"Did you finish that Calculus assignment?" Bonnie asked while moving the plate of fries aside.

I pushed the papers to her and continued on the English assignment. Since we had used Sunday to recover from Tyler's party, we had to catch up on assignments after school. On Monday, I went to Bonnie's house and Elena was already there. Saving me from the questioning I knew Bonnie was holding in. On Tuesday dad had taken me out to get a car and then I looked around town, looking for a job. Wednesday after school Bonnie helped me spread curriculums and apparently she noticed I didn't want to talk about what she was dying to know so she didn't say anything. Thursday, yesterday was worse. While the group that had seen me and Stefan in the woods had stayed quiet all week, when they saw Stefan and Elena lunching with me and Bonnie again, they opened their damn mouths. I had explained to Bonnie that I had hurt my feet, we didn't tell her anything about Caroline and Matt, but she had been even more suspicious since my foot was fine. Elena didn't mind about the gossip, she trusted Stefan and knew it was just that, gossip.

Today, Bonnie and I had agreed to stay at my place doing assignments to have the weekend free. Apparently there was a lot of Mystic-Falls-Historic-Society related events, and since my dad was of the Council, and the families should be involved, I was kind of required to be decorating the park tomorrow morning because there would be Mystic Falls Historical Society Volunteers Day and at afternoon there would be a meeting to decide what to do about the Halloweed Masquerade Ball that would happen in two weeks. Bonnie wanted to finish the assignments quickly to go and get me a dress for the ball before we had to rush to do it. I was taking my time, avoiding going shopping.

But I just knew my day wouldn't be so simple.

"Okay, it's been a week. Can you at least say something about it? Even if it's just to tell me to stop being nosy?" Bonnie asked after a few silent minutes.

I sighed and put down my notebook. I turned to face her and tried to think of the best solution.

"Okay, but you have to promise me you will stay calm until I explain everything, until I'm done" I said.

"What did you do? Is it that bad?" she asked frowning.

"Bonnie…" I took a deep breath. She would flip, I just knew it. "I know you told me to stay away from them but… Saturday, when you didn't show up to pick me up at the Salvatores', I stayed alone with Damon"

"What!"

"Stefan went to check on Elena and… Well, it was fine. He helped me with my foot, and we began talking. He was drunk, and apparently with no filter. And so was I. And he listened. And didn't judge. He was nice…"

"He's Damon, Bella" she scowled. "He's not nice"

"Let me finish, please?" she nodded. "I'll admit it started out badly, because he was pissed about something related to Elena and Katherine and… he tried to kiss me" I raised my hand, gesturing for her to let me finish. "Well, he did kiss me, but I pushed him away. And I talked to him, and I understand him. He isn't bad, Bonnie, he's just… hopeless, hurt. Katherine left him, she never truly loved him, she used him while she wanted Stefan. And now he falls in love with another woman who chooses Stefan again. That must be… awful"

"He killed Jeremy when Elena rejected him. I understand some people don't deal well with rejection, but he is a murderer" Bonnie said.

"I know he's out of line a lot, but… We came into a silent understanding… We're… friends I guess" I shrugged.

"Where were you that night?" she asked narrowing her eyes.

"I stayed there until morning, then Damon took me home. I sneaked in, changed clothes and made breakfast. My dad never knew I was at the party"

"Sunday?" she asked suspiciously.

"Ahn… I went out with Damon"

"What! Bella!"

"He showed up at my house and my dad was almost inviting him in. So, in the moment I invented a lie, saying he was there to take me to Elena's, and left with him. He told me he was there to ask me if I wanted to do something"

"Oh, God, Bella! He is not good!" Bonnie said frowning. She was worried, not mad.

"Bonnie, thank you for worrying. But I trust him. Let me give him a chance?"

She sighed and didn't answer. I took that as a yes.

"Where did you two go then?" she asked.

"He took me to Richmond" I chuckled. "He took me to museums and libraries, and told me about himself. Did you know he fought in the civil war? He had awesome stories. We went shopping… Well, he kinda of forced me to, and he took me to a club. It was fun"

She just sighed. I kinda felt bad for her. She wanted me to be her 'normal' friend. Someone who she could talk to, someone who wasn't related to supernatural, and there I was, relating to it, again.

