Chapter Twenty-One : Prove me wrong

I braked the handbrake with determination, keeping my bluish eyes on the familiar front of the large colonial-style house.

That was it. It was the end of the silence for Felix.

After what happened recently with Stefan, I almost forgot about the absence of my other best friend.
Well ! I said almost!
I was always worrying about the boy and I was going to get answers to my questions.

I quickly cut the contact before unbuckling my seat belt and opened the door of my truck before jumping on my feet and slammed the metal door with a slam.

My gaze returned to the large facade with a slight apprehension and I let out a deep sigh before moving on with an air of calculation plastered on my face. I stopped right in front of the big colonial door and quickly raised my fist before letting it meet the hardwood. I hit three separate knocks and soon, several footsteps could be heard.

As I was alone on the doorstep, I could not stop this shiver from crawling down my veins and I glanced over my shoulder with apprehension. The last few months had made me very paranoid and I could not stop my instinct of checking every time I found myself alone. Then, a loud bang was heard and I jumped in spite of myself by simply returning to face the mother of Felix.

"Mila!" She exclaimed in a tone a little too ecstatic for me and I had to do everything not to wince at her volume. "It's been so long."

I absently nodded in my good old habits before catching up with my throat and formulating my thoughts. "Hum. Yes, indeed."I awkwardly looked at the woman in front of me before dancing on the tip of my feet as I plunged my hands into the pockets of my jeans." Uh, is Felix here? "

''Oh, yes, yes of course. Come in."She opened the door wider to allow me access and I gave a quick thank-you nodding my head before looking anywhere for my best friend.

I was still not very comfortable with his mother and blamed her exuberant personality for it.

I turned around with expectant eyebrows and the brunette took a double-tap before nodding actively as if accompanying her inner speech before remembering that I probably could not read her mind. "Oh, sorry. He's in his bedroom.''

I nodded before climbing the stairs knowing the way by heart now and soon reached the door sign with the sign GET OUT. This panel was so cliché of American teenagers but I could not help but think that it corresponded perfectly to Felix. He was a rebellious teenager in many ways.

I released a new breath to gather all my ideas, preparing for what was to follow and folded the handle without bothering to hit. I was immediately engulfed in the darkness, and Felix's growls and protests were not long in being heard.

''I said I did not want to be disturbed. Go away, Mom! "

I heard the crash of an object against the wall and realized that I had just narrowly escaped a sneak attack and rushed to his window to avoid being hit next time. I pulled open the curtains and heard him grunt and curl up under his blanket. I rested my hands on my hips, staring at his curled-up figure under his comforter with a critical eye, realizing that all that was bothering him must be much more serious than I thought at first and bite the inside of my cheek in anxiety before taking a step forward and pulled his quilt with a sharp blow.

"I'm not your mother so now, you'll stop avoiding me and tell me what's fuck it's going on with you." I demanded, keeping my eyes fixed on his figure with a tone not giving way to no discussion.

Listening to my voice, Felix flicked his eyelids open and looked at me for a moment with wide eyes, opening and closing his mouth in disbelief and lack of words.

Now, I was more than worried.

I thought I would never see the day I could close Felix's mouth and yet he was there in front of me and wore a slightly panicked expression and trapped.

Finally he came out of his shock and let out a tired sigh."What are you doing here, Mila?"

"I could ask you the same question." I said as I sat next to him before taking a softer expression. "What's wrong with you, Felix?"

Felix gauged me carefully, probably waiting for me to drop the subject before sighing again, and rolled on his back, keeping his eyes on his ceiling leaving me with a deep sense of anxiety and worry in my chest. There was a long silence between us as I waited patiently for him to open to me when he finally turned his head towards me letting me see a tear flowing down his cheek.

''You're not going to drop the subject right? '' He asked in a hoarse and emotional voice and I quickly took his hand in mine to bring him little support that I could.

I sincerely wanted to be there for him and I wanted him to know it. I knew that I had favored my friendship with Stefan for far too long and that had only brought me to situations of imminent death. As much as it was selfish on my part, Felix reminded me of the other world. The one where the vampires did not have places of beings and where the humans and the normality reigned. That was what I wanted, what I was looking for and I needed Felix for that.

Felix tightened my hand and let out a shaking breath."Do you remember the Founders' Ball? When my dad took me aside."

I frowned slightly at it, not really understanding how it mattered but nodded silently all the same to show that I was still listening.

"He didn't want to have a conversation between men. In fact, it was just the opposite."I stared at him even more confused, not really knowing what to say and waited patiently for the rest. "My mother was there, too. It was probably the first time I saw her with a serious expression. Can you imagine?" He let out a nervous laugh at the end of his diatribe and I forced myself to smile despite my state of worry and confusion.

"It must have been a shock." I tried to play down with a chuckle of my own.

Felix let a sad little smile cross his features before resuming a frown and an expression of exasperation leaving me even more worried.

This war of feeling did not resemble him.

He had lost his usual enthusiastic mood and seemed far too serious. I did not know what had happened that night but it had changed him.

Suddenly, he let out a frustrated grunt, breaking my observation and pulled me off a little startle of surprise."God, I just have to spit it out. It's not that difficult. "

''Felix ... ''

"My father is not my biological father."Interrupted Felix in a mouthful and I stared him into shock and disbelief.

I was totally speechless for what seemed like an eternity, my mouth struggling for words before I finally managed to recover from my initial shock and turned to my best friend who seemed about to cry at that moment. I really did not know what to say or do to try to fix things but I was sure that I could probably never do anything to help him on this point. I decided to do what I was best at and surrounded him in a comforting embrace and rested my head on his shoulder as he took advantage of the comfort I brought him. We didn't move of our embrace until Felix spoke back by hugging but keeping a grip on my hands.

