Black girl White boy
Chapter 11 - Crises in NOLAdise part 2
Rating M - mature themes, situations, and language
A/N sorry this update has taken forever. I hope some of you who liked this story are still following and that this update does it justice. In this two-chapter update, you'll see Damon and Bonnie's feelings get deeper, I broke this up to two chapters because it was pretty long. I hope these two chapters were worth the wait. Please, please, enjoy!
· Sorry for the errors. OR any discrepancies you may find in the time line, for the most part, I am accurate in what I have included.
Reviewers notes:
Ps, please understand, this was the seventies and they are teens. Some of these things, like recreational drug use and partying, was normal. But remember they are only on a spring break. They return to Mystic Falls soon. Bonnie is in NO WAY a follower. This is her first time doing drugs and drinking. She is still and has remained a proud black young woman. Someone mentioned she became the token black friend. No, she hasn't. She let herself have some fun, considering all of the pain she had been experiencing. Her MF friends haven't called her any crazy racist names. The only person in this story before this point with mal-intent towards her, is Tyler. That is because he's just young and ignorant. What he did will be addressed as part of this story Tyler is fresh on Damon's brain, but it'll will be put on hold as Marcellus is the issue at hand right now, and getting her old friends and new friends together. Also my dates link up with the exception there is no set year in the story here accept its late seventies.
Vietnam war ended in 1975- the Era of the time was the seventies. The effects of the war on people lasted passed 1975. Abba releasing Dancing Queen was the year 1976 and Tina Turner and Ike's remake of Proud Mary... Was the year 1970 after its original release date in 1968 by Creedance Clearwater revival. And was written by John Fogerty.
"In every crisis there is a message. Crises are nature's way of forcing change — breaking down old structures, shaking loose negative habits so that something new and better can take their place." — Susan L. Taylor
Bonnie and Damon were at the rental sitting in her temporary bedroom. She had invited her cousins over for a swim in the Jacuzzi, as well as one of her childhood best friends, Rebekah. Her other childhood best friend, Sabine never did take messages Bonnie left with her mother or call her back. She hadn't even tried contacting Bonnie since Bonnie left. Bonnie was hoping to see her before she left back for Mystic Falls. Her Nola friends were mingling with her friends from Mystic Falls, and things seemed to be going okay. Caroline got along well with Jesse and Melissa. But she didn't really like Rebekah. Elena and Katherine got along with Rebekah, and Matt seemed to really like Rebekah. Vicky was chatting with Lafayette, once he finished straightening Bonnies hair. Lafayette made money multiple ways, hair, and pot among other things. He grew his own pot, and when he brought some for the mystic falls gang, Vicky, was definitely his new best friend.
Tyler and Mason were on their way back. They had to go home to take care of family matters. They were very wealthy, so they took a roundtrip flight.
Bonnie sat on the bed in her room waiting for Damon's reaction. He, was quiet and angry. So much so, he didn't make a comment about her newly straightened hair. "It makes sense Damon, that I go alone, so that Marcellus understands our situation. This way when we all go out this weekend, everyone has a solid time. No fuss."
"And if he don't take no for an answer?"
"Damon, Marcellus has never been forceful with me. I'm pretty sure he understands already what we are. Its technicalities. I just need a solid hour, then you can wait in the car for me." She grabbed his face and kissed him softly. "Nothing can come between us anymore."
"Fine. An hour Bonnie. Now let's go finish hanging with your people. I kind of like that cousin of yours with the rag on his head. He's funny, callin' me hunny chile."
"Lafayette? Yeah, well you know, he's very in tuned with his… feminine side."
"Say what? Oh." He said after she signaled that he was a boy into boys.
"Don't worry, you ain't his type Damon. He don't date much. He's too busy doing everybody's hair and gossiping."