"If you think it's a good idea" she mumbled. "Just be careful"

I nodded and jumped from my bed to the closet. I pulled the white garment bag. She arched an eyebrow and her mouth dropped open as I opened it.

"Is that…" she mumbled while walking to me and pulled the tag. "Holy shit, this is a J. Medel. It costs thousands of dollars!"

"I had chosen another dress, but he bought this one, and…" I gave her the dress and got the two boxes. "This"

I showed her the red shoes and the red and gold mask. She eyed everything with shock and then arched an eyebrow at me.

"Bella, I don't think 'just friends' usually do all this. He isn't giving you all this just because he's your friend"

"Ouch!" I hissed and glared at Damon. "A massage isn't supposed to be painful"

"Princess, when I told you I could give you a massage, I wasn't talking about your damn foot" he smirked.

I blushed and bit my lip. I pulled my foot out of Damon's lap and smiled apologetically.

"Here" he said extending his glass to me. "I think you're going to need it"

"Why?"

"Well, that isn't sprained. If it was it wouldn't be so painful. You must have cracked a bone or something" he said.

I looked down at my swollen, purpling foot. Yeah, it was really bad. I downed the drink, trying to erase the pain from my mind and looked at the clock. Where the hell was Bonnie? I was here for two hours. And Stefan left an hour ago. How long it takes to check on someone? Son of a bitch, must be making out with Elena while I'm stuck with his mischievous, bratty, arrogant brother.

"So" Damon said while his fingers trailed up on my thigh, I swatted his hand away and he chuckled. "How are you liking Mystic Falls so far?"

"Well, I left one little supernatural town for another, so kinda feel at home" I laughed. "With the death threats and sworn to secrecy included"

"There were vampires where you lived?" he asked while pouring more scotch on our glasses.

"It's complicated" I said and took a sip. "Can I ask you something?" he shrugged. "Do you like Elena for who she is or because she looks like Katherine?"

"It's complicated" he retorted with a smirk.

"Fair enough" I shrugged.

"She doesn't just look like Katherine" he said and gulped the drink with a shudder. "She is a selfish bitch too"

"Elena?" I asked surprised.

"She acts as it's convenient to her" he grumbled.

"I'm sorry" I said frowning.

Was this what Jake felt? It was obvious he liked me, and yet, he never had a chance because I couldn't forget Edward. Damon had to watch Elena and Stefan, and although I knew she never had given him hope, he still tried. And Jake… I hadn't given him hope, but his hope was that once I was past my heartbreak I would see him as he wanted me to, romantically. I never did anything to make him see that I would never get over the heartbreak.

"Needing another drink?" Damon asked.

I nodded and as soon as my glass was filled, I downed it and asked for more. He eyed me with worried eyes but with a shrug poured some more.

"You know, I'm kinda of a selfish bitch too" I said.

"Really?" he laughed.

"Yeah, I mean… Yeah, I'm definitely a selfish bitch" I scowled. "My best friend, is my best friend, because he was the only one that was able to pick up my pieces after Edward left. He has a crush on me, and I choose not to acknowledge because it's easier. I don't feel that way about him. But I keep him close because… I feel safe, and better about Edward. And he's so loyal he's hunting down a maniacal, revengeful, crazy, vampire that is hunting me down. His life would be so easy without me, and yet, I can't let him go"

"I guess that does make you a selfish bitch" he said with a smile and I smiled back. "Katherine told me she never loved me, I got drunk, tried to force myself on Elena, who reject me, and then pissed the hell off, I decided to kill her brother to inflect some pain"

"To not be the only one hurt" I said. "Yeah… That makes you…"

"A major asshole?" he asked.

"Yeah, and a sadistic jerk" I chuckled.

He laughed with me and then arched an eyebrow.

"So, you have a vampire hunting you down?"

"So, you have an relationship issues?" I retorted with a smirk.

"I like you and your sassy mouth" he said grinning. "So, won't tell me anything? Unfair, you know everything about me!"

"Okay… Let's say, perhaps, I've dated a vampire. And he wasn't like you. And he left" I shrugged.

"That sucks" he said.