"Mila, I know who my biological father is."

I raised my eyebrows at that, noticing Felix's darker expression and knowing that everything he was going to tell me was just going to be even worse than he had already told me.

Only, I certainly did not expect what would follow.

"My biological father is Richard Lockwood, Mila. He's the freaking father of Tyler Lockwood. ''

One would think that when we learn this kind of thing our mind would go into nothingness but it was far from the truth.

At that moment, heaps of thoughts were fucking with my mind and I could not even follow the train of my thought so much everything had gone crazy.

I struggled with myself to react rather than continue to watch Felix like a fish and wanted to hit me right there and there at the first thing that passed my lips. '' So, you and Tyler are half-brothers? ''

Of course, my conclusion appealed as much to Felix as to me, and he gave me a deadly glow before he let out an exasperating growl.

"I have nothing to do with this jerk." He let out coldly clenching his fists in a tight ball and the cold expression and pure hatred on his face made me shudder during the space of a moment.

A flash of memory of an aggressive and angry Felix crossed my mind before I furiously shook my head cursing myself to even imagine something like that. Felix and Tyler may have the same father, but they had nothing in common. They were totally opposed and it was not because I had just learned that they were related that I automatically had the partners together. However, a part of me could not help but dread Felix's excessive reactions like Tyler's anger.

Then again, Felix luckily did not benefit from the presence of Richard Lockwood in his life as Tyler and after seeing what dick the man was, I could not deny the evidence that he certainly had to be the reason for the Tyler's anger. With a father like his, anyone would become an arrogant asshole.

I had been so full of my thoughts on all the news that I had not noticed Felix fighting with himself to get hold of his shredding mood and widening my eyes in disbelief when I noticed his deadly unstable expression.

Even though the idea had never crossed my mind before, it now looked much more like Tyler than I could admit. His angry expression and the internal struggle he seemed to have reminded me a lot of the big stupid high school teenager football star who used to confront my little brother for a fight. I had never seen Felix so angry before and strangely, I felt these familiar alarm bells telling me to run the other way.

Only, as for Stefan, it seems that I can't listen to them when it comes to my other best friend. Instead of running, I sat up on my feet and took a cautious step, swallowing my saliva before touching his shoulder with a hesitant hand.

At first, Felix pushed me away with an abrupt gesture making me look wide-eyed with a slight ball in my stomach but I was fighting this instinct and returned to the charge before closing my arms completely around his chest and give him a soothing hug that seemed this time, to have its effect.

After staying much longer than I should, I had left Felix with a promise to return soon under penalty of reprisals but still had to clarify my opinion on the situation as a whole. Mr. Fell may not have been his biological father but he was the one who raised him and no matter who helped his conception it should not change his perception of things. After all, it seems that his father had accepted the situation and if he could then Felix should be able to make his own choices now.

Well, I probably could not imagine the two Lockwood sons becoming great friends, but it was not because Felix knew it was the same for Tyler.

In any case, I doubted that Carol Lockwood would be willing to endure this humiliation in the eyes of the whole city.

With my visit to the Fell, I once again missed my first classes and when I parked in the high school parking lot, most of the students seemed to have gathered for their lunch time.

I unbuckled my belt before getting off my SUV and started walking towards the school gates to attend the rest of my classes. I had given Stefan time because I knew he needed it for himself just as I needed to get back to the normal things of my life and knew it was the best choice I could make.

Only after crossing paths with Jeremy when I was in the corridors reminded me that normal things had become confused with natural things, and I could not stop my emotions from getting even more upset when I met Bonnie with Caroline.

It seemed like the high school was much more complicated than I thought and part of me, regretted the moments when I could walk safely down the halls of high school.

At the time, only my black thoughts and depressed mind were my preoccupations now I felt like I was carrying the world on my shoulders and I hated it.

I was walking right past an empty classroom when I felt a tug on my arm and even before I could blink my eyes, I was locked in that same classroom. Damon was standing all the way up to me and staring at me with an expression that seemed boring as usual.

''Where did you go? '' He asked or rather hissed with a scowl as if I were a five-year-old kid who was took with the hands in the cookie jar making me raise an eyebrow in pure boredom.

"Seriously? Block me in empty classrooms now? Can you act even more like a scary stalker?"I returned with a sardonic accent in my tone as I gauged him trying to fight the blush on my cheeks at the thought of our last confrontation.

It was not the best memory I could remember. I had typically acted as a hormonal teenager and I was certainly not ready to feel that fire again in my lower abdomen.

"As much as I'm enjoying our little verbal sparring, we currently have much smaller problems on the Elena stratosphere." Damon retorted, just as bored if not more than before as he gave me a look that challenged me to contradict him.

I let out a small sigh as I ran my hand down my face knowing that all this would still have to do with the supernatural before turning my gaze on Damon. '' Well, of course that has to do with Elena. So, what's going on? "

Damon let an expression of surprise return to his features before frowning thickly on me as he tried to uncover any mystery.

'' What? That's all? Will you listen to me? Not even a joke or sarcasm?"He questioned with a sarcastic tone that made me want to hit his oh so perfect face of pretentious vampire.

I was growing my arms on my chest, raising my chin impatiently."Salvatore. Your point."

