Hosie~ One Shots

The Stolen Letter

Josie Saltzman had always loved Hope Mikaelson. It was a love that had quietly grown over the years, so deeply ingrained in her heart that it felt like breathing—a necessary, constant rhythm that kept her going. Since they were kids, Josie had been drawn to Hope, mesmerized by her strength, her intelligence, and that vulnerability she hid so well from everyone. She had been there for Hope through the darkest moments, offering silent support even when Hope didn't ask for it.

But now, watching Hope with Lizzie—her twin, her sister—was like being torn apart. Hope had chosen Lizzie, and Josie couldn't bear it. She tried so hard to be happy for them, to pretend that everything was fine, that seeing them together didn't shatter her every day. But it did.

It was a Sunday afternoon at the Saltzman house, and Josie sat on the couch, absently flipping through an old spellbook. The room was quiet, the air heavy with the tension she had grown used to, but today, it felt unbearable. Lizzie and Hope had gone out earlier, laughing and holding hands, and Josie's heart had clenched painfully at the sight.

She couldn't take it anymore. She had to say something. Anything.

When Lizzie came home later, Josie was still sitting in the living room, her body tense, her thoughts spinning in circles. Lizzie walked in with a bright smile, but as soon as she saw Josie's expression, her face fell.

"Jo? What's wrong?" Lizzie asked, her voice a little too casual, a little too bright.

Josie couldn't keep the anger in anymore. It erupted before she could stop herself.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Josie's voice trembled as she stood up, glaring at her sister. "I'll tell you what's wrong, Lizzie. I can't stand watching you with Hope. I've tried. I've tried for months to be okay with it, to be the supportive sister, but I'm not. I'm not okay with it!"

Lizzie blinked in surprise, her eyes widening. "What are you talking about? Josie, you've never said—"

"Of course I didn't say anything!" Josie snapped, her voice rising. "Because I didn't want to hurt you! I didn't want to ruin things between us. But I can't do this anymore. I can't pretend that everything's fine when the truth is, I've been in love with Hope since we were kids."

Lizzie's mouth opened in shock, but Josie didn't stop. She couldn't.

"I've loved her for as long as I can remember, Lizzie. But you—" Josie's voice cracked, her eyes filling with tears. "You swooped in and she chose you. I've been dying inside every time I see you two together. I can't stand that she picked you over me."

Lizzie's face paled, her shock quickly turning into something harder. "Wait, you think Hope picked me over you? Jo, that's not fair. It's not like you told her how you felt. I didn't know."

"You knew!" Josie shouted, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. "You've always known! I told you how I felt about Hope, and you didn't care. You went after her anyway. You never once thought about me!"

Lizzie's face flushed with anger now. "That's not true! I didn't know you were in love with her, Jo! How was I supposed to know—"

"You want to know how I know you knew?" Josie's voice dropped, quieter now, but laced with hurt. "Because I wrote Hope a letter. A love letter. Years ago. I was too much of a coward to give it to her in person, so I slipped it under her door and waited for a reply that never came. I thought she didn't want to hurt my feelings, so she stayed quiet. But now I know what happened, don't I?"

Lizzie's eyes darted away for a moment, guilt flashing across her face, but she said nothing.

Josie's hands trembled as she took a breath. "I can't stand that Hope chose you, Lizzie. I can't stand that I'm the one who's been in love with her all this time, but you're the one she loves."