Chapter 7: The Umpteenth Apologizes
"When I'm lost in the rain, in your eyes I know I'll find the light to light my way."
- Christina Aguilera
Victoria was now at a clothing store with Caroline, Bonnie and Jeremy, as Elena was going out somewhere with The Salvatore Brothers today. She obviously needed clothes to use. She didn't want to always borrow Elena's clothes all the time and that's why Caroline attempted to took her to the clothes store today. It was actually out of Jeremy's will to accompanied these two ladies to buy clothes, girls clothes. He was not supposed to be there, it was mostly girls who entered the store, not guys.
"Why me?" Jeremy asked to the two as Caroline grabbed another clothes and give it to him, who was holding a few more clothes for Victoria. "Because I need you." Caroline spat.
"You need me to carry all the clothes? That's out of my will. I was supposed to be with Alaric." Jeremy complained while still receiving more clothes that Caroline threw at him. "Caroline this isn't really necessary... We can just try one by one first." Victoria shrugged while seeing Caroline throwing clothes for her to Jeremy. Of course, whatever related to shopping must have been Caroline's favorite to do. Well, Victoria like to do shopping but not as much as Caroline.
"Stop it. We don't need to debate it." Bonnie lowered her voice. "And Caroline, I think Victoria's right. We're not going to buy all of them either."
Caroline grunted quietly and looked at her best friend who was complaining, as if Bonnie was defending Jeremy and Victoria at the same time. But then she surrendered, "Fine." She confirmed while pushing Victoria to the change room and gave her the first clothe. "Let me know which ones are fit in you."
Victoria nodded while smiling at her before she closed the door behind her. "No need to worry. I will."
"This wasn't really necessary." Jeremy rolled his eyes sarcastically. Bonnie nudged his arm, "Jeremy stop."
After buying clothes for Victoria while she stayed in Mystic Falls, they went to Mystic Grill to have a "late" lunch together. Eventually, out of twenty clothes or more that Caroline picked, they only bought 15. But that was fun, at least in their minds—although they had debates over a couple of senseless stuffs. Caroline and Bonnie already sitting opposite Jeremy and Victoria, waiting for Matt to walk over and ask for what they wanted to order. Jeremy and Caroline seemed to be today's attention. They fought almost every time since he was picked as an assitance.
"Apparently, at the end, we only bought 15 clothes." Jeremy murmured softly while looking around the place. "Don't even get me started." Caroline hissed sarcastically.
"I didn't." He countered shrugging.
While they were debating, Matt noticed that his best friends came. He decided to walk over them and asked if they want anything to order. But something caused him to confused—Elena visited 15 minutes ago with The Salvatore Brothers and now she was here again with her best friends and brother. Was that Katherine with the vampire brothers? But that's impossible, if that was Katherine then Damon or Stefan would know and recognize quicker than he could. "Hey you guys." Matt greeted with a casual grin. "Elena, weren't you visited just 15 minutes ago with The Salvatores?"
"Um. I'm not Elena..." Victoria bit her lower lips while the others tried to explain. "Matt, this is Victoria. She's another doppelganger. Elena's distant family member." Caroline eventually explained to clear the confusion. "I thought I'd explain to make these clear." She shrugged.
"Wait, so there is another one?" Matt frowned at Caroline, and scanned the new doppelganger once again before letting out a sigh. "Why isn't anyone telling me?"
"Apparently, Matt, we just met her either." Jeremy said calmly as Matt eventually joined them. "I'm Matt." He introduced himself to Victoria with a smile, and then replied by her with a smile back. "I'm Victoria."
"Any of you want anything?" He started to ask for orders, remembering it was his time to work, not to chilling out with the others. "I'll just go with salad." Victoria smiled at him. "I'm ordering the same." Caroline added with a nod.
"Some french fries would be nice." Jeremy titled his head, and now Bonnie's turn to spoke. "Well, I don't feel like eating, so don't mind me."
Jeremy suddenly turned his gaze to Bonnie. "Seriously Bonnie? You have to eat something or you will starve." How he cared about her never changed, he just wanted her to feel alright after all.
"I'm not hungry and at least I won't die of starving." Bonnie quickly replied rolling her eyes. "You're going to share french fries with me. That's it. No ifs, ands, or buts." Jeremy confirmed, causing her to unable to reply.