"Fine, fine."The vampire sighed before letting a smirking smile fill his lips, already preparing me for the next boring remark."God, someone is authoritarian today. Still under the effect of frustrations not satisfied? ''

I was fighting the embarrassment that threatened to take hold of my face and swallowed before frowning in the growing irritation. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not frustrated ..." Smile on the face of the vampire only seemed to accentuate at my little speech and I ran my fingers through my tight curls in the spoliation before letting out an exasperated growl. '' Argh! It doesn't matter. I'm giving up.''

I was planning to make me clearly not in the mood to face the little games of the spirit of the vampire but I had hardly taken a step that I felt his firm grip on my arm making me turn around and land my two hands flat on his tonic chest, sparking unwelcome chills at the back of my neck at the mere touch.

"Dam-my-" I croaked awkwardly before raising my blue eyes to meet his own and saw his mischievous little smile as he closed his muscular arms around my little body.

Damon POV

Damon liked to get under the skin of the little brunette. Her reactions and the little blush of innocence crawling down her cheeks seemed to satisfy the predator in him but there was something more.

He knew that jousting and fighting meant much more. The little girl he was holding in his arms was more than he could admit. He did not know everything

Just not what yet.

"Mila." He called back, his voice as low and warm as a purring sound against the shell of her ear made him smile when he felt her thrill.

It was so easy to get under the skin of the teenager.

Mila POV

I was fighting the flow of emotions he was stirring inside my chest and I risked hitting his chest with irritation before pushing my hands to get a semblance of space before bombarding him with boredom.

''Stop doing that! "I mumbled between my teeth as I pointed his chest to mine with irritation.

Damon raised an eyebrow feigning surprise, forcing me to shrink my look at the vampire in exasperation before stomping."Just tell me what the hell is going on or I'll just go to Stefan. ''

As soon as the words had passed my lips, I knew that I had passed one of the narrow limits of the vampire and if I was not used to these threats of life or death perpetual, I would certainly be scared but I had clearly enough and just wanted already to be done what was with all the fuss to be able to find a solution with the problem.

Honestly, I did not know when I had become so tired of all his supernatural stuff, but it seemed that no matter what was happening, my mind did not really grasp the importance of things. A voice in the back of my mind, whispered to me that I was probably just still in a state of shock considering everything that had happened during the last months but I chose to ignore it and took a step back when Damon stepped on me, sporting a cold, calculating air as he seemed in a fight not to tear my head here and there.

I hit the old table still chalked up in my attempt to escape the vampire's bloody shine and could not stop the bile forming in my throat as my eyes traveled from one arm to another as he had locked me in a cage and lowered his stormy blue eyes on me.

''You know I don't take the ultimatums very well, Mila.''He reminded, dark as he arched his head to the side, emphasizing his predatory nature, and I had to do everything I could to keep from escaping a tremor with his threatening air.

I had to remember that even though Damon was still able to kill me, he would not dare to do that because of Elena.

Sometimes my sister could be helpful. Which reminded me why I was in this position in the first place.

I let out a sigh, trying to keep my expression completely unmoved, and looked up from blue-gray baby eyes and bit the inside of my cheek to hold a sarcastic note as I realized he was still wearing that menacing look. I knew it was too important for him to still act like the bad guy even though I now knew the real truth. The memory of Stefan had shown me what a Damon man had been once and even though the years and his nature had changed him to what he was today, I was always conscious of his humanity. It was a thin bet but that was all I could get hold of when it came to the vampire.

I was already feeling the headache on the surface of my mere contradictory thoughts and letting my head hit the wall behind me, closing my eyes as I let out a disillusioned sigh.

"Fine." I ceded, keeping my eyes closed. "Damon Salvatore would you kindly tell me what's going on in the damn supernatural world so that I can finally attend the rest of my classes?''

I felt my arms shut myself away, followed closely by a vampire curse that made me open my eyelids and shrink my eyes impatiently."Hm. Good if you're so interested to know. "I rolled my eyes at his nonchalant air." Mommy dearest is back! And she wants a big interview with her dear little girl. "

I widened my eyes in disbelief completely ignoring his nonsense before stammering slightly to get a clear answer. '' A meeting? And Elena to accept? Of course, she accepted. But what does she think? ''

"Oh, I don't know. Surely pick up the pieces and get a happy ending with unicorns and all that stuff that you teenagers dream of getting."Damon said shrugging obviously trying to act uninterested even though I could see through his mask and I sighed annoying before checking my jaw.

"Can you just be serious for a minute?" I wondered, raising my hands to the ceilling before pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration.

A wide smirk graced his lips as he moved closer to me and let his minty breath drag on my face."Why be serious when I can be fun?"

"Argh!" I growled, pushing his face with my hand before starting to walk to the exit. "I'm going to talk to Elena. It seems she has lost any sense if she even dared to make a deal with the devil. "

I was hoping that Damon would leave me alone after that, but it seems like the vampire had a different idea in mind as he walked unashamedly by my side as if the place belonged to him.

"What now?" I snapped, clenching my fists to contain my exasperation.

''Nothing. I just like to see your face get that red color of pure rage."He retorted, teasing me back as I raised my arm to hit him with all my might just to see with a grunt of pure rage he had disappeared.

Well, how to say that talking with Elena had been like talking to a wall?

She was just the most stubborn person I knew and had decided to make my life hell. The worst thing was that Stefan being the mad love boyfriend had rather adhered to her point of view than mine. I would obviously blame him but again, he was very persuasive. The fact that Isobel was ready to put the city to the point of fire for my sister's face might have tipped the scales too.

So I was standing next to Stefan watching my sister squirm on one of the stools of the Grill as the last time Jeremy and I had shed scratch in her underwear. The memory made me smile slightly before a faint frown tingled my face at the thought of the current relationship that I shared with my twin.