"Damon scrunched up his nose, okay. Come on, let's light the grill. Me and Stefan bought Charcoal, and hot dogs and burgers." They walk out of the room and see everyone getting along. Bonnie notices Caroline and Stefan getting along with Jesse and Melissa really well, in the Jacuzzi. Everyone else is smoking pot and getting acquainted in the living room. The entire group is mellowed out and it makes Bonnie happy to see everyone getting along.
"Beks. You okay?" Bonnie asks as she walks to the blonde sitting between the twins.
"Yea, I'm fine, Bonnie. I thought you said you invited Sabby?"
"I did, but she's been duckin and dodging my calls ever since I got here. What's going on with her?"
"I guess it's because of the baby. She's almost due, and ever since she got pregnant, she don't show her face much, her parents are embarrassed of her, and her granny said she had to get out of the house by the time she was eighteen."
"Pregnant? I can't believe she never told me. I wonder why? I mean that's my girl. Now all of a sudden I'm not good enough to know these things. Matter of fact, she been duckin my calls ever since senior year started. Who's the daddy?"
Rebekah sighed because she figured Bonnie knew and just as she was about to answer Bonnie, Damon called out to her..."Bonnie!"
"Uhh, leme check on what he needs, don't forget we gotta finish talkin Beks."
"Okay, Lil B. I'll be waiting in here."
"Yeah Damon?"
"I was just thinking, maybe when I'm done making this food, me and you can get in the jacuzzi finally. I have yet to see you in a bikini. And... Maybe I can shot gun you one more time, I mean...its up to you."
"Uhh. Okay." Bonnie wanted to smoke again. Ever since Damon got there she kind of stayed away from the weed, the alcohol, and the happy pills. She was allowing her body to calm down after the high she experienced when he wasn't around. She smiled at him, he made her excited to try things. He made her anticipate, being free around him.
Damon and Bonnie take the food out to the grille. Everyone around them is slightly incoherent, but the two of them are lost in the music, while the smoke fills their nostrils.
"Damon, why haven't you told me how you got these cuts and bruises? You showed up here that night, and I was too excited to see you to ask. But I have been wondering the past couple of days what happened while you were away."
"I need to tell you something Bonnie."
"Okay. Speak up Damey poo."
"Well, when we disappeared for two weeks, my dad made us go work for him. He-uhhh, thought we should forgo college, and help him out with the family business."
"Family business?"
"Yeah, it's complicated."
"Is it legal?"
"No, but we are well protected. So we literally could work for our dad and make good money, and never go to college."
She looked at him softly, and put her head down. "Oh."
"Then my pops and I had some choice words, and Stefan and I beat his ass and took off."
"No you didn't. Damon, why would you do that?"
"He said something I didn't like."
"It doesn't matter he's your daddy. You only have one. He could die, and then what?"
"You didn't hear what he said Bonnie. If you heard what he said Bonnie, you may feel differently."
"No, Damon, it doesn't matter. Parents, say hurtful things all of the time. They say and do things they don't mean. But they are our parents. They gave us life. We can't just disrespect them."
At that point he looked at the pain in her eyes and saw her eyes about to water. He grabbed her by her hand and walked her back into the house and through the back to the room. He saw her tears fall down her cheeks and then he held her. "I'm sorry Bonbon." He pulled back and looked at her red face and sobbing eyes. "What is wrong Bonnie? Why are you crying?"
"It's nothing." She said as her voice belted out the words sounding like a bubble was stuck in her throat. She couldn't even look at him in the eye, she just needed to be held.
"Bonnie, talk to me. Tell me what happened? Why are you crying like this?"
"My momma. Just a few days before we came here, she walked out on me."
"Wait, what?"
"She left me. She said she couldn't be the mother I needed. That she had somethings she needed figure out. She didn't even look me in the eyes. I begged her I pulled at her arms and her clothes and she left. She left me in a pool of my own tears. My Momma is gone, and My daddy, was killed in prison. You are lucky you have both of your parents Damon."
