Bring me to life

Chapter 5: Hope, there is no hope without you

Hope POV

"Hurry up, Melon. We will be late, and why are you making your face like a pancake with makeup," I screamed from the kitchen while making breakfast for us.

"I don't have beautiful eyes like you; people will see my face.

 I should look good after all; I am your inspiration." She winked her eyes at me.

"Is it? If you were my inspiration, I would have painted that lady with the hands covering her large booty, like you." Giggled at her, made her realize she needs to fix her dress.

"But you painted her with small lemons like you," she smirked at me.

I ignored her comment and tried to find my dress to wear for The Art Exhibition.

"Can you help me? You know, I am not good at dress selection." I asked Melon with my puppy eyes to help select the dress that will look good for the event.

"That white-pink floral dress, over there," she pointed at the last in the closet.

"Melon, don't you think it's little..." I started making faces in front of her and tried to change her mind for this dress.

"Nothing is weird, but you are. We bought this for you, remember, and you hid it." She snorted at me and gave me an angry look.

"Ok, I will wear it." She smiled at me after listening to my answer.

We were waiting for Eric to pick us as we planned to go together.

He came, and we hastily hopped into his car.

"Hey, sexy, you look yum." Watched Eric drooled over Melon.

"Thanks, handsome. You are looking hot." Melon winked at him, kissing him on the lips.

Without thinking, I screamed, "eww... why don't you guys go and have s*x first. You guys are drooling on each other."

"Control yourself. You still have a full day." 

I looked at them like an irritated child.

"Shut up," both of them spun from their seats towards me with an angry look.

I snorted and backed myself, looked outside the window.

"I am telling you, she needs a boyfriend badly in her life," he commented, looking at me in the rear mirror.

I smiled at him and showed him the long finger and won this war.

Finally, we reached, and hastily I opened the door, leaving these love birds behind.

I saw our Mayor and other people of different age groups enjoying energy drinks and snacks.

I saw Mr. and Mrs. Smith too.

Rushed towards them, I thanked them for joining this exhibition and asked them if they saw my painting.

"Yes, it's beautiful, all the best for it," they replied with a smile.

 I gasped, thought to myself, looked at them, a lovely couple, and looked at my amatory friends busy making out in the car.

After a few minutes, I saw both of them coming together with a smile ear to ear, with a questionable look I stared at Melon,

"Is everything fine with you guys," I glanced at them with a doubtful look.

"Oh, it was refreshing," Melon answered by fixing her makeup and dress.

"It was juicy, loved strawberry lipstick," Eric whispered, looking at Melon.

"Argh... not again," I grabbed Melon's hand and dragged her with me to see other people's art.

They threw kisses at each other and promised to meet after this event.

 I felt like I am taking my friend on the war, and there is no chance they will meet again in this life, 

As we went inside, there was an announcement going on requesting all the artists to go and stand near their artwork. 

I rushed towards mine and stood there for further activity to be followed.

I felt something touched on my shoulder, spun, and saw Ian holding a bouquet.

"Congratulations!" he offered me the bouquet, but I didn't get the reason for congratulating me.

"Thank you, but would you mind if I ask you the reason for congratulating me." Nervously I asked.

"Your painting is sold, look at that red dot near your painting," he answered me excitedly, pointing towards the painting.

"What? my painting is sold!" I hugged him with excitement and didn't realize Melon was watching me with her big eyes.

"Who took it? I want to thank that person." excitedly, I asked both of them.

I went to see Mr. Mikal, who organized the event, to ask him who bought my painting as I wanted to meet that person.

He pointed me towards a group of men in the black tuxedos, enjoying their drinks.

I looked back at my friends, Eric was also there, and they were busy talking to each other. Heading towards the group, I purred.

"Hello, I am Hope Connor," waited for the gentleman to answer who bought my painting.

"I came here to thank, who bought my painting and helped us," nervously, I murmured.

Suddenly I saw a tall man coming towards me.

Looked handsome with long curls and brown eyes look like in the early '30s.

He held my hand and planted a kiss on it.

"You are an amazing artist, and you are more beautiful than your painting."

 He looked at me, trying to spill his charm on me.

"Thank you for buying my painting, and you are..." I pulled back my hand slowly, not to make him feel awkward.

"I am Lucas Black...shall we go. I want to know something about your painting?" He glanced at me and tried to be a gentleman who offered me a drink.

We talked for about 15-20 minutes; He told me he is in the Real Estate business and wanted to spread his business in Fleetwood. Meeting with our mayor in this event was a good start.

He told me about his interest in arts and culture and how he liked my painting when he saw it.

After some time and a few drinks with Mr. Lucas Black, I headed back to my friends, but on the way, an old lady asked for help to grab some stuff from the storeroom, which is in the building basement.

Without having a second thought, I went with her to get the stuff from the storeroom. 

On the way, we were talking about the event, but she seemed distracted.

She asked me to bring the curtains from the room, she instructed me from outside the room.

 I wanted to finish this work soon so that I can go back to my friends.

As I entered, I tried to open the lights, but it was not working. I tried to inform that old lady that I cannot see any curtains inside.

I thought to ask her again, I ran towards the door, but it was locked.