He would know, Katherine did to him what Edward did to me. He pulled my feet to his lap again, and I watched as he frowned at my swollen foot.

"Here" he said.

He bit his wrist, and poured his blood into the glass. I watched with wide eyes and then he gave me the glass. I knew what he was doing. He was trying to help. But I could help but think – considering my accident-magnet-bad-lucked self – what would happen if I died after drinking that?

"It will help you heal" he said.

"I know" I said and looked at him. "Bonnie told me"

"You know, for a witch, she surely doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut" he grumbled.

"She needed to vent, and so did I" I shrugged.

"Then drink it. Your foot will be as good as new in an hour"

"What if I die?" I asked frowning.

"Not likely, but then you would become a vampire"

I had wanted for so long to be a vampire, to spend my eternity with Edward and the Cullens. But the idea of turning into one now, a kind a barely knew, and without anyone, was not appealing at all.

"Bella, nothing is going to happen" Damon said rolling his eyes at me.

I nodded and downed his blood. Strangely, it tasted almost sweet. I gave him the glass back and he put it aside, getting another from the coffee table to pour a drink for himself.

"Thank you" I said leaning back on the couch.

He looked at me and with a smile gave me a nod. I smiled at him, and it took only a second for his eyes to leave my face and trail down my body.

"Eyes up here, pervert" I giggled.

He smirked and winked at me while licking his lips.

"Taking vervain?" he asked casually.

"Yes, why?"

Actually, I was lying. Now that he mentioned, I realized I hadn't taken the tea that morning, and I doubted what I had drank more than 24 hours ago would help.

"Just warning you, the vampire blood kinda of burns it off" he said. "It makes it leave your system faster"

I bit my lip and mentally groaned. Great, now I was vulnerable.

"Don't worry, beautiful, not going to compel you to take advantage of you" he teased and smirked. "I don't need to do that, I can have you begging without any mind tricks"

I laughed and rolled my eyes at him.

"Please!" I scoffed. "I have been trained to have the world's best self control about anything sexual. You couldn't get me in a million years"

He narrowed his eyes and I knew I should have just stayed silent. He took it as a challenge. While I technically was challenging him, I hadn't thought it through. And as much as I tried to, I couldn't make myself stop smiling. This could be fun…

"You really shouldn't play with what you can't handle, Bella" he said.

"I could handle much more than you, not that I have to worry about you" I said teasingly.

In a blink he was hovering over me and staring down at me. I grinned at him, and gasped as his hand gripped my thigh tightly, pulling it up and then sliding his leg between mine. His other hand was beside my head, supporting his weight away from me. He then smirked as he pressed his thigh against my core and rubbed up and down. My legs instinctively tightened around his trying to keep it there. I would never admit it, but it felt so good. And by the widening smirk, the bastard knew it. Probably my blush gave me away. He then kissed me hard. I was so used to Edward's gentle, loving kisses, I froze at the passion of Damon's kiss. He pressed his whole body against mine, and his tongue traced my lips. I gasped as goosebumps formed in my skin, and locked my arms around his shoulders, kissing him back just as fiercely. His tongue sensually massaged mine, twirling inside my mouth and make me feel things I had never experienced. I arched my back with a moan and he grounded his erection against me. My state of undress seemed helpful, since I could feel very well the budge on his jeans. His hand slid up on my thigh pausing when it reached the bikini bottoms but thankfully kept sliding up until it found my left breast and he gave a gentle squeeze. I moaned again, and he literally growled in my mouth. And fuck me, it was so hot. He pulled back and kissed my jaw and neck, nibbling gently, as his fingers played with the strings between my breasts, tying the top in place. He thrust into me again and as I my body arched, he started to pull on the strings.

And that's when I came back to reality.

I pushed against his shoulders, and his hand froze.

"No, stop" I said shakily.

He pulled back breathing as heavy as I, and frowned at me, questioning me with his blue eyes.

"I like you Damon, but I don't want to be used as rebound. You are just using me to get back at Elena"

He groaned and pulled back, sitting on the other end of the couch. He downed a drink and leaned his head back. He was grumbling something about Elena, ruining things and cock blocking. I would find it amusing if I wasn't still trying to recover from… the event. I sat up slowly and bit my lip, looking at everywhere but Damon.

