Our Roundabout Love

1

Hope's POV

Waking up after staying up so late was indeed a process but I managed to work through it and got up doing the morning routine that consisted of fighting with my brother over the bathroom and losing because he is indeed a prick.

I finally got to use the shower but it was flowing with cold water but I didn't mind that much considering our house was hot and the summer heat didn't make it any better. Looking in the mirror I realized After seeing the bags under my eyes that I wasn't meant for mornings therefore I wasn't meant for school but I think the time has nothing to do with why I feel so grumpy towards today. I hurry up and before I know it I'm done in the bathroom I cross the hall to my room and start going through clothing options that would mostly likely upset my mother but not enough to tell me to go change, not that I'm trying to upset her but it seems like that's all I do, so I just know this will translate over.

Speaking of the devil, I hear the faint creaking of the stairs and I know that it's mom and I already know what she was about to say. We have done this for two years now. There is no need to continue this wake up call. "Hun, get up for school. It's your first day of junior year." Like clockwork. I smile to myself at how predictable she can be and hurry up.

"Okay, give me a minute or a couple of hours." I joke. I could hear her sigh on the other side but just like usual her footsteps got further away. She did not want to waste any words on my sarcasm as usual.

I finally finished picking out my back to school outfit that the more I think about the more upset I will be that I actually spent time on trying to look cute.

"Get your ass up or you'll be walking to school you s**t head." I rolled my eyes at my brother's attempt at a threat that didn't even make sense because he makes me do that anyways. I quickly grabbed my phone though not wanting my brother to be late for school. He is on one of those sports teams so he can't get sent to detention or he will be benched and for a teenage boy who's life is his club that's like shooting them in the balls twice.

"Coming Coop!" I yell. I quickly throwing on some makeup and some rings and the lucky charm bracelet that doesn't seem to work for s**t, but it looked cute.

I walk down stairs looking for something to snack on but am quickly stopped by my mother who looks me up and down as if she is trying to determine if my outfit was up to her standards but I already knew that she was going to say something because that's what always happened around here. So there was no surprise here.

"Hope what are you wearing?" She looked truly devastated but I knew this was just her being her. I looked down at myself and saw no problem with my baggy cargo pants that were tight around my waist and my ribbed crop top that hugged my body that had a safety belt that wrapped around my torso. Yes I was showing a lot of skin but I knew that wasn't the problem here. She just wanted me to wear a dress and look like a real southern belle but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

"Clothes mom, would you like me to be naked?" She frowned and was about to speak but Cooper interrupted her.

"Hurry up, we're going to be late, Hope," Cooper calls out to me and I knew he wasn't intentionally saving me but I'm glad he did anyway.

"Cooper, if you keep rushing me I will kill you. So, calm your t**s. I'll be outside in five minutes." My mother smiled and just kissed me on the forehead basically telling me I could go. I smiled back, bidding her an I love and put my black Converse on finally ready to leave.

When I came outside, I saw Cooper was talking to a tall boy standing in front of his car who looked about our age with a backpack just like us. Weird.

"I'm ready you hobknocker," I tell him while I stand just a couple of feet away from him and this guy.

"Well, finally, what took you so long? You don't look even remotely pretty, so...." I kinda zoned out Cooper and forgot that he was even speaking but made a mental note to rip him a new face later. What caught my attention was the guy who was staring at me. I wonder who he is? Cooper never brings anyone here because he doesn't want anyone to know we're related. Which is a long story but irrelevant to the boy standing in front of our car.

"Coop, who's Mr.Stare A Lot?" I asked letting my curiosity get the best of me. Once I said it though he immediately looked away and I felt myself smile a bit at how awkward he was. Did he think he was being sneaky if so he needs to work on that.

"This is Leo. He moved in next door when you were away for the summer at Nana's." I nodded, sticking my hand out towards him.

