can you blame me for wanting a little bit more?

Consequences of distance

For a long moment nobody speaks. Hope doesn't know what she could add. She refrains herself from begging Josie to just hop in the next plane and come back home. For now, she needs to be in control and be a comforting presence in Josie's life. 

"Do you even miss me?" Josie ends up asking. "Or are you realizing how easier your life would be without the soul marks?"

"No!" Hope quickly blurts out. "I miss you. I swear I do. Josie, I-" Hope takes a deep breath. "I realized how empty I feel without you. You filled a place that was left empty for so long, and now that you're gone… I feel this overwhelming emptiness again. I don't think I could deal with this for long."

"Really?" Josie's voice is small.

Hope lets a small smile stretch her lips. "Really. Like you told me the other night… Enjoy your time, and then come back to me."

"Okay."

"Have a good day Josie." Hope says, the smile evident in her voice.

"Have a good day too Hope." Josie replies, a new lightness in hers.

Hope hands Alaric the phone. "I'm going for a run."

Without another look at the man, Hope walks out of the headmaster's office. She can't believe she actually confessed all of this to Josie. Her level of freak out is the highest it's ever been. 

*

Two days later, and Hope spent most of her time as a wolf. It's just easier this way. Her wolf form helps the emptiness to go unnoticed. So Hope runs around the forest for hours, and comes back to school to sleep. As soon as she gets in her very empty room, the empty feeling catches up to her.

So Hope takes long and hot showers. She spends her little time as a human in her own room and avoids every little interaction with Josie's father. She would rather not have a repeat of her conversation with Josie. Admitting she missed Josie was really hard the first time, she couldn't see herself do it again. 

It's been four days that Josie's gone when Hope doesn't get to avoid Alaric anymore. 

The tribrid's been feeling restless all night. It felt as if she was feeling too much, like she needed to clear her heart and mind. She's just about to get out of her room to head to the woods and take it out as a wolf, when there's a loud knock on her door. Hope doesn't even have to open the door to know her mentor stands on the other side. 

The tribrid opens the door with a sigh. "Good morning Dr. Saltzman."

The man is smiling. "Morning Hope! Were you heading out?"

"I was, so if you don't mind…"

Hope manages to get out of her room, but Josie's father quickly follows her. 

"Follow me to my office first, please."

"Why?" She says, getting irritated.

"I have something to show you."

Hope sighs, but she follows the man to his office. He's still her headmaster after all. When he opens the door of his office, Hope's heart skips a beat. 

There, in the middle of the room stands none other than Josie Saltzman, her very own soulmate. The thing is, Josie wasn't supposed to be home until at least three more days, maybe even four. Caroline and Lizzie are there too, standing on the side of the room, but Hope barely notices them since her eyes are glued to Josie.

The brunette's smile is even more bright than in Hope's most vivid memory. Her smell is even better than the one from the flower fiel Hope's been running in for the past two days.