Thank you so much to everyone that is taking their time to review and view my story, means a lot to me.
I just wanted to give a special shout-out to, ddluzelle, for the constant support through out my story. Their reviews make me happy :) And another to, Aleksjoys, for their review that brought a smile to my face.
On with the story :)
Chapter Eleven
162 candles.
I woke up to a splitting headache. It felt like someone was chiseling away at my skull repeatedly. I lay there in bed thinking about the events that occurred yesterday but my mind was having trouble bring anything up. My memories felt jumbled, like someone had decided to remove random bits and pieces. Nothing made sense and every time I concentrated on a certain memory a searing pain shot through my skull.
"Knock, knock." muffled a voice came from outside my bedroom door.
"What?"
The door creaked open slightly to show Jeremy leaning against my door frame. He smiled down at me. "You have to get up and dress. We're leaving in 10." He informed.
I groaned, pulling my duvet up over my head. "Do I have to?"
"Yes. They want to know if you know anything."
"But I don't."
"You still have to go." Jeremy stated simply.
I peeled back a corner of my cover and peered out and over at Jeremy. "Rweally?" I asked, jutting out my bottom lip. He just raised his eyebrow and smirked.
"It's not up to me. It's Elena." He replied. "So, I'd get up if I was you."
I frowned slightly before huffing and throwing my covers off of me. "Fine!" I exclaimed waltzing over to my wardrobe.
"You have 10 minutes." was all he said, closing the door behind him.
"Lillie, you can come in now." Sheriff Forbes called over to me. I turned and gave Jeremy a small smile before pushing myself up and following after Liz.
I followed her into her office and closed the door behind me.
"Please take a seat." She instructed.
I hesitantly sat down, as I surveyed the room. I've never liked being in the sheriff's office, and trust me I've been in here enough times.
"So, how are you?" Liz asked politely.
"Erm...I'm good I guess. You?" I replied awkwardly. I looked around the room, making sure that I didn't make any eye contact.
"I'm good, thank you. Now, lets talk about Vicki."
"Okay."
"When did you last see Vicki?"
"The Halloween party, I think." I frowned as I tried to think back to when the last time I really did see her was.
"You think?" She asked sceptically
"Yeah, I actually don't remember much of that night." I responded sheepishly, shrugging slightly.
"Why not?"
"I-erm-I...Hit my head." Liz smiled as she watched my eyes flitted around the room.
"You could just say you were drinking." She stated and my mouth dropped open a tad.
"Huh. I didn't think of just coming out and saying to the sheriff 'Hey, I can't remember much, because I was under-age drinking.'" I replied sarcastically.
"Okay, I get it. So you think you saw Vicki at the Halloween party correct?"
"Yes." Liz quickly wrote something down on her writing pad before looking back up at me.
"Has she had any contact with you over the last few days?"
"I vaguely remember a text message, the night of the Halloween party."
"Really? And what did this text consist of?" She asked as she continued to write what im saying.
"Just that she was going away for a while and not to worry." I answered truthfully, although there was a slight nagging at the back of my mind. Something wasn't right.
"And do you have this text message?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I deleted it."
"Why?
"Because I can delete my text messages if I want to." I responded sharply. I hated being questioned.
"Even though that was evidence?" Liz questioned.
"I didn't know that the text would be needed, okay? And anyway, it's Vicki's life she can do what she wants, when she wants. That's always how she's been anyway. Impulsive." I insisted
"Vicki is underage." Liz stated.
"You point being?"
"She has to live with a legal guardi-"
"Which she doesn't have." I interrupted. "Are we done here?"
I didn't wait for a response and just stood up and walked to the door. "If you hear anything, please inform us immediately." Liz asked from her place behind the desk. I gave small nod and left, closing the door harder than necessary making Elena and Jeremy jump. I chuckled lightly as Jeremy through my a nasty glare. I shrugged.
I plunked myself down in between Jenna and Elena. I leaned back and slide down the plastic chair, stretching my legs out and crossing my arms over my chest.
"You okay?" Jenna asked.
"Peachy." I muttered.
Jenna gently places her hand on my arm and I looked over at her. "It'll be alright." She smiled.
"I know, but I'm still upset that my best friend left me here...Alone." I grumbled, sinking further in my chair.
"You're not alone." Elena spoke up from the other side of me. "You'll always have us."
"Yay for family." I joked, cracking a small grin.
"Thank, god, that is done." I exclaimed as we exited the station. "I don't think I could have lasted another minute."
"Yeah, yeah." Jenna said smiling. "We got that from your constant moaning."
"Well I needed to get my point across somehow. And obviously I was successful." I teased.
I walked behind Elena as we made our way to Jenna's car when she stopped abruptly. I didn't stop in time and walked straight into her back.
"Stop doing that!" I growled. Her eyes stayed locked onto something and I slowly followed her line of sight to see Stefan. He didn't look very happy, but then again, neither did Elena.
"Sup Stefan." I called over with a small wave. His eyes left Elena's and found mine. Something in his eyes changed when ever he looked at me, but I just couldn't figure out what it was. He smiled at me and gave me a wave back.
"Elena, go talk to him." I whispered, nudging her forward. She just stood there watching him. "Go. Talk. To. Him." I hissed, roughly shoving her forward. She turned around and glared angrily at me and in response I innocently shrugged and turned away from her.
"Hey, Jenna, Elena's going to be a minute." I smirked at Jenna as she turned and looked behind me to Stefan and Elena.
