Chapter 10 – Heavy In Your Arms
I stared at myself in the mirror, not really believing it was me. I knew these founder's day things were all fancy shmancy, but this was just frigging ridiculous. I looked like a piece of pink cotton candy. Like all sugary and sparkly...no that was not gonna work. That was the last time I ever let my Aunt pick out a dress for me without my approval.
"Excuse me miss, but I think Paris Hilton wants her dress back."
"Gee thanks," I muttered glaring at my dad through the mirror. He was standing in the doorway with a large packing box in his hand. One flap was hanging open meaning he had gone through it. He noticed my gaze as he set the box on my bed causing me to turn fully around to face him.
"This is some of your mom's old stuff. I'm sure there's a dress in here."
I nodded silently causing my dad to sigh before leaving the room. I carefully moved around the fabrics in the box until my fingers found themselves wrapped around some dark purple satin. I slowly pulled the dress out of the box and held it up. It was a simple dress, with thin spaghetti-style straps to hold it up and an empire waist where the dress then flowed out effortlessly. It looked like it would have stopped just above her knees.
"Not bad, Mom," I mutter looking up at my ceiling. I quickly exchanged dresses, standing in front of the mirror I felt and looked a lot better. I looked like me. I slipped on the silver shoes from the last party and added some silver jewelry before moving onto makeup and hair. I'm not sure why I was putting such an effort into how I looked for this, but somehow it made me forget about all my problems of the moment and focus on something good.
By the time I was finished, I wanted to kiss me. That's how hot I thought I looked. My hair was in a knotted bun near my neck on the left side. My makeup wasn't too heavy, but just enough to notice the silver shadow on my eyes. The dress stopped a little shorter than anticipated, but it didn't bother me.
"Not bad, Carlson," Damon's voice drifted from behind me.
"Thanks," I responded softly before turning to face him.
"As hot as that outfit is, are you sure that's proper Stefan Watch material?"
"You tell me?" I asked placing my hands on my hips.
I watched with a smirk on my face as Damon's face scrunched up in pain. He bent over slightly before straightening up and looking at me through the pain. So he thinks he can handle it huh? I stepped up the energy level staring stonily at Damon. He let out a grunt of pain before falling to his knees, his head in his hands.
"Okay!" he grunted. "Point proven."
"I brought Stefan to his knees the other day. Don't think I'm helpless. Now can we go?"
Damon nodded holding out his arm like a gentleman. I reached over and lightly grabbed onto it before he led us down the stairs where my father was standing there glaring at Damon. I rolled my eyes right as we hit the main floor. I think I would have made the Queen of England proud with how gracefully I descended the stairs.
"Damon-"
"Spare the lecture, dad. You don't have to worry about him. I can handle myself," I cut my dad off leading Damon to the front door.
"Don't worry, Andy, she's in good hands."
"Not helping," I muttered pulling him to the door. "Bye dad, see you there!"
I closed the door behind me before letting out a sigh. I looked over at Damon who had a look of pure satisfaction and amusement written on his face. I gently shoved him before we walked over to his car. I glanced back and saw my dad peeking out the window staring at us and he was not happy with the situation. I blew him a kiss before getting in the car.
"He's extremely protective of you."
"You should have seen my mother."
"Sounds like Stefan," Damon mumbled before fixing his gaze on the road in front of us.
I stared over at Damon, taking in everything I could. His crystal blue eyes almost reminded me of Matt's. Only Matt's were kind and forgiving, Damon's were harsh and vindictive. The smooth skin of Damon's face almost reminded me of the cold marble statues that immortalized the Greek Gods. That's the thing: Damon thought he was a god and the girls falling over him only boosted his ego.
"See something you like?" Damon asked with that stupid playboy smirk on his face. I was startled and he knew it. "You've been staring for a while."
"I do, but it's not you."
"I think you're lying," he replied coyly, his eyes smoldering.
"And I think you're fishing. I have no interest in you, Mr. Salvatore."
