𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲

𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

Hope Ashford

Okay, so Adrian isn't that bad. Yeah, I was a bitch to him on his first days, but I guess my opinion of him changed. Okay so having a bodyguard isn't the worst thing in the world. It's manageable. Whatever.

Adrian did make me feel a lot better, I'll give him that. Even though I hate admitting it, I was wrong about him. I still feel bad for asking about his horrible love experiences. I can't imagine what it's like to be heartbroken to the point where you don't wanna fall in love again. Maybe cause I've never been in love, but I know that when I am, I'll pick my person wisely.

When my mom came into my room earlier, she simply informed me that my dad's going on a two to three days business trip. God, it was so hard to not lose my temper and scream at her. I was able to stay calm and act like everything was fine while anger was eating up my insides.

I want to tell my dad. Believe me, I do. But how am I supposed to do that without having a breakdown on the spot? I don't know how to build up enough courage to tell him the truth. I wish I was brave enough to tell him the truth. He doesn't deserve this.

—

"Leo's parents invited us for dinner," the moment I hear that, the water I'm drinking suddenly goes down the wrong pipe. I smack my chest as I cough uncontrollably. "Are you okay Hope?" my mom asks. I nod as I continue to smack my chest. After a minute I manage to catch my breath. I completely forgot to tell my mother that Leo and I aren't together anymore. Might as well do it now.

"Leo and I aren't together anymore," I blurt out. My mom slowly looks up from her phone.

"What?" she asks flatly.

"Leo and I are done," I state. "Our relationship wasn't working out so we decided to end things," I explain.

"Hope are you serious!?" my mom shouts. Jeez.

"Yes, completely serious," I confirm.

"I can't with you," she sighs angrily. "Why do you never take anything seriously huh?" she demands. "Leo was good to you! Why do you always do this? Always treating boys like your entertainment and then blowing them off for no reason!"

"It's my life!" I snap. "And I don't blow them off for no reason, there's always a reason."

"Can you take your relationships more seriously from now on!?" she asks. "Stop hurting boys for fun!" she shouts again.

"Hurt them?" I scoff. "Half of the time it's my money they're after and they don't give two fucks about me!"

"At least stop going from guy to guy, have some self respect Hope," my mom hisses.

"You're one to talk," I mutter under my breath.

"Pardon?" she asks.

"Nothing, I didn't say anything," I lie. I get up from the table without saying anything.

Today's Adrian's day off so I'm not allowed to go out unless it's with my mom and I'm not going anywhere with her. I'd rather lock myself up in my room and binge-watch movies or get bored to death but I am not going anywhere with her.

Adrian Newman

"Why would you do that!?" Sophia shouts. I still don't understand why she's upset. Well I do, she still wants to see our mom but all she's done is harm us yet Sophia still wants to see her. That's what I don't understand.

"Sophia, our mom isn't a good person," I state. "I think it's better for you if you don't see her."

"If you don't want to see her then fine!" Tears start forming in her eyes. "But stop trying to control me so I don't see her," Sophia cries. "She's my mom Adrian, and I want to see her!" Sophia yells.

"Why? After everything that she's done?" I ask. Sophia sniffles. I hate seeing her upset but I don't want my mom near her after what she's done. "I know you may hate me right now but you'll understand when you're old—"

"I hate when you say that!" Sophia cuts me off. "You'll understand when you're older, I can understand now! I'm thirteen, I'm a teenager! I can understand!"

"All right, you think you can understand?" I raise my eyebrows, and Sophia nods her head yes. "Our mom put you in danger several times, she never took care of you properly when you were a baby, she was out partying whenever you were sick, and she made you feel like shit when you were going to one of your school dance, have you forgotten that?"

"She's still my mom," Sophia says in defense.

"Did she ever act like your mom?" I ask her. No response. "Thought so." Sophia looks away from me. I walk out of her room and run my hands through my hair. I don't know what to do to make her understand why she can't see our mom.

"Adrian, please have some consideration for her," Leah whispers to me. "She needs a mother figure in her life," Leah states.

"I know, but Carolina isn't the mother figure Sophia needs," I snap.

"Okay okay, let's stop talking about her," Leah places her hand on her forehead. "I don't know if I should tell you about the other thing," Leah groaned.

"What other thing?" I ask.

Leah walks over to a pile of papers and envelopes. "I went to your place the other day to grab your mail," Leah searches through the pile of papers. "Here it is," Leah hands me a fancy-looking envelope.

"Wait what? What is this?" I ask.

"Just open it," Leah crosses her arms. I stare at the envelope for a couple of seconds. "Go on, open it," Leah orders. I furrow my brows as I open up the envelope and pull out what looks like an invitation. A wedding invitation.

This has to be a joke.

"She's got to be kidding," I toss the invitation on the couch. "Why the hell is she inviting me?" I ask. Leah shrugs. I'm so done with her. Does she think this is funny or something? She's pathetic.