This chapter is bit different than usual. It tells a story of what happened in a period of 5 weeks, except for the first part, which is a flashforward.
Also, a lot of unexpected things go down. Beware! :D
Chapter 7 - An art to life's distraction
5 years later, Dallas, Texas
„Look, we're doing everything we can. But, according to the law, a person isn't claimed to be missing before the 48 hours limit goes out."
Ric frustratedly rubbed a hand over his face. He was talking on the phone, to his friend in the Dallas Police Department about his latest problems. He was nervous and he had a bad feeling about this. He just knew something was wrong and he didn't feel like being dragged into another Mystic Falls crisis, and even less, he didn't want to drag his kids in it.
„Eddie, something's wrong. I can feel it. This isn't like Caroline."
„I know. I'll look into it, okay? I promise. We'll find her, don't worry about it. I'm sure she just had a couple of bad days and needed some time off. It isn't the first time she left you because she needed a breather-"
Abruptly the man stopped talking. He sighed hard, knowing he said the wrong thing. Ric was silent.
„Sorry. My bad. I didn't-"
„The morgue incident." Ric cut him off, wanting desperately to change the subject.
„What?"
„This has something to do with what happened last week at the morgue."
„You mean the fire?" Eddie asked in confusion. „No, no. Those were old installations. We're quite sure of it, everything fits. Ric, man, that was an accident. No doubt about it."
Ric rolled his eyes and exhaled heavily on the phone. He didn't want to push it too much, because he was acutely aware, there was no point in discussing this with Eddie. He was a nice guy, but oblivious and dumb to the real worries of life. The kind of worries Ric used to face daily back in Virginia.
„Just, calm down, alright? Don't worry about it, I'm sure she'll show up quickly." Eddie tried to calm him down.
„Yeah, sure." He said, before hanging up.
He put his phone down on the kitchen counter and frowned. The situation was getting out of control. He was fully aware of that. Ever since that dreadful Friday, he could feel something was about to go down. He warned Caroline to stay away from it, not to get involved, but of course, that was impossible. He understood why she couldn't stay away, too, it was about her best friend, but still, he wanted her to just once think about their kids and put them first.
Not to say, she didn't usually do that, because she did. She was a great mom, and he was very grateful for everything she did, but sometimes, she just couldn't escape from what she really was and the trouble that seemed to follow her anywhere she went.
He went upstairs to check on his sleeping daughters, kissing them on their foreheads and swearing to them silently, he will never let anyone or anything harm them. When he returned to the kitchen, he picked up his phone and looked over the list of names. He knew there was only one person right now, who could help him. He was completely skeptic and against calling anyone from their past, but he didn't have a choice. So, choosing the name, he pressed the green phone call icon.
It rang about four times before the person picked up.
„Alaric Saltzman. Now that's a name I haven't thought that would pop out on my screen any time soon. Or ever."
„Yeah, well, it's not a pleasure for me either." He sighed, before continuing. He wasn't much of a small talk guy, especially in the time of need, plus he had a feeling, this person wouldn't be into that kind of conversation with him. „I got a problem. And I need your help. Look, I don't think I need to tell you the name, because she's the only possible common ground you and I have."
„What's wrong?" the tone of the voice was flat, but he knew there was hidden worry behind it.
„She's been missing. For almost two days. I contacted the police, but they haven't been of much help. There's something weird going on here."
„What do you want me to do about it?"
„I need to find her. I need to make sure she's alright."
The person on the other line sighed heavily. Ric knew what his request meant, being dragged back into the kind of situation neither of them wanted. They all left that life behind, and for a reason. Getting back in the middle of it once again, sounded like a bad joke. But, Ric's sense of humor wasn't working right now.
„Okay. You still at the same address?"
He confirmed he was.
„Give me 6 hours. 7 tops. I'll be there."
The call was disconnected.
1st week
Caroline flipped over her roommate's bed covers once again and looked over it. She sighed worriedly and walked back to the new set of bookshelf she bought just last week. She usually stress-shopped. When she was upset, she would go overboard and buy things. Things she didn't really need, but that didn't matter.
She didn't saw her boyfriend for the last two days. She called him the day before, but he didn't answer or texted or anything. So, naturally, she was getting worried. Especially, because she was aware he was dealing with his ex girlfriend that was apparently staying at his house. But, she trusted Stefan. She knew he was good and he would never do anything to hurt her.
But, it still messed up with her brain. Like this morning, for instance. She was usually very well organized and calm, but for the life of her she couldn't find her notes for Biochem.
Plus, she was a little worried for her roommate. Last night Bonnie went to a POST Halloween costume party. She asked the blonde to come with, but she refused because she needed to study. And what the hell was a POST Halloween costume party, anyway? What was the point? Real Halloween party was a few weeks ago and now somebody wanted to do it all over again? Stupid college kids. She didn't understand why the witch agreed to go. And the fact she was not back yet, worried the vampire a little. It wasn't like her best friend to stay out all night, so it usually meant something went wrong.
Opening the last drawer on the dresser, she finally found her notes among her skirts. If she didn't decided on jeans this morning, she would've found them already and wouldn't be late for class, right now. So, she grabbed her purse and put it over her shoulder, and just as she turned around to head out, the door of the room opened and somebody entered in a hurry.
Her roommate didn't seem to notice she was in the room, because she had her back leaned against the door and her eyes closed, like she just managed to escape somebody.
Caroline took a good look over Bonnie. She was still dressed in her last night's costume, which consisted of a green dress, that looked kind of wrinkled and messy. She held her shoes, wings and a magic wand in her hands. She looked tired, like she was up all night and she had the famous bed hair. If anybody knew what that all meant, it was Caroline Forbes. The witch just completed her walk of shame and was relieved to be finally in the safety of her own room, away from prying eyes of her classmates.
„Oh. My. God."
She slowly pronounced the words, standing with books in her hands and her jaw hanging wide open, with her lips that were starting to stretch to an amused smile on her face.
„Oh, crap." Bonnie mumbled, opening and closing her eyes in frustration.
