Chapter Text
Josie Saltzman was alluring, in the way all pretty things can be. Sat next to her robust hard-to-handle sister it was difficult to notice her, but Penelope did. She wished she couldn’t notice her. She wasn’t meant to stay long at the Salvatore school despite wanting to, it wasn’t her choice it was always up to her mom. Penelope was a private person with many secrets, which is why it always seemed fortunate for lost souls to gravitate towards her so they can swoon or latch on to her like she was being kept on a leash. She never caught feelings for those few who she had had to leave but she wasn’t a monster, she felt remorse. Her mother being a powerful witch with a high class job in the mundane world had its pros and cons, she would keep to herself until it was time to fly the coop again. The pros were simple; new handbags and heels to make up for the neglectful parenting. At least they felt better about themselves that way.
“God, what a snooze-fest that was.” Lizzie Saltzman remarked as she got up from the desk in front of Penelope’s, gathering her books in her arms. The bell had rang.
A quiet giggle from Josie Saltzman sounded like heavenly chimes. “Come on, Lizzie.. don’t be mean.” She never truly stood up to her sister, just every so often she would show she wasn’t half as bad as her terrible twin. She was shovelling spell books into her bag.
“And what?” Lizzie cast an accusatory glance at her sister. “Let the only interesting lesson of the day be wasted because Professor Doofus couldn’t show up? I don’t care if he had a raging case of scabies if I have to see Hope Mikaelson in our radius again-”
“You’ll what,” Penelope started, making her way around the desk to Lizzie and her twin. “Lizzie? Make her life a living hell? Insult her with more harsh digs?” She pouted teasingly. There was one thing Lizzie Saltzman hated and that was competition, where she could actually lose.
“Lizzie, lets just go.” Josie quickly chimed in, grabbing hold of her sisters arm with cautious care.
“No Jo, let me do the honours.” She yanked her arm out of Josie’s grip with about as much care as you’d show a dirty rat or poisonous snake. Josie’s face showed immediate pain, but Lizzie was too focused on her competition to care. “And what gave you the guts to finally speak up? I thought your vocal cords were ripped out or you’d swallowed your tongue. What with the rumours and all..” The blondes mouth quirked up at the corner, obviously thinking she’d hit a nerve.
“You must think you’re so smart, right?” Penelope regarded, her expression taking on the same smug look Lizzie’s had just shown but without the insecurity. “I’ve heard rumours before. I’ve also heard facts. Only the weak make up rumours to disperse of their superior. I, on the other hand, have better ways to belittle my inferiors.”
Lizzie was stunned, but it wasn’t going to be long before she completely lost her cool. And Josie knew that. She grabbed onto her sisters hand and tugged her away from the small brunette. “Lizzie, lets go..” she muttered, casting her own accusatory glance over her shoulder towards Penelope as she headed out of the classroom.
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“I cant believe her!” Lizzie screamed, her hands in her hair, pacing. “She thinks she’s so special with her designer bags and her tacky extensions-”
Josie bustled about like a lost puppy, searching their bedroom for any kind of materialistic comforter for her sister. She had already tried giving her water or offering to make her a sandwich, both offers rejected and declined. “Those are extensions?” Josie added, without thinking.
“Not helping, Jo.” Lizzie grumbled, finally sitting herself on the end of her bed. They both had their sides of the room, Lizzie’s all blues and golden trophies. Josie’s all hot pinks and stuffed bears.
“Sorry.” Josie sat herself next to her sister, staring at her with concern. She had calmed down but she knew that this was the calm before a potentially very long storm. Josie being born a few minutes before Lizzie always meant that she felt like the responsible caretaker. She was happy to be. “Want to play scrabble or monopoly?” When Lizzie didn’t respond with a grin, she knew what she wanted. “Fine,” Josie teased with a sigh. “Hot or not?” To this Lizzie beamed.
“Ok but first, let me get the snacks.” Josie got up from her place on the bed and smiled reassuringly at her sister. “So we can hot or not the snacks at this school.” She joked, but Lizzie still didn’t budge.
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Heading into the Salvatore kitchen was all sterile and cold, she shivered. The school day was over which meant all the kids usually left the halls and headed upstairs to their dorms. Except for one it seemed, who must’ve been extra peckish.
“Did the brat get over her mental break yet?” Penelope was sat on the hardwood table, one leg crossed over another. Always elegant. Never a flaw in sight.
At first she had startled Josie, her hand on the freezer door, she composed herself with a deep breath. And turned around. “I get that you’re new here, but don’t talk to my sister like that again.”
This was new, Penelope noted. A crack in the always demure and polite twin, she liked this Josie. “She had it coming.” Penelope hopped down from the table, smoothing out her skirt, her gaze always penetrating. “Somebody needed to knock her down a few pegs. Don’t you think?” Her eyebrows twitched upwards, approaching slowly.
Josie swallowed hard, her mouth becoming dry the closer Penelope got. She had heard whispers about her powers, about her family, about her wealth. She was more than just a witch, she had meaning and a status outside of the supernatural. “I-I don’t know what you mean..”
“Sure you do.” The clicks of her heels hit the floor, closer and closer. Josie’s back hitting the refrigerator door lightly. “Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it. About teaching her a lesson, I saw the way she treated you.” Her voice got quieter the closer she got. “She’s holding you back, Jo.” She was using that patronising tone again, the one she used with Lizzie. But somehow softer. She was inches away from her face now, tucking a strand of Josie’s hair behind her ear. “Let me know when you wanna do something about that.” She whispered, steeling herself once more as she stepped back and swiftly left the room.
Leaving Josie with winded breath and no snacks.