Severity

<7>

"So, Hope. Are you single?" Stefanie asked as they all settled into Hope's room.

Josie took the initiative to actually have a look around, it was different than the dorm she known her way around in.

"Yes but she is off limits." Lizzie spoke snapping Josie out of her thoughts.

"I wasn't speaking to you Lizzie." Stefanie huffs.

"And? I'm her best friend and I said she's off limits." Lizzie crosses her arms.

"If you wanted her all to yourself you could've just said that." Stefanie argues back, Josie just look back and forth between her sister and cousin then turns towards the bystander in this scenario.

"Water?" Josie signs to Hope who gives her a nod.

"That's not it at all, she just not interested in dating anyone any time soon." Lizzie rose an eyebrow and Stefanie scoffs.

Hope reemerges into the room and cracks open the bottle of water for Josie then slipped a straw into the bottle.

"Here you go." Hope took a spot next to Josie and carefully handed her the drink.

Josie took it and slowly sipped while admiring a painting on an easel in a corner.

"What's that?" Josie signed while pointing to a painting.

"Unfinished painting with my mom, she wasn't much of a painter but my dad convinced her to do one with me." Hope explained, sadness laced in her tone causing Josie to frown.

"Your mom was very beautiful, you resemble her the most in my opinion." Josie signed then sipped her water while Hope smiled.

"Tell her Hope." Lizzie huffed after bickering with her cousin over nonsense.

"Tell her what?" Hope fixed her gaze to her best friend.

"About your dating life." Lizzie threw her hands everywhere and gave Stefanie a told you so look before Hope even speaks.

"Oh uh, I guess I have a slight crush right now." Hope admits instead.

Silence falls between the three teenagers, Josie always silent but also shocked by the new found news about the Tribrid.

"What?!?" Lizzie snaps, shooting up and immediately began hitting Hope causing to jump so Hope was relatively closer to herself than she expected.

Josie frantically threw her hands around as an attempt to stop her sister while Hope cowered to avoid getting hit in two most sensitive spots, her head and her other head.

"Lizzie!" Josie squeaked out making all actions come to a halt.

Lizzie jaws drop and so does Hope whom slowly sat up to reassure herself that she heard the brunette's voice. Josie blushes deeply under the two's gazes.

"You spoke?!?" Lizzie and Hope cheered, tackling Josie into a bone crushing hug.

Thankfully Josie finished her water because they would all be soaked from the sudden impact. Josie looked at Stefanie for help but she was only recording the whole thing, from the moment of Hope's confession to the group hug the girls were sharing. A knock interrupted the moment catching all of their attentions, soon followed by the door opening.

"Dinner is ready, wash your hands." Elena tells the four teenagers.

They all shot up and ran to the nearest bathroom they could find, Josie and Hope being the only one in Hope's bathroom seeing how the blonde and slightly younger brunette did not scope the room when entering. After the two finished washing their hands, they made their way down the stairs quickly and took their spots next to each other.

"How did you two get down here so fast?" Lizzie huffed with Stefanie behind her.

"That's not important, I have a video of Josie speaking!" Stefanie announces, Freya and Caroline shoots up eagerly.

They watch the whole video, Freya giving Hope a knowingly glare while Caroline gives Lizzie a scolding glare for beating on Hope.

"Important thing is that Josie spoke right?" Hope tried to stir the impending conversation while Lizzie frantically nods in agreement.

"Correct, could you try again?" Freya asks Josie, receiving a slap on the ass by her wife.

"No working, sit and eat everyone. I have not been cooking for over 20 hours to have this disruption. But congratulations Josie on your speedy recovery." Keelin toasted then sipped her wine with a sigh.

Freya only scowls as she rubs her left cheek then sat down along with everyone else.

"We'll be staying in town for a week, maybe I can help around?" Elena suggests and Freya gives her a nod.

"Oh absolutely, my sister is not a big help." She rolls her eyes in memory of the unfortunate accidents Rebekah caused.

"Well fuck you too." Rebekah crossed her arms with a huff.

"Language Rebekah!" Keelin scolds, holding her son's ears while Bonnie does the same.

"Sorry, forgot there are babies around." Rebekah laughed nervously.

"Fuck!" Nik shouts making the teenagers laugh plus Damon and Kol to laugh while everyone else gasps.

"Rebekah!" Freya huffs this time, another unfortunate accident caused by her sister.

"Sorry!" Rebekah groans as Nik and Enzo giggles.

After eating, Josie went upstairs to take her vitamins when she feels a weight on her legs. Looking down, she sees blue eyes staring back at her.

"You spoke." Hope poked Josie's cheek while Josie rolled her eyes.

"I don't count on it happening again any time soon." Josie signs and Hope shrugs.

"Progress is progress, don't rush it. You'll be speaking full sentences by the end of next week." Hope says hopefully, ironically. Josie set down her glass of water then began raking her fingers through Hope's auburn locs causing Hope to relax and eyes to flutter close. "I hope we could spend Christmas together, that'll be much more fun than Thanksgiving." Hope sighed and Josie smiles.

"Okay." Josie mutters and Hope open her eyes not sure if she heard the brunette or not.

"This hair looks really good on you." Hope studied Josie's face as Josie tilts her head with a smile.

"Thank you." Josie signs and Hope signed back while still admiring Josie.

No one questioned why the brunette resided in the auburn's room but they weren't going to protest, especially Lizzie since she would get her own room, or so she thought. She ended up having to bunk with Stefanie which made her scowl. Josie sat back and Hope only scooted up to rest her head on Josie's stomach while Josie continued to rake her fingers through Hope's hair.