„Looky, looky." Caroline mocked. „What do we have here?"
The witch rolled her eyes, letting the stuff from her hands fall to the floor and dragging her tired feet over to her bed, dropping herself dramatically on it. She snatched the pillow over her head and grunted frustrated in it.
„Someone's been a busy Tinkerbell last night." Caroline teased her.
She threw all her stuff on her own bed and walked over to jump on the mattress next to her best friend, snatching the pillow off her face and tossing it to the floor.
„You got some serious explaining to do."
„About?" the witch tried to play dumb, but it wouldn't work on this gal.
„Bonnie Bennett." The blonde started seriously. „You just came in, after spending a whole night out and in your yesterday's post-Halloween costume. You do not get away from explaining this to me."
Bonnie propped herself on her elbows and looked seriously at the vampire.
„Did it occurred to you that maybe the reason for that could be, because I was in a life and death situation and I just managed to escape a near-death experience?"
„Were you?"
Bonnie looked at the blonde, giving her her best confirmation, nodding her head lightly, to which she got only a raise of the perfectly shaped eyebrows and a look of disbelief on Caroline's face.
„Yeah, I got nothing." The witch mumbled, dropping her head back to the bed and exhaling hard.
„I knew it." The blonde said excitedly and dropped herself right next to her friend, mirroring her position on the bed and staring up at the ceiling. „Talk." She said proudly.
„Don't you have class?" Bonnie asked her irritated.
„I do."
„Won't you be late?"
„I already am. Now talk."
„Oh, I hate you."
The blonde giggled. This day was suddenly turning out to be better.
Still 1st week
„No way! That is crazy!"
„I have to do this!"
„You're gonna get yourself killed!"
„You don't understand!"
„Well, then, enlighten us, will you, little brother?" Damon yelled, interrupting the screaming match between Stefan and Caroline.
„Even if I did, you would never get it!" Stefan said.
„See!?" Damon directed at Caroline. „I've been dealing with him like this for the last 3 days!"
Caroline shook her head in disbelief. She couldn't believe what was happening. The Salvatore brothers disturbed her peaceful Sunday morning, entering her dorm room, screaming at each other like two mad men. At first, she thought it was probably some Damon induced problem, but it completely shocked her, that Stefan was the blame actually. He tried not once, not twice, but already three times, to kill Lilly's boyfriend Julian. And apparently, for not yet known reasons.
„Stefan, just tell us what is it that you got against this guy? Because this is so unlike you. You usually think through before you do something." She told her boyfriend, but he stayed silent and just shook his head at both his girlfriend and his brother.
„There you have it! Mr. I Know It All has become the stupidest guy alive. Or...you know...dead. It's the damnest thing, how you seem to change your mind every time another girl enters your periphery!"
„Shut up, Damon!"
„Girl?" Caroline asked confused. „What are you talking about? What girl?"
„Nothing!" Stefan tried to calm her down. „He's just trying to pick another fight! That's all."
„I don't understand..." Caroline said, rubbing her temple. She watched her boyfriend, that was standing a few feet away from her, with his hands on his hips, looking anywhere but her, with an all too familiar face expression to her. He was in pain. Mental or physical, she didn't know. But, there was definitely something he was hiding and he didn't want her to know it. And that hurt.
„Where the hell is Bonnie? Why isn't she here?" the blue-eyed Salvatore from across the room asked her. She noticed him looking around the room, at her tidy made up bed and dresser missing her favorite piece of jewelry.
„Uh...she went out." The blonde spoke, with a little uncertainty in her voice. „To the...library."
„At 9 o'clock in the morning?" he asked frowning. „On a Sunday?"
Caroline's eyes budged out a little, and her mouth tries to form words, but they just wont come out.
„Uh...yeah... You know...She has a paper to do due Monday, so..." she shook her head and decided to ignore the vampire's disbelieving stare. „Can we focus on Stefan for now?" she directed her eyes back on the said boyfriend. „Just, what were you trying to prove by killing this guy? I mean, does it have to do with your mother? Because, that seems..." she didn't get to finish the sentence, because Damon did it for her.
„It's Valerie. Not our mother." He said bitterly, causing Stefan to shot him a deadly stare for uncovering his secret.
„Valerie?" she asked confused. „Your old girlfriend Valerie?"
„Yup, V-card Valerie." Damon quipped.
„What does she have to do with this? With Julian? I don't understand."
When neither of them gave up an answer, she was aware there was something deeper going on here.
„Stefan!" she yelled, staring at her boyfriend with angry but pleading eyes.
Nothing.
She shook her head in disbelief. Hurt, by his behavior, hurt by his silence and his secrets, that he held onto so tightly, it actually scared her to death.
The front door bursted open and Bonnie entered, with a question mark above her head. She looked strangely at the three people inside the room, knowing this could not mean anything good. Caroline welcomed her confusion, mentally taking a break from her own.
„Hey! Thank God! I've been calling you!" she told her excitedly.
„Uh, sorry, my battery died." The witch commented, before looking at the two remaining vampires in the room. „What's going on?"
„Well..." the blonde started uncertainly. „We're not exactly sure."
Bonnie noticed the tone of her friend was uncomfortable, and it automatically made her worried.
„What happened?"
She watched Caroline swallow a lump in her throat.
„Stefan...had a problem with Julian."
„Your mother's boyfriend?" she directed her question to the grey-eyed vampire, but he just ignored her.
„He tried to kill him!" Damon said.
„Julian tried to kill you?" Bonnie asked Stefan.
„No," Caroline interrupted, „Stefan tried to kill Julian."
The words threw the witch a little.
„Why?"
„That's a good question." Damon commented.
„Can you stop with the questions already? Everybody? Just stop!" Stefan started to yell. „I can't take this anymore."
Suddenly, he was out of the room. Bonnie made her way over to her blonde friend, trying to console her and asking her if there was something she could do. They didn't even noticed the remaining other vampire in the room, who was closely observing them both.
„If you need anything, you know you can-"
„Where were you?"
