**Chapter sixteen**

The truth

*Hailey*

My eyes were closed, as Friends played on the TV in front of me. It was almost noon on a Monday, but I was still in bed. I didn't feel like I could go to school and pretend that I didn't know the truth about vampires. Besides, I didn't want to take the chance and run into a Salvatore brother.

"I don't wanna look like you,

Because you're too perfect,

You're too perfect,

And I don't wanna fill your shoes,

Because it's not worth it,

It's not worth it,

I don't fit the mold I am real,

Too colorful to conceal,

Imperfect is the new perfect,

Imperfect is the new perfect."

I opened my eyes and answered my cellphone. It was probably Elena, wondering why I wasn't at school. I don't think I was ready to tell her that I knew about vampires, and a part of me was a little mad that she didn't tell me in the first place.

"Hey," I sighed, closing my eyes.

"Hailey." Responded a familiar masculine voice.

My eyes popped open. I didn't even think that he would call me. "You've got some nerve." I snapped, coldness icing over my words.

It was quiet on the other end. "I-I'm sorry." Damon said finally, and I could tell that he didn't say that very often.

"Oh, are you now?" I said sarcasm and disgust edging its way into my voice. "For what? Not telling me that you're technically dead, or for almost killing me?"

"Both?"

I rolled my eyes, and sat up. "I don't forgive you. I admit, cutting myself wasn't the best plan in the world, but you should've told me the truth."

"What was I supposed to do, Hailey? Go up to you and say, 'Just so you know, I'm not exactly human. In fact, I'm a 167 year old vampire! Wanna go to the bar later?'" Damon said sarcastically, and I frowned.

"Well, as long as there was alcohol involved…" I retorted.

"It would not of been that easy, and you know it. I'm sorry that I almost killed you, but you were the Einstein that went and spilled your blood all over my kitchen floor in the first place." Damon said, and I glared at my TV.

"Wow, did anyone ever tell you that you're really awesome at apologizing?" I asked sarcastically, and I could tell that Damon rolled his eyes.

"It's apart of my charm." He retorted, and I smirked slightly, things going back to pre-vampires for a split second. Then my smirk disappeared, and the line went silent.

"At least let me explain, okay? Then you can decide whether or not to speak to me ever again. Or worse, pull a Buffy, and try to stake me." Damon said, and I raised my eyebrows.

"That's actually how you kill a vampire?" I asked curiously, momentarily sidetracked.

"I'm not giving you any ideas," Damon retorted. "Can you meet at the Grill in an hour?"

I paused, biting my lip. "Please?" Damon sang, and I smiled slightly.

"Fine, but if you try to bite me again, I'm gonna be super pissed."

~LMF~

An hour later, I was sitting in my car outside of the Grill. I was in baggy gray sweatpants and a blue shirt. My hair was in a messy bun, and I didn't have on a lot of makeup. I had managed to almost completely cover my bite mark with makeup, and it was only noticeable if you looked for it. If someone did notice it, they would just think that it's a hickey.

I sighed, and slowly got out of the car. I was apprehensive to talk to Damon, but I needed to my questions answered. I needed to know if he was just using me, leading me on with plans to kill me. I needed to know if he was behind Carly's death, and possibly behind Ava's- though I had put a stop to hers

The Grill was dead, with only the local day drunks at the bar. Plus a few kids who skipped school. Damon sat at a table in the far back, away from everyone else. I walked to him, my heart picking up pace. Partially because of fear that he might try to kill me, and partially because my heart always started beating faster around Damon.

"I thought you weren't going to show." Damon commented, as I sat down across from him. A glass of bourbon waited for me, and I took a gulp of it. The burn took away some of my fear, and I managed to look him in the eyes.

"I'm a lot of things Damon, but I'm not a flake." I said, my heavy bangs falling in my green eyes. I noticed Damon's hand twitch on the table, as if it ached to push my hair out of my face, but he didn't make a move to do it.

"I got you good." Damon said, frowning slightly. He was staring straight at the bite on my neck. I shifted to hide it, and noticed a look of guilt pass through his eyes.

"I didn't think that vampires felt guilty, biting humans." I blurted out curiously. Damon blinked, as if he never expected to hear me call him a vampire.

"We don't," he said dryly, looking away from my bite, to stare at his own drink.

I smiled slightly, my mood lifting. Damon did care about me, for real. I wasn't just a walking blood bag to him. That was something.

"Did you kill Carly Fell?" I asked bluntly, deciding not to beat around the bush. I came here for answers, and to decide whether or not I wanted Damon in my life.

He shook his head, his blue eyes honest. "I was with you that entire day, Hailey." He said, and I felt my spirits rise again. If he didn't kill Carly that meant that he wouldn't try to kill Ava either.

"How long did you know about me?" Damon asked, his turn to ask a question.

