2
Bonnie and Clara
Bonnie and Clara found themselves at an impasse. Bonnie knew about the other girl, and Clara didn't like that. It was her secret, and her's alone, but a part of her was grateful for someone that would have her back. She let the other girl cut her hair, a sign of trust that was obvious. The problem, her hair was a messy curl when it was shorter. She just couldn't deal with the long strands preferring it to reach above her chin.
"It's not funny," Clara said in a monotone as Bonnie quietly chuckled at the messy auburn hair.
"It's hilarious," Bonnie informed her.
"Bonnie," Clara sighed.
That was the closest she was getting a whine, and Bonnie knew it. Once the secret was out, it took a little while to get on Clara's good side. The way her face closed off from emotion and became pure calculation and made her worry. Then, Bonnie did one of the few things she could. She would keep it a secret from everyone until her memories returned. At this point, Bonnie knew more about her than she did.
"Breakfast?" Clara asked as she tried to take the attention away from the mess; she called her hair.
"Lead the way," Bonnie stated, still amused.
They both headed down the stairs and past a half-awake Jenna. She was still trying to get ready for the day; her clothing spoke of an appointment. Bonnie took a seat at the table as Clara rummaged around for ingredients for whatever food she knew how to make. Eggs and bacon, it was. She started the stove and watched as Jenna walked in. The older woman immediately headed to the coffee machine.
"Coffee or tea?" Clara asked Bonnie.
"Coffee, please," Bonnie answered.
Jenna made a sound that showed she heard the answer and added more to the machine. There was enough for five cups. She stood there and watched the coffee be made. Bonnie looked over at Clara and noted the blank expression on her face as she cooked. There was no joy but careful dedication. A concentration only broken by her eyes shifting side to side in slight paranoia. Bonnie gathered she wasn't even aware of that fact.
"When did you learn how to cook?" Jenna questioned as she took a sip of a fresh cup of coffee.
"It's eggs and bacon," Clara answered, "very simple."
"I can make the toast," She offered.
"Don't worry about it; just sit and enjoy your coffee," Clara declined as she moved away from the pans for a few seconds to pour Bonnie a cup, "sugar, creamer, milk?"
"Just plain is fine," Bonnie answered.
She got a mug of coffee and wrapped her hands around it as the other girl went back to cooking. It was a bit of an odd sight to see someone cooking clothing that wouldn't look out of place on a swat officer. She had the pockets closed, and the straps were done up correctly. Her pants were even tucked into her boots. Jenna sipped at her coffee as her stomach growled at the smell of the food cooking. Elena came down the stairs with a slightly confused frown on her face. Jenna could cook, but usually, she didn't have time in the morning.
"Sit," Her twin ordered, and she turned her frown towards her.
Bonnie sipped at her coffee and wondered if she would have to break up a fight between them. Something about Elena rubbed Clara the wrong way. She didn't know what it was, but it was something important. She finished the food and served it up to everyone.
"Where's Jeremy?" Clara asked as she noticed someone missing.
"Woodshop said he had to finish a birdhouse," Jenna answered before it dawned on her, "there's no woodshop, is there?"
"No, he's most likely visiting Viki Donovan," Bonnie quietly said, and she gave Clara a look that said she'd tell her later.
Clara gave a discreet nod as Elena frowned at something. Elena couldn't believe her brother was doing this. He had to know that they worried about him, right? She looked at her suddenly serious twin. Well, at least one of them cared about him. A glare appeared on her pretty face, and Elena felt uneasy. It was as if she knew her thoughts. Clara quickly ate and began to drink her coffee.
"Do I look, adult? As in a respectful guardian?" Jenna asked them, taking advantage of having fashion-forward teens around.
"Depends on the event," Clara answered.
"Parent-teacher conference," Jenna answered.
"Hair in a bun is always the way to go," Bonnie informed her, "it's a good middle ground between hair down and hair up."
"It also shows you mean business," Clara said, "you could possibly get away with wearing red to try and psychologically psyche him out."
