I'm updating the story earlier because I have many good ideas for this chapter and I couldn't handle without writing them as fast as I can.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, I JUST OWN MY CHARACTERS AND THEIR STORY LINES.
"Why did get this job?" Ashley muttered as she was cleaning the tables of the Grill. Today was something like a Founder's Party and she had to be in the Grill for the whole day. The Grill was empty now because it was early in the day but she knew it will be buzzing later. She saw that Matt was here too cleaning the other tables.
"Today will be a long day." Matt informed her and she nodded her head knowing it. "The Grill will be full."
"What's the point of all these Founder's Party?" Ashley asked as she cleaned one of the tables. Matt shrugged his shoulder in response. She remembered that he wasn't a Founding Family. "I think the Mayor just loves to do all these things in my opinion." Matt nodded his head in agreement.
"We have so many parties, it's boring and really monotone." Matt told Ashley and she smiled a little. "And in this party everyone is going to bring chili."
"Chili?" Ashley asked and Matt nodded his head.
"When we finish our shifts, we should go and ask everyone what did they bring and everyone will say chili. It's like a tradition." Matt explained to her and she furrowed her eyebrows.
"This town is really traditional. Making chili, hosting parties and killing vampires since 1864." Ashley pointed out and Matt snickered a little. "It feels so weird being normal in this town."
"Yeah, like the only human population of Mystic Falls are me and you when we hang with the gang." Matt added and Ashley puckered her lips a little.
"The Scooby gang. Like in Buffy, The Vampire Slayer." Ashley said and Matt smiled agreeing with the beautiful dark haired girl next to him. "Damon is Spike, Stefan is Angel, Jeremy is Oz, that Bonnie girl is Willow, Caroline is Cordelia, I don't think Elena can be Buffy because Buffy is a bad-ass, Xander is Tyler. Still leaves me and you buddy."
"You are Buffy. You do boxing and martial arts and I've heard Damon call you Buffy." Ashley scoffed remembering Damon calling her too many nicknames for her to remember one from all of them.
"Donovan and Saltzman, get back in cleaning the tables." The manager shouted at them making them roll their eyes at his orders but either way they continued cleaning the rest of the tables. After she finished cleaning the tables, she had to go clean the bar. She heard the door opening and some costumers coming in. She grabbed a pen and one of her notebooks to take their orders. The people were a young couple the girl was redhead and the boy was dark-haired. She rushed to take orders for them.
"Hi, I'm Ashley. Your waitress. What would you like to order?" Ashley smiled like she always did when she asked people what did they want. Her smile was fake. The couple ordered and Ashley went to the kitchen to tell them what they ordered. Then she went to the bar and took their drinks. She went to their tables and gave them their drinks. She then told them at their food will come quick. A little after she walked away, some other people entered the Grill and sitting in her section.
"It's going to be a long day." She muttered as she walked to her next costumers.
Ashley was getting off her uniform as her shift had ended a couple of minutes ago. She changed to a summer dress which was white with black details. Some black heels and A black cardigan. She closed her locker and got out of the room. The Grill was full but she didn't have to worry about that as she was leaving. She walked out of the Grill and went to the Lockwood Mansion for the party. She was only invited as Alaric's niece and she had to be nice to come. She looked around to see that the whole town had shown up and she couldn't handle but roll her eyes. She then saw Matt who was a few feet away from her. His shift had ended too. Matt saw her come near him and he spoke up.
"See." He motioned to the table who was a few feet away from them. "Everybody brought chili like I predicted." Ashley laughed and patted Matt's shoulder. Matt then spotted his friends from high school who motioned him to come over.
"You can go. I don't want to go to some high on steroids jocks drool over my hot body." Matt laughed as he walked away from her. Ashley smiled as she saw her blonde friend walk away from her. She turned around just to be scared by the blue-eyed vampire who she knew as the cocky jackass.
"Boo!" He said making her jump a little. He smirked as he saw the girl try to catch her breath.
"That's not funny." She pointed out hitting him in the chest and he rolled his eyes.
"I find it really comedic btw." Ashley glared at him as he eyed her from up and down. He wiggled his eyebrows making her raise hers. "This look. 'I'm a good girl' look suits you. Really suits."
"Try to control your drool, Damon." She teased him and smiled innocently. "So, what did Elena bring in this?"
"Chili. Like everybody." Damon replied and she scoffed a little.
"You're right about that." She said as she watched some people bring chili. "This town is too boring for my taste."
"Mine too." Damon added as they looked around. "But I'm glad to have a hot girl beside me." Ashley rolled her eyes but she couldn't help but smile a little. "And with a nice behind." Ashley gaped at him and hit him in the chest again.
