"Happy birthday!"
I barged into Care's room as soon as I woke up this morning. Today was her birthday and I was determined to make it one to remember.
She jumped slightly in her bed as the door banged off the wall.
"Seriously? Do you have to yell!?" She snapped.
I walked over to her bed and she shimmied over to make room for me to get in.
"Sorry." I replied.
I pulled the covers up around my waist and sat her gift on my stomach. "So... you don't want the gift I got you then?"
She side-eyed me and smirked. "Of course I do."
I smiled and handed over the wrapped box. She opened it quickly, pulling at the bow on top and making quick-work of the wrapping paper until it was open. Her face instantly lightened up as she lifted the lid.
"Oh my god, Jess." She beamed as she removed the silver necklace from its box. "It-it's beautiful!"
"I'm glad you like it."
"Like it?" she faced me, "I love it!"
Caroline rested her head on my chest and her arm over my stomach as she hugged me.
"You don't know how long I've been waiting to give you that." I said as I stroked her hair. "I got it when I was in Georgia with dad."
"I'm just not really in the 'birthday' mood." She sighed deeply.
I nodded, "Yeah, I get that." I continued stroking her hair as we lay together.
Strangely enough, this was the closest I think we've been since I came back. It's been tough trying to readjust to 'normal' life. But at this moment, I felt peace. Then on the other hand, I had this whole other thing that I needed clarification to. I needed to know the truth. I needed to know the truth about myself, but today was about Caroline. I could wait another day.
"Do you feel up to school?" I asked.
She sat up and placed the necklace back into the box and sat it on her bedside table.
"Yeah, just give me a few minutes to get dressed."
"Sure." I smiled at her before climbing off the bed. "I'll meet you outside?"
Agreeing with a single nod of her head, Caroline disappeared into the bathroom without another word.
I crossed the hall and went back into my own room and closed the door as I entered. I too needed to get ready for today. Once I was dressed I left the house and got into the car and waited on my sister, who came out a few seconds later.
"Ready?" I asked her as I turned on the ignition and the car came to life.
"Ready."
The drive was quick as we pulled up into a free parking space in the school parking lot. Care and I chatted a little on the drive but we mostly listened to music. I still felt the tension that lay between us. I just didn't know how to resolve it. Maybe it was just today, the thought of her birthday that was putting her into a mood.
I switched the ignition off and not a moment later, Tyler was stood in front of the car, waiting patiently as he watched us.
Caroline grabbed her bag and passed me mine before we got out of the car.
"I can't talk to you." Caroline warned Tyler before he even opened his mouth.
He looked saddened at her words as he frowned.
"I know you're upset but..."
"Upset?" Caroline hissed. "You almost got Jeremy killed! Not to mention my sister. And before you ask me to understand, or to support you, can you at least tell me what you're planning to do about your sire-bond to Klaus?"
Ty's eyebrow raised, "There is nothing I can do about it, Caroline! That's the point. I just wanted to to know that I understand why you can't be with me. Even though I want to put you first, before anyone, I can't." He said softly, his voice nothing more than a quiet murmur. "I'll never be able to. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I just wanted you to know that."
Care's lip trembled slightly as she looked at him. "I'm sorry too."
Tyler reached into his back pocket and pulled out a drawstring bag before handing it over to her.
"Happy birthday."
He turned and walked away as she looked on, clutching the bag in her hand. Caroline pulled on the string and out came a bracelet filled with charms and her initials. She looked at the bracelet sadly before placing it back into her bag.
"It's pretty." I smiled at her as I stood in front of the car.
"Yeah... it is."
I walked over to her and looped my arm through hers. "Come on." I tugged her arm and walked back to the car.
"Where are we going?" She asked confused as I opened her door for her.
"We're going home." I smiled slightly, "We're gonna have a day in front of the TV, just you and me."
She happily obliged and got into the car. I closed the door behind her before climbing into my own seat and driving off out of the car park.
Once I pulled up outside of the house, Caroline wasted no time in getting out and headed up the path to the front door. I quickly got out after her and followed on behind as she placed the key into the hole and turned. The door opened slowly and we entered. Once inside, we dropped our bags on the floor and I placed the keys into the bowl that sat on the table.
