"Stripped"
Chapter 7: New Start
Take me by the tongue
And I'll know you
Kiss me 'til you're drunk
And I'll show you
All the moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
I don't need to try to control you
Look into my eyes and I'll own you
With them moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
Bella rolled her eyes as she picked up her cellphone.
"When did you get into my phone and change your ringtone?" Bella asked annoyed.
"While you were asleep one night," Damon replied with a laugh, "Why don't you like it?"
"No actually I preferred the one that I had for you. You know that one that alerted me that an asshole was calling." Bella replied.
"No," Damon replied, "This one fits me better. Did I ever tell you Mick Jagger got all his moves from me?"
"Only about a hundred times," Bella said.
"Well this makes 101 now what are you doing?" Damon asked, "I haven't really seen you all week."
It had been just about a week since Carol's party and in that time, Bella hadn't really hung out with anyone. She was too busy deciphering Liliana's grimoire and getting the supplies she needed.
"Oh ya know, school work," Bella said while trying to play it cool, "What's up?"
"Oh well I'm thinking about costume shopping," Damon replied, "There is a huge party going on this year, care to join me?"
Bella laughed, "Damon Salvatore dressing up; that's something new."
"Lots have changed," Damon said simply, "Come on I'll buy you your own costume; how about a sexy witch?"
"Cliché much?" Bella asked.
"Conceded much?" Damon countered, "I know you're a witch but I never said you were a sexy witch."
"Goodbye Damon," Bella said before she hung up.
Two seconds later and her phone was ringing once again.
"Damon I'm busy," Bella said.
"Come on," Damon said, "Have a little fun with me."
"Damon I don't' want to go to whatever party you're going to." Bella said, "I'm already trying to get out of the big Halloween deal at Carol's."
"But I need your opinion on my costume." Damon said.
"You're dressing up," Bella laughed, "Now this I have got to see."
"I'll be by in two minutes," Damon said.
"I was just kidding," Bella said but Damon had already hung up.
Bella quickly, but carefully, placed the grimoire back in the bookcase before she locked it. She then grabbed all her notes and locked them in the desk.
"Knock, knock" Damon said while coming into the house, "Hope you aren't descent."
"You're out of luck," Bella called out as she double-checked to make sure everything was hidden.
"One of these days I'll get my wish," Damon said while coming into the study. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing," Bella said as she was shutting down her computer, "You ready?"
Damon's eyes narrowed, "You're hiding something," He said calmly.
Bella rolled her eyes, "Do you want to go look at costumes or not?" Shea asked before she grabbed her coat.
Ten minutes later and they were at the costume shop.
"So what are you looking for?" Bella asked.
"What are you hiding Isabella?" Damon asked ignoring her question.
"Nothing," Bella replied while not looking at him. "And don't call me Isabella."
"You know I know when you're lying because you can't look me in the eye," Damon said while leaning on the wall. "Tell me."
"There's nothing to tell," Bella said as she looked at Damon, "Now if you want me to help you look then let's do it otherwise I'm going home."
"Fine," Damon said, "But you're trying on costumes with me." Damon declared as he started to rifle through the different areas before he picked out a few, "Here."
"You're joking right?" Bell asked, completely dumbfounded, "No way in hell am I trying on any of these."
"It's Halloween," Damon said, "You know, go as who you aren't. Why don't you try it?"
"Well there's no point seeing as how I'm not going," Bella said as she shoved the costumes back into Damon's arms, "Now let's see if I can find you something."
"Nothing cheesy," Damon replied.
"Yeah and picking out the hocus-pocus witch costume wasn't cheesy at all for me now was it," Bella replied.
She started looking around and when she looked to ask Damon a question, there he was flirting with the bimbo sales girl.
"You are just too cute," The girl said as she touched Damon's hand.
"Careful," Bella said while coming over, "He bites. Here." She said before she shoved the costumes into his arms, "Go try them on."
