She plugged her phone in to radio as she began her drive and hummed along to the first song that came on. The music distracted her from the pain, distracted her from the thoughts. Song after song came on, and Hope sang along softly to every single one, getting lost in the lyrics and melodies of her favorite artists like Twenty One Pilots, Bon Iver, Taylor Swift, and Pierce the Veil.

Hope arrived at the Gilbert house around two, considering the time difference between her hometown and Mystic Falls. She had slightly enjoyed the two hour drive, her music turned up while the wind rushed through all the open windows and into her face, giving her a small feeling of freedom and peace. Of course, as soon as she pulled up to her cousins' house, she felt the rock in her stomach.

She left her luggage in the car and when she had reached the door, she knocked softly. She steeled herself for a teary-faced Elena, or a red-eyed Jeremy, but she was met with a solemn Matt Donovan. He looked relieved when she opened the door, and she couldn't help but blush when he looked at her. Hope had a very hard time being around boys she wasn't surrounded by all the time. Even though she's known Matt her whole life, she's only hung out with him during summertime. It was hard for her to feel comfortable around him, especially since she thought he was cute and he was dating Elena.

"Oh my God, Hope." His arms swallowed her in a large embrace as she stiffened, then allowed herself to relax into the hug. She smiled slightly to herself and couldn't help but notice just how amazing he smelled. She thought about the fact that she had only ever been hugged by two other boys, that were not her family, in her whole life. Girls like you don't deserve hugs from boys like Matt, she thought viciously to herself. She released Matt and stepped inside.

"How are you? I know you were close to, uh, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert." Her throat tightened and she nodded, squeezing his arm. She looked up the staircase to where she could hear quiet sniffles. She could hear the muffled sobs, and she could see in her mind's eye Elena pressing her hand to her mouth, and she would have a long sleeve t-shirt on, the sleeves stretched down and over her fingers. Hope did the same thing.

"Does she know I'm here?" Hope asked him. He shook his head and gave her a small smile. Hope tried to smile back at him, but she just couldn't bring herself to grin at him, and she could always smile at Matt. Matt had always been the most easy-going of the friends she hung out with during her summer stays here at Mystic Falls, and she never missed a summer, besides last year. Last summer was devoted to Student Council camps, a class trip to DC and partying with her stoner friends.

"She wants me to leave, but I don't think I should." He said.

"Matt, I'll take care of her." He nodded and hugged her one more time before he left. She took the steps slowly, trying to gain the strength she would need to face Elena. She had to be strong from now on. She couldn't have her breakdowns anymore. Her family needed her to be the strength, they needed her to be their rock. She reached Elena's room, where the door was open, and Elena was seated at her window seat, her knees brought up to her chest, and the tears falling gently down her cheeks. Just as Hope had envisioned, Elena was wearing a maroon long sleeve over a dark teal tank top, and yoga pants. Her feet were enveloped in overly fuzzy socks, the same pair that Hope had and used when she was feeling upset.

She had always envied Elena's good looks, ever since they were younger. Elena was slim, but still curvy, with these big beautiful brown eyes and this long straight hair. She was everything Hope wanted to be: beautiful, confident and well-liked. Hope knew that she had her friends, her family, but she had never had a boyfriend, and that was something that she wanted, craved, and felt like she needed. She felt that if one boy, just one boy, took interest in her, then maybe she could start loving herself.

"Ellie." Her voice sounded raw, and tight. Elena's head whipped around and she sobbed at the sight of her cousin standing in her doorway. Elena could always count on Hope to help the pain go away. Hope was always there for her,even if she wasn't there physically. They had nightly talks on the phone, and emailed each other frequently about their writing, TV shows, books, and ideas. The two cousins were as close as sisters, and Elena had been aching for the presence of her, needing Hope to help her through this pain. She watched as she walked right over to Elena and gently took her hand. Elena stood up on wobbly knees and threw her arms around Hope. She sobbed into her sweatshirt as a fresh wave of pain rolled over her. Hope was exactly what her namesake implied: a ray of hope, and Elena clung to her with all her might.

Elena could feel the shaky breaths that rattled through Hope, but she never once heard her sob. Elena wished she had the strength that Hope always had, always portrayed. Elena knew that Hope was extremely self conscious about her image, and the fact that she still hadn't lost the baby fat, but Hope never showed that. Hope always looked confident, looked happy, looked comfortable in her own skin, that it was hard to believe that Hope rarely ever felt that way.

"Hope." Elena whispered. She could feel the sadness fade a little, feel the sharp hole in her chest dull a bit, as Hope rubbed soothing circles on Elena's back, and calmly talked to Elena. Not once did Hope say that everything was going to be okay, not once did she utter the words I'm sorry, and that was what Elena had been hoping for. She heard Hope say that she was here, and that she wasn't going anywhere, and that Elena didn't have to face this alone.

Hope was being supportive without being cliche, and that was why Elena knew that she could maybe, one day, be okay again.