"I managed to put it all together about an hour or so before I confronted you. But I started having suspicions that you weren't normal a few days before." I answered.

"I know Stefan's one too," I added, taking another sip of my drink.

Damon raised his eyebrows. "Do my brother and his girlfriend know that you know?"

I shook my head. "No, I haven't talked to Elena since Sunday morning." I answered, wondering how I would go about telling her that I'm in on the secret. Would I tell her my own secret then, too?

"How old at you?" I asked, that thought suddenly popping into my head. The picture had said 1864, but what if he was older.

"167- I grew up in the 1800's." he answered, and my eyebrows furrowed. He was almost two centuries old.

"Well, I always did have a thing for older guys." I muttered to myself, and Damon smirked.

"So, what exactly, can you do? Do vampires have any sort of special powers?" I wondered, finishing my drink.

"My personal favorite is compulsion- mind control, basically. But the strength and speed isn't too bad either." Damon answered, signaling for more drinks.

"Have you ever compelled me?" I asked, frowning. I didn't know if I wanted to know the answer.

"No, I haven't." he said, as the bartender brought us more bourbon. I believed his answer, and didn't press on the topic.

"What's the worst part of being a vampire?" I asked, though so far, it didn't sound too bad. Despite the blood lust, that is.

"The emotions. When you turn into a vampire, your personality is multiplied by 100, and you feel everything 100 times stronger than you did as a human. The good feelings are great to feel, but the bad; anger, sadness , loss… it's not very fun. That's why most vampires turn it off." Damon said, taking a long sip of his drink.

"Turn what off?" I asked.

"Their humanity. It's like a switch, and your instinct is to feel nothing, to turn it off. I did, for a very long time. But the damn thing always finds a way to flip back on." He said, rolling his eyes as if everyone had a problem with their humanity.

"You've killed people, haven't you?" it was more of a statement than a question.

"I have, Hailey. I've killed a lot of people, and I even liked it." Damon said in that brutally honest way of his.

He looked like he expected me to leave, but I stayed in my chair. "Well, I suppose we all have our faults." I said lightly.

Damon looked like he couldn't believe my response, but I had already moved on to the next question. "How do you become a vampire?"

Damon raised an eyebrow at me, but answered anyway. "You have to die with blood in your system, and then drink blood to finish the transformation. If you don't drink blood, you'll die."

"How do you kill a vampire?"

Damon smirked slightly. "Wouldn't you like to know."

I rolled my eyes. "I promise I won't try to kill you." I sarcastically raised my right hand. "Scout's honor."

He smirked at me. "Stake in the heart."

I raised my eyebrows. "So it is like with the movies. What about garlic?"

"I think that less is more, but to each their own." He retorted.

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Holy water?"

"Yummy, I love some when I'm eating my garlic."

I laughed, and Damon smiled slightly at the sound.

"Crosses?" I continued.

"Decorative." He shrugged.

"Coffins?"

"I prefer beds, they're homier."

"Mirrors?"

"How else would I be able to make sure I look this good?" Damon said, gesturing to his body, and I smirked.

"Do vampires have any weaknesses?" I asked, leaning forward.

"Vervain, sunlight, and we need an invitation to go into a house." He answered.

"I've seen you in the sun before, though." I asked, confused.

Damon held up his hand, a ring on his finger. "Daylight ring." He said simply.

"Where'd you get it?" I asked curiously.

"A witch- and yes, they exist too." He answered my unanswered question.

I paused, searching for another question. Our conversation had really helped me accept what Damon was, and to not be afraid. He was still the Damon I was friends with, the Damon I was falling for. Nothing had changed with him.

"Who changed you?" it was my last question, and I didn't think it was a very hard one. But Damon froze like a deer in the headlights.

"Uh, some random vampire back in 1864. She changed Stefan too." Damon shrugged like it was no big deal, but he avoided my gaze.

I had no reason not to believe him, so I let it go. I finished my drink, a small smile on my face. Maybe things could go back to normal between Damon and I, only they would be better because there were no secrets between us. Besides my own.

I completely forgot that I had exposed myself to Damon last night, but Damon didn't. I was playing with my ring, when he spoke.

"How did you get away, Hailey? No offense, but you should be dead right now. If I hadn't gone flying across the room, you would be."

I looked up, my eyes wide. Damon had an eyebrow raised, while a dozen lame excuses went through my mind. But I didn't want to lie to Damon, because if there was one person in this world who wouldn't think that I was a freak, it would be a vampire. Besides, he told me the truth, it was only fair that I told him the same.

"I'm physic."

~LMF~

A/N: I think I'm starting to seriously piss people off with all my cliff hangers, tee hee :)

Thanks to: aireagle92, Sam0728, AudreyDarke96, hplover1616, vdemily, and Carrie9586 for reviewing!

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~ Abby