but I'll just let you live-

the dance

The days dragged on after the confrontation in the cafeteria, and Hope felt like her world was unraveling piece by piece. Josie had become a ghost, slipping away from their usual routines, avoiding eye contact, and always leaving a room before Hope could even muster the courage to talk to her. What was worse, Josie hadn't responded to a single one of Hope's texts. Not a word.It hurt more than Hope had expected. She had thought the conversation with Landon would be the hardest part, but now she was realizing how much deeper the hurt went with Josie. She had been careless, and Josie's pain was her own fault.A week after their cafeteria blowout, Hope sat by herself in the corner of the library, a textbook open in front of her but unread. The words blurred as her mind replayed that last conversation with Josie, the hurt in her voice, the tremble in her lips. Hope had thought apologizing would be enough—that Josie would understand—but now she saw it was going to take more than just words to mend the broken trust between them.She was startled when someone slid into the chair across from her.Lizzie, with a knowing look in her eye."You look like a disaster," she said, not bothering with pleasantries."Thanks for the reminder," Hope muttered, closing her textbook. She wasn't in the mood for Lizzie's bluntness, but knowing Lizzie, she wasn't going to leave without saying what she needed to say.Lizzie crossed her arms, leaning back in the chair. "I've been watching this whole thing unfold, and honestly, it's getting exhausting. I love Josie, and you're my friend, but the two of you are both idiots."Hope's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing. "Excuse me?"Lizzie raised a hand. "Hear me out. Josie? She's being way too sensitive about this whole Landon thing. I mean, sure, you were oblivious, but she could've just talked to you about how she was feeling instead of bottling it up. She's letting it fester. But you... you've been blind. You've hurt her without meaning to, and now you're sitting here sulking instead of doing something about it."Hope leaned back in her chair, the weight of Lizzie's words sinking in. "It's not that simple, Lizzie. She won't even talk to me.""Of course she won't," Lizzie shot back. "Because she doesn't know how to deal with what she's feeling. She's probably scared. You need to prove to her that you're serious, that you're willing to fight for her."Hope bit her lip. "I don't know what to do. I already talked to Landon, set boundaries with him, and told Josie how I feel. What more can I do?"Lizzie sighed, rolling her eyes. "You're still thinking this is a quick fix. It's not. Josie's not going to magically forgive you just because you had one heart-to-heart with Landon. It's going to take time."Hope slumped in her seat. "I don't know if I can stand waiting.""Well, you don't have much of a choice," Lizzie said with a shrug. "But, for what it's worth, I think Josie still loves you. She's just... hurting. Give her space but show her that you're there for her. Be patient, Hope.""I've never been good at waiting," Hope admitted softly, her chest tightening."You're going to have to learn," Lizzie replied with a pointed look. "Because if you keep pushing her too soon, you'll only push her away for good."Hope nodded, though the thought of waiting, of sitting in the uncertainty, gnawed at her. She wanted to fix things now. But maybe Lizzie was right—maybe rushing would only make things worse. She'd have to show Josie, not just tell her, that she was willing to wait.***A few days later, the school was buzzing with excitement over the upcoming winter formal. Posters hung in the hallways, and people were already talking about who they'd be going with. Normally, Hope would've asked Josie in some creative, romantic way, but now, with the distance between them, it felt like a cruel reminder of everything that had gone wrong.Hope lingered near her locker, glancing across the hallway where Josie was talking with Lizzie and MG. They laughed about something, and for a second, Hope felt a pang of jealousy. It used to be her who made Josie laugh like that. She missed it—the easiness, the closeness. But now, things felt so strained, so delicate.Rafael walked up, leaning against the locker next to hers. "You going to the formal?" he asked casually.Hope shrugged. "I don't know. Doesn't really seem like the right time for a dance."Rafael nodded, glancing over at Josie. "You thinking about asking her?"Hope sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I don't know. Part of me wants to, but I don't think she's ready. I don't want to pressure her."Rafael crossed his arms, looking thoughtful. "I get that. But maybe the formal could be a chance for you two to talk, to work things out. It's easier to ignore stuff when nothing's going on, but something like this... it might bring things to the surface."Hope glanced over at Josie again, her heart heavy. She missed her so much it hurt. Maybe Rafael was right—maybe the formal could be the catalyst they needed to break the silence between them."I'll think about it," she said finally, though the uncertainty still gnawed at her.***The day of the formal arrived, and the school was buzzing with excitement. Girls were gushing about their dresses, guys were trying to figure out how to tie their bowties, and everyone seemed caught up in the energy of the night.Hope stood in front of the mirror in her room, adjusting her dress. She hadn't been sure if she was even going to go, but part of her felt like she had to. If not for herself, then for Josie. It felt like a last chance, like tonight could be the moment that either brought them back together or tore them apart for good.She arrived at the gymnasium, where the dance was being held, and the moment she walked in, she was hit with the sound of laughter, music, and the hum of conversation. The gym had been transformed with twinkling lights, and the decorations looked like something out of a fairytale.But all Hope could think about was finding Josie.She scanned the room, her heart thudding in her chest when she finally spotted her. Josie was standing near the edge of the dance floor, looking absolutely beautiful in her deep green dress, her hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders.Hope's breath caught in her throat. Josie looked so perfect, so effortless, and all Hope wanted was to be the one standing by her side. But as she started to make her way over, she froze.Landon was already there, standing next to Josie, laughing at something she said. And even though Hope knew she had set boundaries with him, seeing them together sent a wave of panic through her. What if Josie had decided to move on? What if Hope had already lost her chance?The room seemed to close in on her, and Hope took a shaky breath, her legs suddenly feeling heavy. She had to remind herself that this wasn't about Landon—it was about her and Josie. She needed to talk to her, to fix this before it was too late.She squared her shoulders and began walking toward them, her heart pounding harder with each step.But just as she reached them, Landon turned to her, his expression unreadable. "Hey, Hope.""Can I talk to Josie for a minute?" Hope asked, her voice trembling slightly.Landon glanced at Josie, then back at Hope, before stepping aside. Josie's eyes met Hope's, and for the first time in days, Hope saw something other than hurt there. It was brief, but it was there."Hey," Hope said softly, her hands shaking slightly. "You look beautiful."Josie smiled faintly, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thanks."Hope swallowed, feeling the lump in her throat growing. "I know things have been really messed up between us lately, and I just... I need you to know that I'm so sorry. I've been stupid, and I've hurt you in ways I didn't realize. But I love you, Josie. I love you so much, and I don't want to lose you."Josie looked down at her hands, her expression conflicted. "Hope, I don't know if I'm ready for this conversation.""I get that," Hope said quickly. "I do. And I'm not asking you to forgive me right now or anything. I just needed you to know how I feel. I can wait, Josie. However long it takes. I'll wait for you."Josie's eyes flicked up to meet Hope's, and for a moment, there was silence between them, the rest of the world fading away.But before either of them could say another word, the music changed, and people started pulling their dates onto the dance floor."Do you want to dance?" Hope asked, her heart in her throat.Josie hesitated, biting her lip. But then she nodded, and Hope's heart soared.They moved onto the dance floor, and Hope gently placed her hands on Josie's waist, feeling the warmth of her body against hers. For the first time in what felt like forever, they were close again, and even though things weren't perfect, it was a start.And for now, that was enough.