| it's always been you |

1

'Pleaseeee' Lizzie begged, pulling her face into a pout as she strode down the long hall. Hope continued to shake her head, brown hair flicking back and forth.

'You don't want one, you need one. Look, it's basic science! Sex + landon = dissolved landon. Dissolved landon + trauma = weird landon. Hope - weird landon = sad. Sad hope + rebound = happy hope! Lizzie beamed proudly. The brunette ignored her.

'Come onnnn' Lizzie groaned exaggeratedly, repeatedly poking the tribrid on the arm.

'Ow- stop poking me!' Hope scowled.

'Not until you come with me to find you a rebound.'

'Oh my god ok fine.' She rolled her eyes, already anticipating the tragic evening ahead.

Lizzie jumped up, clapping her hands in excitement. In her head, she instantly began running through all the men in Mystic Falls.

'Be in the hall at 4:30, and i mean 4:30 exactly. Oh and, get Jo to help you with your outfit. She wouldn't be my first choice for clothes, but oh well. I have to set up.' The alarmed look on Hope's face was noted, but very promptly ignored.

'Oh and just double checking, I can get girls and guys right?' Lizzie inquired cautiously.

'I guess.' She shrugged, whilst barely listening to the hyper blonde.

'Great. Oh also, make sure you wear makeup. And do your hair.' Lizzie called as she turned through the long corridor, towards her dorm. She knew very well that Hope would most likely turn up with a dash of messily drawn on eyeliner and another variation of her red top black jeans look, but she figured that it would just contribute to her charm. And at least she looked like she had tried?

'See you then!' She shouted.

'Sure.' Hope muttered. She wasn't even set on the eyeliner, but she knew that Lizzie would draw it on for her if she didn't do it by herself.

By the time Hope had walked up the wooden stairs, Lizzie had messaged just about every straight guy and every sapphic girl. She didn't know quite why she was so invested, but she found herself waiting by the text chains. By the time she'd reached her dorm, she had about 5 responses, none negative. A sense of pride filled her as she clicked open the wooden door in front of her, letting herself into the spacious dorm. Suddenly, two soft hands slid in front of her eyes.

'Guess who!'

'Josie- come on, just sit down.' Lizzie said exasperatedly, walking over to the kettle and making two cups of tea. Josie perched down on the fluffy blanket covering the duvet. She kicked off her shoes and flopped down onto the cloud-like bed, hair spread around her face like a halo.

'So, I called you because I've realised that Hope needs a rebound and I need your help.' She made a point to ignore the whistles and suggestive eyebrow raises coming from her twin.

'Can you stop? She's just a friend.' Lizzie reprimanded, staring into her tea. She picked up the mugs and carried them over to the bed, sitting next to Josie and handing her the boiling cup. The brunette's eyebrows stayed firmly raised.

'You like herrr!' Josie giggled in a sing song voice.

Ever since the fifth grade, Josie had been convinced that Lizzie liked Hope. She obsessed over them, even creating a ship name as a joke. All the while, Hope never knew a thing, while Lizzie had been relentlessly tormented for years.

'Shut up. I need you to help her get changed, her fashion sense does nothing for her body.' the blonde remarked with the ghost of a smile, 'but before you say anything about me noticing her body, that was just to find a rebound.' Lizzie warned as she noticed Josie's eyes twinkle.

'You said it, not me.' Josie slurped her tea suggestively.

'Just do it.' Lizzie's face twisted into a frown, 'I have a lot to do and i can't be worried about Hope.'

'Ok fine, I will.' Josie huffed, getting up and dropping her mug onto the table for Lizzie to wash.

'But you owe me!' She called as she strolled out.

'Obviously.' the blonde replied. Josie swung the door behind her, leaving Lizzie with the laborious task of organising the best speed date in history.