The next morning I woke up with a wicked headache. Between all of the alcohol last night and crying myself to sleep I felt awful. I went into the bathroom to get some ibuprofen to take and looked at myself in the mirror. Holy shit, I looked like death! My eyes were bloodshot and red and puffy and my hair was a mess.

I was still miserable and hopped in the shower hoping it might make me feel a bit better, but all it did was make me tired again once I got out.

I'd missed a phone call from Jeremy while I was in the shower. I wasn't planning on calling him back today, and I didn't want to talk to anyone. I sent him a text, as well as Elena, saying that I had a hangover and was just going to sleep it off most of the day today. I'd hoped that they would just leave me alone and not bother me.

I feel asleep again for a few hours and woke up feeling slightly better than before. At this point it was already well into the afternoon and I decided that I should probably eat something. I fixed myself some leftovers from the night before and sat in front of the tv and ate while I watched. Terminator 2 was on and I thought it best to watch some kind of action flick instead of a romantic movie at this point.

Thankfully everyone left me alone for the day. I figured they all were probably getting over their hangovers as well and were in a state similar to mine. Well...except for the whole broken heart thing…..and okay maybe the vampires of the bunch weren't having as crummy of a day as I was.

I got up and grabbed my laptop and decided to try and reach out to some of my old friends. I sent a few emails to them. I still didn't want to talk over the phone but I thought maybe email wouldn't be so bad. I explained that a friend of mine here in Mystic Falls had just gotten engaged and, while happy for him, it made me a little sad that I still hadn't found someone. I'd had a few relationships before but nothing that great or serious, and I always felt like the odd one out with my old friends. History seemed to be repeating itself.

I felt like I stared at the computer screen for hours, just willing one of them to get back to me. FINALLY a new message popped up from my old friend, Julie. It read:

"Don't get so down on yourself. You'll find someone. We'll have to get together soon. Miss you!

Love,

Julie"

Wow Julie, really? That's all you could come up with? Haven't spoken in months and I get four whole sentences?

I closed the computer and went back to my room. I popped one of the pain pills I still had left. I just wanted to go back to sleep.

I drifted off and slept for the rest of the night without any dreams or nightmares.

I woke up the next morning feeling a bit groggy. Too much sleep and the pain pill were a crummy combo, but I forced myself to get up anyway. I knew I couldn't hide out again today. I had to put my best fake smile on and be prepared for whatever happened today.

As it was, Jeremy sent me another text again, this time asking me if he could stop by. He said he wanted to talk to me about something. Greaaaaaat. Just what I wanted! But I told him sure.

I quickly showered and changed and managed to look somewhat like myself. I checked my email again really quick to see if anyone else I sent the message to had responded. Nope. Not one. I could see they all had read it, but only one response? And a short one? Maybe had I mentioned that I was in the hospital they would have actually replied, but if that's what it takes to get a friend to bother with you I wasn't really into it.

The knock at the door startled me away from my thoughts. I opened the door and saw Jeremy standing there. He smiled at me and I just wanted to die.

I let him in and he walked over and sat on the couch.

"Come here, sit down. I want to ask you something." he told me.

I sat down across from him in the chair and waited.

"So...how are you doing?" he asked.

Really? I hope that's not what he came here to ask. And he most likely did not want to hear my actual response. I wanted to slap him and tell him that I DID think he was stupid for getting married so early. And that I loved him...i could be the one for him. I wanted to have kids and go on vacations and grow old with him. But I refrained.

"I'm good. Was there something you wanted to ask me?" I tried getting to the point.

"Yeah, so..." he cleared his throat "you know you're my best friend, right?"

"Right." I responded.

"Look I know we've been through a lot. That night with you and me...and then your parents, it can't be easy. But you never hold that against me. You are always there for me and I can always turn to you for advice about anything or tell you! I want you to know how important and special you are to me. And I wanted to know, since you're my best friend and all, if you'd be my Best Man? Or...well, I guess it would be Best Woman, right?"

