed?"

I blushed. "Yeah. Don't try anything other wise I'll stab you...with a spoon...that's plastic...and rusty."

He looked at my puzzled. "How on earth does plastic get rusty?"

"I make it..."

His chuckled flitted around us as we walked towards the cabins.