"Ouch!" Damon said sarcastically making Ashley scoff at him. She began to walk away from him but Damon followed her either way. He looked at her ass making her turn around to face him.
"Stop looking at my ass!" She told him angrily making him smirk at her.
"Sorry, can't help but admire it." Damon pointed out making her pursue her lips and narrow her eyes at him. Damon's smirk didn't disappear at all.
"You make me want to whip that stupid smirk of your out of your stupid face." Ashley snapped and Damon gave her a look.
"Because you like it so much." Damon teased her and she smiled a little.
"Yeah, Damon because I think of your face every night before I go to bed and I hope someday you'll be laying with me and we could live happily ever after." She said in children voice making Damon chuckle a little.
"Well, I don't lay that much in bed. I do other things. Maybe you'll love them too." Ashley was sure that she rolled her eyes more than actually talking to him.
"In your dreams." She told him for the hundred time. He caught her arm and pulled her close to him making her gasp.
"We vampires make dreams come true." Damon flirted with her and she smiled a little.
"Well, you can try but it won't work." Ashley stated confidently and Damon smirked at her.
"You have no idea how many girls have said that but in the end they always came back to me." Damon pointed out.
"Yeah, I don't think I'm the only one turning you down." She was looking behind her back. Caroline, Elena and a olive tanned girl who she assumed was Bonnie were looking at them. Damon turned around and waved at the three girls. Then he remembered what Ashley said and his eyes landed on Elena. She looked at him suspiciously and something he couldn't put a finger on. "Or not because she sure looks jealous to me." The words Ashley said made Damon suspicious. He noticed that Ashley walked away from him and he looked away then he decided to walk away in a different direction that Ashley walked.
The three girls who were sitting in a looked at the other two. Elena was sure that there is something going on between them and she hated it. Caroline and Bonnie didn't see it that much considering that Damon flirted with every girl he laid eyes on but Elena couldn't help but feel jealous about it. And Caroline couldn't help but notice it.
Ashley was sitting all alone in a bench when Alaric decided to join her. She looked up just to see him sitting down next to her. He kinda looked concerned and it really bugged her.
"What's wrong, Ric?" She asked calmly and he looked up to meet her dark brown eyes.
"Damon and Elena. There's something going on them." Ashley scoffed at him making him look away. "You were right from the beginning. Damon should stay away from her."
"Why are you blaming this on Damon? Elena is the one who he's in love with and she knows it. She doesn't need to use that." Alaric was about to say something but Ashley continued talking. "You guys don't see that she's not that innocent."
"Ash, why do you hate her so much? Are you jealous or something?" When Alaric said that Ashley's anger had risen more than she could handle it. She took a deep breath and got up from the bench.
"Yeah, I'm jealous that I can't play with two brothers, I'm jealous of her because I know I'm not the center of the world and I'm jealous because I can't be that fake in my entire life." Alaric looked at her niece who was almost tearing up. He knew that she would say something that would hurt him and she didn't let him down. "Or I'm jealous of the fact that my uncle likes her more than he likes me. His own flesh and blood." Alaric got up from the bench and walked towards her.
"Ashley, you know that I love you more than anyone in this world." Alaric told her but Ashley just shook her head and bit out a laugh.
"Well, you show it in funny ways sometimes." She snapped at him and walked away. Alaric called her name but she just kept walking. He gave up knowing it would be better to leave her alone. Ashley kept walking looking for a place with no people around. She stopped at a tree and tears came from her eyes. She supported her head against the tree as the tears came from her eyes. She sniffed as she whipped her tears off. She took a deep breath but the tears didn't stop. She supported her head against the tree as the tears didn't stop. She hated that she was crying for a stupid reason. She didn't need to spend her tears for that but they kept coming.
She started to regret coming to Mystic Falls instead of joining Hanna in New York. She whipped her tears and looked around when she saw some guy with pot in his hands. She kept looking at him and then the enjoyment that came with it flashed to her. She was hesitant for a second but then she rushed towards him. She was doing something she'll regret later but she didn't care at all. She needed it and she needed it right now. The guy stopped but Ashley just smiled at him.
"What's your name?" Ashley asked him giving him one of her charming smiles.
"Phil." He answered and Ashley sat next to him on the bench. He was clearly nervous and Ashley bit her lip a little.
"I saw what you have there, Phil. Mind if you share it with me?" The guy was left speechless and he started to stutter. Ashley moved her hand to his thigh making Phil more uncomfortable. "Come on, Phil!" The guy saw how Ashley's hand was going higher. "Maybe I can give you something in return." Ashley neared the guy making their lips nearly touch but she moved to his hear. "If you want it." Ashley moved a little away and then she felt Phil connect their lips together and she started to kiss him back. She was sure she would regret that later...
