I Hate That I Love You

Chapter 18

"Saltzman?" Penelope's voice rattled Lizzie's sleep like a mallet shattering a cement wall. "Get out of my room!"

"You were the one in my room to begin with," Lizzie muttered. She threw off the blanket as she stood up, and in doing so, revealed the short auburn haired girl curled asleep under the sheets.

Lizzie froze. She watched Penelope's jaw drop. The witch blinked, rubbed her eyes, then blinked some more. Her gaze slowly moved from Hope to Lizzie, and to Hope again.

"What... The fuck?" Penelope said weakly.

Josie chose that moment to come bounding into the room after her girlfriend. She had the same reaction as Penelope, only with less colorful language. "Lizzie, please tell me that isn't who I think it is," Josie breathed.

"You- I don't- Get out!" Lizzie fumed at Penelope, whilst choosing to ignore her sister's presence entirely.

"This is my room!"

"Come back later, then! Stop sticking your nose in places it doesn't-"

"I sure as hell get to stick my nose here if you and the Mikaelson freak are fucking on my bed!"

Penelope stopped talking the moment Hope sat up with a yawn.

"Mikaelson," Penelope plastered on a fake smile. She abruptly turned on her heels and left, dragging Josie along with her.

"Still feel like running away from Mystic Falls?" Lizzie asked Hope with a half smile.

Hope sighed. "I suppose... I suppose I can wait a few more days," she mumbled.

"What was that?"

"I'm not leaving, Saltzman," Hope rolled her eyes. 'Not when you've given me a reason to stay,' she thought in her head.

The dining hall was quiet enough to hear a pin drop when Lizzie and Hope entered the room. Everyone, absolutely everyone was staring at the two of them.

Alaric Saltzman came storming into the room just as Lizzie had ushered Hope into one of the seats. "Tell me what Penelope just told me isn't true," he fumed at his daughter. "Tell me it's another one of her diabolical lies."

"That would depend on what it was that she told you."

"Did you, or did you not, sleep with Hope Mikaelson?" he hissed, apparently oblivious to the fact that Hope was sitting a foot away from him.

"Dad, you're not supposed to involve yourself in my sex life," Lizzie said pointedly, trying her best to ignore the stares.

"Elizabeth Jenna Saltzman-"

"It's not a big deal!"

"Not a big deal? Lizzie, Hope could hurt you! Why-"

Alaric stopped talking when his hand shot forward and held a cutlery knife to his throat. He struggled for a bit before turning to find the source of his own strange and dangerous behavior. "Hope," he growled.

"Ric," Hope smiled and waved pleasantly. "Good morning to you, too."

"Hope, what are you doing?" Lizzie said, staring at how close the knife was to digging into her father's flesh.

"Let me make myself clear, Ric," Hope said. She gave her hand a little wave, and Alaric sat himself down on the chair next to her, his hand still pressing the knife against his neck. "I would never hurt Lizzie. Your other daughter, maybe."

"Hope!" Lizzie snapped.

"Fine," Hope groaned. "I'm not going to hurt Josie, either. Neither of them will be put under any kind of physical or mental harm at my deliberate hand. Understand?"