My Expiration Date Is Why I Can't Let You Love Me - Hosie

Chapter Thirty

"Are we at the beach?" Josie asked Hope as she helped her get out of the car, feeling the cool breeze on her face, smelling the salty beach smells, and hearing the waves crash along the shore. Hope ignored the question helping Josie move along. "I'm right aren't I?", Josie said excitement clear in her voice, Hope admired that excitement because she too was excited for what she had planned.

Josie felt Hope stop both of their movements, only to feel Hope taking off her shoes. "Yes Jo you're right", Hope said continuing both girls movements, still guiding Josie.

"Okay you ready?" Hope asked the younger girl. "I don't know. Should I be? I'm kind of nervous", the younger girl said nervously. Hope walked behind Josie pecking her cheek with a kiss before taking the blindfold off of the brunette.

This revealed a set up of a teepee that had flowers and fairly lights trickling down, and blankets and pillows laid out on the sand. A little wooden table also sat under which had many sweet things placed so delicately on it, such as candles, champagne glasses with the champagne itself, a bouquet of flowers, chocolate covered strawberries, and a stack of perfectly sugared beignets.

Next to this table drawn out on the sand was a message to Josie from Hope. 'Will you be my girlfriend'.

(Photos for reference)

I nervously took the blindfold off of Josie's face. I watched her take in everything I had gotten set up. I wish I knew what she was thinking, does she like it? Does she want to be my girlfriend?

Josie turned around facing me with a big smile on her face, and her eyes filled with tears. "So Jo, I took you on a date, as promised. Will you be my girlfriend?" Josie smashed her lips into mine, kissing me ever so passionately, I soon reprocreated the kiss with the same passion.

Josie broke away from the kiss with a smile I had never seen on her face before. Josie looked genuinely happy, not just happy but over the moon happy. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, a million times yes. I would love to be your girlfriend Hope. If that doesn't sound to desperate." Josie said out of breath from both the kiss and her words. "No Jo, never too desperate", I said then cupped Josie's face kissing her once again.

Many thoughts rushed through my head 'Josie is mine. I am Josie's. Josie Olivia Saltzman is my girlfriend. I finally got the girl. I better not fuck this up.'

"No never too desperate", Hope said then she cupped my face kissing me again. So many thoughts rushed through my head in this moment. 'Hope Mikaelson is my girlfriend, and I am hers. Everything is working out so perfectly, except well... my dad and that situation. Hope Andrea Mikaelson is my girlfriend. I finally got the girl. I just better not die on her.'

Hope broke the kiss seating herself and Josie on the blankets and pillows under the teepee, cuddling up to one another. "So your my girlfriend", Hope giggled. "And you're mine", Josie giggled. This made both girls stomachs fill with butterflies. They were each other's. Finally.

Hope grabbed a beignet, "Have you ever had a beignet before?" Josie replied, "No, but I do know that they are a staple in New Orleans, your hometown." Hope chuckled at Josie being a bit of a know-it-all. Hope took a bite of her beignet, licking the sugar off of her lips. "Would you like to have a try?" Josie opened her mouth waiting for Hope to put her pastry into her mouth. Hope laughed at Josie's adorableness, and of course did what Josie wanted her to do.

"Mmmmhmmmm it's so good." Josie hummed Hope laughed at her, noticing how similar the two are, as that was Hope's exact reaction when having the pastry for the first time. "What! It's delicious. Why have you waited so long to let me try these?" Josie said to Hope. "Well you have been to New Orleans a few times", Hope teased. Josie rolled her eyes, and grabbed herself a beignet.

"Have I ever told you the story of my very first beignet?" Hope asked with a big smile, remembering the moment like it was yesterday. Josie shook her head 'no' halfway through her beignet. "Well you are in for a treat", Hope picked Josie up putting her in between her legs cuddling her, which made Josie giggle.

"Well I was sitting on my fathers lap when he had me take a bite. And my reaction to the pastry was the same as yours was. The exact same." Hope chuckled, Josie pecked her cheek. "My father then told me the story of his first beignet. And it went like this. Long ago three French nuns came to New Orleans looking for a fresh start, and they came to my family compound. They marched right into the courtyard, and they presented my dad and Uncle Elijah with these rather lumpy looking sugar coated pastries." Hope grabbed another beignet giving it to Josie noticing her eyeing out a second one.

Hope continued, "Well needless to say they were entranced, they set them up quite well. I then proceeded to ask my father why they had come to him. In which he replied saying, there was a time when they, my family were regarded as royalty. You could even say my father was considered king, which would make me a princess." Hope said, her face beginning to look sad. She continued on with her voice starting to break with sadness. "But... h... his dead now. So... I guess that makes me... queen", tears started to fall out of her eyes and Josie could feel them falling onto her hair.

Josie then turned around so she could face Hope. Josie cupped Hope's face, "Hey. Let it out, cry." Josie pulled Hope into a tight hug rubbing circles on her back, whispering soothing things into her ear letting her know everything is okay, and that it's okay to cry.

After a couple of minutes Hope pulled away from the hug, kissing Josie's lips briefly. "You're really good at that", Hope said clearing her chocked up voice. "What?" Josie questioned. "Soothing me, calming me down", Hope stated. "Well I have lots of experience. Lizzie." Josie breathed out.