Burning Hope

Groaning I slammed my fist down on the annoying alarm that was ringing next to my head. I sit up slowly and stretched my arms above my head, letting my limbs crack and pop with satisfaction. I yawned as I finally decide to step out of the comfort of my bed and lazily make my way to my dresser. Pulling out a white T-shirt, dark washed out skinny jeans and a pair of boxers, I walk into my bathroom that is within my room and set my clothes on the counter. I looked at my reflection and laughed at myself. My light brown hair is in disarray on my head. Rolling my blue eyes at my reflection and I turned around and turned on the shower. After I cleaned myself up I put on my clothes and headed downstairs for breakfast. The smell of bacon and eggs invades my nose and I nearly moan. I smile at my mom and sit down at the table.

“Jamie’s here, Kyle,” she said as she walked over to the table and sat down some glasses and plates, “He’s in the family room talking with your father about another crazy idea of his,” she rolled her eyes and laughed.

“Of course he’s at it again,” I giggled to myself, “He never stops dreaming does he?” I say more to myself since my mom was back to focusing on making food. I get out of my seat and make my way to the family room where I see my father and that familiar head of dark brown hair.

Jamie Rodriguez. He’s about six feet two, a good eight inches taller than me and built, but not like a muscle man. I find those guys gross looking. He has dark green eyes that always glisten with excitement and he can make anyone’s day brighter. I smiled devilishly to myself as I crouched down and pounced on the unexpected Jamie in front of me. He yelped and falls off the foot stool he was sitting on and my father laughed.

“Good morning to you too hun,” Jamie laughed as I rolled off him.

“What brings you here bright and early Jamie?” I asked him, “It’s not like you to be an early bird.”

“I got this great idea Kyle!” he announced and my father and I rolled our eyes.

“Yeah, like the time you had a ‘great idea’ and jumped off a roof top to land in a pool,” my father began with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes, “And that plan put you in the hospital for months.”

Jamie waved his hands dramatically at my father and I, “Stop! I know that plan failed just hush and let me finish!” he pouted, “Anyways though I do have a great idea. I don’t want to go to college; I want to become an artist. A singer! I want to play my guitar and sing my heart out and I’m going to start out in Hollywood.”

My palm came in contact with my forehead, “Are you serious Jamie? How on earth do you expect that to happen?” my father left the room so I could deal with my crazy boyfriend. I sighed as Jamie bites his lip as he always does when he’s excited about an idea he gets.

“I swear this will work though Kyle, please?” Jamie pleads with me and I rolled my eyes, “Can you be the one to believe in me?”

I grabbed his hands and squeezed them tightly, “Of course I have faith in you, I’ll always support you in everything. Even if it sends you to the hospital, you goof.”

Jamie gave me a quick peck on the lips before my mother called us both for breakfast. We ate quickly since we are now running late for school and might miss the bus. Jamie and I waved goodbye to my parents and dashed out the door and towards the bus stop. We made it with little time to spare and jumped on the bus.

When the bus pulled up to the school, Jamie and I rushed off of it to find our friends Ashley Livingston and Richard Winters. They’ve been our best friends since Freshmen year. We’ve done everything together and have been inseparable since.

“Ky! Jamie!” we both heard a familiar female voice call out to us. Down the hallway I see a head of short blonde hair, red stained lips in a smile, bright brown eyes and a small body running down the hallway. When she reached us she jumped on me and wraped her arms and legs around me in a hug.

“You guys happy to know it’s our last day of school!” she shouted as I put her down on the ground, patting her head. I maybe five-six, but she’s bite size only five foot one.

“Hi shorty,” Jamie snorted and Ashley punched him in the gut, “Yes we are,” Jamie smiled at her, “I got plans for my life already.”

Ashley rolled her eyes and sighed, “Of course you do Jamie, when don’t you?”

I laughed and smiled at Jamie, “Yeah she has a point Jamie.”

“Hey guys!” we all heard Richard call out to us. His long reddish brown hair, bright smile and dark blue eyes stand out in the crowd of people. He’s about Jamie’s height and is built like him too. Secretly we know that he likes Ashley, but has yet to make a move on her. If he doesn’t soon he’ll miss his chance.

“Hey Richard,” I greeted as we all started walking down the hallway side by side, like old times.

“You all excited to be finally getting out of the hellhole?” he beamed.

“Fuck yeah we are!” Ashley cheered, “And Jamie of course has another plan of his.”

“Let’s hope it works this time, bro,” Richard slapped Jamie’s back hard and he stumbled forward.