All of a sudden, Elena, Matt and Bonnie jumped out with balloons, party hats, and a sign as they yelled 'surprise'.
"Happy birthday!" Matt yelled.
Caroline looked at me like I knew this was going to happen but I quickly shook my head and raised my hands. I had no idea they were planning anything like this today.
"What are you guys doing here?" Care asked.
Elena walked forward, "Well you both blew off school and missed our work of birthday art, so..." Elena took off her crown and placed it on Caroline's head and Matt placed one on mine as well.
I looked at him sceptically. "Why did you give me one?"
"Well, we missed your birthday when you were away." Bonnie smiled.
"Yeah, so we thought we could make it a double celebration." Matt grinned cheerfully.
I beamed at what my friends were trying to do for us. Not just for Care, but for me.
"Thanks you guys. It means a lot." I smiled as I fixed the crown on my head.
"Change into warmer clothes, we are going to the Falls." Bonnie smiled, "S'mores, campfire..."
"Cake!" Elena interjected, "Like when we were little."
"Except for the tequila!" Matt laughed.
Caroline shuffled from foot-to-foot. "Thanks, guys. Really, um, I'm just not feeling my birthday this year." She said in a gloomy tone.
"I'm sorry, what?" Bonnie asked confused. "You've already claimed your birthday as everyone's favourite day of the year."
Care lulled her head back. "Yeah, and now, it's just a reminder that technically, I'm dead." She huffed. "Look, I didn't even like 17. And the only point to being 17 is to get to 18. It's like a filler year; I'm stuck in a filler year."
Elena eyed her worriedly. "You're not stuck."
"Yeah I am, but it's okay. You know, it's all good, I'll be fine. But I just need some time to wallow in it."
"Okay, well I think I have another idea." She smiled.
Matt drove us to the woods a little while later. Elena never said what her idea for tonight was, so we were going in blind. And after Caroline's depressing realisation earlier, I truly wasn't in the mood to celebrate my late birthday just as much as she was.
We walked a little into the woods until we came across the Fell's crypt and entered one after the other.
"There it is!" Elena yelled.
"This is creepy, even for us." Bonnie frowned as she looked around.
As we entered, Elena and Matt began to unpack some of the bags of snacks and booze before lifting out a birthday cake with our names written on top in thick, pink icing, before placing it down on a rock.
"Caroline was right... technically, she's dead." Elena looked at Care, "Sorry. But you don't need a birthday, you need a funeral. You need to say goodbye to your old life, so that you can move on with your new one."
Care and I looked at each other and smiled.
Elena was right. Holding on to the past would never let her continue on with her future. So, it was time to say goodbye. I on the other hand...I don't even know what my past is, or more importantly, who I am.
We held each others hands as we stood in front of the cake.
"Here lies Caroline Forbes..." Care began to speak as Elena began to place candles onto the cake.
"Cheerleader, Miss Mystic Falls, third grade hopscotch champion." Elena laughed lightly as she looked at Care.
"Friend, daughter, overachiever..." Bonnie continued on.
"Mean girl, sometimes, no offence." Matt said with a grin.
I narrowed my eyes, "I hope that's Care you're talking about."
He laughed slightly as Care squeezed my hand. She was always the meaner one out of the two of us.
"She was 17," Elena began to speak as she lifted the cake up. "She had a really good life. So rest in peace, so that she can move forward." She walked over to us and held up the cake. "This is what you really need. What we really need. Amen, or cheers or whatever." She laughed before nodding to Bonnie. "Bonnie?"
I looked to Bonnie as she narrowed her eyes slightly and the candle became alight.
"Okay, make a wish!" Elena told us.
Care and I looked at each other briefly before shutting our eyes and blowing out the candles.
Elena, Matt, Bonnie, Caroline and I were siting inside the crypt. I sat atop a rock as I ran my finger through the icing on my slice of cake before licking it off my finger. Matt took a bottle of tequila from Bonnie, but It was quickly snatched out of his hand by Elena.
