So this chapter is pretty short. Sorry, lots of self-pitying Zoey. Review!

I've been staring at the edge of my bed for what seems like hours, probably has been. "Zoey, wake up! We all have to go down to the police station soon."

I lay there for a few more minutes, dreading when I will have to get up to talk to Caroline's mom about Vicki supposedly running away. I wish she had run away.

"ZOEY! Up, up, up!" Jenna yells through my door.

I groan and turn over to the other side, dragging myself out of bed. "I'm up!"

I strip out of my tank top and underwear and go into the shower, letting the hot water steam over me, burning my skin, making me feel something. It has been four days. Four days since I stuck a sharp piece of wood into my best friend's heart. I had literally stabbed her in the back.

…

"Did she tell you where she was going?"

"No, she only told my brother. I hadn't talked to her at all." I told Sheriff Forbes.

"Did you know Stefan Salvatore was involved in this?"

"Yeah, Elena asked him to help. She was worried about Jeremy."

"Were you?"

I shrug, nonchalantly. "He can handle himself."

"What about Vicki?"

"She can defiantly handle herself." I smirk, keeping up my façade.

"What was her behaviour like the days before she left?"

"Erratic. But that's not unusual when you do drugs."

"Were you guys on good terms before she left?"

I paused momentarily. "Yeah, I mean we had a few arguments like everyone else but she was my best friend."

"What did you argue about?"

"Nothing that matters."

"Let me be the judge of that."

I roll my eyes and groan internally. "Tyler."

"Tyler Lockwood?"

"Yeah. He and Vicki use to date and Tyler is my best friend. I got jealous of them spending so much time together and she thought something more was going on between us."

Sheriff Forbes nods.

"Did you notice any signs of aggression or violence?"

I shake my head. "No."

"So you really believe Vicki has left town?"

"Yes."

…

We walked out of the police station to find Stefan waiting outside.

"I'll meet you guys at the car." Elena tells Jeremy, Jenna, and I.

I look at Stefan for a moment. He nods at me with a solemn and concerned look on his face. I turn away and walk back to the car with Jenna and Jeremy.

Jeremy and Jenna get into the car. "I'll be right back, I forgot something."

I walk away from the car a few meters, stop, and take out a joint. I lite up, right there, in front of the police station.

…

I tune out Elena and Jenna as I munch on some Cheetos. I had the munchies, badly.

I look at Jeremy to see he is writing. What is he doing?

"Wanna keep it down over there?

"Why? What are you doing?" Jenna asks, popping her head up from the couch.

"Homework." My eyes widen and I spit the Cheetos out of my mouth and have a coughing fit, reaching for a glass of water. "Easy there, Zo. It's not that surprising."

"Since when do you do homework?" Elena asks.

"Yes it is that surprising." I say at the same time as Elena.

"I have to finish this. I'm way behind and I have a quiz tomorrow so…" He trails off.

"What do you think? Alien?" Elena asks Jenna, still staring at Jeremy.

"Some sort of replica."

"He can here you." Jeremy gives them a mocking smile and turns back to doing his homework.

I stare at him intensely. What exactly did Damon do to him?

…

"Hey Caroline." I said into the phone.

"Okay, so I am having this party at the Grill tonight and you have to go!"

"Nah. I'm not really feeling up to it."

"Since when do you ever miss a party?"

She's right. I need to go on like nothing has happened. But I really need to get loaded and I doubt they will sell me alcohol.

"Fine, I'll stop by but then I'm going to a real party."

"Just as long as you stay for an hour or two. You won't want leave once you get there, trust me."

…

"Come on, let's go."

"Go where?" Elena asks, looking at me confusedly.

"Caroline's party."

"Oh, I'm not going. I think I'm just gonna stay in tonight."

"No you're not. If I have to go to this stupid ass party, so do you. Now get up before I drag you there myself."

Elena relented and followed me out to the car. The whole way there she was either looking out the window pathetically or giving me a concerned look, though she did tell me that Stefan's friend Lexi was in town.

"So… how are you?"

"Fine."

She groans, shaking her head. "No you're not. You always say you are. Always pretend to be but I know you're not."

"I'm fine, Elena. Don't worry about it."