"How this got locked," I asked myself, I tried to call that lady, but she left.

I tried not to panic, but I am scared of the dark, and I can't deny that. 

I tried to shout, banged the door again and again; nobody heard my voice.

Hastily, I looked for my cellphone; left it in Melon's bag.

Tried hard to hit the door with a metal rod. It didn't help either. 

I looked for a window, but it was all dark and scary.

 I smelled something, a gas... that made me dizzy, and I could not breathe.

 I couldn't understand what happened, as I fell on the floor calling Melon and others to help me out, but nobody came.

Ian Pov

It was Sunday morning, and I got to know that my grandparents are going to The Art Exhibition; happily, I joined them.

I don't want to miss a single opportunity to meet her.

As we reached, my eyes were searching for her, but before that, I wanted to give her something.

I saw a little girl holding a beautiful bouquet, eagerly I asked her.

"Can I borrow some flowers from you, little girl? I wanted to give these flowers to my friend."

 I begged with puppy eyes.

"A friend or a girlfriend? Is she beautiful?." She seems to be a detective and asks lots of questions in one breath.

"Right now, she is my friend but, later maybe she will become my girlfriend, she is very beautiful and, her long hair seems like..."

 I confessed everything, but she interrupted in between and said,

"Hope, you're talking about Hope. Do you love her?"

Excitedly, she asked.

"Yes, I do, but you don't tell anyone." I smiled at her, as her little eyes started glowing.

"Ok, take it...take the bouquet", she offered me her bouquet and winked her eyes.

I planted a kiss on her little cheek and thanked her for helping me.

Heading towards the entrance of the hall, my eyes were still searching for Hope, and I got to know some Real estate guy bought her painting.

Finally, I saw her...She looks like an angel in a white-pink floral dress, her dress was shaped in a flirty low cut halter, exposing her neck, with little cleavage to draw my attention, and a dramatic shark bites skirt showing her flawless buttery legs.

Her lovely pink ankle strap heels give her figure more beauty.

Her long hair is a little wavy today comes to her slim waist.

I gulped my fantasies and touched her shoulder, congratulating her.

She looked at me and asked why I am congratulating her.

As I gave her the reason, she got excited and hugged me.

This was the best part. I felt her aura around my neck.

Her soft skin touched my cheeks as her long hair trickled me like 1000 volts shock.

I wanted to hug her back, and never wanted to leave, but then I saw her friend looking at us. I held my hand back and felt she backed up with a smile on her face.

She wanted to thank the person who bought her painting.

Her friend pointed her towards the organizer group.

Suddenly I saw Melon was looking at me with a detective look.

I didn't know what to do. We heard a noise.

"Hello, Babe, Where is Hope?" An unknown noise looking for Hope.

"Eric, this is our neighbor Ian, and he is my boyfriend Eric," Melon introduced us.

"Hello...Mr. Smith." Eric was shocked with an open mouth and thought how come his girlfriend knew his boss.

 "Mr. Smith, what are you talking about, Eric?" Melon purred without thinking.

"He is our new CEO, Mr. Ian Smith. Did you girls even know that? Didn't Hope told you that?" Eric growled at Melon.

"Yes, I am the CEO. Hope is not aware of that, but I want to request you both please don't tell her. I wanted her to be my friend and..." I begged both of them to keep it a secret in between us.

"I knew it... yesterday the way you were looking at her... I knew it".

Melon started shouting with excitement.

"What you knew... what are you talking about?" Eric curiously asked, looking towards us.

"He likes her, don't you?" Melon declared.

"Yes, I do. Please don't tell her." With innocence in my eyes, I purred.

"I knew it, but let me tell you one thing, she is the purest of all. She is an honest soul tormented like anything. So if you think you are going to use her and leave, I will be the first person to kill you." Seeing that much love in her friend's eyes, I understood she is not an ordinary girl to fall in love with.

"I will never hurt her, and you can kill me anytime you want."

 I confessed in front of her friends.

"Brother never hurt her. She is an amazing friend. And this time, whether you're my boss or not, I will support what she said."

 Eric agreed with Melon.

While we were discussing, I saw Hope was talking to an old lady.

She smiled at me and softly sent us the signal she is coming in five minutes.

I smiled back at her and waited for her to come.

It's more than 20 minutes.

She was not here. We heard an announcement of her name called by the Mayor to give her a trophy for the best contributor to Fleetwood.

I felt something was not right, as I saw the same lady who took her. I warned Melon and Eric to look for her. She was nowhere to be found.

We searched for the building, parking everywhere, but there was no trace of hers. I told Melon to call her, but she informed me her cell phone is with Melon itself.

We were now actually worried about her. My heart was pounding hard, and all I sensed is she is in trouble. I ran down towards the basement with the least expectation for her to be found there. 

I saw a closed door, and the latch was closed from outside. Without any second thought, I ran and opened the door. My heart came in my mouth with what I saw.

She was unconsciously curled up on the floor.

"Hope... hope, wake up," my hands were shivering with fear, she didn't answer.

I scooped her in my arms and ran towards the floor. This is the moment I was scared to hell, what had happened down there? Why did she go there?...thousands of questions pounding aching my head.

We all rushed towards the hospital.

Hope...there is no hope without you in my life.