Prohibition

Part 4

"This has been nice and you make for pleasant company, but I have gotta get back now." Jade shook her head to clear out the cobwebs.

"Could ya play my favorite for me?" Hope asked before Jade could walk away, catching her gently by the wrist. She whispered into Jade's ear, then kissed her cheek quickly. The pianist grinned broadly.

"I can make that happen." She replied, blushing a bit. "My favorite kind of tipper." Jade winked and stepped back onto the stage, a veil of absolute confidence falling over her.

Hope smiled to herself and headed back to the bar; almost bumping into the singer from the first set, Josie Saltzman, Lizzie's sister. Hope stopped short as the dark-haired twin tapped another woman on the shoulder.

"Jade says it's your turn up there, imma get a drink and stick around the bar for a while. You have some kind of a special request coming up." Josie sent the young woman on her way.

"Watch yourself. We have still got a few sets to do tonight. The night is young yet." the other girl stepped away to have a word with Jade before the band got settled and the set got started.

With that Josette turned and seemed to notice how Hope had been there the whole time, watching and listening.

"Hi there, I saw you out dancing on the floor during my set. It's nice to meet the young woman causing such a stir in this place. You looked good out there." Josie said, leaning casually against the bar, eyes appraising.

"Yeah, I tend to have this kind of effect. I can't do much without drawing attention. I have given up trying." Hope joked, unsure of this girl so far. "Let me buy that drink for you."

"Thank you, could you tell me who it is I'm thanking?" Josie asked, enjoying the spunk of this newcomer.

"My name is Hope. Hope Mikaelson." She introduced herself and Josie's eyebrows shot up at the mention of her name, seeming to recognize her last name especially. Hope could tell something was going on she didn't yet understand.

"And you're Josette, Josie, Saltzman. Our families were close once upon a time." Hope added, her tone of voice a bit more distant than it had been.

"Oh, right. So you know my twin, fraternal." Josie had laughter in her eyes, taking a seat close to her by the bar.

"I have to say that your voice is fantastic, especially on those Annette Henshaw numbers," Hope said, propping her chin upon her hand, elbow resting on the bar countertop. She was surprised to find herself just as starstruck by this twin as she had been by the other. Still, Josie felt more... real to her.

"Thank you, again. The lighter, more airy tunes are my specialty. I wouldn't even say that I do them justice yet. Now, up there's you a real singer." Josie nodded towards the stage as the girl she had been speaking to take a seat on top of Jade's piano. It was the exact song Hope had requested.

"There is certainly some depth and some smoke in her voice, but I still like yours better." Hope commented.

"Miss. Alyssa Chang. If she ain't seen it, she has tried it... maybe a few times. She sounds so good because she channels all of those various experiences into her music." Josie leaned a bit closer to whisper into Hope's ear. The warmth of her breath on Hope's skin sending shivers down her spine.

"So... what about you?" Hope asked, not even looking back at Alyssa.

"Not so fast, little Ms. Mikaelson. You are the new girl here. You're going to have to give some before you get some." Josie had yet to pull away from where she had leaned in closer to Hope before, her eyes still scanning Hope up and down. She was surprised to find how the whole story began to pour right out of her once more.

"So, it's your first night out in Mystic Falls and somehow you have ended up here at The Ice Box. It's good to have you here." Josie said and Hope could see her glancing up over Hope's shoulder to all of the guys still seated at the opposite end of the bar. "Of all of the places you could have ended up..."

"What do you mean of all the...What is going....?" Hope now found herself mildly alarmed, curious, and confused.

"Oh, no, we all just... you just have it, Hope Mikaelson." Josie leaned even further in, her mouth back against Hope's ear. Her downcast eyes and her cocky smile were unmistakably flirtatious.

"You must have some of your depths hidden in there, don't you?" Hope asked, turning her head so her cheek just barely brushed against Josie's, and felt the other girl brace herself on Hope's knee.

"Well,... there is the depth I can reach into with my singing, emotionally, and then there's another kind. The kind that can be only reached with a lady friend." Josie leaned back into her seat, crossing her legs with a shrug, and enjoying the way Hope blushed. "I would never intentionally embarrass you. I just thought I'd felt a vibe."

"Oh, it is much harder to get to me than my cheeks would imply. You just surprised me is all." Hope managed to regain her composure and to steel her expression.

"Would you consider it the good or bad kind of surprise?" Josie asked, somewhat nervously and Hope jumped at the opportunity to turn the tables.

Hope leaned in to fill the vacated space. She smiled coyly and looked up at Josie through long eyelashes.

"I was... the surprising kind of surprised, but it's like you said, I'm also new to the big city... I could use someone to show me the ropes."

Josie brushed Hope's arm with the barest graze of her fingertips and the auburn-haired girl felt sprinkles and sparkles run up from her arm and down her spine.

"You shouldn't dive too deep too quickly, you know." Josie's angular face seemed even more soft and warm in the light of the speakeasy.

Hope took an analyzing look around them once more, noticing how the fellas were trying to appear casual, but she felt their eyes on her with every move she made. Josie's eyes never left Hope's face, searching for something Hope couldn't figure out.

"I should... I had better stay afloat for the time being or at least until I start to find my place around here because I feel as though... I might have one." Hope spoke haltingly, regretting her answer preemptively, magnetically drawn to the singer somehow.

Josie sighed overdramatically, a twist of her lips showing her amusement. "I gotcha, dollface. Though, for now, I have ta get back on stage with Alyssa. Give me a round of applause when we're through if you would." She downed the last of her drink with a grimace. "Thank you for the drink, Miss. Hope Mikaelson."

Hope's eyes followed Josie the whole way to the stage... and she thoroughly enjoyed the view. Something told Hope the other girl was keeping a close eye on her as well, singing just to her.