After The Fall

'Berto shifted the bags he was carrying into one hand as they headed down the hall. He'd ended up with considerably more than one dress and a pair of heels, accumulated across the afternoon at an assortment of stores from clerks displaying varying degrees of disapproval. Though most, to be fair, had disapproved of their occasionally somewhat disruptive good cheer than the fact that he was trying on and purchasing women's clothing.

"Your room or ours, menina?" he asked, smiling at Hope. "I assume you will wish for a fashion show, sim?"

It felt like one thing had happened just for something else to change. Hope was usually a little bit better about springing back from things, but this was a little much. Back home where they were out in the open there wasn't this much attention. Of course they hadn't just shown one day after being gone for years there.

What she really wanted was to talk to Lizzie or Daniel. Neither of them were there. She could go hunt down her Berto or Jay, of course, but she was less thrilled at the idea of whizzing around through walls here. It was harder to know if she was going to go short out electronics or people. Plus it was sort of rude.

Hope tucked her legs against her chest and rested her head on her knees, just looking out the rec room window, honestly surprised that it was as quiet as it was.

Another summer and another trip to Rio. It was almost as though they were--gasp!--starting to become a little predictable. If anyone had said this to her, however, Hope would have defended them by saying that the Occasionally Judgmental Breakfast Club was never predictable. No, they just liked to be traditional in some things. One of those tried and true blue traditions was Rio. It was starting to become a third (or fourth, fifth, sixth because Hope lost track of all the places that she had deemed a home away from home over the years) home to her.

They hadn't quite taken off or even boarded yet, and Hope was sitting, straw hat already perched on her head, talking into her cell phone. "I don't know why you're acting like this is such a big deal, Danny. It's Rio. It's summer. We go to Rio. In the summer. This is just like always." She paused, pressed her lips together and then shot an apologetic look at Jay and `Berto. Her brother was apparently never going to stop being jealous of the amount of time she spent traveling with her best friends.

Speaking of best friends, where had Lizzie gotten off to? Hope craned her head around in an attempt to look through the crowd, but it didn't help. Between being seated and still being tiny, she didn't have luck scoping places out. Phantom form would have done the trick, but then she would drop the phone. It wasn't worth it. Lizzie would be along, and they wouldn't leave without her.

"Danny, I have to go," she said, cutting off her brother's tirade about yet again being abandoned. "I am not going to fall behind on my studies. I never have before. This isn't any different. Hanging up. Hanging up. Love you. I'll call soon. Bye. Bye." Hitting the end button, she powered the phone down and tossed it into her messenger bag.

Springing up, she laced her arms through those of her companions. "Should we go on a mission to find our long lost compatriot? It's been an awfully long time, and I'm beginning to worry that some dashing corsair might have stolen her away body and soul."