JED SALTZMAN
Hybrid
Posts: 273
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Ben Lowell
Played by:
Noe
I've become a bit of a mythology buff. Since I'm into a mythological guy that's, you know, buff.
Last seen May 6, 2024 21:29:42 GMT
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Post by JED SALTZMAN on Apr 10, 2022 18:26:40 GMT
– I freed myself from words never said –
Staying up late on a school night was probably not the brightest idea, but Jed couldn't sleep. His thoughts were so loud that he could barely even keep his eyes closed for longer than a couple of minutes. Jed had never felt this way before, it was all jumbled and confusing and it was scary. Jed had been so worried about saying the wrong thing to Ben that he had avoided going to school the last two days. He played it off as being sick despite the fact that he couldn't get sick, not with the werewolf gene running through his veins, but it gave him the time he needed to figure out what the hell he was feeling exactly.
Jed stayed in his room, for the most part, his door locked to give him the privacy he needed. Jenna had knocked on his door a few times throughout the day to tell him that he should eat something, but each time he told her that he wasn't feeling hungry. Whenever he'd leave his room to head into the bathroom after that, he'd find a plate of food in front of his room. Jed really did appreciate Jenna's concern and the fact that she cared so much about him, just like how Jed cared about this family so much.
Jed reached for his beer bottle, sighing to himself when he saw that the bottle was empty. Jed pushed himself up from where he was on the floor with his back pressed against the bed. Jed wiped his tired eyes to head out of his bedroom after unlocking the door. Jed made his way into the kitchen where he took a beer bottle out and closed the door with his hip. Jed headed to the fireplace and sat down in front of it instead of heading back into his room. Jed was pretty sure that no one was actually awake aside from him, so he didn't feel the need to head back into his bedroom yet. Jed watched the fire with the same frown still tugging at his features. God, Jed felt so rotten for not going to school, for not seeing Ben since Jed was the one who continuously asked Ben to stay. It made him feel like such a jerk. But maybe this was better than saying the wrong thing to Ben.
Jed looked down at his own hand, remembering how it had felt to touch Ben, to hold onto his hand. Jed missed him and that only confused him more. Just what the hell was this feeling? Jed perked up when he managed to pick up on the sound of footsteps. Jed looked over his shoulders and seemed to relax considerably when he saw Josie. "Hey, Jo." Jed greeted, offering her a small smile before he looked ahead at the fire again, the bottle still in his hold. "What are you doing up still?" It was nearing four in the morning now that he'd finally spared the clock a glance to see the exact time. He looked over his shoulder at Josie again, watching her quietly for a few moments.
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JOSIE SALTZMAN
Heretic
Posts: 101
Age:
18/19
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
In a Relationship
Partner:
Hope Mikaelson
Played by:
Emma
Last seen Apr 26, 2024 16:56:35 GMT
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Post by JOSIE SALTZMAN on Apr 10, 2022 18:46:17 GMT
It was late and Josie knew that she should be asleep by now but the truth was that she wasn’t tired just yet. She had been up late texting Hope which she knew was crazy considering that they had ended up hanging out that day but when they started talking Josie found it impossible to stop. It felt incredible now that Hope was both her best friend and her girlfriend and she knew that she wouldn’t want it any other way. Thankfully her family had always been supportive of who she was, she knew that most of the memories she had of her childhood were fake but that didn’t make her cherish them any less. She knew that it had come as a surprise when she had told them that she liked both genders but they hadn’t looked at her any differently for it and it had come as a relief to say the least. She knew that some parents felt at a distance from their children after that but it wasn’t like that with Josie and her parents, she loved them both dearly and she made sure to spend as much time with them as she could. She knew that they were protective of her but luckily they both really liked Hope and that meant the world to her. Finally emerging from her bedroom after Hope sent a message saying that they should get some sleep, Josie headed downstairs so she could get herself a glass of water before trying to get some sleep. She knew that everyone else in the house would be asleep so she wasn’t expecting to see anyone but as she emerged from the kitchen after getting the glass of water her gaze came to fall on Jed sitting in front of the fireplace. “Hey Jed,” she said, offering him a smile as she made her way over. “I was texting Hope but she’s just gone to bed so I thought I’d get a drink and then try to do the same,” she explained as she sat down next to him and stretched her legs out in front of her. It had been a few days since she had last seen Jed and she knew that he had been holed up in his room during that time so she couldn’t deny that she was worried about him. “How about you, couldn’t sleep either?” she asked as she took a sip of her drink before looking over at him once more. “I’m worried about you, you know,” she admitted gently. “Dad said you vouched for Ben so he could stay at the school with us but you haven’t been for the last few days and Ben told me he’s worried he’s done something to upset you,” she said, her eyes searching Jed’s for any kind of a sign about what was behind it. “It isn’t like you to just ditch him like that, what’s going on?” she asked, hoping that he would fill her in on what she was missing. “Is something wrong? Do you think you made the wrong choice asking dad to let Ben stay?”JED SALTZMAN
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JED SALTZMAN
Hybrid
Posts: 273
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Ben Lowell
Played by:
Noe
I've become a bit of a mythology buff. Since I'm into a mythological guy that's, you know, buff.
