Chapter Text
The last lesson should be over any minute. Despite Mr. Johnson's monotonous voice explaining the details of vertebrate sexual reproduction, the last thing Josie wants is to go home to her room, to Salvatore’s Boarding School. Of course, she can't wait to talk with her sister for the first time in a week, but seeing the faces of people, who just a year ago threw things out of the window, is beyond her dignity.
Just think! A year ago, she was afraid to go out into the hall once again, risking running into insults, and now she is sitting in a dimly lit biology room, surrounded by friends who have never reproached her for her own nature.
Josie props her chin on her hands and pretends to be listening to the teacher. She is definitely one of the best students, and this is taking into account the fact, that in her former school some classes are either absent or combined with magic. After all, her mom graduated with honors from the high school that Josie is attending now, and even became Miss Mystic Falls. The brunette definitely had no chance not to follow in her mother's footsteps. Of course, she's not Miss Mystic Falls yet, but her sister Lizzie most likely won't miss the opportunity to drag her to the contest.
Of course, it would be nice for them to represent one school, but, alas, her relation with the Salvatore boarding school is forever lost. At least she hopes she wouldn't be forced to go back.
Although Josie is not an overly emotional kid like her sister, however, their mother was firmly convinced that teenage hormones negatively affect the surge of magical energy. They were not so much worried about her as they were afraid for ordinary students. Certainly, Josie had problems with control a couple of times, but she clearly coped with magic better than her coevals. In addition, many witches, who do not have the opportunity to study in special institutions, go to ordinary schools. Finally, with great reluctance, but with a clear understanding of all the circumstances, the parents agreed. However, they made their daughter promise that she would wear an anti-magic bracelet during lessons. In addition, she is obliged to attend extracurricular magic classes at the boarding school twice a week.
Josie loves magic. But she hates sitting with a group of witches, who keep casting scathing looks at her, with all her heart. And she is definitely glad that today she would not have to go through this two-hour evening torture.
Anyway, Josie is forced to go back to her former school. She usually lives either with her mother when she is released from external business trips, or with Aunt Elena and Uncle Damon. On weekends, while her former classmates are going home, the twins have sleepovers. Sometimes their dad asks her to stay at the boarding school for a day or two, but this happens very rarely, largely thanks to the notorious Hope Mikaelson, the same girl whom Lizzie calls “the eternal source of our problems”, “Satan” and “the devil”.
Not that Josie really believes that Hope is to blame for all her troubles, but in many ways she was the obstacle between the twins and their father, it was because of her that Josie had to leave the school that her parents founded specifically for their daughters.
Undoubtedly, Hope is the most beautiful girl in school. She studies perfectly. She was born into a rich family. And in general she is all special, a tribrid and a miracle baby. It was stupid to think that Josie wouldn't have crush on her. Who wouldn't? Blue eyes, fiery red hair and unshakable self-esteem... Josie had no chances.
Hope is the most popular girl of their school. Despite her closeness and almost complete lack of friends, Hope remains the center of attention of others. Perhaps her mysterious origin plays a role. Or maybe they are just afraid of her. Josie is of the opinion that Hope's self-confidence, coupled with her authority and pretty appearance, makes a special impression on everyone, making fear and respect her at the same time.
Besides, she had dated an adult vampire before. Roman was the prettiest guy in their boarding school and, perhaps, the most adult. They broke up suddenly almost as soon as they got together. The boy just disappeared. There were rumors that Hope's father had killed him. Officially, he went to his family somewhere in the Balkans.
After a while, she started dating Landon Kirby. However, they did not come together immediately.
At the age of fourteen, he accidentally started a fire in the foster parents' house and run away. He was found near the road, somewhere in Texas and handed over to Salvatore boarding school. The poor orphan did not immediately become the most popular guy of the school. At first, he was friends with Josie. They even dated for about a month. But then he left, and Josie didn't hear from him for a whole summer. It turned out that Landon was not just a homeless witch, but the heir of some well-known coven in Northern Europe. His father was torn to pieces by a werewolf, and his mother abandoned him as a baby on the threshold of a small church.
After returning, Landon changed a lot, became unusually unrestrained and often threw himself at everyone. A week later, he dumped Josie right at the homecoming party. And the next day, Landon was already kissing some dark-haired witch, with whom, as she later found out, he had been dating all summer.
In that time, Hope wasn't Josie's enemy yet. It happened later on Christmas Day. And she wasn't interested in Landon the fall either. Josie found out about their “epic” relationship on the fourteenth birthday. The couple was kissing right in front of the door of twin’s room. Josie’s heart was broken for the third time.
Whatever it was before, no matter what stupid and toxic relationship Landon and Josie had in the past, and no matter what feelings she had for Hope a couple of years ago, now Josie is glad that she is as far away as possible from the couple who broke her heart three times.
Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, she lazily stares at the clock hanging over the blackboard. There is less than a minute until the end of classes. Fighting with exhaustion, Jo shifts in her chair. The thin black strap of her jeans sticks painful into the skin of her stomach. Sucked into his trousers, the T-shirt is much too big in the shoulders. It doesn't really belong to a brunette. Josie stole it from her best friend Ethan when they went to the beach last summer. Maroon with the Mystic Falls school logos, it is so big that Josie is literally drowning in it. The sleeves, which fit snugly on Ethan, reach Josie's elbows.
