TEMPTATIONS
Chapter Four
Talk of the Town
Hazel's POV…
"I should really get something to eat, if I don't get something to eat now I am going to feel like a monster when I start school tomorrow," I said.
"You're going to school," Stefan asked.
He seemed to be more interested in the fact that I was going to school instead of how what I just said sounded like I was going to feed on someone, which was I would do sometime soon. Not in public of course.
"Of course, I forget to mention that you. But I've decided that it's not really fair that I don't have to do and everyone else does, plus I ran into Mayor Lockwood, not a fun experience," I said.
"How old are you?" Bonnie blurted out. "If you don't me asking," Bonnie added almost immediately.
"I'm eighteen but I got kept down a year," I lied.
"That's same grade as us then," Elena said.
"That's good to here, at least I will know someone apart from Stefan here," I said.
"Will you be attending the party at the falls?" Caroline asked.
"I guess I could, it should be fun," I said.
"Hope to see you there," Elena said trying to sound excited which was forced.
I nodded before saying goodbye and finding a table to sit down at before I ordered something to eat. After this I would feed on someone from the motel. I wouldn't kill them because I was keeping a low profile. But if it happened I knew how to get rid of the body.
After having dinner I returned to the motel where I feed on a young man who cleaned the rooms when people were done with them. I didn't kill him but I made him forget and I made sure that when I bit him it was somewhere people couldn't see easily, on his chest I think, I can't remember and I don't care.
The next day I got up early and went to the school to figure out all my stuff. I had Travis hack into the school system – which was easy for him – and send through everything they needed. Most of the stuff he sent over wasn't real of course but it was better than compelling the lady to believe it was there when it wasn't. I knew that at some point someone else would come along and find out that the stuff wasn't there and then there would be this whole dramatic problem.
The only reason I went to the school was to make sure I could start today. After talking and compelling my way through all the complicated things I was finally allowed to start today.
I went back to the motel where I had a shower and got changed into something practical for school. When I got into my Audi I could smell my hair again. I loved my hair a lot and I made sure that it smelt beautiful. As a vampire your senses are heightened so having my hair smell like lavender was better than nothing.
When I got back to the school it was still early so there weren't many students here but there were a few teachers. I didn't want to go inside until I had too. So I lied on the front of my Audi until I heard a familiar voice around half an hour later.
"If you're trying not to attract attention than lying there isn't the right way of going about it," they said.
"Hi Tyler," I said. "Aren't you with that Vicki chick?" I asked still looking up at the sky.
I had heard Tyler talking at The Grill. As a matter of fact I heard everything.
"That doesn't mean I can't look and she's not here," Tyler replied.
I turned to face Tyler and smile. Even though at first I knew that there was no way I would hook up with Tyler now I didn't care. If I wanted to have sex with him I could easily do it and if I wanted to he would never remember a thing. But that's a little mean now isn't it.
During my American History class with Mr Tanner I noticed that Bonnie, Elena and Stefan were all in my class. But I only noticed that because I was late.
"It's good of you to turn up, Miss Salvatore," Mr Tanner said.
"Di niente," I said.
Silence went through the whole room.
"You're welcome," I said in English.
Mr Tanner nodded. I made my way to the only seat left in the room. I didn't care where I had to sit.
Italian was my first language but I mostly spoke English unless it came to small phases. Since I got to America I had been trying very hard to speak all English and it was working until now.
Mr Tanner started his lesson after I sat down in the seat towards the back of the room and across the room from Elena, Bonnie and Stefan.
"How many casualties resulted in this battle? Miss Bennett," he asked Bonnie.
"A lot," she replied. "I'm not sure, but a whole lot," she added.
"Cute becomes dump in an instant, Miss Bennett," Mr Tanner replied. "Mr Donovan, would you like to take this opportunity to over your imbedded jock stereotype?" Mr Tanner asked.
"It's okay Mr Tanner, I'm cool with it," Matt replied.
Everyone chuckled and I did as well. It wasn't really that funny but I didn't want to look out of place.
I had practically learned everyone's names at The Grill last night so I knew who was talking when they were talking.
"Elena, surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significant historical events," Mr Tanner asked.
"I'm sorry, I don't know," Elena replied.
"I was willing to be lenient last year but the personal excuses stopped over the summer break," Mr Tanner said.
God I know and I wasn't even born here, I thought.
"346," I whispered.
"There were 346 casualties, unless you're counting the local civilians," Stefan said.
"That's correct, Mr?" Mr Tanner said waiting for Stefan to fill in the rest.
"Salvatore," he said.
Mr Tanner looked over at me straight away. I smiled at him before he turned back to Stefan.
"Salvatore, any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls," Mr Tanner asked.
"Distant," Stefan replied.
Yeah it's so distant that you were it, I thought.
"Well, very good, except of course there were no civilian casualties in this battle," Mr Tanner said as he walked around his desk.
"Actually, there were 27, sir, confederate soldiers fired on church believing it to be housing weapons and they were wrong, it was a night of great lose," Stefan said.
Yeah if you would call them civilians, I thought.
Mr Tanner remained silent.
"The archives are stored in Civil Hall if you want to brush up on your facts," Stefan said.
