CHAPTER 9:

It's been two days since I've been in contact with Kat, or a certain raven-haired fiancé. I can't ever look either of them in the eye again. Ever. I don't even know...How can you forget an entire night?

You have to be stoned. That's how.

As I'm deep in my thoughts, the sound of my phone is like a gunshot. I scramble for it and read the message.

Damon S: Hey, your aunt has some things for you to pick up. Can you come over today?

Of course, it had to be him.

I don't know what to do. Do I reply? Do I not, and act like I hadn't gotten the message? When will I even see him again? Psh. I toss my phone onto the couch beside me as I surf the channels.

"And with news of an scandalous affair between Governor-"

Yeah, no.

I almost laugh as I change the channel.

"Who was unaware that her husband was cheating on her-"

Gah!

I nearly break the flatscreen as I toss the remote across the room. Isn't there anything on that's not about affairs and cheating?

Another ring escapes from my phone, and I sigh as I press 'answer'.

"What?" I snap.

"Whoa, easy, sis," Kat's voice purrs. "I'm just calling to make sure you're alive-"

"I'm fine." I say, perhaps a bit too snide.

Keep calm and carry on.

"So, Damon-"

"What about Damon?" I blurt.

Shit!

"Er, he's on his way over to your place. Something about dropping some box from Isobel off." Kat mutters, and I don't mistake the hint of boredom in her voice.

"What?" I squeak. No. No. No. He can't come here.

"Anyway, I was also calling to see if you still could perform at Damon and my wedding reception."

Dear, God.

"Kat-"

"Great, thanks!" Kat squeals, and the line goes dead.

I have no time to pout about Kat's childish actions. I have to get dressed. I'm in my night shorts and tank top. Not appropriate attire when your sister's fiancé is on his way to your house.

As I run up the stairs, I scramble through my dresser in search of sweats and a hoodie. Sure, it's seventy degrees out, but it's the safe route.

Ten minutes later, I hear the sound of a car pulling in the driveway, and I take a deep breath.

Keep calm and Carry on.

I whisk the front door open, revealing Damon's hand in mid-air.

"I was about to knock," he says warily.

"Well, I saved you the trouble," I say. "The box?"

From behind his back, Damon pulls a cardboard box. I wonder what Isobel has for Grayson.

"Thanks," I say.

"Where's your friend? Lydia?" Damon frowns as he looks around the place.

"Lexi," I correct. "She had to go back to Newark. Family emergency," I sigh.

"Are you alright?" Damon frowns. "You seem a bit off,"

"I'm fine. I'll see you around," I say, and as I go to shut the door. To my complete surprise and fear, Damon's hand shoots out, preventing it from closing.

"What are you doing?" I breathe. I feel like a deer caught in someone's headlights. Damon's headlights.

"I almost forgot. My parents are having a BBQ at the house in a couple of nights, and Stefan was wondering if you'd attend it with him."

"What?" I blink, surprised as my arm falls to my side.

This, I didn't see coming.

"And I hope you don't slap me or stomp on my foot like they do in those old films, but I've already accepted," he says warily, and I think I hear myself gasp.

"Well, do I have some competition for your brother?" I smile, and Damon rolls his eyes.

"My heart belongs to someone else," Damon smirks, and I suddenly feel a pang of jealousy as Katherine comes to mind.

To think that Damon and I...

I need to get a grip on this.

"I mean that I've told him that you would go with him. I hope that's not any trouble," he says softly, and I sigh.

"I suppose not." I say. "I've nothing to do, and I wouldn't want to let your brother down," I smile.

"Yeah we wouldn't want that," Damon says with a hint of bitterness.

What's his problem? He's just as confusing as Kat.

A match made in heaven.

"I'll give him your number, and he'll probably call you later today." Damon says, and I nod.

"I'll look for the message," I say as Damon steps outside of the door. "Goodbye,"

"Goodbye, Elena," Damon waves, and I find myself watching him walk to his car. I shake my head. I need to stop. Whatever happened between me and Damon is over.

In fact, it never happened, as far as I'm concerned. He'll never find out.

So, forget and move on.

My phone suddenly cuts through my thoughts, and I walk over to the couch to grab it.

"Hey, Bon," I say. "What's up?"

"Hey, I'm going to the mall. I need to grab a few things. My parents called. Can you believe that they want me to come see them?" She squeals excitedly. "I've not seen them for two years! I've been so busy down here!"

"Wow," I smile, excited for her. "That's wonderful, Bonnie. Er, Sure," I nod as I check my watch. "I've got some spare time. I need to find a new outfit for some BBQ that Damon's brother's invited me to."

Crap.

"Wait, you're seeing Damon's brother?" She gasps.

"No, it's not like that." I insist. "It's just a friendly invitation."

"Yeah, uh-huh." I literally hear Bonnie rolling her eyes. "Want me to pick you up, or do you want to meet me?"

"You can pick me up," I tell her. "Jenna took my car to go have some lunch with some old friends."

"Great," Bonnie says. "I'll be there soon."

"Alright." I nod. "I'll look out,"

"Bye," Bonnie says, and I pull the phone away.

Ten minutes later, I hear Bonnie's car out front, and I grab my purse and head out of the house.

"So, what do you have in mind to bring to Albany?" I ask as I get in the car. I reach for the safety belt and slide it over myself.