The girl's conversation was cut off by the dark haired vampire, that was looking suspiciously at the witch.
„What?" she asked confused, looking at him.
„Where were you?" he repeated the question.
Before she even thought of an answer, the blonde beside her answered him, instead.
„She was at the library like I told you."
„Yeah, that's right. Library." the witch nodded her head, quickly glancing at her friend and silently thanking her.
„Why is your shirt upside down?"
The question kind of startled her. She looked down at her clothes, noticing, that really she wore her shirt wrong. The blonde beside her gave her a concerning look, and she knew she had to act quickly.
„I ...uhm...Because I was at the gym." She could see Caroline nodding her head at her, giving her a sign, that it was a believable answer. „Yeah, after the library, I went to the gym."
„On a Sunday morning?" Damon asked frowning.
„I was a little wound up. Too much energy and frustration." She said quickly. „And I should probably go hit the shower. To get all the sweat off. You know, from the gym." She said, backing away to the bathroom and closing the door behind her, leaving a suspicious looking vampire alone in the room with her roommate.
„Gym?" he asked, looking at the blonde, who just shrugged her shoulders.
He made one last glance at the bathroom door, behind which Bonnie had just disappear and left the room without another word, probably trying to catch up with his brother. The blonde released a breath of relief after he was gone.
2nd week
„...we have not found a single authoritative and exact statement, nor any proof that the writers knew what constitutes the Soul. Maybe-"
Alaric cut himself off when he noticed the door of the class opening and the girl entering quickly, but quietly. As his eyes drifted to her, some students followed his gaze as well, on the petite girl that was taking her place at the first available seat in the back, sending him an apologetic look.
He shook it off, continuing his lecture, with his eyes casting a look at the wide classroom.
„Perhaps there are thousands and thousands of wise people who have solved this enigma to their entire satisfaction. It's not on us to question their cases. If they believe they were the truth, we can only congratulate them on it."
Just before he turned his back on the class, he looked over at the girl again, that was sorting out her books, looking for a pen in her bag, but, all in all, she wasn't paying much attention to his lecture. Which was a bit odd, seeing as she usually sat in the front, making notes and listening carefully to his every word.
But, he needed to go back on the lecture.
„So, does the Soul have any form at all?..."
.
He watched the students leave the classroom in a hurry, greeting them with a friendly smile and a polite nod. As it cleared out, Ric watched the girl with messy curls walk over to him, holding a stack of papers in her hands.
„Here are the notes I could find in Michaud's book. I hope it helps." Bonnie told him and handed him the notes.
He asked her to get them for last week's class, when he held the lecture on Michaud's book, to which she was present. She was way late with it. But, he decided to hold his tongue this time, as he took the papers from her and nodded his head.
„I'll look it over. Thanks."
He dropped them on his desk and suspiciously raised his eyes on the girl in the question. Her hair was messier than usual, there were bags under her eyes saying she didn't have much sleep last night. He noticed a greasy stain on her grey t-shirt that looked a little too big for her.
Weirdly enough, that was not the most confusing thing about it.
There was a big sign over her chest saying 'THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY!'.
It was not Friday. It was Tuesday.
She send him a sheepish smile and stuffed her hands in the back pockets of her jeans.
„Sorry I was late. I overslept."
„You know, this is the third time in the last 10 days." He told her, watching her face look down at the floor. „You should really be careful with this. The others are going to think that the only reason you are my TA is of special favors."
„That's exactly the reason I am your TA, Ric." She said with a knowing smile.
„Yeah, but others don't need to know that."
„Fine. I'm sorry. It won't happen again." She widened her eyes and huffed frustrated, before picking up her cellphone and looking at it. „Anyway, I got to go. See you later."
She waved her goodbye and left his classroom, while he looked strangely at her back. There was something weird going on with her, but he just couldn't put his finger on what it was. And his gut told him...it had something to do with that T-shirt of hers.
3rd week
Damon Salvatore was no fool.
He was a 176-year-old vampire and if he learned anything in his existence, it was how to read people. He knew them all. Those who accomplished things and those who claimed to accomplish things, as Mark Twain would say. They lie, deceive, and cheat, do all kinds of things to cover up their true selves. People could try to lie and hide their secrets, but they couldn't get away with them. He was always one step ahead of them.
You could never fool Damon Salvatore.
Something weird was going on with Bonnie. He could feel it. And it wasn't just because she kept rejecting his offers and questions to hang out.
Sorry, Butch not today.
I got some business to handle.
I have classes.
Studying. Finales are coming up.
Tomorrow's no good. Maybe next week?
Sorry, I forgot. I got other plans.
It was always something with her. It seemed that lately, she had no time for him anymore. And when he actually got fed up with all the asking and getting no answers, he went over to her dorm or house and it was almost always empty. And then he would call her up, to see where she was and she would get all fired up about him invading her privacy and how she wasn't the only witch in town anymore. There were heretics roaming around, that didn't know what to do with themselves anyway.
So, on a Saturday he decided to be a gentleman. He found out from Stefan who heard it from Caroline, that Bonnie was coming back in Mystic Falls for the weekend, and instead of just dropping by unannounced, he decided to call first.
On the third ring, she answered.
„Would you be interested in a fun-filled day with a man of class?" he could hear her laughing over the phone and somehow that made his day better already.
„If that's one of your lame attempts of asking me to go out drinking with you, the answer is no."
He frowned. She just got up right and denied him. And in a very rude manner, too.
So, he contemplated his chances here. There were two ways to answer her right now. One was to whine and play the needy boy, and the other one was to continue to be the gentleman, thank her for her time and say goodbye. Option number two was the one where his pride would be preserved, so... the choice was obvious.
„Whyyyyy noooot?"
Whine it is.
She snorted adorably to his question and after just an appropriate more of his whining, she finally asked him if he was interested to take a ride with her. She stopped him from his crude joke about riding and told him she had an errand to run, just outside of Mystic Falls, and she wouldn't say no to the company.
