Lose You to Love Me

//1//

There was a time when Josette Saltzman had thought that she had fallen in love.

Which was naïve of her, really. In a world that was constantly changing around her, she had been foolish enough to try to hold on to something that wasn't even hers to grasp. When Beckett had told her that he loved her for the first time, she had felt that surge of emotion that everyone talked about- the butterflies, the nervousness, the constant sense of appreciation, and adoration that made her feel weak and incredibly strong simultaneously. He was her first everything- her first kiss, her first boyfriend, her first glimpse into an emotion that was new and exciting and fun. She had committed herself to the idea that they would be together forever. That they would be that perfect young love that persevered and strengthened through time. She dreamt of weddings, and children, and a future; She anxiously awaited the day she turned eighteen so that they could run away together and truly start their greatest adventure. Like all good things in Josie's life, however, it had all come crashing down. Every daydream that she'd had about the future, every plan and commitment she had made, all torn apart in one single evening. It had broken her- left her a shell of the person she used to be. Without Beckett, she felt lost. She had no room left for herself with his overwhelming presence lingering in everything she did, everything she saw or touched or cried about. That's why when her father sat her and Lizzie down to talk about his relocation to an obscure place called Mystic Falls, she hadn't tried to fight him like Lizzie had. She had seen it as a fresh start- a place where she could find a new normal. So, they'd picked up their home in California and drove the nearly two-day journey to Mystic Falls, where everything was much dimmer and quieter and exactly what Josie needed.

That was a week ago, and Josie had yet to explore the new town she'd be calling home. She'd ventured outside for two things- food and to sign up for fall classes at Mystic Falls high. While her sister was buzzing around town like she had lived there her whole life, Josie stayed inside and helped her dad unpack their things from the moving crates. Most of her room was already set up the way she liked it, save her the box of her books that had somehow gotten misplaced in the shuffle of things. She had been looking for them all week, but she couldn't find it anywhere; She was almost certain that she had left it back at the old house, and it put her into an even worse mood. What the hell was she supposed to do during the two weeks before school started if she didn't have them? "You could always go out with your sister, you know.", Alaric told his daughter, slicing open the tape on one of the boxes. "Get to know the townspeople, see what Mystic Falls has to offer." "I'd rather die of boredom.", Josie mumbled, and Alaric frowned at her. Josie sighed, turning back toward the stairs. "I'm going back to my room; If you find my box, can you let me know?" Alaric nodded without turning his attention away from the box, and Josie started up the steps. Unfortunately for her, she couldn't get past the first one before the doorbell rang. "Can you please go get that, Josette? I have my hands full here." Josie sighed in frustration but did as her father asked. She threw open the front door, coming face to face with a girl who looked about her age, carrying a small basket.

"Can I help you with something?", Josie asked, eyeing the basket. "We're kind of busy." The girl raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, I'm sorry to bother you then." She held the basket out to Josie. "My mom does this thing where she bakes muffins to welcome new neighbors. She just asked me to take these over." She handed the basket to Josie. "She also wanted me to invite you to the labor day barbeque, but you're probably too 'busy' to come anyway." Josie looked from the basket to the girl. "Tell your mom we said thank you.", she mumbled, and the girl nodded, standing awkwardly on the front steps. "Yeah, sure. See you around, new girl." She walked away before Josie could say another word, so Josie closed the door shut, locking the deadbolt. 'We should really get a no solicitors sign', Josie thought to herself, putting the basket down on the table. It was a nice sized basket, filled with an assortment of different muffins. Attached to it was a little note, written in a delicate cursive handwriting:

Welcome to the neighborhood! It's always nice to see new faces on the block. Please, take these muffins as a peace offering. - Miranda and Penelope Park.

Penelope. That must have been the girl's name, Josie inferred. Josie had to admit that the girl was beautiful, and once upon a time she might have even felt the nervous awkwardness at being in her presence, But she was not that person anymore, and she refused to allow herself to fall into another trap with another person. Her whole move to Mystic Falls was about starting fresh, about changing her life around, and she wasn't about to slip into the same mistakes that had brought her to this point. She shoved the basket into the empty trash can, closing the lid firmly. They didn't need anything from Penelope Park or her sickeningly sweet mother. She ran back to the staircase, making her way up the steps. Her father stopped her on the way up. "Who was at the door, sweetheart?", he asked, and Josie just shrugged. "Some person taking a survey. I told them we weren't interested." He took her answer without question, turning his attention back to the pots and pans he was sorting through. Josie sighed in relief, finally able to retreat back to her room. As long as she kept her distance, she wouldn't get hurt. All she needed to do was get through the school year unscathed. She didn't know how exactly that would work out for her, but she knew one thing for sure.

She had to stay away from Penelope Park.