Orphic: def. mysterious and entrancing; beyond ordinary understanding
Chapter 2: Well, I Dunno What the Hell I'm Doing.
I need to get the hell away from this brooding pretty boy.
"Sorry, dude, I don't think we've met," I say before turning back to Caroline, who now has a signed class swap sheet in her pretty hands. "Let's bounce, Care Bear." My blonde bestie looks at me like I'm nuts before turning her attention back to Stefan, looking awful flushed and apologetic.
"I'm sorry about her, I'm Caroline," she starts with a flirty smile, and Stefan smiles back politely, "Aless is usually a lot more friendly, must be first day nerves." I glare at her meaningfully, trying to get her to see that I don't wanna be around this guy, but she brushes me off with a matching look. Stefan chuckles before glancing back at me.
"It's fine, after all she doesn't know me that well, yet." And I wish I didn't have to. "Next," Ms. Watson temperamentally hints, and I quickly link arms with Caroline, starting to drag her out of the front office. If there is an escape route being offered, I would be an idiot not to take advantage of it. Although, I might be a complete dumbass considering how cute I thought he was. The broody, no-responsibility-taking, whiny vampire in my memories was hot, but it's way different seeing it for reals. So, I promptly dragged Caroline our with a polite wave to the amused Stefan on our way out.
I only make it about halfway down the hallway before she snatched her arm from my grip. "Uh, what do you think you're doing, Alessia? He was super cute and you dragged me away before we even got around to really talking!" A pout works it's way on her face as blonde brows furrow at me in annoyance. I try to disarm the bomb I've inadvertently set up for myself.
"Oh, come on, girl. You know that boy looked like a total fuddy dud."
Cornflower eyes look at me like I'm nuts, "What the hell is a 'fuddy dud'?!"
This is not going as well as I thought it would, I roll my eyes before replying, "He looks like he's as bland as white bread is what I mean. Totally no fun, so I decided to bail. Also, I get weird vibes from him."
"Oh, you mean the totally hot vibes? Cuz that's what I was picking up!" She whisper yells at me emphatically, before realizing that we were in the middle of the hall and promptly yanked me to the side before continuing, "Plus, he hasn't seen Elena so I've gotta strike while the iron's hot."
I put a hand on her shoulder, making her pay attention to me. "I keep telling you, Care, any guy worth your time won't give Elena the time of day. She's lucky that it's in fashion to be boring."
Caroline can't stop the giggle that forces its way up her throat before she grabs my hand, and "Come on, we're gonna be late to see that jerk, Mr. Tanner."
She drags me down the next few hallways before turning into my least favorite teacher's classroom. Her quiet gasp reminds me that Stefan is also here, popping a squat on one of the desks. Goddammit.
*
Jesus Christ, just fuck already! I think to myself as I watch Salvatore and Gilbert trade lovelorn glances like they've been together for eternity. I understood why Stefan was acting all Romeo, but his Juliet had just met him today, and it's super weird how much tension they're generating when she doesn't know the guy. Caroline is fuming on my right, and on the other side, Bonnie is very entertained by the chemistry in front of us. I watch her shoot a text to the now-playing-coy Elena about the heated stare down the vampire is throwing her way.
Let me die.
*
Me and Bonnie quickly went home after scheduling a hangout with Elena and Caroline later at the Grill. I quickly jumped into my workout clothes and went out to the backyard. I absolutely adore being in our backyard, it not only had many herbs and vegetables growing, it also housed my very own rose garden and apple tree. So much magic had been used and connected to back here during my training with Grams that the soil became a florist's wet dream. This was also one of the best places to be a Bennett witch.
The flowers opened up in their welcome, the dew on the grass lightly swayed towards me, and the vines along our fence writhed along the painted wood. This connection is what kept me centered. There were many times where I felt like I was losing my mind trying to figure out exactly how to get out of this with me, Bonnie, and Caroline still breathing. Anyone else I could spare would be a cherry on top, but I desperately needed to feel understood and like I wasn't alone. Nature is perpetual and everywhere, it never leaves me alone, and it's always there with open arms. I once again feel blessed that I can harness magic without much help from my ancestors. In my book, those dead bitches were vindictive and judgmental, as if they had a right to govern the living just because we shared blood. I think not. If there's one thing I won't stand for, it's some know-it-all, weak ass corpse telling me what to do with my magic.
With that thought in mind, I begin my stretches. I found that yoga is the easiest way to limber up when preparing to do strenuous activity, specifically because I need to do some vampire-oriented combat training before I make my move tonight. I'd already dug up our great, great, great etc.'s grimoire over the summer, now I just had to strike up a deal with the devil.
