Upstairs in hope's room,

“ Cecilia, listen-”

“ Hold on a sec, stop calling me by my full name. It sounds weird coming from you.” She giggled, but hope didn't. She continued with telling her about the secret she's been hiding.

“ this is something important, at least to me.”

“ What's up?”

“ for a long time I've always felt the need to protect you, but I know you can protect yourself.”

“ Hope, did someone hurt you? Was it Emily?”

“ no, it's just there's another reason-”

Cecil’s phone started to buzz, and a voice aid said,.

“ Mom, has texted: where are you, please let me know if you are staying at Hope's house.”

“ Am I staying?” She asked hope

“ I Mean, you can but after this-”

“ it's okay, nothing can drive me away.”

“ CECILIA! I'M GAY!”

“ You are?”

“ Yes, but that's not all.”

“ Did Emily threaten to tell everyone?”

“ not really, but if I tell you this part, you can't freakout, okay?”

“of course.” Hope took a breath as she got ready to tell her best friend her darkest secret. She sat down next to Cecil,

“ there's-”

“ Oh my god!” Hope's heart skipped a beat, thinking Cecilia had figured it out, “ I forgot to text my mom back.” She hovered her finger over the phone, and listened for the voice aid to what's on the screen, but it was taking too long for hope, hope grabbed hold of Cecil’s arm, and with her other hand she turned her head. Locking lips for the first time. Hope felt a huge weight being lifted, but the fear of the result crept up from the pit of her stomach. Cecilia punted hope away gently, and tried to think of something to say, but she was at a loss for words. She almost wishes she could see at that moment to know if it was some kind of joke hope was playing, “ why did you do that?”

“ I'm sorry, just please don't stop being my friend.”

“ How can I be just a friend to you after that? You-”

“ Look it was nothing, it meant nothing! Please just don't leave me.” She was on the verge of tears from thinking of all the things Cecilia could have said, or did in that moment.

“ I think I'm gonna go hope after all.” Cecilia got up, and slowly made her way to the front door. Hope knelt on the floor of her bedroom, and cried uncontrollably.