She huffs, frowning. A few minutes later she breaks the silence again just as we are pulling into the Grill.

"Thank you." She whispers. I don't have to ask what for, I already know. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for killing Vicki.

My grip tightens around the wheel before I take a deep breath and stop the car. "Let's just get this over with."

Elena and I split up once we get inside. I see Caroline looking upset, and walk over to her and Bonnie.

"…something that doesn't even belong to you, by the way. And I get called a shallow, useless waste of space."

"Who said that to you?" Bonnies asks, stopping Caroline from leaving. Damon.

"Well who do you think?"

"You know that's not true."

"Don't let Damon treat you like that." I add in. Bonnie nods her head.

"Yeah, as opposed to how my best friends treat me." She says to me and Bonnie, before leaving.

"Wait, what did I do? What did you do?"

Bonnie sighs. "I won't give her Damon's necklace back. I don't know about you. Maybe it is because you haven't been spending much time with her." Great, just what I need.

I groan and leave Bonnie to go towards the bar.

"Buy you a drink?" I don't turn around but I know its Damon. Usually I would ignore him or come up with some snarky comment but I really needed some liquor so all I do is nod.

I vaguely hear Damon telling the bartender to get us some drinks, but my mind is elsewhere. Vicki should be here. Working or stirring up some trouble, but she's not because of me.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I look over at him to see the usual smirk on his face.

"Why are you even still in town Damon? What does it get you being here? I don't think it just has to do with making your brother miserable. You have already accomplished that, yet here you are."

He shrugs. "I have a plan."

"I'm not even going to ask what that plan is. You won't tell me the truth."

"See this is why I like you. You're smart."

The bartender comes back with our drinks. I down half of it before coming up for air. "Bad night?"

"Bad month. Actually it's been pretty bad ever since you came to town."

"I'm sorry." If I didn't know any better I'd think he was being sincere. "I don't care that Vicki's dead, but I'm sorry you were the one who had to do it."

Part of me believed him and that scared me. I wasn't naïve, not anymore.

"Be careful Damon, your humanity is showing." I finished off my drink, grabbed someone else's drink which had just been served to them, and left.

I sat down at a booth and continued to drink. "Hey." I looked up to see Tyler. I groaned internally. I can't do this right now.

"Hi, Ty."

"You've been avoiding me again." He says, as he sits down across from me.

"Sorry, I was busy. I think I'm gonna go get another drink."

I get up but Tyler grabs my arm. "Zoey, we need to talk."

"No, what I need to do is get drunk and forget everything that is going on right now. Just leave me alone Tyler." I walk off but stop when I see the girl talking to Damon, whom I assume is Lexi, getting carried off by the police.

I meet up with Elena and Stefan. "What's going on?" Neither of them answer me. We went outside, around the Grill just in time to see Damon plunge a stake into Lexi's heart. Why did I come out here? I don't want to be involved in this. I don't even know her.

Stefan grabs Elena, covering her mouth. "Oh my god."

I watch as Damon twists the stake in her heart and she turns grey and falls to the ground. Just like Vicki.

…

I find myself wandering around aimlessly again. I stop in front of the Salvatore Boarding house. Lexi was Stefan's best friend. Maybe Stefan will finally kill Damon. And if not, I'm sure there's some good alcohol inside.

I walk in unannounced and hear banging coming from upstairs. Perfect timing.

I head upstairs to see a stake in Damon's stomach. "No. You saved my life, I'm sparing yours. We're even." He pushes the stake in deeper. "And now we're down." Stefan lets go and Damon falls to the ground, stake still in place.

Stefan stops when he sees me. We look at each other for a few moments before I move pass him and reach for the liquor. He stares at me for a few seconds and then back towards Damon before leaving the room. I walk over to Damon and sit next to him on the floor. He pulls out the stake painfully. I take a swing and hand the bottle to him.

He stares at me, questioningly, before bringing the bottle to his lips. We stay like that for a while. Just passing the liquor back and forth, numbing ourselves and drowning in our own sorrows.

If Elena, Tyler, Caroline, or even Stefan, came into the room and saw us together they would be shocked. It was no secret that we didn't get along well, that I hated him. But why be lonely alone? Maybe I only deserve to be in his company.