Last seen May 6, 2024 21:29:42 GMT
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Post by JED SALTZMAN on Apr 10, 2022 19:55:15 GMT
– I freed myself from words never said –
Hey Jed, I was texting Hope but she’s just gone to bed so I thought I’d get a drink and then try to do the same, How about you, couldn’t sleep either?
Jed nodded his head with a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips when Josie revealed that she had been texting Hope and that's the reason why she's still awake. Jed lifted the bottle to his lips again to take a quick sip before he eventually released a soft hum at Josie's question. "Yeah, I can't fall asleep." Jed admitted with a soft sigh falling from his lips, his eyes resting on the fireplace again, watching the flames which reminded him of the first day that he showed Ben around and took him to the Old Mill and to the bonfire. That feeling spread through him as he stood there, watching the flames with Ben. It was such a new feeling that Jed could barely even process it or put a name to it.
I’m worried about you, you know, Dad said you vouched for Ben so he could stay at the school with us but you haven’t been for the last few days and Ben told me he’s worried he’s done something to upset you,
Jed turned his attention to Josie again when she told him that she was worried about him. "I'm okay, Jo." Jed's voice was quiet as he said that, his eyes moving back to the fireplace though, at the mention of Ben, his attention moved back to Josie right away. Jed's eyes widened slightly when he realized that Ben felt like he had done something to upset him. "God..." Jed breathed out as he ran his hand down his face. "I feel like such an asshole."
It isn’t like you to just ditch him like that, what’s going on? Is something wrong? Do you think you made the wrong choice asking dad to let Ben stay?
Jed's lips parted and closed a few times, still looking like he was struggling to even piece words together when Josie asked him what was going on because it wasn't like him to ditch Ben like that, especially after he'd vouched for Ben to stay at the school. He'd promised Alaric that he'd keep an eye on him and take care of him. Look at him now. Hiding in his home like a coward. His eyes widened at Josie's words before he immediately shook his head. "God, no." Jed answered all too quickly. "It's just..." He trailed off, his frown still digging into his features. "It's just all jumbled and confusing and I..." Jed gnawed on his inner cheeks, allowing a pregnant pause to stretch between them.
"And I feel this pressure like I'm g-gonna say the wrong thing to him." It was all so confusing to Jed and he could barely even put a label on it. It was overwhelming, to say the least. "Ever since I saw Ben, I've been having these feelings and it's confusing. I don't... I don't know what they mean, Jo. I've never felt this way for anyone before."
