Disclaimer-I do not own the Vampire Diaries or The Originals.
With the ghost feeling of his lips on mine, and the tiny scroll tucked away safely in my pocket, I mustered up the courage to walk up to the boarding house.
Making sure my jacket was zipped all the way, I walked inside to see everyone by the fire.
"What took you so long?" Bonnie asked, worridly.
"Oh, I, uh, got lost in the woods, had to find my way back." I lied, semi-smoothly.
After Tyler's surprise return, I left early, making the excuse that I didn't really want to be there when Katherine died because I could care less. I didn't say anything to Tyler, trying to avoid him. I just needed to get out of there before it could get any more awkward.
I hadn't expected Tyler to return, even after Klaus told me he didn't kill him. I realized that the only reason Klaus didn't kill Tyler was because of me.
On my drive home, I realized several things. To Tyler, I was always second. I was second to his revenge, second to his pack. His need for revenge was stronger than his love for me. But Klaus put me before his need for revenge several times. The revenge he wanted on Katherine for 500 years and he dropped it, for me. The revenge he wanted on Tyler, multiple times, and he let him go, for me. For once in my life, someone put me first. And that someone was now gone.
Wasn't that the only thing I truly wanted in life? For someone to care enough so that I wasn't always second best?
I arrived home and sat on my bed, sighing. My mom still wasn't home yet. I didn't feel like driving all the way back to Whitmore tonight.
I remembered the small scroll in my pocket. I pulled it out and sat there staring at it for a few minutes wondering if I should open it or not. Pulling the small ribbon tying it together, I unrolled it slowly.
It was a sketch of me on prom night. The sketch made me look like I was enveloped in light while the background was dark. It was the most beautiful drawing I had ever seen. On the bottom, there was a short message.
"The most beautiful light in the midst of darkness"
I sat there, staring at the sketch for what seemed like hours, feeling tears starting to roll down my face. When I finally sat it down, I almost missed something written on the back. It was an address. Hisaddress. I smiled at it for a second before putting it right next to the other sketch he had given me. The one that I treasured.
I just hoped I had enough will power to keep on pretending that my life could be normal.
Three weeks later
Screw this. My life was anything but normal, and I was starting to realize that it never would be, no matter what I tried. We had to deal with freaking Katherine being stuck in Elena's body and then the stupid travelers who took Stefan and Elena's blood teaming up with Dr. Maxfield. On top of all of that, Tyler wasn't speaking to me. He found out what happened between me and Klaus and now wants absolutely nothing to do with me. He even left town again. Elena was pissed at first, but she didn't have any room to talk, being with Damon and all. Stefan was very supportive the whole time.
It was eating me up on the inside. I couldn't get him out of my head. I didn't want to. Every night, I would stare at the drawing, wondering.
Was that how I wanted to live my life? Asking what if to everything? I didn't need college. If I really wanted, I could compel myself a degree. Not to mention, I had forever. I had forever to go to college, forever to get my dream job. What about the things that I truly wanted? To be loved unconditionally, to be put first for a change. Those are things I couldn't wait forever to do. I wanted an epic love. And epic loves only happen once.
There was so much drama in my life, and 99.9 percent of it all revolving around Elena. That's how it always was. I was nothing special to anyone. Except one person.
I had a four-day weekend coming up in two days. I could : A- Stay at college and work on homework while avoiding Dr. Crazy, B- Go back to Mystic Falls and deal with loaded Elena drama, or C- Take a short vacation for myself. It was an easy decision for me to make.
Two days later-
"Care, aren't you going to come back with us?" Elena asked, noticing I hadn't packed my small bag like I normally did going home.
"No, I think I am going to stay here this weekend and catch up with some homework, exams aren't going to take themselves, you know! Maybe I can do a little recon on Dr. Crazy." I lied effortlessly.
"Suit yourself. Is this about that hot guy that just transferred?" Elena responded. I laughed, trying to act flirty.
"No, I just wanna get things done. All this going home and skipping class business lately has gotten me really behind! But you're right, he is hot!" I replied, making sure my voice didn't falter with my lies.
"Alright well we are going, call if you need anything." Bonnie said, heading for the door.
"Have fun!" I yelled after them. As soon as I knew they were gone, I grabbed the bag I had packed the night before out of my closet and whooshed out to my car.
I took a deep breath. "I can do this." I whispered to myself confidently as I turned on my car.
About ten minutes later, I hit the interstate going in one particular direction... south.
Sorry loves if it gets a little tedious at times, but we will get there! I love you all and the more reviews I get, the more chapters you will get... REVIEW- it keeps me writing! -Bex