SIDE CHARACTER [ 1 ]| THE ORIGINALS & LEGACIES

N I N E

I sat in the passenger seat of Roman's convertible. It was dark now, and he put his roof up. I scrolled through his playlist, enjoying the music taste he had.

"Okay, I knew your hair had emo tendencies, but your music?" Hope said, laughing as she leaned over from the middle seat in the back.

"Shade thrown and caught," Roman replied, laughing at her.

"It's almost as bad as Lilah's," she said.

I turned around to send her a playful glare, and I said, "Damn, throw the whole tree next time. I like his music."

"You like himI," Hope mumbled, going back to sitting back.

My cheeks flushed, and I looked at Roman to see him looking at the road with an embarrassed smile on his face. Eventually, he stared down at his phone in my head.

He took it, brushing his fingers against mine.

"Here, lean in," he said, holding his phone up with the camera open.

"No," I scolded, grabbing the phone. "I'll do it."

I snapped photos of us as he looked forward, calling to Hope to get in them.

"And thirdwheel some selfies?" she asked, making it sound like she was about to refute. "Alright, but get my good side."

She got into view, and I snapped two more pictures, texting them to myself before giving Roman his phone back.

"My mom would kill us if she knew that we were taking selfies and driving," Hope said. "Though compared to binding my werewolf side, I'd just say it's a misdemeanor."

"You nervous?" Roman asked her.

"My Aunt Freya basically said I'd regret it for the rest of my life," Hope explained. "And from what I've read in my dad's journals, it's horrible. So, you know, actually kind of terrified."

"Well, you said you feel like a freak, I don't know, maybe this'll help."

"Still, it's strange cutting out a part of yourself that you barely even know," she said, shaking her head.

I put my hand out for her to grab. She did, squeezing it before letting go.

"So you won't miss it," Roman said, trying to find a way to make her feel better. "Anyway, you'll still be you."

I smiled at him for this.

"Doesn't matter, 'cause I'm doing it."

"You know, your mom should be proud of you."

She made us pull over, saying she felt like someone was tracking us. She got out of the car to be somewhere quiet. I sat there with Roman, watching her out of my window. 

"I'm gonna go check on her," I told him, unbuckling my seatbelt.

He nodded, and I smiled as I got out of the car.

-

We had ditched our phones and Hope cloaked us. I was almost certain it was Caroline, having the Honors Tracking Class try to find us like she always did whenever students snuck out at night. Only, they weren't going to find us, and if they tried to use Find My iPhones, our phones were on the ground somewhere, nowhere near where we were.

We we arrived at this strange looking house, we all started to unbuckle. Hope got out first, She learned into my window, which was open.

"Do you think you can stay in the car?" she asked me, her voice quiet.

"Why would you want me to do that?" I asked her.

"I don't want you to see me in pain," she replied.