"You were right. He is cute." Jenna commented.
"I'm always right, Aunt Jenna."
"I'm going out!" I shouted through the house as I got my leather jacket and slipped it on. I waited a few moments getting no response. Okay. I walked into the living room to find Elena and Jenna staring intently at Jeremy, who looked like he was studying. Wait, studying?
"What's going on?" I hesitantly asked.
"Watching the Jeremy look-alike." Jenna answered her eyes never leaving Jeremy.
"Look-alike?" I questioned
"He's studying." Elena loudly whispered over to me.
"Ah, yes, the evil studying." I joked. "What's wrong with studying?" I asked, confused.
"The real Jeremy does study, remember?" Elena said.
"Erm, no, not really. Wasn't here, remember?" I mimicked. Jenna's attention snapped to me.
"Yeah, we remember." She said quietly. I felt guilt starting to stir around inside me. When my family needed me the most I left them. When they were going through the same thing as I was, I left them to suffer on their own. I was selfish, I didn't think of anyone other than my self. But what would have happened to me if I had stayed. Would everything have been better or would it have been worse. What if me being depressed caused an even bigger impact. What if I couldn't stand it any longer. What would I have done. All these thought swirling around in my head. All the 'What ifs' taunting me. Each one making me feel that much more guilty. If I stayed would Vicki still be here and not somewhere else, all by her self.
"So, shouldn't you be studying aswell?" Jenna's voice asked as it broke my train of thought.
"No!" I answered quickly. "You know, as much as I'm enjoying this conversation, I've got places to be, people to see." I rambled as I gracefully back out of the room and literally ran for the front door.
"Be home by 10 latest!" Jenna yelled in time to be heard before the door slammed shut.
"I'll try." I said to myself.
Being out in the sun was nice. Although it wasn't as warm here as it was in Florida it was still nice. I like the sun, always have. The warmth that the sun offers us, is comforting. Sometimes when it's really hot, the heat I find is almost like a protective blanket that wraps it's self around me.
I walked down the path, passing the 'Mystic Girl' when I noticed a familiar blonde. I really didn't want to talk to her right now, or the Dark haired vampire standing beside her. I slipped my hood up and lent my head down, avoiding all eye contact with anyone. I watched my feet as they moved one in front of the other. I was so caught up in my feet's movement that I didn't notice the oncoming person heading my way, until I walked straight into them. I crashing into an unknown person, pain shooting through my chest as I tumbled backwards towards the ground. I closed my eyes, expected the feel of concrete hitting my bottom and back, but nothing. Nothing happened. I cautiously opened my right eye to find myself staring into a ice-blue orb. Damon. I let out a sigh of relief as I opened my other eye aswell.
Damon wore his usual smirk as he looked down at me. His eye lit up with amusement. "Hi there." He purred. His arms were wrapped securely around me, preventing me from toppling to the ground. My eyes locked with his and I could feel myself getting lost. It was like staring into the vast expanse of the ocean, the blue water rippling gracefully as I watched. His eyes seemed to bore into mine, connecting us somehow. I felt naked, like I was baring my complete soul to him with no barriers. He could see every ounce of emotion that I had hidden in me. He could see my pain and guilt, my confusion. And I didn't like it. It made me breathless.
"H-hi." I stuttered, finally getting grip of myself and pulling away from his captivating blue eyes. I stood up straight with the slight help from Damon and immediately stepped away from him and out of his arms. As soon as his hands left my body, it was like all the heat was draw out of me, leaving me cold. I took a few extra steps back away from him.
"Just the person I've been looking for." Damon announced casually. he crossed his arms over his chest as he continued to smirk down at me.
"Uhuh." I hummed. "And why?"
Damon's smirk seemed to intensify. "We'll there's going to be a party at the grill tonigh-" He started before i harshly cut him off. "Not interested."
"Awwww, come on, Ann."
"No." I stated. "Not gonna happen." I shook my head at him and pushed past him. I didn't get very far before his hand wrapped around my wrist, freezing me on the spot.
"Let go." I demanded, glaring over my shoulder at him.
He didn't answer, just stared at me. Watching my every movement. His blue eyes roamed every inch of my face, as if he was memorizing it. Or recognising it.
"Please, let go, Damon." I quietly begged. His eyes snapped up to meet mine again and he seemed confused.
"I know you." He muttered as his other hand came up slowly to caress my face. His fingers ever so slowly swept a stray piece of hair behind my left ear, before returning to my cheek. His touch was electrifying. Everywhere his fingers drifted a pleasurable tingle erupted. Somehow his other hand had left my wrist and was placed on my face with the other one with my noticed. Soothingly he cupped my cheeks, his thumbs rubbing lightly under my eyes, drifting down towards my lips. His thumb traced the outline of my bottom lip tenderly. My hand made their way to his chest, pressing against the material of his black button up shirt. As his fingers rubbed soothing circles on my skin, my hands clenched unwillingly into his shirt, unconsciously pulling him closer. What was I doing? I shook my head and his hands froze mid-pattern. I sucked in deep breath and opened my clenched fists, flattening my palms against his chest before slowly reaching up and grasping Damon's hands in mine. This moment felt so intimate, and the one thing that frightened me the most was how familiar Damon's touch was.
"Don't." I whispered. I watched our hands as I pulled them down to his sides. I let go and quickly stepped back away from him. He took a hesitant step towards me. "Don't" I repeated. He stopped but his gaze never left my face. I frowned. "I'm sorry." I whispered before turning my back on him and walking away.