Coming Together
Josie was taking a walk around the lake when she found Maya sitting on the small dock, her gaze lost on the lake. The brunette realized that she seemed lonely and wondered if she had someone who cared for her besides Hope.
"Hey" greeting Josie
"I was leaving," Maya said as she tried to stand up.
"why?" Josie stopped her "I think there's plenty of space for both of us"
Maya smiled.
"How was New York?"
"As always" She reject the question "how was everything around here?"
Maya laughed humourlessly and looked out at the water, feeling more self-conscious than she wanted to show. She shrugged and tried to make it look like what had happened was no big deal.
"Well, if you say that a fight with the wolves that ended with Mg dead for a few minutes as normal in school, then it was all great"
Josie smiled sympathetically.
"Well, I assure you it was the most normal week they have had, since the Malivore thing"
"You know Hope thinks I'm doing this to get attention, but I know what’s being at the bottom of the food chain at school and I don't want to go back there."
Josie looked at her understandingly.
"I can understand that"
Maya was about to say something else when a voice interrupted her.
"You didn't tell me you were back," Hope said.
"I think I'll go see MG" Maya said before getting up and leaving the couple alone.
"Yeah, well, you didn't tell me that your ex-boyfriend was alive and staying with you, so…" she shrugged coldly.
Hope shuddered at the cold in her voice.
Josie stood up and finally faced her.
"How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough to see you connect with my roommate in a way that I haven't been able to" she answered quietly.
Hope had been looking for the brunette since Landon told her she’s come back, just arrived at the dock when she saw Josie talk to Maya effortlessly, giving her what the werewolf needed: understanding.
"It wasn't a big deal"
The fact that she believed that, was one of the reasons she loved her. She took a step toward her, wanting to erase some of the pain she had inadvertently caused.
"Josie ..."
"Don't do it" said the brunette harshly and the tribrid stopped, but it still felt like she was too close, so Josie step back. Her back was straight and her shoulders tight as she told herself forcefully that the best way to deal with this, was to pretend it hadn't been a big deal. She could never look Hope in the eyes again if she knew how much she'd hurt her.
She took a deep breath, hoping her voice didn't reveal the weakness she felt.
“Look, Hope, I've already spoken to Landon, so there's no need for explanations. We went to the beach and had a picnic, it's not like it meant anything ... "
She stopped when she felt her hand between hers and looked anywhere but at the tribrid's face, she didn't want to see the guilty regret she was sure to find on her face.
Hope watched as Josie avoided her gaze with determination, tears shining in her eyes. She lifted her hand and cupped her face, her thumb brushing her cheekbone.
Unable to stop, her eyes closed, her breathing unsteady as she felt Hope closer.
The tribrid looked at her. She was so beautiful, she thought, and she wouldn't let her believe for another second that what they had wasn’t important.
"It meant everything," she whispered.
The tribrid captured her lips with hers and the brunette moaned when she felt Hope's lips move gently over her mouth in a kiss that soothed her as much as it moved her. Josie sighed, letting her body relax against the tribrid's.
Her arms slid around her neck and her fingers tangled in her hair, anchoring her to her. But before she could completely lose herself in her arms, an unpleasant thought surfaced in her mind: Landon. She leaned back.
"Hope, wait. What about Landon? "
Hope wrapped her arms around Josie's waist, refusing to let her go.
“Landon came in the morning after talking to you. He told me that he faked his death, well, not everything, he actually died, but apparently he’s a phoenix now, so he’s immortal, he was hiding from a secret organization, but he came back, then we could be together” she felt Josie tense and tightened her grip cautiously, she wouldn't let her run away before she had a chance to explain herself “but that's not what I want, Josie"
She took a deep breath.
"I don’t love him anymore. The only reason I told him that he could stay with me was to keep him safe and because there was no room" She hesitate not wanting to tell her what had happened, but she couldn't hide it from her " when I told him that things had changed, he kissed me and he asked me if I was sure "
"and?" Josie didn't know if she wanted to know the answer.
Hope looked into her eyes seriously.
"I told him that I was more sure of you than anything else in my life, he left, I don't know if he would stay at school"
"Good" said the brunette passing her arms around the tribrid’s shoulders.
"Josie, there is so much I want to tell you, so much that I ..."
She shook her head, stopping her words.
"There are only two things I want to know right now. First, are you sure about Landon? I mean, I've been watching the drama between you, guys. And the thing is, no matter what who else gets involved it always goes back to Hope and Landon" She gave her an understanding smile "I know how you let guilt lead you, Hope, and I don't want that to be the reason you’re here with me, instead of him"
"It's not," she said firmly, "Landon was part of my dream of wanting to be normal and when I was with him, a part of me still felt like I was still chasing the dream. I don't feel that way when I'm with you. Trust me. Josie and Hope are stronger than Landon and Hope. I know who I love, Jo and I have her in my arms right now "
It was a risk, she knew. She could end up being nothing more than a second choice, worse yet, Hope might leave her one day. She had been abandoned by everyone she cared about, her mom spending most of her time in Europe, her dad keeping school, Penelope breaking up their relationship, even Lizzie when she was hunting for a new boy, but something told her that, if Hope left her, it would hurt more than anything else. But when she looked into those blue eyes, she knew she couldn't get away from her. She would take a chance with both of them together. Maybe Josie and Hope really were stronger. She said softly, "Okay"
the tribrid exhaled in relief, then her jaw clenched. She wanted to do this right, she didn't want there to be anything between them. "But Josie, there’s something I need to tell you…"
Josie stopped her words with a kiss, a lightness in her heart that completely erased the pain. She leaned back in her arms and raised a mischievous brow.
"Keep your big, deep, dark secrets, Hopey. All I want to know right now is if you can keep your promise."
Her brow furrowed in confusion.
"What are you talking about?"
"Well," she let her fingers run in the hair at the back of her head as she said with an air of mock seriousness, "a certain girl promised to take me out on a date, and I just wondered if she still remembered”
Hope smiled at her and held out her hand. "There is nothing I would like more than to go to the festival with you, but first, don't you want to go to dinner with me?"
"Maybe," she admitted with a cheeky grin, "but you didn't say the magic word."
Hope brought their bodies closer.
"I didn't, huh?"
She shook her head and bit her lower lip.
"Nope."
Hope leaned in, letting her mouth travel her jaw and down her neck as she whispered, "Please?"
Josie swallowed and opened her eyes without realizing she had closed them. She saw Hope smiling at her and cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure.
"Nothing like a magic word, huh?"
the tribrid chuckled.
"Now, take me to dinner, Hopey"
Hope rolled her eyes at the nickname, but she couldn't be happier.