Dear God, did he really just ask me to stand up for him at his wedding? What do I say? I can't say no, he'll wonder why! But if I say yes I don't know if i'll make it through the whole wedding without flinging myself between them and professing my love for him and begging him to marry me!

"Vi...you there?" he asked. I must have zoned out.

"Yeah I...uh, I'm flattered Jeremy, really. But wouldn't you rather have one of the guys, instead? Matt? Tyler? Stefan? Typically it's a guy who is the Best Man, you know."

"Yeah well nothing in my life is typical. Besides, I want you there with me on the happiest day of my life." he smiled.

"Yeah I'll do it." I replied "But don't expect me to throw you a bachelor party full of strippers and lap dances."

He laughed as he stood up. "Nah I don't need any of that stuff anyway. Just want my two favorite people there on my day. You and Bonnie." he hugged me.

"Elena isn't one of your favorite people?" I asked.

"She's my sister. There's a difference." he smiled. "Listen a bunch of us are going to the lake today. The weather is great, we'll probably hang out and swim or something. You wanna come?"

Immediately I wanted to say no. I wanted to sit at home and cry again all day and not have to deal with anyone. And also try and comprehend the fact that I was now going to be in the wedding of the man that I was in love with. But I wound up telling him I'd go. It would probably be better for me anyway to get out.

Jeremy left after I told him to give me an hour. I needed to collect myself first and then grab my bathing suit and some towels to bring with me. I hadn't gone to the lake since I moved back. My parents used to take me all the time as a kid. The thought stung a bit, knowing that we'll never have those family gatherings ever again. We didn't even have any living family members left for me to try and reach out to. I allowed myself to linger on the thought for another minute and then I got in the car and drove to the lake.

I was hoping for a fun and easy day with friends. I showed up and was happy to see everyone there EXCEPT for Damon. After his comments the other night he was the last person I wanted to see.

The next few hours were filled with a lot of laughs and generally a good time with everyone there. Tyler and Jeremy were knocking back a few beers and I was thankful to hear that Bonnie had agreed to give them a ride home, considering they were getting to the point of being tipsy.

The day stretched on to the evening and everyone was getting pretty tired. Elena tried talking us all into having another girls' night out, but neither Caroline or Bonnie were having any of it. Seemed like they just wanted to get back home as quickly as possible.

I was thankful. I really didn't think I could have handled a girl's night out with having to lie in front of all of them the entire time. Just not something I was looking forward to.

On my way home I heard my phone go off and glanced over. A text message from Damon. Honestly what could he have to say now? I grabbed the phone and looked at it quickly.

"I need to talk to you. Can I come by?"

Why the hell would I want to talk to him? After the way he treated me?

I sent him a quick response of "No I don't think so." and threw the phone back on the seat next to me.

I was proud of myself for yet again managing to be a complete bitch to him after his asshole move the other night, but that quickly disappeared once I pulled into my driveway and saw him sitting on my porch.

"Are you kidding me!?" I yelled as I got out of my car "You know this can be considered stalking? I'll call Sheriff Forbes! I have a funny feeling she'll be on my side!"

"Look...I'm not going to stay, I just wanted to talk, okay?" he held his hands up.

"What could I possibly talk to you about?" I was seething and he could tell.

"Okay, you're pissed. I get it. And I don't blame you. I was an asshole for what I said and how I acted the other night. I just wanted to come over here and tell you I'm sorry."

Damon...apologizing? This was definitely not like him. Something was off.

"You're apologizing to me? What gives?" I was suspicious.

"I just...I know you've been through a lot. I just feel kind of bad. I was the one who was always honest with you, and I sometimes talk before I think and that's what happened. I get it if you hate me, you wouldn't be the first person. But I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry, okay?" he seemed pretty genuine which again, was completely unlike him.

"Uhh...ok. I guess." I didn't know what else to say, really. We both stood there for a few moments in an awkward silence.

"Good so...you'll forgive me?" he finally asked.

"Give me some time to think about that, will you?" I was still not too sure about all of this.

"Fair enough." a small smile formed on his lips. "So I heard that Bonnie and Jeremy have set a date." he changed the subject.