Awkwardly adjusting her belt, Jo is looking around. Ethan is sitting in the same row with her. Muscular, tall with dark, slicked-back hair, he is by right the cutest guy in the world. A quarterback with a good reputation is very popular among the whole school. His perfect looks and natural kindness attracted people. Everyone likes Ethan, sometimes without even knowing it.
His sister Maya is sitting behind him. A pretty girl with curly and jet-black hair gives the impression of being a bit bitch, a defender of the local football team. She is about to become a captain. Maya's leadership qualities and stubborn nature makes her really tough. It's amazing how two completely dissimilar people could grow up in the same family.
Among the two of them, Maya is older, though only by a year. Perhaps that's why she's grown so bossy. Josie would even say that Maya enjoys bossing her brother around.
Josie met them in the summer, a couple of months before she left Salvatore Boarding school.
That day, the twins' mother Caroline instructed the girls to buy all the necessary groceries for their trip out of town in honor of the summer holidays. Josie and Lizzie are already leaving the store, having collected bags, when they feel a strange magical vibration.
Suddenly Josie's right hand trembles. The bag flows out of her arm, abruptly rises up and crashes with a loud thud right at her feet. The juice pack bursts from the impact, and all the contents splashes in different directions like a fountain. Lizzie, who is walking a little ahead, manages to jump away. The juice drop only touches her shoes. But Josie's yellow dress and white sneakers turns deep red.
Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath, trying to calm the emotions surging through her. Laughter comes from behind. Josie opens her eyes and turns toward the sound. A familiar company immediately attracts her attention. Alice Chang, a dark-haired witch only a year older than the twins, looks mockingly at Jo, poking her finger into her juice-soaked dress. Her friends, Ann and Harper, are laughing together, bent double by the lawn.
Lizzie takes a step towards them, angrily rubbing her knuckles.
“Do you think it's funny?” She shouts, preparing to strike.
Alyssa arches a mocking eyebrow and turns her gaze to the blonde. “Well, what are you? Obviously, it's not as funny as Josette licking her ugly girlfriend's pussy.”
Ann and Harper start laughing even louder.
Lizzie's face turns purple with anger. Grabbing the medallion around her neck, she starts siphoning magic.
“Fes matos sicvel…” She speaks, suddenly feeling someone holding her wrist.
A warm burning sensation at the point of contact makes Lizzie look around. Josie stares uneasily into her eyes.
“What are you doing?” The blonde hisses.
“I'm not letting you do something stupid.” Jo answers, still holding Lizzie's wrist. “Do you understand that we can't have a fight in the middle of the parking lot?"
Lizzie doesn't answer. She knows that her sister is right, but the desire to take revenge on those who had harmed her twin is still boiling in her soul.
They continue to stare at each other for a couple more seconds. The laughter behind them doesn’t subside, and Alyssa still throws senseless insults.
“What's going on?” A woman's voice rings out above them.
It belongs to Sheriff Machado, a tall, fair-haired woman the twins sometimes see in their father's office.
The girls tear their eyes away from each other, paying attention to the sheriff.
“We just… I fell… Sorry, it's an accident.” Jo begins uncertainly.
The sheriff frowns, looking her up and down.
“I saw what they did.” She says loudly, casting a glance at the three girls who had fallen silent from behind. “I'm going to call your headmaster and take them to the station.” Her palm points directly at the culprits of the incident. Mrs. Machado's arms are crossed over her chest, her eyebrows are drawn together, and her lips are tightly compressed.
Josie finally lets Lizzie's wrist and steps towards the woman. “Please no.” She mumbles.
“Jo…” Lizzie interrupts her.
The brunette waves her hand in her direction, begging her to shut up. “ It's useless. You know that." she would explain to the sheriff like some five-year-old child.
Sheriff Machado still continues to scowl at the three bullets by the lawn.
“Mom, is everything all right?” A girl with curly black hair is approaching them uncertainty.
She moves cautiously, clearly afraid of getting into trouble. The twins didn’t know that the Sheriff's family is aware of all the magical anomalies of their town. At that moment, Josie thought Maya was mistaking them for criminals.
The sheriff turns around, catching her daughter's eye. “Help them pack their bags.” The answer is frosty, and her right hand is pointing at the twins. “Girls, we'll give you a ride.” She says to Josie and Lizzie and hurriedly retreats in the direction of the three witches.
Maya sighs nervously, looking at the twins while the girls themselves are still standing awkwardly in the parking lot.
“I'm Maya.” The stranger introduces herself.
“I'm Lizzie. And this is my forgiving sister Josie.” The blonde answers, pointing to the twin.
Josie glares at her sister.
“What? Am I not right? We should have put that bitch in the trash for what she...” She stops abruptly under her sister's warning gaze.
Maya is looking at them both cheerfully. “Actually, I know about what they did,” She drawls, emphasizing the word what. “And I know about witches.”
The sisters exchange glances with each other again and stares questioningly at Maya.
“My mom is the sheriff. Of course, we all know." she explains. “Let's clean up everything here.
