Chapter eleven : Better to lie
The first thing I felt in my recovery state was the incessant buzzing in the back of my head. It was like I was under a steamroller and my head was about to explode.
The more I focused on my pain and the more I could feel it extended throughout my body, especially my neck.
Unconsciously, I brought my hand to my neck, always keeping my eyes closed when another sound interrupted me or rather a sensation. I could hear the roar of an engine as well as jolts. I tried to relax my legs but finally met an empty surface.
In panic, I flicked my eyes open by placing my hands on each side of my body to try to straighten myself. I was obviously punching a lot harder than I thought because I took a long time to realize that I was currently in a moving car.
It was not mine since the last time I was approaching my SUV was when I stopped in the middle of the road at the sight of a man on the ground and then ... I could not remember.
I widened my eyes in panic at my loss of consciousness and turned my head to the side to widen my eyes even more as I moved back as far as possible in my seat.
"Hello."Said Damon cheerfully with a smirk, exasperating.
'' What is it ... Damon?" I exclaimed, bewildered before grimacing again at the throbbing pain in my neck and bringing my hand to my neck.
I frowned at the feeling of a dried liquid, crunching almost under my fingers and rubbing the tips of my fingers together, inspecting the liquid I had recognized as blood.
"He didn't miss you. I really thought you were going to die in my arms and that would probably be the case without my blood in your system." Damon intervened, scary as hell as he gave me a side glance while driving with one hand.
"It was a vampire." I remembered in a sort of flashback before I turned to the jet-black vampire with eyes wide of shock. "Your blood? ''
"Obviously." Agreed Damon, totally ignoring my horrified state, frowning, "Although I'm wondering who this vampire is because that idiot of Logan is dead."
'' You gave me your blood!'' I exclaimed outraged, turning completely to him in disbelief.
"It's a given." Damon replied, rolling his eyes nonchalantly."Now we just have to watch you so that you don't die in the next 24 hours. We don't want another baby vampire on our hands, right? ''
I could not believe what I heard. The nonchalant tone with which he spoke. He gave me his blood. His fucking vampire bloods. I had never thought of becoming a vampire and I sincerely hoped that the question would never arise. I did not want to be a vampire. I was not made for that.
'' A given? One ... stop the car. Now!" I screamed indignantly when a swell of nausea was felt in the pit of my stomach."Damon, stop the car. Believe me, you'll want it too. "
I held my belly gagging quickly and I saw Damon wide-eyed alertly out of the corner of his eye."Little Gilbert, I forbid you to throw up in my car."
He gave a dry steering wheel to the side and was quick to park the car on the roadside. He had barely stopped the engine as I was bursting out of the cockpit and barely three steps before I threw all the contents of my stomach into the ditch. The liquid acre grated my throat and I had not felt so weak in a long time.
I felt a chilling wind briefly my cold sweats before I jumped slightly at the feeling of hands in my hair.
'' There. There."I heard over my croaking and took a step back in the realization before wiping my lips with a flick of my hand and shooting a cold glare on Damon.
'' Don't touch me. You've done enough already."I gasped with bitterness while leaning on the door of his car.
"Oh, c'mon Mila, don't be like that. I saved your life, you know."Damon moaned, coming closer to me with a fake friendly smile as I narrowed my eyes at him in exasperation.
"Why don't you let him finish me, huh? Why did you take me with you?" I was suspicious as I leaned on his door to straighten up before frowning. '' Where are we, anyway? ''
"Let's say I owed you one. Then you were there, damsel in distress, I couldn't miss an opportunity to act like the hero." He replied sarcastically, waving his eyebrows with a smirk that made me glare at him with boredom."And to answer your question, we are in Georgia."
The hint of the hero was very clear, but that was not the thing that interested me the most. I still did not know why he saved me or even why he took me with him. As he had shown many times. Damon was still unpredictable when it came to me. I really did not know what he was planning but if I followed my instinct it did not bode well.
"Geor… Georgia?" I exclaimed, wedging the word between puffs in disbelief and pinching the deck of my nose wearily before standing in front of him. "I suppose a return to Mystic Falls is not possible. ''
'' Ah, you think so. '' Sing-song Damon lucidly pointing at me with a smirk before leaning his head towards the car.'' Get in! Hurry. ''
I let out a deep sigh of annoyance following his receding back before shaking my head, tired and making my way into the cockpit.
Obviously, I was not going to get any answer and it was out of the question that I was going to hitchhike.
During the trip, I realized that Damon had managed to get my phone and carried it all the time. I suspected that had to do with the fact that Stefan would realize my disappearance from one minute to the next and that Damon did not want him to join us.
Currently, I found myself watching the surrounding landscapes through the transient window and could not find a positive point in this trip.
It was weird to find myself at Damon's side and act like he had not tried to kill me on several occasions.
I brought my hand to my forefinger for the purpose of playing distractedly with my ring to soothe my nerves but widened my eyes instead when I realized it was gone. I felt tugging tugs inside my chest and could feel the blood flowing much faster in my veins to my growing panic. I began to search frantically around me, alerting Damon who raised an eyebrow while sizing me aside.
'' Where is it?" I murmured frantically. My voice becoming more and more torn as my search failed.'' No, no, no! Not that! C'mon!''
I leaned on my feet as I got up to the limit my seatbelt allowed and felt the leather seat like a drug-addict.
This ring was all that was left of my mother and I had enough months before even being able to reach it so it was out of the question that I would accept that I had lost it. It was impossible that I could have lost it.
'' Whoa! Calm down, Catty-cat. "Damon interjected with a frown and a smirk, but I barely noticed him as I leaned over and opened his glove box while frantically murmuring in search of my ring."Hey, Mila!"
I broke my stern look at Damon at his faint glare and narrowed my accusing eyes on him. '' Where is it? ''
"A little imprecise, don't you think?" Damon replied, raising a puzzled eyebrow without ever taking his eyes off me.
Right now, I did not care that we were getting into a car and his hands were on the wheel. This ring meant a lot more to me than anything.
"My ring, idiot." I broke in exasperation. "Give it back to me. Now.''
I watched in almost desperate ways as Damon dropped the steering wheel with one hand to reach the inside of his leather jacket and pulled out my precious ring with the most execrable smile I knew.
I immediately raised my hand to reach him but as the most detestable person he was, Damon removed the ring back with a jingle of his tongue.
"Why are you so eager to get it back?" He asked teasingly as I remained silent glaring at him.
It was out of the question that I was going to share the meaning this ring had for me.
To this day, only Stefan knew its real importance and I was planning to keep it that way. It was not because Damon had supposedly saved my life and kidnapped me for a drive, I was suddenly going to be friendly.
I was not friendly and even less so with Damon Salvatore. On my list of my enemies, he was ranked first and well, second. The vampire who had tried to kill me last night and would have succeeded if Damon had not intervened had taken his place at the top of the list.
I was trying to reach him again but he pulled his hand back with a smile all the greater as he took pleasure in annoying me.
"Give it to me, Damon!" I ordered with a frown, but he just kept it in his hand and returned to his observation of the road.
"That wouldn't have to do with the fact it's being soaked with vervain, isn't it?" I blinked at his allusion and accusing tone before frowning.
The fact that it was soaked with vervain was the last of my thoughts. I did not care that he could compel me. At this point, only the ring was important to me.
"Believe me, this is the last of the reasons I can think of."I was trying to get it in a tone of hope before sighing and begging him." Please, I promise you I will not do anything to hurt your precious diabolical plan. All I want is to get it back. "
Damon glanced at me sideways, incredulous before frowning at my most honest expression. It was the truth. I did not care about anything he could do to me, if I had the ring on me.
I knew that this behavior was irrational, but we had already established that I was anything but rational.
