Josie spotted Hope before Hope spotted her. She was sitting at a table in front of the grill, all alone, tapping her fingers to pass the time. 
“I didn’t think you’d come,” Josie said quietly as she approached. She tucked her skirt around her legs as she sat down. “Much less be here first.”
“Yeah, well, you said not to keep you waiting.” Hope watched the cars on the road for a moment before she finally looked at Josie. “And the faster we get this over with, the faster I can leave.”
“Thanks for coming anyway,” Josie muttered. She could feel her heart pounding all the way into her throat as she started to stumble over her words. “So, um, I just wanted -”
“This isn’t a date,” Hope cut in bluntly, listening to Josie’s pounding heartbeat and seeing the blush creeping up her face. “Just to be clear.”
“I didn’t think it was,” Josie said, her words suddenly coming to her, sharpened by her anger. “And just to be clear, I’m dating Landon now.”
“Really?” Hope crinkled her nose as she thought. “Landon?”
Josie narrowed her eyes. “He’s a good guy.”
“Yeah, that’s the part that confused me.” Hope laughed humorlessly.
“You know I like boys and girls -”
Hope cut in again. “I meant the ‘good’ part.”
Josie just stared at her blankly, and Hope forced out another mean laugh.
“Come on, I thought you liked them bad. First Penelope, then me …”
“Penelope’s not bad.” Josie shook her head and looked around at the pedestrians walking by. “And you were a mistake.”
“You should see Penelope at the Academy.” Hope smirked, leaning across the table as she dug deeper and deeper into Josie. “She’s really blossomed into her true self. And you, Josette Saltzman, really shouldn’t do the same mistake so many times. It might make it seem like you have feelings for the mistake.”
“I don’t.” Josie slapped her hands on the table with a scowl. “I mean, I did, but not anymore.” She looked Hope up and down disdainfully. “Not with you like this.” Josie sucked in a tense breath, realizing how true it was. As awful as this meeting was making her feel, it was much easier to get a grasp of her feelings about Hope when she was seated right across from her. “I want to know something.” The words left Josie’s mouth before she knew what she was saying. “Who killed you?”
Hope looked away quickly, a sharp pull in her chest. “You don’t want to know the answer.” 
“I do.” Josie leaned in on her elbows. “Was it someone at the Salvatore School?”
“Why are you asking me that?”
“Because I want to know.”
Hope cocked her head. “Is the answer going to make you feel better?”
“I want to know.”
“Yes. It was someone at the Salvatore School.” Hope threw herself back in her seat, still glaring at Josie. 
“Then tell me because -”
“Just trust me, okay?” Hope asked, standing up. “You’re much better not knowing. Don’t call me again. I won’t come next time.”
Hope stormed away, her eyes bouncing around the street. She felt anger. She felt anger. She wasn’t supposed to feel anything.
Hope beat Josie back to the Salvatore School. She scaled the fence and spelled her way through the defense wards easily. When she got to the twins’ window, she knocked loudly, making Lizzie jump and hold the shirt she was considering over her chest. 
“Mikaelson!” Lizzie hissed, tossing the shirt down and opening the window. “It is the middle of the day! Someone is going to see you -”
Hope cut Lizzie off with a hard kiss. 
Lizzie knew she should stop. She should break off the kiss and ask Hope pointblank who her new killing partner was. She should push her away and tell her to leave. She should care that she was kissing a murderer. 
But instead of doing any of those things, Lizzie just slid her tongue into Hope’s mouth like none of it bothered her.
She was only half-dressed to begin with, still trying to decide on what outfit would sway MG to spill the beans the best, but Hope had them both naked and in Lizzie’s bed in no time.