Bonnie swiftly kicked her in the shin for that one as Jenna contemplated that. Clara gave her a confused look and got a serious one in response. They needed to find a way to communicate about what to say and not to say until the comet passed. If they were right and it connected to something personal like her memories, they needed to be careful. Jenna pulled her hair up into a tight bun and ate her breakfast. She looked between the group of girls, all of which had been cheerleaders, and noted the difference. Bonnie was leaning towards the twin with whom she had never created a connection. She wanted to know what was going on but held her tongue. It was gratitude for breakfast. She raised a brow as Clara even cleaned up after she finished.
"Seriously, what is going on with you?" Elena questioned her twin as they got into Bonnie's car.
"What? I made the mess. It'd be a dick move to leave it for Jenna to clean up," Clara pointed out as Bonnie gave her the reigns for the radio.
It was her turn, after all. She settled on a station that was playing a song she recognised. Bonnie knew she did because her hands twitched as she switched to it. Knives and Pens, Black Veiled Brides. Clara suddenly felt old as she heard the familiar lyrics. A phase, that's what people called it, but it wasn't a phase. Did she never grow out of this kind of music? No, she felt as though she didn't. Bonnie could hear the other girl tapping her fingers against her thigh to the song.
"No, but the new change in clothing and attitude," Elena pressed, "what happened?"
"I took charge of my life," Clara shrugged as she continued to enjoy the music as it changed to another song she knew, "this station is playing all the bops today."
"Not really," Elena muttered.
"Live a little, sister," Clara said, and Bonnie felt nervous at the serious tone of her voice, "you only have the time you are given on this earth."
Elena pursed her lips. She couldn't tell if her sister was taking a dig at her for their parents' deaths. Was this her way of acting out? Completely changing who she was? Bonnie stayed quiet as the two Gilberts silently seethed at the other. She wasn't going to choose sides but was torn on who to agree with. She knew the truth of what was going on, Elena didn't, and Clara refused to tell her sister anything. The ride to school was strained, though Clara ignored it to enjoy the music on the radio.
"Don't antagonise her so much," Bonnie muttered to her as they walked to history together.
"It's hard not to," Clara shrugged, "Elena makes it easy with her attitude."
"She…okay, I can understand that," Bonnie relented.
"Can I sit next to you in History?" Clara asked, "Because I need someone to talk to about how ridiculous Tanner is."
"He's always been like that," Bonnie smiled, pleased at the change of topic, "and having someone that thinks he's just as insufferable next to me would be lovely."
Bonnie was welcomed to the weird, paranoia filled actions as Clara checked under her desk for something before noticing what she was doing. The teen plopped down, and the two quietly talked about the situation. Which included the comet.
"So, in a day or so, I might have my memories back?" Clara muttered, "Sorry if this seems rude, but that's highly unlikely… it's too easy."
"That could be possible," Bonnie agreed as a frown appeared on her face, "why the comet of all things?"
"Why not? It's a major astronomical event," Clara pointed out as her eyes glazed over for a few seconds, "most supernatural events can be followed by the astronomical plane; it just goes hand in hand."
"You and Grams would get along well," Bonnie pointed out as she pushed her hair behind her ear, "you okay?"
"Fine," Came the strained response, "just a bit of a headache, should go away on its own."
Tanner started the class, and everyone fell silent. Bonnie and Clara texted one another, cleverly hiding their phones behind the person in front of them. The text messages were complaints about the teacher, which Bonnie hadn't expected from the serious girl. Clara tilted her head when she got a text asking about that. Isn't this what teenagers do? Bonnie contemplated that response before sadly smiling. Could it be that Clara never got the chance to be an average teenager? The class went by rather quickly, with the only point of interest being Tanner calling out Elena and Stefan for making eyes at one another.
"It's so romantic I'm going to hurl," Clara muttered as she and Bonnie walked out of the classroom.
"Not a romantic, huh?" Bonnie teased.
