Hosie~ One Shots

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was always a time of warmth and togetherness in the Saltzman household. This year, however, carried a different air of anticipation. Lizzie, now two years older than her younger sister Josie, had just returned from college, and with her came Hope Mikaelson, her best friend. Hope, freshly heartbroken from a recent breakup with Landon, was invited to join their family holiday in hopes that it would provide her with some distraction.

When Lizzie and Hope arrived, Caroline greeted them with open arms, and Stefan—who had become like a father figure to the girls—joined in welcoming them.

"Mom, Dad, this is Hope," Lizzie said, gesturing to the girl standing beside her. Hope smiled politely, though her eyes showed a weariness that hinted at the emotional toll of the recent breakup.

"Thank you for having me," Hope said, offering a handshake. Caroline pulled her into a warm hug instead.

"We're happy to have you, sweetheart. Make yourself at home," Caroline said, while Stefan nodded in agreement.

Lizzie turned to Caroline. "By the way, MG is coming too, but he's running late. I hope that's okay."

Caroline waved it off. "The more, the merrier."

Then, Caroline called up the stairs. "Josie, come down, your sister's here!"

Footsteps echoed down the staircase, and Josie appeared in the doorway. She greeted Lizzie with a hug, the joy of seeing her sister clear on her face. But then, she saw Hope, and something inside her shifted. She hadn't expected Lizzie's best friend to be so captivating. For a moment, she forgot to breathe. But she quickly recovered, offering Hope a warm smile.

Hope nodded at her, their eyes meeting briefly before both looked away, awkward but intrigued. The group sat down for dinner, and as conversation flowed easily around the table, Josie couldn't help but notice how, every now and then, Hope's gaze would drift toward her. And each time their eyes met, Hope would quickly avert her gaze, as if caught.

After dinner, the atmosphere relaxed, and Lizzie dragged Hope into the kitchen to help with the dishes. They worked side by side, and the conversation flowed naturally at first.

"I just got a text from MG," Lizzie said while drying a plate. "He's on his way now. I was thinking maybe we could all go out for a bit, grab a drink or something."

Hope frowned, setting the dish she had been washing aside. "You can't just leave me behind, Lizzie. I thought we were doing something together tonight."

Lizzie waved it off, smiling. "Relax. My parents won't mind if you hang out here, and Josie definitely won't mind. I think she likes you."

Hope glanced away, frustration bubbling under the surface. "No, it's not that," she said, her voice lower. "I just don't want to be stuck here all night with your ugly sister."

Lizzie froze, glaring at Hope. "Hey, don't say that about Josie. She's my sister, and she's not ugly."

Hope sighed, rubbing her temples. "I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that, okay? I'm just—I'm angry about Landon he said that to me when we broke up, and I don't want to be left alone with someone I barely know."

What they didn't realize was that Josie had overheard everything, except the last part of what Hope said.
She had come into the kitchen to join them, hoping to maybe talk with Hope some more. But those words—Hope calling her ugly—struck her like a punch in the gut. The warmth and excitement she'd felt earlier vanished, replaced with a deep hurt.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned around quietly and headed back up the stairs. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't—not here. As she passed the living room, Caroline called out from the couch, noticing her rushing up the stairs.