The Power Field

Chapter 6

The silence drags on. Josie feels like she's been in the headmaster's office for at least half a day. However, the beige wall clock shows that only fifteen minutes have passed. Strangely enough, there was no trace of the previous anxiety. In its place came an inexplicable feeling of heaviness, a load somewhere in the chest area.

To Josie's right, Caroline is sitting alone on the couch. Two aunts Hope and her mom are sitting opposite. Josie assumes that the other Mikaelsons would have been happy to be here, but for some reason they didn't come. The brunette doesn't know why, but that doesn't stop her from being glad that, at least, a whole crowd did not gather here, as last time. In any case, against the background of the hybrid, the original witch and the original vampire, her mother does not look particularly convincing.

All this once again only aggravates the already uncomfortable atmosphere of the office.

It seems to Josie that they all even silently impose their point of view on her. This is strange, because in fact no one has said anything concrete yet, and she already has to come up with ways to protect herself from pressure from them.

Sitting across from her, Hope looks around with a bored expression on her face. The only place she refuses to look is where Josie is sitting.

Hope shows no visible signs of irritation or uncertainty. Josie wonders why in just fifteen minutes her mood has changed from anxious and clearly confused to calm and restrained. Whether this is due to the soothing aromatic oils that her mom started using immediately after arriving, or to her special talents for self-control, Josie has no idea. Basically, she doesn't give a damn why Hope looks less restless than she expected. Yes, she absolutely doesn't care. Well, almost...

Josie's right hand reaches for her neck. She starts massaging it in the hope of relieving at least physical tension. Her wrist, which had previously been lying inside down, is now exposed, showing a beige patch. It is, inopportunely, a shade lighter than her skin, so its appearance only attracts additional attention.

Josie turns her head to the side when she notices Hope's inquisitive gaze closely following the movement of her hand. The brunette instantly tears her palm from her neck, hiding it in the curves of her corduroy skirt. Caught off guard, Hope immediately looks away awkwardly. Josie lowers her head down, covering her right hand with her left palm.

"Well... Let's get started!" Freya announces, sitting down next to her niece.

Josie looks up again, just as Hope is trying to do the same. Their eyes meet. The brunette feels like something barely perceptible pierces her body. It is like an electric shock, only instead of pain, she experiences something vaguely resembling satisfaction.

She shudders slightly, dismissing the annoying feeling, and turns her gaze to the woman sitting next to Hope. Freya awkwardly looks first at her niece, then at Josie, not understanding the connection that has arisen between them.

"OK. What would you like to discuss?" The brunette hears her mother's voice. Caroline, who is sitting next to her, is enthusiastically reading something on her phone. She didn't even look up when she started talking.

Over her shoulder, Josie manages to read aunt Bonnie's name on the screen in the dialog box. Obviously, her mom is chatting with her. The brunette even guesses about what and about whom exactly.

"In the current situation, we need to find some points of intersection." Freya begins, glancing nervously from Josie to Caroline.

"We have a suggestion for you, Josie." Haley continues. Before that, she was talking about something dejectedly with Rebekah. "In any case, we will have to establish..."

"Why?" Josie interrupts. She gets perverse pleasure from the confused expressions on the faces of Hope and Hayley, who nervously glances at each other after her sarcastic remark.