Lizzie had successfully convinced hope to go to england, but josie couldn't go due to having lots on at school to sort out. it wasn't the brunettes fault that she had so many hobbies, but it sure didn't help her sisters' scheming. though, lizzie made do.

now, the tribrid and heretic were in manchester airport getting their bags together. they had a reservation at a fancy nearby hotel booked, of which hope was sure she wouldn't pay and instead use compulsion. lizzie was fine with that, as long as she didn't check out early.

"the pink suitcase, right?" hope asked lizzie, as she grabbed off a sleek, black suitcase that was obviously her own.

"with dora the explorer stickers, yes," lizzie replied, her cheeks heating up with a blush at the confession, "i seriously can't believe my mother made me take that one,"

"but it's gone on every trip," hope mocked, remembering carolines words.

lizzie all but scowled, seeing the case come around she picked it up with ease. "before i was a heretic i would not have been able to grab that off," she confessed, now wheeling the case behind her as she tried to keep up with hope's fast walking,

"well, that's the sweet life of a heretic," hope joked, practically running away from lizzie.

"are you that eager to get this over with?" lizzie asked as she bumbled along, dragging the suitcase not-so fluidly in a zig-zag motion as she struggled. hope, however, seemed oddly skilled in the suitcase department and was sleekly wheeling hers behind herself as though in a movie.

"the way i see it, if this is over quick we can get out of here quick," hope stated, in her mind she knew that she would see april and want ready for that.

hope didn't want to see how she had moved on, nor did she want to prove if she had done the same. which it was clear the tribrid had not.

"the way i see it, is that we need time," lizzie replied, now somewhat getting the hang of her suitcase, "these twins, they sound complicated. and i bet they need a good bit of stability, not to be abandoned once they are deemed as fixed,"

"like you'd know," hope sniggered.

"oh, i'd know cause i've lived it, mikaelson," lizzie replied harshly.

"it's marshall from here on out," hope corrected, making lizzie stop in her tracks in confusion.

the brunette did the same, turning around to face lizzie, "what?"

"why are you trying to hide your identity?"

"i think it's best for the twins, their parents will accept me better as marshall. besides, headmaster forbes has put it through that way," hope replied, sounding as though she knew exactly what she wanted.

"not only are you cowering away, but you convinced my mom to change your name?" lizzie scoffed, "despicable... but fine,"

"good," hope continued walking, with lizzie trailing awkwardly behind as she fumbled with her phone to shoot april a text so she'd know to expect to see hope in real life.

Hollyoaks was a lot calmer than expected, and so april was sat in the park with a cup of hot chocolate and her laptop so she could catch up on homework from religious studies. she was at sixth-form and doing criminology, religious studies and english. an odd trio, but the latter two were because ella was also taking those subjects too, the former being as that was what she wanted to pursue.

april wanted to be a detective, she had grown up on hearing stories from her grandad about him being in the forces and felt like that was something she wanted to pursue. she had proved so by solving a couple of the murders that had gone down in the village, proving to the police she was a helpful ally and a potential employee in future.

she had been asked to work with them when she was of age, and so it proved her efforts were successful.

the brunette tried to focus on her homework, but as her phone kept buzzing paired with her mind swirling she couldn't help but gravitate to not concentrating. besides, she had been working for two hours... a break wouldn't kill her.

lizzie
we are hereeeeee

april
oh shit. here here?

lizzie
in the taxi, i sent that at the airport

lizzie
i asked for an eta, and its in twenty
minutes

april
alr, i gtg bc i gotta get home

lizzie
byeeee (read)

Scooping up her things, then struggling to fit all the items into her small backpack was hard but april just about managed, even if she had broken the zip. she sighed and carried the object in her hands instead, and darted through the village to her house.

once there, she unlocked it and went inside and locked up once again. she quickly ran into the kitchen and put her things down, before gravitating to the living room.

inside, she saw charlie playing that dumb game he played on his console. he didn't notice her and so she gave up on having small talk and instead darted upstairs and dug through her closet, ruining her neatly organised room with a tornado of clothes.

once she found her black jumpsuit she put it on with a matching pair of sneakers, and immediately sat on her bed to take a mirror pic in her full-body length mirror.

once she took the picture, she sent it to lizzie,

april

april
this gd?

lizzie
it's perfect 😍 (read)

She let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding, and then put down her phone. april was unsure if she'd see hope today, but just in case she had to look the part.

and so, she left the house all dolled up, and hope-ready.

once she got to the bridge, she decided to go up the steps and watch over the village. it was the best way to see who went where, after all you could be bird watching instead and not watching over people creepily.

and so april watched, randomly checking her phone. it was about one in the afternoon when she saw them, she noticed hope first. and upon seeing her, it felt natural to watch her beauty. it wasn't filters, or the lighting, the brunette was gorgeous and april could hardly remove her eyes from her.

"someone's got a girl-crush," dillon announced, as he came to stand next to april.

she turned to face the brown-skinned boy, "you don't know the half of it."