Chapter Text
They were happy. They have been together for a year which they celebrated yesterday. They also said their first I love you yesterday night while they were falling asleep in each other’s arms.
They had it all.
And now, Hope was going to end it all.
Hope was sitting in the woods, their favorite place to hang out together and just relax. Their place where they would often do nothing but admire the starry sky or enjoy each other’s presence. It was like their secret heaven on earth.
And now, Hope was going to turn it into a living hell.
She looked up at the sky and couldn’t help herself but think that the starless sky was the perfect representation of what she felt right now. Darkness. Learning that either the love of your life or her sister will die when they will turn twenty-two years old could quickly make you feel this depressed and hopeless.
But Hope was never the type to just accept the way that the world worked, after all her birth defied every natural laws. And she definitely wasn’t going to let the Merge ruin the Saltzman twins’ future even if it meant running hers.
Hope knew what she had to do it in order to save them but she couldn’t help herself but pity herself and fear the conversation that had to happen as soon as Lizzie will join her here, that is to said in about thirsty minutes.
She had thought about this the whole day ever since this morning when she heard Alaric on the phone with Caroline and that she had called her aunt Freya to know what the hell the Merge was. In one hand, she could try to save them while still dating her but she knew that she wouldn’t be able to constantly lie to her girlfriend. As much as it hurt her, she knew that she was making the right choice.
Maybe one day when the Merge won’t be an issue, maybe then, they would be able to be back together. But right now they had to stay parted.
She looked at her watch. She only had 10 minutes before the inevitable happened.
She decided she would spent them thinking about their relationship. She thought about how Lizzie tried for years to befriend her only for her to push her away. At the time, she didn’t know why she always did that, but now she knew it was because the girl always made her slightly nervous. She remembered how when the blonde turned thirteen she stop trying and instead made sure that everyone knew how much she hated the tribid. She remembered how two years ago they suddenly were best friends after Josie finally told her twin the truth. She remembered how last year while they were sitting at this spot in the woods, Hope accidentally confessed her attraction for the blonde. She remembered how Lizzie smirked and softly smiled at the tribid before kissing her.
‘Hope’
Hope sighed and stood up. When Lizzie noticed the frown on her girlfriend’s face, she walked closer to her but the later step away.
Lizzie was frowning too now. ‘What’s wrong Hope?’
Hope didn’t answer and kept on looking away for the blonde.
‘Look at me Hope, please.’
When their eyes met, Hope willed her tears aways, she couldn’t cry in front of her. ‘It’s over.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘Us. Lizzie, we’re done.’
‘What? Why?’ asked Lizzie tears filling up her eyes.
‘I don’t love you, Lizzie’
‘I- I don’t understand. Yesterday you said- you said that you loved me’
‘I lied’
‘No. You can’t- you can’t do that. Hope. Please, you can’t do that. Yesterday we were happy. What happened?’ desperately asked Lizzie tears now running down her face and Hope had to turn away to hide her own tears.
‘Please, leave Lizzie. You’re embarrassing yourself.’
‘Hope. At least say it to my face if you really mean it.’
Hope silently cursed her girlfriend’s, well, ex girlfriend’s stubbornness. She turned around and directly looked into Lizzie’s eyes.
‘We’re over,’ coldly said Hope as she witness all of Lizzie’s emotions throughout her eyes; sadness, disbelief, heartbreak and finally hatred.
‘Fine,’ responded Lizzie now wearing her poker face before rapidly leaving.
Once Hope was sure that Lizzie was away, she broke down in tears.
Lizzie was right, yesterday they were happy and now they weren’t.
When she opened her eyes and saw the sun set, she understood that she fell asleep crying in the woods. She stood up and left.
Once she was laying comfortably in her bed, she used her super hearing to listen to Lizzie’s heart hoping that it would appease her pain but when she noticed how quickly it beat, she knew that the blonde was crying.
Hope suddenly started to sob again.
