* This is a story about race, and love! Defying and transcending through the minds of two teenagers who can't help how they feel about each other. This story takes place 1970's Virginia, during the Vietnam War Era.

* Not your typical BAMON story.

* I do not own these characters, just the story (Unbeta'd)

* Please Enjoy

I like friends who have independent minds because they tend to make you see problems from all angles.

~Nelson Mandela

After the most of the day had gone by, Damon and Bonnie had gone to fifth period. He found a place for them to meet up before class. She had gone through most of the day without saying much to anyone. She never said much anyway, but she became an avid Waiver, smiler and "Hi" Sayer. Today she wanted no reason for anyone to ask her a damn thing. Her mother hit her yesterday, not because she was a few minutes late getting home, but because she and her mom got into a fight about her mother not letting Bonnie do anything. Bonnie asked about hanging out with Caroline, and her mom was objective about it. Words were exchanged, and then her mom hit her. She had never had to hit her before with such force. Bonnie had no idea what got into her mother. When Sheila got home from work, her and Abby got into it, and Sheila threatened to do to Abby what Abby did to Bonnie. In Bonnie's family you never raise your hand to your mother, no matter how old you are.

Bonnie didn't even call Marcel last night. She was too angry. But she thought about the face of the beautiful boy she went to school with, and how embarrassed she was going to be when said boy saw her ugly, swollen face. Funny how he popped into her head out of everyone. She expected to see him and that he might be concerned, but she didn't expect he'd be so angry. He remained calm for her though, he didn't need to be his hot headed self, when she was in so much pain.

"Bonnie, I am sorry, if this is because of yesterday."

"No, it's not. It is because my momma and I had an argument, and I let my tongue get slick."

"This doesn't change a thing about y our beauty, you know that right? If anything it paints the picture of the madness behind your beauty. You know, the purest beauty comes from madness."

"Why do you do that, Damon? Why do you say things like that?"

"Like what my little Bonnie?"

"You say things that make me blush and feel uncomfortable."

"I make you blush?"

"I can't do this with you today." She laughs.

"I still made you smile? I am better than I thought."

"You always make me smile. Stop it."

"I'll never stop making you laugh. If it weren't for me, you would hate Mystic Falls."

"You are right. Well, actually it is growing on me. I love the little book store on Turner Loop. There is a lot of my kind of poetry there. I was shocked when I went there."

"Yeah, maybe we can go together sometime."

"I doubt it, my grandma wants to keep me and my momma away from each other in the house, so I will be starting to go to work with her afterschool."

Damon looked incredibly disappointed.

"Every day, immediately after school. I will be there for two hours alone, before my Grandmother shows up. Then she finishes out the last wo hours with me. You are looking at someone's new maid."

"What? No way. Who?"

"I don't know, some rich, white family Damon."

"Wonder if it is anyone I know."

"Who knows, but all I have is fifth period to practice our reading, and I don't think this teacher will give us much time to work on homework from our other class."

"What about sixth period? Can't you miss study hall?"

"Damon, sometimes I think you want me to get in trouble so we can just get sent to purgatory together." She laughs.

"Bonnie, I-"

She looks up at him with her bruised face.

"Never mind. It can wait."

He wanted to tell her he liked her, but he couldn't get the courage. He just stared at her. Another girl in class turns around and begins talking to them.

"Hello Damon, you finally decided this class was worth coming to."

"Yea, now that Bonnie is here."

"Hi, Bonnie. I am Elena."

"Hello."

Elena noticed Bonnie's face, and Damon didn't want her over noticing it, so he distracted her. "So Elena, how have you been?"

"Good, just getting ready for spring break."

"We just came from Winer break though."

"I know, needless to say I need a break already." She laughs.

"How about you Bonnie?"

"How about me, what?"

"Any plans for spring break? It is a month away?

"I don't have the luxury of planning that far ahead. But I suppose I will go to NOLA, and visit my Bo- my friends." She stopped herself for the first time because mentioning Marcel's name felt wrong around Damon now.

"NOLA"

"N'orleans."

"Oh okay. Hey I here they party good in New Orleans, is that true?"

"Well, yeah, Mardi Gras is one of the best times of year."

"Wouldn't that be the grooviest Spring break ever? It would be fun to get some friends together and go."

"Wow, ya'll parents let you do whatever ya'll want. Just unsupervised and all?"

"Well, not exactly, I mean sometimes it takes some lying, and knowing a teacher that will lie[JAMD1] for us saying we are on a class trip."

"That is crazy, and money how do you get the money?"

"Parents give us money for the trip."

"Bonnie, you should hang out with me some time, I could introduce you to a lot of people."

"Elena, why don't you just mind all of your own business."

"Blow me Damon. Bonnie, I am Damon's cousin by the way."

"Damon, you never mentioned a cousin."

"Well, she isn't always worth mentioning." He laughs.

"I see you have a bruise on your face, I am sorry you got that." Elena says compassionately. "Damon knows lots of ways to help get rid of bruising and swelling quickly."

"He rolls his eyes at her and then silently mouths a "FUCK YOU!"