"I am so sorry baby. I can't believe it, I am sorry. It's okay to cry. Let it out. I had no idea." He held her while she lurked a little. He squeezed her and held her in his protective arms. He didn't move for about five minutes and when he pulled himself away from her he wiped her tears. "You are beautiful and loving. Maybe your mom just needed to go away for a while, so she could find the inner strength you have. I'm sure she loves you. I am sure she will be back."
She just looked at him and felt safe in his hold. She felt special, whenever Damon looked at her. He had a way, of making her realize, that she was a rare gem. After he got her face back to the normal color. "She just left. Her own child."
"I bet, when she returns, she will be ten times the mom you remember." He wiped her tears and kissed away her fears. "Your mom loves you, okay? She'll be back."
Bonnie nodded her head. "Okay. I guess I'll put my bathing suit on. I'll be out to help you finish the food. You better go check it before it burns."
"Okay, Bonbon. I'll see you out there." He kissed her on the forehead and walked back out to join the party. After he went out there, both Tyler and Mason we back. At the moment, Damon had his focus on the food. Trying to keep it from burning, he went straight to the back yard. Luckily his brother jumped out of the jacuzzi to flip it while Damon stepped away. "Thanks. I'm going to hurry and finish this so that Me and Bonnie can finally get into the hot tub.
"Finally, the two of you haven't really been trying to party with the rest of us. I thought that's why we came. You know when we go home, there will be hell to pay when Giuseppe figures out what we did."
"I know. We just need to get a couple of things out of the way first before I can really be comfortable."
"Listen, I'll finish the food. Just get in the jacuzzi."
"You sure?"
Stefan smiled. "Yeah. Besides, I think that Bonnie's hot cousin, wants to... Go somewhere alone."
"Hey, be careful sticking your candle in the cake unless you want someone's angry pops at your door step in nine months."
"I know." He smiled at his big brother. This is the closest they had been in years. Thanks to Bonnie, they were feeling close again, and thanks to Giuseppe, they were best friends again. Having to stand up for each other as they did when they were kids. Damon allowed himself to walk to the jacuzzi and take his shirt off. He sat it on a chair nearby, and he stepped up the ladder allowing himself step into the water and feel the instant relief of the heat against his skin. It was a mellow feel and he was sober, so this was the next best thing to smoking. He sat down and sigh. He felt his breath leave his body and hit the water then return to the atmosphere in gas form.
"Finally joining the party? Where's my cuz?" Melissa asked.
"She was getting dressed. She should be out here any minute."
"You know, I can't wait til next year. College. Maybe me and Lil B will go to the same school, I mean if she still going to New York or LA."
"New York or LA?" He asked.
"B always wanted to move to one of those places. More opportunities to be successful."
His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at his fiddling fingers under the water, just then he cleared his throat. "Yea, I can see that, for her." He bit his lip and realized that, he and Bonnie had a lot to discuss. Graduation was two months away, and if he and Bonnie didn't have a plan, would there still be a 'he and Bonnie,' in two months?
It was about seven o'clock at night, and everyone was starving. Not him though, he was hungry for one feeling... Her skin next to his skin submerged in the water. Ten minutes later "Foods ready." Stefan yelled out as he walked in the house. Caroline, Melissa, and Jesse, got out of the Jacuzzi and followed the smell of the food in.
Bonnie opened the bedroom door and shielded her body with one of Damon's t-shirts. The majority of her legs showed, and she put her straightened hair in a loose French braid. When she walked out to the room where most of the group was, Tyler and Mason, included, she stood as her body was under the radar. Realizing Tyler was back, made her nervous. The last bathing suit made her look thirteen, but this bikini, that Caroline gave her, this itty, bitty, yellow bikini sat very low on her hips, and barely covered her backside. So she kept the t-shirt on until she made it outside. Tyler deadpanned on her the entire time and she didn't realize it, because she steered clear of him. But Elena noticed, and she didn't like it.
She stepped out into the humid air and slowly walked from the concrete of the porch to the open grass area. After about twenty feet, she stepped up on a small ladder, and he turned to her. When their eyes met, they both gave small grins to each other, until his hand reached up to hers and he helped her step inside. He watched as both of her toned legs stepped slowly over the ledge, until she stood, next to him towering him. He looked up at her. "Take the shirt off."