In ten minutes, while Sheriff Machado was talking to Alice and her friends, the twins managed to find out that Maya and her brother Ethan moved to Mystic Falls a year ago. They study at the local high school and know everything about the supernatural world. From their first day as sheriff, their mother forced Maya and Ethan to drink vervain and avoid the Salvatore school. Sometimes they come to a football match, but no more. Their mother strictly forbade them to have direct contact with the students of the magic boarding school.
Having finished the girls trudge to the patrol car. Ethan is sitting in front next to the driver's seat. He doesn't seem to be paying attention to what is happening at all. Singing along loudly to some pop song from his headphones, Ethan is intently writing something down in a notebook.
“Open up!” Maya starts pounding on the window with all her might.
Ethan looks up and stares absently at the girls. The boy awkwardly shakes his head, then reaches for the door of the police car and opens it with a quiet grunt.
“Is something wrong?” His eyes are fixed on Josie's soiled dress.
“Of course it's wrong, idiot!” Maya exclaims, poking her brother hard in the chest with her hand.
“And me for what?” Rubbing the bruised place, Ethan is indignant.
“You're lazy asshole!” Maya continues her tirade, randomly putting things in the trunk. “I asked you to go with me! And you left me!” On the last word, she slams the trunk shut with a loud bang.
Ethan rolls his eyes at the accusation.
Josie and Lizzie still stand awkwardly next to each other, watching the family squabbles.
Ethan looks at them again. His eyes run over Josie's body once more.
“Stop staring at my sister!” Lizzie shushes him.
Ethan looks away, embarrassed. Josie tugs on her sister's arm. Lizzie shoots her a furious look and hisses softly in pain.
“The girls from our school were a little naughty,” Josie finally speaks up. Lizzie can't help but snort when she hears the description of Alice and her villainous gang that is too soft in her opinion.
“These freaky witches decided to pour juice on her!” Maya points at Jo. “They are also homophobes, can you imagine?” Maya is actively gesticulating, explaining what had happened to her brother.
Josie doesn't know what Maya means when she calls them homophobes. Whether the girl is talking about the whole school or just about Alice and her friends is anyone's guess.
“Yes, we have some problems with that at school.” Josie says, embarrassed. At these words, Lizzie snorts once more and trudges to the door, dragging her sister with her. Josie doesn't resist.
“Aren't you the headmaster's daughters?” Maya asks, walking around the police cars.
The twins nod in agreement.
“Can't your dad send these homophobic bitches to hell?” Maya asks, sitting down next to the black–haired twin.
The sisters exchange glances. “You see,” Josie begins timidly. “Almost all witch covens honor the traditions of their ancestors and the old way of life.”
“And they pay a lot of money to the school.” Lizzie interrupts her sister, “So our father doesn't do anything with them. Money and freaking tribrids are more important than daughters.” The blonde finishes, ignored her sister's indignant look.
“Fuck.” Maya's face twists into a grimace of disgust.
“It's not like that.” Josie protests weakly.
Lizzie rolls her eyes again. “Really?” Her voice sounds so loud that Ethan in the front seat jerks in surprise. “If that bitch Mikaelson had been expelled, nothing would have happened at all!”
“Lizzie!” Josie hisses.
“Her rich original relatives are always covering her ass, and our father...” The blonde doesn’t think to stop.
“Stop it! Shut up!”
“...traded his daughters for her and money!”
“Stop!”
Lizzie shuts her mouth abruptly. Only now she notices that Josie's eyes are filled with tears, and her plump lips are trembling, ready to burst into sobs. She is already reaching out to calm her down when suddenly there is a knock on the window.
“Hey, guys, I hope you're all right?” Sheriff Machado asks as she slides into the driver's seat.
The kids nod in agreement.
“Liz, Joe, I'll take you to school. I still need to see your father.” The woman looks at them through the rearview mirror. If she notices the condition of the guys, she decides not to say anything.
The sisters nod absently. The car starts off, heading out of town to Salvatore's school.
The teenagers are silent all the way. Getting out of the police car, the twins sadly says goodbye.
It was only in her room that Josie noticed a crumpled piece of paper in the pocket of her backpack. On it was Maya's name and her phone number with the inscription:
“Call if it gets bad ;)”
A little over a year has passed since that moment. Josie, Lizzie, Maya and Ethan spend a lot of time together in their company. Now three of them study at the same school. Of course, Lizzie sometimes complains that they often spend time apart, and in general it's not fair, but she refuses to leave the Salvatore boarding school, justifying it by saying that she needs a special witch's education. Josie doesn't mind. In addition, a little autonomy, according to the school psychologist, is even useful to them. It's time to learn independence.
The bell rings. Josie jerks violently, reluctantly breaking out of her thoughts, and lazily begins to pick her things.
“Are you going home?” A friend's voice comes from behind. Josie sighs as she flung her backpack over her shoulder.
“To the boarding school.” Josie turns to Maya, catching her surprised look. “Mom told me to be there in the evening. I have no idea why I'm needed there.” She adds while the girls are leaving the office.
“Is it necessary right after school?”
“She didn't say anything about that. I'd rather listen to Mr. Johnson for another three hours than be there.” Josie shrugs uncertainly.