"I guess I'm not," Clara shrugged, "I don't really know."
She had internalised her issues. Memory was one of them, and another was how she was feeling. Being around Bonnie made her feel fond and slightly happy, but it was like she was feeling those emotions through a screen. They were muted. She looked towards the two who were talking and trading books. Annoyance appeared at sight but not as strong as it should be. She let out a quiet huff and put her hands into the pockets of her shirt.
"Hey, we waiting on Elena?" A chipper voice asked them.
Bonnie could see the confusion on Clara's face for a few seconds before it was replaced by a slight smile. Caroline hadn't noticed it, more focused on the Gilbert twin's clothes. Her brows furrowed together as she took in every piece.
"When did you get a new style?" Caroline questioned, "Like those clothes make you look like a wannabe goth."
"Thank you," Clara said with a slight snort as she sent Bonnie a sharp look, "at least someone's blunt about their opinions."
"Hey, you make it work," Bonnie pointed out.
"She does have the whole mystery vibe," Caroline relented.
Clara smirked slightly at that before letting it drop. Her expression was blank as she was dragged to someone's car and taken to a restaurant. She looked at the water in front of her, trying to ignore the nagging sensation from the overly familiar situation. She picked up the glass and took a sip of it.
"Are you psychic or clairvoyant?" Caroline asked Bonnie as they got on the topic of her witch ancestry.
"Technically, I'm a witch," Bonnie answered, "well, according to Grams. Our ancestors were Salem witches; she tried to explain more, but she was drinking at the time, so I tuned it out."
"Feel free to conjure up the name and number of the guy from last night," Caroline bemoaned.
"Was he that much of a snack, or was he the whole meal?" Clara asked as she propped her elbow up on the table.
"Oh, he was the meal," Caroline answered.
"Understandable," Clara nodded.
She tuned out the conversation as she watched people walking outside the restaurant. Her mind was sticking labels to people, and she tried to make it stop. She didn't understand some of them. Shifter. Witch. Shifter again. Druid. Barely a Nephilim. She felt a headache beginning to form, and she rubbed at her temples to try and alleviate it. Her attention was grabbed by the gossiping teenagers when her twin stood up from the table. She sighed and got up as well. She may not like her, but that didn't mean she wanted her to get hurt.
"Where are you going?" Bonnie asked them as they slung their bags onto their shoulders.
"Caroline's right, it is easy," Elena said as she pulled her hair out of the space between her back and backpack, "if I sit here long enough, I'll end up talking myself out of it instead of doing what I need to."
"I'm going as moral support," Clara shrugged.
Bonnie was thankful that the other girl remembered her nasty feeling. Clara tapped her phone, and she understood the message. She'd be in touch if she learned anything. Elena headed out of the restaurant, and Clara calmly followed. Bonnie needed to inform her that she was slowly getting taller. A physical change. Everything was getting so convoluted in their little world that she felt like she was drowning.
"I don't think Stefan will lie to me," Elena told her twin as she spared the other girl a glance, "why did you come?"
"I'm giving him the sibling shakedown," Clara shrugged, "he hasn't had one yet."
Elena rolled her eyes at that and crossed her arms across her chest. She didn't like the change that her sister had gone through. First the attitude and then the clothes. It felt like she was losing her sister. A thoughtful look was sent her way by the other girl, who simply returned her attention to their surroundings. She copied her sisters pose and went silent.
"Are you on drugs like Jeremy?" Elena finally asked, fed up with the other girls' silence.
"No, but I don't see how it would be any of your business if I was," Clara bluntly stated, "and lay off him. He's smoking pot, not doing heroin."
Marijuana was legal, right? That's what she felt, but she couldn't be too sure. Elena gave her distracted sister a glare and a look of disbelief. How could she be so callous towards their baby brother? Clara looked at her, and she flinched at the cold nature of her eyes. There was no spark, no joy, just a haunted look that scared her. Clara turned her attention towards the enormous building, and she rolled her eyes.
