Rebel With A Cause

- She's so good at being bad-

Chapter One

-My Skin-

I've been treated so wrong
I've been treated so long
As if I'm becoming untouchable

I'm a slow dying flower
Frost killing hour
the sweet turning sour
and untouchable-

She had fucked up yet again. She was in trouble, again. It was always like this. Just when she began to foolishly trick herself into believing that things would get better, they always got worse. This morning was no different.

The white clouds of smoke seeped out profusely from her car engine as a drunken and unbalanced Elena swayed, trying to keep her balance as she pulled out her phone to call her brother Jeremy. He would know what to do. Jeremy always knew what to do in these situations. He'd had enough experience with them to be an expert by now.

It was in the dead of the night and perfectly silent outside except for her sputtering, choking, engine. The quietude of the night was unsettling and Elena quickly felt the need to fill it. Giggling at nothing at all, Elena's unfocused eyes stared at her father's broken down car. The car she had stolen earlier that day so that she could drive it to Matt Donovan's party. And now the car sat in a steaming pile of utter mess.

She had done it again she had gotten so drunk and fucked up off marijuana that she had crashed her third car this year. The tree, in which she had smashed into, loomed ahead of her illustrating just how small and helpless she'd felt this past year since her mom had passed away. Her father, her friends, everyone thought that she got high because she was just acting out over her moms death. The truth was, being high was the only thing she could do that she felt in control of. It was also the only thing that suppressed the inexplicable pain she felt.

"Hello?" Jeremy's voice thick with grogginess, answered from the other end of the phone.

"Jerrrrrrr" Elena slurred laughing uncomfortably as she staggered slightly.

"Elena what the hell its 4 am" Jeremy seethed, angry at having been stirred from his peaceful slumber. It was too late for Elena's bullshit and he had a mid-term in the morning.

Elena grimaced at the shortness in his tone, exhaling nervously. She was apprehensive about answering his question.

Jeremy's ire was evident, his voice thick with hostility. It was obvious that he didn't feel like being bothered with her. Her own brother didn't feel like being bothered with her. The realization was nearly sobering and it almost broke through the numbness she had protectively surrounded herself in. Self-preservation had hardened her resolve over the last year though, so his words only stung a little bit. Still, they stung. It also didn't help that he was fed up with her. Everyone was.

"Jer I got so fucked up and I had sooooo much fun" Elena purposefully ignored Jeremy's fury, completely uncaring of the fact that she was inconveniencing his sleep.

That's why she liked being drunk and high. It was numbing. It veiled her eyes to everything that was happening around her, allowed her to shut off her emotions like a light switch.

"What did you do now?" Jeremy growled angrily. The only time Elena called him nowadays was when she wanted something or when she was in trouble. Either way, it was never good news with her. He silently braced himself for her latest catastrophe.

"I'm in trouble" He knew it.

"What else is new? What is it this time? Drugs? Stranded? Or maybe you need me to come pick you up from jail again for driving while drunk without a license" He hissed, the tone of his voice rising with each word.

"I didn't do anything Jeremy. It wasn't my fault-" Let Elena tell it, it was never her fault. She had zero accountability for her actions. Ever the martyr, the whole world was to blame for her problems. Jeremy was so sick of her shit.

"It was the tree it came out of nowhere I think its out to get me" Elena garbled amusedly, attempting to lighten the tensed mood. This was her second time hitting the same tree and even her stodgy older brother had to find some type of amusement in the irony. He didn't.

"What? " Jeremy shouted, nearly waking up his sleeping girlfriend Anna who lay beside him.

"You gotta be kidding me Elena AGAIN! Seriously? What the fuck is your problem you need to chill yourself"

"Chill myself" Elena mocked laughing at his words.

"Look Jer I don't need a lecture I need a ride can you come get me or what?" Elena asked, refusing to even acknowledge her actions, which further pissed Jeremy off.

He couldn't believe her. She was so fucking inconsiderate.