Maya bites her lip, thinking about something. “We have a training now. You could sit in the stadium. Then we can go to the Grill. Ethan's okay with that, right, Ethan?” Maya pushes her brother, who is standing next to her, in the shoulder. He is always wearing his headphones and listening to music.
The boy whispers something incoherently, as if agreeing to the evening gatherings.
Josie tilts her head as she always does when she has to make a decision. “I don't know.” She begins evasively. “I'm always ready for it, you know.”
But before she can finish, Maya interrupts her.
“That's great!” The voice of her friend is as adamant as always. “I'll meet you on the field.” She shouts and drags her uncomprehending brother towards the locker rooms, leaving a stunned Josie standing in the hallway.
Although it is warm in summer outside, the cool autumn wind leaves no doubt: the holidays were over. Wrapping up in her white cropped cardigan, Josie listlessly looks for what is happening on the field. She is well versed in football, and girl was even on the team before this whole situation happened, which led to her leaving her old school.
Pulling out her textbooks from her bag, Josie begins to do her homework out of boredom. When she finishes with math, she starts learning history. Lazily reading the paragraph, the brunette catches herself thinking that for fifteen minutes she can't understand the essence of what is written.
Wearily putting the textbook aside, she looks at the field again. According to her calculations, the training will end in ten minutes.
On the field, the coach divides the guys into two teams and forces them to play against each other. In one of them, Maya is the captain, and in the other, a future graduate, is Oliver. Coach Julia Wilson curses loudly every time someone made mistakes. A young woman is a strict coach, but she never goes too far.
Josie goes downstairs.
“If you continue to play like this, then I will make you run around the field for another hour!” Coach shouts, tapping her nails on the light gray surface of the table.
Sitting down next to Julia, Josie continues to watch the game.
The coach turns to her. “Oh, it's you, Josette,” recognition flashes across her face. “I could take you on the team. You were not bad last season.”
“Thanks.” Josie smiles sheepishly. “I have an audition the day after tomorrow. I don't think I'll be in time if they take me, of course. But if they don't take it, then I will definitely come to you.”
“Always glad to see you, Joe.” The woman smiles back.
Training ended almost 20 minutes ago. Jo and Ethan are still sitting on the lawn waiting for Maya. She often gathers a long time. Despite her passion for sports, Maya always tries to take care of her appearance. Even on the field after a long workout, her curly hair somehow miraculously looks quite presentable. Josie always catches herself thinking that this property of hers is actually a special magical gift. Twins often joke that Maya is secretly a witch who always keeps her appearance in perfect condition.
Ethan is her exact opposite. In some places, stray strands, socks of different colors, an untidy hoodie and crumpled black pants perfectly characterize his inner world. Often absent-minded, he forgets his homework, confuses his clothes, and once he even came to school without a backpack. In many ways, Ethan is influenced by his hyperactivity. The only things that more or less help him not to go crazy are football, comics and music. He often wears headphones and adores training to the point of insanity.
Maya comes out after ten minutes. Her hair is neatly tied back in a ponytail. She is dressed in trendy pants: one pant leg is black, the other is white. A white short top with wide straps peeks out from under a thin silk blouse.
“Well, are you ready?”
By a strange coincidence, they don't meet a single acquaintance in the Grill. Mystic Grill is the place where the whole city flocks in the evenings.
It is almost nine pm when a stern female voice rings out above their ears. “Have you thought about the fact that it's time for you to wrap up?”
Suddenly, the relaxed and cheerful expressions of the teenager’s faces are replaced by restless and panicked ones.
“Mom?” Josie turns to Caroline.
A blonde in a black pantsuit, with her arms crossing over her chest, is looking at her daughter with a clearly displeased expression on her face. Standing behind her is a man Josie recognizes as Hope's father. A man with the same brown hair as his daughter is standing behind, trying hard to pretend that he isn't interested in the drama unfolding in front of him.
“Did I not make myself clear when I said that I want you to come home to boarding school, and not sit in God-forsaken eateries at nine pm?” The vein on her mother's forehead throbs.
Josie shrinks as much as her height would allow. They almost never swore at her. Especially mom. Josie has never been a problem twin. This title went to her sister. Inwardly she shivers. Her gaze sweeps over the neighboring tables. The other guests look at Joe with obvious disapproval.
Suddenly the brunette feels an inexplicable surge of energy. Something small, bubbling settles in her chest. This is an outburst of anger, aggression against her mother for publicly scolding her. After all, Josie is the one who didn't want to come to former school. Why is she obliged to listen to lectures in front of everyone, even if coming to the former school was against her will?
Tell them! Her inner voice is egging her on
“Caroline.” Klaus Mikaelson is reassuringly calling her.
“Don't meddle in the upbringing of my daughters!” The blonde shushes him menacingly.
Josie tries to suppress her resentment and open her mouth, defending herself. Rationally, she understands that her mother is just worrying, but the brunette hadn't done anything to be telling off in front of everyone in the café. Mom can be mad at her, but not in front of a crowd.
“We just lost track of time.” The girl says, recovering. “And I don't remember anyone calling me at all.” Josie uses her last excuse.
Caroline exhales, trying to calm down as quickly as possible. “Of course, you don't remember if your phone is disconnected.”
Suddenly Josie remembers that right after football practice, she sent an SMS to her mother, and half an hour later she discovered that her phone was dead. It didn't even occur to Josie that the answer hadn't reached her simply because her phone had turned off.