Riley got out of the girl's bathroom not believing that she had sex and had drugs. She was more than stoned and she was afraid if someone would see her. She was walking across the big property of the Lockwoods. She looked up and was met by stars that were shining the sky. Ashley looked at them and smiled a little.
"Ashley!" She heard her uncle's voice and she froze assuming he will notice that she was stoned. She turned around just to see him walking towards her. "Where have you been?"
"Around." Ashley replied while looking down. She was afraid that he will see that her eyes were red. "The property is really big. I got lost too many times."
"Ashley, I didn't mean to say those things." Alaric apologized and Ashley nodded her head. She rubbed her eyes not to look high and then she looked up.
"Don't worry, Ric. Let's just get because I'm hungry." She took Alaric's arm and pulled him with her. Alaric saw that something was wrong with her. They entered the mansion and Ashley moved to the food. She began to take everything that she saw in the table and eat it. Some people looked at her and she gave them a look.
"Buzz off." She told them with her mouth full and they moved away. Alaric looked at his niece warily as she took any food that appeared to her. He looked away and saw Caroline and Elena. He grabbed Ashley's arm but Ashley didn't leave without taking more food. They walked to the other girls and Alaric spoke up.
"Please tell me it's time to go." Alaric told Elena and both girls turned just to raise their eyebrows at Ashley who was still eating. Ashley looked up and smiled to them while they narrowed their eyes.
"Beyond. Where's Damon?" Elena replied to Alaric and then asked a question. Ashley shrugged her shoulders as she took the only food that she had in hand and ate it.
"Probably off somewhere doing bad things to good people. Consider me the honesty police." Caroline replied and Ashley was the one to raise an eyebrow at her and Elena eyed Ashley carefully. Caroline's mood changed as soon as she saw something.
"What is it?" Elena asked and Caroline looked down and then she decided to speak up.
"It's my dad." Caroline replied and the three other turned to see a man with blonde hair walk in the room.
"Why would he even show up here?" Elena asked and Ashley was confused not knowing what was going on.
"I don't know but I can't..." Caroline honestly replied as she moved a little away.
"I get it. I'll call you later." After Elena said that Caroline left and went upstairs. The other three began to walk away and leave the mansion.
"What was that all about?" A confused Ashley asked Elena.
"Speaking of doing bad things to good people..." Elena replied confusing Ashley more than she already was. Just then someone came from another door and they all looked to see Damon coming through it.
"Wait, wait, Houston, we have a problem." Damon told them and they all turned around.
"What's the problem?" Ashley asked with the most manly voice she could muster. Alaric gave her a look which made her look down.
"Where have you been?" Elena asked Damon as he walked closer to them.
"Managing Bill Forbes. Apparently he's impervious to compulsion." Damon replied to them leaving everyone in shock and Ashley way more confused.
"That's so cool. Do you think he can teach me that?" Everyone turned to look at a over-excited Ashley and they all gave her weird looks making her look down. Damon stared her the longest noticing something was wrong with her.
"How?" Alaric asked Damon and he shook his head.
"I have no idea. But he threatened to out me. Don't get me started on the irony of that." Damon replied and Ashley gaped just to make the moment more dramatic. Damon gave her a look earning a smile from her.
"What did you do to him? How do you know the compulsion doesn't work?" Elena asked Damon making him look away from Ashley.
"That's not the most important piece of information I mentioned, Elena." Damon replied to the brunette standing in front of him.
"What does he want?" Alaric asked and Damon turned to him.
"He wants to control the council. Says it's been compromised." Damon replied to Alaric making Ashley speak up.
"I thought it was." Ashley pointed out and then remembering that was the most normal thing she ever said on this conversation.
"He wants to put vervain in the town's water supply." Damon replied making everyone surprised. Ashley admitted that it was a good idea.
"Maybe it's not a bad idea. I mean, it'll help you keep yourself in control now that Stefan's not here to..." Elena began to say but Ashley interrupted her.
"Wait since when is Damon, Stefan's dog?" Ashley asked making Elena glare at her. Damon was angry at Elena's words so he snapped at her.
"To what? To keep me in check? Make me behave? I should have killed him this morning." Damon said making everyone start to worry.
"He's Caroline's dad, Damon." Elena reminded Damon and Ashley decided to butt in again.
"I think he knows that." Damon looked at her and then he saw her eyes. They were red and a little puffy and her behavior was odd. Ashley was high and he was sure of that but he didn't utter a word at all.
