Reviving Hope. (INCOMPLETE, BUT DONE)

The school days progressed and Ren and I spent more and more time with each other. I loved him more and more each day, and we'd said so to each other many times. One lunch, Beck, Gabby, Ren and I were all studying at free period. Just before, Gabby and I had endured five gruelling hours of Gym. Coach Sue was beginning to really breathe down our necks lately - we hadn't a clue why.

"Beckkkkk...... Why are you so good at Math..." Gabby wailed softly into the page of her Math book. He laughed and ruffled her hair affectionately.

"Gabssss.... Why are you so good at Gymmmmm...." Ren chuckled at this.

I doodled absent-mindedly on a sheet of paper. "You two are cute together." I gave a half-smile at Beck who gazed towards Gabby's (still buried in book) head.

"So are you two." Beck nodded towards Ren and me.

Ren laughed as I felt the blood tickle my cheeks. "We are?" I squeaked. I was never aware of how other people saw Ren and me, just of the way Ren made me feel. I felt Ren's arms suddenly around me.

"Hellz yeah." I could imagine the animated face on him. He punched the air and laughed.

"Ren, you're so stupid." I smiled softly and kissed his cheek.

Beck squealed. Yes. SQUEALED. "AW YOU'RE SO ADORABLE." He squirmed in his seat as Gabby's eyebrows shot up and her eyes bulged at his utter madness. She crossed her arms.

"What the hell was that?"

I leant across the table to Gabby. "I think he's got a bit of a... feminine side." I glanced at Beck who was looking from me to Gabby and back again.

"Whaa!??!" Beck, very pointlessly as he could do nothing about the thoughts that were probably going through Gabby's mind, slammed his head on the table and began explaining to Gabby that I was having a joke.

* * * *

As our final class of the day drew closer, Ren, Gabby, Beck, me and (soon) Teddy joined up outside.

"Hey guys." We greeted each other and began to head in the direction of the classroom.

"MISS JACOBS!" I spun around, still holding Ren's hand.

"Yeah...?" A slightly creepy looking, grey-blue haired boy with glasses and perfectly crisp shirt and tie, was running over to us.

"C...C.......C......." He panted. "Coach....Sue...Wanted...See... you!!" He gasped for air.

"Dude, you alright?" Ted whacked him on the back, almost sending him flying.

"....Yeeeh." He spluttered from the floor. I sighed and rubbed on of my temples, frowning at Teddy.

"Well, I'll have to go see what she wants..." I shook my head, waved everyone goodbye and headed off down the corridor, all the way onto the other side of campus - where Coach Sue was waiting.

* * * *

I pattered down the hall quietly, passing classes with people I recognised. The odd few nodded at me, waved or made an acknowledgment they'd seen me. I waved at them in return. As I approached Coach Sue's office, nearly twenty minutes after I'd left Ren and the others, I slowed down. Tapping on the door I heard a voice come from inside.

"Come in."

I placed my hand on the cold door handle and pushed it open. Coach Sue gestured for me to sit and the door to close. I did both and sat infront of her. Finally looking up from her magazine, Coach studied me for a few minutes. I blinked slowly.

"Coach, you said you wanted to see me...?"

She adjusted her plum-coloured glasses by pushing them thoughtfully up the bridge of her nose. "...Yes. I did." She stood up and walked out from behind her desk, clad in her favourite 'Gym Jersey' which had sewn on the back 'Try your best, beat the rest!'. She peered at me.

"You are dating Renzo Carter, are you not?" The question caught me off guard.

"No offence Coach, but isn't that a bit personal?" I bit my lip.

She moved slowly to her window. "You are dating Renzo Carter, are you not?" She repeated. I blinked.

"Yes." I squeaked. Why was she so interested!?

She sighed. "Ah... I was afraid you'd say that - although I kind of already knew..." She rubbed her temples slowly and resumed her seat behind her desk. "Hope... You could become an elite gymnast - you're already half way there..." I already knew this. "Do you remember what I told you when we first met?"

I nodded slowly. "You told me I had natural grace, honesty, flexibility and determination. Then you told me you'd adore to have me in the Gym team."

"That's right." Coach Sue leant back in her chair. "Do you remember reading the rules you had to abide?"

I blushed slightly. "N-Not really." Nervously, I bit my lip and laughed.

"Let me remind you." She opened her large folder that lived atop her desk. "Right... 'One'," She recited. " 'You mustn't join a Gym club aswell as the one at this school, as it is a club already. Two, you must keep your grades high in order to stay your highest. Three, you must tell your Coch when you worry you are getting too tall/large/thin. Four, you mustn't be too involved with a person'," As she began to recite the fifth and final agreement it hit me what it was. The only one I suddenly remembered.

" 'Five, Dating is completely forbidden, you must forget your boyfriend or girlfriend and carry on with your Gymnastics.' " She looked up at me. I stared back. "You do realise you and Ren are over?"

Suddenly everything ran at full pelt through my memory. The times together as kids; snowmen, schools, toys, sweets, sleepovers. Then the seperation when I moved. Then meeting again, the art room, the wedding, the beach... Our first kiss.

I shook my head furiously. Quietly I murmered, "No."

"What?" Coach asked me.

"I said: No."

"No?"

"No. No, no, no. NO." I stood up angrily with my bag over my shoulder as the school bell rang. "I SAID NO! Not after everything! I'm sorry Coach, I'd rather quit completely that give up what I have! You may get this reaction from girls everytime you tell them this, but I'm serious. I'll never let him go. Never!" I ran to the door.

"Miss Jacobs! Miss Jacobs!!! HOPE!!!" Coach yelled as I ran down the halls as students began to file from the classes. People, watching me running; watching the tears run down my red cheeks. Watching in worry, empathy - even though they hadn't a clue what was wrong. As I ran out into the parking lot, bag over shoulder, I saw Ren, Gabby, Beck and Ted. Ren smiled but it faded from his face as he saw my tears.

"Hope! What's wrong? Hope? Hope!" Calls of my name kept resonating around me but I didn't turn back.

Ren's smile echoed around my every turn; his eyes, his voice, his laughter. I ran all the way home, and I was terrified.

What had I done? Did I just throw my career away, in sake of my boyfriend..? Was there a choice?

Tears dripped from my chin onto my jeans and I let my bangs fall helplessly around my face,which was where they stuck. My eyelashes stuck together as I caught my reflection in in an empty picture frame.

What had I just done?