"Why is this ring so important to you?" Damon questioned, putting his eyebrow on the jewel between his fingers as he really wanted to know but I knew him well enough to know he did not care.
Everything was only games and distraction with him and I would be the most stupid of humans if I let myself be had by his act. I was maybe irrational, but I was not stupid.
"Why do you even bother asking the question?" I retorted boldly, gauging my ring between his fingers with envy.
I felt naked without it and the feeling grew in the hollow of my chest as the minutes passed.
"Obviously, it's important to you. I'm curious." He justified himself laconically, simply lifting his shoulders with a suggestive eyebrow.
I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at him with boredom before sighing wearily.
"Stefan give it to me." I lied in an attempt to get past the subject and get it back, but Damon was much more lucid than I thought as he made a loud buzzer sound from the back of his throat and looked at me with a falsely exaggerated look.
"You lied!" He exclaimed in an exaggerated tone, banging my head against the seat and rolling my eyes in irritation. '' I'm even more curious. ''
"Make as you wish." I snapped, keeping my gaze on the road, but that was not counting on Salvatore's stubbornness.
''Fine. '' Hailed Damon, impassive, calling me as he nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders, ''It's not that important anyway. ''
I watched him grit my teeth as he replaced the ring inside his leather jacket with a smug smile and felt indignation running through my veins.
I had never met someone so irritating in my life.
"Seriously? '' I exclaimed, outraged, widening my eyes incredulously. '' Blackmail?''
Damon rolled his eyes exasperating me even more. "Immediately, the big words." He mocked with a smile.
"Can't you be infuriating for just a minute?" I sputtered broadly, scowling, making Damon turn to me with a smirk.
"Why is this ring so important to you?" He insisted, playing with my nerves, and I sighed, raising my arms to the ceiling before turning my gaze back to the window and the landscapes that were passing by.
If he was going to be like that then I could play his little game very well. I was not going to let myself be so easily. Me too, I could play his little game and without bragging, I had some patience hide.
Although the lack was still there, and I kept looking at my naked finger every five seconds, I managed to remain silent for the rest of the ride.
Damon had been wearing a perpetual, smirk all the way and had not stopped staring at me, gauging my reactions with almost, interest, see ... consideration. I suspected it was just the fruit of my imagination, but I really felt that his way of acting without feelings was just an act of despair, that it was not true him.
Finally after a long, unbearable silence, I reached my limit. I really did not do the silence with anyone.
'' Okay! Where are we going like this?" I exploded, turning to Damon in expectation of a real answer. '' And don't answer me by another question or Georgia, okay.''
''Ha, ha! You spoke."Lashed mocking Damon, pointing at me like a five-year-old, and I tilted my head to the side, raising my eyes to the sky in disbelief.
''Mature. Very mature. " I said in a flat tone with pure lassitude and narrowed my eyes on him insistently.
Damon stared at me with a smug smile before sighing at my persistence, unconsciously smirking at me."In a village just outside Atlanta."
''What's so important there?" I asked with a frown forgetting for a moment that I was talking to the most devilish and manipulative person I knew.
"Where would be the surprise if I told you?" Damon snapped, teasingly, fully enjoying his knowledge as I scowled at this childish act.
POV Stefan
It was not normal. He had had no contact with Mila since yesterday and the situation with Elena did not help.
Even though the brunette did not want to talk to him about Katherine's discovery, Elena had called him to report Mila's worrying absence.
There had been no sign of the brunette in Mystic Falls. Stefan made sure of that. He was even with her friend Felix, who was also worried about Mila's disappearance.
And as if that was not disturbing enough, Damon had also disappeared. In any other circumstance, Stefan would have been happy about his brother's departure, but in this case it did not bode well.
He had to find Mila. That's why he was currently on his way to Bonnie. The witch recognized him and continued walking beside him.
"Bonnie!" Hail Stefan, stiff knowing that the witch was now aware of his secret.
'' Stefan!" Bonnie in her turn, visibly suspicious and somewhat frightened.
It was not exactly what Stefan had imagined when he returned to Mystic Falls. He had never wanted to involve anyone, but if he had to be honest with him, he knew that as soon as Damon had set foot in Mystic Falls, everything would be much more complicated. He was perfectly aware of it. It has been the same for over 150 years now.
"Hi!" He greeted feeling awkward with this stiff presentation.
"Hi!" Bonnie repeated, as awkward and stiff as Stefan.
Stefan pocketed his hands in the pockets of his jeans as he swallowed before casting a worried look at the brunette. "I hadn't seen you for a long time. How are you? It's better?''
The surprise was transparent on Bonnie's face as she stared at him open-mouthed before swallowing and shaking her head feverishly.
"Uh ... I'm fine." Bonnie replied, shaking her head, more to convince herself than Stefan,"Everything is fine."
"Cool!" Stefan said, still clumsy.
He really hated that kind of situation. It reminded him of the beginning of his friendship with Mila. There had been moments of silence between the two but fortunately for him, the young Gilbert had always had a gift to put him at ease. This simple memory was enough to remind him why he had gone to meet the descendant Bennett in the first place.
"Yeah," Bonnie said with a slight frown before allowing another awkward pause to settle in and take a hesitant look at Stefan. "Are you coming back to class?"
Stefan paused in his step at the simple question of the brunette and resumed his serious expression."In fact, I came to high school because I knew I would find you. I have a service to asked you. "Bonnie raised a suspicious eyebrow at the expectation of clarification." Regarding your powers. "
"Stefan." Said Bonnie, taking a really concerned expression. "I know that this whole story is no problem for Elena or even Mila, and I can't thank you enough for what you did for me, but I don't feel ready for that yet. "
Honestly, Stefan expected that.
It was difficult to learn about his world, but when you learned how to do it, it was even more difficult.
In fact, after what happened, he thought Bonnie was really managing the situation well. Without his blood, she would be dead now and even though he did not want to count on it, he knew he had to support.
It was about Mila now and if Stefan had to be honest with himself, he recognized the importance that young Gilbert had for him. She had helped him and accepted him without hesitation since the beginning of all this.
He had never felt such a connection with a human since a long time apart from Elena and even if the death of Lexi had annihilated him, he knew that without Mila it would not have been the same thing. He felt that blameless need to protect her and be there for her no matter what.
'' I totally understand. Believe me."Stefan agreed." But I need you to help me. It's Mila, she's gone. Just like Damon and I'm afraid he's the reason for her disappearance. "
The shock and fear were very clear on Bonnie's face as she stared at Stefan in disbelief. She could not believe her ears. Mila was alone with Damon and nobody had any idea where she could be. After what had happened with Damon, she knew how of a big sicko that he was and if she had been of no defense against the vampire, she was convinced that Elena's younger sister, would be even less so.
Bonnie had never really been closed to young Gilbert but that did not mean she did not care for her. She was Elena's little sister after all, and she knew how important she was to her best friend. Especially, that Elena had suffered enough misfortune and death according to Bonnie.
'' How did this happen?" Bonnie asked in concern as she sat down at one of the tables in front of the school.
"I don't really know." Replied Stefan, anxious. "I brought you a scarf that she left at the boarding house. I thought you might be able to get in touch with her. All I want is to make sure she's fine. "
He knew that he had risked because it was not really a precious object for Mila, but it was all he had of the brunette. If he had the choice, he would have taken her ring belonging to her mother, but she would always have it with her and in a sense, it comforted him. He knew that inside the ring Mila had chosen to hide the vervain he had given her.
Even though she was alone with Damon, she still had a backup and at that point it was the only thing he could hang on to.
Bonnie gauged the scarf that Stefan was holding in his hand, raising a dubious eyebrow at the vampire's attention. "Why do you seem to believe I can do that?"
"Because I knew a lot of witches and I saw what they were capable of." Assured Stefan, wishing a total trust in the witch's gifts.
