Hosie~ One Shots

When Paths Collide Part 6

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains, waking Hope from the deepest sleep she'd had in weeks. A soft smile spread across her face as memories of the night before flooded her mind. Josie. Her bright eyes, her warm laugh, and that kiss—a kiss that left Hope's heart brimming with something she hadn't felt in a long time.

Lying there, she touched her lips, her smile widening as she recalled the way Josie had looked at her afterward, like nothing else in the world mattered. The thought sent a surge of joy through her, and she couldn't contain it.

Hope sat up and then, without thinking, bounced to her knees and started jumping on the bed like a kid, laughing softly to herself. "She kissed me," she whispered to the empty room, her cheeks burning with happiness. "She kissed me."

After a few more seconds of celebrating, she flopped back onto the bed, catching her breath. "Okay, Hope," she told herself. "Get it together. It's just breakfast... with Josie and Lizzie... and the girl who kissed you last night."

She got up, shaking her head at her own excitement, and headed to the bathroom. After brushing her teeth and splashing cold water on her face, she tied her hair into a quick ponytail and made her way downstairs.

As she reached the kitchen, the smell of buttery pancakes and fresh coffee greeted her. Lizzie stood at the stove, flipping a pancake with the kind of dramatic flourish that only Lizzie could pull off. She turned at the sound of Hope's footsteps and smirked.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty," Lizzie teased, nodding toward the clock. "Thought you'd never wake up."

Hope rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her grin as she grabbed a mug and poured herself some coffee. "Good morning to you too, Lizzie. And, for the record, I was up before you started burning breakfast."

Lizzie gasped in mock offense. "Excuse me, these are perfectly golden pancakes. Thank you very much." She slid one onto a plate and handed it to Hope with a flourish.

"Where's Josie?" Hope asked, trying to sound casual as she buttered her pancake.

Lizzie raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying the nonchalant tone. "Still asleep, I think. Why? Miss her already?"

Hope nearly choked on her coffee, her cheeks heating up instantly. "What? No! I just... I was curious."

Lizzie burst out laughing, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh, this is too good. You're so obvious, Hope."

Hope groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Lizzie, please."

"Hey, I think it's cute," Lizzie said, her tone softening slightly. "And I'm happy for you. Seriously."

Hope peeked through her fingers, surprised by the sincerity in Lizzie's voice. "Thanks," she said, her smile returning.

Lizzie winked and gestured toward the table. "Go eat. I'll bring the rest of the food over in a sec. And don't worry, Josie will be down soon. She's not exactly a morning person."

Hope sat down, her thoughts drifting to Josie as she dug into her pancake. The memory of their kiss played in her mind again, and she couldn't stop the small smile that crept across her face.

Whatever today held, she knew one thing for sure: it was already off to an incredible start.

Lizzie carried the last plate of pancakes to the table and slid into the seat across from Hope. She propped her chin on her hand, her sharp gaze studying Hope as she poured syrup over her food.

"You've been sitting there with that dreamy, faraway look for at least five minutes," Lizzie said, smirking. "Earth to Hope. Are you okay, or should I call a doctor?"