we're not friends (maybe this time it'll be different) - Hosie

Part 4

As she watched her young student’s fingers press the wrong piano keys for the fifth time in a row, Josie offered Nik a sympathetic smile. The boy’s brow pressed together in frustration, and his eyes filled up with tears. The brunette quickly placed a comforting arm around his shoulders and brought him close to her. 

“It’s okay, Nikky.” Josie gently rubbed his arm to comfort him. “Maybe we should stop for today.”

“No!” Nik quickly wiped away the tears that had not fallen from his eyes yet. “I can do it.”

“I just think-”

“I said I can do it!” The boy snapped.

Josie’s eyes grew big. Nik did not usually talk to her that way. The sweet boy never really raised his voice at anyone. 

“Hey, don’t talk to Josie like that.”

Both the brunette and the boy turned to look at the intruder. Hope walked into the room, clearly displeased by her cousin’s tone of voice. Nik looked down, avoiding making eye contact with either of the two women.

“I didn’t mean it.” He mumbled after a while.

“You should apologize.”

For a moment, no one moved or said anything. Then, Nik abruptly stood up and ran out of the room under the surprised eyes of Josie and Hope. Before Hope could turn around and go after him, Josie stood up too.

“Give him space.” The brunette gently instructed. “He never did that before. There’s clearly something wrong with him today.”

Hope seemed to hesitate on whether to listen to Josie or not, but then she looked back at the brunette and nodded. Josie forced a smile before turning back to the piano and gathering her music sheets with a sigh. It had been a long day for the Saltzman woman, and at that point she just wished to go home.

“Are we still on for dinner?”

“Oh.” Josie turned to Hope with a sheepish smile. “I…”

“You forgot.” Hope’s chuckle felt empty, and it made Josie’s heart sink. “It’s fine. We can reschedule.”

Josie could not take the disappointment she saw on Hope’s face as she placed her music sheets inside her bag. The brunette made her way out from behind the piano, and walked a little closer to Hope. “Maybe we could still have dinner at my place. I’ll order something.”

Hope’s smile did not reach her eyes as she slowly shook her head. “You seem tired. You should get some rest.” 

Josie walked until she was close enough to touch Hope, but she did not actually touch the Mikaelson woman. The brunette tilted her head to the side and gave Hope her best smile.

“Come on, don’t let me have dinner alone.”

Hope playfully rolled her eyes. “Fine. Tell me what you want, and I’ll get it on my way to your apartment.”

After she quickly gave Hope her usual order from the Mystic Grill, Josie swiftly walked out of the room, but not without leaving a lingering kiss on Hope’s cheek as a thank you. The way it left Hope frozen and with her mouth open made Josie giggle as she walked downstairs.

The brunette decided to make a quick stop to the kitchen where she found Freya. Josie voiced her concerns about Nik’s behavior to his mother before finally making her way out of the Mikaelson residence. As she drove to her apartment, Josie’s head was filled with Hope, Nik, and then Hope again. She really could not get the Mikaelson woman out of her thoughts. 

When she finally walked inside her apartment, a heavy sigh left her lips. She made her way to her bedroom, placing her bag next to her desk on her way in. The brunette quickly got into the shower, she hoped the hot water would help her relax a little before her dinner with Hope. She had no idea how this dinner would go. She did not even know why she had asked Hope to have dinner with her. She knew Hope had been making efforts, so it felt right to make some too. Josie just could not figure out where her relationship to Hope would go. Or, where she wanted it to go.