A slight touch against my shoulder beckoned me and I broke my eyes on the vampire by my side to realize he was staring at me with a concerned expression.

''What's on your mind? ''

"Believe me, you don't want to know." I replied in a clumsy laugh, hoping he would drop interest but who was I fooled? It was Stefan after all.

With what had happened in recent weeks, he seemed even more concerned about my mental state and I could not really blame him but I needed some time for myself. I needed my thoughts to be only for myself. As he was about to question me, I saw Elena turn her head in our direction and gave him a nod that drew the vampire's attention to my older sister. I was watching the bar without much interest as they shared a silly moment when I saw a dark-haired woman make her way straight to my sister's empty table.

Even if I was a bit far, I would recognize the woman of the picture anywhere and my brain immediately sought for similar characteristics between my sister and this woman.

''Well. It starts."I whispered to myself more than anything else but I knew that Stefan had heard me as his hand was soon placed in my smallest followed by a slight pressure of comfort as I looked at both brunettes converse.'' What are they saying? ''

"It's not going very well. She's just going around your sister's questions. "

I turned my attention to the back of the vampire with a ball in the stomach knowing that it did not bode well when Elena's face went pale in panic before her gaze focused on Stefan and myself.

Isobel's face turned to us in a split second and I knew instantly that we were discovered. The sheer brilliance she sent in my way made me shudder and my hair rose in terror. Then she turned around and started again her conversation with my sister as if nothing had happened. I was getting really bored with it when I felt Stefan stiffen at my side before, he turned his gaze to me.

"She knows your uncle."The vampire informed me. "Apparently, she would be looking for an invention from your ancestor, Jonathan Gilbert. "

I frowned in the confusion becoming more and more felt by all those damn vampire stories when Elena tried to leave just to get stopped abruptly by Isobel. Stefan started to step forward to help Elena but it seems that Isobel had the upper hand here as Elena stopped him with a taut nod.

There were more words exchanged before Isobel's piercing gaze narrowed at me making me look at Stefan in fear as it seemed that he, the vampire and my sister had all finished their fields of visions on me.

"Stefan, what's going on?" I called in a croak pulling on his sleeve as apprehension grew in my chest as the woman narrowed her glare on me.

"She says Damon has the invention and you and Elena could get it."He stated tense as he measured me carefully.

As I predicted, everything seemed to go down to hell.

Now that I found myself wandering through the groups of students taking care of the floats and other fun for the famous parade, I could not help but wonder if the next few years would be all as chaotic as this one.

I knew that Stefan and Damon would not leave the city in a long time and even if it reassured me, part of me was still panicked as to what would happen next.

I was so engrossed in my apocalyptic thoughts that I did not even care where I went and soon hit a shoulder full force.

''Oh ! Oh! "I groaned, grabbing my shoulder in pain before looking up from the ground to meet the familiar brown orbs of none other than Tyler Lockwood." Seriously, Lockwood? "

"Sorry Gilbert, I was not really looking where I was going." He apologized gruffly, barely aware of me, and a shaggy blonde hair flash walking the other way made me realize the reason for his stunned state.

I rubbed my shoulder up and down before nodding my head in understanding as I was still following the retreating form of the back quarter. "I see. Matt, huh? "

Tyler glanced over his hesitant shoulder before shifting his attention back to me, nodding,"Yeah, Matt."

"Well, I can kind of understand that." I said, shrugging, nonchalant."You kissed his mother, man, and then you hit him bad enough. Like bad.''

"It wasn't like that." Tyler moaned nervously bouncing off the ball of his feet before sighing, sizing me carefully, "I don't even know why I'm telling you this. You would understand nothing. ''

He passed me with his usual attitude of high school jerk and in normal times, I probably would have just cursed him and continued my merry way but a voice inside my mind reminded me to stop him. I really did not know why I suddenly wanted to put up with that pretentious idiot but all I knew was the next thing that passed my lips.

''Ow! Lockwood! Can you act even more like an asshole?"I hiccupped by flicking my hands in the back pockets of my jeans and realized that my diatribe seemed to have some impact on the boy since he had stopped and stared at me now with an arched eyebrow.

"What can you do anyway? Huh?"He snapped, narrowing his dark orbs to my small form.

I pretended to think before shrugging my shoulders while a cynical smile settled on my lips."Yeah, you are reason after all. Rejecting anyone who could help you is certainly the best solution. "

I was walking back, starting to walk with a smirk knowing that it would only be a matter of time before he would give in and as I predicted, the boy hailed my name, making me turn around with an arched eyebrow in the inquisition.

Tyler stopped at my height and examined me for a moment in uncertainty. "Why do you want to help me? "

I repressed a grimace at that, not knowing the answer to that myself before raising my shoulders again.

Ow! I really shrug my shoulders.

I frowned at my obvious lack of concentration before turning my attention to the tall boy who was now weighing me expectantly making me roll my eyes in boredom.

"People don't always have hidden motives Lockwood." I declared more annoyed than anything else, and the brunet raised his eyebrows in a slight surprise before resuming a defeated look.

"Fine."He sighed in a deep, melodramatic breath that made me pinch the bridge of my nose in impatience.

"You know what?" I asked in a bitter tone, changing my mind as I raised my hands in surrender. "It was a bad idea. Forget even that we talked to each other. "

I was walking backwards cursing myself silently for even trying when I felt a light tug on my forearm making me want to roll my eyes when I realized it was only Tyler.