Jeremy was livid. He seriously contemplated hanging up the phone on his drunken sister who seemed hell-bent on self-destruction. But no matter how angry Jeremy was, he knew the reason for Elena's actions. He also knew he could never leave his sister stranded on a dark road somewhere. No matter how fucked up she was.

"My car is in the shop Elena remember you sort of ran into on your last bender," He snarled disgustedly." But I can ask my roommate to take you home hold on" Jeremy said placing Elena on a brief hold. She listened absently to the sound of him moving around in the background and speaking to someone in a hushed tone.

Elena sat idly on the hood of her smoking car aimlessly playing with strands of her hair, as she wanted for Jeremy to get back on the phone.

"Yeah Elena Damon's going to come pick you up. Is your phone ok on juice so it doesn't die before he come and gets you? " Jeremy asked worriedly. His sister was alarmingly irresponsible and rarely ever charged her phone.

" Ok who the fuck is Damon? I don't know him. Why can't YOU use his car to come get me?" Elena snapped, starting to get annoyed with her brother. She hated when he played the big brother card and acted pseudo-concerned. She could take care of her self and she didn't want or need anyone's concern or pity.

" Because contrary to what you think the whole world doesn't revolve around you. Its 4 am, I have a mid-term in the morning. And Anna is sick with the flu. And I don't have time for this. So do you want him to come pick you or not?" Jeremy assured her.

"Fine whatever " Elena mumbled before abruptly hanging up the phone on her brother.

Jeremy stared at the phone for a few seconds wondering why he even bothered.

()()()()()

The silence of the night enveloped Elena causing her to nearly go crazy with its stillness. She resented the silence because with the silence came her thoughts and with her thoughts came the guilt. No matter how much she tried to evade the guilt, it always managed to creep in. Staring up at the black canvas of the sky, an image of her mother's smiling face flitted across her mind. Fuck she needed to get high some more so that she could force these thoughts out.

The shrill ringtone coming from her phone suddenly jolted her out of her thoughts, providing her with momentary reprieve. It was Jeremy's friend calling.

"Yeah is this the unfortunate soul who was forced to come pick up Jeremy's baby sister" Elena taunted drunkenly.

"Nope this would be the pissed off soul whose upset they got woken up out of their sleep to come get your drunk ass, I'm on Wickery Bridge where are you" The deep voice growled. He sounded so sexy Elena couldn't help but think despite the annoyance she was feeling towards him.

"I'm right before the bridge ends smart ass" She retorted hanging up the phone.

Did I not just text him exact location? Why is he asking dumb questions? Elena pondered exasperatedly.

Tucking her hands into the pockets of her hoody, Elena shivered slightly from the growing cold air as she waited for the sarcastic stranger to come and get her. Soon, she saw the headlights in the distance growing and getting closer to where she stood. She was relieved to soon be out of this cold air. She was also starting to sober up and she needed to get to her stash quickly to fix that.

This Damon guy, whoever he was, drove a silver Ferrari and as the car neared her, Elena couldn't help but roll her eyes at the flagrant display of money.

Jeremy's roommate was probably one of those guys who wore gel in his hair, talked fast, and thought he was God's gift to women, Elena mused.

The car finally stopped on the side of her the windows tinted "Its About time " Elena yelled, reaching to yank the door open. But the car drove slightly ahead causing Elena to reflexively jump back slightly.

"What the hell?" She bellowed, walking up to the car and just as she got to it again he drove off slightly again. Folding her arms across her chest like a mulish child. Elena frowned, refusing to walk after the car again. The car reversed and the window rolled down. Elena could hear this Damon guy laughing riotously. "Ok- Ok I quit" He managed between laughs.

"Very funny dick" Elena remarked sarcastically, getting a look at him for the first time. He seemed so familiar. But she could still barely make out his features that were shrouded in the darkness of his car.

Who was he?

This Chapter has been edited and is slightly different from the original posting. I didn't like some small things about it so I changed it around.