"I'm not sure," Bonnie shrugs as she pulls into the street. "Anything that says "New York-approved," she scoffs. Suddenly, a familiar song comes on.

I am not the kind of girl
Who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion
But you are not the kind of boy
Who should be marrying the wrong girl

I don't need to listen any further to realize I don't like it. Immediately without thinking, I reach for the channel changer and press for the next song.

"Not a fan of Taylor?" Bonnie asks, and I hear her grin.

"Not that song, no," I say.

"So," Bonnie clears her throat, and I swallow. I don't need to be questioned on my relationship with Stefan. "I was thinking,"

That's not good.

"Is it alright if we make a quick detour?" she asks, and I nod.

"You're the driver, Bon," I smile. Immediately, Bonnie signals right.

"What are we doing here?" I frown. We're sitting in front of Bree's, Bonnie's favorite hair salon.

"I thought since you and I were both going to special occasions soon, we could get a haircut," she shrugs.

Oh, no.

"Bonnie, I don't think a backyard barbecue exactly qualifies for a 'special occasion'," I laugh.

"Well, when you're invited to said event by your soon-to-be brother-in-law's brother, then I deem it so," she smirks, and I sigh.

"Come on, it'll be fun," she pleads, and I frown. "When's the last time you've done something to your hair like this?"

"Prom," I scoff.

There's a night I want back.

"See?" she waves her hands in exasperation. "Elena, come on!"

Knowing that Bonnie's more determined than the Leader of the Free World, I decide to surrender.

"Alright," I sigh as I reach for the buckle. "Let's go,"

"Bonnie!"

As soon as we enter the salon, a chime escapes, and I look up to see Bree rushing over to us in stilettos and an aquamarine maxi dress.

"Bree," Bonnie smiles as she envelopes Bree. "How are you?"

"I'm quite alright, child," she smirks. "What are we going to do to you today, pretty?"

When Bonnie doesn't answer Bree, I realize that she's talking to me.

"Oh, not much." I say dismissively. "Just a tr-"
"Oh, you have such beautiful chocolate hair," Bree says in wonder as she takes a handful of my hair in her hands. "Perhaps we can richen the color?"

"Er, no, that won't be-"

"She'd love to," Bonne says, and I whip around to face her.

"Wonderful," Bree says gleefully. "I'll be back in a jiffy,"

"Why did you do that?" I hiss. "First you volunteer me to sing, and now you volunteer me to get my hair colored?"

"Elena, relax." Bonnie says. "Its just retouching. It'll be the same color, only richer,"

"It better be," I hiss.

"Have I ever steered you wrong?" Bonnie asks genuinely, and I sigh.

God, help me.

As I look into the mirror in front of me, I realize one thing: I've been steered wrong for the first time in my life by my best friend.

I have red hair!

"How do you like it?" Bree asks, what seems like eons away, and I blink.

"I look like Ariel the mermaid," I breathe. Well, with a darker shade of red, but you get the idea.

"Perhaps I might've left the dye on for too long," she says nervously, and I nod.

"I think so, too," I say, wide-eyed.

"Well, In about a couple of weeks, you can color it back to brown," she says hopefully, and I swallow.

"Two weeks?" I squeak. There is no way I can go to that barbecue looking like this.

"It's not that long," Bree says. "In fact, if you come in here, we'll even do it for free,"

Getting my hair dyed again here doesn't sound like a promising idea, even if it is free. I might end up looking like Madonna next time.

"I'll think about it," I say, still in shock.

That's bloody likely.

"I'll be back with your receipt," Bree says as she scurries away, leaving Bonnie and I alone.

"I can't believe this," I frown. "My hair... it's ruined."

"It's not ruined," Bonnie shakes her head, her short curls bouncing off of her shoulders. "In fact, I think it's cute," she says, and I calm down a bit.

"Well, cute or not, I hadn't planned on walking into a hair salon today, let alone walking out of it with pink hair. God, it's like college all over again,"

"Come on, Elena. I think you're over exaggerating a bit. It's not that bright. It's just a red tint from your old shade. Just wait two weeks, Elena," Bonnie says. "Or, you might even like it by the time comes."

"Yeah, maybe," I sigh, unconvinced.

A faint whisper escaped from her mouth as her hands flew to her stomach, the prescription bottle creating a clanking sound as it met with the concrete floor. She began to shift hazily from left to right foot as consciousness prepared to abandon her. Bright, wide eyes, now struggling to remain open, slowly gave in to the medicine as they were rapidly dominating her body. A moment later, she collapsed onto the floor, neighboring the prescription bottle, which was now rolling across the room away from her as her hand triggered the bottle.

Sorry for the length! It'll be longer next chapter! :)

AN:PLEASE FAVE/FOLLOW. Oh, and PLEASE REVIEW :) It motivates me to update more!

PS: Please check out my other TVD/DE stories Bitten: The Marked,it's sequels Bitten: The Hunted & Bitten: The Saved, The Other Side of Me, Star Crossed and Shelter. I'd REALLY appreciate it :)

PPS: Follow me on Twitter, EverbloomMist13!

Soundtrack that inspired/were mentioned in this chapter:

Theme Song: Bad Things~ Meiko

Speak Now ~ Taylor Swift

We Radiate ~ Goldfrapp