Elena turns around and writes her number down for Bonnie. Then tears the paper and hands it to her.

"Here, call me any time before 8 pm, if you want to make plans or hang out."

"Thanks."

After class Bonnie asks Damon about what Elena meant, that he knew how to get rid of bruises and swelling quickly.

"Damon, well, you going to answer me?"

"Just that I have had a run in or two with an upset parent before."

"Oh, I am sorry to hear that."

"What do you say you skip sixth period. I really had no notice that we won't be hanging out much anymore, so maybe I can take you to get ice cream or something during your study hall period."

"I can't risk my mom seeing me."

"I'll drive to Fell's Church then. We can walk through the botanical garden there, no one ever goes there."

"Damon, I-"

"Won't regret it. I promise."

"Fine. You are so incorrigible."

The bell rings, and he says, "We have to leave before anyone notices us lingering around, or then they get suspicious. So grab my hand and we will run out this door, and take the back way from here to the parking lot."

"I have never done this before; I can't believe I am about to ditch school."

Soon as she is done packing her bag, her grabs her by the hand and runs fast.

He hurries and opens the car door for her, closing it once she is in, then he gets in and they leave.

"What is your favorite Ice cream?"

"Vanilla, but I'll take bubblegum."

"What is yours?" she asks as they get out and walk into the ice cream parlor.

"Chocolate." He looks at her winks and smirks.

When they go inside they are greeted with funny looks. Bonnie is very familiar with those looks. Looks a black girl gets everywhere she goes. Inquisitive looks, puzzled looks, and in their case, what is he doing with her looks.

Damon Notices Bonnie tense up, when she realizes people are looking at them funny. These people are pissing him off. He places his order and after he waits for their ice cream, he looks at her and whispers in her ear, "I am about to do something, please don't hate me."

"Huh?"

Damon grabs her hands and interlocks their fingers, then he kisses her on the mouth for a second, but she held it for a bit longer. Her brain was shocked but she didn't let her face show it. He kissed her in front of the entire ice cream shop and they stayed silenced by the notion. Bonnie could have been upset, but honestly, she understood why he did it.

"The employee handed them their ice cream and was just as shocked but didn't show it.

"Thanks," Damon and Bonnie say before walking out.

"Have a nice day." The worker says.

The entire parlor of people starts talking again as soon as the young couple leave.

"Hey Bon."

"Yeah, Damon."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No." She said smiling. "Thanks for warning me though, or I might have slapped you. I just hate getting stared at like that, and I appreciate you doing that in there for me.

They spent the day at the Gardens, walking, talking, and friendly flirting.

Damon grabbed her hand and interlocked their fingers then held it up for her to see them.

"Look."

"What?"

"Our hands, the contrast of your skin to mine."

"Yes. I see that." She said, she was still very much into her bubblegum, from the ice cream she ate. She was blowing bubbles. Damon popped her bubble.

"Damon. It took like 30 seconds to make that one that big."

"You are a big kid. Stop for a minute. Look at our fingers interlaced, and her hands, and the contrast of my skin to yours."

"Damon, why are you holding my hand. Again?"

"Bonnie, I am serious. What do you think of our hands when our skin is touching like this?"

"I think it is scary."

"Really? Why?"

"It's different. It means to make people angry."

"I think that when my skin touches your skin, the contrast is fucking beautiful."

His words make her look at their a little more.

"I love the way it looks. I wish I could see more of me touch you this way."

Bonnie pulls her hands back, and moves away from Damon. "Damon, why do you keep doing this? This making things uncomfortable between us?"

"I can't help it. I don't try to it just happens."

"You can't do that. You can't picture me and you in those ways. I have a –"

"I know a boyfriend! It seems to find its way out of your mouth every day. I got it. But do you really want me to stop touching you, the little ways that I do? I know my touches make you smile, because I watch you."

"Then what? I break up with Marcellus, and we date, only to get the stares we got today from everyone? For my momma to black my eye, and everyone around us to disapprove. Then, we will never be able to hang out with one another again! Be my friend. My best friend. At least I can still see you, this way."

"No. I want more of you than that."

"You can't have it Damon. I am sorry. You simply may not have more of me than I can give."

"Fine. Whatever you want Bonnie."

"Damon, I love being your friend. I love being your best friend, actually. You are the only person who makes me smile anymore. Not even Marcellus can make me smile these days. When my momma hit me, yesterday, you know what I kept thinkin bout? I kept thinking how embarrassed I would be to let you see me this way. I didn't even call Marcellus. So what you and I have right now, is better than what he and I have. Why would you want to ruin that?"

In other words, his friendship was beginning to mean more to her than her own boyfriends companionship.

"Can this be okay for now, Damon? Please? Can you be my very best friend, right now? Because that is what I need more than anything."

"Okay, Bonnie, if that is what you want. I will be that for you."

"Thank you."

They hug for a long time. A very long time. When they pull up he wants to kiss her but he doesn't, what she just said to him meant more to him than anyone could ever know. He didn't want to ruin what they had.

"I guess I better get you back to the bus, wouldn't want you to be late to your first day of work."