After school I went back to the motel where I quickly found myself drawing until the sun left the sky that was when I left for the party at falls. Normally I wasn't the type of person that would party with teenagers but I needed an excuse to get my hands on alcohol.
When I got there mostly everyone was already there. I was walking along until I saw Stefan just standing there. I knew what he was doing and decided to have fun. I quietly came up to him from behind.
"What are you listening for Stef," I said into his ear.
He jumped back a little like what I expected him to do.
"Why are you here, Hazel?" Stefan asked.
He clearly wasn't used to my new name which wasn't new at all but anyway.
"It's a party and I was invited," I said.
Stefan continued to stare at me. I knew that wasn't what he meant but I love having fun like that.
"Italy is boring," I said with less excited in my voice.
"I didn't know you were…" Stefan started to say but never finished.
I understood what he meant.
"Well I've been one for a long time, I hope the other brother will be more fun, at least he'd remember me," I said.
Stefan's face filled with surprise when I mentioned his brother.
"I'll be seeing you and hearing you," I said.
I walked away to get a drink when I noticed Tyler. He smiled at me and I smiled back before I noticed the girl named Vicki appeared. We both stopped smiling and looking at each other.
I took a seat and drank several bottles of beer. It wasn't strong enough to get drunk off. Being a vampire made it harder to get drunk, but it wasn't impossible. Eventually I noticed Elena and Stefan walking together onto the bridge.
"You know, you're kind of the talk of the town, well you and your cousin," Elena said.
"We are?" Stefan asked.
"You're the mysterious new guy with the Italian cousin that drives an expensive Audi," Elena said.
I smiled when I was mentioned and when my Audi was mentioned.
"Well, you have the mysterious thing going too," Stefan said.
I left that conversation since they weren't talking about me anymore. I got up and got another drink and was halfway through it when I heard Tyler and Vicki. I couldn't see them but I could hear them.
"No, Ty, I'm not having sex against a tree," Vicki said.
I smiled.
"Come on, it'll be hot," Tyler replied.
"For whom?" she asked. "No, it is gonna happened, not here, not like this, no. I said no, that hurts," Vicki said.
"Hey, leave her alone," someone else said.
I tried placing the voice to a name or face but I couldn't be bothered because I continued to listen hoping for a fight.
"You're starting to get on my nerves," Tyler said.
"Go Tyler, get the hell away from me," Vicki said.
"Wow, Vicki Donovan says no, that's a first," Tyler said before I heard him leave.
That's was when I stopped listening and looked around for Tyler so I knew where they were. When I saw Tyler re-join the party I heard Vicki walk off on her own. I felt like feeding on someone and she was a prefect target not because of any other reason than I was hungry. But Tyler came over towards me when he spotted me.
I could always do it later, I thought.
"Hazel, you made it," Tyler said when he reached me.
We were looking at each other earlier, I thought.
"Yes I did," I said.
"So what do you think?" he asked.
"Well it's not the best party I've ever been too, but the alcohol makes up for that," I said.
"So where are you staying in town?" Tyler asked.
"At the motel close to the town square," I replied.
Oh crap, I thought when I realised what I said.
"What about your mother and father?" he asked.
"My father is back in Italy and my mother left already, she's taking a vacation and she decided to go alone, I don't mind staying here," I said on the spot.
"How about we," he started.
"There is no you are drunk enough for this conversation, I'm going to get you another drink," I said.
Tyler smiled and I walked off. I wasn't really getting a drink. I just wanted to feed on someone and Vicki was all alone. But when I found Vicki someone was already feeding off her.
"You know it's not nice stealing someone's dinner," I said.
The guy turned around but saw nothing because I moved. I liked playing games.
He may have not been able to see me but I could see him. Well as best as I could since he face was covered by the shadows. His hair was raven black and so familiar that I knew it was Damon. He may not be a little boy anymore but he was still quite cute and handsome. I remained in the shadows. I really liked playing games and it was more fun now that I knew it was Damon.
"You will be paying for that later," I said.
"Who are you?" Damon asked.
"You'll find out soon," I said as I moved behind him and whispered in his ear.
I left after that and came back to the party. I found a drink for Tyler before returning to him. We talked and drank more alcohol until some guy and Elena found Vicki's body and carried her out of the woods. I smiled before acting completely worried for her.
"Vicki? What the hell?" Matt asked when he saw Vicki.
"What happened?" Tyler asked as he raced over to the table.
"Somebody, call ambulance," Matt yelled.
"Everybody back up, give her some space," Tyler said as he shoved someone away.
"It's her neck, something bit her, she's losing a lot of blood," Elena said.
I caught a quick glimpse of Stefan. His face was filled with shock. He quickly looked over at me and I shook my head saying that I had nothing to do with it, even though I wanted too, but I knew who did it. Stefan backed away before leaving the party. I wanted to know what he was going to do so I left the party and followed Stefan home to the boarding house. I went on foot because my Audi was still at the motel.
AN: I could have made Hazel and Damon reunite in the woods after Damon feed on Vicki but I wanted to drag this out because Hazel isn't the type of person that just announces she's in town until she wants too.