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JOSIE SALTZMAN
Heretic
Posts: 101
Age:
18/19
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
In a Relationship
Partner:
Hope Mikaelson
Played by:
Emma
Last seen Apr 26, 2024 16:56:35 GMT
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Post by JOSIE SALTZMAN on Apr 11, 2022 19:34:58 GMT
Josie never used to do things like stay up this late but the truth was that Hope had a habit of distracting her and sometimes she ended up getting carried away talking to some of her friends so it occasionally happened. She knew that it wasn’t really a bad thing and she could handle it but she knew that she would be tired in the morning so she would probably end up regretting it then. For now she was too wide awake to sleep, though, and it looked like she wasn’t the only one. All she could do was nod as Jed confirmed that he couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t like him to hide away the way he had been doing lately, she knew that he had done exactly that to start with when her family took him in but so much had changed since then and Jed had changed so much since then. He wasn’t the same boy he used to be back then and she knew that if he was acting like this then there had to be something really bothering him so naturally she was worried. As Jed said he was okay, Josie studied him carefully. “That’s not the impression you’ve been giving. It’s not like you to shut yourself away in your bedroom and not talk to anyone. I thought those days were over,” she said gently. “You know you can talk to any of us and you know I’m always here for you,” she said, reaching over and giving Jed’s hand a light squeeze. Jed was family as much as anyone else was, he was her brother and if there was something bothering him then she knew that she wanted to help. As he spoke again, she shook her head. “You’re not, you can fix this,” she assured him. “I’ve been looking out for Ben the best I can and he’s doing really well considering but I know he’ll do better with you there,” she added, needing Jed to know that there had been someone looking out for Ben. Whatever was going on Jed was clearly struggling and Josie hated seeing Jed going through that. Before she could ask Jed what he meant he was explaining and it was then that it clicked for her. “You like him, don’t you?” she asked, pretty sure that was what he meant. Jed had friends and pack members around him and he also had family so it definitely wasn’t that and she knew all too well how confusing trying to navigate this kind of thing could be. “If you do it’s okay, I think he likes you too,” she added gently as her eyes searched Jed’s face for some kind of a reaction. “Is this your first time feeling this way in general or just the first time feeling this way about a guy?” she asked. It wasn’t something they had ever talked about before so she wasn’t sure. JED SALTZMAN
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JED SALTZMAN
Hybrid
Posts: 273
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Ben Lowell
Played by:
Noe
I've become a bit of a mythology buff. Since I'm into a mythological guy that's, you know, buff.
Last seen May 6, 2024 21:29:42 GMT
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Post by JED SALTZMAN on Apr 11, 2022 22:25:25 GMT
– I freed myself from words never said –
Jed wasn’t surprised to hear that Josie saw right through his lie when he told her that he was doing okay. It was too obvious that he wasn’t doing okay at all. Back then, Jed often isolated himself from the Saltzman family, he kept to himself for the most part because, after everything that has happened to him, it was too difficult for him to open up again, and back then, he was overwhelmed with guilt. Not for the fact that he had taken his father’s life, but because he had abandoned Trey. But with time, he started isolating less and less until he stopped doing it altogether. “They are over. I just needed some time to think.” Jed assured her with a quick nod of his head following, wanting Josie to know that he wasn’t reverting back to his old ways. “I know, it’s just… it’s not easy to talk about. Especially since I don’t know what I’m even feeling.” Jed admitted with a soft sigh following before he leaned forward to place his beer down before he leaned back, his arms soon crossing over his chest.
Jed’s eyes moved back to Josie, guilt visible in his eyes as he gnawed on his bottom lip for a few moments before he released it shortly after. “I… I miss him.” Jed admitted, his frown still visible on his features. “It’s only been a couple of days, but I miss him a lot.” There was that huge weight that rested on his heart, it was making it so difficult for Jed to think rationally.
Jed paused at Josie’s question because it made perfect sense to him. It would explain the way his heart fluttered around Ben, it would explain why he found it so difficult to think rationally around Ben. It would explain that feeling he felt whenever he looked at Ben. Jed released a shaky breath as his eyes moved to settle back on the fireplace. If that feeling meant that he liked Ben, then…
He must have liked Trey, too.
But they were only just kids back then.
But there were definitely a lot of similarities in the way he felt back then about Trey and how he feels now about Ben. Shit. It made perfect sense. “I think— I think I felt the same way about Trey back then, but I never realized it. We were so young back then.”
“I— I like him.” Jed repeated under his breath. “Wait, he— he likes me too?” Jed finally seemed to process what Josie had suggested earlier. Ben likes him too? Looking back at it now, there were moments where they stared at each other and even touched each other in a way that suggested they had feelings for each other but Jed had been too stupid to realize it. “God, I’m such an idiot.” Jed breathed out before he turned his attention back to Josie. “I need to talk to him. Do you think he’s awake now? I should… I should talk to him.”