"Okay okay. Guys, I'll be right back." Matt grinned, clicking his fingers while walking away to gave their orders to the cooks. As the group were randomly talking about random stuffs and Matt helping another customers, a young man walked in slowly with his bag hung on his shoulder. He was looking around until he locked his eyes on the blonde vampire Caroline with her friends, and then he quickly approached them all. "Caroline." He spoke softly, getting the group's attention.
"Tyler?" Caroline exclaimed with a grin. Tyler smiled while taking a seat beside Caroline and then looked over Elena and Jeremy. "Hey, Jer, and Elena." He greeted and then turned to Bonnie. "And hey you, Bon." He chuckled.
"Okay. Let me get these stuffs clear. Tyler, she is not Elena." Caroline rolled her eyes while continued explaining. "She is a doppelganger... Of Elena's ancestor twin sister."
"Doppelganger?" Tyler frowned.
"She is Elena's identical distant family." Jeremy clarified with a heavy sigh, turning at everyone. Victoria only nodded, smiling at him. "Hey. My name is Victoria." She reached out her hand. "Well, I'm Tyler." He shook her hand.
His eyes were on the doppelganger. She looked exactly like the oldest Gilbert sibling, Elena. No wonder how she gonna introduce herself all over again as almost everyone in Mystic Falls knew Elena. And dangerous creatures might have been hunting her since she entered the town, especially Klaus. His thoughts were cut off by Matt who were coming.
"Hey man." Matt walked over and greeted Tyler while serving the plates of salad for Caroline and Victoria. "Where's my french fries?" Jeremy asked.
"Right away." Matt formed a smirk while immediately took Jeremy's order from the kitchen of the grill. "Tyler, where have you been?" Caroline asked, starting to eat her salad. "Out of town." Tyler replied, fading his smile and joyful expression to meet his friends.
"Was it because of that psychotic hybrid again?" Caroline turned to his boyfriend angrily, knowing that his admirer had caused another problem, ordering his boyfriend to left town while he can do nothing because of the sire bond. "Freaking sire bond." She muttered.
"Psychotic hybrid?" Victoria asked curiously. "The one who took you." Caroline countered sarcastically, upset of the sire bond that have separated her boyfriend and herself.
Her jaw broke open. Kol's brother was actually a hybrid, which means he was more than just powerful. She have never wondered the ones from her favorite books and movies were coming into her life. Although a wish to meet hot vampires in real life like Twilight Saga have crossed her mind once and she thought it won't be real, but it was actually real. She was now involved into the supernatural world for real.
"Caroline..." Bonnie sighed and looked at her.
"What?" Caroline asked tersely, holding her hands up.
Bonnie blinked a few times. "Whatever related to the "Mikaelson" will just remind her of her crush." She said, quoting the Mikaelson phrase.
"No, that's not all on her. Why should I even think of him ever again?" Victoria affirmed firmly, while continued eating her salad. They were surprised and confused to hear her statement, because they thought she liked him. "Seriously Victoria? You just told us you liked him yesterday." Caroline frowned her forehead at her.
"Who's her crush?" Tyler asked innocently.
The group except Victoria quickly yelled at Tyler for asking, although Tyler didn't know anything yet. "Tyler!"
"It's Kol Mikaelson." Victoria breathed out. "Seriously?" Tyler frowned, but then the group yelled at him again. Victoria only gave out a chuckle at them, covering her real feelings. It was actually false, she felt lying at them, at her own self. She just didn't want to expose her feelings right now. She hated how Kol have left her and didn't try to look for her or something else. She thought he will do, but she was just hoping too high. "Seriously." She confirmed with a nod.
Later That Night - 7:26PM
Victoria was sitting on the sofa in the middle of Jeremy and Stefan while Elena and Damon sat on the opposite. They were watching a movie together, as Alaric was leaning on a table behind the couch looking at his weapons. Victoria was still thinking about Kol. She can't stop even if she have ordered her mind to do so. She had no idea why was it happening on her, rolling on her head over and over again non-stop.
Noticed she wasn't actually watching, Jeremy's eyes flickered down to her worried-looking face. "You okay?" Jeremy whispered. "Yeah." She replied in whisper although they knew Stefan and Damon could actually hear very clearly. Lucky they can't read minds.
While they were watching, the door was repeatedly knocked loudly. The group turned to Alaric as he opened the door slowly, but then walked a few steps back to let them see who was coming. Kol. He was coming with a brown shirt and jeans, and a pair of boots that matched his style.
