Hope's Story II
Hope's Story Series Side Quest
Previous Hope's Story Quest: Hope's Story
Next Hope's Story Quest: Hope's Story III
Previous Hope's Story Quest: Hope's Story
Next Hope's Story Quest: Hope's Story III
Main Characters / Extra Characters
My Classmates
- Chelsea - Statton School for the Humanities
- Hope - Statton School for the Humanities
- Julian - Jock Guy
My Classmates
- Danny - Main Character - Nerd Guy
- Channing - Cheerleader Guy
- Kimia - Nerd Girl
Danny: Hope... what is it? What did Chelsea post?
Hope: I just... I just can’t deal with this right now!
Hope runs back to her room.
Danny: Okay... we’d better figure out how bad this is. We’ll give Hope a little while to cool off while we read what Chelsea and her friends posted...
Julian: I get the feeling I’m not going to like this...
After Danny and Julian read for a while...
Danny: This is horrible. Her diary for the last year is up here! Just paging through it, you can tell how personal this all is... And there are a ton of entries talking about how much she likes Asher!
Julian: Check out what people are writing about her on this site.
Danny: ‘Diary is PROOF she wanted Asher from day 1. LIAR.’ ‘Can’t believe she hooked up w Asher. trashy.’
Julian: ‘Hope acts innocent, but she’s totally shady. Disgusting.’
Danny: ‘UGLY girl. Can’t believe she got Asher to kiss her...’ Hope is right... this is even worse than before.
Julian: What a bunch of... I mean they’re... just picking on some innocent girl!
Danny: It’ll be okay... we’ll figure this out, I promise.
Julian: I’m not just going to sit here and read this!
Danny: Julian... we’ve already been through this. There’s no way Hope is going to open up to you if you just charge in, ready to pick a fight! This time, you’ve got to do it a little differently... You’ve actually got to calm down... and listen.
Julian: I... I’ll do my best.
Danny: Come on. Let’s go talk to Hope.
Julian: Open the door, Hope! We need to talk!
Hope: Why... so you can just yell at me more?
Julian: I’M NOT YELLING AT YOU!
Hope: You just yelled that!
Danny: Julian... just take a deep breath and try again.
Julian: It’s not that easy.
Danny: It’s okay. Take a little while and get yourself in a better headspace... Hope isn’t going anywhere.
Julian: Okay, Hope... I’m calm, okay? Now please let me in. We need to talk.
Hope: You’re sure yo won’t yell at me anymore?
Julian: I’m sure.
Hope: ...okay.
The three of you sit down on Hope’s bed.
Hope: I can’t believe how stupid I was... I didn’t even put a password on my laptop!
Julian: Hey, it’s not your fault... you couldn’t have known someone would steal it, right?
Hope: I just wish I’d protected myself a little better.
Julian: We can’t change the past, but we’re here now. It’s time to tell us the whole story... First, tell me more about this Asher guy.
Hope: Well... I liked him for a long time, but he always had a girlfriend...
Hope pulls up a picture of Asher on her laptop.
Julian: Looks like kind of a loser to me. I’m sure you can do better.
Hope: I don’t think you understand...
Julian: What’s there to understand? He’s not so great. Plus, he’s taken. Get over it.
Hope: ...
Julian: Okay. Now about all this stuff people are writing about you... You just gotta stop reading it. Forget these losers. Make some new friends.
Hope: It’s not that easy for me.
Julian: Sure it is!
Hope: ...
Danny: I don’t think this is going too well...
Julian: Forget about these losers writing this garbage!
Hope: I can’t just ignore them... How am I supposed to walk around school when so many people there hate me? How can I even EXIST knowing that they’ve written all these horrible things about me?
Julian: So what? It’s just words. It’s not like someone hit you.
Hope: Don’t you see? That would be so much better! That would only hurt for a second!
Julian: Are you serious?
Hope: You don’t understand... you’re a guy, and you’re popular. You have no idea what it’s like to be a girl... a girl no one likes.
Julian: I... I... I guess you’re right.