"Gosh your sister is so impatient," the sales girl said while looking at Bella with disgust.
"I'm not his sister sweetie," Bella replied, "Now can he have a room?"
The sales girl rolled her eyes and went to get a dressing room ready.
"Someone's jealous," Damon said in a sing song voice.
"No I'm just really annoyed that my friend dragged me here to do all the work while he was trying to get a bite out of the bimbo sales girl." Bella replied.
"Room is ready," the girl said while coming back, "If you need any help, just call for me."
"He's a big boy honey," Bella said, "He can take care of himself but I'm sure if he needs any help with unzipping his fly he'll give you a holler."
Bella walked away from the counter, leaving the girl with her mouth wide open, which Bella thought wasn't abnormal for that girl before she started browsing the costumes again.
"Hey," Damon said while coming over to grab her arm, "What is your deal? She was about ready to kick you out but I compelled her to forget."
"I can take her," Bella replied.
"Bella," Damon said while forcing her to look at him, "What the hell is wrong?"
Bella sighed, "Look I'm sorry, I haven't been sleeping that great lately and with the move I'm just in a mood."
"Are you sure?" Damon asked while trying to read her.
Bella nodded, "Yeah."
"Alright," Damon said before he walked back to the dressing room.
Bella hadn't completely lied to him; she wasn't sleeping much at all. She was starting to have second thoughts about her deal with Klaus but she knew she couldn't turn back now.
"What do you think?" Damon asked after walking out in a Zorro costume.
Bella smiled as she looked at Damon, "Well its black, your signature color; doesn't look too bad."
Next Damon tried on a devil costume before he modeled it.
"The horns fit," Bella said with a laugh. "Why are you even doing this Damon?"
"Because Caroline has convinced everyone to go to this stupid thing and I have already been told that everyone has to wear a costume." Damon said annoyed.
"When you say everyone, you mean Elena," Bella guessed and Damon nodded. Bella shook her head, "Does she know?"
"Know what?" Damon asked.
"That you compelled her to forget about meeting you first and about you telling her you loved her?" Bella asked, "I mean I thought that stuff wore off after you transition."
"If she does remember she isn't saying," Damon said quietly before he went to try on another costume.
"How about you go as Spartacus?" Bella suggested while trying to get Damon to forget her last question.
"No way in heaven or hell am I going to wear a skirt." Damon said as he peeked through the curtain, "I do have standards."
"You could have fooled me," Bella said but she stood frozen when Damon came out.
"What do you think," Damon said as he placed the hat on his head before doing a twirl.
He was dressed as a '30's gangster and Bella had to admit that he looked pretty damn good.
"I think you found the one," Bella said while nodding in approval.
Damon smirked, "You think I'm hot."
"I plead the fifth," Bella said as she walked away.
"Bella!" Caroline squealed while running over to her, "What are you doing here? Are you shopping for your costume for the party? Why didn't you call me? We could have come together."
"Hi Caroline," Bella said while trying to get her bearings.
Caroline was the one girl that could just knock someone off balance by her bombarding questions.
"I came to help Damon find a costume," Bella said.
"Yes," Damon said while walking out, "Bella isn't going."
"What?" Caroline asked shocked. "You have to come, all of us are going. Come on Bella, it will be so much fun and it'll be like when we were kids except with alcohol."
"Yeah Bella," Damon said as he leaned on Caroline while giving Bella a frown, "Please come."
"Oh no," Bella said as she backed away, "No way are you double-teaming me. The answer is no."
Caroline gave Bella her best pout and Bella groaned.
"For the record I hate you both," Bella said.
"Yes," Caroline said giddily, "Oh I would stay and help you but I just came to get my costume and then I have lunch plans with Tyler."
"Don't worry Caroline," Damon said, walking over and throwing his arm around Bella, "I'll help her out."
Caroline narrowed her eyes at Damon but Bella just gave her a look, letting her know it was okay before they said their goodbyes.
