September 22nd.
Stefan gasps as he wakes up from his nightmare, breathing heavily as he sat up on his bed.
"Bad dream?"
Damon asked from where he sat in Stefan's room.
"Do you know how easy it was to get into your head just now? You really need some human blood. It might even the playing field. Football reference."
He smirked, pausing, before speaking again.
"Too soon?"
At that, a pissed Stefan blurs from his bed to a table, picking up a knife and throwing it right at Damon which impales him by his chest.
Damon sighed, standing up and easily removing it.
"Alright. I deserve that. But, you should know, they caught the culprit. The animal responsible for killing all those people and Tanner."
Stefan gave him an unimpressed look, knowing he was staring directly at the culprit after all.
"What are you talking about?"
"It was a mountain lion. Really big one! It attacked a hunter this morning. It's all over the news. 'Deadly beast captured. All's well in Mystic Falls'."
He drags with his hand and Stefan's eyes narrowed at him suspiciously.
"Why would you cover your tracks?"
Damon shrugged walking around.
"I've decided to stay a while. And I'm just having way too much fun here with you and Elena."
He smiles deviously and Stefan scoffs.
"You can't touch her now."
Damon smirked.
Well, the vervain keeps me out of her head. Maybe that's not my target."
He gives a rather salacious grin that riled Stefan and Damon continued his speech.
"Believe it or not, Stefan, some girls don't need my persuasion. Some girls just can't resist my good looks, my style and my charm and my unflinching ability to listen to Taylor Swift."
He finished, walking up to his brother and just then with his vampire speed, stabs Stefan in his stomach who grunts, falling to his knees.
Damon stares at his designer black shirt and frowns at his brother.
"This is John Varvatos dude. Dick. Move."
With that, he saunters out of Stefan's room, who removes the knife from his stomach with a grunt, lifting his shirt to each as the wound closes up, leaving only a trail of blood.
He stares at the door his brother left from with an angry glare.
Gilbert Residence.
Cherith sighed as she jogged down the stairs in a pair of black jogging shorts and a light pink tank, her hair up in a ponytail and dark bags under her eyes.
It had been over a week since Tanner's death and she was still having trouble sleeping.
Of course, it was to be expected, what with the messed up way she found Tanner. She remembered the night it'd happened, she'd woken up to puke her stomach out, especially when she kept having flashes of his mangled, bitten out neck.
Cherith squeezed her eyes shut and sighed.
That was definitely something she wished she couldn't remember, but she had a rather eidetic memory and it definitely wasn't helping her as if this moment.
Apart from Tanner's body always appearing in her nightmares, she also remember a rather occurring dream she'd been having since before Tanner's death.
The one she still had this morning again, with the sky a dark black and red lightning everywhere and it being in her POV as she looks down and sees her hands covered in blood.
Now though, a few feet away from her, Tanner's body would appear.
She idly wondered if she'd subconsciously known there would be a death and she'd be there to see the body.
Cherith immediately sighed, shaking he head and scoffing at herself for even thinking such a thing possible.
"Must be because I'm starving" she muttered to herself, walking into the kitchen where Elena, Jenna and Jeremy were.
Elena cleaning what looked to be some old heirlooms.
"Morning…"
Cherith groaned as she pushed Jeremy out of her way and opened the fridge and he looked at her.
"Well you look like a zombie."
With that, Cherith turned to him with a glare as she brought out a jug of milk and grabbed herself a bowl.
"Too bad I can't eat your brain then cause you don't have one."
She sniped back at him and he gave her the middle finger which she returned, Elena sighing at the two and Jenna just plain up ignoring them.
Just then, the doorbell rang and Elena went to open it.
Cherith grabbed some cereal from the kitchenette and poured it into her bowl with milk and began slurping.
"You okay Cherry?"
Jenna asked the youngest of the Gilbert clan who just waved her spoon at her, tired of the people who kept asking her if she was okay ever since she saw a dead body up close and personal.
Even Leslie became super concerned for her and allowed her go home whenever she wanted instead of forcing her to hangout with her and her other friends.
It wasn't like she could say she wasn't okay. They'd get even more concerned for her mental health and maybe even end up hiring a therapist or something.
Ew.
And she knew deep down that her mind had imprinted the image of Tanner and so she wasn't forgetting it soon, she was deeply affected by his death because of that and even if she never truly liked the man, it wasn't like she wished him dead after all.
Not seriously, that is.
Cherith looked towards where Elena had left and turned to Jenna.
"Wonder who that was."
"Must be Stefan. Ah… young love."
Jenna sighed.
"Seems like ages ago."
Jeremy gave her a look.