But, I'll wait till after he fucks with Vicki a bit. Don't want her to die, necessarily, but she did call me a 'dirty slut' last year when me and Tyler were seeing if we could be more than friends, not to mention she's being totally rude to Jeremy. Karma's a bitch and so am I.
*
"'Sup, Matt. Tyler," I say as I stride up to their shared table. I already had the pleasure of witnessing Ty and Vicki's weird flirting in front of Matt, and honestly, I wanted to gag. I didn't have feelings for the werewolf anymore, but it definitely was still a bit of a cringe subject. "I'm gonna guess you finally found out about Vicki?"
Tyler goes fuschia and Matt blinks at me, slightly surprised that I knew. "And you didn't wanna say anything?" Matt asks without any real bite to it, and I can't help but shrug.
"It was pretty obvious, dude. She got super jealous over that thing last year, not to mention I've seen them make out like 3 times at school today."
Matt rolls his baby blue eyes as he focuses his glare back on Tyler. I can tell he's not too miffed though, since he isn't leaving to go walk somewhere else. Matt was such a sweetheart that he hated his friends seeing him upset with them. He didn't want to make them feel bad, so he'd just leave if he got too worked up. Good for him, way to support his sister's decisions. Elena could probably learn something from him. Then, I started thinking about how anyone could actually break up with the football star. He was handsome, sweet, kind, and extremely compassionate. If he had a little bit more vavavoom, I'd say he reminded me a lot of Caroline, another person who somehow was single.
Not saying I'd date him though. I had decided quite a long time ago that I wouldn't date non-supernatural boys or girls. Way too fragile, and I don't have time to constantly protect someone who can't really protect themselves. Tyler's dark eyes finally look up at me, nervously, like he thinks I'm gonna blow up on him. I sling an arm across his broad, muscular shoulders and give him a comforting squeeze.
"Chill, Tyty, you're still good in my books as long as you aren't a douche to her."
He looks like that's not what he wants to hear, but quickly brushes it off and wraps his arm around my waist, giving me a squeeze back before we both release each other. He turns back to me with a soft look on his handsome face, "Don't worry, I've been doing those breathing things you told me about. They've helped a lot."
Good lord, I had been more than nervous that Tyler was gonna be the same dickhead from my memories. Like, he was definitely still a dick, but not an 'I force myself on girls' kinda dick. Or at least I really hoped so, that's the energy I was gonna put out into the universe anyway.
I see Caroline and Bonnie walk into the main area of the Grill, with Care Bear already having a drink in her hand, and I quickly gave a quick wave to the boys before flouncing over to my favorite girls in the world. I wrapped an arm around my sister as I walked with both of them, catching the info spill Caroline was dumping.
"His name is Stefan Salvatore. He lives with his uncle up at the old Salvatore boardinghouse. He hasn't lived here since he was a kid. Military family, so they moved around a lot. He's a Gemini, and his favorite color is blue."
I arch a brow, knowing just how good she was at getting info from my memories, but it was nonetheless very impressive to witness. "Damn, chica, got his blood type yet?" I ask jokingly and Bonnie's shoulders shake in her giggles.
"It's in the works!" She replies brightly.
"You got all of that in one day?" Bonnie questions, clearly surprised at how good her information network is.
Caroline brushes the compliment off with a shrug of her shoulders, "Oh, please, I got all that between third and fourth period. We're planning a June wedding."
And with that our social butterfly flutters off to grace the presence of someone across the room. Bonnie arches a fine brow at me, clearly wondering if I understood the enigma that was a prominent feature in my life. I shrug my shoulders in response. Trying to figure out the whirlwind that was Caroline Forbes was like asking why flowers bloom. Sure, it could be done, but it was way more fun to just witness it. "Hey, where's your broody bestie? I thought we agreed 6:00?" I ask nonchalantly, just to keep the conversation going.
"Aw, cut her some slack, Lessy. We're lucky she's even out of bed."
"True, it was just a question," I say with a dismissive wave. I didn't mean anything by it anyway. We grab a table before ordering a couple drinks with the fake I.D.s we got last year. Swiftly, our group's blond football star slides into one of the chairs across from us, eyes focused like Care's when she wanted to know something.
"How's Elena doing?"
The question immediately makes an eye roll cross my face before I cradle my face in my hands, clearly bored with the subject. Bonnie is the true heroine and answers like a champ.
"Her mom and dad died, how do you think?" Major points for the subtle snark, Bons. "She's putting on a good face, but it's only been four months."
