Searching for Always and Forever

Chapter 33

The next two weeks went by without any storm brewing around Hope. Her relationship with Grace was better than ever. She felt truly free around her, without any secrets at all. Grace wasn't only her sister, but she was Hope's best friend and they could truly talk about anything. They didn't see Lizzie for the past weeks. The rumor was that she was suspended but no one really knew why. Hope and Grace were both happy they didn't have to see the blond witch around school and they were glad at least she got some kind of punishment for what she did... unlike Klaus Mikaelson. Hope hadn't seen him since that night. Not that she wanted to, but she often wondered about why he was there in the first place.

Hope didn't close away from Freya. She had no reason to. Beside the fact that she was utterly wrong about Klaus, there was nothing else that would indicate she wasn't genuine towards Hope. And since that day in the woods, Freya never tried her sweet talks about Klaus, she never even mentioned him. They just kept training Hope's magic and she was a natural at it. She learned fast and her control became better every day.

Beside Freya's magic training, Hope wanted to keep training physically as well. Hope had to keep up her good physical abilities since she was very much aware that someone still had it out for her. She often trained with Grace and Landon. Landon never really had anyone who could teach him to fight, but after a few sessions it turned out that he was a great fighter. With his phoenix strength he was Hope's biggest challenge to take down.

Their relationship deepend by the day, but there was one thing they never talked about, and Hope felt too embarrassed to ever start a conversation about it. They never talked about that drunken night and Hope's slip of words... and Landon never said those words back to her. Which was okay, they weren't dating that long, but it was still something that slightly bothered Hope. They also took back from the heat, since they both had roommates now. They never slept in the same room since Grace returned and their passionate make out sessions had to stay in the library just before curfew... they were always intense but never fully satisfying, and Hope definitely started to feel that she was ready for something more... and she could tell Landon was right there with her.

It was a Monday morning and the start of the third week without Lizzie. The day started like any other. Hope and Grace made their way to the dining hall, where they sat at their usual table with their siblings. When Landon arrived she greeted him with a kiss, which the little ones never missed to mock.

They were all having a great morning right until the double door to the dining hall opened and the blond witch entered with a radiant smile and astonishing style. Every eyes were on her as she made a grand entrance to the dining hall. Grace made an annoyed grunt at her arrival. Hope kept her cold eyes on Lizzie, but what surprised her, she wasn't alone. Another blond was following after her. Her mother, Caroline. Now Hope was the annoyed one.

"What is she even doing here?" Hope asked with frustration.

"She probably got two weeks of suspension... and now she will be back to her normal self like nothing happened." Grace replied with pain in her tone. Hope gave her a reassuring smile.

"And her mother? Why is she here?" Hope asked. She was nervous if she was here, her husband could be around as well.

"It's her school. Alaric is actually working for her as headmaster, but everything here is hers..." Landon replied as he squeezed Hope's hand under the table.

"Oh... I didn't know." Hope whispered and she got even more anxious when she noticed Lizzie and Caroline were heading to their table.Grace looked at Hope with panic. She wanted to reassure her but she was just as nervous as her sister.

"Hi kids." Caroline greeted the table with a smile. The little ones politely greeted Caroline and Lizzie, so did Landon, but Grace and Hope just gave them a cold stare. Caroline looked at Lizzie with anticipation and lightly tapped her arm.