I'm aliiiiiiiiiiiive! *zombie noises* I'm done with my first year at university and hoo-boy am I ready to get crackin' on this baby! All the ideas! The delicious, delicious ideas! Muahahaha! Can you tell that I'm happy?
Onwards to the chapter!
CHAPTER 12
TIME AFTER TIME
.
Pearl's blood tasted like cinnamon. She had to pour it into a thermos that first night, paranoid that one of her family members would find it at the bottom of the freezer and question her. She made up a story in her head about Caroline having her on a special diet and labeled it 'jetpack fuel' in case any of them saw it. They didn't, nor did they see her dragging a mini-fridge home the following day. She hooked it up to the outlet in the attic and made sure to hide it behind the boxes full of her parents' things. Nobody ever went near those.
It did cross her mind to ask Elena if she wanted to begin drinking the blood too. She'd done the math, and if they were frugal, it would be enough to feed them both for the rest of this month and all of the next. She decided against it. Something she remembered from her previous life was that Elena never wanted to be a vampire, and with the blood came that ever-looming possibility. She decided instead to begin keeping some blood on her person in case she was ever injured. Like a traditionally red health potion, the thought of which made things easier.
She set the waffles down on the table, listening to the soft droning of the news station she turned on for Jenna. Logan Fell's stupid face would be plastered across the screen in about two hours, and her aunt had taken to watching the early morning news so she wouldn't have to see it. It would almost be funny if Angela didn't hate the man. Nobody cheated on Aunt Jenna and walked around without crutches.
When she heard footsteps descending the stairs she expected it to be said beloved aunt, but it was Jeremy's messy hair she saw, his hand covering his yawning mouth as he stumbled into the kitchen. She slowly turned to look at the clock on the microwave. 7:03 AM. Jeremy was never awake at 7:03 AM. "Good morning, brother-mine."
He gave her a half-hearted wave and sat down, grabbing the glass in front of him and filling it with water. There was a moment before he lifted it to his lips where she was sure he would pass out, his grip slackening and his eyelids drooping shut. But soon enough he shook his head, became alert, and downed half the glass.
She sat down beside him. "How come you're up so early?"
After a time, he set the glass down and brought his hands together. "You would've woken me up anyway."
She grinned. "Sacrificing glorious sleep for the opportunity to see your sister a few minutes sooner? How admirable."
He rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean. You can't keep doing everything for me."
"It's no trouble. Besides…" She reached over and ruffled his hair, quickly enough to avoid his hand batting her away. "I love seeing your bed head. You're absolutely adorable."
He gave her a flat look, his face slightly flushed and his hair sticking out everywhere. "I'm not adorable."
The more she stared at him, the more her grin grew. "Sure you are. You're just also thirteen and afraid to admit it."
"I'm not adorable."
"Whatever you say, pumpkin."
His face got redder, more from embarrassment than from anger, though in his sleepy state it may have been both. "I hate you."
She laughed.
"And I was trying to tell you something. You're not a… not a…" He gave up on signing it and mimed someone sweeping the floor. When he wiped fake sweat off his brow, she finally understood what he meant.
"A servant?"
He nodded. "You're not that. I want to start taking care of myself."
She narrowed her eyes. "Does that include cleaning your own room?" He stiffened. The nod he gave her then was far more subdued, and it made her purse her lips to drown a laugh. "You sure?"
"I'm sure."
She continued staring at him. He had the same look on his face their father used to have whenever there was no changing his mind. The counterpart to the Sommers gene. The Gilbert gene. Stubbornness. "Look at you." She gently pinched his cheek. "My baby brother, all grown up."
He pushed her hand away, but that only led her to boop his nose, the tip squishing down in a way that reminded her of Squidward. He scowled, and the resemblance became uncanny. "You're annoying."
"And you're cranky when you wake up at seven. Being annoying is one of my many privileges as your big sister."
His scowl deepened. But then, it transformed into a mischievous smile. She didn't have much time to question it before his hands shot out, his fingers digging into the sides of her stomach. She shrieked and shot out of the chair, wrapping her arms around herself in panic. He stood up, his fingers wiggling menacingly.
"Don't you dare," she whispered. The wiggling intensified. "Jeremy. Brother. We can talk about this."
"Say I'm better than you at Monopoly."
Her eyebrows shot up. "Seriously?" Once she realized he wasn't kidding, she blew a raspberry. "No way. I kicked your ass last night."
"Say it."
"You, my sweet little pumpkin, are the worst Monopoly player I've ever met."
He lunged forward. She yelped, her shoes slamming into the hardwood floor until she reached the living room. Jeremy was hot on her trail. She darted in between furniture, trying to wear him down by running laps around the couch, but he was too smart, and when she was on the side farthest from the foyer he scrambled on top of the couch, instantly reducing the space between them. Her eyes darted around the room. She had to draw him away from the couch. Then she could circle around and escape, maybe go outside, maybe hide in the car. Elena could walk to school, right? Or ask Bonnie to pick her up? Yeah, she was a big girl, she'd be fine.
She took a step backwards, her hands high in surrender. "Okay. Alright. I see how it is. You're clearly the better Gilbert. A paragon of excellence. A bastion of light." He hopped down and began walking closer, bearing a smug, toothy grin. "I can only ever aspire to be like you. You with your… floofy hair, and your… bloodshot eyes from gaming all night, you dork!" She dashed to the right, but just as she finally escaped into the foyer, she rammed into something hard. There was a breathless grunt, and she looked up to see Jenna's pained face.