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JOSIE SALTZMAN
Heretic
Posts: 101
Age:
18/19
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
In a Relationship
Partner:
Hope Mikaelson
Played by:
Emma
Last seen Apr 26, 2024 16:56:35 GMT
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Post by JOSIE SALTZMAN on Apr 11, 2022 23:01:19 GMT
Josie knew that her memories of growing up with Jed weren’t real but that didn’t mean that she didn’t still cherish them. In her memories he had been right there with her while she was figuring everything out with her own sexuality and he had never judged her for the way she felt and she knew that now it was her turn to be there for him. She knew that things were different for Jed, he’d had a life before he had moved in with them and she knew that it hadn’t been easy for him to adjust to being with them at first but now he was as much a part of the family as any of them were and she knew that the last thing she wanted was for him to go back to isolating himself the way he once had done. “Alright, I’ll let you off then,” she said, nudging Jed’s arm gently with her own as he said that those days were over. She knew that she had to trust him about that and she did, he had come a long way so she honestly believed that he wouldn’t go back to the way he used to be. “Trust me, I’ve been there but talking it through with someone can help,” she offered. It was what had helped her back then and she hoped that it would help Jed too. As Jed said that he missed Ben, Josie’s expression softened. “I’m pretty sure he misses you too,” she admitted. “He has been really worried about you.” She hadn’t known Ben for very long but he had kept on asking about Jed and she had gotten the impression that there was more to it than him just being worried that he had upset her brother. Jed didn’t even need to have said those words out loud for Josie to have realised what he was getting at, she had known him long enough by now to know what he meant and her heart went out to him. The moment she asked Jed if he liked Ben she could almost see the pieces clicking into place for him and she found herself studying him carefully even as he turned his attention back to the fireplace. Josie knew that talking about this wasn’t easy but no matter how much of a cliché it might sound it really had helped her and she hoped that it would do the same for Jed now. As he explained about Trey, Josie’s expression turned thoughtful for a moment. “You’re right, you were both young then and I know you regret leaving him behind but this is your chance to do things differently,” she said gently as she wrapped her arm around Jed’s shoulders and hugged him. Hearing Jed say, albeit under his breath, that he liked Ben was enough to draw a smile to Josie’s lips. “I’m really proud of you,” she admitted. “I know how hard that would have been.” It was never easy saying those words for the first time but she could see that Jed had been struggling with this for the last few days and she hoped that this would be a turning point for him. “I think so, you should see the way his eyes light up when he talks about you,” she said, her smile returning as she looked over at Jed. “It’s actually really cute.” She had hoped that Jed would find someone who liked him in that way sooner or later and even though this wasn’t quite what she had expected since she had never thought that Jed would be interested in someone of the same sex, there was a part of her that knew that this was better because now she could see just how much Jed liked him and she had seen that mirrored in Ben’s face as well. “You’re not an idiot, you’re a teenager. You know that struggling with this kind of thing comes with the territory,” she grinned. As he spoke again, she shook her head. “It’s late and I’m sure he’s asleep. Why don’t you go into school early tomorrow and talk to him then?” she suggested. JED SALTZMAN
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JED SALTZMAN
Hybrid
Posts: 273
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Ben Lowell
Played by:
Noe
I've become a bit of a mythology buff. Since I'm into a mythological guy that's, you know, buff.
Last seen May 6, 2024 21:29:42 GMT
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Post by JED SALTZMAN on Apr 14, 2022 3:27:12 GMT
– I freed myself from words never said –
Jed let out a chuckle when Josie told him that she’d let him off before she nudged his arm gently. Even though the memories were fake, he could still remember being there for Josie while she was going through something similar. He could easily remember wanting her to feel that she’s still the same person to them, that he accepts her no matter what. It was becoming clear to Jed right now that Josie was doing the exact same thing, but this time, it was not a fake memory.
Jed’s eyes softened as he listened to Josie, unable to deny the fact that his heart was fluttering just from the thought that Ben had missed him. Truth be told, he missed Ben too. A lot, actually. It’s only been a couple of days but each time, he found himself wanting to go to school and see him instead but then he’d get scared and find himself trapped in his own room instead as the hours flew by with him just laying there. The fact that he’d made Ben worry too made his stomach drop because it was never his intention to make him worry, but it was already too late for him to take that back.
He’ll just have to find a way to make it up to Ben for worrying him. It was always never easy for Jed to talk about Trey and his past, it always left a bitter taste on his tongue and left him with countless heartaches. But Josie was right, this is his chance to do things differently, to not have to go through the same heartache again. It was his chance to tell Ben exactly how he felt. But it was so scary just thinking about it. It scared him because he was so worried about saying the wrong thing. Jed gnawed on his bottom lip, his eyes focusing back on the fireplace as he watched the fire eat away at the wood which warmed up the house quite a bit.