Jo really realizes that for her mother, she had been five hours somewhere unknown. More precisely, Caroline knew where her daughter intended to go, but she could not simply contact her.
“Do you have any idea how worried I've been all this time?” The mother's voice reaches the brunette.
The customers sitting at the neighboring tables look at the girl accusingly.
“I'm sorry, Mom.” She whines guiltily, trying not to attract too much attention to herself.
“We're going home now, and you're under house arrest for the next week.” Caroline says in a slightly calmer voice. “And you…” She begins, turning her attention to Ethan and Maya. “Your mom will pick you up in five minutes.”
“Ok, Mrs. Forbes.” Machado's siblings answer dutifully.
Josie gets up from the table, throwing a ten-dollar bill, quietly says goodbye to the guys and trudges after her mother, trying not to pay attention to the glances directed to her. She doesn't want to see the faces of people who are clearly judging her.
“You didn't have to tell in front of everyone.” The brunette mutters, slamming the door of the backseat of the car.
“Is this normal? I thought I was going to go crazy!” Josie hears her mother's indignation.
“Come on, they're just kids.” Mikaelson's voice reaches her.
Josie Is curious why her mother had dragged Hope's father here to take her home, why they are communicating so well at all. She is distracted from her thoughts by the sound of the engine starting. Apparently, while thinking, Josie missed how the adults got into the car.
They had been driving for about ten minutes. No one says a word. It seemed that the windows are about to burst from the tension hanging in the cabin. Losing patience, Josie pulls off her seat belt and approaches her mother.
“Why do I need to be there at all?” Josie reaches out to Caroline, who is driving. The car turns sharply to the right. “I can safely rehearse at Elena and Damon's house.”
Josie catches a strange movement to her right. Klaus Mikaelson recoils suspiciously at the sound of her uncle and aunt's names.
She understands that it is not necessary to discuss all this in front of him, but her emotions are stronger than reasonable arguments now.
“You can practice at school, too.” Caroline stares stubbornly at the road. She doesn't seem to attach much importance to Josie's questions. And only a faintly noticeable wrinkle between her eyebrows betrays her tense state.
Clinging to the back of the seat with her hands, Josie tries hard to calm down. Her cheeks are flushing, her beady black eyes burn a hole in her mother's head, and the lips are tightly compressing, as if saving themselves from sharp and insulting phrases that she would obviously regret later.
“You know I can't.” She says through gritted teeth. “Why can't we go home?” Emphasizing the last words, the brunette continues.
“Jo, you should sit down properly and buckle up.” Caroline is still looking at the road.
“Mom, can you hear me?” Josie's voice is even louder. She hates being ignored.
There is no response.
“Mom?”
Caroline coughs loudly and finally looks at her daughter through the rearview mirror. There is concern in her eyes. “Can we talk on the spot?”
“Why can't we talk at home? Why do we have to go to school? Why do you always want me to feel bad?” Questions pour in one after another.
“Just use it!” her inner voice insists.
It seems like all the anger she had been holding back since they left the Grill hand pours out. Her eyes are burning with tension, and the heart is beating furiously, risking breaking out of her chest at any moment.
Caroline's worried expression turns to regret. The last thing she wants is to see her daughter in this state. “No one wants you to feel bad.” Caroline answers, stopping at the boarding school gate.
She turns to her daughter, takes her by the left hand and begins to slowly run her finger along the back of her palm. “Josie, we'll talk about everything tomorrow morning in my office.” Her voice sounds calmer.
“In dad's office, you mean?” Jo mutters.
“In his, too.” Caroline continues, ignoring the barb. “But in the meantime, go to your sister. She is really waiting for you.”
“Great!” Josie pulls her hand away and, taking the bag, flows out of the car.
She strides to the main entrance. The halls are surprisingly deserted. No one is sitting on the stairs, there are no junior high school students crowding in the living room, and teenagers in love are not kissing in the corners. Only occasionally she meets former classmates, some of them are mocking and sometimes contemptuous glances at her.
“Tired of corrupting the Mystic Falls School, so you came back here?” Adrian's voice comes from behind.
A tall blond man in Salvatore's trademark boarding school costume is standing on the top step. His face is distorting by a mocking smile.
“Get off me, you piece of shit.” Josie hisses.
“And then what? Will you complain to daddy?” His smile widens.
“What's not clear to you? Step back or...” Jed's voice comes from behind him.
A tall, muscular werewolf stands at the top of the stairs. In his tight black T-shirt and matching jeans, he looks clearly stronger than a skinny sorcerer. His stern gaze scares anyone. Jed is the alpha of their school pack and part-time friend of the brunette. He got into a boarding school at the age of eleven, when, protecting his mother, he killed his father. That's how he activated the werewolf curse. Jed's mother often comes to visit her son. Sometimes she takes him and the twins for the weekend to her tiny home on the Atlantic coast.
“Or will you come to me at the full moon to mark the territory?” Adrian says mockingly, turning to him.
Jed smiles in response. His eyes literally shine with rage. “Or I'll rip your throat out before you can remember how to use magic, you little bastard!” Jed growls, coming closer.