"Ah-ah. I need it more than you do, trust me." She smiled.
I looked over to my sister as she typed on her phone. "What are you doing?" I asked.
"What? Nothing." She quickly replied and dropped the phone into her lap, trying to hide the screen from preying eyes.
I smirked at her attempts to lie straight to my face.
"You're a terrible sober liar... You're an even worse drunk liar." I joked lighted heartedly with her.
She tapped the screen nervously.
"I might have texted Tyler." She finally admitted.
I can't say I was surprised, but I wasn't happy about it.
"Caroline..." Elena groaned from across the crypt.
Care shrugged, "What? I'm delicate."
Bonnie rolled her eyes that hard that you could almost hear them rolling back into her skull. "Give her a break! You can't control what everyone does all the time." Her frustration was directed towards Elena.
An awkward silence fell upon the crypt. No one spoke for a short period as we were all unsure of what to say after Bonnie's outburst.
"Wow." Elena broke the heavy tension.
"Ouch, Bon." Matt winced at her words.
"Sorry, I know it's Caroline and Jess' birthday, funeral or whatever but, I just feel it's really wrong that you compelled Jeremy to leave town." Bonnie said as she swung her legs off the rock where she sat.
"I'm doing it to protect him, Bonnie." Elena eyed her. "I want to give him a chance to have a quiet normal life."
Bonnie sniggered, "He should be able to choose how he wants to live it, you're taking his choices away."
I hopped of my rock and looked at Bonnie. A little annoyed that she was taking it this way. Clearing my throat before I spoke, she turned to face me and crossed her arms defensively.
"You weren't there, Bonnie." I began to speak. She eyed me sceptically, "You never saw how he was acting. How he acted after the attack. He was a completely different person." I faced Elena and gave her a small smile for reassurance. "Elena done the right thing for Jer. You can't tell him."
Bonnie's eyes narrowed, "Why? Are you gonna stop me?"
I looked at her, shocked by her words. "Excuse me?" I hissed.
Matt cleared his throat, "You know, you guys are ruining a perfect funeral." He said tipsily.
Bonnie grabbed her bag and headed for the exit, "I'm sorry. I'm just gonna go sleep it off or something." She face me and said, "Happy birthday." Before she turned and left.
I turned to face Elena as she looked at the empty spot where Bonnie once sat.
"Ignore her, Elena. You've done the right thing."
"Thanks, Jess. I hope you're right." She sighed taking another drink from her bottle.
It wasn't long after Bonnie left that Tyler arrived.
The gate opened up and he walked in.
Sensing the cold atmosphere, he chose to stand in the doorway.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to crash the party." He said.
Matt looked at him, "So don't." He said coldly.
"No, it's-it's okay." Caroline smiled at him, "Hi."
"Hey, Care." He smiled back.
I looked up at him from where I sat. "Aren't you gonna come in?" I asked with a smile.
After everything he's done, he was still a huge part of my life, of our lives. I didn't want that to be thrown away by a mistake he made.
"Uhh, yeah in a minute." He said as he ran his hands down his thighs. "Can I talk to you both outside for a sec. It's kinda important."
"Sure." Caroline nodded before looking towards me. I nodded my head in agreement before we followed him outside.
Outside in the woods, Care and I followed Tyler until we were a good distance from the crypt.
I didn't think anything of it at the time, but I should have.
"What I said earlier, at the school. I take it all back. Klaus does't control me. Not when it comes to my friends. I won't let him." Tyler spoke confidently.
I leaned back against a tree and sighed.
"Ty, I know you mean well, I really do." I looked at him, his eyes were filled with regret. "But, we just can't trust you. Not while you're sired to Klaus." He looked saddened at my words but It was true. We couldn't trust him, and he knew it. "Maybe... maybe it's just time you accepted it and moved on."
"I'm not moving on from anything. I love Caroline... I love my friends." He spoke passionately.
"I know, but I can't have you hurting her. Not anymore."
"I won't. You know me, Jess." He edged closer to where I stood and grabbed my hands. "You know me."