''Hold on! I did not want to say that like that."He assured me, arching an expectant eyebrow before frowning when I saw he was in some sort of internal fight." That's so weird. I don't understand it myself. "

"Ok, Tyler. What you don't understand? "I asked, taking the liberty to reach his arm and give him a reassuring tug.

"It's going to sound crazy." He declared, nervously shifting his hands in his shaggy haircut looking really worried.

I crossed my arms over my chest, carefully gauging the boy."Believe me, after the last few months, I believe that even if you told me that Santa Claus exists, I would believe you."

Tyler hoisted a strange expression to my myth of choice as it he wanted to ask questions before simply frowning, shaking his head.''Hey, if I told you that I have no memory of that night or even the night when your brother and I fought. "

I widened my eyes to this discovery before frowning in perplexity. "Wait, when you say no memory. You mean, no memory like you take steroids and that gives you a memory loss or? "

Tyler gave me an impatient glare clearly not amused by my attempt and I rolled my eyes, raising my hands to the sky. "Okay. Care to explain in this case? "

I did not even have time to blink that he already had his hand around my arm and I was hanging around with him, looking closely at the surroundings.

"I mean, I have blackouts. I'm always angry and sometimes, it's like my anger is gaining the upper hand and I can't do anything to stop it, and it makes me freak out."

An alarm bell rang in the back of my mind at that and I could not help but make a slight connection with Felix's recent strange behavior. I had always been aware of Lockwood's impulsive behavior. He had never been the last in a fight but if I had done enough attention to the night when he and Jeremy had fought, I would have certainly been more aware of the difficulty with which Matt had had to fight Tyler to take him of my brother.

For anyone it might just be a serious anger management problem, but with all that has happened in recent months, I could not stop my mind from noticing the strange things.

"Ok!" I agreed, stopping to look closely at Tyler. "Do you mean that you really have no control?"

Brown nodded gravely and I was about to ask another set of questions when I noticed my twin walking quickly in our direction with a determined expression making me want to moan in anticipation.

I did not have time to formulate a sentence that my twin had already grabbed my arm and gave me an uncompromising cold stare. '' We need to talk! Now! ''

Of course, as if it was not enough that my twin hated me for lying to him, Tyler just decided at that moment to act like a gentleman and pushed Jeremy away.

"You allow? I was there before."

Jeremy went back and forth between Tyler and me by checking his jaw and I knew that a future confrontation could easily result from this conversation if I did not stop these two immediately.

And with what I had just learned, getting Jeremy in a fight with Tyler was the last thing I wanted. I interposed between the two quickly and put my hand flat on Tyler's chest to keep him away.

"It's okay, Tyler." I warned him with an insistent look to make him catch the message. "We'll talk later. I promise.''

The two boys swirled up a bit longer before Tyler took a step back and turned his attention back to me before turning around.

I let out a small sigh of relief by facing Jeremy simply to meet his deadly glare. "Can I know what you're doing with this douchebag?"

Honestly, I really was not in the mood for a fight with my twin.

"It's not your business, Jer." I snapped, not having the patience to undergo his interrogation."What do you want?"

"Yeah, you're right."He said coldly in his voice."After all, it's so much easier to lie to me so why should I know?"

"Seriously?" I was tired of all this. "Are you planning to blame us for a long time? I admit, it was a mistake, OK but believe me, once you know, you can't get out. "

My words seemed just more annoyed at him as he took a step forward with an exasperating expression. "You didn't just lie to me. You forced me to forget. "

I recoiled under the anger of his tone and ran a trembling hand down my face in guilt before returning my eyes to my twin."Listen, Jer ..."

"It doesn't matter."He snapped."I just came over to see if you had seen Anna?"

Just then, two familiar silhouettes caught my attention and I saw Bonnie and Elena come out quickly through the school gates and sweep the place as if they were looking for something or rather someone. I was not long in crossing Bonnie's emerald green orbs and according to her expression, I knew I had to make a quick exit.

I was still not reconciled with the witch's actions, and I honestly thought it would probably take a long time for me to fully put my trust back in her hands.

I turned my attention to Jeremy and shook my head negatively. "I don't know where Anna is, but look, there's Elena, you can go and ask her."

I took advantage of the distraction I had made to quickly turn around while keeping an eye on the witch Bennett and began to actively accelerate my pace when I saw her follow me from afar.

I was hitting the high school parking lot and scooting almost to fill the gap between my SUV and me. I pulled my keys into the back pocket of my jeans to unlock the doors in a rush and honestly thought I could escape the witch when I finally reached my door driver but was not counting on the persistence of the brunette.

"Mila! Wait! "Bonnie stopped me making me break my stern look at her form as I froze in my action. '' Mila, you need to listen to me. Just listen to me. Please.''

I stayed longer by biting the inside of my cheek knowing that my determination diminished with each of her words and ended up letting out a long sigh by slamming my closed door to stare.

''Fine, what do you want, Bonnie? "

I could see the growing anger within the witch Bennett as her intense gaze squealed as she clenched her hands in fists.

"Listen, I'm not going to apologize for what I did."She declared categorically and I rolled my eyes beyond annoyed.

It was just a waste of time.

I turned to reach the door again and kept my voice low and cold."And we done here."

I was trying to get my door open but a familiar click sounded in the empty parking lot despite the brunette and me and I clenched my fists into a ball as I realized it was another witch's trick.

"Bonnie!" I hissed clearly not in the mood for her little magic tricks.

"I know that kind of invention is looking for Isobel." Bonnie leached in a last attempt to get my attention and I turned abruptly to study her in silence with a raised eyebrow.

"Why are you telling me that?" I asked skeptically.