Adrian's smile is gone. He glares at the alpha, clenching his fists. “How dare you? I am a descendant of...” The sorcerer begins.
“Who?” Jed interrupts. “A descendant of a half–dead coven that hasn't even learned to control magic?” He is already standing in front of Adrian, casting contemptuous glances at him. “A shameful heir who was fused to the other side of the world so as not to mess with his disabilities?” Now Jed towers over him, the threat is evident in every look. “Get out!”
Accepting defeat, Adrian looks away then turns to Josie. “You're pathetic. Both of you!” He says, and races down past them.
For a second, the brunette watches him go, waiting for him to disappear around the corner. Then she turns to her friend. “Thank you.” Josie timidly thanks her friend.
Jed smiles and pulls her by the shoulders to his chest. His prickly unshaven chin touches her forehead, and strong boyish arms wraps around the shoulders. Jo buries her face in his chest, inhaling the faint scent of the autumn forest. For a second the brunette forgets that she is in the boarding school she hates.
“Jo, what are you doing here? You've been gone for almost a week.” Mock indignation colors his face.
Josie tilts her head to one side, succumbing to his cheerful mood. “I missed you.” She says softly, knowing for sure that Jed would hear her.
“I'm too” He pulls her back into his arms. “It would be cool if you came back. The pack misses you too.” He says dreamily.
“You know I have an audition the day after tomorrow, right?” Josie asks, ignoring Jed's words.
“For what?” He frowns comically.
Josie smiles brightly. “We will have a musical “Romeo and Juliet”!” She boasts.
Jed looks at her in surprise.
“I have already completed two auditions. This will be the third and final one.”
“Whoa! That's cool! Congratulations!”
Jed holds out his fist to her, waiting for her to hit back.
“It's too early, Jed.” Jo drawls jokingly, narrowing her eyes. “But if I do get in, we can celebrate together like in the good old days!”
Jed takes his hand off her shoulder and pulls the brunette towards the hallway. Their palms are intertwined.
“Mystic Grill and cinema? It's definitely worth participating in a musical for this.” He grins.
Josie jokingly pokes him in the stomach. The couple amicably goes towards the women's bedrooms.
Crossing endless halls and stairs, they no longer meet the guys they know. Stopping at the door to the third floor the couple exchanges meaningful glances. Jed and Josie doesn't even need to talk, they already know what is coming next. Their company has a kind of ritual. Since childhood, after a long separation, they run from the stairs to the twin’s bedroom, arguing for chocolates and money. Of course, werewolves are faster, but it also happens that Lizzie and Josie, using magic, get to the room faster.
“Three... Two... One...” The couple shouts together.
They rush forward. Jed is clearly in the lead. Jo, taking off her bracelet on the run and siphoning magic, casts an acceleration spell. She is heading straight for Jed. Approaching the turn, the brunette grabs a friend by the hand, when suddenly the werewolf's legs give way, and he crashes right into a man walking towards them. Josie, who is holding Jed tightly, flows with him, crashing into a woman.
Feeling a pain in her stomach, the twin gasps. Her limbs are strangely intertwined with the unknown woman. Josie's hand is still holding her friend's wrist.
“Fuck.” She moans, holding her stomach.
It takes her ten seconds to realize that this unknown woman's elbow hit her right under the ribs.
Next to her, Jed had already stood up, hastily apologizing to the man. Dressed in a classic black suit, he doesn't even seem to be hurt.
“Are you okay?” A thin arm wraps around Josie's shoulder.
“Yes, I think I'm fine.” She answers and, grunting, get to her feet.
Finally, Josie notices a woman anxiously looking at her body. In ordinary jeans and a brown sweatshirt, she looks like an average young girl. Her dark brown hair falls in soft waves over her shoulders. There is something vaguely familiar about her features.
“I'm sorry, we accidentally…” Josie mutters, nervously adjusting a T-shirt that had fallen out of her trousers.
“You should carefully walk along the hallways” The man condescendingly addresses them. “Young man, what have you forgotten in the female dormitory?” Turning to Jed, he asks sternly.
The teenager helplessly opens and closes his mouth, apparently trying to say something, but each time forgetting what exactly.
“It's okay, sir. He's just a friend.” Josie saves Jed.
The dark-haired woman pulls her companion by the arm. “Elijah, they're teenagers. Leave them alone.”
“Exactly! They're teenagers.” He scowls, clearly unhappy with the lack of support.
“I'm Hayley, and this is Elijah Mikaelson.” The woman smiles and holds out her hand. “Mom and Uncle of Hope Mikaelson.
Now Josie understands why Hayley's features are so vaguely familiar to her. Hope Mikaelson is literally an exact copy of her mother, at least outwardly. Naturally, the twins are familiar with Hayley herself. They saw her a couple of times as a child, even went to a café with her and Hope. However, it was a very long time ago, and it turned out to be a difficult task to find out so immediately. Of course, Hayley came to school, but much less often than before, and Josie only saw her from afar.
The twins met Hope's father more often. A couple of times he drops by their mother on some special business.
Realizing that she stands for too long, staring blankly at the woman, the brunette speaks up. “Josette Saltzman.” She holds out her hand in response. “I remember you.”