He held my hands between his palms as he stared into my eyes.
His were pleading with mine to trust him. To take his word for it, but I don't know if I could risk it. Not again.
"Ty..." I began and he squeezed my hands tighter. "You know I love you. You've been one of my best friends since Care and I were young, but this situation changes things now. Things won't be the same. Ever."
"Just give me a chance." He pleaded. "Just one more chance, please."
I thought it over for a moment.
Maybe he was fighting Klaus' sire-bond. Maybe he deserved another chance. Everyone deserves another chance.
So I nodded my head in agreement. "It's not me you have to convince, it's Caroline." I told him as I motioned towards Care with my head.
He smiled. "Thanks, Jess!"
He pulled me into a hug and I embraced him wholly. My arms stretched around his back as he held me close, his face buried into the crease of my neck. He held me tightly for a few seconds before releasing me and looking towards Caroline, waiting for her reply. She smiled widely, and he rushed into her arms.
The next thing I knew, the whole night had taken a turn for the worst.
"Ouch!" I Care winced and pushed Ty back. I watched as she moved her hand up to the now punctured area of her neck and traced her fingers against the pulsating skin. "What did you do?"
"Oh, no." He muttered.
I rushed over to my sister and clasped my hand on her neck. I was shocked when I pulled my hand back and saw blood on my fingers.
"Did you just bite her!?"
He shook his head frantically. "Oh, my god. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Oh, my god!" Caroline began to yell as she fell back against the tree. Tyler made a move to come forward. "Get away from me!" She hissed. "Get away from me!"
I placed myself between the two and shoved Tyler backwards. He stumbled as I marched over to him and gripped his neck tightly. "Get the hell away from us!"
He looked at me in shock as he staggered backwards.
"Was this all just another trick?!" I yelled, "To come crawling back for forgiveness, to then just throw it back in our faces!"
As I yelled at him, Tyler slowly backed off, his face draining of colour before he disappeared through the trees.
I rushed over to the tree, collapsing to the ground as I pressed my hand against her neck. My breathing became erratic as a million thoughts flashed through my head.
This isn't happening. This. Is. Not. Happening.
I got to my feet as the sky began to darken and the wind picked up. My legs trembled as I carried Caroline in my arms. I was having a come-down after what had happened. The adrenaline was slowly leaving my body to be replaced with fear. Fear for my sister's life.
I don't know exactly when I fell to the ground but when I did, I hit it hard. I clutched onto the leaves beneath the palm of my hands. Digging my nails into the earth as I tried to pick her up once more. I just felt weak. Tired.
I tried to slow my breathing to a steady pace, hoping it would replenish my strength. That's when I heard a voice in the distance.
"Matt..." I yelled.
My throat dried the more I tried to call his name.
"Jessica!" His voice was becoming more clear the closer he got to where I kneeled on the ground.
"Matt!..." I called once more, wincing as I lifted Care from the ground.
Finally, he found us.
Matt rushed to my side as I stumbled.
"Jess, what happened?" He asked in a frenzy.
"T-Tyler." Was all I could manage to get out.
Matt looked at me concerned.
"Come on, we need to get you both out of here." He placed a hand under Care's legs and behind my neck before he jolted her from my grasp.
I blew a sigh of relief as I no longer had to carry her. The pain vibrated throughout my whole body.
"Please... P-Please make it stop!" Caroline cried out as Matt ran through the woods to the car.
Once we made it, Matt placed her into the back seat before climbing into the front beside me and started the engine.
He drove off at a menacing speed as the wheels screeched against the ground.
The car came to a staggering halt in front of my house. Matt made quick work of lifting my sister out the back as I clung to my jacket sleeve.
"Sheriff Forbes!" He yelled as he rushed up the path.
My mom wasted no time in opening the door. "What happened?" She gasped as Matt entered the house with Care in his arms.
Seeing my mom for the first time in a few days made my skin crawl. I knew she was keeping something from me and I knew I had to confront her, but now wasn't the time. We had to help Care. "Tyler bit her." I informed her as I burst through the door.