He managed to get her to agree they take his car. He was actually that bored without her around, these past few days, he bought himself a new car. A black 1965 Shelby Cobra and he had yet to show it off. He felt proud over the fact he'll get to drive her in it and he already imagined her to be swooned and impressed by the new machine.
But, as he parked outside of her house, she said nothing. She just jumped right in and put the Navigation system on, to lead them to the finish line. It was Craigsville, Virginia. He asked her what kind of errand she had to get done all the way over there, but she never gave him the reason. Just a couple of things she needed to pick up, that was the answer. It was a little less than an hour-long ride, so she picked out the radio station and they were on their way.
He admired the way she looked today. There was something so vibrant about her. Her eyes were wide open, with an eyeliner perfectly done, and her lips were in a nude color gloss. Her skin was flawless as always, and her hair was pin straight. She had a white Hell bunny Eden dress on, black leather jacket, some black ballerina flats and a black satchel bag. She was sweet, sexy, beautiful all wrapped up in one.
He could feel the energy that was oozing out of her. She smelled sweeter than usually, her natural fragrance was a little bit more spicy and intense, but he didn't complain. He enjoyed it.
He watched her talk to an old lady at the Craigsville's farmers market. The woman was in her 70s, and she had grey hair and tiny glasses on her face. She had a pleasant smile and he heard her compliment Bonnie on her beauty. The young witch smiled widely while smelling a peach in her hand. She observed the strawberries and oranges in front of her and she was saying something he decided not to listen.
Then, there was a boy in his early twenties that approached Bonnie, carrying crates full of goodies she just bought. She smiled at him, thanked the old lady polity, and pointed the boy over to Damon's direction. Damon was standing leaned on his car, with his arms crossed over his chest.
Bonnie took two bags from the boy to help him with the carrying and he followed her to the car. She told him to drop the crates in the trunk that was already opened. He put them in and Bonnie placed the bags with it, too. She thanked the boy for his help, who smiled and thank her instead. He said something about a pleasure of servicing a customer like her.
Damon rolled his eyes at the boy's comment, trying to ignore the conversation all together, but it was a bit hard to do that. He observed as the boy leaned on the car, showing off his biceps, playing some kind of cool guy or something and telling her he was available for anything she needed. He said it in a very suggestive way, that Damon was slowly reaching his limit.
„Well, I'm sorry you guys don't have a delivery service over to Mystic Falls. I really like your products." She told him with a smile that didn't seem to fade away.
The boy nodded his head and pursed his lips. „Well, you know... we could exchange contacts and maybe arrange something. I could come to you, you know... for a proper price?"
Damon snorted on the boy's comment and that didn't go unnoticed by Bonnie. He slowly walked over to the boy and stood in front of him, with Bonnie behind his back.
„You might wanna back off with that offer of yours, fruit boy." He told him mockingly.
The boy frowned and looked in confusion. „Is there a problem here?" he asked.
„No, but you don't get your ass away from here in less than 15 seconds, I will offer you a problem."
Bonnie stepped beside Damon, looking over at the boy and smiled apologetically.
„Nathan, thank you for your help, but we should be on our way."
Nathan nodded in confusion and left, without another word. Bonnie threw Damon a nasty look, but he just shrugged in that old fashion Damon way. She closed the trunk and went to the passenger seat, so he followed her lead, getting behind the wheel and driving away.
Bonnie had in her hands a couple of strawberries that she ate. She looked out of the window and chewed on the sweet fruit, making sounds of pleasure. Damon was watching her closely, but she seemed to be ignoring him. When he asked her if something was wrong, she just shrugged her shoulders and started humming along with the music. They were silent for the next few minutes after they hit the free road. He tried to spike a conversation with her, but she seemed disinterested. He was getting irritated and when she turned the radio volume on, he lost it.
He maneuvered the car at the side of the road. He put it in park, and Bonnie curiously looked at the surroundings. There were trees around them, and it seemed like a forest that didn't end.
Damon turned his body to her and gave her his full attention. She ignored him again, throwing him a quick look, and diverting her eyes to the window.
„What's up with you?" he asked her.
„Me? Nothing." She looked at him in surprise. „You're the one who stopped the car."
He rolled his eyes and sighed. „If this is about the fruit boy-"
„Nathan." she corrected him.
„Nathan." he practically spat the name out. „He was crossing the line. He was all...rude with you and I just did you a favor-"
„You're rude all the time." She replied to him. „Plus, I can take care of myself. I don't need you coming to save me, all cavemen style."
He was silent for some time.
There was something different about her, he just couldn't quite catch what it was. Like she wasn't the old Bonnie, that he knew how to read through, guess her feeling and thoughts and corner her about them. He didn't see her for the last couple of weeks and it was like in that time, something so drastically changed between them, that he felt kind of intimidated about it. She was acting strange, it almost seemed like she was using the fact he had to keep an eye on Stefan, so that she can distance herself from him. And he didn't like that one bit.
His frown changed into determination on his face, so he opened his car door and got out. Bonnie widened her eyes on his moves, and in a blink of an eye, he was pulling her out of the car, too. He closed the door and pinned her to the car with both of his hands on her sides.
„Could you be a sweetheart and tell me why were we driving to an hour away town, so you would just pick up some damn fruit?! There are fruits in Mystic Falls, you know?" he asked, getting into her face.
She crossed her arms over her chest, acting as if she was bored with his actions and questions.
„If you didn't want to go, you didn't have to." She told him mockingly. „I could have done it myself."
He snorted. „And maybe Nathan could be more helpful?"
„Maybe." She shrugged and raised her eyebrows.
It made his blood boil. It was like she was actually toying with his mind, insinuating she wasn't so far from thinking about it. She was too calm and too free around him, and it just bugged him in a very wrong way.
„Why do you care anyway?" she asked him frustrated, with a hint of anger in her voice. „It's not like I'm yours. You don't get to tell me what I can do."
And it shifted. The anger, the jealousy he felt suddenly lifted off and all he could fell was a string around his chest. She spoke the truth and it pained him. She wasn't his and he wasn't hers. The nature of their relationship was different entirely. They were only friends. But there was more than that under the surface. And he knew, she felt that, too.
