it's a date (the only problem is it's fake)

he flirted with me

When they came back to the cinema room that day, Hope decided to sit down next to Josie. Their whole sides were touching even though they had plenty of space on the couch. Josie spent the whole night wondering what it all meant. Was Hope really gonna kiss her in the art room, or did she imagined it all? The way Hope acted for the remaining of the night made it seem like she wanted Josie. The way they were pressed together on the couch, the glances they stole... Even the hug they shared at the end of the night seemed a little too long to be friendly.

After Hope has said goodbye to the last one of her guests, Roman and her go to the living room. There, Hope lets herself fall face first on the couch. Roman watches her with a frown, a little confused by her sudden change of mood. Then she's muttering something that he can't quite hear because it's muffled by the couch.

"What was that?"

"I hate Lizzie and Penelope." Hope says after lifting her head from where it was resting on the couch. "They ruined the perfect moment!"

Roman chuckles. "What happened?"

Hope sits up on the couch. "I went after Josie because she got me worried when she stormed out of the cinema room. I found her in the bathroon near my bedroom, and I'm pretty sure she went there to cry. The only thing I'm really unsure of is why she was crying. I hugged her and asked what was wrong but she wouldn't answer me. She wouldn't go back downstairs, so we went to my art room. One thing led to another, and soon we were dancing in the middle of the art room on a freaking Ed Sheeran song! I was about to kiss her and I'm like 90% sure she was more than okay with it, but then her sister and Penelope ruined everything!"

"Let me guess, you both acted like it didn't happen?" Roman says, taking a seat next to Hope.

"I tried not to? I sat next to her, a little too close even. I tried to flirt or whatever, but I don't know. I'm so bad at this. That's why I thought that going straight to kissing her was my best option."

"What about telling her how you feel?"

Hope glares at her friend. "I'm bad at that too! You give terrible advice."

*

"Why are we here again?" Lizzie asks as she looks around the store.

"I'm looking for a Christmas gift for Hope." Josie replies, a little concentration frown on her face.

"Okay. Second question, what are we looking for exactly?"

Josie sighs. "I have no idea. Something that has to do with painting, I guess."

So they look through the painting area of the store for a good fifteen minutes. Josie sees everything and it makes her a little confused. Paint, easel, canvas, brushes... So many different things. Did painters really need all of that? Josie is about to give up when a sweet voice speaks from behind her.