Secrecy (Hosie)

Part 89: Duplicity

Sorry for the delay, been super busy.

I didn't revise this chapter so lmk if there are any edits needed to be made. Thank you all for reading, and I promise...good things are coming soon.

Hope you all enjoy...

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Maybe it's true what they say...

Ignorance is bliss.

And after talking with her parents and Lizzie about the Merge, Josie begins to believe it.
She wishes she could go back to not knowing.

She's confused, hurt, terrified...

She wants to go to Hope, but she's afraid that maybe this will be too much for the Tribrid to accept.
What if she decides she doesn't want to stay with Josie anymore?

So Josie's been avoiding her. She's been locked up in her room with Lizzie since their parents told them the trust about the Merge, curled up in bed.

But then she and Lizzie hear a knock on the door, "Jo, are you in there?"

Josie sighs as Lizzie gives her a sympathetic look, "Do you want me to tell her you aren't feeling well?"

Josie truly contemplates it, but she shakes her head, "She should know the truth. We said no more secrets."

Lizzie nods, and Josie calls out to Hope as she sits up in bed, wiping her tears away, "Yeah, you can come in."

The door opens, and suddenly Josie loses all the courage she had a second ago.
How is she supposed to tell Hope there's only a 50 percent chance she'll live past her 22nd birthday?

Lizzie gives Josie's arm a squeeze, "I'm gonna go hang out with MG for a bit."

Josie nods slowly as Lizzie dismisses herself.

But Hope's eyes are trained on Josie, knowing something's wrong. She immediately makes her way to Josie's bed, sitting on the edge next to her, dragging her thumb across her cheek, her tone soft, "You're upset. What's wrong?"

Josie has to look away from Hope's worried eyes, suddenly unable to tell Hope the truth, so she uses the excuse Lizzie provided, "Oh, um-I'm just not feeling well...must be the long car ride or something."

"I'm sorry, love. Come here," She helps Josie scoot closer, pulling her onto her lap as she wraps her arms around her, rubbing her back soothingly as Josie rests her head on Hope's shoulder, letting out a sigh. It's exactly what she needed, to just be held by the Tribrid.

Hope leaves a kiss to her temple, "Do you want me to go make you some soup? Maybe that'll help."

"No, babe you don't have to do that—"

"It'll only take me a minute, love. I don't mind," Josie feels Hope start to pull away, setting Josie back on the bed so that she can get up.

And she caves, "Wait."

Hope pauses her movements, looking to Josie.

"I can't lie to you. We need to talk."

Hope furrows her eyebrows, settling back down on the bed, "So you're not sick?"

Josie shakes her head, "No."

Hope nods, waiting for Josie to go on as she reaches for Josie's hand in support.