"Yeah, and when I kill him, she'll have one more parent than we do." Damon said to Elena as his eyes moved to her.
"Oh, come on, Damon!" Alaric told his best friend and Damon smirked.
"While you keep killing my buzz, look at your niece who is high." Damon finally told everyone. Alaric looked at Ashley who looked down. He looked at her but she kept looking down so he tilted her head up and saw that her eyes were red and he clearly saw that she was high.
All she could see was the disappointment on his eyes and it hurt Ashley so much that she was trying to hold the tears. Like he didn't have hope for her anymore. None of them noticed Damon leave not even Elena who looked between Ashley and Alaric. Alaric was silent as he looked at his niece who looked down again. Elena looked around to see Damon but he was nowhere to be found. She decided to find him and she left the two of them alone.
"I thought you were done with drugs after you went to rehab but look at you back at it again." Alaric finally spoke up and Ashley looked up to him.
"It helps me control my anger." Ashley replied to him shrugging her shoulders.
"Your father used to control his anger pretty fine." Alaric told her and she rolled her eyes a little.
"Well, I'm not my perfect father who had everything figured it out when he was only two year old. Ric, I'm really tired and I'm not in the mood for pep-talks or trips to memory lane." Ashley began to walk away but he caught her arm.
"Ash, I'm not letting you ruin yourself. You inspired me how you get rid of the addiction, don't let it start again." Ashley looked down as she didn't want to cry.
"I don't think I can. It has been a part of me for a long time. As much as I try to shake it off, I can't." She spoke up the truth and she hated how right Nate was. She had become addicted and she couldn't stop herself.
"You're better than this." Alaric told her and Ashley shook her head in disagreement.
"I may be the daughter of the perfect couple Adam and Violet but I'm nothing like them. Nothing." And with that she rushed to away from Alaric and he just stood there frozen and speechless as he saw his niece rush away.
Ashley arrived into her apartment and dragged herself inside. She closed the door and jumped in the couch. She kicked her heels and just laid there in the couch looking at the ceiling. She then decided to take a shower. She walked to the bathroom and stripped. She got in the shower and turned the hot water on. She let the water clean her body as she stretched her neck.
After she finished her shower, she went to her room and wore some clothes. She looked herself in the mirror and saw that she looked better. She still had a feeling that she was super pissed off about something. She went to the living room and saw the punching bag. She grabbed some punching gloves and then she walked to the bag. She took a deep breath and started to hit it. At first it was normal but as much as she got in her thoughts she began to hit the bag more and harder. She thought about everything. Her parents were gone, her best friends weren't here, Nate who was right, her life falling apart and her not knowing what to do with it. The punches began to slow down as Ashley broke in tears. She supported her head against the punching bag as tears ran through her cheeks. She fell on her knees and then curled herself tight as she supported her head against her knees. She stood there for minutes just crying and not sopping letting it all out.
After she cried for a couple of minutes Ashley got up and looked at the punching bag. She kept looking at it and then she kicked it. She was the daughter of Violet and Adam Saltzman, she could do it. She just had to believe to herself and get rid of her bad habits. She had to do it for her sake, Alaric's, her friends' and her grandparents'. She then punched the bag just once. She took a deep breath and then she punched the bag a couple of times. Then again she stopped. She thought that maybe all she needed to do was focus on herself and her future. She kicked the punching bag two times and the she stopped at kicking it.
She was sure now that she can do it by herself. Get rid of her bad habits, control her temper and live a happy life. She could make her parent proud that she knew they were looking at her from heave and Alaric too. She maybe wasn't perfect and she didn't want to be. She remembered that everyone has flaws and she had hers too. She could make her good side show more than her bad side. Just bu working on herself just a little bit more. Ashley smiled as she began to hit the punching bag. Now, she was sure that she found herself. In the most unpredictable way and time.
Here is the update and I hope you guys like it. The next chapter will be really exciting because Ashley will meet, Klaus and Stefan for the first time. It will be really interesting to write as I love the Originals and Stefan so much and I just want her to interact with them. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter.
galwidanatitud : I'm glad you enjoy the story and Ashley. Here is the update and I hope you like it. :)
Gigi: I'm glad you liked the chapter and I hope you like this one too. Damon and Ashley don't interact that much in this chapter but their interaction is interesting. I really like Hanna and she will join us soon but she won't appear in a long time.
Adela: I'm glad you liked this one like you liked the others. Here it is! Hope you enjoy it
NicoleR85: I'm glad you loved Hanna, we will see Hanna a lot in the upcoming chapters. Here is the update and I hope you enjoyed it.
P.S. Thank you for favoriting and following this story.