Hopeless

The Party

Josie's POV

When Rafael goes back to the party, Hope's fingers lace through mine once more. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asks me, tugging on my hand gently to get me to look at her.

I do, and her worried glance has my heart melting. Like I told Lizzie, she is so sweet. I love Rafael, but I love Hope more. And in a different way. "Nothing," I smile, pressing another chaste kiss to her lips. "I just feel guilty..."

"Why?" she asks.

Her free hand lifts up to brush a strand of hair behind my ear before slipping behind my neck to play with the baby hairs there, and I can't help but melt into her touch. "Rafael likes you," I sigh, repeating what I had told her earlier.

"You've said that before," she tells me.

"He's our best friend, Hope!" I exclaim, feeling myself getting worked up. "I just kissed my best friend's crush!"

"Who also happens to be your crush," she points out. She has a fair point.

"But does that make it right?"

"Does that make it wrong?" she counters, her eyebrow raising in that cute way it always does.

"No..." I trail off, frowning as I think about it.

I feel myself start to hyperventilate, and Hope picks up on it, too. "Shh," she murmurs, releasing my hand so that both of hers can cup my cheeks. "Breathe," she says.

I stare into her ocean blue eyes, allowing myself to get lost in them, and soon enough, her soothing words and touches along with her loving gaze calm me down. "Why don't we go back to the party?" she suggests. "Maybe socializing will take your mind off of things."

"Stay with me?" I ask, hating how weak I sound but chalking it up to having a near panic attack just now.

"Always and forever," she whispers.

I don't say anything about how she just used her family's mantra with me, but that doesn't mean I don't pick up on it. It sends the zoo in my stomach into overdrive as my heart works harder to keep me breathing. I smile as the tribrid stands and extends a hand to me, then I take it and allow her to lead me back to the party.

Hope's POV

When we're about three steps from the Old Mill, I feel Josie pull me back, my body colliding with hers. Her arms wrap around my waist as she rests her forehead on mine, her eyelids fluttering closed, and my chest tightens when she says, "I just want one more minute to ourselves before we go back out there."

"God, you're adorable," I say as I lift my arms to circle her neck once more.

She doesn't respond verbally, but her hands squeeze my hips a bit tighter, signaling that she heard what I said. We stay like this for a while, and I'm honestly surprised no one sees us considering how close to everyone we are, but I'm glad that no one does. Every moment alone with Josie is a moment I want to savor.

When we do go back to the party, though, I immediately look for Rafael. He's still here, but he's back with his friends. Our eyes meet for a split second, but then Josie starts talking to me and I turn my full attention to her, smiling at how excited she's getting over the fact that someone brought her favorite beer and marveling at how beautiful she looks in the firelight's glow.

We stick together for the entirety of the party. We jump from one group to another - it's mainly Josie socializing and me just following her - but the one group we never go near is Rafael's. I feel him watching us at times, especially when we're alone, but I never return the stare. I just step closer to Josie whenever I feel his gaze, earning a soft smile from the brunette each time that makes my heart melt, just like everything else my favorite Saltzman twin does.