"It's still new to me." Bonnie warns, doubting her own abilities.
"It doesn't matter." Stefan said, handing the scarf for Bonnie to take."Do what you can."
Bonnie took the scarf that Stefan handed her and nodded slowly in apprehension. She was not sure of her abilities, let alone what happened with Damon.
She knew something was wrong with her since that night, but she had to try. For Elena and especially, for Mila.
'' OK, let's go.''
The witch tightened both hands on the scarf, closing her eyes before focusing on the young Gilbert. She was waiting to feel a kind of feeling or even a vision but after a few minutes, nothing was happening.
She opened her eyes with a frown and met Stefan's hopeful gaze.
"I didn't feel anything." She declared slightly worried and disappointed, disturbing all the more Stefan."Nothing at all, usually something happens, a vision or something." She bit her lip in hesitation before taking a pensive look."Tell me if anyone is looking."
Stefan looked expectantly as Bonnie leaned over the table to catch a dead leaf on the floor and put it on the table before raising her hand over it.
He did not really know what the witch was trying to accomplish, but his anguish with Mila was all the stronger now.
"C'mon, Bonnie." Stefan heard Bonnie murmur, making him frown, confused.
Bonnie frowned in turn, taking a concentrated expression, almost in pain, and raised both her hands above the leaf. He could see her tongue protruding slightly from her lips as she seemed to be concentrating with difficulty on her task but did not succeed.
'' What? " Stefan asked, alarmed by the girl's expression.
Bonnie raised her green orbs on Stefan. '' This time for sure. There's something wrong. "
"With Mila?"Asked Stefan immediately in the slight panic but Bonnie nodded negatively.
'' No. There is something wrong with me. Listen."Bonnie suddenly got up from her seat, picking up her things in a hurry, and looked apologetically at Stefan." I must go. I'm sorry Stefan, you'll have to do without my help. ''
Stefan looked puzzled at the fleeing back of the brunette as she began to run and knew that Mila's fate was even more disturbing.
POV Mila
'' What did you do with my car?" I asked, suddenly worried about the last present from my parents.
They offered it to me a month before their untimely death, and even if it was just a car it was a lot more to me than a car. I cared about this truck almost as much as my ring.
"I left it off the road," Damon replied, briefly taking his eyes off the road.
"You do what?" I cried out, bewildered by turning to him completely with wide eyes.
Damon rolled his eyes, already repeating what I had heard, making me die of the desire to strangle him to death.
"I understood the first time." I cut him scornfully. "That vampire. Did you know him? ''
"I can't know him if I've never seen him." Damon retorted with a bored-eyed roll, "You know, we don't have parties between us at Vampire Grill."
I raised an eyebrow in disbelief and total annoyance at these exasperating little squares and sighed heavily as I put my head back on the leather seat frame before feeling Damon's eyes piercing holes in my skull.
"Eyes on the road, silly. Human on board."I warned with a bored eye roll.
Damon was really dangerous. It was driving too fast for my taste and every turn, I thought my time had arrived. After what happened with my parents, dying in a car accident, was the last thing I wanted.
My simple request was enough to smugly smile the vampire who gave me a side glance with mischief. '' Fear of speed? ''
"Only when I'm driving with a sick psychopath who would survive if we had an accident." Exploded I, tired of taking all his teasing.
I had not really had a good night's sleep for months and finding myself on a long drive with Damon was all I needed to crack. I waited with apprehension for his answer when he entered a small town and soon parked in front of a small bar with a sign worthy of small towns.
Bree's Bar.
I gauged the bar in pure disbelief and indignation before turning to Damon, narrowing my dark bluish eyes on him.
"Did you take me here to go to a bar?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest in exasperation.
"Relax a little, Mila." Intime Damon removing the keys from the contact. "C'mon, dead time. You're young, have fun! " I raised an eyebrow annoyed by his fake cheerful tone. '' Let it go a little. Trust me, your problems will always be there when you get back. "
'' That's the problem, I don't trust you.'' I replied immediately without even thinking and I thought I saw a passing moment of pain on Damon's face, but as it had appeared, it was so fast left. I sighed as I looked at the doors of the bar. "Besides, I'm too young, Damon. They will not let me in. "
The mischievous smile on Damon's lips did not inspire me any good as he declared."Of course, yes."
I looked at his back as he got out of the car first before returning my gaze to the bar and let out a deep moan of exasperation by unhooking my belt.
I knew I was going to regret it but obviously I did not really have a choice. I climbed out of the car, raising my hand to my head to protect my eyes from the sun before following Damon who had stopped waiting.
The bar was ... just like any other bar. There were billiard tables on our left as well as several men seated with glasses of alcohol in front of them. The ambient music had a country side and behind the bar was a tall African American woman.
From the moment she laid her eyes on Damon, a broad smile appeared on her lips before she screamed for all who wanted to hear it. "No, I don't believe it! Damon! ''
She immediately stopped what she was doing to jump over the bar with ease and rushed with the biggest of smiles towards Damon.
Honestly, I never thought someone would be so happy to see Damon. Stefan, that was understandable but Damon. It did not make any sense to me.
"The love of my life." She hissed, playful making me wide my eyes in disbelief before making me uncomfortable as ever when she literally jumped on Damon's neck and kissed him with passion in front of all the customers, me included.
If I had not realized it before, now, I was fully aware that this woman was completely crazy.
After what seemed like the longest minutes of my life, she broke away from Damon with a benevolent smile, making me want to vomit again and turned to me with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm Bree. And you are? '' She asked, gauging me with interest.
I gauged her awkwardly, the mental image of watching her kiss Damon still engraved in my mind and turned my attention to the vampire to find him staring at me with a smug smile.
"Mila." I replied simply without really looking at both before returning to my bar observation.
I watched repulsively as Bree took Damon by the hand and led him with her to the bar and, therefore, forcing me to follow them. I sat on the stool next to Damon as Bree went back to the bar and made three alcoholic drinks.
'' Listen to me everyone!'' She hopes for the whole bar, calling out to me.'' I toast the man who broke my heart, pity my soul, made my life hell and destroyed all hope that I will one day be happy. Cheers!''
"Funny way to greet the person who destroyed you." I murmured cynically, more to myself than anything else, but it was not counting on Damon's fine hearing.
"Be nice, little Gilbert." Damon quipped with a smirk before taking one of the glasses Bree had put in front of us and toasting with her before swallow the liquid.
I winced at the stench of alcohol from the glass sitting in front of me and pushed it furtively towards Bree.
Bree slammed her empty glass on the bar like Damon with a silly smile. "Whoa! ''
More I watched her and more, I thought she had been under compulsion. It was impossible to do this with Damon without being forced or at least for me it was impossible. He was the most execrable person I knew.
'' So you let yourself go? ''
I made a double-tap before realizing she was asking me the question and immediately, a grimace of disgust crossed my face at the mere thought. "Ew! No ! I don't really have …''
"Honey!" Bree cut me off with a fluffy accent."Either let yourself get on board, or he'll force you off in either case."
I turned my incredulous look on Damon to find him staring at me with a smirk, telling me he was taking full advantage of my embarrassment.
"I don't really have a choice, so ..." I declared bitter before I cleared my throat to quickly change the subject. "How did you meet?"
"College." Bree answered, looking at Damon with a mischievous smile, surprising me.
I raised an eyebrow in amazement and turned to Damon, not hiding my surprise. "You go to college? ''
"I've been to campus a lot, that's true." Damon agreed with an arrogant smile that made me think he had not been there to study.
The more I spent time with him, the more I felt a deep exasperation with him. He was really impossible.