"Wow," she choked out. "Guess a bodyslam's as good a way to wake up as any."
Angela opened her mouth to apologize, only to feel a pair of hands jam into the sides of her stomach. She squealed, writhing around to try and escape, but it was too late. He had her. She looked at Jenna as a silent cry for help, but there was none to be found. Instead, there was only affection. As if this was cute. As if she wasn't being tortured by her own kin.
Jenna ignored her continued pleas for mercy, sighing wistfully and moving towards the kitchen. "Family game night's the best."
.
Walking into school was like wading through a sea of zombies, among which the lighthouse to her wayward boat was the ever bubbly Caroline Forbes, stapling posters to a corkboard and chatting with one of her fellow cheerleaders. As she neared, she could make out the words 'Sexy Suds Car Wash' written in swirly blue letters, presumably to give off the effect of them being underwater.
She caught the end of Caroline's sentence, "so those geeks are not an option," before she was noticed. "Here." Caroline handed the cheerleader a large bulk of the posters. "Make sure to avoid their club room so they get the message."
As soon as the girl left them alone, Caroline turned to Angela with a smirk on her face. She held up a poster between her thumb and forefinger, waving it back and forth as if trying to hypnotize her.
"No."
Caroline threw her head back and groaned. "Oh, come on. Do you know how many guys would kill to see you in a bikini? Your vibe is really sexy."
"My what?"
"You know, your vibe. That whole 'ooh, look at me, I'm all hot and stuff but if you tell me that I'll murder you in your sleep' thing. Guys like a challenge."
She snorted. "What does it matter? It's being held by the cheerleading squad and football team. I'm on neither."
"Anyone can join. Or, well, anyone that can work a bikini. And you're thin, even if you can't run five miles. Which, by the way, you are totally doing before this month is over." Angela ignored that last part. If she didn't, she would scream.
"Caroline, I really don't feel like getting leered at by a bunch of strangers." The idea of all those eyes on her, imagining who knows what and failing to see the person beneath her skin, would likely give her issues she couldn't afford to deal with right now. "How was this approved by the school anyway? We're all underage."
Caroline gave her a wicked smile. "Most of the seniors aren't."
"You're never going to stop trying to hook me up with someone, are you?"
"Nope! Because I care about you. And because I care about you, I'm telling you, you need to get laid before someone snaps your neck and you die a virgin."
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized how much trouble she would be in if Caroline ever found out she already 'got laid' and didn't tell her. "Virginity is a social construct that means more to the world than it should."
The blank look that Caroline gave her was enlightening, as it informed her that she thought her viewpoint was stupid. It would be wise to approach the situation with humor before either of them got annoyed. She gave Caroline a sultry look. "I'm only free from the conventional rules of lust and love. Viens, mon amour. Let us gallop into the sunset on a white steed, our long, flowing hair dancing in the wind and not getting tangled."
Caroline gave a sarcastic gasp. "Is that how we're going to our honeymoon?"
"Yes. I can picture us now. You in a white dress, barefoot, clutching onto my glistening abs as I steer Mr. Horsiekins to our palace of eternal happiness."
Caroline's nose scrunched up and she covered her mouth, muffling her adorable, high-pitched giggles. "Wow," she said. "You're in a really good mood today."
"I've been feeling happier recently. It's kind of weird, but I'm not complaining."
Caroline crossed her arms and looked at her sternly, the aftermath of her laughing fit barely present in her rosy cheeks. "Uh, yeah, because you've been doing normal human stuff, like drama club and family game night and dressing up for dinner parties."
"Dinner parties with vampires, by the way."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up. My point still stands. So," she shoved the poster into her chest, "you're doing this, and I'm not taking no for an answer."
Angela caught it before it could fall to the ground and examined it in disgust. The swirly letters mocked her, as did the small, crudely drawn soap buckets surrounding them. Or maybe, whispered a voice that sounded suspiciously like the blonde before her, they challenged her, daring her to take a leap and delve out of her comfort zone. To embrace the beauty of her body and claim her sexuality as her own. To not care about the eyes she would feel on her, because if someone only saw her skin it retracted from their worth. Not from hers.
She straightened up, looking at Caroline through narrowed, calculating eyes. "You know what? You're right. I am doing this. I'm gonna show up and be the hottest bitch in the world."
Caroline squealed. "That's the spirit! Uh, second hottest bitch in the world. After me."
"Right, yes, of course."
"I can't believe I actually convinced you. Ugh, I'm the best."
"Humble too. You're quite the catch, Caroline Forbes."
"Mhm, lucky for you, we're already engaged. Ooh, we should get matching wedding dresses! What… um, what kind of…" She trailed off, her eyes straying behind Angela's shoulder. Curiously, she turned around, expecting it to be Tyler or one of the girls. It was not.
Stefan looked between them apologetically. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt." There was a beat of silence before she heard Caroline's melodic laughter.
"Don't be silly. Are you looking for Elena? I think I saw her—"
"No, actually I was looking for Angie." His gaze moved to her and stayed there. "If that's okay."
For a moment, she forgot she was meant to speak. "Uh— yeah, of course." She glanced back at Caroline and saw curiosity growing in her eyes. "Care?"
"Hm?" She looked at Angela. She looked at Stefan. She looked at Angela. "Oh!" A bright grin split her lips. "Yeah. I'll talk to you later, Angie."
"Talk to you later."
Stefan gave her a kind smile. "It was nice seeing you, Caroline."
Angela watched her walk away, though before she left their view, another inquisitive look was shot their way. She ignored the implications of what it might mean and turned back to Stefan. "Getting brave, are we?"