He straightened himself up, retracted his hands to his body and stared at her.
„You're wrong." He simply told her, the anger evaporating from him.
„I'm not your girl." She told him stubbornly.
„You're my best friend." He argued. „And as your best friend, I get to say it to you, if something bothers me. It also means you get to tell me what bothers you. So, tell me."
„Nothing. I'm fine." she shook her head.
„Bonnie..."
„Damon, I'm okay!" she said, before she looked him in the eyes. „Really."
She set her eyes to look at him and he found himself getting lost in her forest green orbs. He stepped closer to her, subconsciously and she didn't move. He reached for her hand and placed it on his cheek, to which he closed his eyes for a moment. He felt so calm and satisfied, when he was in her proximity. She could calm a storm brewing inside of him, with nothing more than a smile. She had no idea how much power she actually held over him.
But, then, she pulled back her hand abruptly and he opened his eyes to look at her. Her eyes were glossy and distant, which made him realize what was going on. They were stepping into the territory that was too slippery for them, and it scared her away. Whenever they would come close, there was always something that pulled back. Only, this time, he felt, there was a bigger distance between them. Something was standing in the way of them, and it wasn't the guilt, this time.
He stepped back from her, as she exhaled and he started to make his way back to the driver seat. They both sat down and drove away in silence.
4th week
„Give us another one, sweetheart." Damon smiled to the blonde bartender, pushing the two small glasses towards her, while his drinking buddy sitting next to him, was still grimacing from the sour taste in his mouth.
„I think I've had enough, Damon." he said coughing.
„Oh, com' on, Ric. We're just getting started."
„Look, it's not that I don't appreciate your attempt of drinking me under the table, but... I've gotta be up early tomorrow. I've got class, and it's a lot harder to deal with students when I'm hangovered."
„Just one more. Com on, man!" the blue eyed vampire said, as the bartender set the drinks in front of them.
„Damon..." the teacher whined.
„Chill out, Ric. Don't you have your TA-s?"
„I do, as a matter of fact. One of them is actually your other drinking buddy, who, BTW, has a free morning, tomorrow. You should've called her up, instead of me."
„Yeah, yeah." Damon said, turning his head straight ahead and taking a little sip of his drink. Like he didn't thought of that. Bonnie was the first person he wanted to call up, but she hasn't been very vocal around him, since the last time he saw her. Which was when they went to Cragsville and he guessed she was still salty about it.
He squinted his eyes, turning his head over to Ric.
„Did you happened to notice something weird about her lately?"
„Weird?" Alaric frowned confused. „What do you mean weird?"
„Something that might've seen odd? For her, you know?"
„If we're talking about the witch part, not really." the man shrugged. „She's just been reading a lot about druids and native witch covens, but all in all, it's pretty normal."
„Hmmm...and if we're talking about the human part?"
„Human part?"
„You know, the regular stuff. Like, if she were just another one of your students and a normal girl, would you notice something weird on her?" the vampire asked, trying to keep his voice casual and cool.
„Not really." Ric answered. He took a sip of his drink and then raised his hand, as if he just figured something up. „Although, I would probably fire her as my TA. She's terrible. Late all the time. Not paying any attention to the class. Always sitting in the back. With her phone in hands, 90% of the time."
„Well, that's weird." Damon said, a little stunned.
„Not for a college student." Ric dismissed it.
„Yeah, but she's Bonnie. That the whole point."
„Exactly." the human guy said, shaking his head. „It's because she's Bonnie Bennett. Look, after all that she's been through, I don't think it would be weird if she were trying to rebel a little."
„So, you think she's rebelling?" Damon asked frowning.
„I think she's a college student. They rebel, they test out their limits, have fun, get drunk, experiment. It's what normal college students do. Whether you like it or not, she deserves a little normal at times."
Yeah, she did deserve normal. Damon would agree with that. But, why did she had to do that without him?
Still 4th week
Ping!
Stefan welcomed the enthusiasm of his girlfriend this morning. He was laying on his back in her bed, while she was on top of him, kissing and groping like a couple of teenagers. This morning, he texted her, how he wanted to see her, and she was more than happy to cut all her classes, so she could spend the time with him.
There was still tension between them, because of Valarie, but they managed to overlook the situation and continue their relationship, back on track. He didn't say it to anyone yet, the real reason behind his attacks towards Julian and even though it did bring only problems, he wasn't going to let Valarie down. But, he stopped with the attacks for now and that seemed to calm everyone around.
Ping!
Ping!
He focused back on the task in hand and as he kissed his girlfriend with passion, as he took of her shirt, which he already had unbuttoned. He felt, Caroline's hands raising his shirt and ruining her long fingernails across his skin. He loved that feeling.
Ping!
Ping!
Ping!
Just as his hands met at her back, trying to find the hook of her bra, so he could take it off, the blonde stopped him by reaching for his hands. She broke the kiss and looked down at him smiling. He smiled, too, kissing her lips delicately, but she ended it once again. She sat up on him and repaired her bra.
„Okay, that's enough." She said, as she pecked his lips quickly, standing up and looking around for her shirt.
„Wait, no. I don't think we're done here, yet." He said, raising himself on his elbows and looking at the blonde, pointing to his obvious bulge in his pants and winking playfully.
„We are." She said, laughing.
„No, I don't think we really are." He was stubborn and surprised where this was coming from.
„Trust me, we are." She told him, picking up her shirt from the floor and putting it back on.
„Am I missing something here? Are you still mad at me?" he asked, sitting up in bed and frowning.
„No. I'm not." She laughed again. „Bonnie's on her way. She's done with her classes."
„I thought you said she was busy till 2 o'clock."
„She was suppose to be, but her class probably ended earlier." The blonde said, as she walked over to her dresser, taking a hair bow and tying her blonde curls up in a high messy ponytail.
„How do you exactly know that?"
„She signaled me."
„I'm sorry, what?" he asked confused.
„She signaled. She texted me."
„But, you didn't even look at your phone. How can you be sure?" he told her, not believing the thing she was saying.