"Aren't you just 29?"
Jenna scoffed, looking at Cherith who was now rinsing her bowl.
"Just 29, he says. When you're my age, you'll understand better."
Cherith snorted.
Mystic Grill.
"Woah, wait… you're taking Damon Salvatore to the founder's party? What about me?"
Bonnie said incredulously as she settled down with Caroline who shrugged uncaring.
"Just go with Elena."
"But she's asking Stefan!"
"Then go with Cherry."
Bonnie sighed, shaking her head as she grabbed a menu.
"What about your mum though… is she okay with you bringing Damon?"
Caroline scoffed.
"And I'm supposed to care, why?"
"Cause he's older… sexy, danger guy."
She finished rather lamely and Caroline grinned at her.
"Older sexy danger guy? Is that an official witch Twitter tweet?"
Bonnie looked at her unimpressed.
"No more witch jokes okay? That whole Mr. Tanner prediction thing has me all freaked out."
Caroline nodded.
"Okay, fine. And besides… Damon's not dangerous. You know, he just has a lot of issues with his brother. You know, like major, deep-rooted drama."
Bonnie suddenly looked super interested.
"Like…??"
Caroline bit her lip, unsure whether to talk or not.
"I'm not really supposed to say anything."
At that, Bonnie scoffed.
"Caroline Forbes! When have you ever kept a secret in your life??"
Caroline sighed, looking indecisive for a minute before bringing her head closer to Bonnie's who was now attentive.
"Okay. But you can't tell Elena."
Bonnie grins excitedly.
"No."
Gilbert Residence.
Later in the afternoon, Cherith sat in the living room, playing some video games when the doorbell rang and Jeremy who was coming down the stairs opened it.
She would have continued playing if not for the voice she heard.
"I'm here for my mum. I'm supposed to pick up a box of stuff."
Cherith head snapped towards the door and she sighed, turning her head back to her game while shouting towards Jeremy.
"Close the door on his face Jeremy!"
Tyler sighed and a side smile grew on Jeremy's face who contemplated doing just that when Elena walked towards them, a box in hand.
"It's right here. And please, be careful with that. They're really important."
"Yeah be careful with it dick."
Jeremy added as Tyler took the box from Elena and Cherith snickered and Tyler looked at him slightly frustrated.
"Hey. Not now, okay guys, please?"
"I'm fine. He's just being a punk."
Tyler spoke, gesturing towards Jeremy and Cherith scoffed under her breath.
"We all know you deserve much more than the word dick."
"I got your punk."
Jeremy spoke back and Elena sighed.
"Look Tyler, I think you should go. Just tell your mum that I'll see her tonight."
With that, Elena turned to walk away after giving him a smile and Tyler was about to walk away as well when he stopped, turning to Jeremy.
"Hey, would it make ant difference if I told you I actually liked Vicki?"
Jeremy scoffed.
"Not even if you meant it."
And slammed the door on Tyler's face and Cherith whooped.
"Yep! That's my brother!"
Jeremy scoffed, a grin on his face and Elena who was nearby gave her a look.
"Don't encourage him."
Cherith ignored her.
September 24th. Founder's Ball.
Cherith stared at her opened wardrobe, hands on her waist as she contemplated what she was going to wear for the founder's ball.
She'd kept on procrastinating picking a dress till last minute and now, she had no idea what to wear.
She sighed, crossing her arms.
It wasn't like people were expecting her to mingle much anyways. Just show her face for a while and see if she could convince Jenna to take her back home.
Maybe she'd run into Leslie too, which was a very high possibility as her mother had recently gone back to UCLA and so she wouldn't be too busy. Maybe she could even stay over at her place for the night.
Might be a good idea.
Her eyes finally settled on a crystal blue satin like armless gown fit at the waist but flared to her knees and she coupled with a simple pair of black pumps and a silver bracelet, her hair in a half up bun and the rest falling over her back.
When she was done, putting some light lip gloss, she smiled at herself in her mirror, grinning at a job well done and went down the stairs as she was hitching a ride with her aunt since she didn't want to be a 3rd wheel with Elena and Stefan.
When she got to the Lockwood mansion, she walked in with her aunt, giving fake smiles to the mayor and his pretentious wife.
Honestly, those two perfectly for one another.
Without so much as a glance in her aunt's direction, who coincidentally looked like she was searching out someone, she walked away, looking around for any sign of her friend. Or more familiar faces.
"Hey you!"
Leslie greeted her with a grin and Cherith turned to see her friend dressed in a golden like gown that fell just above her knees and slightly skin tight, with black heels, her hair done up in waves and light make up on.