"Oh, my god, sweetheart." She brushed her hand over her hair as Matt carried her to her room. He lay her down gently on the bed as my mom pulled the sheets back. "Oh, honey. Caroline, honey, can you hear me?"
"I'm so sorry, mom." She muttered quietly.
"She's been hallucinating or something." Matt told my mom as he stood at my beside. "She's been mumbling all kinds of stuff. No one's picking up their phone."
My mom came closer and sat at the side of Care on the bed. "It's alright, sweetheart." She cooed and brushed the hair from her face. Her hand moved lower and lifted the collar of her jacket to reveal the bite mark on her neck. It was spreading, and fast. I winced as I saw the black veins creeping up on her skin.
As the clock ticked by, Matt and my mom were inside the room with Caroline as I paced the hall. Thinking of things that could help my sister, but only one thing came to mind. I refused to call him. We'd think of something else to heal her. Maybe Bonnie could come up with something.
As I took my phone from my pocket to call Bonnie, a knocking at the door drew my eyes forward.
My skin flared as I saw him on the other side of the door, smiling cockily as he watched me through the glass pane.
I glared at him as I made my way down the hall and yanked the door open.
"What are you doing here?" I asked in a brash tone.
"Tyler came to see me," He smirked, "Poor boy, he seemed quite distressed. He said Caroline had a terrible accident."
I saw red.
I lunged forward and swung a closed fist at Klaus' face. He caught my wrist effortlessly and tugged me forward. "You're losing your temper, sweetheart." He said as he held me tightly, and just like before in the woods, the pit of my stomach churned.
"You made him do this. He wouldn't hurt us. He wouldn't hurt Caroline." I gasped.
"I'm here to help, Jessica." He smiled as his grip loosened, and I stepped back inside the safety of my house. "My blood will heal her. Please, invite me inside, love."
"No." I said sternly.
Klaus' eyes darkened.
"Jess?" I turned around to see my mother walking down the hallway.
"Ahh, sheriff," Klaus' smile returned at the sight of my mother, "If you'd be so kind as to invite me inside. Jessica here is doubting my intentions."
"I know how this game works," My mom said from my side, "You want something in return."
"Just your support."
My mom fell silent, thinking over the offer as I shook my head at her, a silent 'no' as she weighed up the options.
"Come in." She said, breaking the silence.
I closed my eyes briefly as Klaus stepped over the threshold and entered inside the house. He brushed past me as he walked up the hall and stopped outside of Care's room. Mom closed the door before we followed him. I peered into my sisters room as she shivered under the covers in the dim-lit room.
"Give us a moment alone, won't you?" He said as he faced my mother and I.
I shook my head and scoffed, "Not a chance."
Klaus narrowed his eyes as a smirk broke out on his face, "I believe you and your mother have much more pressing things to discuss, love."
My eyes widened at his words.
"What are you talking about?" My mom sighed.
He shrugged, "It's best Jessica tells you, sheriff. It's a family matter after all."
"It doesn't matter," I said quickly.
"Oh, I believe otherwise." Klaus grinned, "It's time you told her the truth."
I couldn't believe that he just blankly said that to my mother. She now knew something was going on. There was no hiding the matter now. It was time for the secrets to come to an end.
Klaus entered Care's room and closed the door. I hung my head lowly as my mom tugged on my arm.
"W-what is he talking about, Jessie?" She murmured.
Her body language was giving her away more than any words ever would.
I motioned towards the living room. As I walked down the hall, my heart was beating rapidly inside of my chest.
Once I ask, there's no going back. It'll be out there. There will be no going back. Did I really want to open this can-of-worms?
She took a seat on the sofa as I sat on the coffee table in front of her. My leg nervously bounced as I tried to think of the words to say.
"Jess, honey-"
"I know." I blurted out. "I know you've been lying to me my whole life, mom."
Her face turned a blushing shade of red, "I-I...What do you mean?"
"You can drop the act!" I snapped.
I knew that Caroline would be safe now. Klaus' blood would heal her. So this was my opportunity to get answers for myself. No more using work for an excuse anymore. Even though my hand was forced into the matter, there was no changing the outcome. If it was today, tomorrow or next week. It would end up the same.