Danny: Julian, she IS right. You don’t know what she’s going through... As much as we want to help her, you and I aren’t the best people to talk to Hope right now... But I know a couple of people who might be able to do a better job!
Danny: Hey... I was wondering if you’ve ever been bullied online.
Kimia: Well, I’m a shy girl who spends most of her time on the internet. I’d say I’ve heard a COUPLE of mean comments.
Danny: What about you, Channing?
Channing: I’m a MALE CHEERLEADER. Yeah. You could say I get teased a little. Especially before I transferred here.
Danny: Well, would the two of you mind talking to Julian’s sister, Hope? She’s getting attacked pretty hard online... she could use some support.
Kimia: Of course I’ll help! No one should have to experience what I’ve gone through...
Channing: I’m in.
Danny: Sounds good! Let’s head over to Hope and Julian’s house...
Back at Hope and Julian’s house...
Danny: Hey, Hope... I brought over a couple of people who may be able to help.
Hope: I doubt it.
Kimia: I hear you’re getting bullied online?
Hope: Yeah...
Kimia: Well, you just met the queen of that. I’ve always been used to getting teased by the jocks at school because I’m good at math and like watching Star Trek: TNG reruns. But I never expected that I’d also get hated on by my fellow nerds! Do you know how many times I’ve been called a ‘fake geek girl’?
Hope: A lot?
Kimia: A lot of people who I THOUGHT were my friends all teamed up on me and made a whole website about how much they hated me... At one point it got so bad that I ended up in a really dark place... I didn’t leave my room for like a month. If my parents hadn’t stepped in and gotten me some help, I don’t know what might have happened...
Channing: ...and as a guy cheerleader, I’ve heard every insult you can imagine. In-person and online. For some reason, people think that who I’m dating, how I dress, and what I do in my free time is their business. I got called a lot of names online... and dealt with a lot of hate I didn’t deserve. I actually ended up getting help from a therapist. It didn’t make the bullies go away, but at least I’m better at dealing with them. It took me a long time to get comfortable with who I am... and it still hurts when I get insulted.
Hope: So what do you do?
Channing: Well, talking with friends like this is a god first step...
Hope: I guess so...
Channing: If you just need some time to yourself, we can take off...
Hope: No, wait... I want to hear more.
A little later...
Danny: Feeling any better, Hope?
Hope: I guess so... Kimia and Channing were really sweet to come and talk to me... But it doesn’t change what all those people online are writing. I feel like if I could just talk with Asher, maybe he could get Chelsea and their friends to stop hating me.
Danny: Do you really think he’ll listen?
Hope: I think so! I still believe he’s a good guy... just misunderstood, you know?
Danny: Maybe...
Hope: I was thinking of IMing him... Would you mind watching over my shoulder to make sure I type the right thing?
Danny: I’ll do what I can...
Hope: It looks like he’s online...
Hope13: Hey... have a few minutes to talk?
Ash_Cash_1: sure thing. sup?
Danny: Ask him if he knows about what people are writing online.
Hope: Okay... here goes nothing...
Danny: Okay... good luck, Hope. Just be straight with him and see what he says.
Hope13: Can you talk with Chelsea about everything she and her friends are writing online?
Ash_Cash_1: yeah right. not gonna get involved in that drama.
Danny: Don’t let him weasel out of this that easily!
Hope: I... I just have to make this clearer to him!
Hope13: Please please please say something. Have you read what they’re writing?
Ash_Cash_1: yeah. pretty funny.
Hope13: Funny?
Ash_Cash_1: don’t take it too seriously. it’s all just a joke anyway.
Hope13: Maybe to you.
Ash_Cash_1: like I said. girl drama.
Hope: He... he logged off.
Danny: Hope... I’m sorry.
Hope: I used to think... at least I thought Asher cared about me. For just a second after we kissed I saw this whole future in front of us where we were in love, dating... Now it’s clear... he and everyone else at school would be happier if I just disappeared.
Danny: Hope... I’m so sorry.
Hope: Thanks for trying to help... but this is just something I’ll have to deal with. You’ve done enough for now...