"Hi Les! You look good!"
Leslie grinned, twirling, a tiny purse in her hand.
"Thanks! And you clean up nicely! Wow! I've seen a bunch of guys staring at you as well. You know you should dress up more often."
Cherith grimaced, looking around and indeed she spotted some people looking at her.
She rolled her eyes, making a grab for a glass of champagne.
"No, thank you. I prefer to live in the shadows."
Leslie scoffed, slapping Cherith's hand away from the champagne glass, making her pout.
"Pout all you want, but if you're going to ignore the fiery beauty that you are just so you have some comfort, then you don't deserve my help in sneaking you any drink."
Cherith scoffed, looking around before her eyes found her aunt and that TV reporter guy she forgot his name.
Leslie whistled lowly.
"Wow, your aunt had great taste!"
Cherith chuckled.
"But according to her she has pretty bad taste in men. He's one of her exes or something. I think the asshole cheated on her."
"Ew. Shame on him then, Jenna's hot!"
Cherith nodded sagely.
"That, we can agree on…"
Suddenly her face turned devious.
"Maybe I should play a practical joke on him."
Cherith mumbled under her breath and Leslie scoffed.
"Yeah, no. There's no way I'm helping you prank a freaking TV reporter. I mean, what if he finds out and says something devious about me on TV??"
Cherith sighed, ignoring her friend who suddenly perked up.
"Oh! I see Chad Davis! And Mallory's no where around him! Must be my lucky day. I'll be right back!"
With that, she rushed away towards her target and Cherith grinned before turning to look around, slightly bored.
She walked slowly around before she spotted Elena, Caroline, Stefan and Damon Salvatore who she'd finally gotten his name but she wouldn't let him the have satisfaction of knowing that for a while.
"Oh Elena! I'm bored out of my mind!"
She groaned as she reached where they were, looking at some paper hanging on the wall.
The quartet turned to her, Elena smiling at her sister.
"Wow, you look miserable."
Caroline smirked and Cherith glared at her.
"Look who's talking, you came her with what's his face?"
She snarked back, pointing towards Damon who sighed and Stefan grinned.
"Cherry berry, how could you keep forgetting my name?"
Cherith turned to him disgruntled.
"That name is disgusting. Never say it again."
"Well, if you're that bored, you should have listened to my advice of dating hot seniors but here you are now."
Cherith have Caroline a dry look before turning to her sister.
"You're not even gonna help me out here?"
Elena smiled, shrugging.
"Go find Leslie or Jenna. Bonnie's around here somewhere too."
Cherith scoffed at her sister before turning to Stefan.
"See, this is what you're gonna go through with princess Elena when you get to know her more. She doesn't truly care for her loved ones."
With that, she stomps away, before stopping, coming back and yanking a champagne glass that was in Elena's hand, gulping it down, ignoring her sister's cry of protest and shoving the empty glass back into her sister's hand and giving her a sly grin.
"Now you've done something important."
With that, she walked away, ignoring Elena's
"I'll tell Jenna, Cherith Gilbert!"
But Cherith had already walked away.
The sky was already dark now and the party was still in full bloom and now that it was darker, Cherith found it easier to sneak a glass or two if champagne and drink it down in one go.
You know what they say, drinking at least 2 glasses of champagne in the space of an hour could make you drunk.
Cherith learnt that soon enough.
It wasn't exactly her first time taking alcohol, what with sneaking around the house whenever her parents weren't around but just sips were all she had and so, now after having at least 4 glasses of champagne, she was already getting tipsy as she walked around, pushing through some people.
She went up the stairs, walking around, feeling light headed a bit.
She walked around slightly before entering a room where she found herself staring at Caroline and Damon who was in the process of pocketing something.
The 2 turned to her and she chuckled lowly.
"Wow, did I interrupt a lover's tryst? Hold up, did I just say tryst?"
She muttered to herself as she turned towards Damon who looked at her carefully.
"Did you steal something? Or was that a condom you were pocketing?"
Caroline's eyes widened and Cherith quickly raised her and albeit rather sluggishly.
"Don't worry, I didn't see nothing. You both can… go back to whatever it is you were doing."
She quipped, snickering when she turned, about to leave when Damon was suddenly in front of her, making her startled.
She turned back to a slightly scared Caroline.
"Weren't you there just a minute—"
As she turned back to him, he held her shoulders, making her look into his eyes.
"Forget everything you saw in this room. You were alone and tired so you came to sit for a bit."
He commanded and Cherith looked straight at him, confused at whatever the hell he was saying.