Bonnie looked a bit higher as she folded her arms over her chest, knowing she had my attention now. "Because you helped me when I asked you, and because even if you think otherwise, you're my friend. "

I was copying her position not ready to give up so easily. "I thought you wanted to keep yourself as far away as possible from vampire affairs."

It seemed to crack her confident mask a little, but she soon regained control. "Well, obviously, neither you nor Elena expect to stay away from the vampires so if I can prevent another psycho vampire from being in the city, I'll do the right thing. ''

After that, we did not really have time to argue anymore since a call from Elena completely panicking had totally thrown me on the edge of hysteria. It seems that Elena's psychopathic mother had caused Matt's unfortunate accident with the tank and kidnapped my twin as a threat. She wanted invention at all costs, which made no sense since Bonnie had finally explained to me that it was a weapon against the vampires themselves.

All this was getting even crazier than I imagined, and the ditch of worry in my stomach was getting bigger as the minutes passed. I could not believe that my brother's life was now on the line because of all this supernatural crap. He was all that remained to me and I had a chance to lose him.

I hit my head for the twentieth time against the desk I sat on as Bonnie turned to Stefan, Elena, and myself.

"This instrument, do you have it?" She asked hastily.

Stefan's answer was instantaneous making my heart tighten more in worry. "It's Damon who has it. It will not be easy to convince him. "

"Then you must go see him. "Assured Elena at once, pacing up and down, exasperating me to the highest degree with her naivety." I can do it. I'll go talk to him. "

Of course, she thought that her charm was going to be the answer to all her problems. I really did not know what kept me from exploding right now. We really did not have time to act stupid and brainless.

It was Jeremy and this woman had already proved how bad she was.

I really could not believe that we had reached that point. It was what I had always wanted to avoid and now, Jeremy demonstrated the perfect example.

''He will not give it to anyone. '' Objected Stefan and it doesn't help to relieve my shredder mood.'' Especially if it's dangerous for vampires. ''

However, he was right and the worst part of all this was that I could not really blame Damon. Who would want to put in the hands of his enemy, the ultimate weapon that could destroy them.

It did not make sense.

But she had Jeremy and no matter how much my understanding grasped the importance of the issues, I could not do anything other than give her what she wanted. They held us and nothing we could do could change that. I did not care if she threatened our lives but she had found our Achilles heel. My weak point and I would never forgive myself if something happened to Jeremy through our fault.

If only Bonnie could counter Emilie's fate on the compass then we could at least deliver the invention without any problem but that was not ...

Elena sighed just as I suddenly straightened my head from the desk, calling all attention to my sudden action.

''That's it! '' I exclaimed as I jumped up before turning to Bonnie in a hurry. '' Just make the invention unusable. ''

As soon as the words had left my lips, we had all worked out theories to make this possible and we were now sitting right in the middle of the boarding lounge while Elena was finishing explaining the plan to Damon who seemed more on point to break her neck only to adhere to our idea.

"That's absolutely out of the question." Refused categorically Damon, narrowing his eyes to Elena, who was trying as best she could to stand up to the vampire.

It was obvious that she was going the wrong way and I did not know which of the two I wanted to hit the most for their idiots. My nerves were currently reaching their limits and I was about to explode on the vampire.

Elena took another step forward while Stefan, Bonnie and I were the spectators of this argument."But listen to me at least ..."

''I will not give this instrument to Isobel so that she can turn it over to John who will change sides and kill me. '' Damon decreed holding his foot and surprising me while exasperating me. I would have thought Elena's sweet eyes might be enough, but finally, the last few months might have been good for something. Of course, he continued with a sarcastic note, rolling my eyes in irritation."I am a living dead man who loves life."

"But if Bonnie made it unusable."Elena catching the skeptical vampire's gaze on the witch Bennett, who astonished held her head high and confident against the dark-haired vampire.

"I don't know why, I doubt." Damon said, his sarcastic and cynical tone aggravating my nerves.

At that, Bonnie jumped to her feet and walked alongside Elena to hold her ground as she glared at the vampire and spoke intelligibly."I can cancel Emilie's spell."

"Hm!" Elena sighed, raising a condescending eyebrow."John and Isobel will see nothing."

I really did not know what was holding me back from not interrupting all that little useless act. We were wasting time for nothing and watching Elena's verbal battle, Damon and Bonnie only increased my irritation.

''It's no. "Barked Damon forcing me to throw a shrapnel on his person over Stefan's shoulder before checking my jaw at his next words.""But don't worry, I'll pick up Jeremy otherwise."

I jumped slightly the next as Stefan jumped to his feet. '' Ah! Yeah. And how are you going to do it? Hum! "I crossed my arms over my chest like the youngest vampire kept from approaching Damon to try to cross his thick skull." Because Isobel is also a vampire who can kill Jeremy the second you enter.''

There was a long, tense silence after that before Damon stared at Bonnie across the room. ''Do you have the level for that? Not to offend you. Because you're not Emilie Bennett. Emilie knew what she was doing. "

"I trained well." Bonnie announced as I let out a deep, frustrated sigh, letting my head fall back against the back of the leather sofa I sat on.

"It's not music theory, honey." Damon retorted ironically and I did not know what was next, but it seemed like I had reached my limit.

''That's it! I'm done listening to all of you. All the way you are."I exploded furiously, jumping on my feet before narrowing my eyes at Damon with irritation, pointing at him." You! "I skirted Stefan to face the vampire. "This damn invention is currently the only thing that keeps my brother alive, okay. He is in this situation because of us. All of us and it is out of the question that I let him die for this damn piece of metal. "I screamed at that point and my chest went up and down at a jerky pace forcing me to calm down so I could continue my diatribe."Damon, give us invention, please."