'' Twenty years ago. While I was a young student freshly landed. I met that handsome Apollo to die.'' Start Bree to my attention, giving me nausea with her story.'' I fell in love with him. He confided to me his little secret, I like him more, because you see, I too had a secret and I was longing to share it. "
I frowned in confusion at that as Damon leaned slightly to me, raising his hand close to his mouth knowingly. "Bree is a witch."
I widened my eyes in understanding and turned my attention to the brunette in surprise and disbelief. How many supernatural people existed around us? It was totally amazing. The more months went by and the more I felt that the supernatural world was much larger than I thought at first.
"You changed my life, you know. "Announced Bree, getting me out of my thoughts and I raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two with agitation.
If they flung themselves on each other again, I was really going to throw up this time.
"I've transcended your life." Agreed Damon pretentiously making me roll my eyes, bored.
"I don't doubt it." I said sarcastically, calling Bree's attention despite me.
Bree turned to me with a knowing smile."He's good in bed. Huh, honey? "
I remained totally speechless at her statement, widening my eyes in total disbelief and embarrassment.
I had never felt so uncomfortable in my life.
I had never had a boyfriend and I had even less considered Damon that way. I mean, of course, he was very attractive and had a perfectly drawn body on which any teenager would drool ... well, I was going astray. The thing is; I had never thought of Damon like that and would probably never imagine him that way. Damn, he had tried to kill me more than I could count now.
Fortunately for me, Bree never really stopped talking as she turned to Damon with a much more serious expression. "But finally, what he does best is turned around. So, tell me what is the real reason for your visit? "
I felt Damon's eyes on me from the moment Bree's words had left her lips. Obviously, Damon did not want me to know the real reason we were here, and as far as I was concerned it suited me perfectly. As I had already said, I did not care about Damon's plan, all I wanted was to get my ring and phone, so I could call Aunt Jenna and let her know I was still alive. Bree also saw Damon's look on me and took it as a sign to leave. From the moment she retired, I turned to Damon with a determined expression.
"I don't care why we're here. All I want is to get my phone and my ring back. "I assured myself in the hope that his plan mattered more than his desire to rot my life.
''Um! '' Hummed Damon, taking my phone out of his inside pocket of his leather jacket. I brought my hand to get it back, but he pulled the phone back.'' What makes me sure you don't go running to call Saint Stefan to the rescue, the minute you get it? ''
I gauged Damon for a moment in silence and crossed his bluish orbs and decided to play everything for the whole thing. "Nothing. Only, something tells me that the reason we're here is more important to you than my hypothetical call to Stefan. "
''Bold. I wouldn't have thought you'd get that in you, little Gilbert."Damon said, raising a dark thick eyebrow.
Against all odds, Damon handed me the phone and this time he let me take it back.
I quickly unlocked it, just to see countless missed calls from Elena and Stefan. I took my eyes off my screen to stretch my open hand again.
Damon raised an eyebrow, confused.
"My ring, Damon." I said, becoming impatient, but the mischievous smile on his lips told me he was not going to surrender so easily.
"I'm keeping it for now. As insurance."He said teasingly as he stepped out of his stool and winked at me."Say hello to Elena from me. "
I followed his leather-clad back in disbelief and exasperation before uttering a grunt and walking towards the exit. I dialed Jenna's number at once, already preparing to receive the sermon of my life, and winced in anticipation when the tone, indicating that she had dropped out, rang out.
"Mila, it's you? Where are you?" Jenna immediately addressed herself before being followed by Elena's voice through the cell. "Mila? Is she doing well? Where is she?''
"It's me, Aunt Jenna." I replied softly."I'm fine. I'm sorry. I needed air. ''
Honestly, I did not know what to say to explain my situation. I did not know if Elena had covered me or if she had denounced my disappearance. I had to be careful about that one.
I could hear Jenna's breath clinging across the device. '' Need air? Need ... I don't believe it. Listen to me, Mila Rose-Marie Gilbert. You are going home now, and we will discuss a punishment from the moment you put a foot in the house. "
"Jenna, I ..."
I heard the phone being pulled before Elena's voice came in. "Mila, where are you? You're not hurt?''
"I'm fine, Elena, but I really need you to save me to Jenna. I'm with Damon and I doubt I could go in the immediate future."I begged, glancing inside the bar through the window to see Damon and Bree in conversation.
'' With Damon?" Elena shouted in the cell phone. "Mila, what are you doing with Damon? ''
"Believe me, it wasn't by choice." I defended myself, walking up and down. "There was a vampire on the road. He attacked me. Dam ... ''
"Oh my god, Mila. You're okay?" Elena interrupted me in a state of panic and I rolled my eyes tired of being interrupted.
''If you will let me finish, I'm fine but you have to be careful. Damon didn't know him, but he could still be in town."I warned her in a hurry for fear she might cut me off again.
"Stefan is coming to pick you up. Where are you, Mila?" Elena informed me, and I could already hear the rustle of paper behind the cell phone at the same time as her footsteps.
I took another look through the window before looking at my feet hesitantly. I did not really know why I was saying this the next time, but I had to do it. "I don't need anyone to pick me up, Elena. I'm safe with Damon. "
"Safe ... Mila, did he compel you?'' Concludes Elena immediately in panic, rolling my eyes.
"Strangely, no." I replied honestly."But I'm going home with him. I just need you to cover me up with Jenna. "
I was slightly surprised when Elena accepted my request without flinching but her next request explained everything. "Just ... can you ask him about Katherine? ''
"Katherine?" I exclaimed, frowning, puzzled before my eyes widened in understanding. "You know."
"And you know, too." Hissed Elena, her tone suddenly colder."We'll talk later about the fact that you were aware that my boyfriend's ex-girlfriend looks like a mirror to me. Meanwhile, ask Damon questions. "
'' Are you blackmailing me?" I asked, slightly shocked.
I could hear Elena's breath through the phone as she took her time to answer me. '' Mila, you owe me that. ''
"Well, I'll ask him." I gave in with a roll of eyes in her dramatic tone, "Bye, Elena."
I hung up my phone biting the inside of my cheek in hesitation.
My eyes fell on my screen and my urge to call Stefan resurfaced.
Damon seemed fully absorbed in his conversation with Bree and it could not hurt if I called his brother. I had already established that I was not going to give him my destination but that did not mean that I could be there for my friend. I suspected that Elena knew about Katherine was not making their relationship better and I knew that Stefan would need support.
Without hesitation, I pressed the call button and brought the device to my ear in waiting. Stefan was quick to pick up and his voice immediately soothed me. "Mila? It's you?''
"It's me, Stefan." I said with a slight smile across my lips."I'm fine, don't worry. I'm with Damon. "
I could already hear his steps as well as the brewing of his jacket as he picked up the cell. "Where are you? I'll pick you up.''
"So Elena knows about Katherine." I was not so subtle about the subject.
"She is." Stefan agreed."But tell me where you are so I can pick you up and explain to you."
'' Stefan ... ''
I felt a hand snaked my own holding my phone, making me jump and I turned at the same time that Damon took my phone from my hands.
"Hi, little brother!" Hailed Damon through my phone with a smirk before giving me a mocking look."Mila is fine but I doubt that she wants you to come looking for her."
I glared at Damon as he smiled smugly at me."Yes, you too have a good day. Um! Um! See you soon.''
Damon hung up what I supposed on Stefan's nose before handing my phone to me with an impassive expression.
"You didn't have to do that. I didn't intend to tell him where I was."I informed him, bored by his bursting by locking my phone before putting it in the back pocket of my jeans.
'' I know.''
With that, Damon returned to the bar without even giving me a single glance, leaving me alone at the exit of the bar.
I pinched the bridge of my nose in confusion and irritation before I rolled my eyes and sighed. He was just way too enigmatic for my own mental health.
