Back To The Beginning

Chapter 7

Hope's POV: I sighed, touching up my makeup in the mirror as I looked over myself once more. I almost feel excited for this party. Usually I would feel dread or even nervous, but for some reason I felt like I was wired. Like I drank a bunch of coffee and can't seem to sit still. Shaking the thoughts from my head, I focused back on the task at hand before the door flew open, causing me to jump back in surprise. "Lizzie, knock", I exclaimed in irritation, wiping at my smudged eyeliner.

"It's my dorm, Mikaelson", she reminded, shutting the door behind her.

"What if Josie were here", I asked.

"She's helping Satan get ready", she waved me off before walking toward her closet. "You didn't put any outfits together", she frowned in disappointment before looking me-herself over. "And what are you wearing? We've talked about this. Couldn't you have done a better job at being me", she huffed.

"I thought this looked good", I frowned, looking over the grey sweatpants and matching top. 

"I use those clothes to sleep in", she pointed out, causing me to fall silent. "Forget it, we'll talk about it later", she waved me off, before taking grabbing her-my hand. 

"Hey. What are you-"

"You've completely destroyed my manicure", she deadpanned, dropping my hand. "Do you have any idea how much that cost", she asked in annoyance.

"Lizzie", I called, growing impatient.

"Right. Sorry", she sighed. "All we have to do is make it through this stupid party, and everything will be back to normal", she assured, her eyes drifting to her hair, which I still had up in a ponytail. "Tomorrow, I'll wake up in my bed, and all of this will just be a dream", she muttered, mostly to herself.

"What happens if we don't", I asked, biting my lip anxiously, her face scrunching up as she continued to stare at her hair. "Lizzie", I asked.

"What? Oh, I...I'll put some outfits together", she waved me off. "So at least you won't look stupid as me", she shrugged.

"Thanks", I told her sarcastically before she stepped forward and pulled the hairband from my-her hair. "Hey", I exclaimed. 

"What? I look better with my hair down", she shrugged, causing me to roll my eyes before glancing toward the mirror once more. Hmm...she's not wrong. I met her eyes in the mirror as her-my lips pulled into a small smirk as if knowing exactly what I'm thinking. 

"You're really good at this", I admitted.

"Of course I am", she chuckled, flipping my hair dramatically. "Now, about that outfit...", she hummed, stepping around me to look through her closet.

"I'm not wearing a dress", I threw over my shoulder.

"Relax, Mikaelson. I know what I'm doing", she joked, causing me to roll my eyes before she pulled out a pair of form fitting jeans, a white top, and a black jacket. "Here. Put this on", she ordered, handing me the clothes. I grumbled to myself at the thought of redressing myself before grabbing the outfit and looking at Lizzie expectantly. "What", she asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Aren't you gonna turn around", I questioned, causing her to snort.

"Right. Like I haven't seen my own body for the past seventeen years", she commented before reluctantly turning around. Watching her for a second, I lay the outfit on the bed before undressing. "Are you done yet", she asked me impatiently, moving to turn around.

"No", I exclaimed, placing my hands on her shoulders. 

"Oh, for crying out, Mikaelson", she said, yanking away from me before swiftly turning around. Without a second thought, she grabbed the shirt from the bed before yanking it over my head.

"I can do it", I huffed, shoving her away from me as she crossed her hands expectantly. Grabbing the jeans from the bed, I slipped them on before pulling my shoes back on as Lizzie looked over the outfit thoughtfully. "So", I asked. "What? What's wrong? Is it bad", I asked her anxiously. 

"I look hot", she complimented. "I mean, you...you look hot", she corrected, causing me to shift on my feet. "Take a look", she said, turning me around to face the mirror. Meeting a lighter shade of blue in the mirror, my breath caught in my throat as I looked over the outfit in shock. 

"Wow. I look-you look...", I stammered, not really know how to say it. 

"I know", she smiled knowingly. "Come on, we got a party to go to", she said, linking her arms with mine. 

"What? Lizzie, hold up a second", I told her. "What happened to you staying in tonight", I frowned.

"And miss the biggest party of the year", she laughed nervously. "Hope, come on. When have you ever known me to miss a party", she questioned.

"But you're not you, Lizzie", I reminded, causing her to furrow her eyebrows in confusion. "And when have you ever known me to attend one", I threw back. "I know it's hard to hear, but you need to miss this party tonight. I can't let people see me there", I told her, causing her expression to fall as she looked somewhere behind me. 

"Right...", she whispered, causing me to glance behind me, catching her gaze in the mirror. "Just...", she trailed off, turning around. "Just have fun", she nodded before walking out the door. I winced as she shut the door, causing me to exhale deeply before glancing back in the mirror once more.

"You can do this", I whispered to myself. 

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Lizzie's POV: Shutting the door to Hope's dorm, I looked around the quiet room silently before walking further into the room. Stopping in front of Hope's mirror, I studied Hope's uneasy expression before reaching up to push a strand of hair behind my ear, searching her eyes for some kind of answer. 

I think Hope got it all wrong. 

Just because I look like her doesn't mean that I'm not myself anymore, right? I'm still me. It's not like I'll wake up one morning and be a completely different person. My mom's always told me that no matter what happens, the important thing is to just be myself. And now I feel like I'm somehow disappointing her by trying to be someone I'm not. 

So what if Hope attends a party?

So what if people think Hope's acting strange?

What about me?

People has been judging me my whole life. 

The only difference now is I'm not known for being 'crazy Lizzie'. 

I was known as hermit Hope. The orphan girl that lost her parents. 

Tearing my gaze away from the mirror, I looked around the room once more before exhaling deeply. So, what should I do? Ditch the party and stay inside alone tonight, or completely ignore Hope's request and attend, all consequences be damned?