Summary: After Damon and Stefan rescue Elena from Elijah, they forget to also rescue Maddison Bennett, also known as Maddie. Elijah ends up finding her and as time passes they grown an instant connection with one another. Maddie knows that it's wrong and she ultimately shouldn't be with Elijah, but she doesn't care. This is her story.
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Before the Sun Sets
CHAPTER 57 ~ Let's Talk
I DO NOT OWN THE VAMPIRE DIARIES
"Okay, your total is going to be one hundred and seventy-two dollars and fifty six cents."
Janette, who was standing next to Maddie nodded before pulling out her credit card. She handed it to the woman across the counter before looking back at Maddie.
"This is so exciting. Your last prom."
She nodded, "I know. Kind of sad too though."
She and her mom had went dress shopping earlier and have found the perfect dress. Afterwards they immediately went to get it fitted. Now Maddie just had to wait before she would get her dress back and she couldn't wait. She was so excited to go to prom and have a good time. She and Liam would be going together as friends and her mom had even suggested everyone come to their house and take pictures on the porch. She thought that it was a good idea. Since returning to Mystic Falls she had also gotten an acceptance letter from Boston, Columbia and UPenn. They had all arrived within days of one another as did her financial aid packages. She was all set to commit to North Carolina, however she still had to visit New Orleans.
"You still have to get shoes," Janette said once they got back in the car. "And you have to get your jewelry together. You should definitely do earrings, oh and a bracelet and a necklace would look nice since your neck will be showing. I think I have some stuff at the house we can look at."
"Mom," Maddie said slightly cutting her off, "relax." She smirked, "We just got into April. Prom isn't until the end of June. We still have time."
Janette ignored her, "Time will be over and prom will be here before you know it."
"You make a good point there."
"Your sister's birthday is next month. Can't believe my baby will be twenty."
Maddie smirked, already having an idea of where their conversation was going, "Before you ask I don't know what you should get her."
"You are no fun."
She chuckled, "I mean I do know that she wants to go and see Kyle and Chris."
They both hadn't seen their other cousins in a while. Cordelia was the oldest, then Kyle, and then Chris and Maddie was the youngest. They still kept in contact, speaking at least once a month but they enjoyed spending time together. Whenever they did hangout they did always have a good time together.
"I know they have been so busy with school, just like you. Their graduation is the weekend before yours."
"I'll have to remember to send them gifts," Maddie said. "By any chance do you know where they're going to school?"
"Just like you they haven't decided yet."
"I know where I want to go."
"But?"
Maddie rolled her eyes, "I still have to go to New Orleans and then I am going to make my decision. If it doesn't steel my heart then the day I get back from visiting I will commit to North Carolina. It's not like I have all the time in the world to make up my mind anyways." She knew she had to make a decision and fast. April was here. May 1st, she had to make a decision to the school she chose, not to mention a deposit.
Janette was quiet for a moment before she said, "Right. New Orleans with your boyfriend."
Maddie's heart stopped for a moment. She had forgotten she had told her mom about that. When she had finally found the courage to tell her that she was in a relationship she had also told her that Elijah wanted to take her to New Orleans himself so that he could show her around. She hadn't opposed to it. Not really. But she hadn't given the yes on it either. It was a weird, short and simple talk they had. Mostly because Maddie had made it that way. While she had wanted her to know about her ongoing relationship she hadn't wanted to tell her everything. Not yet anyways.
Coming to the realization that she needed to say something she gave a light cough before she licked her lips and said, "Well, yeah."
"You know, I haven't pushed you to tell my yet but I want details Maddie!" She looked over at her mom. She had a grin on her face as she looked out of the windshield. "I mean first you spring it on me that you are in a relationship. I mean I had a feeling that something was going on considering you are just about never home but I didn't know it would be that."
Curious, Maddie asked, "So what did you think that I was doing?"
"I thought you were out partying. You know I was a senior once too I know this is the year of all years and that there are parties just about every weekend. Let me tell you, back in my day when your father and I were seniors we used to go out every single weekend. Well, that's kind of a lie not every weekend but just about." Maddie smirked as her mom rambled on about what she and her dad had done their senior year. "I remember at one party I got so drunk that I fell trying to walk down the porch and I broke my leg. I had a great time explaining that to your grandparents back then. They thought it was all Christian's fault."
Maddie looked out of her own window, "Let's face it mom if the sky was falling your parents would find some way to blame it on dad."
Janette kept her mouth shut. Even though Maddie was right she didn't want to admit it. She had already gotten into enough arguments about her mother with her children and husband.