Damon, thinking it worked because of how quiet she was, motioned for Caroline to follow him as he walked out, Caroline rushing after him, turning to stare at Cherith concernedly before she too left.
Cherith though, was in a state of confusion.
She should forget everything she saw?
Just then, slight anger filled her as she scoffed.
"Who does he think he is? 'Forget everything you saw in this room'."
She mocked his voice as she walked around in circles, slightly stumbling in her pumps.
"Why I should stab him in his right eye! See how he'd like that!"
She huffed, before crossing her arms.
"And why did he look into my eyes like that anyways? Did he expect me to swoon and listen to his words? I ought to go and give him some words of mine!"
She mumbled to herself, suddenly determined to punch him as she walked out of the room.
As soon as she got down the stairs though, she ran right into Jenna.
"Hey… Jenna…"
She greeted with a nervous laugh and Jenna looked at her suspiciously before sniffing her breath and her eyes narrowed.
"Have you been drinking?"
Cherith's eyes widened as she shook her head.
"What? Me? No! Are you forgetting who you're talking to? I'm the good child, Jenna. The parents were lucky to have me."
She chuckled uncontrollably, ignoring her aunt's unamused look before her chuckle began dying down at the sudden remembrance of her parents again.
Being slightly drunk and depressive combined was not a good feeling as her eyes suddenly became watery.
Jenna's face softened.
"Cherry, are you okay?"
Cherry nodded, but a tear fell down her face and she cleaned it, sniffling.
"What? Yeah. No, I'm fine."
She tried to assure her aunt who didn't look like she believed her.
"Come on."
She said, holding her niece's hand and dragging her.
"I was preparing to leave anyway, let's go."
"What? No! I still have a score to settle!"
Cherith whined just as she saw a stony looking Damon walk past them and she groaned.
"Aunt Jenna!"
"No. I leave you alone for a few hours and you turn into a less delinquent Jeremy? Yeah no, I don't need you returning home with half your hair gone. Your mother would visit me from the after life for not taking care of her daughter's glorious ruby hair."
Cherith sighed, giving up and letting her aunt drag her out of the Lockwood mansion and towards her car to head on home.
Caroline wakes up on the lawn outside the Lockwood mansion, in pain, pressing her neck slightly and wincing.
She stood up, noticing the crystal necklace Damon had taken earlier was in the grass and grabbed it, running her hand through it shakily and stood up.
"Caroline?"
She heard Elena's voice a bit behind her and quickly hid the necklace in her purse.
"There you are, I've been looking all over for you."
Elena sighed as she walked over to her friend and frowned at how shaken she was and her erratic breathing.
"Caroline? Are you okay?"
She asked softly and Caroline slowly turned to her, her heartbeat erratic as she shook even more.
"Yeah. I'm fine"
She stuttered but Elena wasn't believing a word she said.
"Caroline, what happened?"
Caroline only kept nodding and shaking, terrified.
"I'm fine."
"No. Caroline. You're shaking. What—"
Elena spoke aghast and even more concerned about her usually upbeat friend who was still shaking uncontrollably.
"I'm fine!"
Elena shook her head.
"Caroline. Come here, come here…"
She brought her close to her, hugging her softly and Caroline finally burst into heart wrenching sobs and Elena did her best to comfort her shaken friend.
Salvatore Boarding House.
Stefan and Zach Salvatore threw Damon down and into the vervain cellar as he groaned, in and out of it as the locked the metal door shut.
Stefan looked in, staring at his slightly pitiful brother, a frown on his face as he remembered the lives Damon had taken and the way he had used Caroline.
"I did what I had to do… to protect Elena. To protect everyone."
He whispered at his brother.
"Yes, Damon, the headline reads 'Deadly beast captured. All is well in Mystic Falls'."
Was the last thing he said as he turned and walked away, a small part of him finally relieved, Zach walking with him.
Lockwood Residence.
"Thank you for staying late."
Mayor Lockwood spoke as he walked into a closed room where some Mystic Falls residents sat in.
It consisted of Carol Lockwood, the Mayor's wife, Sheriff Forbes, and Logan Fell, all members of the Founding families.
"Did you get the Gilbert watch?"
Sheriff Forbes asked Carol who shook her head where she sat, legs crossed.
"She claims it's still packed away in her parents' things."
"I can get it."
Logan quipped as he looked at all of them and sheriff Forbes nodded.
"Good. Because we're going to need it."
Mayor Lockwood sighed, looking serious.
"Are you sure?"
"Five bodies all drained of blood? I'm certain."
Sheriff Forbes said matter of fact.
"They've come back."
Logan Fell said, looking at them all.
So!
What do you all think?!
Should I continue or not?!?!