"You know you might want to take your arm off of me…your girlfriend is getting jealous," Bella said as she pointed to the sales girl.
Damon shrugged, "No big loss, now let's find you a costume."
.*.*.*.*.*.
Two hours later, Bella was in the dressing room refusing to come out yet again because the costumes Damon had chosen were too revealing for her.
"Don't be such a baby," Damon said.
"Bite me," Bella snapped.
"Don't tempt me," Damon countered.
"I'm not coming out," Bella said.
"Bella just come out…I'm starving," Damon replied annoyed.
"Me too," The sales girl said; she was still drooling over Damon, "You know I'm off now, we could go get something to eat."
"Yeah," Bella said while sticking her head out the curtain, "Go on and by the time you get back I'll have a costume."
Before Damon had a chance to reply the sales girl was leading him out the door. The new girl that had just come on the clock shook her head.
"You know you just lost him right," the woman said.
"First off, he isn't my boyfriend we're just friends and secondly this is the first and last time she'll ever see him." Bella replied.
"You two don't act like friends," the woman commented. "You need some help finding something?"
"Something that doesn't make me feel like a cheap hooker." Bella said while handing her the costumes that Damon had picked out.
"Honey Halloween comes once a year, it's okay to dress like a cheap hooker but I understand so here's the deal; let's find some things that are daring but not cheap hooker material." The woman suggested, "Are you game?"
"Sure," Bella said.
Bella finally found one costume and on the label it looked pretty bad but on her, it looked sexy but not over the top sexy.
"What did I tell ya," the woman said.
"You were right," Bella replied, "I'll take it."
As Bella was paying for the costume, Damon returned…alone.
"Have a good lunch?" Bella asked sweetly.
"She wouldn't shut up," Damon replied aggravated.
"Thank you again," Bella said to the saleswoman.
"Have fun honey," the woman replied.
"So what did you get?" Damon asked while trying to peek into her bag.
Bella snatched it away, "Oh no, you don't get to see it until the night of the party."
"Seriously," Damon said surprised.
"Seriously," Bella responded, "You and Caroline bullied me into this, so I'm going to make both of you suffer in any way I can."
"That's not fair," Damon pouted.
"Well tough," Bella replied.
"Oh look at this," Kol's voice said from behind them. "What are you two doing?"
"Get out of here," Damon declared as he turned around and stepped in front of Bella.
Bella stepped to the side and Damon gave her a look, "What do you want?" Bella asked, ignoring Damon.
"Well I wanted to make sure you were alright and apologize for my behavior," Kol said while coming closer to them, "I sometimes get a little excited."
"Quick to shoot your load," Damon said, "That's not a good quality in a man."
"I'll ignore that comment," Kol said before he turned his attention to Bella, "Going to a party?"
"You aren't invited," Damon said through gritted teeth.
"Oh but I am," Kol said as he pulled out the invitation. He smiled sinfully at Bella, "I can't wait to see your costume. See you soon Bella."
Kol walked away and Damon started to go after him but Bella grabbed his arm.
"There's a time and a place for everything and now isn't the time or place." Bella said as she pulled Damon with her.
"I'm going to snap his neck," Damon grumbled.
"Easy there mafia man," Bella said while laughing before she changed the subject, "Did you ever wear a suit like that back in the day?" Bella asked while pointing to Damon's costume.
"My suit was much better," Damon said, "It fit me to a 'T', they don't make suits like that anymore." Damon said.
"Where is it?" Bella asked.
"Somewhere in the attic," Damon said, "The moths have probably eaten it away by now."
Bella and Damon pulled up to her house, "So when is this party?" Bella asked while getting out.
"This weekend," Damon replied, "Then next weekend is Carol's shindig."
"Well thanks for bullying me into going," Bella said.
"Anytime," Damon replied, "Well I'm off; got a date tonight two towns over. Think you can stay out of trouble for one night?"
"I think I'll manage," Bella said while walking up to her front door, "Have a goodnight."