"Oh yeah." She remembered. "Molly maid at your service." He laughs at her.

When she arrives at the bus, she takes it to her destination to meet her Grandmother for her first day.

"Bonnie. Sweetie are you ready for the workforce?"

"As ready as I'll ever be grams' I don't suppose you want to back out now?" Bonnie meanders.

"Don't worry, this family is very nice. I have worked for them for years. Well I have known them for maybe 15 but worked for them for maybe 10-12 years."

"They are pretty clean people, so most of your tasks will be dusting, mopping, vacuuming, polishing, and putting new linens on the bed, laundry, and dishes. It sounds like a lot, but all the total work should take you 3-4 hours a day. So $2.00 an hour and it'll be your own money."

"Grams that's about $40-$50 a week, you sure you won't need that?"

"Not at all. And this is between me and you. Don't tell your momma I am letting you keep the money okay?"

"Okay Grams. Thank you."

"I am sorry for what happened to you, I wish I would have been there to protect you. I know your momma means no harm, but she needs help Bonnie. That Militant, husband of hers, changed her. I imagine you saw things growing up. I won't ask you chile, its bess I don't know. Just know, grams is here for you ok."

"Okay, Grams." Bonnie knew her grams had her best interest at heart. The only people who knew what went on in that household were bonnie and her mom, and Bonnie intended to keep it that way. She knew her mom needed help though. Sheila showed Bonnie the ropes, and before you know it Bonnie was upstairs dusting all of the rooms.

The family began trickling in one by one. "Afternoon, Sheila. It smells lovely as usual. What have you cooked up for us today?" A woman asks smelling and peeking through pots and pans.

Sheila patted the woman's hands causing her to laugh. "You know better than that. "I made roasted chicken, with garlic and herb mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole, and homemade rolls."

"Oh, you know the boys are going to be so excited."

"What about us?" the two teenage boys come walking in. Sheila made some of your favorites again tonight.

"What we do without you, Ms. Sheila?" The brown haired boy said.

"Starve, since ma, can't cook anything except spaghetti." Said the dark haired boy.

The lighter haired boy went to change his clothes, and so did their mother.

While the dark haired boy stayed behind to talk to Sheila, "Sheila?"

"Yea, sweetie?"

"What do you do when you like someone, that is clearly uninterested in you in a romantic way, or so they say, but you know they have feelings for you, but they refuse to act on them?"

"So some girl finally made you want to settle down?"

"I would say so. I mean from the day I met her I haven't thought about another girl."

"She sounds special. If you think she likes, you, I mean really likes you, but she says she can't act on her feelings, then the best you can do is be her friend. Trust me. In the end, she will come to you, if what you say is true. I don't think any of these girls are good enough for you though. I see how you are. You really are an introvert. You come off this bad boy wanna be, all that jive talk and nonsense, but you have this sweet, introverted side to you. These girls will break you, you are to passionate for them."

"Not this one. She matches me in every way. But she has a boyfriend. I have to respect that."

"If he is half the man you are, he'll be lucky if he can hold onto her for much longer with you lurking in the corner." Sheila laughed.

"You think so?"

"Yes, she needs you as her friend right now, and that is where she will notice you as something more. Especially if she sees you with another girl."

"That is a dangerous game, Ms. Sheila."

"I know. It's all jive talk anyway. Just be you, I am sure she will come around."

"Yeah thanks."

Bonnie heard voices and decided she didn't want to be upstairs alone, a stranger in these people's home when they came to their dwellings', so she walked downstairs to find her Grams' so she could be properly introduced.

"Hello there sweetie. You must be the new maid, Sheila told us about."

"Yes. Hello Ma'am, I am Bonnie."

"Let's go downstairs and do proper introductions, okay, you can meet my sons and I would love for you and Ms. Sheila to stay for dinner. Me oh my you are a gorgeous little thing."

"Thank you ma'am."

"What happened to your face?"

"I fell down the basement stairs. I am pretty clumsy." Bonnie says.

"Non-sense, its growing pains, when I was growing I was always falling over until I fully grew into my body. You'll be alright. Come on downstairs."

The nice lady runs downstairs, and calls out to Sheila, "Ms. Sheila. Ms. Sheila!" She says as if she is singing."

"Yes dear. I'm here talking to my boyfriend." She yells out.

"She always calls my boys her boyfriends, they simply adore Ms. Sheila."

She steps into the kitchen. "Ms. Sheila, why didn't you tell me how gorgeous this young lady is?"

"Well, she is my granddaughter, it's in the family."

"Indeed, where have the boys gone?"

"They should be back any second now, oh I hear them, here they come." Sheila says.

"Boys, I want you to meet Ms. Sheila's granddaughter, Bonnie. Bonnie this are my boys, Damon and Stefan."

The teenagers all stop and stare impassively.

'DAMN! HOW AWKWARD.'

A/N I love how Bonnie sees Damon so far. I even like how he feels about her. Their build is slow in this story, but along the way there will be a lot of beautiful moments and powerful words shared. How do you guys like their relationship so far?