When I went back inside the bar, I found Damon sitting in the same place we were before parting. I would be fists, annoyed and walked a step forward to secure him before stopping at his side. He drank a glass half full of whiskey and glanced at my side when I appeared.
"What does it mean, I know, huh?" I said, taking my place on the stool next to his.
"Well, duh!" Damon exclaimed, again doing this weird thing with his icy blue orbs, smirking,"You're with me. Obviously, you don't want to go home. ''
I openly rolled my eyes to that. "Of course, this explains that."
Just when I thought Damon could not surprise me more than he had already done, a burger platter, French fries was stored right in front of us, making me raise an eyebrow in confusion.
'' What is that?" I exclaimed, frowning even as I secretly salivated on the piece of food.
I had not eaten since yesterday morning and I had to admit that now that I had this piece of food in front of me, my appetite took over.
"Burger, French fries." Damon replied unnecessarily, leaning over me to serve himself on my plate. The next thing I did was a simple reflex.
I quickly brought my hand over hers and hit his fingers like a mother scolding her three-year-old child. "No touch."
I made my gesture too late and swallowed in anticipation before slowly turning my head in apprehension towards Damon to find the exact opposite of what I had imagined.
His smile had grown considerably as he stared at me with that teasing look. I stayed too long to stare at him without a word since he ended up slightly frowning in the realization.
"Do you eat these fries or not?" He asked against all odds and I swallowed, frowning briefly before turning back to my plate.
I picked up a fry and brought it to my mouth.
From the moment the salt and fat of the fries touched my taste buds, my mouth was filled with an explosion of flavor. It was as if, I had not eaten in months. I never thought I could be so hungry when that moment. I threw myself almost on the rest of my plate and swallowed the food in big mouth without realizing my viewer.
Finally, I remembered the person next to me and glanced at the vampire to find him staring at me with an unfamiliar smile.
I swallowed the food I still had in my mouth and raised an eyebrow, questioner. "What? ''
Damon seemed to come out of a kind of stupor as he shook his head intently, blinking his eyes several times before frowning and throwing a fries into his mouth before swallowing it.
"Nothing."He eluded, nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders.
I bit the inside of my cheek, remembering the deal with Elena then, I grabbed my towel and wiped my hands before throwing it beside my plate and straighten up on my elbows.
"Good." I said, questioning his intention. "Stefan already told me that vampires can't reproduce so that means that if Elena gets off Katherine then she was a mother before being a vampire?''
"We can't reproduce but it doesn't hurt to try." Taunted Damon with his smirk, making me raise an eyebrow, annoyed. "But more seriously, why not ask all that to Saint Stefan? ''
''Well, one, Stefan is not here. And finally, I ask you."I retorted with slight pretension.
I was really hoping that Damon's sincere act was not just a trick, but as I was hoping for him better, he brought his hand inside his jacket to pull out my ring and just observed it beneath my eyes. Its sight was enough to make me want it and I wanted more than anything to recover.
''Um! Why does this ring matter so much?" He asked instead of answering my question, making me frown in boredom.
I knew that starting an argument with Damon would be the last way to get it. Something told me that he enjoyed far too much of our argument and I knew I had to use another tactic to get what I wanted.
"You don't answer my questions, then." I countered, shrugging my shoulders casually.
Damon turned to me with an arched eyebrow while still playing with my ring in his hands as Bree walked over to us and put a beer in front of Damon.
"That's it for you." She explained with a cajoling smile.
"Thank you." Damon replied, copying his smile as I eyed the glass bottle with a slight desire.
I wanted to get some answers from Damon, but I wanted more than anything to pick up my ring and I knew that the best way would be to use a subterfuge. The force was useless, and Damon liked the games so why not use his vice to my advantage for once.
"I'm going to get one." I commanded myself, calling Damon and Bree staring at me with mixed expressions.
Damon looked really surprised while Bree gave me a knowing smile.
"You're not a little young to drink." Damon remarked, once again taking me for the child I was not.
"We said dead time, you remember?" I used his own words against him. "You told me to have fun, so I'm going to drink a beer."
It seemed to be enough for Bree as she went back to her fridge and brought me a beer, which she put in front of me with a wink."Enjoy, darling."
I took my beer in one hand and turned to Damon with a playful smile."I want answers to my questions and get my ring back."
'' Really?"Asked Damon, smiling with a carnivorous smile." In this case, I offer you a little game. I answer your questions if you answer mine. "
I knew it was a risk of playing like that with Damon. He had been far more cunning than I was and seemed to have mastered this game of questions. It would be like playing with fire and I knew I was in danger of losing. But the stakes were far too important to let me have. Plus, he wanted me to have fun and that was what I was going to accomplish today.
I raised my beer to toast in sign of acceptance and Damon was about to copy me, but he stopped before banging his beer against mine.''No lie or scroll. Nothing but the truth.''
I was really smiling for the first time in his company and smacked my beer against his with mischief. '' Nothing but the truth.''
I took a sip, feeling the harsh liquid running down my throat and wincing slightly at the bitterness of the alcohol.
"I'm starting." I decreed, putting down my beer on the bar. "Katherine was a mother before being a vampire? ''
'' Not that I know but this is the only plausible explanation.'' Damon replied,making me frown, perplexed.
'' How-''
''Ha, ha."Taunted Damon, raising his index finger as a ban." It's my turn to ask a question. "
I rolled my eyes at that but still asked him to ask his question.
'' What do you like to do when you don't hang out with little Stef?" He asked, sounding serious.
'' What?"I frowned, totally disoriented by his question before staring at him in disbelief." That's your question? No question about my ring? ''
"Did you prefer that I ask you about your ring and the importance it represents?" Damon suggested with a thick eyebrow raised knowingly.
"No." I agreed hastily, kindling his curiosity on the subject."I love to read," I declared, not really knowing what to say, and Damon rolled his eyes. '' What? ''
"C'mon, Mila. A little effort."Damon insisted.
"I'm playing the guitar." I explained, missing the true look of interest I had aroused in the vampire."Although I'm an unconditional fan of the bass and the violin."
''The guitar, huh? '' Damon repeated, obviously interested, calling out to me.
'' What? Are you one of those who think that the guitar is not a real instrument?" I said defensively.
''On the contrary, I played the guitar before.'' Objected Damon, totally surprising me with this confidence, leaving me slightly confused.
'' When you say before-''
'' Attention, you have only one question per turn!" Damon reminded me, facetious, reminding me of the interest of this game.
"How come you don't know if Katherine has had a child before?" I asked the first question on my mind and I saw Damon's relaxed posture stiffen slightly in my interrogation.
"Katherine ... Katherine could make you say or do anything with a single smile, but she was very secretive when she was talking about herself." Damon explained leaving me more questions than answers. Unfortunately, he gave me no time to think too long as he asked his next question."Why did you shut up in silence? ''
I was speechless, not knowing how to answer this question without revealing myself. It was something that only Stefan knew, and I was not sure I wanted to share it with Damon. Hell, I was not even sure I wanted a real conversation with Damon.
"Uh ... I don't see how important that is?" I was frowning, perplexed.
"It's for me." Damon insisted, his tone devoid of any humor, and I slowly looked up from my beer for the observer, leaning my head to the side.
He seemed destitute of all teasing or mocking, only sincerity preached his features. It was a first for me. I crossed his cloudy orbs almost gray and remained there, a moment to contemplate his eyes hypnotizing without saying a word. I really did not know if this pleasant act was sincere but looking at him now, I wanted to believe it.
"Stefan asked me the same thing a few months ago." I started, drawing a slight grimace from Damon at the mention of his brother. "It was just easier. I had too, much to take and silence was the only defense mechanism I found. Watching people and going on with my life was easier than facing the hard reality, I guess. "
Damon weighed more heavily at the girl in front of him. Once again, she reminded him a lot of him and for the first time, he did not see her as Elena's little sister but a full-fledged girl.
