Six months later Hope was going through the normal 15 year old rebellion
stage. Her once auburn hair (now down to her elbows) had blue highlights.
She had gone from sweet and innocent to pissed off hating everyone and
armed with kickboxing class (not to mention karate, tyboe, and martial
arts).
Hope now lived with her grandmother but they didn't get along well
because Hopes grandma was not very nice. She hated Angel for leaving, she
knew it was what caused Hope's mother to screw up her life, so she also
hated Hope for being his daughter.
"I'm leaving!" Hope screamed at her grandmother one day after one of
their many long fights.
"Where do you think you will go? Your only 15."
"I'll find my father." Hope said calmly.
Her grandmother's eyes went dark. "You're just as bad as he is, your
both pathetic, selfish..."
Hope's grandmother's voice faded as Hope walked out. With her
leather back pack over her shoulder and rembering what her mom once said,
He said he might go out west. Wanted to see the only place he hadn't.
She pulled out a map she had been working on for quite a while. Her memory
may not be perfect but she had to start somewhere. On the map she had
marked off all the places on the US she remembered her mom mentioning him
saying.
The more she had to think about him the more pissed off she got. How dare
he leave her mom! It was him that made her so depressed, him that made her
turn to drugs. She knew her mom should have gotten over it but he knew how
codependent her mom was. She needed him!
And now I need him. She said to herself dropping to her knees and crying.
Then she got up wiped off her tears and scolded herself. I don't cry! I
have to do this! Knowing this she walked to the closest highway and stuck
out her thumb. A man pulled up and told her he was going to Dallas. She
looked at her map looked at him and decided it was good enough. She smiled
and got in the car.