"Nu-uh."
"Say what?"
"You heard me, Damon. I don't feel comfortable taking it off. It's not-"
He shut her up by standing up and pulling the shirt off. She gasped, then used her small hands to cover herself as much as she could. She couldn't cover what Mother Nature gave her or what Abby and Sheila's blood blessed her with. He looked down and gulped, then breathed out, "gahhh damn." She turned trying to exit the jacuzzi and he wrapped his arms around her pulling her back in. She fought him a bit, but he held her too tight, whispering in her ear. "You're so beautiful. Don't leave, please."
She was breathing heavily feeling his heartbeat against her back. He was radiating with heat as he held her almost nude body against his. The bikini accented everything about Bonnie's body that differentiated her from girlhood to womanhood. He was struck, and stuck in silence. He held on to her body for what felt like minutes.
She called out to him quietly. "Damon?"
"Yeah?" He choked up.
"You can let go now, I'll stay."
He let her go but quickly leaned forward to cover the affect she had on him. He adjusted himself, then dipped his head into the water and sat back up running his hands through his hair. He needed to reroute his thoughts. "You look dynamite, Bonnie. I just... I just- I just can't take my eyes off of you. I can't imagine what the boys all thought when you went to the pools or the beaches every summer."
"Truth is, I didn't get much glances. I always kept something over my water suit."
"Yeah? Well, thank God. I'm happy no one has ever seen your bits and pieces. Oh wait, has Marcellus seen you like this?"
"Umm, I don't think so. He never saw me in bra and panties if that's what your askin. And like I said, I keep covered in my water suit." He looked at her again, "So, like I was sayin', no." She smirked and casually looked to the moon as it was getting darker outside. Twilight... It was a violet colored sky with deep blue hues, and she casually glanced at the nearly invisible stars and he scooted closer to her, slyly. She rolled her eyes in a flirty way. "I see what your doin, Damey poo."
"Who said I was trying to hide it?"
"I mean, you're a city boy at heart, right? From Mystic Falls, to New York, back to Mystic falls after your parent's separation? But you plan on going back to New York Well, I'm a country girl. I may talk a big game, but deep down, I'm a hometown girl. I want to leave and see the city, and I want to keep my values."
"Meaning?"
"I mean, you look at me, like I'm just a doll. A delicate flower. Truth is, I'm not so innocent. I have done things that would probably make you think twice about me, but deep down... These people, my family, this is me. I'm a proud black woman, with values, and sometimes I act like a regular teenager, and do stupid things, but at the end of the day, all that matters is the people I love and those that love me. At the end of the day, I just want the comfort of home."
"So, where does that leave me, Bonbon? I'm not your family, or one of your friends from NOLA, where does that leave me in your life?"
"You are my heart, Damon. I don't want to be without you." He hit her with a boyish grin, he was touched to the point he could've given up anything she asked him to, and she smiled. She grabbed a joint and a light sitting on the outside of the Jacuzzi. She handed it to him. "Now, how about that shot gun... Damey poo?"
"I thought you'd never ask." He took the joint and licks the ends to tighten it again, then he hits it with a light and takes three small puffs then one large one, and he blew it in her face slowly. She closed her eyes let her head fall back and she just let it infiltrate her system. Then she came back up at him with green eyes, and he was already taking in more smoke. He inhaled several times, and pulled her onto his lap as he did. She put her legs on either side of him, and when he took his lips off of the joint, he pulled her in for a kiss. And neither of them, not once, exhaled the smoke. They kissed until they were lost in each other's souls.
At some point, he pulled his lips away from hers, and spoke, with his glossed over, red eyes "Bonnie, you're my best friend."
"You're my best friend too."
"Don't ever leave me." His eyes watered, slightly.
She softened to him, and her face expressed his emotion while she put his face between her palms, "I'm not going anywhere, without you."
