Chapter 36: Crying Wolf

I'd woken up...feeling just a little less disgusted with myself, I groaned at the thought and went out into the kitchen and saw Jenna and Alaric, who both smirked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing" She said looking at Rick with a grin.

I frowned and grabbed my coat and headed out the door, what was with them? I got in the car and headed over to the boarding house, just as I got to the door, Damon opened it, letting out the news reporter, I stared at her neck, the scarf was a bit obvious.

"Have a great day honey" He said to her with a smirk and then kissed her, wow the jealousy must've been showing on my face because when he moved back hr grinned.

"Oh, hey" She said "You're Jenna's niece"

"Yeah" I said nodding.

"Nice to meet you"

"Yeah, you too" I said giving her a fake smile.

I looked to Damon who smiled "My new girlfriend, Andie Star, action news"

"It's not called Action news" I said simply.

"I know, I just like saying it" He grinned and let me in.

"So, how are you?" He asked.

"Uh...ok..I guess you?"

"I'm fine, so why are you here?" He asked.

"I'm here to see Stefan"

He sniffed slightly "Why do you smell different?"

"New shampoo?" I asked.

"No, you smell...like...oh forget it, you wouldn't have anyway" He smirked and looked down.

"Wouldn't have what?"

"You know had sex recently in the past 24 hours, it must be Andie's smell"

I narrowed my eyes, he was doing this deliberately.

"You're not funny Damon" I said.

He looked up, mocking confusion "What?"

"You're doing this on purpose" I said.

"Doing what?"

"Trying to see if I'll be jealous, and I'll tell you one thing, lover boy, I'm not" I said "Anything but"

"Oh really? So that look on your face out there wasn't jealousy? Oh I must've mistaken it for something else"

"Damon, why are you doing this?" I asked.

"Because I'm enjoying it"

I stared at him, feeling hurt, I nodded "Right, I totally forgot you don't care about anybody else but yourself"

I turned but he was in front of me, glaring at me.

"I don't care? Then why do I keep saving you?"

I hummed "I don't know, I said, you don't have to, because I know you don't really want to anyway"

His glare softened "That's what you think?"

"No, that's what I know" I said "You're doing this and intending on hurting my feelings, why I don't know because you still haven't made it clear to me what I've done wrong but hey, that's fine, you can just keep going with it"

"I told you, it's not you it's-"

"You, yeah how cliché, that means that really it's me, and I don't know what I've done to you to upset you but for whatever it is, I'm sorry" I said and went to go past him but he grabbed my arm, but I pulled away from him "Don't"

"You're sorry for what?" He asked.

"Whatever I've done to upset you Damon"

"You haven't done anything"

"Oh really? So, you're not mad at me for something?"

"No"

"Then why do you keep looking at me with hate in your eyes, because that's what I can see" I said.

He frowned "I don't look at you like that-"

"If you want to hate me that's fine, it makes everything easier" I said and walked away from him, but again he was in front of me.

"Makes what easier?"

"Having less people to worry about, because that's all I seem to do, is worry about you Damon, and I know you can handle yourself, but that's what love does, it makes you worry, and I've told you already, I love you, but if you don't feel the same way then that's fine, I don't care"

"April-"

"Stop calling me that" I said with a nod "Goodbye Damon"

And he let me leave, just as I was leaving I saw Rick.

"Hey, you ok?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I asked.

I didn't give him a chance to answer because I got in my car and pulled away, heading home. I went in and walked past Elena's room, seeing her and Stefan packing, I moved back.
"Where are you going?" I asked.

"We're going to the old cabin, I suggest you come" Elena said.

"With the two of you?" I asked smirking "I think I'll pass"

"Are you sure?" Stefan asked "We could always use the company"

"No, I'm good thanks, have a good time"

"Aj" Stefan said before I left the room.
"Yeah?"

"Stay safe ok? Promise me you'll stay safe" He said.

I smirked and left the room, going into my own.

-LATER-

Jenna had taken me to this stupid Historical thing...that I didn't wanna be at...and she was with this Andie person...then Damon appeared, great, way to make my life easier.

"Damon, what are you doing here?" Jenna asked.

Then Andie came "hi, you came" She said to him.
"Hi" He smirked.
"Hi"

They kissed and I looked away, and saw Carol, who was looking over.

"Thanks for introducing us Jenna" Damon said to Jenna.

He then disappeared and I watched him leave.

"So..." Jenna said "You and Damon huh?"

I looked to Andie who grinned helplessly, why did I want to punch her in the jaw?

I then waundered off and then heard a commotion, I frowned and Elijah walked past me.

"Hello April, staying safe"

"Yeah" I nodded.

"Good" He said and then walked off.

I frowned again and went into the Mayor's old office and gasped, Damon was lying out, a hand to his neck, i quickly ran over to him and helped him up.

"What are you doing?" He asked me.

"Trying to help you" I said.
"Well don't" He said, his neck had healed and he put the white tissue in his pocket.

I stared at him, and he glared at the door and then looked down at me, frowning. "If that's how you want it to be, fine" I said and I walked out of the room, I was only trying to help him, what was his problem now? I bet it had everything to do with earlier? Yeah well fine, he could be an ass, but the sooner this whole charade thing was done, I was done with him.