"What do you mean?"
"Approaching me in the middle of the hallway where everyone can see." She lowered her voice to a teasing whisper. "People are watching, you know." It was true. Two of the most mysterious students in school, known for barely talking to anyone, suddenly chatting up a storm… a good few heads had turned to look at them.
He leaned in and matched her tone. "Does that bother you?"
"Me? Not at all. But it should bother you. Caroline and Tyler know I'm friends with a male vampire who can walk in the sun. If they see us talking like this they might get suspicious."
"You didn't already tell them?"
"Not my secret to tell… again. Made that mistake once, with Elena, and look where it got us."
There was a hint of mischief in the curl of his lips. "Well, as Elena's aspiring friend, I just want to know if I did anything to make her start avoiding me. And who better to tell me than her sister?"
Getting to see the devious side of his mind was always a pleasant surprise, but then his words truly sunk in. "Wait. Friend? Just… friend?"
He tilted his head in confusion and it was not adorable, dammit, a century-old serial killer was not adorable. "Why, what would I…" He trailed off, understanding dawning on his features. "Right. That prophecy thing. What was that about anyway?"
She huffed. "Longer story than you've been alive."
"Dead."
"Dead. And don't change the subject on me. I thought you told me you care about her."
"I watched an innocent girl go through hell all summer long. Of course I grew to care about her. Just like I grew to care about you."
"But…" Sure he had expressed interest in her, but she was sure there was at least something between him and Elena. When he worked that leaf out of her hair and asked if she was going to the party. That couldn't have been nothing, could it? Had she convinced herself that he was fated to fall for Elena on such a root level that she failed to see what was right in front of her? Why would he not be interested in Elena? What changed? What happened to the doppelgänger thing? If that changed, what else had changed that she had no idea about? Something about Klaus? Was her plan impossible? The plan she had been realizing since she was seven? Her head was starting to hurt. "You know what? Never mind. Anna's going to be here any minute. She knows you two aren't supposed to know each other, but it'd be good if you pretended to meet as soon as possible. That way if you ever need to talk it won't be suspicious to the kids. Er, the kids that don't already know about you."
He went along with the change of subject, thankfully. "Yeah, about that… I noticed the way Bonnie reacted when she touched me. And since Sheila's a witch, does she…?" Her tight smile gave him his answer. "Got it. How does she feel about that?"
"She knows that you're my friend. And she knows I wouldn't advocate for you unless I believed you deserve it. Which I do. She's not rushing to be your BFF, but she's not terrified of you."
He nodded, glancing at the ground. "Guess I have to start somewhere."
"You care what she thinks about you." It wasn't a question, because it was clear as day. "Why do you care what she thinks about you?"
"Remember when we spoke under that tree? You told me that the reason you were spending lunchtime alone was because you didn't want Elena to sacrifice spending time with her friends for you." He shrugged. "I don't want you to sacrifice time with your friends for me."
"Wait. You want to befriend everybody I care about just to save me from having to choose between you and them?"
His smile was the slightest bit bashful, like he was unsure if that was alright. "Yeah. I was actually thinking of joining the football team. To start getting closer to Tyler." She had no idea what to say. It may have been silly, but how long had it been since someone outside her family went out of their way to make her life easier?
"You should," she said gently. "You'd be great at it. Not to mention…" She held up that godforsaken poster. "I wouldn't have to suffer through this thing alone."
He scanned it, his eyebrows rising further the further he got. When he spoke, he sounded amused. "Sexy Suds Car Wash. Does a month ever go by where no events take place, or is it just September that's weird?"
That made her laugh. "No, it's this whole town that's weird. Though you of all people should know that, shouldn't you? Who thought 'Mystic Falls' was a good name anyway?"
His eyes narrowed. "Are you insulting the birthplace of one of the most powerful vampires you know?"
"Stefan. You're one of the only vampires I know."
He chuckled. "The waterfall was foggy the day of the founding. Mystical, I suppose. That's why they named it Mystic Falls. But now that you mention it, it does sound kind of cheesy."
"Really? I had no idea. Were you there that day?"
"Everyone was there that day. But I was young. I don't remember it. I do remember Damon telling me it was the prettiest thing in the world. His opinion changed as soon as he started noticing the girls around town."
She smiled. "I guess some things never change."
"No, I guess they don't." His expression was one of fond remembrance, and it gave her hope. Hope that she was on the right track to putting those two brothers back together. His expression dropped when he noticed something behind her. "Anna."
She turned around and true enough, Anna and Pearl were weaving through the throng of students, observing the alien environment in curiosity. Rather, Anna was observing it in curiosity. Pearl looked like she couldn't care less, the squeaking of sneakers against tile, slamming of lockers, and monotonous buzz of talking failing to pique her interest. Right before they entered the office, Pearl calmly caught her eye, like she knew she'd been watching the entire time. She inclined her head and barely gave Angela time to do the same before she and Anna disappeared through the door.
Angela sighed, turning back to Stefan. "I should go."
He nodded, still staring at the office. "Tell me if there's anything I can do."
"I will. Thank you." He started leaving when she realized something. "Wait! I totally forgot. I just started talking about the kids and Mystic Falls… why did you come up to me in the first place?"
His mouth opened, though no noise came out. "I just wanted to talk to you."
"…Oh."
"I'll… see you in class."
"Okay."
Once he was around the corner, she let out a long, quiet breath and fought a smile. Dangerous. Feelings were dangerous. Always, for everyone. She glanced around to make sure that nobody was watching her. The few students that were turned away as soon as their eyes met, and she emitted a quiet groan. The last thing she needed was for the gossip mill to sweep her up.