Just then, the front door opened and her roommate entered.
„Hey."
„Hi."
The two girls greeted each other, before the witch looked at him.
„Stefan."
„Bonnie?" he asked as if he were seeing a ghost.
The witch just smiled and went to the bathroom. He looked confusingly back at his girlfriend that was smiling widely. She must've noticed his stupid face, because her smile deteriorated a little.
„What?"
„How did you know she was coming back?"
„She texted me." The blonde shrugged.
„But-"
„You heard the pings, right?" she cut him off.
Pings?
Wait...
Now that he thought about it, yeah, he heard them, but he didn't paid any attention on them. He ignored them, because his girlfriend ignored them, too. Which was weird, how she knew they were from Bonnie.
„Yeah..."
„Well, that's how." She said, grinning brightly. „ You see, we organized a system. When ever one is heading back to the dorm room, we text each other. There's the first ping, just once, for when we head out back. The second ping twice, when we're just outside of the building. And the third, three pings, for when we're reached the second floor. There's really no need for the fourth, because if you don't hear the first three, you're not gonna hear the last one, either."
„Smart." He said, frowning.
„Yeah, it's just so we would avoid the awkward situations when we have boyfriends in the room." She said, turning her back on him and looking for something in the dresser, while Stefan nodded his head. But, then he noticed something.
„Wait..." he said, getting up from the bed. „Did you just say boyfriends? As in plural?"
„Yeah...about that..." the blonde turned around and looked at him sheepishly.
„Do you have other boyfriends coming around to you? Because if you do, I think I'm gonna need signal, too."
He teased her and she laughed as she walked over to him and hooking her hands around his neck and kissing him.
„No. Don't worry about that. You're the only one I really like."
„Good."
She kissed him again, as they both heard the shower turning on in the bathroom.
„Than, what did you mean when you said boyfriends?" he asked frowning.
„Okay." The blonde sighed, before she looked at him seriously. „But, you can not tell this to anyone."
„Okay." He agreed.
„And when I say anyone, I really mean your brother."
5th week
When she exited her dorm room, she was surprised to see him standing in the hallway, waiting for her, with nothing but a smile on his face and two coffee's to go in his hands. It was a silent apology, a clean slate kind of thing, to brush off all this weird dynamic between them lately.
Bonnie walked over and standing in front of him, she sighed, smiled and accepted another hopeless shot of her favorite coffee. They did this before they distanced themselves from each other. He would bring her coffee, every day a different flavor, until he would guess her favorite. She frowned at the taste of the Iced Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte. She could see it on his face, that he knew it was a failed shot, but he shrugged it off when she started to walk away, waiting for him to fall into step with her. As always, he did.
„You know, I was thinking, we should go on a road trip." Damon said, sipping his own coffee and frowning on its' taste, too. He looked over his cup with a disgusted face, probably asking himself who the hell thought of putting pumpkin in a coffee? Her thoughts exactly.
„Road trip? Really? Have you lost your mind?" she asked him casually.
„No. Why?" he shrugged carelessly again.
„Aside from the fact that I have classes, you have a brother hungry for revenge on a centuries old vampire. Have you forgotten about that?"
„Well, Bon Bon." He sighed dramatically, picking up the coffee from her hand and throwing them both away in the near garbage can. There was really no point in trying to drink the awful beverage. „That is exactly why I am suggesting a road trip. This town is too boring for me, and babysitting Stefan makes me spend way too much time with him, that I'm starting to get afraid a part of his brooding will pass on me, too. Now, do you really want to risk it and see me brooding like my brother, Bon?"
„Don't be an ass, Damon." she said, rolling her eyes at him.
„Well then, save me from me, Bon." He stopped her with a hand on her elbow, turning her to the side, so she could face him. „And take a ride with me."
He winked at her, throwing one of his charm smiles in, too, but unsuccessfully.
She didn't even batted an eye.
„I can't. Not today." She said defiantly, starting to walk away from him, again.
„Whyyyyy?" he whined, while falling in step with her, once again. „What else could you possibly have planned out? I assure you nothing can come even close to the satisfaction of my company."
He pointed a finger at his chest and she turned to face him, rolling her eyes at his self-praising.
„You're-"
„Bonnie! Bonnie!"
She was about to fall in her Damon-get-your-head-out-of-the-clouds-and-your-ass-down-to-the-ground speech, when she froze at the voice that was calling her name, from behind her. Damon's eyes raised to see the intruder of their conversation and when she noticed his confused face, she knew, shit was about to go down.
„Oh, crap." She silently cursed, trying to think of a spell to maybe freeze time or maybe turn back time, to take a different path around the hallways, a way she could avoid this awful, fateful moment that was coming up.
„Hey!" A handsome, blond-haired guy put his arm around her shoulders and tried to kiss her cheek, but she backed up away from him, almost falling down.
„Hey, Chris..." she said slowly, her fake smile trying to spread, but it was pointless.
„I was hoping to run into you. I saw Caroline this morning at Biochem, but you weren't there." The guy talked so animatedly with her, which made Damon raise his eyebrows in surprise.
„I slept in." She mumbled.
„Babe, how could that happen?" the guy wrapped his arms around her and tried to kiss her on the mouth this time, but she managed to pull him away, once again.
Damon's eyebrows disappeared into his forehead and he suppressed something between a chuckle or a growl or a grunt in his throat while crossing his arms over his chest and squirming in his stand.
„Hi, who are you?" Chris asked him way too cheerfully, to which Bonnie reacted too soon, stepping between the two men and chuckling herself humorlessly, before introducing them to each other.
„Chris, this is Damon. Damon, this is Chris."
„Hi, nice to meet you. You're a friend of Bonnie's?" the blonde guy offered Damon his hand with a very enthusiastic smile on his face, waiting patiently for his answer.
Bonnie could see Damon taking a full look over this guy. He seemed to observed his entire front with his face absolutely emotionless. Then, strangely, one corner of his mouth went up into a sinister smile, that screamed alarm in Bonnie's head.