Hayley's smile widens. “Oh, so you're one of Caroline's twins? You've grown up a lot!” The woman says, looking her up and down, “Hope has told me a lot about you, Josie.” She grins.
“I can imagine what exactly.” The brunette answers, forcing a smile.
Yes, she can definitely imagine how much shit the younger Mikaelson had said about Josie to her family. Outwardly, Hayley doesn't look angry or aggressive, but who knows this family. They're all acting weird.
The door opens five meters away from them. The red-haired girl looks out into the hall.
“Hey, Mom, you forgot your...” She turns, noticing Josie and Jed. For a second she stares at them in silence, not understanding how this company had come together. Then Hope Mikaelson's face clears, and she finally turns to her mother. “You forgot your phone.”
Hope Mikaelson is so damn beautiful. Even in a ridiculous gray sweatshirt and ordinary black leggings, Hope looks like a model from a sports brand advertisement. Her red hair is pulled tightly into a ponytail. There is not a single visible flaw on the face. It is perfect from birth. The bright blue eyes that Josie gazes into with fascination seems more tired than usual today, but not so tired that they finally go out. Josie feels a fire burning in them. There is a unique energy in Hope’s every movement, even the most ridiculous. Josie suspects that this is an anomaly, like Hope's birth itself.
She looks so much like her mother. The same lips, nose, even facial expressions... Almost everything about her is from Hayley. Except that Hope got red hair and smile from the father. Even now, with her tight lips and arrogant gaze, Josie sees Klaus, the Klaus she knows because of their strange friendship with Caroline.
Hope's gaze settles on Josie's long legs. The brunette barely suppresses the desire to see what attracted the attention of the tribrid. Maybe she managed to tear the pants up when she ran into Hayley? Or are they dirty again? No, she wouldn't give Hope that much pleasure. Any small humiliation is already a loss in their unequal struggle.
It takes all of Josie's courage not to look at her shoes. Finally, the red-haired girl looks away. For a few long seconds, they look directly at each other. Josie swears she sees the fear and confusion on Mikaelson's face, as if the brunette had caught her doing something shameful.
The emotions on Hope's face disappear as quickly as they appeared. She immediately looks away and hands the phone to her mother.
“I...” Josie begins awkwardly, turning her attention back to Hayley. “We need to go. It was nice to see you.”
Josie grabs Jed by the elbow and drags him towards the twin’s room.
“See you later.” Hayley calls after her.
All the way to the bedroom, she feels a burning gaze on her. After opening the door and pushing Jed, she turns one last time to where Hope, her mother, and uncle are standing. The blue eyes burn a hole in Josie. It is hard for the brunette to read Hope's expression. The red-haired girl looks like a predator stalking its prey.
Jo quickly slips into the room, breaking contact with Hope. The door slams shut behind her.
“I can't believe you left me!” Lizzie waits, pacing the room. Josie's blonde sister is clearly unhappy that she wasn't invited to the Mystic Grill with Ethan and Maya.
She is crossing the room, simultaneously asking her sister for details of the evening. Lizzie doesn't even see to notice Jed sitting on the floor, who keeps looking from one twin to the other.
“It happened spontaneously.” Josie tries to justify herself.
“And you didn't think to call me?” Lizzie stops in front of the sister, looking down at her.
Actually Josie can barely contain her laughter. Her sister looks very bizarre in her white panda pajamas, standing with the arms crossed over her chest and a grimace of rage on the face. The brunette catches herself thinking that her twin looks suspiciously like their mother. And this despite the fact that Caroline is not their birth mother.
The blonde in principle repeats Caroline's behavior in many ways. The desire to control everything, right down to her twin, Lizzie clearly took over from her mother. She, like Caroline, has the same irritated expression on the face when they don’t get what they wanted. Ambition is another quality that connects Caroline and Lizzie by an invisible thread.
Lizzie is an annoying girl, but she is considered, even though they say all sorts of nasty things behind her back.
All this doesn’t mean that only Lizzie is a mom's daughter. They are both their mom's daughters, of course, within their situation. Lizzie, unlike Josie and Caroline, is uncharacteristic of showing kindness and sincerity to strangers. The blonde even sometimes communicates sharply with her loved ones, directly expressing her dissatisfaction. Caroline is also quite straightforward, but just as good-natured and merciful as Josie. Only a woman like Caroline could raise a selfless child like Joe.
“I'm sorry.” She mumbles guiltily, lowering her eyes. “And I also quarrel with mom...” Hoping to change the subject, the brunette says.
“Josette Lucas Saltzman! I don't...” Lizzie begins but then stops. “You? With Mom?” She looks at sister incredulously.
To be fair, Josie really doesn't quarrel with her parents very often. She rarely quarrels with anyone at all.
“I don't know... It was like I was freaking out.” Josie's eyes are frantically running around the room, as if looking for an explanation for what had happened in the car. “I couldn't calm down.”
“Oh, my good sister is getting claws” Lizzie is clearly mocking her.
“Shut up” Josie pouts.
There is a chuckle from the side. The twins turn their heads to Jed, who is stumbling up from the floor. “You, girls, are so dramatic.” He is clearly amused.
“What are you doing here anyway?” Lizzie's eyebrow arches in mock annoyance.
“Your sister dragged me here. We ran into Satan and her relatives in the hall.” He comes almost close.