"What? When did you hear that?" I hadn't heard anything.

"When you were all at the lake. You and the girls were swimming and the guys were talking about it."

"How would you know if you weren't even...you were spying on us?"

"No I was just watching from afar. By the way...i love that purple bikini you have. Very sexy."

"You are so gross I can't even..." was all I could respond with, but I did crack a small smile.

"The date is set for the end of summer." he replied.

"That's only a few months!" I croaked out.

"I'm guessing they're going to tell you all in the next few days."

I had to sit down on the steps for a minute. This was all getting way too real and I couldn't really handle it.

"Are you okay?" he sat down next to me.

"I'm not sure." I felt numb everywhere and couldn't even find the words to describe what I was feeling at the moment.

"Can I ask you a question, Vi?" Damon was being serious.

"Sure..." was all I could respond with, half listening to him anyway.

"Why haven't you told Jeremy about how you feel?"

Silence. I didn't say anything to him. I couldn't. If this wasn't something I could tell my best friends, why would I tell Damon? But I finally realized he probably was the ONLY one I could share something like this with.

"Because...he loves her. And she loves him. He doesn't love me, Damon."

"I get it." was all he said.

"Is that how it is with you and Elena?" I pressed.

"Me and Elen-what? She told you? She told you we slept together, didn't she?" he looked surprised.

"Well I think she needed to talk to someone about it. And she very well wasn't going to talk to Stefan about it." I replied.

"Yeah she told me she'd kill me if I ever said a word. Then she goes and blabs." he sighed.

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone your secret." Another small smile managed to form.

"I guess we both have secrets to keep then." he returned the smile.

"Look it's getting late. And I have to process all of this. I'm calling it a night." I turned to look at him "Thanks for the talk. It was...nice?"

"Yeah people are always surprised when that happens when I'm around for some reason. Get some sleep Vi, you're gonna need it."

"Goodnight Damon." I mumbled as I opened the front door.

"Goodnight Violet." he turned and walked away, heading towards his car.

I glanced at the clock as I walked into the kitchen to get a snack and realized it was getting pretty late. A small snack before bed would suffice and then I'd hit the hay. I had to figure out how to prepare myself for when Jeremy decided to drop the bomb on me that he was GETTING MARRIED IN A FEW MONTHS!

Unfortunately I didn't have much time. As soon as I finished eating my phone rang and It was him.

"Can I come over? There's something I want to talk to you about." he sounded excited.

"It's kind of late, Jer." I was hoping I could buy myself some more time here!

"Oh come on, Vi! I won't keep you up late, I promise! But I have to talk to you!" he pleaded on the phone.

"Fine Jeremy. But I mean it. I want to get to bed at a somewhat decent hour."

"Ok! Ok! I'll be right over!"

it didn't take long, he must have sped the entire way here. And I was right. He had come to tell me all about them settling on a date and a venue and even their honeymoon, which I thankfully was able to manage to steer into another topic so I didn't have to think too much about it.

He was so happy and excited that every few minutes I forgot what was happening and just enjoyed his presence and how happy he was. I knew I could never make him that happy, so I tried my hardest to set my feelings aside.

Again he talked to me about the whole "best man" thing and went down the list of who was to be in the wedding party. When I questioned the fact that Damon was nowhere to be found on that list he gave a simple response.

"He's tried to kill my friends and family and has even succeeded in doing so to some. No thanks. It's enough that I'm even allowing him to be there in the first place."

His answer made me laugh and agree with him. He kept true to his word and didn't keep me for very long.

I had ached to ask him to stay. Just stay the night! Maybe get some alcohol into us and maybe I could get the courage to tell him how I really felt! And maybe, just maybe it would change things! Or even if it didn't change anything, at least he would know! What I wouldn't give for one more night with him like that night all those months ago. Before my entire world turned upside down and changed on me.

But I didn't. I hugged him and he walked out of my door and drove back home. Back to where his fiance was waiting for him. I was mentally kicking myself afterwards for not telling him. What was my problem!? Why couldn't I tell him!?

This wedding was going to be a lot harder than I thought.