''I understand. You felt broken.'' He said, reflecting on the old words of our meeting. '' In your turn. ''
I made a double-tap at his suggestion, coming out of my frozen state and put me back in the game.''When you say that Katherine was secret. You mean you didn't really know anything about her past before she came to live with you? "
"When Katherine came to our Veritas estate, she had invented the story of an orphan who lost her parents in a fire in Atlanta." Damon countered, frowning, almost nostalgic."That was all I knew about her and that was enough for me. "
Finally, after three more beer and an afternoon filled with more absurd questions than the others, I could already say that I still had more questions about the Katherine than answer. I realized now how much she had played with the two brothers. Stefan and Damon did not know anything about her, except what she told them. She was like a ghost, no past, no real present. I really discovered the manipulative appeal of the vampire and I was relieved that she was still locked in the crypt with all the other vampires. Katherine was dreadful, in every sense of the word and even though I admired the great minds, I could not believe that such a mind was locked in a demon's body. The two did not mix and I dreaded her without even knowing her.
As for Damon, I was even more confused about the vampire than before. If I had started asking questions about Katherine, Damon had just played twenty-one questions about me. I really did not know how to know my preferred color or memories of my childhood were going to serve him in his machinations.
Part of me thought it was sincere, but the rational and suspicious part always reminded me of what he had done since he had arrived in town. I could not trust him. Never.
'' Well, my turn. '' Said Damon with a smirk. '' Last question. '' I waited in silence for his next question, not expecting at all what would come out of his mouth. ' What's the thing between this ring and you? ''
With all the questions he had asked, I sincerely thought that he had forgotten his obsession with my ring but once again, I had been duped. Damon always had a margin in advance under all circumstances. I gaped at his question before swallowing. I had no intention of telling him how important this ring was to me. It was something that belonged to my mother and me. That's where the difference between Stefan and Damon loomed. If I could tell Stefan everything because I had total confidence in him, Damon was just the opposite. I did not want to get close to the dark-haired vampire. I had already found a friend in Stefan and Damon was only the enemy. If I let myself have it now then I knew it would be like being caught in an infernal tower. It would never stop. I would not be able to hate him that much and I might even end up enjoying him and that would be my death.
I was perfectly lucid about my involvement with vampires. I was human, and it seems that Stefan and Damon brought only deadly dangers with them.
Only, as far as it could seem totally delusional. I had never felt so alive as when I was at the side of the two vampires.
With Stefan, I felt free from all this pain, as understood and free to act me again while with Damon, it was something different. The fact that I was in perpetual danger at his side made me much more aware of myself, aroused my adrenaline and secretly, I loved to feel that way.
"Mila, you're not running away, I hope," Damon interrupted me, getting me out of my thoughts.
"I-I-I need to get some fresh air." I stammered to escape Damon's question and jumped to my feet before heading straight for the exit.
I honestly thought that Damon would not even let me step outside but against all odds, I managed to get out of the bar and its oppressive atmosphere.
From the moment I passed the doors of the bar, I took a deep breath and was immediately assaulted by the difference in temperature. I shivered, bringing my arms close to my body to keep warm and glancing inside the bar before turning back and rolling my eyes.
The moon was not yet complete, and the sky was almost devoid of any star. I was really wondering what I was doing here, almost forgotten who I was with and letting him just as stupidly reach me.
I watched the car park half-empty and my eyes fell on Damon's Camaro. I could just go inside and avoid for the rest of the evening the vampire thinking about a way to avoid all his questions or ...
I did not even have time to finish my reflection as I felt a new presence behind me followed closely by a hand gagging me. I was fighting instantly against my assailant, gesturing and stamping his feet and hands, but he was too strong. Much too strong to be human. He immobilized me with ease, reminding me again how much I was a weak little human and turned back by keeping his hand on my mouth.
I met his blood-red orbs and his bluish black veins appeared under his eyes and I knew instantly what he was, Vampire.
I widened my eyes in fear, thinking that it was probably the vampire who had attacked me last night but he brought his finger to his lips in a sign of silence and dragged me with him.
I tried in vain to talk and tried to put in a kind of fight not to follow him but as I had already said, I was weak.
He dragged me behind the bar to a more industrial area and ended up letting me go on a kind of ladder.
'' Who are you?" I spit as soon as I was free to speak.
"Shut the hell up." The man said coldly, threateningly, but that did not stop me. If I was going to die today, then I wanted answers before.
''That's doesn't answer my question!" I insisted, fighting my inner fear that could paralyze me if I let myself be submerged.
In a blur, he was in front of me, his fangs and vampire face visible, making me instantly back in the metal pieces behind me.
"I said : Shut. Up!" Ordered the vampire, sharp as I swallowed in terror.
I really wondered why I always found myself in these situations. It was as if, there was a luminescent mark on my forehead, indicating that I was the perfect little human to torture.
Then as it appeared, the vampire left me alone at the speed of vampire and I understood why after a few seconds.
Footsteps were heard, and Damon soon appeared in the corner.
"Damon!" I called shakily to warn him but was useless.
The vampire reappeared from nowhere and slammed Damon into the legs with a baseball bat, nailing him to the ground. I froze in shock at this violence before rushing towards the two vampires as the vampire continued to hit Damon. The sound of crunching and cracking bones echoed around us and I had to do everything I could to keep going.
"Stop!" I cried, totally in a panic, in vain.
'' What is this bullshit!" Damon exclaimed on the ground, obviously in pain as he struggled to straighten up.
I watched in terror as the vampire bartered the bat for a can of gasoline and began pouring eagerly on Damon.
Part of me was screaming to run to stop him but I was standing on the spot at the last moment. I knew it was not worthy of me to think so, but if I let the vampire go on then everything that Damon brought with him would go away. My growing fear that he made me feel, whenever he almost killed me. He deserved to die. It was justified.
"Who are you?" Damon croaked to the vampire's attention, pulling me out of my murderous stupor.
'' If it's not wonderful.'' Snapped the vampire, sarcastic with a cold, bitter grin.''You don't even know who I am. ''
As much as I wanted Damon's death, I knew I could not let him die. Not for Stefan.
'' Why are you doing this?" I cried, taking a step forward, just to step back when the vampire turned to me with a threatening look.
I was really starting to hate their scary faces. It was too much of a vampire trying to kill me and I was tired of being weak.
"He killed the love of my life."The vampire replied sharply, returning his broken, furious look at Damon. "What did she do to you, huh? What did she do to you? ''
Everything was explained.
I did not doubt that Damon had killed countless young girls and had just a little justice. He really deserved what was happening to him, that was why it was even more difficult to try to save him. I agreed with him.
"Nothing at all." Damon moaned as he tried to straighten up again, making the vampire pull a lighter out of his pocket from his jeans, preparing to set him on fire.
'' Whoa! Whoa! Wait!" I cried in panic, raising my hands in front of me and taking another step forward.
"My girlfriend's going to visit Stefan. That's where Damon killed her."Explained the vampire as he gauged Damon with pure hatred, his voice shaking a little in pain.
"Lexi!" I breathed in realization and looked up at the vampire, "You're Lee."
The blonde had told me about Lee and her relationship with him. It was just something she had been proud to count on me but now that I saw him, I frowned in puzzlement. If Lexi had been so proud to tell me this fact, it was because he was human and not, a vampire.
Lee frowned slightly at my recognition and glanced at me sideways. '' And who are you? ''
"I'm a friend of Stefan." I explained, keeping both vampires apprehensive. "She said you were human."
"If you want to be with someone for eternity, you must have eternal life." Lee turned to me, his voice trembling as his eyes fogged with tears.