"Hope, I'm this i***t's extremely smart, hot sister. Personally I don't even know how we're even related." I say introducing myself but Cooper hits my head before Leo's hand could touch mine. "Idiot." I stick my tongue out at Cooper and go back to looking at the cute boy that I would love to just put my hands on.

"Nice to meet you Hope." I almost melted away at his voice but I kept it together. If I'm being honest I wasn't that interested but he was just nice to look at.

"Why is he here Cooper?" Again it is truly odd. Cooper never brings his friends over other than Jess.

"I'll explain in the car that your ass needs to be right now." I'm going to kill that blond son of a b***h one day. Killing my twin shouldn't be that hard.

"Come on Leo, let's go," Cooper said. When we got into the car, Leo sat upfront with Cooper. I was surprised that it was even a possibility though it never works. Which is nothing new. This car is older than Jesus himself and I have no doubt in my mind about that.

"Hope remember the rules: don't talk to me" I sat back half asleep not wanting to listen to these dumb rules.

"Don't talk to me," I mocked.

"Don't look at me." I rolled my eyes at these stupid rules once more. It's not like they are that hard to follow and I've been doing it since eighth grade. I'm surprised no one has caught on yet though.

"If anyone bothers you, tell me when we get home, so I can handle it the next day, I don't need mom getting bent out of shape over the petty fights you pick with people. "I sighed realizing that this conversation was indeed pointless. I already knew this stuff considering Cooper was the captain of the soccer team and I'm a social outcast it would f**k up his social status for being my brother. I know it's f****d up, but he cares what people think and I know Cooper doesn't like to be ridiculed. I just do what he says because deep down I do love Cooper. He's my brother for god sakes. The least I can do is protect him from the bad in that place.

"One more thing: Please don't bother Jess. You almost killed her last year." I smiled at the memory. That b***h, I should've punched her harder.

"Who's Jess?" Leo asked and for the first time this morning, I took a good look at him. He had full lips and my first thought was, the magic those could do to me. His jawline was well defined. His hair was pulled back in a black beanie. He has on a Nirvana shirt that was so baggy the neck hole when even below is the collar bone. The one thing that stood out to me the most, was his vibrant green eyes that looked like It had a whole forest inside of them. It took all of me not to kiss him. His voice was so deep it made me want to melt and I don't normally feel like this towards anyone that I just happen to check out. Hell I never gawked at anyone's appearance before today.

"I'll answer that." I peeked up chipper than ever leaning over the center consul Only because I love s**t talking Jess but I wanted to turn and actually face Leo. "I hate that f*****g bitch."

"Here we go again," Cooper exaggerated. Which is fair I would be tired if my sister hated one girl this much.

"Jess, let's see, how do I put it? She's a conniving b***h who is always out to get me every year. Jess also has so much lip gloss on that it shines bright enough to find her way in the dark. Also known as Cooper's girlfriend." I got Leo to laugh until I got to that part. Which made me laugh

"You guys are weird, you know that right?" Leo said. Which was true.

"You're not wrong Mr..." I probed for a last name wanting to look him up on i********: later.

"Fretz." He fished. Leo Fretz had a nice ring to it.

"Leo, don't tell anyone she's my sister." Cooper pleaded looking at him with the most desperate look in her eyes. To my enjoyment though Leo's responses was just him pretending to zip his lips shut and rolled down the window to throw the key out.

"You're funny."

"I know." He said with a laugh that was so contagious I started to smile a bit. I almost wanted to keep this up. I haven't met anyone like him and it was just refreshing.

"Well, this is your stop. One block away from school." Awww my lovely corner. "I hate you," Cooper yelled.

"Hate you too." I smiled at him and waved him off. That was our thing to say. Even though we clearly love each other behind all the bickering.

"Bye." Leo said to me which was a shock.

"Bye?" I said awkwardly. Finally after ten minutes Of walking I got to school, I stopped in front of the building and mentally prepared for the bullshit that would come my way.

"Let's kick some ass."