She dug her phone out of her jacket and fired off a text, letting everyone know that Anna was in school before crossing the hallway and coming to stand in front of the office. She ignored the one, daring head that turned back around to follow her, instead crossing her arms and leaning against a row of lockers. Her position was perfect, making her look inconspicuous while also giving her a vantage point of the inside of the office.
They were talking to the secretary. Anna was still looking around, her dark, choppy waves folding against the collar of her grey plaid jacket as she fixated on different points around the room in a way so innocent it truly sold the human teenager act. Or maybe it wasn't an act. Maybe this was just her when she was relaxed and happy. Pearl let out a charming laugh—had she heard her laugh before, she wondered?—and reached into her beige purse to present documentation that was no doubt forged.
"There they are." Angela looked to the side and found that Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline had arrived. Elena's lips pursed skeptically, her gaze focused on the immortal women in front of her. "Do you think vampires like going to high school?"
Angela went back to staring, faintly reminded of when they first saw Stefan. Of when she dragged them away, she suddenly realized, and Jeremy wasn't in the bathroom because he was still in middle school, and Elena never got to speak to Stefan until they met at the cemetery, where the first thing he did was ask both of them if they were okay. Had she really missed everything? She spoke, though her mind was miles away. "If Twilight has taught me anything, it's that high school is worth going to a couple million times."
Bonnie let out an amused breath. "Only when you're crazy hot and great at everything."
Caroline's eyes ran up and down Anna's body. "She's pretty hot. Wardrobe could use some work though. She looks like an emo lumberjack, and I cannot be seen with an emo lumberjack."
"She can hear you, you know," Elena said.
"So? I'm going to tell her anyway."
Elena shook her head. "Of course you are."
"You guys do realize you're gawking at her like a bunch of weirdos, right?" Angela looked beyond the girls and saw that Tyler had joined them. His words were the push needed to break her out of her thoughts, and they made her laugh. He glanced at her with a smile. "We're supposed to pretend we don't know her. You're kind of blowing our cover."
"Yeah, you're right," Bonnie said with a sigh. "Class starts soon anyway, we should go."
"You go," Angela said. "Anna needs a tour guide. I'm appointing myself for the job."
Elena frowned. "Oh, I can stay with you if that's the case."
"Do you actually want to stay, or are you just offering because I'm your sister and you love me?"
It took her a while to respond. Her shoulders rose, her nose creasing noncommittally. "Both?" It was clear that Elena was only offering so she wouldn't have to be alone, but she decided not to comment on it. Her sister needed the experience.
They said goodbye to the rest of the group and stayed in comfortable silence until Pearl and Anna began leaving the office. Angela pushed herself off the lockers and glanced at Elena, whose eyes were locked on Pearl. She looked much more stiff than she did a moment ago. No. Not stiff. Afraid.
Pearl stopped a few feet away, skimming over them in feigned curiosity. "And who might you young ladies be?" When she blinked oh so very cluelessly, her long, straight hair brushed against her lashes. "Part of the welcoming committee? How kind of you to show my dear Annabelle around the school."
"Anna," Anna mumbled.
"Why yes, we are." Angela played along. "My sister, Elena, and I pride ourselves in making sure the zero point five new students we get each year don't feel left out in the slightest. If she'll just show us her schedule, we can show her the way to her first class."
"Then it's settled," Pearl said. "I leave her in your capable hands, trusting fully in your ability to make her feel comfortable in this new educational environment." Her mirth finally manifested in the curl of her lips, and she pinched Anna's cheek in a motion so motherly it hurt her heart. "Take care."
As soon as she was out of sight, Anna turned to them with a nervous chuckle. "Well. That was embarrassing."
Angela shook her head. "No, it wasn't. That's just how moms are. I guess it doesn't make much of a difference whether they're human or not."
"Yeah…"
"So, what is your first class?"
"Oh. Right. Let me, um—" She brought the rectangular, laminated piece of paper up to her eyes. "Trigonometry."
"You're kidding. Your first class every Monday is Trig? That's cruel."
"That's the one with the triangles, right?" Elena's sudden snort drew their attention. Anna graced her with a shrug. "What, most vampires don't waste their immortality by going to school over and over again. Last time I got a proper education, the classes included cooking and sewing."
"Yes." Elena snatched her schedule. "That's the one with the triangles. Now, let's see… you have some shared classes with me and some with Angie… History and Chemistry with Tyler and Caroline… and you have to suffer through German and Trig alone." She gave it back. "Why German?"
Anna stuffed the schedule back into her backpack. "It was the only language I didn't already know. Figured I might as well learn something while I'm here."
Angela smiled. "That's why I chose Spanish."
Elena turned to her in surprise. "Wait. You speak German?"
"Ja, das tue ich."
"How come you never told me that?"
"You never asked."
Elena continued staring at her in a bewildered silence that was broken by the loud ring of the bell above them. She shook her head. "Whatever." Her gaze settled on Anna. "Come on. Your locker's this way."
They began following her, though Angela couldn't keep a frown away from her face. Elena was being rude, and Angela did not raise Elena to be rude. Or stupid. And being rude in front of a vampire that could kill her was the very definition of both. Thankfully, Anna didn't seem to notice.
"Tyler's is over here." Elena pointed to a few lockers down the row as more and more students began clearing the hallway. "And ours are back there." She pointed in the direction of the office. "Your code should be on a separate piece of paper, but you should memorize it and leave it at home so no one can break in."