"Think they might be compensating for something?" She asked, and Elena scoffed, "Hey, I'm being friendly."
No, she wasn't, but she wasn't about to expose her own little lie. Elena gave her a glare before walking up to the front door. She knocked on the heavy wood and waited a little bit. Once again, she was in disbelief when Clara simply opened the door and strolled in like she owned the place. Clara inwardly smirked at the complete shock on her twin's face. She surveyed the foyer and waited for the other girl to join her. Old and ostentatious, it was an old family home, one that was built a good century or so ago. She both appreciated and detested it.
"Hey," She greeted a man as he appeared in the room, much to her sister's surprise, "Stefan home?"
"He's not here right now," The man said with a smirk, and she simply raised a brow as he turned towards her sister, "you must be Elena. I'm Damon, Stefan's brother."
"He didn't tell me he had a brother," Elena said.
"You've known him for less than a week," Clara pointed out, "he'd most likely tell you, or he said something that alluded to a sibling that he didn't speak much to."
She had a good read on the younger Salvatore. He was broody, and secretive though she wasn't one to talk. She ignored her sister's warning glance, and Damon seemed amused by the exchange. Her expression remained serene as she analysed him. Something about him made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Her instincts yelled at her to stab him with one of the legs from the table next to her. She felt that headache appear again, and her eye twitched in annoyance.
"You are?" Damon asked her, and she snapped to attention.
"Clara Gilbert," She introduced, holding a hand out for a handshake, "nice to meet you, Damon."
"Enchanted," He smirked as he kissed the back of her hand instead.
It was the first time he had seen that not impress a girl. She remained passive as she looked at him in a calculating manner. He released her hand, and it immediately went into one of the pockets of her pants. She was wearing tactical clothes. Not the weirdest thing he'd ever seen.
"Come on in, I'm sure Stefan will be along any second," He told the two as he walked into a nearby room.
"Wow, this is your living room?" Elena asked, and he raised his brows.
"Living room, parlour, Sotheby's auction," He listed with a shrug, "it's a little kitschy for my taste."
"I'm pretty sure I've seen it on Antiques Roadshow," Clara added in a monotone as she looked at the books in thought.
Damon was amused by her addition to his list. She had a sense of humour that her sister seemed to lack, that and self-deprecation combined with a lack of filter. He watched the two out of the corner of his eye and watched as she caught her sister's elbow before it hit her side, an annoyed expression on her face. The fun twin and the one his brother was enamoured with.
"I can see why my brother's so smitten; it's about time," Damon said, getting their attention, "for a while there, I never thought he'd get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him."
"The last one?" Elena asked, and Clara held her tongue.
As much as she'd like to point out that Stefan could say the same thing about Matt Donovan. She had read the rest of the journal before burning it. Clara didn't need anyone to know who Clara Gilbert used to be. The rest of the world outside of Mystic Falls had no clue that she had been a peppy girl. If she ever left, she'd be golden.
"Yeah, Katherine, his girlfriend?" Damon supplied as he watched her for her reaction, "Oh, you two haven't had the awkward exes' conversation yet."
Damon had a strange look in his eyes. Angry and grief-filled. Clara gathered that both brothers had cared about this Katherine. If she thought about it, it was evident that it must've been one hell of a girl to do that. It also felt a bit creepy. Damon was in his twenties. If she was going by his physical age, Stefan was seventeen. It didn't sit right with her. Could she even talk? She was obviously older than her biological age. She inwardly sighed at that. How annoying.
"No, we haven't," Elena said.
"Again, less than a week," Clara piped up as she took a seat on a nearby couch.
"I'm sure it'll come up now," Damon said as he narrowed his eyes at her, "Or maybe he didn't want to tell you because he didn't want you to think he was on the rebound. We all know how those relationships end."
"You say it like every relationship is doomed to end," Elena said.
"I'm a fatalist," Damon commented.
