I Hate the Way...

Part 12: "We Made a Deal."

Hope leans against the wooden rail of the dock, looking down at the water, listening to the sound of the waves against the shore, trying to pull herself together after her difficult conversation with Maya.

Until she hears tentative footsteps on the wooden planks, which probably wouldn't be audible if not for her vampiric hearing.

Josie stops several steps away, Hope's back still facing her.

"...You've been out here a while..."

She doesn't miss the sudden tension Hope exudes, or the quick motion she makes of wiping something from her cheek before clearing her throat.

"Um—Yeah, sorry. I was just—I needed to take a minute to think."

Josie nods, though Hope can't see her, "...Maya left."

Hope finally turns around to face Josie, leaning her back against the rail as she nods slowly, taking her lip between her teeth, "Yeah, she told me she was leaving."

"Did it—Did it have anything to do with...us?"

Hope looks down, confirming Josie's question.

Josie sighs, shaking her head to herself.

She can tell Hope is really hurting.

She never expected to see Hope like this, ever.

And for whatever reason, Josie feels her heart breaking for the girl.

"Hope, I—I can't let you do this."

Hope looks up at Josie with her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Josie's giving up, crumbling under the pressure of their situation.

"What?"

Josie brings her voice down, just to be sure the vampires on the beach can't hear, "I can't let you ruin your life for me. You clearly feel something for Maya—"

"Josie slow down, okay. We made a deal—"

"Well, I'm letting you out of it."

"What? No, hold on—"

"I should've thought about what you'd have to give up. You had Maya, your friends, your house. And I'm just screwing it up—" Josie suddenly goes into a panic, something Hope quickly picks up on.

She steps closer to the girl, pulling her into an embrace, comfortingly running a hand through her hair, the other rubbing her back, "Breathe Josie. You're okay. Just breathe with me, okay?"

Josie nods into her chest, holding onto Hope as she tries to calm herself.

"You're not screwing anything up. I agreed to this. It's one year Josie. Then we'll be happily divorced and back to our lives. Everything will work out."

When Hope can hear Josie's heartbeat steadying, she lets out her own relieved breath.

"You okay?"

Josie nods, "Yeah, I think so."

Hope continues to hold her, sensing that she needs it.

After a moment of silence, she hears Josie whisper, "I forgot what it was like...to have someone take care of me like this."

Hope honestly thinks Josie didn't mean to say it out loud. It doesn't seem like the kind of thing Josie would admit to her.

Josie pulls herself away, but not completely, Hope's arms still hold her, her hands rubbing the small of her back soothingly.

Hope tells her, seriously, "I made a commitment to you Josie. I'm not backing out now."

Josie pauses for a moment, studying Hope's expression before nodding slowly, "Okay..."

"Okay...Now why don't we put on our fake, perfect married couple smiles and head back up to the group?" Hope sarcastically replies, trying to lighten Josie's mood.

She sees she succeeds when Josie grins softly, rolling her eyes, "Fine."

"Great. Let's go." They turn to walk back down the dock, with Hope's arm still around Josie's waist.

When Hope's hand absentmindedly falls a little indecently low, Josie mumbles, "If you touch my ass, I will cut your balls off."

Hope quickly pulls her arm away from the girl, cringing.

"Thought we were having a moment. Damn."

"Not that kind of moment."

Hope sighs, shaking her head, though a soft chuckle escapes her lips, "You're such a prude."

The comment only receives a jab in the ribs from her fiancé.

"Ow. Okay, sorry, jeez."