Anna brought out a small piece of paper and quickly opened her locker. "Is that something I need to worry about? Maybe I should booby trap my locker."
Angela's eyes widened. "You are a genius. That's how I'll mess with Sara this week."
Anna gave her a curious glance as she worked on putting her textbooks away. "Who's Sara?"
"My nemesis. I've made it my mission to ruin her life."
"You have a nemesis?"
"Yup. I swear, one of these days I'm going to kill her."
"What did she do?"
"Besides be a pain in my ass on a regular basis? She insulted Jeremy. Like, insulted insulted. Like, she's lucky I didn't grab her hair, swing her around, and throw her into the void insulted."
Elena blew air out her nose. "If you do, be sure to invite me. It's been a while since I had a good laugh."
"I had a good laugh when I learned you attack trees with smaller trees."
She rolled her eyes, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. "What other options do I have? You're still working up the strength for hunter training. The only other person I know who can help me is Johnathan Gilbert. Can't exactly train with a dead guy."
"What about a dead girl?" Anna asked. She shut the locker and turned to her, her hand wrapped around the trigonometry book. "If you think you can handle it, I mean." The slight bite to her words told her that maybe she wasn't the only one that noticed Elena's rudeness after all. Perhaps mentioning Johnathan and his profession was the last straw.
Elena seemed taken aback by her tone, but stood up straight and matched it nonetheless. "Sure. If you wouldn't mind having stakes thrown at you."
"Why would I mind when they would all miss?" There was significantly more bite to those words. Elena's jaw clenched.
"Are you sure about that? Because the last time a member of my family went up against yours, you lost pretty bad."
"Elena," Angela said warningly, but she was cut off by Anna's dark laugh. There was something in the way she spoke next that made her seem all five hundred years she'd been on this earth. Her spine was rigid; her body ready to strike.
"Is this what happens when we choose peace instead of violence? You become arrogant? Out of respect for your sister, I won't bring your own mother into this, but I suggest you watch your words."
"Why?" Elena asked. "Are you going to attack me in broad daylight? Ruin the peace you chose to keep?"
Anna looked up at the fluorescent lights, then back at Elena. "Not in daylight." There was a loud bang, and she didn't realize that Anna had moved before she had Elena pinned against the lockers, the textbook pressed against her throat and ready to sever her head from her body.
Angela gasped. "Anna!"
Anna leaned in close to Elena's face, and the harder her sister tried to breathe, the harder she pressed the textbook against her windpipe. "If you ever take that attitude with me again, I'll make sure you never have another chance to become arrogant. You got it?" Elena managed a nod, her hands fighting to pry Anna away from her. "Good." She brought the book back down and Elena coughed, sucking in a loud breath.
Anna took a few steps back and watched her through hard eyes, giving her a moment to compose herself. "If you're serious about becoming a hunter, let me know. Otherwise, don't waste my time with petty drama." She looked at Angela. "Thank you for your help. I'll find the class on my own."
Angela vaguely made sure she was headed in the right direction before turning towards her sister. "What the hell was that?"
Elena shook her head and rubbed her throat. "I don't know. She just jumped me out of nowhere."
She scoffed. "Not her. You. What the hell was that with you."
"She was being rude. What was I supposed to do, just take it?"
"Don't pretend you're innocent. You were being rude first. Why were— you know what?" She grabbed her wrist and dragged her into the girls' restroom. After making sure they were alone, she turned back around to interrogate her. "Why were you acting like that? You didn't have to stay if you were just going to be disrespectful."
"I wasn't going to be disrespectful! I just—" She gave a sharp sigh. "I didn't realize how angry seeing Pearl would make me. After she intimidated us. After she intimidated Bonnie, Tyler, and Caroline. It's like with Damon. My anger became stronger than my fear. Not because you got hurt this time, but because the rest of them did."
"And you're totally valid to feel that way. We can't control the things we feel. But we can control the things we do. What do you think will happen if word gets out to Pearl that you spoke to her daughter like that?"
"I know," she replied, her voice subdued. "I know. I shouldn't have taken it out on her. I'm sorry." She rubbed her forehead, exhaustion shining through her features. "Is this how Tyler feels all the time? I'm never angry. I hate it."
Angela's shoulders relaxed, satisfied that Elena's remorse was genuine. "Maybe this is what happens when you start moving past trauma and actually know who caused it."
"Yeah. Maybe. Wish I knew who caused the big one."
"Yeah. Me too." Silence reigned for a time, and she was positive they were both thinking the same thing. Even if she wasn't, Elena's following words were the confirmation she would have needed.
"Have you heard anything about that? The investigation, I mean. Sheriff Forbes keeps changing the subject whenever I ask her."
"I'm working on it. It might take some time, but I want to know as much as you do."
Elena's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean you're working on it? What is there to work on?"
"Did you honestly think I was leaving this in the capable hands of law enforcement?"
She blinked. "Wait. Are you telling me you're running a solo investigation?"
"Sure am."
"Are you serious?" she exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"There was nothing you could do. There still isn't. I don't want you to have even more on your plate."
"What do you mean even more? I barely lift a finger around the house, you said it yourself. You're the one running around, trying to keep everything from falling apart."
"Okay, let me rephrase. Even more on your psychological plate."
Elena scoffed. "Oh, right, because I'm the one that had a mental breakdown when I found Mom and Dad—" She cut herself off, the thought too painful to finish. "You need to stop trying to protect me so much. I mean, if anyone's supposed to be protecting someone, I'm supposed to be protecting you. I am older than you."
