A Secret To Be Kept (Hosie)

Chapter 4: Sorry won't bring him back

AN: Hello kind readers! Welcome back to day 4 of updates. Today is finally the day some of you will love me... or hate me. Our beautiful slow burn of a story continues to stay a slow burn, however, there is an interesting turn of events ;). Please stick around till the end for some announcements and enjoy!

- B

Flashback

Josie's eyelids fluttered open. For a moment she had forgotten where she was. Her eyes roamed the room until they landed on the girl still sleeping in her arms.

A part of Josie thought "crap, I fell asleep in my school clothes" but another part of her was jumping up and down about the fact that she just basically spent the night with Hope Mikaelson.

Josie laid there for a moment as she stared at Hope's peaceful sleeping face which was now facing her.

Hope had lost so much and life didn't know how to give her a break. Whenever Josie looked into Hope's eyes she saw the pain she was trying to mask so to see her in her most peaceful state brought a smile to Josie's face.

In the midst of staring, Hope began to stir a bit until she settled for a firmer grip around Josie's waist.

Again, Josie couldn't help but smile.

Josie then realized that she still needed to change and get ready for the day.

She dreaded having to leave Hope's side but she knew people would start asking questions so she had to leave before it was too late.

Josie placed a soft kiss on Hope's forehead and gently pulled her arm out from underneath Hope and lifted Hope's arm off her body as she got up from the bed. She quickly scribbled a note and left it on Hope's bedside before she snuck out of her room and headed back to hers.

"Where were you last night?" Lizzie said with anger just as Josie walked into the room.

"Good morning to you too sis," Josie responded sarcastically.

"Good morning Josie. But seriously, where were you last night? You left to give Hope her dinner and never came back." Lizzie started to sound skeptical.

"Hope asked me to stay so I did and I accidentally fell asleep," Josie answered honestly.

"You slept with Hope?" Lizzie said a little too loudly.

"Lizzie! Not so loud. And don't say it like that. It makes it sound like I had sex with her which I didn't by the way." Josie clarified.

"Well, clearly something happened." Lizzie casually said.

"No, nothing happened. We literally just sat and talked and I just watched her sleep." Josie tried to brush off her sister's implications.

"Yeah, because watching your crush sleep isn't weird at all." Lizzie poked fun.

Josie's faced turned shocked.

"Oh, don't act so surprised Josie, it's very clear that you have a thing for Mikaelson and go you but don't you think it's not the best idea?" Lizzie told Josie.

"I know. It's complicated anyway. Penelope hasn't left me alone since the talent show and it's all just confusing." Josie shook her head as if to shake away the confusion.

Lizzie looked in the mirror as she put on her earrings.

"Okay well, be careful with Hope, I don't want you to get your heart broken again and just ignore Satan. She doesn't deserve you." Lizzie tried to advise her sister.

"Yeah, please just don't tell anyone okay?" Josie requested.

"Who am I going to tell? MG?" Lizzie joked.

Josie's face turned serious.

"Okay okay, I promise I won't tell anyone," Lizzie said seriously.

"Thank you, the last thing I need to deal with is you know who bothering me about it. Oh, and I can not let dad find out." Josie let out a slow breath

"True. But anyways you might want to change out of your day-old clothes Josie, breakfast is in 15." Lizzie waved her finger around her sister's outfit before she left their room.

After she changed and got cleaned up Josie made her way back to Hope's room.

"Just go away MG." Josie heard Hope's voice from around the corner.

"I'm so sorry Hope, I just want you to know that if I could take it back I would." MG apologized desperately.

"I said go away!" Hope shouted.

As she did, a wave of force shot forward throwing MG against the wall.

At this point, Josie was close enough to witness everything.

"MG!" Josie ran over to her best friend's side.

Right now everyone hated MG for what he did and they had a right to be but he was still just a kid and Josie's best friend.

"Are you okay?" Josie asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine." MG got up and walked away.

Josie then turned to face Hope who was still standing by her door.

Neither of them said anything. Josie just walked into Hope's room and pulled her into a tight hug.

That's when Hope's tears starting flowing again.

"I didn't mean to hurt him." Hope sobbed.

"I know you didn't," Josie reassured her.

Having Lizzie as her sister Josie was used to dealing with episodes like.

Suddenly, Hope pulled away from Josie's embrace which caused Josie to frown.

"Why don't you avoid me like everyone else? Why don't you go on and live your life? You don't have to be here with me spending nights in my room and skipping breakfast to make sure I'm okay." Hope didn't mean it to be but her words came out sharp.

"Because I care about you Hope. I know I don't know what you're going through but I meant it when I said I would be here for you." Josie answered.

That's when Hope's eyes flickered between Josie's eyes and lips.

Josie noticed bringing her eyes down to Hope's lips as well.

Before Josie got a chance to think Hope's lips crashed against hers.

It was a gentle kiss. Somehow it felt so right. Hope's lips felt soft against hers. Josie immediately started to kiss back but then Hope quickly pulled away and turned around.

Josie was confused.

"Hope?" Josie asked in a hurt voice.

There was no response.

"I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?" Josie placed her hand on Hope's arm.

Hope pulled away from Josie's touch and stayed facing her bed.

"Please leave." She said but it wasn't mean or rude. There was more pain than anything in Hope's voice.

Josie just left the room leaving Hope standing alone... again.

AN: Okay, yes, you are allowed to be mad at me. I'm mad at me too but I promise you it's for something much better to come! So, to my announcements. As I mentioned at the beginning of this story the slow burn of it all resides in the flashbacks. I have decided to make the first 10 chapters of this story flashbacks = an update each day up to chapter 10. Once we reach "present" time the updates will definitely be longer so I can't promise as frequent of an update but I will try my hardest to stay consistent. With all that being said I have no idea how long this story is going to be so let's just take this story as it comes! Love you all and thank you for reading!

- B