Hope was almost outside when the gym doors propped open and the sounds of someone hitting the punching bag stopped her. She peeked in, watching Landon for a few moments before she dared to step inside.
“Hey …” Hope twisted her fingers together nervously. “I thought we should talk.”
Landon missed a beat. “I don’t really have anything to say to you right now.”
“Then listen?” Hope hated how impossibly small her voice sounded in the gym and she hated how Landon didn’t answer.
“I know it’s the oldest excuse in the book, but … it was a mistake, Landon.” Hope stepped forward. “And I know that it doesn’t change anything but I regret it. Not just sleeping with Penelope but also hurting you and not telling you.”
“Then why’d you do it, Hope?” Landon turned to look at her.
“Why’d I sleep with her? Or why’d I lie to you?”
“Both.”
“I … I slept with Penelope because … I don’t know - because she was the one person I could be honest with? I can’t trust anyone at this school besides you and … she remembers Jade. And she doesn’t think I’m crazy if I talk about her.” Hope took a deep, shaky breath. “That’s what I’ve been so busy with. We’re trying to figure out what happened to her.” She pushed her hair out of her face with trembling hands. “And I lied to you about it because - because I hated myself for cheating on you. I still do. I wanted to pretend like it never happened.”
“But it did.” Landon tilted his head. “And then you lied on top of it.”
Hope couldn’t keep his eye. “I know. And I want to make it right. I don’t know how, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes. I’ll earn your trust back. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to fix it, because I don’t want to lose you, Landon Kirby.”
Landon folded his hands behind his back. “You don’t want to lose me?” He raised an eyebrow. “As what? Your boyfriend? Your friend? A prize you won? Because I will always be your friend, Hope Mikaelson, but it has been a long time since our relationship truly meant anything beyond that.”
Landon turned back to the punching back. Hope wanted to say something else, something better, but the tiny fragment of truth in this sentence got stuck in her throat. Her eyes started to water and before he could see her cry, she left the gym.
YOU ARE READING
Into Thin Air
FanfictionAfter witnessing an old friend vanish, Hope Mikaelson becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to her, even when no one else at the Salvatore School seems to remember her ever existing. With the help of an unlikely ally or two, Hope will unco...