I felt the stormy bluish orbs plummet over me as an intensity radiated until Bonnie took another confident step forward. '' Give me a book title. ''

"Sorry?" Asked the vampire, drawing his attention away from the heart-shaped face of the youngest Gilbert in front of him.

Damon POV

He knew what baby Gilbert had for Mila and at the very beginning, he was really surprised that she was not the one trying to convince him to give her the invention.

She had sat with her arms crossed with that pouting exasperation that he knew so well now and wondered when she would finally reach her breaking point?

He had become accustomed to her blows and even if he would probably never confess out loud, the brunette sometimes had some influence over him.

As Damon thought of how much power the youngest Gilbert could have on him, the witch caught his attention with a tinge between bitterness and boredom. Not that he was judging after all, he had killed her grandmother. These little judges did not particularly like him.

'' A book, any one, '' Bennett demanded before pointing to the library behind him. '' But you have it here.''

Mila POV

I glanced aside at Bonnie's not sure about her plan before turning my attention to the dark vampire who was taking more than enough time to pretend to think.

"Mm. A good book," He mused aloud before tucking his bluish orbs with a mischievous smile on Bonnie. "I don't know, I'm going to say, The Forest Call Jack London. "I raised an eyebrow in slight surprise at his reading choice before noticing Bonnie turning to the library and just like that, she levitated a book across the room to Damon who caught it before looking at the blanket slightly impressed and surprised. "Jack London."

Only his surprise lasted only a moment as he quickly resumed his condescending expression before throwing the book on the sofa like a vulgar object. This guy badly needed to respect the masterpieces that these books were.

''You'd be famous at the library.'' Damon sarcastic commented, rolling my eyes.

Then, when I thought that argument could not be more interesting Elena took a furious step forward and stood face to face with Damon.

"We're going to play it like that. And we'll play it my way. So, give it to me and quickly. "

A small smirk crossed my face at Elena's audacity before giving way to an annoyed frown when Damon thought again.

"Damon, we really have no time to lose." I warn him, annoying.

The vampire gauged me for a moment as in internal debate with himself before he turned his gaze on Bonnie again. "I have no confidence in you. That's why I wanted to kill you. "

''Hm! Normal."A tense grin adorned Bonnie's brown lips just making me want to hit the palm of my hand on my face with these two."You'd be wrong to trust me. "

Seriously? These two were worse to watch than Elena, herself and Damon.

It was really a waste of time and if we continued like that then we could stay here until this Isobel patient performed my twin.

I stopped biting nervously on my thumb and raised my hands to the ceilling in a desperate last act that caught the attention of Damon and Bonnie. "And I don't trust either of you. How charming! "I grumbled, sending a shine in their path before I turned completely to Damon."Only if your competence in an act of trust is weak, you know you can trust me."

My bluish orbs met Damon's and a long silence settled between us as our exchange intensified despite myself. I did not know why I felt this kind of traction at that moment, but I just wanted to look into his eyes a little longer. I needed him and no matter what I kept telling myself, part of me knew that Damon was not just what he tended so hard to portray.

Finally, with one last sigh, he took his eyes off my form, scanning each other's people in the room and ending up resetting Elena's invention.

''Thank you. ''

I stayed back as Elena accepted the watch before crossing Damon's blue orbs again and miming a mute thank you before turning my attention back to Bonnie and Stefan. I stayed back, my arms crossed over my chest as Bonnie was eradicating the instrument and leaned against one of the shelves as I bit nervously on my thumb. I simply could not stop my thoughts from turning around Jeremy and the ball inside my stomach was growing in anxiety.

I knew that everything was our fault.

As much to Elena as to me.

We were the ones who decided to rub shoulders with the supernatural and because of us, we had plunged our friends into all this.
I was so plunged in my auto-pity that I did not notice at first sight, the vampire to stand by my side until he made himself known with one of his famous annoying remarks.

"Hum." Sighed Elder Salvatore with a teasing accent in his voice."I know this brooding forehead. Don't frown or you will have wrinkles. ''

I did not know his presence for an extra couple of minutes before faintly escaping my fears from my mind. "Do you think it'll work?"

"It depends on bidiboo over there." He said nonchalantly as he kept his eyes on Bonnie who was currently in a candle circle and sang in Latin the fate of her spell book.

Suddenly, the flames intensified and I held a roll of my eyes as Elena snuggled closer to Stefan's side before he told her to watch as the light returned to normal.

''It's done. That's it." Announced Bonnie, resuming the invention before handing it to Elena.

I did not really know why but a feeling of doubt settled in the back of my mind and when Bonnie intentionally avoided looking at me, I could not help thinking that something was out. The hairs on my arms bristled like a warning sign and I was so engrossed in my silent observation of the brunette that I missed most of the conversation between Elena and Damon until he abruptly left the room with an annoyed expression plastering on his face.

I literally had to fight with Elena to accompany her to the park but eventually she finally gave in when I reminded her that Jeremy was just as important to me as he was to her.

So now I stood in the middle of the park, flanking Elena's side and scanning the surroundings for any sign of Elena's evil mother.

"Any sign of psycho vampire?" I asked sarcastically as I turned around and had to hold back a slight cry of surprise when I came face to face with the said vampire.

"Where's the instrument?" Queried the vampire instantly, gauging me with a creepy grin.

If Damon had been scary before, he was nothing against this woman. She oozed pure evil and if it was not for Jeremy then I would turn around taking my legs to my neck. It was just a warning bell in my mind that was screaming for me to run.

