| Hope Barimen is a sim who finds herself so deep into a bad situation, that giving up and sinking even lower seems far easier, and possibly more desirable, than going through with the effort of pulling herself back up. |
 |
| It started the evening after talking with Michael Nava at school. Despite her better judgement, she decided to take some very expensive wine from the house, and sneak out to a party at an address she did not recognise. She felt uncomfortable with the rather seedy-looking crowd that had gathered at the old, abandoned Goth Manor. She had tried a number of times to find the willpower leave. But she could not do it. And although she had not participated, Michael had kept her entranced with the wanton, and at times illicit, activities going on at the party. He waited until after the guests had all passed out before he made his own move. |
 |
| It was a matter of simple luck that saved Hope from Michael’s lusting appetite after the party. She has no way of comprehending just how closely she had averted tragedy, just then. Thanks to Michael’s little brother, it is a topic that will never have to be discussed. It had not occurred to her to ask Richard why he was wearing pajamas during his brother’s birthday party at the old Goth Manor. Having run from the mansion, sporting a bloodied nose and bruised face, she was purely focused on driving home and thinking of some way to explain her injuries in the morning. But her high performance sports car, worth well over one-hundred-thousand simoleons, is no longer where she had left it parked. |
 |
| And this is where she finds herself, currently. Standing alone, outside the overtaken Goth Manor, at the break of day, and with no way to get home. A reasonable solution might be to call her parents, or possibly her Aunt Mary. But then she would have to explain how she snuck out after curfew, to attend a birthday party at a vacant mansion, to be with a boy who had caused her to betray her family a number of times. And what’s more, is that it was an intoxicated Michael Nava, now an adult, who attacked her during an alcohol fueled, lust-crazed confrontation. Michael doesn’t stand a chance should she decide to give a truthful account of the evening. Her parents are both cops, and he would be persecuted from here to Strangetown. And if her father decided to go on the warpath, there would not be much left of Michael afterwards. |
 |
| Hope understands the gravity of situation. But her mind begins to wander down a dangerous line of thought, providing the momentum to push her beyond the tipping point. She cannot stop thinking about him. What she said to Michael before he hit her was no accident. She loves him. The only valid explanation (in her own mind) for what happened earlier, is that the combination of alcohol and her own stupid attachment to some useless, ridiculous morality, finally drove him to snap. The things she saw at the party shocked her at first. It was unlike anything she had ever imagined. It was raw, lewd, unabashed decadence taken to an extreme and flaunted fearlessly; proudly, even. And now that the imagery has had some time to incubate in her head, she wants to experience more. She knows it is a spit in the face to everything she has ever been taught about her faith. But she has had a small taste of the wilder side, and she contemplates how easy it would be to turn her back and live that kind of life. |
 |
| This thought is accentuated by the sound of her car’s engine roaring to an idle as it drifts wildly off the road and into the Goth Manor driveway. She stands frozen as the vehicle comes to a stop just inches from hitting her. The driver’s side door opens to reveal Michael. He stands for a moment, perplexed and expressionless, but then walks casually toward her. |
 |
| He absently touches her bruised face, then asks if she will forgive him. As tears trail down her cheeks, she asks flatly if he loves her. Michael manages a rather convincing smile as he assures her that he does so more than anything else in the world. He kisses her firmly on the mouth and immediately recognises opportunity when she returns the gesture with urgency. |
 |
| In a low growl, he voices his observation that she liked what she saw last night at his party; describing in vivid detail some of the more graphic displays his “friends” had engaged in. She is too ashamed to speak, but she nods her head. He laughs out loud and tells her that he can show her things that make this party look like a church function. All she has to do is give him the word. |
 |
| Michael has provided the tinder and fuel; all she needs to do is choose to strike the match. He smiles an especially grievous smile as the fateful words leave her trembling lips. |
 |
| “Take me” |
Stories by Zoxell 
Oh. My. Gosh.
Noooooo!
LikeLike
I read this earlier, but as always, I’m in a state of despair for Hope! When is she going to learn! I just hope she doesn’t carry this too far…When I was younger (I’m 20 now…I was only in high school), I slept with a girl I barely knew. She ended up getting pregnant and had a son (Kyle). I loved him to death, but many months later, they both died in a fire. I’ve felt tremendous guilt ever since. It’s been years, but I still go to counseling. (Remember the Bakers? The first part of the story was inspired by a true life event…) Luckily, I had wonderful parents and though I thought I’d known Christ, I truly became a Christian in the aftermath of that tragedy. I use this as my testimony because I don’t want someone else to literally hit rock bottom before turning to Him who saves. I just hope nothing of the sort happens to Hope…
LikeLike
That is absolutely heart wrenching to read, I am so sorry! Your son and his mother will be in our prayers. I honestly cannot imagine having to go through such a thing.
Hope’s story does have some basis in a story from the Bible. We have one child who continuously disappoints, then turns her back. And a child who is the picture perfect example of goodness… In the end, Hope still turns out to be the heiress…
LikeLike
Hope certainly has a knack for resisting being saved from difficult situations. Tsk.
LikeLike
Michael really does have a grip on her. In her mind, she was the one who caused the fight. The poor thing just does not see what is going on.
LikeLike
That last photo is absolutely breathtaking and, I think, the climactic point of this chapter. Hope has far too much of her namesake; she is optimistic to the point of stupidity and blindness and I really hope that she winds up living up to the Barimen name in the end.
LikeLike
Oh no….I am in such shock I cant speak….
I cant believe that Hope would give him the permission…, would go against everything she was taught, believed in. Oh no…Hope what are you doing!?
LikeLike
NOOO Hope! What was she thinking ! 😦 She really does get herself into the horrible situations .. I just hope things turn out better for her! Who knows what Michael’s capable of doing!
xcin100x
LikeLike