Damon drove off and Bella waited a few minutes before she hopped into her car and headed over to the boarding house.
"Bella," Elena said shocked as she opened the door, "Damon isn't here."
"I know," Bella replied.
"Well Stefan isn't here either," Elena said nervously.
"I know that too," Bella said before she walked in, "I came by to talk to you and ask for your help."
"I don't think it's a good idea since…" Elena trailed.
"Since you drank my blood," Bella finished, "Elena it's alright, I mean Damon was stupid enough to leave you alone with me and I was bleeding all over the place. The possibility of getting bitten just comes with the territory of living in this town. So are you going to keep avoiding me and torturing yourself or do as I have done before and move on?"
Elena smiled out of relief that Bella wasn't mad and agreed to help her.
"The attic," Elena said as Bella pulled down the stairs that led to the attic, "What's up there?"
"Damon's costume," Bella replied.
"So he is going," Elena said with uneasiness in her voice.
"Well that answers my question," Bella said as she started to climb the stairs.
"What question?" Elena asked while following her.
"If Damon's compulsion wore off after you died," Bella replied and she noticed Elena freeze, "I'm not going to tell."
"Wait," Elena said, "You've known what he said and did the entire time?" She asked.
"Damon and I don't have secrets," Bella replied with a shrug.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Elena asked.
"Because it wasn't my place," Bella said, "I told Damon he shouldn't have done it but when does he ever listen?"
"I don't know what to do," Elena said defeated. "I mean I know I love Stefan but with what I know about Damon now, I don't know what to do."
"You don't want to be like Katherine," Bella said, "Look Elena I can't tell you what the right choice is because I'm not you but what I can say is that you can't always think of everyone else's feelings. You have to choose what you want and who you want. Don't base it on who you're gonna hurt. We all get hurt, it comes with the territory of life and you can't put the burden of someone else's pain over your own happiness. You're gonna live forever Elena, don't make yourself suffer for eternity."
Elena nodded, "Can we change the subject? What are we looking for?"
"Well Damon found a gangster costume and although it looks good, I can tell he still doesn't like it." Bella said.
"Did you pick it out?" Elena asked.
"How did you know?" Bella asked.
"Because Damon wouldn't wear a costume unless you approved," Elena said, "He really values your opinion on things. He actually listens to you."
"Not all the time Elena," Bella replied as she started to look through boxes.
"You know he hated himself after that," Elena said quietly. "He wanted to call you and apologize but he'd start to call then hang up mid-ring. I think he was scared."
"He should have been," Bella replied with a smile as she opened the box, "There you are."
"What is that?" Elena asked, "It's all dirty,"
"Elena, do me a favor when Damon comes back tonight, swipe his costume and give it to me," Bella said as she carefully placed the clothes in a bag. "Now where's the hat?"
"Might be over here," Elena said while walking over, "Is this the one you're looking for?"
"Yeah," Bella said, looking at the old hat before she spotted photo, "Holy crap Elena look."
There in the photo was Damon Salvatore, Jimmy Hoffa, Al Capone and several other gangsters.
"You don't think Damon might know where Jimmy Hoffa is buried do you?" Elena asked.
"I don't know," Bella said, "And I probably don't want to know." Bella put the picture back down and picked up the bag and hat, "Well I'm gonna go and try to help Damon not look like a fool."
"Are you coming to the party?" Elena asked surprised.
"Yeah," Bella said sighing, "I'll call you later."
Bella left the boarding house and took it to James Grey; the best and oldest tailor in Mystic Falls. He was in his late 80's yet he was still working.
"Isabella Swan," James said with a smile, "How are you? You have grown up so much."
"I'm good Mr. Grey," Bella replied, "I have a favor to ask," Bella said as she put the bag on the counter, "Now I know this looks really bad, but I know you can fix it."
Bella pulled out the suit and hat while James whistled.
"I'm good Isabella, but I don't think I'm that good." James said. "When would you need it done by?"