"Anyways, moving on I just thought you were out partying and stuff. Glad you have found a man to occupy your time."
"MOM!"
"What?" Janette glanced at her. "Maddie let me have my fun this is your first serious relationship. I usually go through the subject of boys with your sister, I think she is seeing someone by the way, but now it's my turn to bother you. So, tell me the story. We have about a half hour car ride home, might as well talk about something."
Where did she meet him? Well she met him after he dismembered someone's head, then got staked by Damon and then he came back to life. She wasn't sure how to put it.
"I was out of town one day," she began, "and we ran into each other." Wasn't a complete lie.
"What high school does he attend." Silence. "Maddie!"
She began playing with the ends of her hair, "He isn't in high school."
"So what college does he attend?"
She bit her bottom lip, "He doesn't go to high school either."
Janette, who had come to a stop sign looked over at her daughter, "How old is he?
"Twenty-three," she said quickly. Maybe too quickly. She began to talk about them in the hopes that it would help with whatever her mom was going to say to her next. "He is into business so he goes away a lot. He is really successful and he is very mature for his age. Doesn't really drink a lot. He is tall, like too tall."
"Young to be in business and that successful."
"Well he graduated early and his family has money."
The more lies she told the more she would have to remember to tell Elijah. She pulled out her phone on her side, sending Cordelia little messages that way she could remember what she had told her mom.
"Any family I know?"
She bit her lip. If she told her mom the truth she didn't want to accidently bring up Klaus and Cordelia. Her mom had enough time to come up with her questions so she wouldn't be surprised if she began asking if he had siblings or anything once she answered this.
"Not really."
"What do you mean not really?"
"Well," she paused, "you don't really know them but you've met them. Remember the two guys that were at the grill that day before the tournament. Cordelia knows them too."
"Oh right, such handsome boys. Or men. I think the older one was eyeing your sister, who knows maybe you two can double date."
She bit the corner of her lip trying not to give a full on grin. If her mom only knew how much Klaus eyed Cordelia she would probably faint. Although she was pretty sure her mom was well aware that Cordelia was no virgin.
Janette asked curiously, "Where did he go to college?"
"I don't remember."
"You don't remember?" Janette questioned. From her tone it was obvious that she didn't believe Maddie.
"No, we only talked about it like once."
"Oh so what is it that the two of you talk about now?"
"Other stuff."
"Well I would love to meet him. Bring him over for dinner one day."
"I don't think that's going to happen?"
"Why not?"
"He's busy. You know, with business."
"But not to busy to take you to New Orleans?"
Damn, her mom had her there. "I'll see what I can do."
"Can you at least pretend that you aren't sleeping through class?" Maddie whispered over to Matt the following day.
"Sorry."
"Don't apologize to me, apologize to yourself when you try and scrape by with this class at the end of the semester." She was only half joking.
Matt chuckled, "Well if I'm being honest with you I don't really need this class to graduate. I've already completed my sciences."
She glared at him, "But you do need other classes to get through. Like Ric's class and math. Speaking of math how have you been doing?"
"Awful."
"Why didn't you tell me?" She questioned. "I could have helped you."
Matt shrugged, "I know that you have been busy."
She frowned, "Me being busy doesn't mean I won't help you Matt. You know I would have set some time apart to help you."
"And I appreciate that," he turned to face her fully, "I really do, but you aren't going to be around forever and I would like to think that if I tried I might actually do well."
She didn't say anything. In a way she tried to understand where Matt was coming from. For her school had always been easy. She just got it. No matter what the subject was it just clicked for her. Sure, she studied her ass off as well but nothing was ever to hard for her. At this moment in time she wished that she could give that to Matt. She wished that it could just click for him the way that it did for her. He had already gone through so much in his life, more than he should have ever had to, and now he was fighting just to graduate.
She leaned into him and made sure to hold his gaze, "No matter what it takes I am going to help you get through this. I don't care how many hours I have to put in, how many teachers I have to bribe to allow you to hang in late work I will do it because you are my friend and just like everyone else you deserve to walk across that stage in June."
"Hey roomie," Hanna said as she ran over to where Maddie and Katie were standing. "Hey junior," she gave Katie a grin.
"Roomie?" Maddie questioned.
"Well when you finally commit to North Carolina we will be."
Maddie let that register for a moment before she jumped up and hugged Hanna, "You committed?!"
"Sure did. My parents and I talked about it, that's why I wasn't here for classes, they really wanted to talk to me about it but we put down the deposit. It's official."
"I'm happy for you." She really was.
"Congratulations," Katie said.
"Thanks prom queen."
"Oh my god Hanna!"
