Rescue
Josie did not want to cook which made her grateful when she arrived home and saw that Penelope had bought pizza for dinner. All the fundraiser planning had been taking a toll on Josie, she was practically working three jobs if you counted the volunteering. It had been a couple of days since she met Hope Mikealson but the girl would not stop texting her asking for help on a paper her teacher assigned her that could possibly lift her grade up a whole letter. Josie however wanted not to think of Hope and the paper, she decided it was best to leave her phone on silence and talk with Hope when she saw her Tuesday.
Penelope, her, and the twins decided that since they were too full to go to the park they would watch a movie instead. It was Josie's turn to choose the movie. In reality, she wanted to watch some Harry Potter but she knew that the twins would never sit through that. Josie settled for one of her Disney favorites she settled for watching The Aristocats.
Ten minutes into the movie there was a knock on the door. Josie looked over at Penelope to see if she would open the door but when she saw Emerson sitting comfortably on Penelope's lap she could not bring herself to make the older girl move when she looked so comfortable. Josie groaned when she got up, she really wanted to ignore the knocking but whoever it was, just wasn't giving up.
When Josie saw who was at her door she was surprised. Josie looked back to make sure Penelope and the twins were still into the movie. Josie stepped out closing the door behind her.
"I was right third time was a charm." Hope mumbled to herself. Had this apartment not been Josie's she was sure she would have given up on finding her.
"Excuse me?" Josie could not believe her eyes. She really thought she was dreaming.
"Look I'm sorry to just come out of the blue. I really need your help." Hope explained. "You haven't been answering my phone and my father said I could find you here." Hope had no idea why she was rambling. "You aren't answering my text and my paper is due in three hours. If I don't turn it in I won't be able to play tomorrow I just need your final approval on this."
Josie looked at the blue-eyed girl in disbelief, but she was also impressed. Hope made a better second impression than a first impression. Hope was showing her that she wanted to improve her grade but Josie was upset that Hope came all the way to her apartment.
"Fine." Josie agreed. "Never again are you to come to my apartment like this."
"It's not my fault you refused to check my paper. Had you pulled it up on your computer when-"
"Imma stop you there before you make a fool of yourself," Josie told Hope. "I don't have internet access at home. I usually check the papers of those I tutor by going to the public library or my school library. Hope after this me and you will not see each other unless it's Tuesday for our scheduled three-hour session."
Josie finished reading the paper. She handed it back to Hope and let her know that the paper was set to be submitted. She just reminded Hope to title her paper and make sure to put the class period the paper was for on her paper.
Deciding she needed to go back inside before her kids came out or Penelope did Josie said goodbye to Hope. Josie went to sit back down. She wanted to pay attention to the movie but she couldn't help but think of Hope Mikealson.
She felt bad for being rude to the girl. Josie was just surprised by her and more importantly, she wanted to keep her professional life and personal life separate. She knew that after the school year was over Josie would never see Hope again. This partnership was just temporary.
When the movie came to an end Josie and Penelope got ready for bed along with the kids.
"So what are you reading tonight mama?" Penelope asked her roommate.
"Snow-white," Josie answered as she grabbed the fairytale book from the nightstand in the room. Josie read the book until the twins were asleep. Once they were out she looked over Penelope who was focused on her.
"We need to talk." Josie felt her heart begin to race. No good information ever came after those words. "Maya asked me to marry her."
Josie smiled at the news. That was great, Penelope and Maya had been dating for nearly two years. What Josie did not get was why Penelope was so serious about it, if she was in Penelope's shoes she would be throwing a party.
"Why are you sad then P?"
"Jojo," Penelope took a second to find the right way to say her following statement. "She wants me to move in with her. I don't want to leave you alone. You need me."
"No. Don't do that Penelope." Josie could feel the tears, she always knew her and Penelope would go their separate ways, however, she did not think it would be so soon. "These kids, they are my responsibility. I can handle them on my own and you'll be right across the hall from me if I ever need your help I will call. You have already put too on hold for me. Penelope go be with Maya and for the love of god listen to her, reach out to your mom. You want her at your wedding."
Josie took Penelope's hand when she felt it on hers. This was not the end of their friendship but it was the end of their chapter together.
Even after Josie fell asleep Penelope refused to let go of her hand. Penelope sat there on the bed with two tiny humans in between her and Josie as she thought back to before her and Josie were just friends.
Josie had no idea how they ended up in this situation. Her and Penelope were so in love, they had been together for a year. She wanted to scream to yell to Penelope to give her a good explanation as to why Penelope wanted to take a break.
"What did I do wrong?" Josie hated how broken she sounded saying those words.
"Jojo you did nothing wrong," Penelope answered honestly. "My parents they want me to go home. They say they are ready to accept me. I want to go back but I think we need a break. To see what we really want."
"I want you." Josie bargained. "I want us. I want the life we talked about."
"I know." Penelope whispered. She could feel the tears. Since she left her house she had been working alongside Josie. They found this abanded house where they slept in and during the day they went to school. Penelope eventually convinced her mother to help her. Her mother found an apartment and paid the rent. That information however was not given to Josie. Of course, even though she was leaving Josie to see of her father had really changed she was going to make sure Josie stayed in the small apartment. She knew Josie could not go back to the system.
Josie spent the next three months going out to random parties she would find out about. At one of the parties, she met a boy named Landon. He showed Josie a whole different side of parties. He took Josie to private school parties in houses with pools and enough booze for Josie to drown her sorrows in.
When Penelope returned to the apartment Josie she wanted to run to Josie and beg her for forgiveness her father had not changed. He still refused to accept her for who she was. He even went as far as to try to send her to conversion camp which led to her running away again only this time her mother help her. Her mother assured her she would help her financially and check up on her every time she could.