„Chris, ha?" he just said instead, leaving the other man's hand stand out in the air.
„Yeah, I'm Bonnie's boyfriend." He answered, with his smile deteriorating just a little, pointing to the woman that was standing between them.
Bonnie actually gasped at Chris's words, desperately thinking of a way to deny such a deep connection between her and the guy. She noticed Damon didn't let his eyes go off the guy in front of him.
It was very disturbing to her, she could already see herself standing in all black, surrounded by her classmates, while looking at the coffin and a photo of Chris smiling brightly on it. Then, someone would went and asked the stupid question. Who would ever do this? She would act dumb and tried to mask appearances with a sad face, paying her last respects over to the dead guy.
She blinked in shock, swallowing a lump in her throat and thinking of a way for Chris to avoid that awful fate.
„Boyfriend, really?" Damon was trying to fake the amusing tone of his voice, but it was pointless. She already knew, that he couldn't find a single amusing thing around here.
„You know what, Chris?" Bonnie said with a tight smile on her face, shamefully avoiding his hand that was constantly trying to pull her into his embrace. „If you don't mind, Damon and I actually have something to do...we...uhm" she cleared her throat and chuckled nervously again, rubbing her forehead. „We have to plan a surprise party for...a friend and we, we have to discuss..." she started to make wide hand gestures, making Chris frown confusingly at her. „Balloon colors."
„Ow...okay." he answered sadly. „Well, I was thinking maybe we could have brunch together today, seeing as I haven't seen you for four whole days-" he tried once again to pull her into a strong bear hug, but only managed to pinch her cheeks, to which she delightfully fake smiled too. „And I really missed my girl."
Her eyes widened at his words and the tilt of his head with a puppy like a face, holding down on her hands and swaying them playfully. She shook those off and turned over to Damon, who was watching like a hawk the affections this guy seemed to be pulling on her. She could practically see murder written in his eyes, along with the delight and amusement that would take to tear Chris's throat out.
„I can't, Chris." She said defensively, making the guy frowned, confused by her behavior.
„Of course you can." Damon said, his tone surprisingly amusing.
She carefully turned over to face him, observing his smiling face, knowing he was faking it and the only real thought in his head right now was KILL, KILL, KILL.
„What?" she whispered.
„Of course, she's gonna go and have brunch with you." he looked only at the guy behind her, talking like it's the most common thing in the world. „Go, take her!" he laughed jokingly and Chris joined him, putting his arm around Bonnie's shoulders and neck from behind.
„But, Damon!" she spoke, with her teeth gritted and falsely smiling. „ What about the surprise party? And the balloons?"
„Nonsense!" he waved a dismissive hand in front of her face. „You two lovebirds just go ahead and spend as much time as possible together! I will take care of the balloons! You don't have to worry a thing about it!"
„Really? With that horrible taste of yours you got? Damon-"
„It's balloons! How hard can it be?" he looked up at the guy behind her, tossing him an amused grin. „Can you believe this gal? Always worrying about others...so go and take her away. You can have her for the rest of the day."
„Really?" Chris asked with too much enthusiasm. „You sure you don't mind it, man?"
„Not. At. All." He slowly pronounced the words. „You kids, have my blessing." He said with a hand over his heart, faking smiles and looking back Bonnie, mockingly grinning at her sour face.
She could feel Chris, nodding his head and laughing too cheerfully, before he said his goodbye's with Damon and even fist bumped him (like, what the actual hell?) and dragged her away to her next nightmare.
The repercussions of it would be dealt with later. She could already see it in Damon's eyes, as they walked away.
She knew he would be waiting for her. It wasn't a surprise to find Damon sitting on her bed, leaned against the headboard, with his legs stretched out, holding one of Caroline's Cosmos in in front of him. She just came back form her brunch with Chris, to which she was forced to go, by this exact man. She paused on her doorway, before she decided it would be better to deal with this right now.
„So, how did the balloon picking go?" she asked, faking amusement, as she closed the door behind her and entered the room.
„Absolutely perfect. I got a lot of red ones. You know how much I looove red." he said, with his eyes widening. „How was your brunch?"
She dropped her purse down on Caroline's bed and turned around to face him, with an angry expression.
„That was awful of you! You knew I didn't want to go and you just made me!"
„Really?! Well, how rude of me!" he said, as he tossed the magazine away and stood up from the bed. He put a hand over his chest as he started to yell right back at her. „How incredibly insensible of me! I really am a monster! I mean, it's like I don't even care what you think! That's just so bad of me!"
„Okay!" she screamed, rolling her eyes.
„I mean, I'm not the one hiding a secret boyfriend from you, but my conduct just has no excuses." he faked shock.
„Okay, fine! Stop it already!" she cut him off. Then she sighed and taking a deep breath, looked at him seriously. „First off, he's not my boyfriend. Second, you're mad, I get it!"
„Mad? You think I'm mad?" he asked surprised. „No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Bon, think again." he sing-songed and walked over to her, before stopping before her and leaning closely in her face. "I'm freaking furious!"
„Don't you think you're exaggerating just a little bit?" she asked, backing away from him a little.
„Oh, no. No, no. I'm not. Not at all!"
She rolled her eyes at him. He was always the dramatic one.
„I can't believe you didn't tell me!" he yelled. „Did you honestly thought I wasn't gonna find out?!"
„It's not a big deal!"
„You have a freaking boyfriend and you didn't tell me!"
„He is not my boyfriend!"
„Well, you better tell him that, because I don't think he got the memo!"
„Enough! God!" she said, widening her eyes, not believing she was having this conversation. „Damon, you have no right to interfere in my life!"
„Yes, I do! I have every right to it!" he said angrily.
„No! No, you don't!" she shook her head at him, before she took a deep breath. „What I do...and who I do it with, is my business and just mine! Do you understand that?!"
She left him speechless. He abruptly just closed his mouth, tilted his head to the side and frowned.
„Hold on." he said shocked. „What do you mean 'do it' ?"
And then she closed her mouth abruptly.
„What exactly are you doing with this guy?" he asked her.
