"Hello," I said awkwardly. I laughed nervously and scratched the back of my head with my free hand. "I'm not interested in whatever it is you have to sell, so thank you."

I began to close the door but stopped at the sound of Damon's voice.

"Ava," was all he said.

I pulled back open the door and didn't bother to look at Elena or Stefan, just right at Damon. He wasn't smirking. You know, sometimes I preferred that face to all the other ones he made. I could really use a sly comment and that notorious smirk right now.

I put the box down, as it was getting heavy in my hands, and turned to face them again. "What?" I asked harshly. "What could you guys possibly want now?"

"Ava all we wanted to know-" Elena started but I cut her off.

"That's right you just had to know right?" I asked, my anger boiling within me. "You just have to know everything right? Why did you need to know? Was I posing a threat to you? Did I harm you in any way?"

They stood there in silence as I berated them. "So why did you have to know? Do you feel safer now that you know? More secure? No?" I was almost shouting. I'm sure my face was red and that my eyes were even redder. "Well congrat-u-fucking-lations. Now you know my secret. Now you're one step closer to nowhere, feeling happy that you know everything about everyone in Mystic Falls, not caring that you ruin lives in the process."

I slammed the door in their faces. I locked it, just to keep Elena out, then shut all the drapes on every window. I turned off all the lights in my house, making all the rooms so dark that I could barely see my hands in front of my face, then made my way to my room, crawling into my bed.

Fucking assholes, I thought. God, was Damon in this too? I hoped not. But why else would he be there? I thought he just followed me because he enjoyed my presence or liked to tick me off but now it makes more sense. He knew about the plan. He was just as curious as they were.

I stayed in bed for hours, wasting away my Saturday. I stayed in bed Sunday too, ignoring Damon's knocks on my front door the whole day. I didn't even go to school Monday or Tuesday just because I knew he would be waiting outside for me, wanting to talk to me or some bullshit.

It was Wednesday morning and I knew I had to go to school. If I missed another day, they'd expect a doctor's note or maybe they'd come to my house to see if I was okay, then realize I lived by myself. I grabbed an old t-shirt, slipped on some jeans, shoved on some eyeliner so I wouldn't look as dead as I felt, and grabbed my book bag on my way to the door.

I opened the door and peaked outside. Damon wasn't there. The only thing alive and on my property was a stray cat using my lawn as a litter box.

I breathed a sigh of relief. I locked the front door behind me and walked down the front lawn. The quicker to school the quicker it will be over. I hopped on my bike and floored it all the way to school, ignoring the hateful glances aimed my way when I cut people off or ran a red light. To be honest, I was just full of apathy at the moment. I didn't care if I lived or died. I had been betrayed.

I parked my bike in the parking lot, latched my helmet to the back, and made my way towards the school. People pushed past me, chattering loudly, only adding to my headache, some downing coffee, and others rapidly finishing the homework that was due today.

I was about to take my first step inside the school when someone grabbed my arm and dragged me away. The heat from their touch, the razor sharp feeling in my stomach - I knew who it was that was pulling me towards seclusion.

"Jesus, what is your problem?" I huffed angrily when he finally let go and we were far away from the mobs of students. "I bruise easily you know."

Damon was not amused but I hadn't expected him to be.

"What's wrong with you?" I questioned lightly. "Have a bad night's sleep?"

"Stop," he said forcefully and I almost took a step back. I fell silent, feeling as if I was about to be punished or lectured. "Where have you been for the past couple of days?"

"I was at home," I said, dropping my humorous ticks. If he wanted to be such an ass, then fine, I could be one too.

"Then why didn't you answer the door when I knocked? And why didn't you go to school the past two days?"

"Well, dad, I didn't feel like going. I'm an adult, I can make those decisions," I retorted.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I wanted to talk to you. I needed to tell you something."

"I'm listening."

He paused then said, "I wasn't a part of Elena or Stefan's plans. I didn't even know they were going to do that."

My face grew softer. "Are you being serious?"

"Shouldn't you know?" he asked, tapping his temple with his index finger. "Can't you know what I've been thinking these past couple of days?"

I opened my mouth then closed it. Oh God. "No," I said bluntly. "No I can't."

Damon pushed his eyebrows together in confusion. "Um, what?"

I took a giant step forward, so close that there was barely an inch between us. There was so much heat resonating in that small space that I was certain Damon, even under his cold skin, could feel it too.