I knew he was perfectly entitled to take revenge on Damon. He deserved it more than anyone and if I had to be honest, I wanted it to happen, but I could not do that to Stefan. He would be devastated by the loss of his brother even though he was the most execrable person on earth.
"You can't do that!" I was adamant, challenging Lee as he raised an eyebrow scornfully.
'' Ah yes?" He wondered incredulously. "And who will stop me? ''
My answer was instantaneous as I kept my eyes on Lee. "Not me."I glanced at Damon," Believe me, I'm probably the one who should encourage you to do it."
Damon gave me a painful and visibly worried look that I let Lee, kill him without doing anything. I had to admit that it was a new thing to see Damon in trouble for once. To have the power.
''Then why stop me?" Lee questioned, his dry, sharp tone.
"Because killing him will not change anything." I swallowed in anticipation of my next words. "Believe me, pain, hate ... the trouble will always be there after doing it. You may be relieved now. To think that you have revenged Lexi but, in the end, she's still dead. "
My words left a deep and painful silence as Lee gauged me with the most painful and painful eyes I had ever seen as Damon tried to straighten up. I met his guilty eyes, visibly reached by my words but turned my attention to Lee.
'' Don't let him destroy you more than he already has. You're not like him."I was refuting, hope and sincerity very clear in my voice as I gauged Damon, worried."Please."
Lee gauged me for a moment in a scary silence before bending down on Damon and grabbing him violently by the collar of his shirt, making me gasp in apprehension.
The seconds seemed minutes as he gauged him with all the hate and pain, he could pass in one glance before projecting him like a vulgar rag doll into the farthest wall. I widened my eyes in fear and worry as I took a precarious step forward just to stop when Lee turned to me. A tacit exchange passed between us as he continued to gauge me in heavy silence. I ended up nodding my head in gratitude, then, remained frozen on the spot as Lee left the scene at an unimaginable speed, leaving only the state of Damon, testify to his presence.
I turned my attention to Damon and soon ran to him to attest to his condition.
I kneeled up to him, slightly worried. "Damon?" The vampire sat up in pain in recognition and moaned. "Well, you're fine."
I sat up without really paying attention to Damon who gauged me as he was going to kill me on the spot.''I'm fine ? He was going to burn me like a barbecue. "
''The key word in your sentence: was. You're a vampire, get over it."I retorted, rolling my eyes to his dramatic look as he sprang up and dusted his petrol-soaked T-shirt with a scowl.
"Your consideration makes me warm."He smirked, making me roll my eyes before frowning as he grabbed my arm and pulled me with him.
It was getting really boring to be dragged by these damn vampires.
Damon paused in front of the Camaro's trunk and opened it before pulling out a long-sleeved T-shirt, black as usual and turned to me with a raised eyebrow.
'' What is that? A suitcase for all the times when you're almost lit like a twig?" I asked with attitude, crossing my arms over my chest.
Damon gave me a scathing look, obviously tired of my comments and smiled with a smirk. '' Get in the car. ''
"As you wish." I sang, jubilant at the situation and walked to the passenger side before getting into the cockpit and waiting for Damon to change.
Even though I was enjoying the situation right now, I really realized what I had done. I had saved Damon Salvatore. The same Damon who had tried to kill me many times and had made Stefan's life hell for centuries.
If it was not for Stefan, then Damon would be dead by now. I had made my choice that way, but I knew full well that I was going to deeply regret it. It was Damon after all.
Three knocks against my window made me jump and I narrowed my eyes on the smirking vampire who enjoyed my fright.
"Erase that smile, Salvatore." I was already annoyed with the vampire. "What's wrong? ''
"I'm going to get my jacket back inside the bar." He warned me, arching my eyebrow, confused as he was already walking to the bar before stopping in his gait. "Oh, and little prevention. ''
I looked in disbelief as he raised his keys in the air and pressed the security, emitting a small clique inside the car and locking me at the same time.
"What ... ... kind of ... argh!" I snapped, turning completely into my seat and crossing my arms over my chest in exasperation.
It was affirmative, Damon Salvatore was back to his self-arrogant and infuriating person. I ranted and swore for a good ten minutes before Damon finally came out of the bar, his jacket slung over his shoulder before he climbed behind the driver's seat with a smug smile at my expression.
'' Have fun while I'm gone?'' He taunted me, smirking, making me glare at him in irritation.
'' Shut up and drive!" I ordered curtly, turning my attention to the window, "I can't wait to get out of this car."
I was awakened again by the jolt of the Camaro engine and I looked around, slightly disoriented just to meet Damon again and his exacerbating smile.
I took a look at the road through my window before turning to Damon who was driving with one hand, looking very casual and nonchalant as usual.
'' Are we still far from Mystic Falls?" I asked, bringing my hand to my mouth as I let a yawn escape me.
'' We'll be back in less than an hour." Replied Damon, to whom I just nodded as I turned my attention to the surrounding landscapes.
I put myself at ease bringing my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around my legs before letting myself be rocked by the classic rock out of the car radio. I was so immersed in my observation that I did not notice in the first place the insistent look of Damon on me until he spoke.
"It belonged to your mother, isn't it?" Damon came in, his tone flat as he gave me a side glance at which I raised a confused eyebrow."The ring. That's why you're so attached to it."
I stared at him incredulously, swallowing before focusing on the front of the road. '' Why did you ask me questions? Why are you pretending to want to know me? "
"Don't take my interest as anything else but curiosity, Mila." Damon warned me implicitly."I was curious to know what Stefan saw in you."
I did not know why but this little spike hit me more than it should have. I frowned, checking my jaw. '' Very happy to know that I served you entertainment during your trip. ''
Damon frowned in his turn, taking an expression that was still unknown to me. "You weren't an entertainment. Now, I know why my brother likes to spend so much time with you. You're not that bad of a company, Mila. "
I turned my attention to Damon silently watching him and trying in vain to find his true personality. I was now certain that his psychopathic side without emotion was just a facade and even though Lexi had told me he was hopeless, I thought otherwise.
"Looks like you're looking for a friend, Damon." I said, looking sympathetically at the vampire.
My remark sparked a dark laugh from Damon as he glanced sideways, incredulously, "I have no friend. Don't try to analyze me, it will only lead you to disillusionment."
"I didn't hear you contradict me." I insisted, settling on my positions and I saw Damon ticking his jaw as he narrowed his eyes down the road and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"I don't want a friend, Mila, it's clear?" He snapped defensively, giving me a scathing stare from the side.
I looked up at the ceiling, leaning my head on the frame. "That's right. You're the big bad vampire who kills without a qualm."
The exasperation and annoyance were evident in Damon as his already pale phalanx turned pale as the steering wheel seemed to twist under Damon's improbable force and I looked at the vampire anxiously.
His gaze was focused on the road and the speed needle kept on increasing as our conversation progressed.
"I'm not good, Mila." Damon exploded darkly."Never forget that."
'' Really?"I questioned with a raised eyebrow before I tried everything for the whole thing." So why didn't you kill me yet, huh? ''
I really thought that my question had been the question of too much as Damon seemed beyond edgy, but he did something else.
"Because I can't kill you! "Damon roars in a fit of mad rage making me jump before slamming his fist into the steering wheel, slightly denting the metal." And, shit, Mila. "
"Why you can kill me?"I come frowning surprise, momentarily forgetting the nonsense of my question.
"Don't get me wrong. I want to kill you." Damon retorted coldly with a frown, confused, causing anxiety chills all over my body." You have the gift of driving me crazy but every time I try, I failed. I look at you and I find myself in you. And strange as it may seem, I end up letting you save your life. "
I remained silent, directing and analyzing despite myself this confidence before turning to Damon with a smug smile. "So, you can't kill me. Obviously, it's because you'd like to be my friend. "
Damon narrowed his gaze on me in blatant boredom and I copied his gaze by hitting him slightly in the arm with a scowl."Hey, I've saved your life, you idiot."
