The Salvatore School for Troubled Youth

In The Woods

Josie storms off straight to her spot, a large shady tree by the lake.

She goes on a rollercoaster of emotions, sobbing one minute then screaming out into the world in anger and frustration.

She can't believe her dad would just give up like this. He promised he would get help, he said that he loved his daughters. Maybe it's too good to be true.

Eventually, she takes some time to feel the grass beneath her fingertips and the wind through her hair enough to calm down a little. She's sitting under the tree when she hears a quick brush through the nearby plants.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Josie shouts. "I'm warning you, I've already had a terrible day. So whoever you are, I'm going to fuck you up if you try something!"

Josie hears more movement around her, and whoever it is isn't fessing up.

"Incendia!"

Josie hears a scream and then sees a huge splash in the lake. After a short while, the figure emerges to the surface of the lake.

"Hope?" Josie is surprised to see the auburnette treading in the water. "What are you doing? I nearly set you on fire!"

"You did set me on fire," Hope corrects.

"Well, come out and let me see. Maybe I can heal you."

"That won't be necessary," Hope tells her.

"But you just said I burned you," Josie looks to her confused. "You're not making any sense."

"I'll explain, I promise," Hope says. "But do you have some clothes I can borrow? It's freezing in here."

Josie goes into her bag and pulls out a Salvatore School hoodie.

"This is all I have," she tosses it to Hope.

Hope catches it and begins to exit the lake, so Josie quickly turns around, feeling her cheeks heat up.

"You can turn around now."

She turns to face Hope again, who's now wearing her sweatshirt, which looks more like a dress on her due to the height difference.

They then sit down beside each other under the tree.

"Care to explain what you're doing running around naked in the woods?" Josie questions. "And why there's not a scratch on you even though you say I set you on fire."

"So, I wasn't really running around naked in the woods. Well, I was, just not how you think-"

"Hope," Josie tries to get her to stop her rambling and get to the point.

"I'm a werewolf," Hope finally lets out.

Josie stares at her in silence for a moment, then she bursts out laughing.

"Very funny cover story, Hope."

"It's not a cover story," she says with a deadpan expression. "I am a werewolf."

"Really, Hope. You're sticking with that?" Josie gives her one last chance to change her story. "Telling me you're a crazed sex addict would be more believable than that."

"That's not it," Hope's eyes go wide at the suggestion.

Josie looks to her expectantly, for her to tell her the "truth," but Hope never says anything more, causing the smile on Josie's face to fall.

"Okay, I get it, you don't want me to know what you were up to," Josie says with disappointment. "I just thought you and I had some kind of connection earlier, that even though we just met we could tell each other anything. But I guess I got the message all wrong."

"That's not it, I just, this," Hope stammers helplessly. "This is just something I can't tell anyone."

"Whatever, keep your deep dark secrets to yourself," Josie starts to get up. "I've tried to be nothing but open and honest, but I guess I can't expect others to do the same."

"Wait, don't go," Hope places her hand on Josie's arm gently to stop her. "My name is Hope Mikaelson, not Hope Marshall."

Josie sits back down, confused at the revelation.

"Mikaelson? As in the Original Family?"

"Great, you've heard of them," Hope says sarcastically.

"Just a little," Josie admits. "My dad used to be obsessed with hunting down your dad, said he was some abomination."

Hope looks away. Josie must think the same of Hope now that she knows her origins. Hope can't bear to look into her eyes and feel that rejection from the only friend she's made here.

"I've heard of all the things my dad has done, and sometimes I can't help but see him as a monster too," Hope admits. "But I want you to know that I'm not like my dad."

"Me neither," Josie says with a shy smile.