"Correction, your body is older than my body. And only by, like, ten minutes. Don't let it get to your head."
She gaped at her. "You are so frustrating sometimes. How am I supposed to be your partner if you keep things like this from me?"
"If there's anything you can do, I'll tell you."
"No. That wouldn't make me your partner. That would make me your lackey. I get that you have to keep some things secret because of the good of the universe or whatever, but I'm serious, Angela. When we get home today, I want you to tell me every single thing you know about Mom and Dad's death. Every single theory you have." She drew a breath. "And I want you to show me their case file."
Angela opened her mouth to protest, but Elena cut her off. "And before you tell me I'm not ready to see what they looked like, I am. Because anything I see, no matter how bad it is, at least it'll give me some closure. At least it'll stop me from imagining an infinite amount of scenarios like I've been doing since May. As my sister who loves me, please do this one thing for me."
Angela pursed her lips. "I'm telling you this as your sister who loves you. If I could go back in time and erase the sight of their bodies from my mind, I would. No child should have to see their parents like that. Not me. Not Jeremy. Not you."
A good, long look at her sister's face, which was becoming more and more determined by the second, made her realize that trying to talk her out of this was pointless. She carried the Gilbert gene after all, even if it wasn't from Grayson. "But something tells me that even if I say no, you'll find a way to get their file without me. At least if I agree, I'll be there to help if you get into trouble with the sheriff. But before that happens, we need to finish the school day. And we're about…" She brought her phone out to check the time. "Fifteen minutes late. Wanna ditch first period and plant a booby trap in Sara's locker?"
Elena's laugh was like a small, silver bell. "Obviously." Although it went against her wishes, the happiness in her sister's answer convinced her that she made the right choice.
But that didn't mean she had to face its consequences.
"Anna."
The plump lunch lady scooped up a massive helping of mac 'n' cheese and slapped it onto Anna's plate with a loud, wet schluck, uncaring as to the small piece of yellow goop that flew off the spoon and sullied the countertop. Anna looked away from the spectacle, the crease between her eyebrows conveying her disgust. "Yeah?"
Angela nodded towards their circular table, nestled within the noisy cafeteria. "Come. Join us."
Anna looked beyond her, at the group of teenagers that were acting like they hadn't just been watching them. "Uh… I was actually thinking of eating outside today. The grass looks… nice." That excuse wasn't convincing at all.
"The grass doesn't have an apology waiting for you. My sister does. Please join us. You never have to do it again."
Anna glanced between her and the table, the excuses she was formulating endless, and loud enough for Angela to hear. In the end she settled on the simplest one; no excuse at all. "Fine. Lead the way."
Angela made sure to sit between Tyler and Caroline, indirectly forcing Anna to sit between Elena and Bonnie. Anna's lunch tray was set down heavily, the goopy mac 'n' cheese jiggling in its plastic alcove. She picked up the red apple she'd chosen for her single healthy option and bit into it with a quiet crunch. Princess Anna the Apple, Angela thought, and it made her want to laugh. She thought she did for a moment, but then noticed Caroline covering her mouth. Anna eyed her curiously.
"Sorry." Caroline brought her hands down. "It's just— vampire. Red apple. High school."
Bonnie looked unimpressed. "Really, Caroline?"
"Oh, come on. Do you know how many people would kill to have a vampire randomly enroll at their high school? At least we know she won't break into our bedrooms and watch us sleep like Eddy Krueger. Right, Anna?" She didn't give her time to respond. "Let me enjoy this for a little bit. Angie got to make a Twilight reference. I get to make one too."
"I thought you hated Twilight," Tyler said.
"I do." She turned towards Anna. "I do. I promise I'm not weird or obsessed with you or anything. I mean, I hate vampires!" Anna's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, no, not like that! I just mean, I'm not going to start following you around because you're one of them. Or for any reason. That'd be super weird. I just mean—"
"Caroline." He cut her off. "She gets it." Caroline snapped her mouth shut, shrinking a bit in embarrassment.
Anna chuckled. "It's fine. I know you don't hate me."
"You sure?" Caroline asked.
"Yeah. You seem like the type of person who would let me know if you did."
"That's right. I would," she said resolutely. An awkward silence befell them after that, and the sound of Anna's thoughts became thunderous once more. Angela delicately cleared her throat, giving them a smile when they looked at her.
"Elena. You wanted to say something?"
Elena's mouth fell open, wordless vocal fry coming out. "Yeah. I'm really sorry about earlier, Anna. I was… stressed. But that doesn't excuse how I acted towards you. I promise it won't happen again. Do you think you can forgive me?"
Both sisters watched her carefully, saw the hesitation that seemed almost instinctive, as if she was so used to doubting people's intentions she wanted to say 'no'. Like forcing a dog to heel, her expression became more open. "I forgive you. Maybe we can start over."
Elena's chest deflated in relief. "I'd love that." She brought a hand up. "I'm Elena Gilbert, cheerleader and aspiring writer. Nice to meet you."
Anna shook her hand. "Anna Zhu, vampire and emo lumberjack." The table shared a brief laugh over that.
"Well," Elena said, "since you're both a vampire and a lumberjack, you should be limber enough to become a cheerleader too."
At the prospect of a fresh soul to subject to tyranny, Caroline perked up. "Yes! You totally should. You missed tryouts, but I'm sure we can make an exception for you."
Anna squinted as though the thought displeased her. "I'm not sure. Doesn't being a cheerleader require you to be really popular?"
"Well if you're going to be hanging out with us, you'll become popular anyway. Angie's a theater nerd and she still gets secret admirers."