"Hello, darling. He smirked playfully at the one he have been thinking about while he was gone. His hair which was noticeably slicked upward and sometimes gelled his hair to the side, out of his eyes, but now he had lessened the gel in his hair allowing his bangs to fell more on his face and his hair parting in the middle. Victoria stood up with the others as she approached the door. "Kol?" She frowned.
"Yes. It's me." He smiled.
She leaned on the door. "Why are you here?" A frown was formed on his face, she didn't seem like usual, like the Victoria he usually met before he was gone. "I came back for you, darling."
"For me? Then why didn't you come back when your hybrid brother took me? I could've die if Elijah didn't come for my rescue. I barely know him that time but he helped me. And you? What did you do?" Victoria impatiently complained at him. "Even I think of you. What if you get involved into a terrible danger? I care, but what about you? Have you thought about me getting into a danger? I thought you're my friend."
"You're being emotional, Victoria." He told her. His jaw clenched hard like a clenched wrist forming into a fist.
"I'm emotional. Oh hell yeah. At least I can deal with emotions. I can feel them." She told him bluntly. "Do you ever tried to feel or care about your friend? Me?" She titled her head and continued speaking. It was sounded more like mocking him. "Oh, how could I forgot. You're heartless. So you can't feel. You just pretended like you can until the day you can suck me dry. I knew this is your sick game, right?"
Kol was about to reply her but he stopped himself and watched her. It was hard for him to understand why was his heart feeling like it was stabbed with a dagger. But he realized what a fool he was for coming for her. His expression faded into a scowl, but he was not actually mad at her. He was mad at himself. "You don't understand, Victoria. There was a time when I can't be with you." He said quietly. He knew he wasn't there to protect her that time when his brother took her.
She scoffed sarcastically at him while walking out of the house, not wanting to annoy the people she have considered as a new family. "A time? You disappeared more than just one time, Kol."
"Oh my God. What is wrong with me? I'm emotional about you, us!" Victoria groaned while punching her fist onto the door. "I care about you! But.. But.. This just doesn't seems right. I missed you."
"I apologize for my absences." Kol looked at her as she breathed out, looking at him back. "This is the umpteenth times you have been apologizing." She spoke quietly, she surrendered with her heart which just betrayed her stubborn mind. While her head kept suggesting to rant him, her heart told her to stop. "I understand that you've been thinking about me. I know. Me too." He eyed her.
"I don't want anyone, especially my brother to notice your existence. My brother will use you to weaken me if I displease him. And do you know what you are?" Kol spoke lightly waiting for her response.
"I'm a doppelganger. Right? And your brother wanted my blood." She said. "Kol. I realized I'm also a part of supernatural beings. I knew I was wrong for being scared and mad at you." She admitted reluctantly as her mind struggled to stop, but it's seems like her heart won.
"Then come back. Let's go back to New York. You are not safe here." Kol suggested as he looked at her both precious eyes, hoping she would listen. "Am I even safe there while your brother knew my existence already? He is a hybrid, a powerful creature, lived a thousand years long with you and your other siblings. Nothing can beat him."
"My brother won't bother us. I will make sure of that."
"I'm sorry Kol. But I don't know if I can count on you after whatever happened and you being gone. I need some time, alone. I needed you but I need time to be alone right now." She admitted, while walking away, heading back to the house and leaving her crush all alone outside. She closed the door behind her while leaning back onto the door, slid down and sat on the ground before she hugged her knees; and then she unexpectedly cried. "Victoria.." Elena called while sitting next to her, as everyone were gathered around to circle her.
"Guys I think she needs some rest. I'll accompany her." Elena decided, while trying to help her standing up and then hold her by her shoulders and rushed upstairs to "their" room. "Victoria you okay? Damon only stated that you and him had a debate. What was it? Mind to tell me?" Elena asked calmly while leading her to the bed.
"Elena. Can I ask something?" She asked while stopped sobbing. "Sure. Go ahead." Elena smiled softly.
"You know I liked Kol, right? I missed him but when he came back, I was all like... He need to go. It's like I'm fighting my own feelings when he came back. Do I sounded like a bitch? I'm afraid I hurt Kol's feelings."
Elena sat next to her at the edge of the bed and watched her speaking about her crush although it was an original. And then she rolled her eyes while chuckling quietly, placing her hand on her shoulder. "No, Victoria. You are not a bitch. Probably you need more time to deal with all of these. You have through rough times." She told her with a soft smile. "I knew how do you feel. Even when I first discovered Stefan is a vampire, I fight with my feelings." Elena confessed.