…..
Two hours later they were dressed and on their way out the door. Bonnie was going to officially end things with Marcellus, so she and Damon could start their relationship off with no with no baggage from their broken pasts.
"Talk to me Damon. What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking that my beautiful girlfriend is sitting here in a world of confusion, because she is on her way to her… whatever he is to you… His welcome home party and you are going alone. I am thinking that it makes me angry."
"You understand why I am doing this right?"
"I understand it, and I don't like it."
"Well, Damon. I am sorry. It's the right thing to do."
"You know you don't owe Marcellus a got damn thing right. He stopped callin' you. Didn't even tell you what he was doing. Now, he's back. He doesn't even know you are here."
"You told me you wanted a verbal break up, so that is what I am doing. But you can't be in the room when it happens. Its disrespectful."
"Bonnie, I came here, and found out you got high off your rocker. You weren't careful at all. You just took whatever they gave you. All those damn pills, and shit. Now, you want me to let you go alone to this thing…I don't trust it."
"You don't trust it, or me?"
"Well, I feel as though I need to keep an eye on you, so nothing happens."
"You can be in the car waiting Damon."
"Why Bonnie? Why did you take all of the pills?"
"I had no idea what I was doing, but I didn't care. I felt hurt and I was numbing the pain, of my mom walking out on me, you disappearing, and still the death of my father. I was living out my pain and swallowing it with the chemicals. Okay. A lot was happening in my mind, Damon. I have never let lose like that. To be honest, I had fun."
"Except the fact that there is like a three-hour block of unaccounted for shit that happened, and you don't recollect a got damned thing of it."
She looked at him with those eyes of hers, and he immediately softened to her. She looked down, and felt horrible for disappointing him. "I'm sorry, Damon."
"Don't apologize to me. I just, I have never cared about a person the way I care about you. I worry about you when we are apart, and I worry about what would happen, if I never met you. I'd just be a fuck up. You make me better Bonnie. You make me want to try because you think better of me than I do of myself."
"You are a good person Damon. Such a good person, with a beautiful soul. You make me want to be open-minded. You make me want to be remember that even when I am sad, I have reasons to be happy."
"God, you are such a groovy chick. Like, I can't even imagine another day away from you. I love seeing your face every day, and making you smile. I love your feisty ways, and how you look at me when I do a really Culturally white thing like I am crazy."
"I love your crazy white self."
He grabbed her by the back of her neck and kissed her. "So is that why you straightened your hair? For Marcellus?"
"Funny. You got a problem with my straightened hair?"
"No, it's really pretty. But I kind of like your big, curly hair. It's a distinct part of you. Seeing you with it flat like this is different. But, I mean, you know, I accept every part of you. Just don't go flattening your booty. Then we will have a problem."
She looked at him and laughed. "I hate you sometimes."
She held his hand as they walked to and got into his car. Stefan and Caroline were sitting in the car waiting. They were going to go with them as well, just so Damon didn't have to sit alone in the car while Bonnie spoke to Marcel.
..…
"So, I guess I'm about to go in there." Bonnie's nerves kick in and she remembers the last time she saw Marcellus. He was her boyfriend. They shared a long kiss goodbye, and promised to call and write every day. Teenage, silliness. She thought to herself.
Damon took a long gulp when he stared at her. She had on some bell bottoms, which hugged her hips perfectly, and covered her feet because her legs we so short. Caroline let her borrow a black nylon button up shirt with large pink and yellow flowers. It was tied in a knot and her pants stopped just above her belly, but her waist was small, the pants kept falling lower and he looked at her perfect innie and wanted to put his tongue in it. Her navel did something to him. Just the fact that her skin brought out her beautiful green eyes and her light brown hair, he wanted to kiss her. Hug her. Embrace her and keep her beauty to himself. Now, her hair was pressed out and laid down her back. Even though he loved her thick natural hair, he couldn't deny that Bonnie could pull of any look.