"I know that I'm...that I'm a werewolf." I sighed, and it was like a weight was lifted from my shoulders. Ever since Mikael all but confirmed it at the party, It hadn't left my mind. Every single day I thought about how this could be, and every day I refused to believe the truth.
"I-"
"I think Mason tried to tell me before he vanished,"
"Mason?" My mom frowned.
"Yeah, I saw him a while ago. He came back when something happened on the other side." I saw her face twist in confusion as I rambled on about things she had no knowledge of, "That's beside the point, mom. Who am I?"
"You're you, honey." She smiled as she fought to hold back the tears, "You're Jessica. My daughter."
"Yes," I sighed as my eyes filled with tears of their own, "I am your daughter. So why are you still lying to me."
"Jess-"
I raised my hand, "No, mom. Enough." I silenced her. She wiped at the tears on her cheek as I continued, "I want to know the truth. I need to know the truth. You owe me that!"
She nodded her head slowly, "O-Okay."
I was not prepared for what came next.
"It was many years ago. It was only one night." She said through sobs.
My eyes widened, "D-Dad's not my dad?"
I didn't need her to clarify that anymore. I already knew the answer to it. To have the gene, one of your parents has to have the gene themselves, and I knew that neither of mine did.
Her head shook slowly, "I'm so sorry, honey." I wiped my cheeks, my sleeve was now soaked in tears as I looked at her, "If you ask me if I regret that night...I don't. Because it gave me you."
"W-who is my father then?" I stuttered through broken sobs. "Who's my dad?"
"I-It's Richard." She finally said.
I frowned.
No! No, this isn't happening. This cannot be happening!
"Richard? As in Richard Lockwood!?" She nodded and I felt like my world had come crashing down. "You slept with the Mayor?"
I felt sick. Utterly sick.
"He wasn't the Mayor then."
I scoffed, "Oh, that makes it alright then."
"That's not what I meant," My mom got to her feet as I sprung into the air and began pacing back and forth. "Your father and I had broken up at that point in time. We were struggling and he walked out on me one night and didn't come back for days. I was lost. I didn't know what to do." I looked at her through tears as she explained the situation to me. "I went to a bar and Richard happened to be there. He and Carol were having problems of their own. We shared that matter in common with each other and drank, a lot. One thing led to the other and then before I knew it. I was pregnant with you."
I shook my head, "I-I can't," A loud sob escaped my lips as I lulled my head back and I balled my fists, "Does dad know?"
She nodded her head, "I told him as soon as I found out I was pregnant."
"What about Carol and Richard? Did he know before he...died?"
"They did. Your father and I spoke to them. We all agreed on what to do."
The realisation hit me, "Oh my god, Tyler." I looked towards my mom as her head hung low, "H-He's my brother?"
Her eyes pressed tightly shut as she held back the tears. "Jess, I'm so sorry."
"I can't be here," I choked through sobs. "I have to leave."
As I rushed to the door, my mom yelled my name but I was so lost in my own head that I didn't hear her. Everything sounded as if it were an echo. Just passing through in muted waves. I rushed out to the porch and sat on the swing.
Every now and then I saw the curtain twitching as my mom looked outside, making sure I was still there. I avoided her gaze, I needed to be alone. I needed to think.
How could they keep that from me? How could they not tell me who my real father was? I still can't get over the fact that Tyler is my half brother. I have to tell him. He has the right to know as much as I do.
As I continued to fight inside of my head, I hadn't noticed that Klaus had been watching me from the door.
I wiped at my cheek as I finally took note of his presence, "I-Is Caroline okay?"
He nodded his head before approaching me. He softly lowered his body down onto the swing beside me with a gentle sigh. "She'll be perfectly fine when she wakes." I felt his eyes watching me as I stared blankly ahead. "So...now you know."
I sniggered, "Yeah...Now I know." Shaking my head, I turned to face him head on, "What does this mean? What'll happen to me now?"
"Well," He smiled softly, "If I heard right, it means that you're a werewolf."
