Kindred Spirits

Chapter Six

Josie Pov:
The rest of the school seems kind of empty at the minute. No one has lessons today because it's some sort of witch holiday and almost everyone who isn't in a lesson is at Hope's party. The party was ...strange to say the least: first off a party in the morning just doesn't sit right with me, and then there was that moment with Hope. Don't get me wrong, I loved the moment. All of the moment. Her head rested on mine -our combined pressure making the world feel utterly powerless. Everything was perfect. All I wanted was to kiss her lips, hold her close to me and never let go, to feel more at home than I ever have. But I couldn't, not yet. Maybe not ever.
I worry about her. She still hasn't opened up to me much, I fear she won't ever open up to me. I don't want her to be in pain, like Mg told me. I remember seeing that a few days ago and to have her like that again makes me so worried. All I've ever wanted for her is happiness.

I dont really know where I'm taking Hope after we escape her party, but we find ourselves in a secluded area in the woods. We sit on a fallen tree, her hand in mine as we look toward the sky. It's still quite bright as it's only about 1pm but there are colours of reds and oranges up there, it's beautiful.
"I had a really nice time today," she says - still looking at the sky. I smile. The light shines off of her eyes like precious sapphires. She looks angelic.

Hope Pov:
I look towards the sky. It's so perfect today. I keep replaying mine and Josie's dance in my head: her body so close to mine I could feel the warmth of her skin across from me. I want that again. But more. So much more. Josie seemed slightly more on edge after her talk with Lizzie. I was going to ask her about it but I don't think she wants to talk right now. She looks so perfect. All I want is to show her how much I care for her.

Josie Pov:
I didnt realize it until now but mine and Hope's gaze have both been upon each other for sometime. When I realise I can't help myself smiling. She smiles back too. I find myself leaning toward her. Like we did with at the dance. Our heads touch gently and I feel a wave heat wash through me. It almost feels as though I'm about to faint, but her warmth next to mine reminds me that I am safe. I close my eyes as I place my full weight upon her forhead. I have to use my hand to stable myself - it falls onto her thigh. Slowly I tilt my head up so we're now less than a centimeter apart from touching. I glance toward her lips and my eyes meet hers. She leans in.

Hope Pov:
My heart is pounding extremely fast as I move my hand towards the top of her neck - stoking her jaw as I make a final glance toward her eyes to make sure it's okay. Our lips meet. The pressure starts out mild, our lips tightly enclosed around each other's. I feel sparks of heat slowly echo throughout my body as the pressure becomes more intense. Her body's weight collapses into mine as her lips slightly part. I feel an immense wave of happiness overwhelm me as my heart rate continues increasing. I feel my eyes burn amber at the prospect. My breathing increases.....everything is faultless

That is until I feel myself captured by the darkness.
'People I care about have a tendency to die on me,' I hear the words over and over in my head: the warmth of her cheeks turns into a coldness and her soft scarlet lips begin to feel like blades across my heart.
"Tendency to die on me," it repeats in an everlasting spiral reminding me of the consequences of caring.
I pull away abrubtly, her face looks up at me confused. I can't focus on her right now, I put my head in my hands trying to stop myself from shaking. I start to panic, my eyes watering as my breathing increases to a point I think I could die. I keep repeating the words I'm sorry outloud at the same pace as my breathing.
"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry," the sounds come out as barely a whisper.
"Hope it's okay. Hope what's wrong. Hope please talk to me,"she soothes rather nervously. I try to answer, I want to tell her I enjoyed the kiss and comfort her worries, but I feel myself run far into the woods...away from her.

Josie Pov:
I saw her face completely panicked as she backed away from me. She is shaking, her breathing is much too rapid. I bring my self back from the circling sense of euphoria to try and comfort her. I would wrap my arms around her but I get the sense she doesn't want that. Was this my fault? Was the kiss too soon for her to handle? I try to wait for her to calm down. To look at me so she can't tell me how she is feeling. I want to help her. But she runs away at a quickening speed that I don't think I'd be able to find her.
I sit on the tree for a couple of minutes recounting the events in my head, trying to figure out what went wrong. But it couldn't. That's what made me more worried.