"Stop fidgeting. I'm not mad at you or going to attack you" he said and rolled his eyes at me. "Come on, let's get you some clothes, because that is very distracting" he said pointing to my body.

I blushed deep red, and stood up. My ankle was better, only hurting a little and the swelling had gone down, like magic. He led me upstairs and entered a room. I hesitated by the door and then stepped in, looking around. Definitely his room. While a little messy, it wasn't disorganized. I bet he could find anything he needed without problems. It was a organized mess. He had a few books thrown around, DVDs, clothes – mostly jackets – and a lot of empty or half empty liquor bottles. He came back from the closet, holding a simple blue button up shirt, and sweatpants. He told me I could use his bathroom and I thanked him. I was in awe with the huge bathroom. With a tub and a huge shower, two sinks, it was the size of my room. I put his shirt and sweatpants, rolling the waistband a couple times and the hem too. I went back to the living room and Damon was lying on the couch, with his feet up on the arm. He smiled at me and arched an eyebrow.

"Shall we talk about your vampire ex?" he asked.

"I will answer a question and you will answer another" I suggested reaching for the glass he extended.

"I think this can be fun" he shrugged.

The doorbell rang. Dad got out of his office and smiled as he passed the kitchen.

"I get it" he said.

I shrugged but dried my hands from the soapy water anyway. I went to the foyer to welcome the visitor and my heart almost stopped when dad answered the door.

"Damon" Dad said with a smile.

"Hello, Charlie" Damon said while leaning against the door frame and looked at me with a smirk.

"What brings you here? Everything okay?" Dad asked.

"Yes, everything is fine today"

"Please…"

"Dad" I interrupted before he invited Damon in. Damon grinned and arched an eyebrow. Dad looked at me questioningly. "I forgot. Elena and Stefan invited me to lunch at his place, and Damon came to drive me"

I took a jacket and walked forward.

"I left lasagna, it's just take it from the oven in five minutes" I told dad.

Damon stepped back, away from the door. I passed dad and kissed him on the cheek.

"Okay" dad shrugged. "Good to see you, Damon. Drive safe" it was an order.

"I wouldn't risk while carrying such precious load to you, sir" Damon answered and I narrowed my eyes at him. "See you later"

"Later" dad said and closed the door.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I asked angrily while Damon walked to his car.

"I was hoping I could join you for lunch, but since you decided I'm not welcome, I'm taking you out" he said casually.

"Do you truly thought that I was going to invite you in?" I asked frowning.

"Oh, I'm hurt. Don't you trust me?" he asked amusedly.

"To give you the right to come and go from my house as you please… no" I smirked.

"Get in" he said rolling his eyes.

"Where are we going?" I asked once I was on the passenger seat of the blue convertible camaro.

"Nowhere. Anywhere. Everywhere" he shrugged with a smile.

"Maybe you should just take me to Bonnie's"

"Oh, come on, we'll have fun" he said while turning on the radio.

"How do you know my dad?"

"The Council"

We continued our game of questions, and while he drove top speed away from Mystic Falls, I told him about the Port Angeles incident that Edward saved me from, the clue Jake gave me, and confronting Edward about his nature. He seemed amused by the fact that I didn't run away screaming from 'Eddie boy' – his nickname from Edward. He told me how he was after coming back from the Confederate Army, the downfall of his relationship with Stefan and about their attempt to rescue Katherine from the fire.

"But she wasn't there"

"Nope" he said. "And we died for nothing"

"You died because you loved her" I said.

"I died because I thought I loved her. She compelled me"

"Well, you still died for love, fake or not" I said with a shrug. "And the tomb?"

"I was informed she had saved herself by hiding into the tomb under the church, but, that was a lie too" he said and turned to smirk at me. "Now, care to explain the differences between your boyfriend and I?"

"Well, he was well mannered, gentle…" I said with a smirk and he rolled his eyes. "And handsome"

"He can be just handsome, I know you think I'm hot" he smirked.

"In your dreams" I laughed.

"Baby, I had you moaning in three seconds" he teased.

"Fuck you" I laughed.

"Now, answer my question" he said seriously.