My eyes drifted between his, "You already knew though, didn't you."
Klaus dipped his head and placed a hand against my cheek, wiping away the tears with his thumb, "All I know, is that your mother loves you deeply."
"I know she does," I sighed, "I just don't understand how she could keep something like this from me. How they could keep this from me."
"Perhaps they did it to protect you."
"Protect me from what? There was nothing to be protected from. They shouldn't have lied to me."
Klaus began to swing the seat slightly as he placed his arms on his lap and leaned forward.
"I'm an un-triggered werewolf," I laughed slightly at how ridiculous it sounded, "How the hell am I supposed to come to terms with something like that." As Klaus opened his mouth to speak, I placed my hand on his arm, gaining his attention. "I can't forgive you for what you made Tyler do tonight...but I can thank you for healing my sister."
He smiled, "You're welcome, love."
We fell into another pit of silence as we swung gently in the breeze. Neither one of us spoke and I was thankful. I enjoyed just sitting in silence, sitting with Klaus. Even after what he had done to my sister, his company was oddly reassuring and calming.
"Happy birthday." Klaus smiled as he faced me, breaking the silence.
I frowned, "It's not my birthday."
"Weren't you having a little party with your friends to celebrate?" He asked confused.
I laughed lightly, "Kind of. It's Caroline's actual birthday today. They just included me because they missed mine whilst I was staying with my dad for a while." I fell silent after I mentioned my dad. Now that I knew the truth, I didn't know how I truly felt about the situation. I needed more answers. More clarification on the matter.
"Ahh..."
I smiled as I looked at him from the side of my eye. He was staring at the ground, his hands clasped together as he tapped his index fingers together.
"Thank you though." I said.
As the night became cooler and the sky darkened further, I bid Klaus a farewell and entered back inside the house. The rest of the night was filled with sobbing, raised voices and painful revelations as my mother elaborated further on the situation. Once Care had woken up, she too entered the conversation. She was just as shocked as I when she learned the truth. I still couldn't quite understand why it was kept from me. My whole life, I lived a lie. A lie that could have easily gotten me killed. If I had triggered my curse and people found out, I'd be an exhibition right about now.
As the night fell into the early morning, I retired back to my room. I was exhausted. Well and truly exhausted. I climbed into my bed and held the covers around my waist as I sobbed quietly into a pillow. I wasn't sure where I went from here. What I was going to do. How I was going to move forward now that I knew the truth. The only thing I knew now was who my real father was and where my anger and sudden bursts of rage sparked from. It was hard wired into me. Just like Tyler. That's why my mom suggested that I go live with my father for a few months. My anger was getting the better of me and she worried that I would cause someones death, accidental or purposeful, and trigger the curse. As founding families, they knew of the supernatural world that we lived in, my father was the best person to help, or so she thought.
Every day I was there I was in the same routine. He had me doing breathing techniques daily, and whenever he saw the slightest bit of anger working its way from inside, it would be more breathing or an intensive work out session until I was too tired to do anything else. He was literally making me too exhausted to even feel any other emotion.
Now I knew why he was so apprehensive of when I went out with my friends. He didn't fear for my safety...he feared for the safety of others.
I shook my head, I couldn't think about this anymore, not tonight. I tossed onto my side and frowned when a box caught my eye from my night stand. Leaning up on one elbow, I reached for the rectangular box and pulled it onto the bed. My fingers brushed over the soft, navy blue, velvet as I eyed it sceptically.
"Wow..." I gasped as I opened the lid.
The box contained a beautiful, expensive-looking bracelet, entwined with diamonds. I looked in awe at the bracelet as I trailed my finger along the cool metal before I picked up a piece of paper that had fallen out from the inside.
I unravelled it and smiled as it read, 'From Klaus' in beautiful handwriting.
I placed the coiled sheet of paper back inside before closing the lid down and placing it back onto the table.
Still wore out from the events of today, I reached over and switched the lamp off before curling back up under the cover.
After everything that had happened, the new information that I learned today, I was surprised when I didn't have to try hard to fall asleep. Darkness consumed me almost instantly that night.