an incredible spark

the party

"Mom... Do you think I should go to this party on Friday?" Josie asks as she plays with the vegetables on her plate.

Lizzie abruptly stops eating. "The one Hope Mikaelson is hosting?"

Josie nods, her eyes always glued to her plate.

"You've been invited?"

Josie nods again.

"I don't think you should go." Lizzie says, looking back at her own plate.

"Elizabeth!" Caroline scolds the blonde twin before looking at Josie. "I think you should go sweetie. It would help you, it's a good opportunity to blend in."

Lizzie scoffs. "We all know what happened the last time she blended in."

"Elizabeth, it's enough. Have you heard yourself?!" Caroline yells. "Go to your room. Now!"

Lizzie rolls her eyes, and releases a frustrated sigh before storming out of the dining room. The whole time, Josie has her eyes closed tightly in an effort to block out what is happening. When Lizzie's gone, the room falls silent again until the brunette hears her mother sigh loudly. Not long after, Josie feels Caroline hug her from behind.

"I don't get why she's so mad at me... I'm the one who got hurt, not her."

The woman sighs. "You're right, sweetie. I'll have a talk with her tonight, and try to put some sense into her, 'cause I can't believe she doesn't see she's hurting you."

A little sad smile appears on Josie's face. She opens her eyes and slowly looks up at her mother. Caroline breaks the embrace slowly and then gently pushes some strands of hair out of her daughter's face. The sad look in Josie's eyes seemed to be permanent lately, and it's breaking Caroline's heart. If only she could take the pain of her daughter away with some magic trick.

"Listen to me Josie..." The blonde woman says with a smile. "On Friday, you're gonna go to this party and you're gonna have fun. Make friends, dance, laugh... Live again sweetie."

The brunette forces a smile. She needs to comfort her mother somehow, even if she doesn't believe it herself.

"Okay."

***

When the car stops in front of Hope's house, Josie feels like she's gonna be sick. She sees teenagers everywhere... On the front yard, in the house, in the backyard. She tears her eyes away from the house and looks ahead of herself. The brunette is alone in the car with her mother. Lizzie took a ride with some other cheerleaders to go from the game to Hope's house.

"Can we go back home?" Josie asks, her voice so small Caroline barely hears her.

Caroline gives her daughter a smile. "No sweetie, you need to spend time with people your age. Spending your Friday night playing Scrabble with your mom is sad."

"It's safe." Josie says firmly.

The woman sighs. "Okay, let's make a deal. You go in, try your very best to have fun, and if in... an hour you're still not feeling it, I'm gonna come back and pick you up."

"How about... 30 minutes?" Josie tries to negotiate.

"An hour." Caroline says back with a light chuckle.

"Fine! An hour, but you don't ask any question when I ask you to pick me up."

" If you ask me to pick you up."

The teasing smile on her mother's face makes Josie roll her eyes, but it's more playful than annoyed. The brunette unbuckles her seatbelt and looks at the front yard. She glances one last time at her mother before opening the door and stepping out of the car.