"I noticed." Acknowledged Damon, rolling his eyes.
"Good, try to remember it." I warned, looking back at the road with a teasing smile."I could use it in the future."
Damon copied my smile before turning his attention back to the road. The rest of the trip was quite comfortable, and I did not even see the parade miles.
Finally, when we arrived at the boarding house, I frowned at the sight of Elena's car, parked in the driveway.
I unbuckled my belt, giving Damon a confused look before coming down quickly from his car. I did not even wait for him to get in of the boarding house and immediately looked for Elena and Stefan. I climbed the stairs to Stefan's room, thinking it would be the best place to find them and stopped in the middle of my ascent when I heard Elena's angry voice.
"But what am I for you? And above all, who am I for you? "
Stefan's disoriented voice soon followed her."You're not Katherine. You're even the exact opposite of what she was. "
I sneaked a new step in the hope of getting a better listen. I knew it did not really concern me, but I was curious, and I was ready to intervene if Elena was bent on Stefan. I knew my sister well enough to know how she acted. Sometimes she could really be a little pest, even nasty and it was out of the question that I left her hurt Stefan without saying anything.
"When did you realize that?" Barked Elena "Before you kiss me? Before we sleep together? "
I did not really want to hear this kind of thing about my sister and my closest friend, but fortunately Stefan was quick to reply something that left me speechless.
'' Before I meet you. ''
I frowned totally astonished, since Stefan had never spoken to me about this and tended to listen for answers.
'' What? " Elena exclaimed visibly as confused as I was, and I could already imagine her frowning.
'' Do you remember the day of school? When we meet? "Stefan reminded, intrigued me more."In fact, it wasn't the first time. "
I did not really understand anything anymore. He had never told me about this and part of me was beginning to feel betrayed. Something told me that he did not tell me about it for a good reason and I did not really know if I was ready to hear it.
"When was it?" Elena asked with some distrust in her voice.
There was a long pause before Stefan spoke again. '' We met on May 23, 2009. ''
I remained totally speechless before this revelation and felt all my world crumble around me. This date would be forever marked in my mind. I could not believe that Stefan had hidden something of such magnitude. I felt all my defenses crumble again and I had to stand on the wall to support the weight falling on my chest. All the pain and pain that I had repressed lately reappeared and I could already feel my eyes fogging with tears.
'' But it was the day where-''
"The day your parents' car fell off the bridge." Stefan cut in confirmation, devastating me a bit more.
It was too much for me. I could not stay hidden anymore. I needed answers and I could not get them from the bottom of this staircase.
I quickly wiped my wet eyes with the back of my hand and breathed a brittle breath before climbing the rest of the way that separated me from the harsh truth.
'' Were you there? '' I exclaimed, making the two people in the room known to me, and immediately Stefan's expression fell into guilt and worry as Elena visibly stared at me as equally disturbed and devastated that I was.
'' Mila, I ... ''
I frowned harshly."Why didn't you tell me? "I cut him with a sharp gesture of the hand, keeping it fixed with a slight bitterness.
"I used to come back here every two, three years. To see Zack again and find me at home."Stefan began to look back and forth between Elena and me."Last spring, while I was in the forest not far from this famous bridge, I heard the accident. I heard everything. I quickly arrived at the scene, but it was not enough, the car was already fully immersed. Your father was still fully aware, I managed to reach him but he stubbornly refused me to help him, as long as I didn't help you, you-"
I kept my fists tight throughout the explanation, my voice stuck in the back of my throat with emotion and trying to stay strong listening to the full story of the day my parents died.
I could not believe Stefan hid that from me.
"That's not true." Elena breathed, eyes wide in shock. "When I woke up in the hospital, no one could explain how I managed to get out of the car. They said it was a miracle. ''
"I went looking for them, but it was too late, I couldn't save them." Stefan continued, once again making the inevitable happen again.
I walked to the nearest seat and dropped in, keeping my eyes on the floor while Stefan continued his story. "When I pulled you out and saw your face, you were the perfect one Katherine's look-alike. I could not believe my eyes, after that I spent months making sure you were not her. I watched you in secret, I tried to learn all I could about you, I realized that you did not look like Katherine. From that moment, I wanted to leave the city but, I failed, I could not resolve to leave without having met you. I'm sorry I did not tell you anything, I wish I could, but you were so sad. Especially you, Mila. I …''
I took my eyes off the floor to cross the green orbs filled with Stefan's guilt and wanted to say something, but Elena did not give me the time. "How come I look like her?"
Honestly, at this point, I did not care why in the fucking universe Elena looked like Katherine.
I had suffered two stressful days and this revelation was too much information. I stood up suddenly, questioning Stefan just like Elena and put my sad look on them.
"I have to go home." I said simply before turning back without a word and walking down the stairs as fast as my legs would allow.
I crossed the living room in a kind of stupor, totally oblivious to my surroundings and forgetting even the fact that I had no return.
I had almost reached the door of the boarding house when Damon came out of nowhere with that look of sympathy that did not look like him.
I looked up from all emotions except sadness and tried as best I could to keep myself from collapsing on the field.
The pain and grief were so suffocating that it was hard to breathe. Everything followed one another. Stefan's lie, the story of the accident, my loss of my parents always inevitable and the moments of happiness that were only memories now.
I did not know how long we were standing there staring at each other without a word with only our eyes dipping into each other, but I knew I could not stay a minute longer without cracking.
I did not want to be seen crying. And even less, Damon.
I took a step aside to get around him but instead of moving to the side to let me the passage Damon grabbed me gently by the arm and made me look at him.
"I'm going to take you home." He decreed in a worried tone.
If it had been at another time, I would have looked at his reaction or even resistance to him, but I was too immersed in my abyss of trouble to do any fighting.
I just nodded and waited for him to take his car keys before walking outside the boarding house. I climbed into the cockpit like an automaton and buckled my seatbelt without a word.
The drive was by far, the longest and most painful I had ever done. Damon kept staring at me as he expected me to explode at any moment while I kept holding back my tears.
Finally, Damon parked his car in the driveway and shut down the engine. I looked up at the house of my childhood that only accentuated my pain and felt the weight of their losses again.
I knew I could not stay indefinitely in Damon's car, especially as he was starting to get agitated, giving me insistent glances as if I were a time bomb.
'' Mila ... ''
"I ..." I interrupted quickly before taking a long pause, trying to form a sentence without collapsing and unhooked my belt. "I'm fine. Thank you for the ride.''
I stepped out of the cockpit at full speed wanting nothing more than to lock myself in my room and let myself be consumed by the trouble away from prying eyes.
I climbed the steps of my porches, still feeling Damon's piercing gaze on my back, and passed the threshold of the house.
I went straight up the stairs just to alert Jenna who soon began to chase me.
"I didn't make a lot of rules with you, Mila. Because I was counting on you to always tell me the truth."Jenna scolded me but at this point I could not care less about it." Where did you go? Why did you lie to me on the phone? "
"I-I don't know." I stammered, unable to say anything else in my condition.
''You don't know? How do you don't know? "Repeated Jenna clearly losing patience with me."Listen, Mila. I missed a lot of things with you. You didn't talk anymore, and I accepted. You locked yourself in pain, refusing any help and you managed the mourning in your own way. But from now on, there will be rules. ''
I really did not know what triggered my reaction as I turned furiously to Jenna and slammed on her."Stop trying to act like mom, Jenna! You're not her and you never are! ''
Aunt Jenna recoiled in my glare as I felt the tears run down my cheeks and my breathing became heavier.
I made my remarks far too late and I began to run the rest of the steps to my room to drop on my bed and release all the pain that I managed to contain from the pension.