I sighed softly as we pulled up to the Founder's Hall where all this was supposed to be taking place. He parked the car and before I could move he was out and on my side opening up the door for me. I stared up at him in amusement as he held out his hand, which I took, helping me up out of the car. He shut the door behind me, only instead of walking I found myself backed up against the car and Damon a few centimeters away from me.
"Are you sure about that?" his eyes glanced down at my lips.
I was secretly anticipating what would happen next. My thoughts were going 100 mph as his lips inched closer and closer to mine. My eyes snapped shut when I felt his lips brush against mine teasingly. After a moment I wrapped one arm around his neck bringing him even closer, his lips crashing to mine once more. And the best part about this was I wasn't drunk! Damon pulled back first and the look on his face told me he was satisfied with what had just transpired.
"Shall we?" he asked holding out his arm. I didn't say anything; I just grabbed his arm with a small smile on my face.
As we walked in a few eyes found us, some in surprise, and others in jealousy. For some reason this made me feel a whole lot better. I had something they didn't – an extremely hot guy on my arm. Okay so at this point, yes, I felt like a spoiled Lockwood. I got exactly what I wanted...well sort of. My arm remained wrapped around Damon's as we paraded through the Founder's hall. I think the best part was the look on Stefan's face.
When Damon and I walked past Stefan, the smirk Damon threw at his brother was enough to piss anyone off. It clearly said 'I win'. I smiled lightly at Stefan acting oblivious to the fact that anger was building up inside of him. Stefan clenched his fists a few times before turning his back to us and disappearing.
"I think we made him jealous," Damon grinned, his lips right next to my ear.
"Good," I replied back turning my head so his lips were right above mine. I slowly pulled away from Damon as I spotted Bonnie standing near the refreshments table. I slowly walked over to where Bonnie was, but glanced back and noticed Damon's eyes were following me. I grinned before turning coming face to face with Bonnie.
"So how did you get an invite?" I asked before smacking myself mentally realizing how snobbish that sounded. "Sorry. That came out wrong."
"Well both of my best friends are running for Miss. Mystic Falls so I automatically assumed that's why they sent me an invite."
I scoffed thinking about how Elena must be upstairs getting ready for her grand entrance. Here I was feeling the best about myself in a long time and thoughts of Elena looking better than me and having Stefan cross my mind. Stupid, annoying, overplayed, Katherine-look-alike.
"Are you okay?" Bonnie asked noticing my faraway look.
"What? Oh yeah, sorry, my mind tends to wander," I replied softly before turning to look for Damon only to find he wasn't around.
"How long have you know you were a..." Bonnie trailed off, fiddling with her glass.
"Witch?" I asked. "My whole life."
"I only found out a few weeks ago," Bonnie whispered looking up at me in admiration. I noticed the lost and scared look in her eyes as she said that. I also saw the raw pain that only came from losing someone close.
"Bonnie, if you ever need someone. I'm here for you. Both magically and non-magically. Us witches have to stick together."
I smiled at Bonnie and the girl started talking about everything she had learned so far. I listened intently until I noticed Damon come down the stairs. He had been upstairs...where Elena was. Ha, listen to me I sounded like a jealous girlfriend...Oh my GOD. I was jealous! I shrugged it off before turning back to Bonnie.
"We should get together sometime and I'll explain as much as I can, but I think they're getting ready to start and I don't think we're gonna wanna miss this."
I smiled at Bonnie who nodded before disappearing into the crowd. I looked over to where the escorts were lining up and noticed that Stefan was missing. I noticed Damon was standing a little ways from the stairs where Caroline Forbes was descending.
"Where's Stefan?" I asked glancing around the crowd.
"Find him," Damon demanded quietly before moving towards the stairs. They had called Elena's name not seconds before.
I watched along with everyone else as the beauty came down the stairs, a shocked look on her face. Her hair hung down in ringlets while her long blue satin gown shone in the light. I stared not because Elena Gilbert was beautiful, but because she possessed the same beauty and elegance that Katerina Petrova held. I felt the jealousy course through my veins as she grabbed Damon's hand lightly and the two moved out to the dance floor to do the traditional dance.
