Square one

Mistlehoes (part I)

Hope's POV:

I keep my hand at the bottom of the wheel, steering carefully. I make my way to the school gate, Josie stirring from her slumber, my hand held firmly to her chest. I bring us up to the gate, punching in the code, the gate swinging open, stepping on the gas. I park the car up front, rubbing Josie's back trying to wake her as nicely as possible. She groans, flopping forward, in my lap. "Babe. Jo. Josie. We're here." I whisper, my breath caught in my throat. She yawns, whining, stretching a bit. I get out the car, opening the door for Jos. Pedro speeds past me, two snowballs in hand, squealing as he's being chased by two other pupils. I mutter an incantation and peg the two with snowballs that come out of nowhere. Josie nudges me, smirking, "You are such a softie." We walk through the snow, which is about knee high on me, so while I try to stay alive, fighting my way through it, Josie gracefully runs off to the front door. 

Once I catch up, I shake off the snow caked on my clothes, and we set a base plan. "Ok Jo, you can go get changed in my room, and get something to eat, I'll go find your sister." Josie looks at me, with an expression I can't quite read, "W-We gave your room to Alyssa... B-But I'm sure she'll want to share..." I groan, sighing a tad. I hand her our bag of clothes, watching her skip away, smiling. As I look around, everyone is overly cheery, Alaric greeting me with hot cocoa, dancing around the place. God I hate Christmas. It just isn't the same... I head straight to the twins' room, opening it to find Lizzie curled up in bed. She sits up rapidly, glaring. "Hope Mikaelson, we get it, you're back! Now can you just disappear." "OH THANK GOD! You're still a royal bitch." I hold her in an embrace, and it starts to feel slightly awkward. "I need your help. What's going on here? Why is it snowy? Why is everyone happy?! It's freaking me the fuck out!" She looks at me as if i was some kind of creepy crawly, "What do you mean it's snowing? It's the end of fucking October. And as much as I missed you, and we shared our little cute pot head moment, I ask that you please release yourself from this embrace." I let go of her, talking to her about where Landon might be and why the others are acting a certain way. She told me that Landon and Raf had run off, and that it was pointless in going after them. As much as I had forgotten about Landon in the past weeks, I still wished for him to be safe, so I implored Lizzie to go after him, even handing her my keys. "Look, Hope, as much as I'd like to ride in your sweet Jag, Landon ran. Let him. Ok?" I sigh, just about to beg her again, when Josie popped in. She was different. I could tell. I could smell it off of her. She smelled like cocoa and peppermints. She was clad in Christmas-y school attire, a skip in her step, a goofy little grin on her face. In the most sing song way possible, Josie goes, "Ho Ho Ho~" She has my attention. "I come baring gifts! More like a peace offering really..." Lizzie looks at the both of us, thoroughly confused. 

"This whole school year I have been really naughty. I have not been the supportive girl I want to be.  And then Landon. It was so wrong of me to be so jealous of his wanting you, Hope." WHAT IS SHE GOING ON ABOUT? NaughtY?! I choked, hard, Lizzie looking ready to either kill someone, or to erupt in laughter. "But~ Christmas is all about forgiveness, right? Let bygones be bygones? Cookie?" Her sweetness is adorable yet so startling and odd at the same time. I have never seen Jo like this before. I nudge Lizzie, whispering, "Run," and with that she takes the keys, and sprints the fuck out of there. I clear my throat, eyeing her. "What kind of cookies?" I ask, as she inches closer with the platter of cookies, smiling. She sits down on the bed, scooting into my lap, "Well let's see, we have ginger bread, snicker doodle, chocolate chip, peppermint chip, and rhum raisin." I sigh, "I'll take the Rhum, Jo." To my surprise, she puts half of it in her mouth, the other half poking out. I go forward to bite it, and she cups my face kissing me sweetly. "Babe~ Josie- as much as I love all of this... you're under the influence of a monster... I think. Either way. I don't want to do anything you'd regret. Please." She nods, pouting, "How about kisses? Just a few? It's Christmas Hopie, please!" I give her a quick peck, and she returns it, straddling me immediately. "Josie. Please. I need to go do something. I promise later, ok?" She gets off, pouting for only a moment, brightening immediately when she hears carols. "Ooh! I'm going to join them. Bye Hopieee~" And with that she disappeared. 

I head down to the Library, keeping an eye on my phone for any updates. Carolers are everywhere, swarming, even  in the library. I pull out a journal of mine, as well as a ballpoint, scribbling down the monster possibilities, striking out each one that doesn't quite fit. The caroling is really starting to frustrate me. Christmas hasn't been the same for so long. Why does everyone get to be so happy and jolly, apart from me? "I'm trying to fucking work. So if you don't fa la la la leave, I'm going to give you all another piercing, and you certainly will not like it." I brandish the ballpoint, glaring, letting them scurry away. I don't like being cruel, but life is cruel, so why can't I have my moment? At this rate, I might as well ask Clarke himself about this. Last I heard he was locked int he basement...