"Has she said anything about me?" His baby blues look nearly desperate as he asks, and I have to knock lightly on the table just to stop myself from rolling my eyes again.
"Oh, no. So not getting in the middle. You pick up the phone and call her." Tell him, Bons! He suddenly turns his questioning gaze to me and I immediately give him a dismissive wave, "Oh no, you don't. You're well aware that me and Elena ain't that close, I have no idea where her head is at."
He nods, shaking his head at how stupid the insinuation was, before turning back to my lovely sister. The waiter brings our Long Island iced teas and I swirl the alcoholic beverage with my straw as Matt continues, "I feel weird calling her, she broke up with me."
"Give it more time, Matt," Bonnie suggests compassionately, having no idea how bad that advice was as the Grill door opens to reveal Elena followed closely by the talk of the town, Stefan Salvatore. My face immediately stretches into a 'yikes' as the energy at the table gets very awkward very quickly. I spot Caroline's disheartened glance as she notices the two walk in together as well. Oof.
"More time, huh?" Matt asks sarcastically, giving the table his saddest puppy dog look before getting up and walking over to the pair to introduce himself. Me and Bonnie share the same look then: yikes.
Caroline quickly plops her adorable butt down in the chair since she knows that Elena and Stefan are very likely to come sit with us since we invited the doppelgänger out in the first place. Her hunch proves very effective as the future lovers quickly hop over. I wave a quick 'hi' to them both as I feel my phone buzz. A quick glance down shows it's from Grams.
From: Grams
Msg: BE CAREFUL, THE CARDS ARE FOREBODING
I send a quick 'we're ok' text back before shaking my head. I'm very well aware, Grams, I've felt this foreboding for the last sixteen years. I turn my attention back to the table, resting my head in my hands as I wait for Caroline's interrogation to take wing.
"So you were born in Mystic Falls?" She starts.
"Mhmm, and moved while I was still young," he said, and I felt a chill go down my side as I felt his attention turn to me for a second, and I couldn't stop my eyes from meeting his. He was still giving me that look as if he was trying to understand everything about me from a glance, and I quickly looked away before my cheeks could heat up. What, the man is pretty, sue me!
Bonnie decides to hop aboard the question train next, but quickly regrets it, "Parents?"
"My parents passed away," he says softly, and god, his voice is dreamy and sad. Elena starts looking at him like the fact they both have lost their parents was a romantic thing. Ew.
"I'm sorry," she said softly, hopefully in a empathetic tone and not a weird lovey-dovey tone, "Any siblings?"
"None that I talk to," he replies evasively, but unfortunately for him, I'm here this time, "I live with my uncle."
"So, you have some siblings you don't talk to?" I ask quickly before someone else jumps in. His brow furrows as he turns back to me, as if he had expected me to gloss over it like the rest of them had. Nah, I don't work like that. Elena also seems surprised I caught that loophole in his words, unlike Caroline and Bonnie. They had both been around me long enough to know that I always could find hidden meanings in what people said. And thank god, cuz I'd need that skill when I eventually dealt with the Originals, specifically Elijah.
"Yeah, actually," Stefan says, suddenly very focused on me and making my tummy do adolescent somersaults, "An older brother, but we aren't on the best of terms."
I nod in acquiescence, praying that it removes his attention back to Elena. It doesn't. At least not until Caroline breaks the tension by continuing her crusade.
"So, Stefan," She starts with a flirty smile on her pretty face, "If you're new, then you don't know about the party tomorrow." She's a genius.
Bonnie helps the poor girl out by adding, "It's a back-to-school thing at the Falls."
Stefan turns his 'romance novel' stare back on the charmed Elena before asking, "Are you going?" Very smooth.
Bonnie, being the sweetheart she is, is eager to help out the boy if it's gonna make Elena happier. "Of course she is!" She says with a bright smile that could light up a dark room. A cocky smirk works it's way up Elena's face as she glances at Caroline's forlorn expression. Bitch. Suddenly, the baby Salvatore turns back to me, "And you?"
What the hell? I shrug yet again, and I feel like it's been my response to the entire evening. "Wherever my sister and the blonde go, I follow."
The soft smile that works onto his face makes my heart flutter, before my inner-bitch slaps me out of it. And with that becomes a not-so-great realization about Mystic Falls' situation.
I have no idea what I'm doing.
*
A/n: thanks for all the follows, likes, and reviews! Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. Also, I have no idea who I want to pair Alessia with, this is very much a 'go with the flow' experience, but I'm happy to hear who you're routing for to be endgame!