Chapter 2-Hate It When You See Me Cry by: Halestorm
13 Years Old/15 Years Old
It had been three years since the whole girls on the ceiling incident. From that day on, no one ever picked on Josie again. At least not where Hope could see it. And Heaven help it if you did and Hope found out. To say the least, people mostly left the brunette alone.
Hope and Josie never really got too much closer. The older girl never did come to collect her kiss. Josie wasn't sure if she was happy about that or not. On the one hand, she didn't want to kiss someone because she had to instead of wanted to. On the other hand, she has had a crush on Hope since she was eight years old.
Hope wasn't as stand offish as she used to be, but she wasn't really outwardly friendly either. Whenever she would actually leave her room and come to the dining hall, Josie had an open invitation to sit with her. But, it was rare these days that she ever came down.
Tragically, a week ago, it was revealed that Hope was a Mikaelson and a tribrid. This came on the back of the announcement that Hope had lost her mother.
Hope had been out of school and this was supposed to be her first day back. Josie hadn't seen her yet, but she was hoping that maybe if she stopped by later tonight, that Hope would open her door for her.
Josie had assisted her father picking out the flowers and card that they left for Hope in her room. Lizzie didn't understand.
"Why are you so obsessed with Hope? Especially now that you know that she comes from that family. They are all evil!"
"Elizabeth! I am shocked by you right now! She just lost her mother! How could you be so mean! And you don't even know her family. How would you like to be judge just because our Uncle Kai is insane?"
The blond twin looked down, and Josie could see the color painting her cheeks. She knew what it was like to be judged based on family.
"I know. I'm sorry. It's just that you spend all of your time talking about her and thinking about her. You really are obsessed."
"I'm not. I just think that she has had a rough time. Think about it. She could never really be close to anyone since she had to hide who she really was. That meant that she would either have to isolate herself or lie to any friends that she made about who she was. It's no wonder she avoided most people."
"You're right. But she didn't have to be so mean about it. I have tried to make friends with her. Heck, you are the closest anyone ever got. She will at least talk to you sometimes."
"I think that is because I never ask her extremely personal questions. We mostly talk about spells, books, music, movies and TV, and stuff like that."
"That is more than she talked about with me. They paired us together for History of Magic for a project, and all I ever got were one word answers, and directions."
"Well, that is something. When Penelope got paired with her, all she did was grunt at her."
Lizzie laughed at that. She never liked the raven haired witch. She thought that she was the Queen of the school.
"Well, that makes me like her better."
Josie shook her head with a little smile. She turned back to her desk where she was trying to finish a note that she was writing for Hope. She wanted her to know that she was there for her, even if she didn't want to open her door. When she finished the note, she whispered a time delayed spell.
"I'll be back later. I'm going to go an attempt to check on Hope."
"Good luck, and Jo, tell her that I'm thinking of her too. I know we may not be friends, but you're right. She hasn't had it easy. If she needs friends, I'll be there for her too."
Josie smiled at her twin and rushed over to give her a hug. She loved it when Lizzie let her walls down and showed her caring side. Mostly, she was the only one to see it.
"But if she tells anyone that I'm soft, I'll take the bitch down."
The brunette just smiled and shook her head as she walked down the hall to the tribrid's room. Standing outside the door, she took a deep breath and knocked.
"Go away Alaric. I don't want to talk."
"Um, it isn't dad. It's Josie."
"Jo… I'm not really feeling up for visitors now."
"I understand. I just wanted to check on you and to let you know that I am here if you need anything."
Silence was all that was heard from the other side of the door. Josie shook her head and sat down on the floor towards the right side of the door.
Taking the note that she wrote out of her pocket, she slipped it halfway under the door. She thought that she would give it a minute to see if Hope saw the note, before she pushed it all the way in.
Within a minute, the note was pulled into the room.
Hope,
I know that you don't want to see anyone right now and that you want to hide away in your room with your pain. I want you to know that I am here for you if you ever want to talk, or if you don't want to talk and just want to sit in silence staring into space with someone. Just call out for me and I'll be there.