I wasn't sure what was wrong with me, but I couldn't help but stare angrily at the two. The way Damon was looking at her was exactly how Stefan used to look at me...When we were in love. At that thought I felt like a heavy weight had been set on my chest. Damon and I...we...the kiss...We were nothing because I wasn't her.
"It hurts watching them together, doesn't it?" John's voice whispered in my ear.
"Not as much as I thought it would," I muttered.
"Now, you're lying."
"Enjoy the rest of your day, John," I snapped before turning and pushing my way through the crowd.
I wasn't sure what I was feeling. I mean what does a person feel when the guy they came with and kissed, passionately might I add, turns around and dances with a different girl and staring at her like he loves her? I'm not sure about anyone else, but it feels a lot like rejection. I shook my head holding back the tears. Tears, for Christ sake! How is it that both Salvatore brothers always reduce me to tears?
I walked to the parking lot that was lined with cars that led away from the party, the only thing I could hear was the clicking of my heels. That was all I heard for a while until I heard voices. No, not voices in my head voices, like actual voices. I walked closer to the voices and immediately recognized one voice, but the other was female and I didn't recognize it. I quickened my pace, the clicking of my heels becoming faster until I was shakily jogging in high heels.
"STEFAN STOP!" I yelled as I came upon a scene I wished I never would have witnessed.
Stefan and the other Miss Mystic Falls candidate, Amber, were standing there. Stefan's mouth was covered in blood, Amber's blood. I quickly went forward yanking Amber away from Stefan. Stefan stood there his hands on his head in shock at what he was doing. The veins in his face were standing out and his blood red eyes were filled with pain and...hunger. I pressed my hand to Amber's wound, trying to stop the bleeding.
"What in the hell is wrong with you?" I yelled at him as I grabbed Amber's own hand and pressed it to the wound.
"Oh god, oh god, oh god, I can't stop!" Stefan then turned on me and Amber. I glanced back at the girl and noticed she seemed completely calm. "Why aren't you scared of me?"
"Because you told me not to be," Amber answered automatically.
"Amber, run." I snapped not breaking eye contact with Stefan. "Amber, RUN!"
The girl looked over at Stefan. Things moved in slow motion as Stefan pushed me out of the way, but I don't think he realized how hard he had pushed me. I felt my body move at such a hard force I heard something literally snap as I left a body-sized dent in the side of a car. I let out a sharp cry before cradling my arm to my body.
I was relieved when I noticed Amber had started running. Stefan glanced over at me, raw pain shining in his eyes. Good the asshole knew he had broken my arm. He then turned slowly in the direction Amber went. I threw my good hand out focusing my energy on Stefan. I knew I wasn't strong enough, especially at the moment when my emotions were all screwed up. Stefan's hungry gaze turned to me.
"Why didn't you just stay away?" he asked walking towards me.
"Wha-"
"I left to protect you!"
"From what!" I yelled back slowly standing up.
"From me!" he snapped before he was right in front of me. "I lost control and I didn't want to hurt you!"
"Well I hate to break it to you, but you failed. Epically might I add. You tore my heart to pieces and now here I'm standing with you while you're not in control and I'm still alive! Stefan, monster or not I'm still in love with you! Tell me how that's fair?"
Stefan stared at me with that heartbreaking look on his face. You know the one where he looks like he just lost his best friend or someone he loved? Yeah, the one that made me weak in the knees. I stared back at him with just as much intensity. I put my hand up and it came in contact with his hard chest. Stefan's hand reached up almost like he knew what I was gonna do, and grabbed my wrist before snapping it up effectively breaking my good wrist. I let out a small scream of pain, before leaning forward my face against his chest the tears streaming down my face.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered as he laid his head on top of mine. I could hear him sniffing and I knew what that meant, but I was just in too much damn pain to stop it.