Danny: ...
A few days later...
Julian: Hey, Danny... I’m worried about Hope.
Danny: Any developments?
Julian: You could say that. Those online comments about her are worse than ever... ...and I’m pretty sure she’s not going to most of her classes! And she’s like a zombie at home... just looking at her computer and then staring off into space.
Danny: We can’t let things go on like this... I’ll go talk to her.
Later, at Julian and Hope’s house...
Danny: Hope, there’s got to be something we can do...
Hope: What’s the point? It’s never going to change. Maybe it would be easier for everyone if I just... left.
Danny: Please don’t say that. You’ve got a ton of people who care about you!
Hope: ...
Danny: I’ll go talk to Chelsea... I know I can get her to stop bothering you!
Hope: You’re welcome to try... for all the good it’ll do.
At Chelsea’s dance studio...
Danny: Chelsea, we need to talk.
Chelsea: You again... Hope’s friend. I should have known she was too pathetic to face me herself.
Kimia: This has gone far enough, okay? You have to stop.
Chelsea: Oh, I’m just getting started! Did you READ her journal?
Danny: You bet I did.
Chelsea: So you know she wanted to get with Asher for MONTHS. Then she hooked up with him at the party... and now SHE has the nerve to play the victim?
Danny: Look... I’m not going to say that Hope is totally blameless in all this... But isn’t there a point where the revenge is worse than the crime? If you could see the way she’s suffering...
Chelsea: What about MY suffering?
Danny: It’s just...
Suddenly, Julian rushes in...
Julian: Danny! You’ve got to help me! It’s Hope... She’s gone!
Danny: Hope’s just... gone?
Julian: She left a note... said she couldn’t take it anymore. I’m really worried about her. We need to go find her!
Danny: We’d better get going... now!
Chelsea: Wait.
Danny: What do you want?
Chelsea: It’s just... I never meant for it to go this far. If something happened to her...
Julian: ...it would be your fault.
Chelsea: Please. Please let me come with you and find her.
Danny: Like I said, we don’t have much time to waste... If you want to help look for her... we’d better go now.
Will Danny, Julian and Chelsea find Hope before something terrible happens? Find out in Hope’s Story III! and if you or someone you care about is dealing with cyberbullying, check out www.cybersmile.org! Cyber Smile provides support and advice to victims of cyberbullying. Find them online today!
Hope: I just... I just can’t deal with this right now!
Hope runs back to her room.
Danny: Okay... we’d better figure out how bad this is. We’ll give Hope a little while to cool off while we read what Chelsea and her friends posted...
Julian: I get the feeling I’m not going to like this...
After Danny and Julian read for a while...
Danny: This is horrible. Her diary for the last year is up here! Just paging through it, you can tell how personal this all is... And there are a ton of entries talking about how much she likes Asher!
Julian: Check out what people are writing about her on this site.
Danny: ‘Diary is PROOF she wanted Asher from day 1. LIAR.’ ‘Can’t believe she hooked up w Asher. trashy.’
Julian: ‘Hope acts innocent, but she’s totally shady. Disgusting.’
Danny: ‘UGLY girl. Can’t believe she got Asher to kiss her...’ Hope is right... this is even worse than before.
Julian: What a bunch of... I mean they’re... just picking on some innocent girl!
Danny: It’ll be okay... we’ll figure this out, I promise.
Julian: I’m not just going to sit here and read this!
Danny: Julian... we’ve already been through this. There’s no way Hope is going to open up to you if you just charge in, ready to pick a fight! This time, you’ve got to do it a little differently... You’ve actually got to calm down... and listen.
Julian: I... I’ll do my best.
Danny: Come on. Let’s go talk to Hope.
Julian: Open the door, Hope! We need to talk!
Hope: Why... so you can just yell at me more?
Julian: I’M NOT YELLING AT YOU!
Hope: You just yelled that!
Danny: Julian... just take a deep breath and try again.
Julian: It’s not that easy.
Danny: It’s okay. Take a little while and get yourself in a better headspace... Hope isn’t going anywhere.