"I can't read your mind," I said, my voice full of confidence and unwavering. "I can read everyone else's, every fucking pervert, freak, and bitch but for some reason," my index finger jabbed into his chest, "I can't read your mind." I took a step back and crossed my arms. "You big jerk."

"Why?" he asked, avoiding my gaze and staring at the floor, deep in thought, the thoughts I couldn't listen in on.

"Like I know," I said.

He brought his head up and a giant smirk was present on his face. "That's why you haven't stopped talking to me, you can't hear what I think," he said. "I think so many dirty things about you Ava." He leaned closer and his fingers brushed against my bare elbows.

"Oh God," I said, shoving him away. "I don't need to read your thoughts to know that, thank you very much."

He laughed and his fingers crawled up my wrist to my elbow, where he lightly grabbed it and started to tug me away from school.

"What are you doing?" I questioned. "I have to go to school, thus was the reason I drove here."

"But Ava we haven't hung out in days and I miss you," he said mock-sweetly.

"Yeah well I don't want to hang out with you right now," I said, trying to pull away but, of course, I was unsuccessful. "You just said you think dirty things about me and I'm slightly uncomfortable."

"Fine," he said, letting go of my arm and extending his arm towards the school. His smile grew wider as he continued, "then go to school."

I sighed and tapped my foot impatiently. Go to school or be with Damon? Why even weigh my options? They weren't even close to be equally the same thing.

I grabbed the front of his leather jacket and started to drag him away from the school.

"Mmm," he said from behind me. "I like where this is going."

I immediately let go. "You're going to ruin my fun if you keep being inappropriate."

He just continued to smirk as we made our way towards the parking lot. People were starting to stare at us, walking in the opposite direction, what with school starting in about five minutes. Also Damon did not look like he belonged in high school, more like three years into college, so a high school girl walking off with someone much older seemed to be taboo to these people. If only they knew how much older he was.

He stopped in front of my bike and held out his hand.

"What are you doing?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Where's your car?"

"I didn't take it," he responded.

"Okay well the sidewalk's that a-way," I said, pointing to the streets to the right.

"We're not walking," he said coyly. "You walk so slow."

"I walk at a normal, human rate, thank you. I'm sorry I can't keep up with your freakishly fast feet," I whispered so no one could hear us.

"Give me the keys Ava," he asked, taking a step forward.

"You are not driving my baby," I said. I pointed to the bike, shiny and radiating black from its recent wash. "She is the one happy thing in my life."

He rolled his eyes and in a quick second, he masterfully dug into my pocket and pulled out my keys.

I gaped at him. "You can't do that! You touched me without my permission! I could have you arrested Damon Salvatore!"

"Oh please," he said. He hopped on my bike, inserted the key, and revved the engine loudly, now making everyone in the parking lot look at us. "Come on now Ava. Everyone is staring."

I could bypass the fact that he stole my keys from my pocket. I could even overlook that he was going to be driving my only mode of transportation, something I never let anyone do. But what I couldn't do was forget the way he made me feel whenever I touched him. And riding on that bike with him would mean I would basically be straddling him and I don't know if I could withstand that amount of touching for that long. There would be a slight chance I would spontaneously combust.

I sighed angrily and swung my leg over the bike behind Damon. My chest touched his back lightly at first but when he peeled out of the parking lot, my arms shot across his chest and wrapped around him securely. There was no space between us. We were absolutely glued together.

My heart swelled to twice its size. All the hairs on my arms shot up, surges of what felt like electricity soared up and down every part of my body. Damon was remarkably warm for one thing - I could it feel it from underneath his shirt.

Have already gone this far, I leaned my head on his shoulder, breathing in his scent, something across a mixture of whiskey and aftershave. His hair ruffled against my forehead as the wind shoved it in my direction.

It was over all too soon. He pulled into the driveway of his house yet he didn't turn off the engine of the bike. He remained motionless, his head cocked down and his eyes shut. His face was blank and emotionless.

I slowly removed my arms and it was then I noticed they were shaking. I got off the bike as fast as I could, almost tripping over myself in the process but catching myself right before I hit the ground.

Damon let out a small chuckle. "You alright there?"

"I don't like riding bitch on a motorcycle," I said, hoping that would explain my dilapidated state.

"Well I loved riding it," he said, swinging the keys on his index finger. "I might just have to borrow your baby again sometime."

I grabbed the keys out of his hand. "Now that is never going to happen."