Hopeless

We'll Try Again Tomorrow

Hope's POV

"Why did I hold her hand?" I shout to no one in particular the moment I slam my door shut. "God, I'm such an idiot."

I collapse onto my bed face-first, kind of like belly-flopping into a pool. "I don't know, I think she liked it," a familiar voice speaks up from the corner of my room. "At least, her smile said she did."

I shoot upright, a beam slowly taking over my features. "What? No greeting?" my aunt asks, feigning shock as I just stare at her, stunned.

"Rebekah!"

I launch myself at my favorite aunt, wrapping my arms tightly around her and just letting myself get lost in the familiar feeling of her protective hugs. I love Aunt Freya, who stepped in as both a mother-figure and a mentor when my parents died, but Aunt Rebekah has always been my favorite. She's like the cool, fun aunt who everyone else in the family thinks is a bad influence. But, despite that, she's always given the best advice and has always had my back when I needed her.

The hug lasts longer than usual as I take in her familiar scent and customary embrace, but when I pull back, nostalgia washes over me and I just want to lean in again. "Why are you here?" I ask.

"Not happy to see me?" Rebekah teases, pretending to be hurt, and I laugh as I push her away.

"I think I just made it very clear that I am happy to see you," I deadpan. She just shrugs and nods in agreement.

I make my way to my bed and sit down, then turn my attention back to my aunt. She follows my lead. "I'm here to tell you that I'll be out of the country for a while. I just wanted to see you before I left, so I called Alaric and told him I'd be paying my niece a surprise visit."

"You're leaving?" I question, confused.

"Just for a little bit. I heard that somebody I used to know showed up in England, so I want to go and finish things," she tells me mysteriously.

I snort at her choice of words. "You mean kill him?" I clarify.

"Maybe," she smirks, shrugging as she tries to keep up her nonchalant façade. "You know me so well."

Rebekah bumps my shoulder with hers, and I laugh. It feels good to laugh; I haven't done it in so long. We settle into a comfortable silence after that, neither of us having much more to say, until the blonde speaks up again. "So who was she?"

"Who was who?"

"You know who," she laughs. "The girl you were with at the lake. The one who you held hands with on the way back to school. I saw you initiate that, by the way."

Rebekah smirks as my face pales. "That was you?"

"Duh," she snorts.

I feel a bit relieved that it was her, actually. It could have been so many people that would be so much worse. Like Alaric, for example. Or Penelope. Or Lizzie. I shudder at the thought of Josie's twin seeing us together.

Rebekah stares at me expectantly, and I sigh before answering her question. "Her name is Josie."

"Josie," Rebekah repeats, testing the name out. "Is she your girlfriend?"

I shake my head vigorously. "She's just a friend."

"The necklace came from you, though," she points out. I am about to ask her how she knew that, but then I remember that I had FaceTimed her to help me pick out which one to buy.

"Well, yeah..." I trail off.

"You gave that to her over a month ago and she's still wearing it?" Rebekah verifies.