However, I forced myself to take a step forward and narrowed my gaze on the woman."Where is our brother?"

The woman instantly lost her smirk and if it was still possible looked even more frightening as she retorted darkly."There is nothing to negotiate here. Where's the invention? ''

"Mila ask a question." Elena slammed as she acted astonishingly confident about the sick vampire. I could never understand how Elena could underestimate people so much. "Where is our little brother?"

Once again Isobel eluded the question and I felt my heart quicken more like two vampires coming out of the grove supporting her words."You think me stupid enough to come alone."

"Ha!" I could not help but leave a condescending smile on my lips as Elena challenged her, "You thought we were stupid enough to come alone."

Just at that moment, several footprints could be heard and soon the two Salvatore brothers were behind Isobel who stared at them for a moment before turning to us with a tense smile.

''Hum! Hmm! "Isobel turned to us, rolling her eyes bored." Good, call to your house! ''

I frowned slightly at that, just like Elena's word of surprise. "Excuse me?"

"I'm telling you to call and ask to talk to Jeremy," Isobel said annoyingly, slowly losing her patience.

Elena complied quickly, giving me an anxious look before an air of relief ran slowly over her face as her interlocutor answered. I looked back at the bloody vampire and could easily understand that she had respected her share of the bargain. My brother was safe and sound, but that did not prevent her from waiting for the invention.

I watched as Elena finished the call before turning to Isobel with a sudden new air of confidence."Anyway, you would never hurt him."

Honestly, I just wanted to hit her until she finally came out of her little world of fairy tale. She was skewed and that would end up all leading us to our death.

''No. But I was about to kill him ... "Isobel supported me as I swallowed the simple mental image of my twin lying on the ground without life. "No need to look for a quality that would redeem me. I don't have one. "

"Now, don't feel special." I intervened in a surge of courage as I narrowed my gaze on the woman with pure hatred. "Elena can't help but want to fix everyone she thinks broken. She's just in denial. ''

I did not know the cold stare that my older sister sent me as Isobel threw me daggers along the way and crossed my arms over my chest with smugness.

"You took a big risk with Damon." Elena said, making me raise an eyebrow in confusion as to why she was asking that. "How did you know he would give it to me?"

A big carnivorous smile settled on the woman's face as she gauged Elena before finishing her gaze on my form as if she was still looking for a mystery about me. "He's in love with you."

Elena instantly stared at Damon as I looked at the vampire with empathy for the vampire who was currently staring at Stefan. Along the way of my friendship with Stefan, I had learned to worry about Elder Salvatore and even though I was already fully aware of his craze for my sister, to hear it from someone's mouth made things a lot more real.

A strange feeling of nostalgia enveloped me when I realized that and I could not help but quickly look away as I felt my throat thicken.

"Plus ..." Isobel added, forcing me to look at her just to see that she was mischievously gauging me. "He cares about Mila."

Her words had the effect of an icy wind as I suddenly tightened my arms around me as if to protect myself from the impact of the looks, I was receiving. I kept my eyes on the ground to avoid making eye contact with anyone until Isobel reached out for Elena.

The latter gave her the invention reluctantly before pronouncing something completely meaningless. I stared incredulously at her as she thanked Isobel and wondered for a moment if she just did not go mental and it seemed that Isobel was wondering the same thing.

''Of what? ''

"To have been such a monumental disappointment that leaves me a memory of the one who really was my mother ... perfectly intact." Elena answered audaciously and I felt my heart flutter in my ribcage with nostalgia as the memory of my mother crossed my mind.

I frowned as Isobel's impassive mask seemed to crack a little with Elena's words before swallowing as the vampire stared intently at my sister.

"Goodbye, Elena ... Know that as long as you have both Salvatore in your arm, you'll run to your loss ... Katherine was smarter, she knew how to escape that. But we all know you're not Katherine. "

I watched Isobel's fleeing back with puzzlement as her last words lingered on my mind and could not help but think that maybe she was not so wrong.

I took a slight step back as Stefan hugged Elena to reassure her and could not help but look for the other vampire just to see him walking away.

For some reason, my legs ached as if I had to run after him but my mind just begged me to stay. My body was at odds and I pulled my arms around my chest as a feeling of protection until I felt Stefan's familiar arms encircle me in a comforting hug.

I sat in one of the grill stalls with a deep sigh and felt emptied like never. I felt like I lost all my energy. My mind was in perpetual overdrive since I left the park to join Felix at the Grill as he had asked me.

Isobel's words clear as crystalline in my ears.

Basically, I knew she was right.

Since the Salvatore brothers came to town, our lives had been a big mess.

Only, my attachment to the two vampires just seemed to have troubled my mind. I had been so quick to judge Elena and her denial, but I was certainly so when it came to the two brothers. I played distractedly with a salt shaker waiting for my closest friend and suddenly, the revelation of earlier resurfaced in my mind.

"He cares for Mila."

What did she want to mean? And again, why had I felt that deep, unknown feeling in the back of my chest when she had revealed the love he had for Elena? I did not really know what it meant but I was sure of the oppressive feeling.

Just thinking about it, my tear ducts seemed much more sensitive and I could feel the tears about to make their appearances.

I felt my heart swell with the weight of the words and tightened my hold on the salt shaker before slightly startling when a pale hand covered my little one.

My eyes slid from hand to arm to shoulder before meeting the brown orbs concerned Felix.'' Hey how are you ?''

For a moment, I thought of lying to him but a tear flowing down my cheek betrayed me even before I could make a lie and soon, I found myself locked in a bear hug by Felix.