can you hear me now?

wish you'd make me cry

"Well, I mean, I guess you could say I really like him, and if he were to ask me I wouldn't be opposed." Josie noticed that whenever Hope is nervous she plays with her rings. She doesn't bring it up. Josie remembers how Landon is gonna ask Hope that question. The thought of it made Josie's stomach drop twisted and burn. She felt as if she had just lost her appetite.

She's never felt like this.

Keelin came back with their food, the girls said a quick thank you and started to dig in. "So, about the song you picked, what did it mean when Landon said it reminded you of something?'" Hope was eager to know.

"Oh, that," Josie swallowed thickly. "I had just broken up with my girlfriend, well ex girlfriend now."

Girlfriend?

"And I don't know, I just felt like love was useless after that." Josie lightly mumbles the last part but Hope managed to catch it. Now Hope feels bad for bringing it up, she mentally curses herself.

"Girlfriend? Well I'm sorry you had to go through that." Her tone soft, Hope genuinely looked sorry for the brunette. "But, you're okay now right?"

"Oh, yeah." Definitely, it's not like her best friend is gonna go out with her only person she had liked after Jade. She gives Hope a reassuring smile, then goes to sip on her lemon water.

"Why did you think i'd have your songbook?" Hope was curious. Josie was thinking all last night maybe it was Hope, it had to be Hope.

"You were the first person I saw." She decided to go with this response. Hope just hummed in response.

"So, Hope, your aunt owns this? I thought your aunt's name was Freya?" Josie jumbled.

Right.

"Oh, well, aunt Keelin is aunt Freya's," Hope paused before she spoke. "Wife, and they've been there for me ever since..." She hesitated. Josie went through, shock, amazement, then feeling sorrow all at once.

"Im so happy for them." Hope looked up to meet the brunette's eyes. "And I'm glad they're there for you." Josie's voice is soft and thorough. They locked eyes until Keelin came over with the check. Hope was the first one to remove the gaze from the brunette.

Josie went to grab her credit card from her phone when Hope put a hand on hers to stop the brunette. Josie's eyes shift to Hope's hand on hers, Hope must have noticed because she slowly took her hand off, leaving a hot mark on the brunette's skin. "I'm paying this time." Hope assured her, causing Josie to pout. If it weren't for Keelin, Hope would have melted at the sight.

"Fine." Josie huffed and sat back in the booth. "Im paying next time though."

"We'll see about that." Hope said as she gave Keelin her credit card. Josie just playfully rolled her eyes and checked her phone, they had about 15 minutes before class started again. Keelin came back with a receipt and both girls started making their way out, but not before saying goodbye to Hope's aunt.