Yours Always,
Josie
Seconds after reading the note, the time activated spell erupted. From the note, a short hologram appeared. It was of Hope and her mother. It was a memory of the two from the weekend after Hope had put the girls on the ceiling. It was the moment that Hayley had told Hope that she was proud of her for defending someone else.
Josie had learned this spell and had been practicing it all week. She remembered this moment so clearly. It was the first time that Hope had let her in, even a little. She introduced her to Hayley and told her that Josie was the girl that she had been defending.
Josie had been sat there, outside the door for probably thirty minutes, when she heard the sniffling.
"Hope, I'm here for you. You aren't alone. I just wanted you to know that I'm still here."
"Josie, I…I want to let you in, but I don't want anyone to see me like this."
"I'm not anyone, and I would never judge you for crying. She was your mother, of course you are going to cry."
A few minutes later, the door cracked open. Josie looked into the crack and then slipped through before the door quickly shut.
Looking down, the younger girl saw her sort of friend in a ball on the floor. She leaned down and raised her hand so as not to scare the girl by touching her without her knowing or consenting.
"Do you want to go sit on your bed? You would probably be more comfortable."
Hope looked up at the brunette. She couldn't find words so she just nodded. Josie gave her a hand to help her stand up and led her over to her bed. After she laid her down and brought the covers up to tuck her in, she went to the bathroom and grabbed a box of tissues and a washcloth that she had wetted.
Sitting in front of the other girl, she wiped her face with the washcloth and then handed her the box of tissues.
"I hate it when people see me cry. I don't want them to think that I'm weak. I'm not weak."
"Hope, listen very carefully to me. You are not weak just because you are crying. It takes a lot of strength to allow yourself to feel your pain and grief. Your mother was an amazing woman. She will be missed by everyone who knew her."
Hope looked at Josie and in that moment felt a wave of understanding and empathy flowing from the younger girl. She sat up and placed the box of tissues on her night stand. She then took the wash cloth and set it aside too.
Taking Josie hand in her own, she pulled the girl a little closer and started into her eyes. There was no pity there for which the older girl was thankful. She would not be pitied.
"Will you stay with me tonight? I don't want to be alone."
"Of course I will Hope. I will always be here for you. All you have to do is ask, and in some cases, you don't even have to do that."
Leaning forward, Hope placed a gentle kiss on Josie's lips. It was a little more than the one they shared three years ago, but still soft and sweet.
When the older girl pulled back, she opened her eyes to see that Josie's were still closed. Hope reached out to push a strained of hair behind the girl's ear and to cup her cheek with her hand.
"I waited as long as I could to collect that kiss. I wanted to right away, but I knew that I only got one, it was important to save it."
Josie blinked her eyes open to look at the girl in front of her. How was she going to spend the night after that kiss? Hope was just looking at her like she held all of the answers.
"Um…d-do you, um… do you have some pjs I can borrow?"
"They're in my top draw on the left. You can change in the bathroom."
Josie stood to collect the pjs and to change. While in the bathroom she stared at herself in the mirror.
'You've done it now. You had a crush before, you are so screwed now. How are you supposed to go out there and spend the night with her?'
Shaking her head, she quickly changed before taking a steading breath and walking back into the room. She was stealing herself for anything.
When she looked at the bed, what she saw was that Hope was already asleep. She was so exhausted. Smiling, the younger girl climbed into bed beside her, trying to make sure to leave space so that she didn't touch and cause this to be awkward.
That went out the window when Hope rolled over and grabbed Josie around the middle pulling her in close. She tucked the girl into her chest and cuddle her like a teddy bear.
Smiling to herself, Josie had to keep herself from laughing. Who would have thought that Hope was a cuddler?
Wrapping her arms around the other girl, the brunette buried herself in to her warmth. She had no idea what this would do for their friendship, but she hoped that this would be a starting point for them to have something more.
T.B.C.