Ashley and I say bye to Richard and Jamie since we don’t share this block with them, and head to our last class of the year. Honestly I’m excited that this is my last year in high-school, I can’t wait to start college. I applied myself to one of my favorite colleges in California and I hope that I get accepted. Ashley and I got our seats quickly near the back of the room. I don’t know why we always sit back here, but that’s just what we’ve always done.

“So what are you planning on aiming for in college?” Ashley asked.

“I want to be a vet,” I shrugged, “You know me. I’ve always had a love for animals”

Ashley laughed, “That is true.”

“Yeah,” I blushed slightly, “And about Jamie’s plan, he wants to get into Hollywood. I’m pretty sure he’s telling Richard all this as we speak. He wants to become a famous singer. I want to support him on this, but I feel like he’ll just get screwed over.”

She rubbed her forehead and sighed, “Boy, he can dream. I mean the idea is overall stupid, but I’m not going to stop him it’s impossible otherwise.”

I dropped my head on the desk with a loud ‘thud’. She’s right regardless of what anyone has to say, Jamie will do what he wants. He’s not afraid of failing or doing anything dangerous. In a way he is stupid, a complete dumbass that will put his life in danger for a dream he wants. I lost count of how many times I visited him at the hospital for his reckless acts. He needs to learn fear, I swear.
Being lost in my thoughts class time went by in a blur and soon we’re at lunch eating away at the awful food. I sighed and picked at my food as Jamie talked about his Hollywood plan.

“Dude, you’re going to get so fucked if you do something like that,” Richard laughed.

“Am not!” Jamie countered.

“Are too loser!” Ashley shouted, “Your plans never work. What makes you think this one will?”

“I’m not sure, I guess I feel like it will this time,” Jamie shrugged, “But if you don’t believe in me then at least I have Kyle.”

“Yeah, yeah always Jamie,” I smiled at him and he kissed my forehead. He childishly sticks his tongue out at Richard and Ashley and they both give him the finger. My friends, I love them so much I don’t know what I’d do without them.



I yawned loudly as I plopped down on my bed after a long day of school. The first day and last days always seems like the longest days. I felt a dip in my bed and hear a string being plucked from a guitar. Jamie came home with me today, excited to sing me a song he wrote one day when he ran away from home. He doesn’t have the best relationship with his parents; they act like annoying roommates more than anything. Jamie had to grow up fast and take care of himself while his parents wasted their money on drugs, alcohol and going out to parties. Jamie had to spend most of his time with me and it’s not like I minded. I loved his company since I’m an only child and my parents worked. Anyways getting back on to topic when Jamie ran away he barely knew me so that’s the only reason why he didn’t come to me first. He took some money from his parents and spent a few nights until the amount of money ran out at the hotel and wrote songs. Songs of course I’ve never heard of until tonight. I sat up from and crossed my legs to face Jamie. He smiled at me and held the guitar on his lap.

“I haven’t named this song,” he blushed slightly, “I wrote it with you in mind. All the long talks on the phone with you inspired me to write.”

I bit my lip and smiled, “T-This is about me?”

Jamie nodded as he strummed the first chord of the song and then his heavenly voice made its way into my ears. Now this is the first time Jamie knows I’ve heard him sing, other times he would think he’s alone in my room and he’ll sing random tunes. I could hear his voice and it made my heart melt. Its beautiful and I hope he does become a singer.

“So let’s keep this conversation lingering on,” he sang and I blushed, “Don’t say goodnight, not while I am gone. This will be a long, long ride. And I’ll be dreaming of coming home, and when you are alone tonight I’ll be writing you another song.”

Biting my lip I think back to the long conversations Jamie and I had while he was at that hotel. He had told me about his life, about why he acts out the way he does. Jamie just wanted someone to notice him and well eventually he realized that I did. We’ve been dating for two years now and everything’s just wonderful with him.

“Keep your eyes on the road, we’re gonna make it out of this town,” he sang softly as his fingers glided across the neck of the guitar, “Keep your eyes on the road, we’re gonna make it out of this town. We could run away. Away,” he looked at me with such love in his eyes and continues singing, “I’m gone! This will be a long, long ride. Long ride. I’m dreaming of coming home! Home…home, I’m writing you another song.”

He finished his song and smiled widely at me. I giggled and felt a blush make its way upon my face.

“So what did you think?” Jamie asked and I leaned in to kiss him passionately on the lips.

“I loved it,” I whispered to him as he gently placed the guitar on the ground.

“I bet you love me more, right?” he said in a husky voice as he climbs on top of me.

“More than anything in this world, Jamie,” I wrapped my arms around his neck and pull him down for a kiss.