Julian: Okay, Hope... I’m calm, okay? Now please let me in. We need to talk.
Hope: You’re sure yo won’t yell at me anymore?
Julian: I’m sure.
Hope: ...okay.
The three of you sit down on Hope’s bed.
Hope: I can’t believe how stupid I was... I didn’t even put a password on my laptop!
Julian: Hey, it’s not your fault... you couldn’t have known someone would steal it, right?
Hope: I just wish I’d protected myself a little better.
Julian: We can’t change the past, but we’re here now. It’s time to tell us the whole story... First, tell me more about this Asher guy.
Hope: Well... I liked him for a long time, but he always had a girlfriend...
Hope pulls up a picture of Asher on her laptop.
Julian: Looks like kind of a loser to me. I’m sure you can do better.
Hope: I don’t think you understand...
Julian: What’s there to understand? He’s not so great. Plus, he’s taken. Get over it.
Hope: ...
Julian: Okay. Now about all this stuff people are writing about you... You just gotta stop reading it. Forget these losers. Make some new friends.
Hope: It’s not that easy for me.
Julian: Sure it is!
Hope: ...
Danny: I don’t think this is going too well...
Julian: Forget about these losers writing this garbage!
Hope: I can’t just ignore them... How am I supposed to walk around school when so many people there hate me? How can I even EXIST knowing that they’ve written all these horrible things about me?
Julian: So what? It’s just words. It’s not like someone hit you.
Hope: Don’t you see? That would be so much better! That would only hurt for a second!
Julian: Are you serious?
Hope: You don’t understand... you’re a guy, and you’re popular. You have no idea what it’s like to be a girl... a girl no one likes.
Julian: I... I... I guess you’re right.
Danny: Julian, she IS right. You don’t know what she’s going through... As much as we want to help her, you and I aren’t the best people to talk to Hope right now... But I know a couple of people who might be able to do a better job!
Danny: Hey... I was wondering if you’ve ever been bullied online.
Kimia: Well, I’m a shy girl who spends most of her time on the internet. I’d say I’ve heard a COUPLE of mean comments.
Danny: What about you, Channing?
Channing: I’m a MALE CHEERLEADER. Yeah. You could say I get teased a little. Especially before I transferred here.
Danny: Well, would the two of you mind talking to Julian’s sister, Hope? She’s getting attacked pretty hard online... she could use some support.
Kimia: Of course I’ll help! No one should have to experience what I’ve gone through...
Channing: I’m in.
Danny: Sounds good! Let’s head over to Hope and Julian’s house...
Back at Hope and Julian’s house...
Danny: Hey, Hope... I brought over a couple of people who may be able to help.
Hope: I doubt it.
Kimia: I hear you’re getting bullied online?
Hope: Yeah...
Kimia: Well, you just met the queen of that. I’ve always been used to getting teased by the jocks at school because I’m good at math and like watching Star Trek: TNG reruns. But I never expected that I’d also get hated on by my fellow nerds! Do you know how many times I’ve been called a ‘fake geek girl’?
Hope: A lot?
Kimia: A lot of people who I THOUGHT were my friends all teamed up on me and made a whole website about how much they hated me... At one point it got so bad that I ended up in a really dark place... I didn’t leave my room for like a month. If my parents hadn’t stepped in and gotten me some help, I don’t know what might have happened...
Channing: ...and as a guy cheerleader, I’ve heard every insult you can imagine. In-person and online. For some reason, people think that who I’m dating, how I dress, and what I do in my free time is their business. I got called a lot of names online... and dealt with a lot of hate I didn’t deserve. I actually ended up getting help from a therapist. It didn’t make the bullies go away, but at least I’m better at dealing with them. It took me a long time to get comfortable with who I am... and it still hurts when I get insulted.
Hope: So what do you do?
Channing: Well, talking with friends like this is a god first step...
Hope: I guess so...
Channing: If you just need some time to yourself, we can take off...
Hope: No, wait... I want to hear more.
A little later...
Danny: Feeling any better, Hope?
