To all the Bonnie lovers, the real fun starts.
Bonnie Bennet was having a bad year. Her Grams was getting more senile with age, her dad's appearances were rarer than before since she was old enough to live on her own. Both Elena and Caroline had become entirely different people and were drifting away from each other and from her. Her own world seemed to be changing entirely even without changing at all.
She went along the motions of her life trying to cling on to what she knew, afraid to rock the boat, afraid of what change might mean. But deep down, she didn't feel like the same person anymore either. She stared at the mirror sometimes, unable to recognize the person staring back at her.
It was small changes in the beginning, her food preferences and intake changed. She no longer liked the gym or the dance shop, preferring to run through the edge of the woods instead. She felt more energetic and restless, sleep alluded her, weird dreams taking over more nights than not.
She had brushed them all away one by one until the numbers incident with Tanner freaked her out of her mind. She had been out of sorts ever since. If her Grams noticed, she chose not to comment on it. She wished she didn't feel so confused and lost all the time.
"Good morning, Grams," she breathed out as she entered the house after her daily run. She had been at it for months now, running usually helped with the restlessness she'd been experiencing. She liked what it did to her physique, Caroline liked what it did for her cheerleading stunts, so it was a win-win.
"Morning, baby. You took longer than expected. Did you nap in the woods again?"
"Umm, maybe?" Bonnie aimed at denial, but then she was an hour late, so resigned to, "Just for a bit Grams, I sat down to meditate and it was so peaceful that I dozed off. You know I've been having weird dreams, I'm tired when I wake up too." She poured herself some juice and waited for her toast.
"Are you sure you don't want to try the herbs I have?"
"Oh no, I have no intentions of feeling high. You shouldn't be doing it either."
"They're for relaxation, child, not for getting stoned."
"Same difference," she muttered. Grams loved her dearly, but then she was too out of it most of the time to actually be present. "The run helped."
"Just don't fall asleep in the woods, baby, it's not safe. You know about the animal attacks."
Bonnie shuddered involuntarily at the thought of the night. "I know, Grams, but I know the clearing is safe. It just feels like my place. I don't feel frustrated or flustered when I'm there."
"Promise me, you wouldn't go into the woods at night though."
"I promise, the dark creeps me out enough."
"Also, there were other things we did to release pent up frustration when we were kids. What about this Ben guy I heard about?"
"Eww, Grams, I thought you were drunk when I told you that. Nothing is happening, we see each other at the Grill sometimes. That's all there is to it."
"You should ask him out then."
"I will deal with my 'pent up frustration' as I see fit. Just never say those words again. Bye Grams, I'll be late, don't wait up."
Two hours later, she was more than ready to go home. Being a teenager was so much drama.
It started when Elena was an hour later than the time they agreed to meet. Elena either forgot about it or didn't want to acknowledge it, but the lack of apology pissed Caroline off. That put her in an awkward position of having to wing the event solo.
Caroline usually ruled events like these, Elena was no less of a social butterfly but she was still calm enough to tag Bonnie along or sit in with her on the sidelines from time to time. But now, Bonnie needed to maintain neutrality while those two hashed it out. Not that she was looking forward to third-wheeling Elena and Stefan the entire time.
That left her with Matt and Tiki.
Matt was either making eyes at Caroline or faces at Elena. She didn't fully know what the deal was, but for all their sakes, she hoped Matt knew what he wanted. She did bring it up with him, his answer somewhat mollified her, somewhat.
Hanging with Matt meant dealing with Vicki, Tyler and inevitably Jeremy Gilbert. And Tiki who seemed to be hanging on to Matt for some reason and being an overall bitch in their vicinity.
She didn't have any problem with Vicki, per se, it was hard dealing with absent parents, she was grateful her Grams was somewhat present at least. Matt and Vicki had it worse with Kelly Donavan only caring about her next hook up or hit.
Vicki was somewhat of a loose cannon herself, and she hated that Matt had to deal with that too. She had always wondered what it would have been like to have a sibling, but Matt's disappointment and frustration with Vicki made her think it wouldn't have been much better.
Then there was Tyler. The Lockwood entitlement and snobbery packed into one tight package of athleticism and angst. He was an okay guy if you were in his circle, but he was a bully to everyone beyond that circle. He rubbed her off the wrong way on the best of days.
The recent development was the weird triangle Jeremy had become a part of with Vicki and Tyler.
Tyler never had a steady girlfriend, nor did he like any girl enough to want to be with them. She suspected he wouldn't have thought twice about Vicki after sleeping with her if it wasn't for Jeremy's obvious interest in the girl. Tyler Lockwood was a bratty child that way, holding on to a toy so the other kid wouldn't get it. Vicki was too swept off by the double attention to put a stop to the situation or draw some boundaries.
Jeremy Gilbert just got sucked into the wrong game. He was spiralling after the loss of their parents, getting into drinking and drugs. It would have been a phase except he was too enamoured by Vicki. to walk away and come clean.
Tiki snapping at some unassuming customer caught her attention. It was a lanky kid a year below them if she remembered right. Whatever Tiki said, he was taken aback and on the verge of tears.