Just then, Josie told him that she was really proud of him which immediately made a smile form on his lips as his shoulders seemed to lose some of the tension collected there. “Thank you, Jo. You… You helped me realize it.” Jed admitted in a soft voice, his attention moving to rest on Josie again. “Yeah…” Jed breathed out, nodding his head in agreement with Josie because it really wasn’t easy. Jed’s expression seemed to light up as he listened to Josie as she revealed that Ben’s eyes light up when he talks about him. The revelation made Jed’s heart skip a beat in the best way possible as he let out a soft chuckle, unable to deny that learning this about Ben made him really happy. Jed nodded his head slowly when Josie assured him that he wasn’t an idiot, but a teenager instead and assured him not long after that it was normal for him to feel that way. “Yeah, I never knew it would be this difficult. I thought that I was into just girls, but…” Jed trailed off as he released a soft sigh. “Ben really changed that for me.” Jed added a moment later. “He opened my eyes to a lot of things and made me realize a few things about myself that I have been avoiding for a while.” Now, he has come to the realization that back then, he’d actually liked Trey. Jed bit down on his bottom lip before he eventually nodded his head as he lifted his drink up to his lips to take a quick sip and hopefully calm down his nerves. Just the thought of confessing his feelings to Ben made him nervous, but he wasn’t — scared. That’s probably a good thing, no?
“Do you wanna go to bed? I think I can finally catch some eye shut now. Probably. I hope so.”
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JOSIE SALTZMAN
Heretic
Posts: 101
Age:
18/19
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
In a Relationship
Partner:
Hope Mikaelson
Played by:
Emma
Last seen Apr 26, 2024 16:56:35 GMT
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Post by JOSIE SALTZMAN on May 14, 2022 21:41:11 GMT
It was so strange having two sets of memories, one real and one fake, but the truth was that Josie cherished the fake memories just as much as she did the real ones. She knew that she would never forget the way that Jed had been there for her while she was trying to figure her own sexuality out and she was glad that she got to be there for him now that he was going through the same thing. It was never easy to come to terms with but Jed seemed to be taking it better than most and she really was proud of him for it. She knew that all she needed to do was listen to Jed and help him and that was exactly what she wanted to do. Josie hadn’t known why Jed had decided to start skipping school at first, she had known that there was no way that it was because he was sick but she had also known that it wasn’t like him to skip school so she had felt certain that there had to be a good reason for it. She hadn’t wanted to believe that Jed was reverting to his old ways of shutting them all out and she had wanted to reach out to him before but she had thought that he needed some space so she’d had to give that to him until he was ready. She could see that Jed had missed Ben even though they’d only spent one day together but Josie knew how quickly things could change when you found the right person. She wanted Jed to be happy and Ben seemed like a nice guy so she honestly hoped that they would be able to work things out. As Jed thanked her, Josie felt a smile touch her lips. “You don’t need to thank me, Jed. You helped me figure it out when I was going through this too and besides, that’s what sisters are for,” she assured him as she nudged his arm with her own. It really didn’t matter to her that Jed wasn’t related to them by blood, as far as she was concerned he was her real brother rather than her foster brother and she was glad that she’d had the chance to return the favour and be there for him after he’d been there for her so many times over the years. She knew that it wasn’t going to be easy for Jed, it was one thing to say how he felt out loud but it was another thing entirely to say it to the person he liked. Josie had been through exactly the same thing with Hope so she knew how difficult it could be but she honestly hoped that Jed would find a way to tell Ben how he felt. During the time she had spent with Ben lately it had been clear to her that he liked Jed as well, something always changed in him whenever he talked about Jed and as far as she was concerned it was incredibly cute to see. As Jed said he thought that he was just into girls but then Jed changed that for him, Josie nodded in understanding. “It’s a little scary how much everything can change when you find the right person,” she admitted gently. “This is never easy to deal with no matter how old you are, I’m just glad that you’ve figured it out now and you want to do something about it,” she added, a proud smile touching her lips as she looked over at Jed. She hadn’t known that he’d liked Trey back then but she was pretty sure that Jed hadn’t known it either since he’d seemed surprised when he’d said those words out loud. It sounded like it was something that had been building within Jed for a while so she couldn’t blame him for shutting himself away from everyone for a while as he tried to make sense of it all. As Jed mentioned going to bed, Josie nodded. “We probably should, it’s really late,” she nodded. “Are you feeling better now?” she asked, hoping that talking about it had helped. JED SALTZMAN
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