"He also has a point," Clara added, "just look at Romeo and Juliet, Orpheus and Eurydice. Love sometimes doesn't work, or it just gets way too complicated."
Clara, the biggest hopeless romantic, was being fatalistic towards romance. Elena couldn't believe that her sister, of all people, had said that. The examples were also complete opposites. Romeo and Juliet had died for their love, and Orpheus had looked back when he shouldn't have. She watched as her sister crinkled her nose.
"Maybe more like Hamlet and Ophelia," Clara muttered before shrugging.
"Hello, Stefan," Damon greeted his brother.
Stefan looked at the two Gilberts and got a lazy wave from the one all in black. Her honey-coloured eyes gazed at him in a bored manner. She slowly got up from the couch and stretched slightly. She stood next to her sister, a protective move that wasn't missed by either Salvatore.
"I didn't know you were coming over," Stefan stated.
"I know," Elena said in an apologetic tone, "I should have called."
"Don't be silly," Damon cut in as he moved around and poured himself a drink, "you two are welcomed any time, right. Stefan? I should break out the old family photo albums or some home movies, but I have to warn you he wasn't always such a looker."
"Oh, sounds like a party," Clara commented, "we should switch up our places; I'm sure I can dig some out on our end."
"Thank you for stopping by," Stefan told them, and Clara cocked her head to the side, "I think I need to speak with my brother."
"Yeah, we should probably go," Elena nodded as she grabbed onto her sisters' arm, only to have it jerked out of her grasp.
"I can walk without your help," Clara informed her in a strange tone before turning to Damon, "it was nice to meet you, Damon."
Stefan looked between the two as he got a polite nod out of her. She briskly walked out of the boarding house, and Elena quickly followed. He didn't know what happened, but something just occurred. He turned to his brother with a glare.
Clara immediately went up to her room when the two sisters got home. Jenna didn't know what happened between them, but she stopped Elena from barging into her twin's room. Clara was one of those people that now needed their space. There was a rift growing between the two, and she wasn't about to let it get bigger. Now, she just needed to go and plunder her nephews room for his stash. Their history teacher had shamed her into thinking she wasn't doing a good job. He even cited Clara's change in demeanour as a factor to her horrible way of treating them. She knew that wasn't true, but the seed had been planted in her mind.
Clara stood at her window and looked at the tree in the yard with a blank expression. There was a crow perched on a branch. It was too calm to be normal. It looked back at her, and she titled her head. Possessed, but by what? She couldn't figure it out. A witch could possess a bird, but Bonnie wasn't at that level and most likely wasn't that type of witch. She closed her curtains as a quick jolt of pain went through her skull. She could think on the crow later, but now she needed sleep.
She laid down in her bed and stared up at the ceiling. Having Bonnie around made it easier to fall asleep in an unknown area. Now she needed to do it on her own. She allowed her thoughts to wander for a bit to remove some of her mental energy. She focused on Bonnie, sweet Bonnie that knew more about her than she currently did and had trust in her. It was a bit of a relief to know that she wasn't an evil person if she could get someone like Bonnie on her side.
She pushed her messy hair away from her face and barely reacted to something tapping on her window. It was that bird, but she didn't really care. It couldn't get into her home unless she gave it access. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and drifted to sleep. Her door opened as Jenna chanced a peek before quickly closing it.
Clara frowned in her sleep as her dreams quickly turned into nightmares. The cold bit at her skin as she raced through it. She could hear the snarls and growls right behind her as she attempted to escape that which she couldn't see. She could smell it, the smell of iron and rotting flesh. She could feel something cold and sticky hitting her skin. Pain erupted through her body as something sliced into her calf. She stumbled but kept running. It was futile as more slices appeared on her body.
She woke up just as one hit her torso, bolting upright in bed. Sweat pooled down her face and plastered her hair to her face. Her breathing was hard as if she had run a marathon. She brought her pant leg up to look at her skin. It was unblemished. She laid back down and covered her eyes with her hands. Just what had she gone through?