Penelope did not get to beg Josie for forgiveness. When she returned Josie was different she was not the bubbly girl she remembered. Josie seemed more shut off as if at this point she was just surviving.
"Josie, you okay?"
Josie looked up at Penelope. She had really missed her ex, more than she would ever like to admit. When Penelope left something inside her broke. She tried going to look for Penelope but the girl was not successful.
"I think I fucked up." Josie mumbled. She had been crying for hours. She no longer had tears left to shed.
"What do you mean love?" Penelope was starting to worry. Josie had had her bad days but never like this. Penelope walked over to the bathroom where Josie pointed to. She walked in to see a pregnancy test on the sink. Penelope got closer and saw it was a positive test. She walked back to Josie. "What are you going to do?"
"I spoke to the father." Josie said. "He wants me to get an abortion. I wanted to get it. I went to the abortion clinic. I even made it all the way into the room. I don't know why Pen I couldn't do it. I'm so scared but I guess I'm going to be a mother because there is no way I'm going to let my kid go through the hell I went through."
Penelope sat next to Josie and hugged her. "I'll help. We will raise them like their ours. We'll get back together and as soon as we are eighteen we'll get married."
"No," Josie didn't mean to shout. "I will accept the help but they can't be ours. When you left me it broke something in me. I can't risk this baby losing you in the future if I fuck up. Or if we go our separate ways due to having another fight. I would love your help but it will have to be as friends. We can't date ever again."
Penelope agreed to what Josie told her. Maybe it was for the best that her and Josie remained friends.
Saturday morning Josie was on her own. Penelope was on her way to talk to her mother. Josie had to work, but she was able to get Lizzie to babysit. After her shift, Josie would meet Lizzie at her school. The Salvatore school was having a game against Josie school in flag football.
Josie was not really fond of sports but she would be attending the game for Lizzie and MG. MG was playing and well of course after they would go to dinner to catch up.
Josie stayed at work an hour more than what she would have liked. They were understaffed and she agreed to stay and help. She let Lizzie know not to worry that she would make it to the game before it ended.
When Josie made it to the game to somehow ended up on the wrong side. She ended up with the Salvatore school players instead of her school players. Josie looked over to the other side to see if she could spot Lizzie and she did. Lizzie was sitting on the other side, the side she was supposed to be on, with Emerson and Elliot.
"You lost baby?" Josie looked over to see where to voice was coming from. Josie also noticed that by the looks of the game the players were going on a break because they were headed off the field. Josie figured she could just run across the field. When she tried to walk Josie felt someone pull her back. "I ask you a question sweetheart."
"I'm good," Josie answered. She tried to get the boy to let go of her but he didn't. "Can I please have my arm back?"
"Sure, if I can get a kiss." Josie tried to break free but she was not successful. In the process, she had managed to drop her bag. When she tried to reach it the boy pulled her closer and tighten his grip on her arm.
"Jed let her go." Josie knew that voice. She has heard it before.
"Come on Mikaelson. Don't be a buzzkill." Jed told his team captain.
Josie watched Hope closely, she really had told the girl she did not want to see her unless it was for their study sessions but boy was she grateful that for some reason Hope came to her rescue. Josie smiled when she saw Hope take Jed by his other arm and twist it behind his back. By the groan coming from Jed, Josie knew Hope was hurting him.
"Don't make me tell you again." Hope threatened her teammate. "Let her go or I'll break your arm." Josie sighed when Jed let her go. "Josie grab your bag, I'll walk you to where you need to go."
Josie did not need to be told twice. She grabbed her bag and stepped closer to Hope. She explained to Hope how she needed to be with the other team. She needed to be with the Mystic Falls Wolves, not the Salvatore Stallions.
"You're not going to walk me to the team?" Josie asked when Hope stopped a couple of steps away from the Mystic Falls team.
"We're about to start the game again. I should go back to my team." Hope explained. "I'll see you Tuesday."
Josie walked over to Lizzie. She smiled when she noticed her kids. She never understood how Lizzie always managed to get the twins dressed, and hair brushed without a fight. Emerson and Elliot were in jeans with a black jersey that had the number seventy-five with the last name Greasley on it in white letters. Emerson's hair was nicely combed to the side, while Elliot's was in two pigtails. Of course, to tie the whole outfit together the kids had a black line on each of their cheeks.
"You're amazing Lizzie." Josie told her blonde friend.
"Tell me something I don't know," Lizzie answered with a chuckled. "What took you so long?"
"I got lost."
"In your own school?" Josie knew Lizzie was not buying her excuse.
"Fine, I ran into trouble but I was recused," Josie said. "Before you ask no I didn't get her number and it was just a one-time thing. A guy from your school was being a jerk." Josie censored herself from saying worst considering the twins were there.
"You're no fun," Lizzie complain. "Put on your jersey and sit down. The second half is starting."
Josie listened to her Lizzie and changed shirts. She did not have to go to the bathroom to change considering she had a tanktop on. Josie put on the jersey and sat down next to Lizzie. Sitting peacefully Josie felt a small tug on her jersey. She smiled when she saw her daughter. Josie took the girl and placed her on her lap. Emerson was already on Lizzie's lap so she knew the twins would not be fighting over her.
Josie did not understand much of the game but from what she could tell Hope was good. The Salvatore players were always passing the ball to her. It was like they depended on the girl to win the game for them.
When the game came to an end Elliot had fallen asleep. Josie knew her son would soon be falling asleep as well. It was well past their nap time. When MG joined them they agreed to go back to Lizzie considering her parents were out of town. Lizzie and her would go to Lizzie's house while MG went to get ramen from their favorite ramen hub.