*third person pov*
"Hope?" Lizzie heard Josie question, clearly confused as to Hope's nocturnal nature, "Josie" Hope greeted her, Lizzie can practically sense her forced smile. "What are you doing up so late?" she asked, "oh y'know just got hungry" Hope was clearly not a good liar under pressure at least.
"You're having two bowls of ice cream?" Josie just couldn't stop with the questions it seemed!
The hybrid was quick to come up with an excuse, "oh yeah, werewolf appetite and all" Hope excused herself, Josie didn't look completely convinced but she nodded nonetheless. "Can I talk to you about something?" Josie was quick to change the subject, "of course" this was the only word of Hope's that Lizzie could confidently say was genuine. "I'm sorry you're the only one I can talk to about this because everyone else would immediately tell everyone or tell her" Hope immediately knew who 'her' was.
She just wished she could find a way to tell the brunette to close her mouth before she said something that Lizzie would inevitably hear.
"I just feel so helpless right now and I don't know what to do" the Saltzman sister didn't wait too long to begin, "Lizzie has these...issues and I feel like they're coming back but if I ask her about it she'll shut me out even more" tears welled in Josie's eyes as she explained. "Issues?" Hope couldn't prevent the word slipping out of her mouth, she knew it was seriously wrong; she knew she shouldn't be prying.
Fortunately, Josie didn't tell her. "Personal stuff" she grimaced, of course. "I know she's not been the nicest to you but go easy on her please, for my sake" Josie softly requested, "of course" Hope agreed but the words felt useless, there was no doubt in her being nice to Lizzie- she already cared for her so much.
The brunette forced a smile, "thank you for that, this means a lot to me" she thanked her. Hope nodded "I know she doesn't mean what she does".
"I'll leave you alone now, to have your bowl...I mean bowls of ice cream" Josie corrected herself, Hope gave a small smile back and nodded. Before Josie could leave the room, Hope spoke up. "Whatever's going on with Lizzie I'm sure it's going to work out just fine" she assured her, "Lizzie's strong and she'll be okay". Hope was certain that she was going to help Lizzie, there was no if's or but's, the words she spoke to Josie had no hesitation behind them.
Josie turned back briefly and gave a slight nod of the head, "of course" she mumbled however she didn't sound very certain of herself. Once it was clear, Lizzie couldn't help but hug Hope, barely being able to process what was going through her mind as her arms encased Hope.
When the blonde finally pulled away, a smile was tugging both of their lips, "thank you for that" Lizzie said shyly, "thank you for what?" for how smart Hope was, sometimes it baffled Lizzie how idiotic she could be sometimes.
"For helping Josie, I may be an emotional mess but that doesn't mean she has to be one either" she forced the seemingly embarrassing words out of her mouth- embarrassing to her at least. "Josie's my friend and so are you, of course I'll help" Hope hardly thought about the words leaving her mouth, it seemed obvious to reply that way, so she didn't anticipate the brief look of hurt on Lizzie's face.
Unconsciously, the blonde took a small step back, before she forced herself to hide the dejected look on her face. "Let's just finish our ice cream or soup at this point because god forbid we could eat ice cream in peace" her voice came out harsher than intended, Hope opened her mouth to reply but Lizzie cut her off, "I'm fine, it's fine, I'm tired" she informed the hybrid.
Without another word being uttered, Lizzie forced a mouthful of the melted ice cream in her mouth.
***
That night had ended quite briefly, Lizzie eating every bite of her ice cream, painful mouth by painful mouthful. As soon as the kitchen was cleaned up, Lizzie quickly bid Hope a goodnight and excused herself to bed. It wasn't until she had silently closed her bedroom door that she remembered why she had wanted to see Hope in the first time, she had debated going to meet the girl but decided against it.
Lizzie tried to conceal how upset she was, that Hope only viewed her as a friend, Lizzie didn't know what she considered Hope as but it clearly didn't matter; Hope probably saw her as a charity case that she was forced to befriend.
With a harsh exhale, Lizzie brought her hand up to the door and knocked. "Come in" the feminine voice spoke, the blonde padded into the room, like a dog with a tail between its legs. "Come to apologise?" the woman raised an eyebrow as she got up, Lizzie gave a brief nod "I'm sorry mom" she spoke genuinely.
"I really didn't mean to act like a bi— brat yesterday" she had swiftly corrected herself, "you're the first person I've told, I don't wanna be this person" Lizzie words were a slight lie, she had told Hope, however the last part was the complete truth. Lizzie didn't want to like girls, but she did because why wouldn't the world throw another obstacle at her.
The blonde stood there biting the inside of her cheek, hoping that the tears forming in her eyes weren't noticeable, she felt dramatic yet she couldn't help with the emotions.
Now she would forever be that person, she would forever having kissed Hope Andrea Mikaelson, would forever have betrayed every instinct in her body telling her not to, and for what?
For Hope to just consider her a friend.
She hadn't realised that her tears were running down her cheeks until Caroline hugged her- tight. The older blonde moved the stray hairs from the witches face, "you don't have to be any person Lizzie, it doesn't matter who you like, you decide who you're going to be" she began trying to comfort the inconsolable girl.
"You're my daughter and I only want you to be happy Lizzie, your dad would agree with that too, your happiness is the most important thing to us sweetie".
In that moment, Lizzie wanted to reveal what she had been dealing with the past few months, tell her mom all about her relapse yet the words failed to form in her mouth. Instead, Lizzie nodded as she hugged her mother tighter, "thank you mom".
***
Authors note
Long time no see! Like I don't think I've updated this since October??? I apologise about that and if anyone has any story suggestions then let me know, I'd be more than happy to incorporate it if it would go in with the story:)
YOU ARE READING
Bloody tissues
Fanfiction"you cursed me Hope" she spoke with anger in her voice. I stared back at her in confusion, "don't do that! don't you dare do that!" she exclaimed. "I am not crazy! you did curse me and I don't know how but you did somehow!" she accused "then please...