I saw the road sign indicating we were arriving in Richmond.

"You might think I am blind, but I am not" I said. "You're using me to get answers about the Cullens, so I won't tell you anything else"

"Oh, baby, I'm not using you" he said putting his hand on my thigh. "I just want to know"

"Right" I said sarcastically swatting away his hand.

"Look," he sighed, "I do want to know about them, badly. But I will not discard you after you tell me. You're fun, and I liked spending time with you. So… spill it"

Of course Damon would be rude by the end of such nice statement. He parked the car in a busy street, and we got out.

"What are we doing?" I asked.

"Lunching and then shopping" he said.

"Great, I would just love to wait while you get clothes" I grumbled.

"They are not for me" he laughed and took my hand, dragging me inside a restaurant.

"What?" I asked frowning, he grinned at me. "No! I hate shopping and I don't need new clothes.

He looked me up and down and suddenly my simple black shorts, blue plaid shirt and grey Converses felt stupid.

"It's a gift. If we're gonna hang out, you'll need to dress better, baby"

"Fuck you" I growled and he laughed. "If you want a freaking model, then get one. I will not be your Barbie"

He rolled his eyes and we got a table.

"First, you need a makeover. You need to stop thinking of yourself as boring and plain. Boring it's girl with low self-esteem" I narrowed my eyes at him. "You are pretty, we'll just make you look gorgeous. And I have nothing better to do, so let me have some fun doing this"

"Damon…"

"Don't you want to be a girl that Eddie boy looks back at and thinks: 'shit, she was amazing, I shouldn't have dumped her!'? Don't you wanna prove to yourself that you could fit wonderfully between vampires?"

He grinned. He knew he was pushing the right buttons to make me accept.

"You need to move on from plain Bella who got dumped, to gorgeous Isabella who dumps people"

"I didn't even brought enough money" I said. Yes, I knew that I was accepting, giving in. But that was the best answer I could come up with without saying 'you're right'.

"Don't worry about that" he grinned.

He dragged me from shop to shop, and although in the beginning he acted like Alice threatening to buy things I didn't want to try on, after the second store, I was even having fun. Although most of the things he made me try on were things I thought I would never wear, the ones I liked he bought it. While he sat outside the living room, drinking champagne, the sales assistant brought me more clothes than I could wear in a month, and he made me show him everything I tried. At one point he was making me do a catwalk. It was fun. I avoided looking at the tags, but when I complained about the price he would buy it anyway, even two sometimes, just to screw with me, so I decided to shut up. After five stores, a backseat and trunk full of clothes and shoes, he took me to the hairdresser, showed me the town, and took me to museums and libraries and touristic points. I didn't remember having so much fun in a long time. When the sun was setting down, I asked if we were going home.

"Home? No, we're just starting" he grinned.

He made me change into one of the outfits we bought – and by made me, I mean convinced me after threatening to buy jewelry. It was black skinny jeans with leather waistband and a sheer black sweater, that left my shoulders bare. We disagreed on the shoes for almost an hour. He insisted I needed to wear heels, I pointing out that I didn't want my face to meet the ground. By the end, my black outfit was matching his, except the red wedge sneakers I was wearing. Since I had insisted on buying only flat shoes, preferably sneakers, he had gotten a lot of these sneakers with the hidden wedges. At first I was afraid I would fall, but once he pointed out I looked pathetic walking while looking at the ground, and I answered him with a 'fuck you', I kept my head up and walked with the most confidence I could. We went to a club, and drank and danced all night.

And that how on Monday, I had a closet full of new clothes, new shoes, a new haircut, a new confidence, and a new friend – I think.

"I told him not to buy anything, but he would buy anyway" I told Bonnie. "He said I needed a dress for a ball and got this one"

"It's really nice" she said looking at the dress and then at me with a soft frown. "Bella, I would like to believe you and think that he doesn't have second intention while doing this. I really would like to think Damon is friendly and good. But I don't" she sighed. "But if you trust him, and he's your friend… Then… great. I hope he's a nice friend to you"

"Thanks, Bonnie" I smiled.

"Just be careful"

"Always am"

Dear fucking diary,

Why don't I ever listen to people's advice?