Bonnie leaned in to whisper, "They're only secret because they're scared of her."
Angela huffed. That was the second time she was called out for intimidating prospective love interests in one day. "Okay, I am not that bad."
"You haven't seen that look you get whenever a boy comes to talk to you." She closed her hazel eyes and opened them slowly, a dull, deadpan look replacing their usual warmth. "Leave," she said monotonously. Anna burst into laughter, the other three girls swiftly following suit.
Angela pouted and looked at Tyler. "I am not that bad."
He looked like he was trying not to laugh, nodding rapidly as if he agreed with her. "Yeah, no, you're great."
"You guys are the worst."
After they calmed down a bit, Anna shook her head. "Sports never really interested me. Might join the art club if you have one."
Tyler's interest was piqued. "You like to draw?"
"And paint. Mainly paint. Plants and landscapes mostly."
He scooted closer, his arms crossing against the blue lunch table. "What medium do you use? I never got into painting, but I'm pretty good with graphite and charcoal."
She smiled. "Well when I draw I use ink—colored ink, I love vivid pigments—but nothing beats oil. I never would've taken you for the creative type."
"Why, because I'm a big, dumb jock?"
"I didn't mean it like that."
He chuckled. "No, it's fine. Not really a side of myself I show people. But yeah, there's an art club. Wednesdays and Fridays after school. Not that I'm supposed to know that."
"Why not? It's not like being athletic and artistic are mutually exclusive."
"Sure, in theory." His fingers clenched and unclenched. "Doesn't always work out that way." Anna nodded and fell silent, likely sensing the shift in his mood. Angela took it as the opportunity to finish putting her plan into motion. She rested her chin in her palms and blinked as innocently as Pearl.
"Anna," she said, grabbing her attention. "Would you like to come over to our place after school? We can hang out and get to know each other. Maybe watch a movie or play some games."
Anna blinked too, but in genuine surprise. "Yeah, I can do that. Don't have any other plans for today."
Elena looked clueless, though even if she knew what was happening she couldn't possibly resist. Not when she trying to get back in Anna's good graces. Angela smiled, faintly wondering if this was manipulation, and if it was, why her conscience was silent.
She went through the motions until the school day ended, listening to information she didn't already know, jotting down notes, raising her hand when appropriate, watching the kids called up to the whiteboard squirm. She texted Jenna, no doubt weary from working all day, telling her not to worry about picking up Jeremy and to treat herself to a day at the spa. That she and Elena would pick him up, because they loved her and wanted her to relax. Elena couldn't possibly resist that either, not when she brought it up in front of Anna.
Jeremy's school day ended roughly half an hour after theirs, so for thirty whole minutes she and Elena took Anna on a tour of the town. She'd likely seen most of it already, but there was nothing else to do, and as Angela sagely pointed out it would be silly to go home for fifteen minutes only to immediately head back out. Jeremy was surprised but happy to see his sisters, and judging by the bright pink color that spread across his cheeks as soon as he laid eyes on Anna, he was happy to see her too.
"Hey, Jeremy," Angela said, gently ruffling his hair. "This is Anna. She's new in town." And a vampire, though she kept silent on that part. As far as he knew, Damon—or, rather, 'the tomb vampire'—was the only one she had ever interacted with, and he left town shortly after she helped him. Each time anything to do with vampires or that night in May was brought up in front of him, he froze, the blood draining from his face, his eyes wide and unblinking, his throat so pitifully searching for air that the first time it happened Sheriff Forbes had to call for a doctor.
Angela had given up on approaching the subject directly. The best thing to do was give it time, but for being so deeply intertwined with immortal beings, time was a luxury she did not have. Not anymore. Perhaps she never did. She was always dead, and the more she looked at young Anna and young Stefan, the more she was convinced that for the dead, time was an illusion. But Jeremy was alive, so she decided to meet him halfway. She would introduce him to Anna, and once Elena was okay with it, to Stefan as well. She would let him form an opinion on his own, and if he decided he liked them, she would reveal the truth. He would feel deeply betrayed, of that she had no doubt, but she would prefer for him to hate her than to live the rest of his life as a traumatized wreck.
He kept finding excuses to enter the kitchen and pilfer through the cabinets. One time, Angela caught him staring at Anna, and when he saw that she saw, he quickly looked away and headed up the stairs. Him and her both knew that it was impossible for anything to happen between them with how large their age difference was—thirteen to sixteen was quite the jump, no?—but it was impossible for Angela to find his small crush on her anything other than adorable. And one of her many privileges as his big sister was to tease him mercilessly about it. She would be sure to do so every chance she got.
As it turned out, when they weren't at each other's throats, Anna and Elena got along alarmingly well. Somewhere between episodes two and three of the first season of Supernatural, Elena got to talking about literature, and nearly had a heart attack when she found out that Anna had met and befriended Jane Austen. What ensued was an interview so absurd and historically fascinating that it could have been filmed and sold for half a million dollars. Provided the studio they sold it to believed in vampires, of course. After that, the sound of the television was drowned out by Anna and Elena's fervent conversation which bounced from subject to subject, and it was as if Elena's distaste for vampires was fully stripped away and she was talking to a normal human being. Angela might have felt like a third wheel if not for Anna constantly bringing her back into the fray. It was weird. It was very, very weird. But she wasn't complaining.
Jenna came home at around five o'clock in the afternoon, looking enviably stress-free. It seemed she took Angela's message to heart and took her grand old time at the spa. She was glad, even if the motive she had when sending the message wasn't so pure.