“With Alice and her nasty aunt?” The blonde grimaces in disgust. “I'm sorry. I hope her jaw didn't fall off like three years ago.”
“Worse...” Jed's voice is very low.
Lizzie hesitates for a second, trying to figure out who can be worse than Alice and her disgusting aunt. Then her face lights up with understanding. “Mikaelson? Have you seen her parents? Do they look like Satan too?” Lizzie gesticulates excitedly.
Josie rolls her eyes at the nickname her sister gave to Hope. “Lizzie, don't be stupid. We've seen her mom a hundred times already.” Josie slowly gets out of bed.
She urgently needs to change into something more comfortable and clean. The brunette goes to the wardrobe and starts rummaging around for something suitable.
“Is this the woman? Hayley, it seems.” Lizzie turns in the same direction and stares at the back of Josie's head. “Isn't she too young for being a mother?”
Josie grabs the first thing she can get her hands on and turns to her sister. It had only been ten minutes since their meeting, and Lizzie is already frankly annoying. Her sister sometimes can talk nonsense with a serious expression on her face. She definitely got it from their father.
Josie quickly crosses the room in the direction of the bathroom, ignoring the twin.
“Can you hear me?” The blonde's displeased voice rings out from the other side of the room. “And where the hell are you going?”
“To the bathroom. Obviously, I need to change.” She gestures at Jed.
The door slams behind her, and Josie finally can see what she had managed to grab from the wardrobe: gray shorts and a shapeless black T-shirt with a ridiculous print. Groaning in frustration, she quickly takes off her jeans and puts on shorts. Over the past two years, her figure has changed significantly, and now knee-length shorts barely reaches mid-thigh. But the T-shirt is still so big for Josie that she is literally drowning in it.
Grabbing her old clothes, Josie glances at herself in the mirror. The brunette’s hair, curled from the autumn moisture, hang untidily from her shoulders. She has to pin them up in a bun to make them look more or less neat. After washing off her makeup, Josie casually wipes wet palms on the edges of the T-shirt and returns to the room.
Lizzie and Jed are arguing enthusiastically about something, but when a couple sees Jo, they quickly fall silent and stare at her awkwardly.
“Did I miss something?” The brunette looks from one to the other.
Lizzie smiles her most charming and most fake smile and walks over to her sister. “You know that besides the mother of the red devil's spawn, the Mikaelsons have also arrived?”
Josie winces again at the sound of the insult. Her fingers fumble chaotically over the T-shirt, awkwardly smoothing it.
“Yeah, there was a man with Hayley.” She shrugs. “And Hope's dad was hanging out with our mom. They picked me up.”
“WAS HOPE'S DAD IN THE SAME CAR WITH OUR MOM?” The blonde's face turns purple. She spreads her arms wide. It even seems to Josie that the space around them trembles. “THERE ARE ONLY TRAITORS IN THIS FAMILY!” Lizzie turns around and walks with long strides to her side of the room.
“Wait. And why am I a traitor?”
Lizzie turns. Her gaze is like that of a hyena before an attack. “You and our football friends abandoned me.”
Josie rolls her eyes and trudges to the bed. “Let's just have a quiet rest. I don’t want to fight with you.”
Her sister mutters something displeased, but still doesn’t argue with her. The blonde takes out her laptop and turns on the first romantic comedy she comes across. Jed looks at her with displeasure, but still sits back down on the floor, admitting defeat. Settling down on Lizzie’s bed girls is hugging each other tightly.
Two hours later, the movie finally ends. Overjoyed by this, Jed runs away from the room under the pretext of unfinished homework. The twins are left alone.
Lizzie gets up with a dissatisfied sigh and goes to her laptop to turn on another movie.
“« The Notebook», really?” The brunette arches an eyebrow, looking at the screen.
“My laptop, my rules.”
Josie doesn't argue, knowing full well that it wouldn't have the desired effect. She leans back on the pillow, waiting for her sister.
It is already deep night when the movie finally ends. Lizzie had been sleeping next to her for a long time, with her head on Josie's stomach.
The brunette needs all her courage to get out of bed without waking up her sister. She trudges into the bathroom to take a shower.
The cold water is refreshing, making her brain work. Hundreds of thoughts swarm in her head: school, an upcoming audition, football practice, dinner with friends, a quarrel with her mother and a meeting with Hope. It's been a long time since she felt the need to forget everything to hell. Josie is definitely tired. How she would like to disappear for at least one day.
The brunette closes her eyes, applying shampoo to her hair. Josie usually prefers to sing when she takes a shower. Only now her sister is sleeping right behind the wall. The last thing Josie wants is to see a disgruntled, sleepy Lizzie. The blonde, who had not slept well, behaves like a real devil.
Instead of singing loudly, Josie is just quietly mumbling some pop song stuck in her head. Praying that no one would hear her, she turns on the water pressure stronger and continues to wash the body.
Finally, after washing off the shampoo, Josie opens her eyes a little. Through the water column it is difficult to make out what is where. She is still holding the shower head in her right arm. Something pleasant is tickling her skin. Blinking, Josie finally manages to focus her vision. Her gaze immediately falls on the dark blue letters tattooed on her wrist:
“Hope Andrea Mikaelson”