Hope: I guess so... Kimia and Channing were really sweet to come and talk to me... But it doesn’t change what all those people online are writing. I feel like if I could just talk with Asher, maybe he could get Chelsea and their friends to stop hating me.
Danny: Do you really think he’ll listen?
Hope: I think so! I still believe he’s a good guy... just misunderstood, you know?
Danny: Maybe...
Hope: I was thinking of IMing him... Would you mind watching over my shoulder to make sure I type the right thing?
Danny: I’ll do what I can...
Hope: It looks like he’s online...
Hope13: Hey... have a few minutes to talk?
Ash_Cash_1: sure thing. sup?
Danny: Ask him if he knows about what people are writing online.
Hope: Okay... here goes nothing...
Danny: Okay... good luck, Hope. Just be straight with him and see what he says.
Hope13: Can you talk with Chelsea about everything she and her friends are writing online?
Ash_Cash_1: yeah right. not gonna get involved in that drama.
Danny: Don’t let him weasel out of this that easily!
Hope: I... I just have to make this clearer to him!
Hope13: Please please please say something. Have you read what they’re writing?
Ash_Cash_1: yeah. pretty funny.
Hope13: Funny?
Ash_Cash_1: don’t take it too seriously. it’s all just a joke anyway.
Hope13: Maybe to you.
Ash_Cash_1: like I said. girl drama.
Hope: He... he logged off.
Danny: Hope... I’m sorry.
Hope: I used to think... at least I thought Asher cared about me. For just a second after we kissed I saw this whole future in front of us where we were in love, dating... Now it’s clear... he and everyone else at school would be happier if I just disappeared.
Danny: Hope... I’m so sorry.
Hope: Thanks for trying to help... but this is just something I’ll have to deal with. You’ve done enough for now...
Danny: ...
A few days later...
Julian: Hey, Danny... I’m worried about Hope.
Danny: Any developments?
Julian: You could say that. Those online comments about her are worse than ever... ...and I’m pretty sure she’s not going to most of her classes! And she’s like a zombie at home... just looking at her computer and then staring off into space.
Danny: We can’t let things go on like this... I’ll go talk to her.
Later, at Julian and Hope’s house...
Danny: Hope, there’s got to be something we can do...
Hope: What’s the point? It’s never going to change. Maybe it would be easier for everyone if I just... left.
Danny: Please don’t say that. You’ve got a ton of people who care about you!
Hope: ...
Danny: I’ll go talk to Chelsea... I know I can get her to stop bothering you!
Hope: You’re welcome to try... for all the good it’ll do.
At Chelsea’s dance studio...
Danny: Chelsea, we need to talk.
Chelsea: You again... Hope’s friend. I should have known she was too pathetic to face me herself.
Kimia: This has gone far enough, okay? You have to stop.
Chelsea: Oh, I’m just getting started! Did you READ her journal?
Danny: You bet I did.
Chelsea: So you know she wanted to get with Asher for MONTHS. Then she hooked up with him at the party... and now SHE has the nerve to play the victim?
Danny: Look... I’m not going to say that Hope is totally blameless in all this... But isn’t there a point where the revenge is worse than the crime? If you could see the way she’s suffering...
Chelsea: What about MY suffering?
Danny: It’s just...
Suddenly, Julian rushes in...
Julian: Danny! You’ve got to help me! It’s Hope... She’s gone!
Danny: Hope’s just... gone?
Julian: She left a note... said she couldn’t take it anymore. I’m really worried about her. We need to go find her!
Danny: We’d better get going... now!
Chelsea: Wait.
Danny: What do you want?
Chelsea: It’s just... I never meant for it to go this far. If something happened to her...
Julian: ...it would be your fault.
Chelsea: Please. Please let me come with you and find her.
Danny: Like I said, we don’t have much time to waste... If you want to help look for her... we’d better go now.
Will Danny, Julian and Chelsea find Hope before something terrible happens? Find out in Hope’s Story III! and if you or someone you care about is dealing with cyberbullying, check out www.cybersmile.org! Cyber Smile provides support and advice to victims of cyberbullying. Find them online today!