Elena looked up from her notebook and greeted her gladly. "Welcome home." Since all their school supplies were already with them, they decided to get started on their homework. It would be more fun if they didn't have to do it alone, Angela argued, and just as expected they agreed.
Jenna set her bag down on the armchair and began unraveling the scarf from around her neck, her eyes scanning the textbooks and stationary strewn atop the coffee table in curiosity. "Hey. I didn't know we were having guests."
Anna stood up from the floor and walked to her with a polite smile. "Hello, Ms. Sommers. My name is Anna. My family's new in town." As they shook hands, Elena spoke back up.
"We hit it off at school and asked her if she'd like to come over. Is that okay?"
Jenna's face was bright. "Of course it's okay. Are you staying for dinner, Anna? Angie's a great cook."
Angela smirked around her pencil. "Only compared to you."
Jenna rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Go ahead. Laugh at the woman who melted the pasta. Just don't be shocked when you find all your socks are wet."
Anna's smile widened. "I'd love to stay for dinner."
"Guess that's my cue." Angela stood up, stretching her arms above her head and checking the time. Twenty minutes to six. Twenty minutes and four hours to Elena's bedtime. "Beef stroganoff sound good?"
"Ooh," Jenna gasped. "Yes please."
After asking Anna whether she had any dietary restrictions—she did not struggle to keep a straight face at that, no, she did not—she went to the kitchen and began preparing the ingredients.
The more she got used to cooking all the time, the more therapeutic she found it. Her hands had to work, but her mind could be focused elsewhere. Focused on the Founders' Party. How would she bring it up to him? How would she bring it up to them? 'Hey, people that love me, how do you feel about me going on a date with the murderous vampire that hurt me repeatedly?' She wondered who would yell 'WHAT?' the loudest. She was stuck between Tyler and Caroline. She supposed she would bring it up to them the way she brought everything up to them. Sincerely, and with a solid argument to back up her words. Bonnie was worried about what he would do to make her say yes, she remembered. 'See, Bonnie?' she would say. 'You were right all along. If we give him what he wants he'll back down. I'll be okay. It's only one night.'
But he was a different matter. Sincerity didn't work on him. Not when it came from her. She tried sincerity, and it gave her a hand-shaped bruise around her throat. If she went up to him and said she would be his date, he could get suspicious. He could think he was hiding something. A secret plan perhaps. A ploy against him. The knife in her hand quieted when she went still.
And why shouldn't she have a secret plan? She looked up from the mushrooms to Elena, the idea so clear and obvious it made her feel stupid.
Elena was able to move him in a way she wasn't, her features identical to the woman he'd been enamored with for over a century. Katherine had chosen Stefan to take her to the Founders' Party, hadn't she? She pictured Elena with her hair curled, in a dress eerily reminiscent to the one Katherine had worn in 1864, her arms wrapped around Stefan's shoulders as they danced. She could find out what Katherine wore from Anna. How she styled her hair. How her jewelry looked. She said it herself. "I never forget a thing." Damon was desperate, and desperate people were always easy to manipulate. It would be simple to make him fall in love with her. She knew how it happened last time. She knew how he ticked. Why he started to like her for her and not for her face. And as long as Elena was able to separate her feelings from what needed to be done, they could have him wrapped around her little finger without him knowing it. Then he would treat her kindly, because sweet, heavenly Elena, the love of his immortal life, would want him to. He would do anything. Anything for—
Stop it.
She forced her hand down, the knife making a dull thunk sound when it hit the cutting board. She kept her eyes trained on Elena until she saw the little girl that scraped her knee the first time she rode a bicycle. Until she saw her gap-toothed and panicking, calmed only by hearing the tale of the tooth fairy, an elegant fae queen that would visit her that night to deposit money under her pillow. Until she saw her sister. Her partner. Not her lackey. And her sister could never pull off something like that. Her heart was too soft. Her feelings were too strong. In order to pull it off, that part of her would have to break. And Angela refused to break her sister.
Dinner was delicious and uneventful. She could think of nothing but Damon, and how to tell him that she would be his date. Maybe she should just head over to the boarding house now before she could get to plotting again. Ring the doorbell, ask for Damon, and tell him that she would do it if he swore to do nothing like what he did that night. Yes. That should work. According to what he knew about her personality, that should work.
She spent the rest of the evening in an odd haze, watching the people around her as if through a glass wall. Her responses to most things were mechanical. Her movements were driven by instinct. If anybody noticed something they didn't say, and for that she was grateful. Unlike the illusion of time, the illusion of safety was welcome.
Anna said her goodbyes at eight thirty, after Jeremy's shy smile and puppy dog eyes convinced her to stay for two rounds of Pictionary. Sometimes it was as if that boy knew exactly what Angela wanted and acted when she could not. It would be suspicious if she didn't know better. Once Anna was gone, Angela made a show of yawning and asked if the three of them would be okay with cleaning up. They said yes. She enjoyed her bubble bath in peace.
And when she was tucked beneath her sheets with a book in her hand and Elena came in to crawl into bed, neither of them mentioned their parents' case file, their minds too distracted and their bodies too tired by the day's many events.
Finally, her conscience spoke, and it condemned her.
I came up with 'Eddy Krueger' all on my own and it is now my proudest achievement. No hate against Twilight by the way, I feel like I need to say that. I just love the idea of a universe with vampires in it where people in the know poke fun at media about vampires.
Check out my AO3 profile for an April Fool's special relating to this fic!
EDIT May 8 2021: Huge thanks to Gairah for correcting my German! Unlike Angela, I do not speak it and made a silly mistake :p