"I'm just like you. But I write everything into my diary whenever something happened into my life." She said to Victoria while showing her a thick book and then went for her cupboard to look for another empty book, and she suddenly found it. "Here." She gave it to Victoria, and grabbed another pen from her table. "You can write your own too. I can make sure it will make you feels better."
"This is for me?" Victoria asked while grabbed over the diary book and the pen. "Thank you, Elena. I hope I would get better after I wrote everything into this diary book." She thanked Elena and pulled her into a tight hug immediately. "Yeah." Elena muttered with a wide smile, as Victoria opened the first page of the book and grabbed her pen. She looked over Elena once again before reading while she was nodding at Victoria.
Dear Diary,
Is this supposedly called falling in love? I'm kind of attracted to someone who have been there for me almost everytime. His name is Kol. He is a vampire and I've been seeing him with his vampire face with my own eyes. And somewhat, I asked him to leave me. I wish I wasn't too stupid that time for asking him to leave. I said I don't wanna see him ever again and that's was foolish me. Love sucks.
And now... When he came back, I was being stupid again. I said I cared about him and I needed him, but then I said I can't count on him yet, and I need to be alone for a while. How could I be so stupid? He came for me. But I think I've hurt his feelings. Oh God, I wish my head followed my heart's commands earlier before. I love him.. Yeah. I think I did and I can't help myself either. Dear love and emotions, welcome to my heart.. Please don't spread the emotions too often, it could just kill me slowly. Ugh, I hate my life...
She closed her diary book and then looked over Elena who was watching her writing. "Did you read them or...?" Victoria made sure. "Of course I didn't. It's privacy. I do have my own diary, and it's my privacy." Elena laughed softly while nudging her shoulders away.
"Anyway... Can I use your phone? I wanna call my parents." She said reasonably to Elena as she nodded and gave her phone to Victoria. "Thanks." Victoria countered with a big smile and started to dial her mother's number.
"Hello?" A tender voice of a woman was heard on her ears.
"Mom?"
"Who's this?"
Victoria giggled quietly. "Mom, it's Tori. Your daughter. Victoria."
"Oh honey, what happened? Whose number is this?" Victoria's mom asked in concern. Although her parents were almost all the time being busy, they have always gave her the best and cared about her, and they will concerned about her until the details.
"Mom, don't ever visit my flat ever again okay? Please. I'll explain later, just don't come to my flat again. Alright?" She commanded her mom with worry filling in her voice, "Okay, dear. Mom's busy too. So I don't actually have much time to visit either. Where are you now?"
"It does not matter! Where's dad? Is he okay?" Victoria concerned while brushing her hair through her ears, while Elena was just watching her calling her mother. "He is in Denver sweetie. He had business to attend. But he is okay. Still energic."
She sighed in relief, knowing that his father is okay as she thought he was somehow in danger. Well, it was just her feelings—she hoped it won't be real after all. "Okay. I need to go now. Mwah." She said and gave the smooch tone.
"Alright honey. Inform me regularly if you can. Love you, mwah." Her mom replied before she ended the call. At least she could get to hear her mother's voice still although she couldn't see her face. "Go to sleep. I knew you're depressed of all these stuffs and it might got you tired. So.. Go to sleep, alright? I'm going downstairs to get some water, I'll be back in minutes." Elena said smiling at her identical "sister" and rest her on the bed. "Good night, Victoria. Sleep well." She spoke while walking for the door, leaving Victoria who was going to sleep. Go to sleep, go to sleep, sleep will fade all your pain. Victoria thought to herself while closing her eyes slowly and drift to sleep.
Author's Notes: Thank you to ChristinaAguileraFan and CharmSparks11833 for loyally reviewing! And everyone too! Your supports truly made my day! :)
Oh, and I watched City of Bones yesterday. Although it has nothing to do with this fic, I just want to share about the movie that it was amazing! If you love that kind of fantasy/adventure/fantasy-romance movies, you might gonna love City of Bones!
So sorry that this chapter is a little bit shorter than the other chapters which usually reach 4k+ words. But I hope you guys will like it!
Let me know what you thought about this chapter, which part is your favorite, which part is depressing, etc! :) It was so fun to write, so many lovely moments although the Koria scenes were a little bit depressing, for me personally. Please leave reviews of your thoughts! They motivates me to write more chapters XOXO