She set her eyes straight on his and they engaged into a staring match. Neither of them spoke, while they were glaring at each other. She didn't want to say it out loud and she thought of denying it, maybe changing the course of the conversation, but then she realized something. As she stared into his furious eyes, that were demanding an explanation of her, she knew this was where they were going to end up, anyway. So, why not crush it and be done with it? After the initial impact, they could move on better from it.
So, taking one more deep breath, she looked for a moment to the side and shrugged her shoulders, before looking back at Damon. And it was enough for him to know.
„Ooooh!" suddenly he growled and backed away from her. When he looked back at her, he looked furious „Seriously?! You had sex with that guy?!"
„That's none of your business!"
„That guy? The human Ken doll?" he yelled.
„What?" She frowned, shaking her head at him, as he put his hand over his face and rubbed it frustrated.
„Oh, right to this point I was hoping he was smooth down there like a real Ken doll!"
She had to roll her eyes at him, and she was just about to scream back at him, and by the looks of it, he was ready to do that, too, when they heard a third voice in the room.
„What did I just walk into?"
Her blonde roommate was standing at the doorway and looking wide eyed at them.
„Nothing, Caroline. Damon was just leaving!" Bonnie said, looking back at Damon, trying to get him to leave.
„Oh, the hell I was!"
„I don't have anything to tell you to anymore!"
„Well, too bad, I got a lot to tell to you!"
„Trouble in paradise?" Caroline asked them amused.
„No." Bonnie said, crossing her arms under her chest.
„Yes." Damon said instead.
„What?"
„Extra trouble." he widened his eyes at her.
„Damon, com'on!"
„Okay, what is going on?" The blonde vampire asked confused, after closing the door behind her and entering the room.
„Guess who I met this morning? Bonnie's boyfriend!" Damon said to her dramatically.
„Oh?" the blonde said casually, and after lifting her look on the blue-eyed vampire and seeing his confused face, she corrected herself and jerked in fake surprise. „Oooooh!"
„Yeah! And let me tell you, he is a blast!" he yelled, snorted and laughed at his chin, before he raised his eyes and continued talking. „But, of course, you knew that already! Hell, who else knew? Probably everybody else, right? I'm sure, you all had a good laugh behind my back!"
„Okay, seriously, Damon you need to calm down!" Caroline told him.
„Would you kindly get the hell out of here, Blondie?! I don't need your little comments here!" he decided to yell at her now.
„It's fine." Bonnie assured her and silently asked her to leave. „Just, please, give us a minute."
The blonde rolled her eyes, but did it anyway, leaving the room.
Bonnie waited before she turned back to face Damon. She was aware he was mad at her, but she still thought he was overreacting. She sighed before she started talking.
„Look, Damon." she looked at him, while he was quietly looking down at the floor. „I didn't wanted to tell you just yet. This thing with Chris...it's not even that serious, you know, we're just having fun and I didn't want to give it more attention than necessary. It's not that big of deal." she shrugged.
„You lied to me." he said silently and she shook her head at him.
„I didn't lie. I just, didn't say anything. There's a difference."
„And that sounds like something I would say." he snorted.
„Well, then you know what I mean."
He finally looked up at her. She was surprised at his look. His eyes held some sort of sadness and...something she didn't know how to describe. All of the sudden, he wasn't mad anymore, he seemed calm, but hurt. It made Bonnie feel uneasy about it.
„Yeah. I know. You kept it away from me, because you thought it was something worth keeping away from me." he said and smiled bitterly. „Didn't want me to ruin it, right?"
„Damon, it's not like that." she tried to deny.
„Doesn't really matter anymore, does it?" he sighed and looked away from her again, which made her frustrated and confused about his behavior and the way he was taking this. She never expected it to be like this.
„I just don't understand why are you so upset about this?" she asked. „I mean, did you really think that I would never go out and find myself someone? Someone that could make me happy? I'm not saying Chis is that someone, but one day...maybe even in the near future...I'm gonna start wanting all that stuff that other people want, too. It shouldn't be such a surprise to you."
„I know." he said as he narrowed his eyes on her. „I just...I didn't thought we were already there. It's too soon."
„Well, that's kind of selfish of you." she said, crossing her arms under her chest again, feeling defensive. „Damon, my whole life can't consist of hanging out with you and killing baddies in my spare time. Eventually, you're gonna have to come terms with that, and let go of me."
She watched him walk over to her and looking her straight in her eyes. It made her feel subconscious, the way he was looking at her, seemed like he was trying to cut into her and find that something he kept looking for. And after a long period of time, she felt what she was afraid she would eventually feel. His desperation and his dependence on her were on a dangerous path to becoming obsessive. And she questioned herself if she was prepared on the outcome of this.
„How am I suppose to do that? I didn't think we were already there." he said to her.
„Where is exactly there, Damon?" She asked him quietly.
„I didn't think you were ready to move on, already."
„Move on?" she asked suspiciously. „Move on from what? I broke up with my last boyfriend a year and a half ago, if it could be even called a break up since I actually died and came back to life. Trust me, I've moved on, from that one, a long time ago. And after him, there was nobody else, remotely significant."
He diverted his eyes from her quickly, almost too quickly and that shocked her. She watched him close his eyes and shook his head, with another bitter smile falling of his lips. She didn't know what to feel or think about it. She just knew there was something hidden, something she couldn't quite place. He passed her by and left the room without another look her way or another word.
She knew what that meant. He was done with her. And it made her feel like a large weight was lifted of her shoulders, as well as if a big chunk of her heart was pulled out violently out of her.
So, yeah...Bonnie found herself a guy...the reason what exactly pushed her to do such a thing and act in a way that's kind of OOC for her, will be explained in the next chapter.
This one was a bit different from the others. I kind of wanted to make this a fun twist and not dwell to much on their thoughts of it. We'll have plenty of that further along.
What did you thought of it? Did it surprise you? Tell me what you think!
Soundtracks: Hozier - Someone new; The Neighbourhood - Say My Name/ Cry me a river.