"Cut it out, Tiki, there's no reason to be rude." She took over cleaning the kid's car.
"That was nice of you", Matt commented.
"She's trying to get you to notice her, the guy was just collateral damage. He didn't deserve that."
"You're kidding me, right? Tiki is into me?"
"She's been eyeing you the whole time, Matt. I know you're usually oblivious, but this was pretty on the face," she laughed at his expression of confusion.
"Wow, I didn't think people could be interested in me."
"You're awesome, what's not to like?"
"You're saying you're into me, Bon? Is that jealousy you feel towards Tiki?"
"In your dreams, Donovan," she shoved him lightly.
"Yeah, it'll have to be in my dreams, with your sights on McKittrick and all."
"Oh my god, Caroline did not!" she squealed in embarrassment, looking around to see if anyone overheard." Seeing no one but Tiki, she continued, "That was in total and complete confidence, in compliance with the girl code. You tell Caroline she's in trouble."
"She didn't mean to spill, Bonnie. The McKittrick played with us on the team, so I knew him. Caroline wanted me to give an intro because you, quote-unquote, were not going to make a move like ever."
Whatever she wanted to say was forgotten as they heard Vicki's shouts. Matt immediately took off in that direction, she paused for a moment before resigning to follow after him.
She rushed in to see Matt holding Vicki, Elena and Jenna dragging Jeremy away and Cassie blocking Tyler.
"I have to get her home, Bonnie, can you tell Caroline that I left?" Matt asked as he passed her.
"Of course, no problem," she called out as he walked away.
"This seems to be happening a lot," someone rumbled in a low voice.
Startled, she turned to see Ben next to her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you," he apologized lightly.
Her annoyance melted away when she saw his dimples, his biceps flexing as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"That's alright, I didn't hear you," she prayed her voice didn't come out as a croak.
"I don't see you at the Grill too often, busy with school?"
"Not entirely, but I haven't been feeling social lately... so just sticking with my books and hobbies."
"Do I come back some other time then?"
"No, don't. I mean, we can talk now, or any time in the near future too." She groaned at her eloquence, and then face palmed herself a moment later that she groaned like a frog. Ben chuckled at that, so it must not have been as unattractive as she imagined it would be.
"I'm sorry, not very good at this," she smiled at him.
"At talking?" he joked.
"To a guy as cute as you, sure." Her eyes widen to saucers, "I said that out loud, didn't I?"
"Yes."
"Was that embarrassing?"
"No, but it does sting my ego a little to be called cute," he smirked at her.
"I'm not going to dig myself a deeper hole by trying to find other adjectives."
"How about I help you find the right adjective, some time over coffee?"
She thanked all the stars in the universe that she didn't just melt into a puddle at Ben's expression. If the flirty face emoji had a brand ambassador, it would be him. She could feel her cheeks burning as she replied, "I'd like that."
"I'll see you around, Bonnie," he gave her a cool guy nod as he left.
She counted to ten before she started fanning her face. She was mid squeal when she caught Tiki's stink eye.
"Bonnie Bennet, when will you ever learn your place in life. As if Ben McKittrick would ever go for you", Tiki scoffed and walked away.
The girl's words hit her like a slap in the face. Bonnie felt herself burning in shame. Most guys talked to her because she was friends with Elena and Caroline. She felt foolish to think Ben liked her. This kind of thing happened enough times for her to know better. But to have Tiki or one of the other cheerleaders rub it in her face still hurt.
The hurt transformed into anger in seconds. Her nerves thrummed violently as the pressure built on, simmering below her skin.
Just as she felt herself snap, the car in front of her caught fire.
She watched the flames in fascination while her body felt like it came to an abrupt halt after running a marathon. Her body slacked in relief and peace as if all her stress and frustration melted away. Her breaths slowed down to short pants, as she winded down after a long run. She could feel her swaying in rhythm with the flames of the fire, her eyes unable to stray as the fire blazed.
It was hypnotising and calming at the same time.
She jolted from her reverie as she was forcefully shaken, muffled screams and distorted sounds drumming in her ear.
Just as soon as it started, she snapped, as if breaking through the surface of the water to catch her first breath. All her senses slammed back into her suddenly and terror gripped her.
"I did that, didn't I?" she asked, too far gone to even attempt denying it. She looked at the person holding her, a small sense of relief that it was Cassie.
Cassie shook her head in affirmation, "it's okay, we'll handle this. Are you alright?"
"Did anyone else see?"
"I don't think so. We're okay. Let's get you home."
And off we go people. Bonnie Bennet's journey to becoming a badass witch begins.
I portrayed low self-esteem, self-doubt and lack of confidence. Because that's the only way we can enjoy it when that changes.
I'm open to scene suggestions and prompts of Bonnie learning magic IF it fits the plot. So do drop your ideas! Like Bonnie making test papers fly away for a quiz she didn't prepare for or splashing mud at Tiki (she had it coming). Basically fun stuff, so she gets a hang of all the good things about magic before using it for others' benefit or fighting the bad guys.
Being possessed, losing Grams or being constantly used for her power won't happen though. Cos Bonnie learns to set healthy boundaries in this fic.