"What, I am proud of your accomplishment." She looked back to Maddie, "Now what's the hold up with North Carolina?"
"I have one more college to look at and then I make my decision."
"Well hurry up and look at it. I want to talk about how we are going to decorate our room. And which one of us is going to get the mini fridge and who is getting the microwave."
Maddie let out a loud laugh. She noticed how some people standing on the field looked over at the three of them but she didn't care. "Mini fridge?"
"Yes, for the beer," Hanna said with a wink.
"You and my sister are best friends in another life time."
"I'm sure we are."
"Still ignoring me?"
Maddie jumped, dropping her phone which had been in her hand to the floor. It landed with a quiet thud. Spinning around she glared over at Elijah who now stood, leaning against her bedroom door. A look of amusement was stretched out over his face.
With a glare on her face she said, "Yes."
He took two steps towards her, "You know you are acting very childish."
Ouch. That kind of hurt. She knew it only hurt her because there was some truth to what he had said. She crossed her arms and shrugged, "So I am childish. And you, well you are an ass."
"I've been called worse."
She rolled her eyes, "And did the person that said it walk away with their head still attached to their body?"
He knew that she was making reference to what had happened with Trevor over a year ago. Of course she remembered that, "Considering it was my sister I allowed it to slide."
"You left."
She raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"
"You left Pennsylvania without even speaking to me."
"Well you aren't my keeper so I don't feel like I have to tell you every time I plan to leave especially after seeing Katherine, oops, I mean her crazy look alike Elena trying to kiss you."
"She only did it to get a reaction out of you. Her emotions off."
"And is that supposed to mean something to me? Let me tell you it doesn't. And whether Elena was trying to get under my skin or not you still let her come close to you which I don't appreciate."
"I wasn't going to allow her to kiss me." He stated still holding her gaze. "Maybe had you not busted my phone you would have seen that."
For a second, just a second, she felt bad about that. She quickly dismissed that thought from her mind though. Her defensive walls were right back up, "Well maybe had you pulled away from her, or not have let her get that close to you at all we wouldn't be having this conversation! Tell me, did you even get the cure from Katherine or is she still playing games?"
"Yes I have it." She hadn't been expecting that. The shock was all over her face. Elijah caught it. She didn't allow that to deter her though.
"Wow, I am so happy for you," she said sarcastically. "After how many months you have finally gotten the cure. The very thing that you were supposed to already have received. That's really great Elijah. I'm sure she can't wait to tell all of your enemies how lenient you were with her."
Elijah, who had just about had enough vampire sped so that he was now standing directly in front of Maddie. Their chests were touching. He could hear how heavily she was breathing. Her heart, which was racing, was like a pounding sound to his ears.
"Enough." Her head titled up as she looked at him. "I get that you are upset and I get why but how do you ever expect us to work if you don't talk to me?" He questioned.
Her eyes went wide as she crossed her arms, leaning her body slightly forward she said, "Oh that is just rich. I mean please tell me the number of times we have had a disagreement and you have decided not to speak to me? Or are you forgetting because I haven't. Like that time Klaus was coming to town and he sent me flowers and you completely ignored me until I went to your apartment to talk to you. Don't be a hypocrite."
Elijah let his shoulders sag slightly. His tense form dropping. With a sigh he took his hands in hers, "We have to do better." Maddie opened her mouth to speak but said nothing when he shushed and glared at her. "I mean it. We could sit here and go back and forth about who did what and how one thing affected the other but it will solve nothing."
He was right. She knew it. Taking her bottom lip into her mouth she bit it before letting it go. She squeezed their hands which were still clasped together. She breathed out, "I know."
"We have to do better," he said again. "We have awful communication skills."
"I've noticed." Trying to lighten the mood she said, "I can't promise my somewhat childish behavior will stop."
Elijah leaned down his lips lightly touching her ear, "Don't worry when you get out of hand I will be there to put you in line."
The way he said it sent chills down her spine. She tried to quickly get herself under control. Now was no time for kinkiness. Now they needed to be serious.
"I'm kind of sorry about breaking your phone screen."
"Kind of?"
"Not all the way there yet. Part of me feels bad and the other part of me feels good about it."
Elijah let out a small laugh, "Right. Well, I want you to know that I plan on making up Pennsylvania to you."
"Oh yeah," she raised an eyebrow, "and tell me how exactly do you plan on doing that?"
Elijah smirked, "We're going on a trip to New Orleans."
Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this story.
In this chapter … Maddie has a talk with her mom, Matt and Elijah.
Next chapter … Maddie and Elijah take a trip down to New Orleans