I choose you.~Hosie~

chapter 16 (Double pain)

As the night wore on and Hope grappled with the weight of her emotions, she found herself unable to contain the turmoil within her. Alone in her room, the walls seemed to close in around her as the weight of guilt and regret pressed down on her shoulders.

Unable to bear the burden any longer, Hope reached for her phone and dialed a familiar number, her hands trembling with anxiety. After several agonizing rings, the call connected, and a voice filled with concern answered on the other end.

"Hello?" came the voice of her mother, Hayley.

"Mum," Hope's voice cracked, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I—I need to talk to you."

Hayley's tone shifted instantly, sensing the urgency in her daughter's voice. "Hope, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Hope took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to steady her voice. "No, Mum, I'm not okay. I—I messed up. Badly."

Hayley's concern deepened, her motherly instincts kicking into overdrive. "What happened, sweetheart? You can tell me anything."

As Hope's tears continued to flow, she struggled to find the right words to express the depth of her remorse. Finally, she took a shaky breath and began to speak, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Mum," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "I—I messed up. I don't even know where to start."

Hayley's voice was gentle but filled with concern. "It's okay, sweetheart. Just take your time. I'm here for you."

Hope nodded, taking another deep breath to steady herself. "I—I kissed Landon. In front of Josie."

There was a stunned silence on the other end of the line as Hayley processed her daughter's confession. "Oh, Hope," she finally whispered, her voice thick with sympathy. "I can't imagine how difficult that must have been for you."

Hope's tears flowed even more freely now as she continued to pour out her heart to her mother. "I—I didn't mean to hurt her, Mum. I love Josie, I really do. But in that moment, seeing Landon again... I just couldn't think straight."

Hayley listened quietly, her heart breaking for her daughter. "I understand, sweetheart. Sometimes emotions can overwhelm us, especially in moments of intense emotion."

Hope nodded, grateful for her mother's understanding. "But that doesn't excuse what I did. I betrayed Josie's trust, and I don't know if she'll ever be able to forgive me."

Hayley's voice was filled with compassion. "Hope, I know you're hurting right now, but you have to remember that mistakes are a part of being human. What's important is how we learn and grow from them."

Hope sniffled, wiping at her tears with the back of her hand. "I just don't know what to do, Mum. I feel like I've ruined everything."

Hayley's tone was gentle but firm. "You haven't ruined anything, sweetheart. You made a mistake, yes, but that doesn't define who you are. Now, it's important to take responsibility for your actions and try to make things right."

Hope nodded, her heart heavy but a glimmer of hope beginning to flicker within her. "I'll do whatever it takes to fix this, Mum. I can't bear the thought of losing Josie."

Hayley's voice was filled with unwavering support. "I know you will, sweetheart. And remember, I'm always here for you, no matter what."

In the other side with Josie she was heartbroken. Josie sat on her bed, her tears flowing freely as she grappled with a whirlwind of emotions. She couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that gnawed at her heart, leaving her questioning her own worth and the validity of her relationship with Hope.