-LATER-

I was sitting in the house, I had been for hours.

"Hey" A voice said.
I turned my head, seeing Damon.
"What do you want?" I asked turning away from him.

"I found out some information today" He said and sat across from me.

"Why would I care?" I asked not looking at him and he snatched the magazine I was reading away.

"Because it's about you" He snapped.

"Oh goodie" I said sarcastically.

"This was straight from the witch's mouth" he said "Elijah's gonna sacrifice you"

I stared at him, raising my eyebrows.

"He's gonna do the sacrifice ritual anyway, even after making that deal with you"

"I already know this" I said.

"What?" He asked his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"I know the deal I made Damon, Elijah's very careful with his words, he promised to protect my friends, he never said a word about me"

"You mean, you knew this already? That you're not gonna survive this?" He asked, angrily.

"If it comes to the people I love getting killed or me, I know what my choice is going to be Damon"

"April" He said and I glared at him.

"I said don't call me that" I snapped and got up but he didn't let me go anywhere.

"If you think for one minute, I'll let you do this, you're mistaken"

I sighed "It's not your choice to make is it?"

"Yes, because you matter to people"

"To who?" I asked "Elena? Jenna? Jeremy? Stefan?, Yeah that's about it but I'm sure they'll survive with out me being here"

"What about me?" He asked "Huh?"

"You have Andie" I said.

He scoffed "Oh, yeah I forgot about her"

"Well maybe she'll be good for you, after all She's not Elizabeth is she? She's not me, who reminds you of Elizabeth, so I'm good with this"

He blocked my way so I couldn't go anywhere "You're wrong"

"About what?" I asked narrowing my eyes.

"About this whole sacrifice thing"

"No, I'm not okay? I'm not. I'm sorry if you think it's wrong okay, but I don't, I'm just trying to keep the people I love safe, I'm trying to keep you safe"

"No, what you're doing is being the Martyr"

"How is that any different than you, Stefan or Elena or anybody else saying you would die to keep me safe? Huh? Cause if I don't die then he'll go after Elena, I'd rather be dead than her"

"You're not heroic"

"I'm not trying to be" I said. "I'm trying to protect you"

"I don't want to be protected" he said leaning in.

"Fine" I growled "Then I'll move you from the protecting list then huh? Just go back to Andie!"

I walked past him and out of the kitchen and before I got to the stairs he was there.

"I'm not gonna let you do this" He said.

"You're not getting a say in the matter Damon, it's not up to you if I live or if I die, and if I want to die, I'll die okay" I snapped.

"No, it's not ok" He growled and he shoved me against the wall. "You're being idiotic, all the people you're gonna leave behind"

"I'm not leaving anyone behind; they have other people to worry about!" I screamed at him.

"You're leaving me behind" He said softly.

"Shut up Damon and let me go"

He banged me slightly onto the wall again "Don't"

"Don't what?" I snapped "Don't what?"

"I don't want you to do this"

"I don't care what you want" I said shaking my head and his eyes widened "just like you don't care what I want"

"And what do you want?" He asked leaning in towards me.

"I told you what I wanted" I said "But you won't give me it, and I don't care anymore, I'm done with you, You've been treating me like crap for days now and honestly, I don't know if it's because Rose is dead...or if it's something else, you were fine until Rose showed up, and then you suddenly go cold on me...why I don't know and right now I don't care, so just let me go"

"No" He growled.

"Damon" I warned.

He went to kiss me but I turned away "No, you're not doing this"

"Doing what?" He asked pulling back slightly. "Giving you what you want" He went to lean in again.

I wanted to cry and I managed to shove him "No!"

He stumbled back from me and frowned.

"You're not doing this to me Damon, I told you before I won't do it"

"Why?"

"Because there's Andie, ok, that's why and I don't know her, but I'm not gonna let you hurt her like this, it isn't fair"

"You're being selfish" he said.

"Then I'll be selfish, because I am that selfish, not wanting people I know to get hurt because of me, not wanting Elena to die, not wanting you to die because I love you, why don't any of you understand that?" I asked "But just because I love you, doesn't mean I'm gonna hurt somebody else to get you, I wasn't brought up that way"

"But what if I want to be selfish with you?" He asked leaning in again.

"I don't care" I said "So just go"

He growled slightly and had me against the wall, and as much as I wanted it, I knew I couldn't. His grip on my arm was starting to hurt and he looked into my eyes.

"I'm not gonna leave until you kiss me"

"Well I'm not going to kiss you" I said trying to suppress a sob.

"I want you to"

"No Damon" I said shaking my head. "Don't do this"

"Why? You want it" He whispered.
"Not like this!" I cried.

The grip began to get worse and I actually let out a sob "Let go of me, you're hurting me" I said.

He quickly let go and moved back, eyes wide "I didn't mean to-"

"Just go" I said, the tears building "Just go"

He frowned and he quickly opened the door and went out, I shut the door behind him and slid down it, staring in front of me, I shook my head, why did he have to make things so hard? I sobbed silently to myself but heard Jenna talking so I quickly got up and ran up the stairs to my bedroom.

Leaving the bad day behind me...