"Saturday," Bella said meekly.
"I'll see what I can do," James said as he gingerly took the pile, "No promises though."
"Thank you so much Mr. Grey," Bella said before she exited the shop.
.*.*.*.*.*.
For the rest of the week, Bella stayed at home. She mainly deciphered the grimoire or she did her school work. She had run into Kol, who had decided to join Rebekah at school; it took every ounce of control she had not to hurt either one of them.
Meanwhile over at the Boarding house, Damon was searching everywhere for his costume.
"Damn it Stefan," Damon growled, "Where is it?"
"For the last time I don't know," Stefan said while pushing Damon away from him, "Why are you even going?"
"Have you checked upstairs in your bedroom?" Elena asked while coming down; she was dressed as Red Riding Hood, "Bella came by earlier with some dry cleaning. She said that it was yours."
Damon blurred up stairs and opened his closet. He found a black hanging bag with a note attached to it.
Damon,
You were right that costume didn't fit you well at all, so I took it back and got you this; I think it will work better.
Bells
Damon unzipped the bag and smirked before he saw another note in the pocket of the jacket.
P.S. Nice picture of you, Jimmy Hoffa and Al Capone although I think out of the bunch you looked the best. See ya tonight; pick me up at 9.
"You little sneak," Damon said while shaking his head.
He took out his suit and he saw that it was completely cleaned and restored; it looked brand new.
"I think you're going to need this," Elena said while walking in and handing Damon the hat, "Bella said to make sure it didn't get messed up."
"She did all this?" Damon asked surprised.
"Of course she did," Elena replied, "It's Bella."
"This had to set her back," Damon mused.
"Mr. Grey has always been partial to her, I think he gave her a discount." Elena said.
"She didn't have to." Damon added.
"But she knew it would make you happy," Elena replied. "She cares about you Damon that's why she did it. We'll see you at the party but you better hurry, you have to pick up Bella in 30 minutes."
Damon nodded as Elena left and he just stared at the suit. Bella had taken the time out to find the damn thing and restore it. She had done something for him because she knew it would make him happy. This was the first time someone had done something for him without wanting something or by him using compulsion. It was strange and very uncomfortable, this feeling, and he tried to shake it off but he couldn't so instead he pushed it to the back of his mind and got ready.
Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait, but school got the best of me then yesterday I was going to update, but I broke my foot (I know I'm so graceful lol). Anyways I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Halloween is coming up soon and it is my favorite time of year! I love everything about it so expect the next couple chapters to revolve around it .
Thanks to my wonderful beta Dark~Supernatural~Angel for all her hard work; she really is amazing.
Now a little side note. Apparently someone here on FFN decided to take it upon themselves to take my stories Twisted, Buried Secrets, and Buried Secrets 2: Blood post them on another website wattpad dot com and pass them off as their own. I cannot stress how upset I am that one of my readers would do that and she did not just do it to me she did it to my friend AllyDLV's story Shattered as well. I am just very disappointed and upset over this and I would like to thank Shannon the chameleon, Lorelei Candice Black, TrishCullenWinchester, and AllyDLV for giving me the heads up and such. As of a few minutes ago she has taken down all the stories she copied (They were word for word) and is off of the site so for all of you that reported her thank you so much and those include my wonderful friends over at Bambi's Beloveds the facebook group I am apart of thank you all! It is NEVER okay to take someone's work and pass it off as your own.
Now that being said I want to thank and acknowledge the work of Stephenie Meyer, L.J. Smith, as well as the producers and writers of the Vampire Diaries who have created and brought to life these characters. Without them these stories would not exist.
Okay my rant is done. Until next time Review remember they get you teasers of what's to come. Also remember this Sunday the sequel to The Devil You Know will be posted and it's called Never Let Me Go!
Also if you would like to follow me on Twitter it's twitter dot come / phoenixgirl523 so come over there you can ask me questions about my stories or life or whatever. I post little teasers over there as well ;)