She hated herself for causing the blonde’s tears but she would hate herself more if she at least didn’t try to save her and Josie’s lives no matter the cost.
She closed her eyes and hoped that she will manage to get more sleep before having to face the consequences of last night.
She didn’t get this lucky as Josie loudly stormed into her bedroom, looking pissed as hell. Hope knew what was coming, she was expecting this to happen. After all, Lizzie was her sister and she had just hurt she sister. But that didn’t mean that she was ready to lose her friend too.
‘Josie’
‘Shut up, Hope.’
Hope sat up on her bed and looked at Josie pacing around her room waiting for the girl to let her justified anger on her.
‘Why?’
‘Look Josie. I didn’t want to hurt her but I realized that I didn’t love her anymore. I thought that it was wrong for me to just stay with her after realizing it.’
‘Do you think I am stupid Hope? You don’t stay with someone for a year and then suddenly realize that you don’t have feelings for that person.’
‘You don’t have to believe me but it won’t change anything.’
‘ I really thought that you were better than that. I am disappointed.’
‘I am sorry, Josie.’
‘You shouldn’t apologize to me.’
‘Do you think that we could maybe stay friend?’
‘No, Hope. Stay away from me and my sister or next time I won’t just set your room on fire’
Josie left as quickly as she stormed into Hope’s room.
The tribid found it ironic that in order to save them she had to lose them first. She wondered if Penelope would also side with Lizzie which would make sense but she wasn’t ready to lose another friend especially not her best friend. Then she thought about her avengers squad and comprehended that all of her friends will probably ignore her after finding out about how cruel she had been to the blonde.
She sighed and groaned when she realized that this will probably also affect her relationship with Alaric.
Loneliness was awaiting her and she wasn’t ready for that yet. She had gotten used to always being surrounded by her friends. She closed her eyes and prayed that it would all be worth it in the end.
She knew that she couldn’t stay at the Salvatore boarding school for now. Besides, she will need the help of the most powerful witch, her aunt Freya. She stood up and started to pack her things.
Once she was done packing, she went to see Alaric in his office to inform him that she was leaving for a while.
She knocked on his door and entered. Alaric seemed surprise to see her.
‘Hey Doctor Saltzman’
‘Hi, Hope. I wasn’t expecting to see you after..well you know.’
‘About that, I just wanted to let you know that I am leaving tonight. I am going back to New Orleans. I don’t know when I’ll be back but I will, I just have to fix something first.’
‘Are you okay, Hope?’ asked Alaric and for a second she wanted to tell him the truth. Maybe together they could find a solution but she knew that he wouldn’t risk her safety especially after she jumped into Malivore.
‘I am fine.’
‘Okay. Well have a safe trip and you know where to find me if you need help for whatever it is that you have to fix.’
‘Really? I thought that you would be mad at me.’
‘I am. Of course, I am but you know that you’re like a daughter to me.’ He explained while standing up from his chair and walking closer to Hope. ‘Be careful out there, okay?’
Hope nodded. ‘Always. Goodbye Doctor Saltzman.’
She left his office at least relief to know that he didn’t hate her. She went to her room and grabbed her suitcase.
As she was about to open the door to exit the school, someone spoke up.
‘Leaving without saying goodbye.’
Hope bit her lip at Lizzie’s coldness before tuning around.
‘I thought it would be easier.’
‘Easier for who? I would assume that it is simple to say goodbye to someone you don’t love.’
‘I still care about you Lizzie.’
Lizzie rolled her eyes.
‘Look just take this in case you need me someday.’ said Hope handing Lizzie a bracelet matching hers.
‘I don’t need you Hope. At least not anymore,’ answered Lizzie even if she took the bracelet and put it in her pocket.
‘I know.’
But I do so I won’t let the Merge destroy you, thought Hope before grabbing her suitcase and leaving.
Lizzie stared at Hope leaving before angrily wiping away her tears and running to her room