"Stefan-"
"I love you," he whispered dolefully. My eyes widened before I felt a piercing pain in my neck.
I struggled against Stefan as he slowly drank the life out of me. Every time I tried to stop him my hand or arm would ache in severe pain causing me to stop struggling; besides Stefan's superior strength stopped most of my movements. If I hadn't been so upset about Damon and Elena I would have been able to defend myself and Amber. At least she got away.
At some point my vision had started to blur. I couldn't feel my body anymore; it felt like I was watching a movie, trapped in my own body not being able to move. I slumped against Stefan, but that didn't stop him because he kept on drinking, holding up my body so he could finish. My head lolled to the side before my eyelids fell closed disconnecting me from the rest of the world as I straddled the fine line between life and death.
I never knew dying would be so...boring. I mean everyone expects that shining bright light at the end of the tunnel to engulf them as they die. Not seeing the image of their vampire ex-boyfriend draining the life out of them before the world just goes dark around them. Apparently God didn't get the memo on how to properly greet a dying witch. That's when I heard it.
Just like in those totally inaccurate doctor shows, there was a loud annoying beeping sound every few seconds. Beep. Beep. Beep. OKAY! I get it, geez. My head was pounding, I felt weak, and oddly nauseous. It felt like a bad hangover. My eyes slowly opened trying to adjust to the bright white lights hanging over my head. I opened my mouth to say something only for my words to turn into a serious of violent coughs.
"Jay?" Tyler's voice broke through my coughing fit.
"We need a doctor in here!" Matt's familiar voice shouted from somewhere in the room.
I kept coughing as Tyler's worried face found its way into my blurry vision. He was holding onto my head as he tried shoving something in my mouth. I tried pulling away not sure what was happening, but immediately stopped when I felt the cool ice chip make its way down my throat, soothing the burning sensation in my throat. I was given a few more ice chips before a doctor came rushing in the room checking over my wounds before disappearing again.
"Jay..." Matt's childish voice drew my attention from Ty to him. I took in the disheveled looks of both guys and came to the conclusion that neither of them had left my side since I got here. I reached my arms out and noticed that on my left arm there was a cast and then on my right wrist there was another cast. I reached up and pulled Matt into a tight hug.
I pulled away from Matt who had tears in his eyes and I had a feeling I knew why. I had heard about Vicki being here a few times from...animal attacks. My hand flew up to my neck and my fingers felt the bandage that covered the two puncture wounds in my neck. My gaze flew to Tyler who was standing there looking like it was his fault.
"Are you okay?" I asked my voice coming out raspy.
"I should have been watching out for you."
"Ty, don't do this," I whispered grabbing his hand with my casted one.
Tyler shook his head whispering, "Sorry" before bursting out of the room leaving me and Matt alone. I looked over at Matt who had been watching Tyler closely, before his hand reached out and brushed some of the hair gently out of my face. I looked over at Matt, feeling guilty for putting him through the whole hospital thing again.
"Did you see what attacked you?"
I stared at Matt in shock for a moment before all the feeling from that day came rushing back. The fear, the pain, the raw anger and hurt...My emotional dam came crashing down as I stared Matt in the eyes. The tears gathered in my eyes thinking about Damon, Stefan, and Elena. I knew I had caught Matt off guard by the 'deer-in-the-headlights' look that was etched onto his face. I moved over slightly so Matt could climb onto the hospital bed with me.
I felt his arms wrap around me as I laid my head on his chest, crying into his shirt. He held onto me tightly and rocked us slightly making the low 'shh' noise trying to calm me down.
"I'm never gonna win," I choked looking up at Matt. "She's always gonna win."
"Who?" Matt asked looking down at me worry in his eyes.
"Elena," I whispered laying my head back down on his chest before closing my eyes.
I LOVE REVIEWS! So please leave one...they make my day. Anyways thanks to everyone who has reviewed or added this story to their alert list! I would also like to thank my beta! SHE'S AWEOMSE! Okay well I hope you enjoyed and please let me know what you guys think!