Once I processed everything and could calm down, I stood up off the log and went back into the building. I was at a loss at what to do. Do I go to try to find her? Do I leave it alone and move on with my day? I managed to dodge the party on my way back in and went to my room. Exhausted, I sat with a thump on the bed gave out a quiet sigh.

Hope Pov:
Everything is becoming too much. I'm hurting too many people. My mom, my dad, uncle Elijah, all those people I killed when the hollow took over my body. And now, the person who I don't want to hurt most in the world. All the anxiety becomes too much and I decide to wolf out. It doesn't exactly change the way I'm feeling, but running extremely fast- the wind becoming one with you and all you can focus on is the ground beneath you. Everything falls into place.
************
I realise I have been out here for almost 10 hours, running. The sky turns to black - almost deep purple shade as I watch the stars. A light in the darkness. It occurs to me that I never found Josie again after our kiss and I get immediately nervous. The feelings of her lips on mine come rushing back as I quickly put some clothes on and rush back to the Salvatore school. I don't know what I'm to say to her. I don't want to hurt her but the only way to not do that... is to leave. That would hurt her too. I try to figure out a plan for tomorrow as I'm sure Josie is asleep by now and I don't want to wake her.

As I open the door to my room I see a sleeping girl on my bed.

Josie Pov:
I decided to go to Hope's room after being conflicted as to what to do. I assumed she'd return eventually or at least I hoped she would. Hours passed and there was still no sign of her. To pass the time I was rummaging through some of the different books she had lying around and seeing if any were interesting. Most of them were spell books, which were full of incantations I would never be able to understand. Eventually more hours passed and I found myself using her paints to draw something. It did not look at all as I planned. I didn't think Hope would mind me using her acrylics as she has offered to let me paint something before, but I've never really been interested. Time kept passing and I started to realise she may not be coming back. I refrained from crying and just lay on her bed staring at the ceiling praying she was okay.
**********
I wake up to the feel of someone brushing my cheek with their hand. My eyes opened slowly and then opened wide when I saw Hope's face give me a small smile.
"You're okay," I whispered aware that everyone else is probably sleeping right now. I quickly got up from her bed and wrapped my arms around her. I didn't want to let go but her face told me that she wanted to talk to me. I was nervous. She held my hand and brought me to sit next to her on the bed. It was silent for a few seconds before she took a deep breath and started to speak.
"While I was in that place... I was surrounded by darkness. All I could hear was an endless cycle of voices: some belonging to me, others belonging to my dad," she goes on - I gently rub her hand , "I tried to block out the sounds but eventually I grew too tired to care. The voices they urm....they," she is holding back tears.
"It's okay," I say quietly. She continues..
"The voices remind me of everything I've lost... everything I've hurt. I haven't been able to sleep properly since I got out of there. But today... when we kissed, it was so perfect, everything was so perfect...and the voices reminded me of everything I have to lose," she remains quiet for a minute before she looks at me with tears in her eyes.
"I don't want to lose you," she says, her voice breaking. I can't even imagine the pain she's in, now what Mg told me made sense. I watch as her eyes avert from me.
"Hope look at me," I say trying to be strong for her...
"I know you, and I know you've put alot of guilt upon yourself for the things you've had to endure in life. And I know that you would never do anything to intentionally hurt anyone," I pause to let her take in what I've said before saying
"you are never going to lose me Hope."
I watch as a tear rolls down her face. I wipe it away with my hand and kiss her cheek.

As I do she turns her head so that I can kiss her lips. I oblige and she smiles contently.
I consider leaving her room but I feel I can't. Hope told me she hasn't been able to sleep and I don't want to think about her in pain all night.
"Is it okay if I sleep here tonight?" I ask... her wide smile answers my question. We both get under the covers extremely tired. Her body leans into mine as I protectively wrap my arms around her waist...I kiss her neck gently before we find ourselves taken by sleep.