it's a date (the only problem is it's fake)

Roman is in town

"What are you doing here? I thought you were going to watch movies with Hope today." Lizzie asks.

Josie doesn't even sit up in her bed. She stays there, laying down on her back. Her eyes never leave the ceiling, but she forces herself to answer her sister's question.

"She ditched me." Josie says in a sigh. Then she adds an explanation with a little more venom. "Roman is in town."

Lizzie frowns. "Who's Roman? Your jealousy is showing by the way."

"I'm not jealous!" Josie quickly protests as she sits up in bed to glare at her twin. "Roman is a friend of Hope's, nothing more."

Lizzie decides to tease Josie a little. "Still, she ditched you to be with him."

Josie groans. "I know! But she has her reasons. Like the fact that he lives in England now and comes here just to see her. They haven't seen each other in over a year, and she got so excited when he called to say he was coming this week end." Josie's eyes widen. "Oh my god, Lizzie are they in love?"

Lizzie rolls her eyes. "I thought I was the dramatic twin. They're friends, you said so yourself a few seconds ago."

"But what if-"

"Stop this now." Lizzie interrupts Josie. "You should spare yourself and tell Hope how you feel. If she feels the same, you two can be together for real. If she doesn't... Well, you can move on!"

Josie gives Lizzie her fakest smile. "Good advice Liz, thank you." She says very sarcastically.

*

"She's cute." Roman says with a smile. "Since when do you like girls?"

"I don't, it's just her." Hope says, her eyes never leaving Josie's picture on her phone. "Josie makes me feel things I haven't felt before. Or things I've felt, but with her it's a thousand times stronger."

Roman chuckles and quickly ruffles Hope's hair before pulling her into a hug. Hope giggles and lets him hug her. It was good to have him there. Her relationship with Roman was something Hope wasn't willing to share with most people. He was like a brother. Landon never met him nor did he know Roman existed. Penelope heard of him briefly, but never met him either. She had to tell Josie about him, it was only fair since she ditched their movie day to be with him. Somehow, Roman was her safe space. They knew each other since they were babies. Roman's mother was the childhood best friend of Hope's mother. Roman and Hope grew up together and developped a very deep connection. Unfortunately, his family moved to England when they were both 10 years old. Now they only saw each other every so often.

Hope pulls away from the embrace and smiles at her friend.

"Can I meet her then?" Roman asks softly, his hand playing with Hope's hair.

Hope looks at Roman with a vulnerability he didn't see often in her. "You want to meet Josie."