Longing

Chapter 1

Hope entered the classroom just as the bell rang. She plopped down in her seat in the back of the room and released her backpack from her shoulders.

"What an astonishing morning we are having!" the teacher exclaimed, which is exactly when Hope decided to tune out. Her focus in this class is usually elsewhere anyway. With her elbow on her desk and her chin firmly planted in the palm of her hand, her eyes zeroed in on the girl who has taken over her thoughts.

Hope has known her since third grade, but their usual interactions were minimal. When Hope first arrive at Salvatore Boarding School, she kept to herself as much as she could. Her aunt Freya was having a kid of her own, so Hope guesses that sending her away was the best option to minimize stress levels.

Once Hope accepted the fact this would be her new home-away-from-home, she decided it would be best to at least make a friend or two. The first person she bonded with was a girl who transferred in the same year. Maya Machado initiated the friendship of course, since even third grade Hope was too shy to speak up. Luckily, Maya had a brother in the same grade, Ethan, who was also more than happy to crack into Hope's thick shell.

Hope is now in her sophomore year with the Machado siblings' friendship still intact. She has never had a boyfriend or a girlfriend, though she did lose her first kiss to a fatal game of truth or dare at one of Ethan's birthday parties.

"What do you think Miss Mikaelson?"

Hopes face immediately reddens as the entirety of the class turns toward her. The teacher obviously knows she hasn't been paying attention. She prays no one noticed her looking towards the brunette.

"I- uh what was the question again?" Hope stutters, avoiding eye contact with her peers.

The teacher holds stern eye contact as he asks, "What are a few characteristics of ionic compounds?" Hope thinks he's in a much worse mood than when he first arrived.

Hope takes a deep, steadying breath before replying, "They have high melting and boiling points, they form crystals, they conduct electricity when dissolved in water, they have higher entha-"

"Okay. Thank you, Miss Mikaelson." The teacher cuts her off abruptly, causing a couple students to chuckle under their breathes.

Hope nods, puts her elbow back in its rightful place on her desk, and her chin on her palm. Though, when she goes to look at the brunette this time, the brown eyed girl is already looking back at her. Hope can feel her cheeks heat even more under the brunette's gaze. The girl smiles at Hope and that's when Hope realizes she's still staring at her. That they're staring at each other.

Hope is accustomed to the one sided gawking, but having Josie Saltzman glance her way and smile; this is new. Hope casually lifts her head from her palm, hoping there aren't any red marks imprinted on her face, and rests her hands on her lap. She shoots (what she hopes to be) a casual smile back to Josie then averts her gaze to her desk.

The bell rings and while the students pack their bags, the teacher announces, "I will be giving assigned seats tomorrow. When you arrive to class, stand along the wall until you are given your seat." That announcement is followed by a collective groan throughout the body of the class.

When Hope slips her backpack straps over her shoulders and makes a break for the exit, she chances one last look at the brunette before brooding in her room for the lunch period. At the doorway, she turns her head and her eyes immediately go wide. Josie is standing right behind, full dark brown eyes looking straight into hers.

Hope swallows thickly before realizing she's probably blocking the doorway. She turns back around and steps into the hall so the others can pass by.

Why am I acting like such an idiot?

Hope takes one more deep breathe before attempting to turn towards her bedroom before she's tapped on the shoulder. She turns towards the retracting limb to see an almost shy appearing Josie.

"I never realized you were such a smart ass" Josie says, smiling nervously towards the ground. Hope has no idea how to respond to that. It must show on her face, with the furrow of her eye brows and the tint of red on her cheeks that's been present since the beginning of Chemistry class. Josie takes her silence the wrong way and continues, "I meant, like, you shut Mr. M. up. Well actually he shut you up- but either way, it was funny. Well not funny... impressive. Actually, funny and impressive. Okay I'm done talking now."

Hope was speechless. Was Josie Saltzman... nervous? rambling? It seemed that Hope's continued silence was making the situation worse. She reigned her composure and said, "Thank you" with a small smile. It felt nice knowing she wasn't the only one who was nervous.

Josie nodded in a dismissive manner and headed towards the cafeteria. Hope also ventured away. On her way to her room she decided to snag Maya.

"Okay, okay! Hope, you don't need to literally drag me!" Maya yelped as Hope clasped her hand around Maya's bicep and tugged her down the hall.

"Maya. I need advice! Stop being a bitch." Hope hissed back to the girl who was struggling to keep up.