He watched her as she stared at the house, not wanting to walk inside. People were loud, and drunk and enjoying themselves. She was nervous and he could tell.
"Bon? At the end of the day… it's what you want baby. I know you are nervous, and part of you wonders if you still have feelings for him. You will never know until you are face to face. So, before you go in there, just know, you look beautiful right now. You look so grown-up, and mature. The girl I met almost six months ago, was closed off, and rolled her eyes at everyone, but you always had this larger than life attitude and confidence. That is what I always liked about you, you were strong and proud. You strutted like you owned the building. So whatever you are feeling right now, whatever doubt you are experiencing, stop. You are the same confident woman you were then, only now, you have allowed yourself to open up to different things, and because of it… you are literally, the most dynamite girl I have ever met. You are the girl, that makes this boy wanna be better. You make this boy wanna be a man. Whatever happens, happens. Don't be afraid. It'll be okay. I'll be waiting for you. I love you."
His words got to her. She knew he was being genuine. She loved that about him. He always had a way of penetrating her with his honesty. "Thank you, Damon. I love you too." She looked into his blue eyes one last time and kissed the corner of his mouth. She slowly walked away releasing his fingers one by one, and once again, he looked at the sight of their hands touching. The sight he loved so much.
He stood there with his black jeans, his black boots, and his black Johnny Cash t-shirt. He had on his black leather jacket, but threw it into the car, since springtime in NOLA was so humid and sticky. He had no idea why he had that leather jacket. It was just his comfort. He took it everywhere. Then there was his hair, Damon's hair hung slightly over his face and he had to slide his fingers through it to keep it out of his eyes. He was the kind of boy your mom didn't want you to talk to. The kind of boy your dad told you to stay away from, and yet, her mom was gone and her known father was killed. And Damon was the closest thing to security Bonnie had.
He turned the radio on in his car to silence his fearful thoughts. Stefan and Caroline got out of the car. Stefan leaned on the side of it next to his brother and Caroline asked if she could sit on the hood.
"Sure, it's not my car. It belongs to my pops."
"Oh. Okay. Damon, if it makes you feel any better, I have never heard her talk about Marcellus the way she talks about you. I know I have only known her as long as you have, but we spend A LOT of time talking about boys."
He wanted Caroline's word to make him feel better, but deep down, he knew it was all up to Bonnie, and being in the present moment with both Marcellus and her feelings. He watched her until she was out of sight.
…..
Bonnie walked into the party hesitantly. Just as she had changed over the time he had been gone, so had everyone else. There was also a lot of new faces. Every person she passed got relatively quiet. She hated the attention, but she remembered Damon's words, and that very first day at her new high school. She walked with her head held high, and took confident strides. There were a few whistles that scratched her ears, and a cat call. She just kept walking and then she heard a familiar voice.
"There go my cousin ya'll ain't she purty? Lil hot moma." He said making everybody laugh. She stopped and turned to him.
"Lafayette. You crazy nigga."
"Ohh be careful. Your new white friends ain't tryna see sassy Lil B."
She smirked. "Ya'll know my momma don't like me using that word anyway."
Then a happy, yet loud shriek hit the silence.
"Well, now, is that my lil cousin. All grown up?" A flawlessly beautiful woman walked up to her. Intimidating as all hell, the beauty to match the attitude. The woman who practically raised her when Abby wasn't around.
"Tara? My beautiful Nubian Goddess."
"Yes, my little brown skinned queen. Bring it in. Hug yo favorite cousin."
Tara looked like an African goddess. She had beautiful chocolate skin, with the deepest darkest eyes. Her skin was so rich in her roots and her blood, that the sight of her intimidated the strongest man. She had a body of a woman who trained for the Olympics, and when it all boiled down to it, she was the idealistic woman, Bonnie grew up admiring.
They embraced for so long. Bonnie's eyes got watery. "I wasn't sure how I was going to feel seeing everyone. I can't believe you all still love me after I left."
"Chile, you family. That ain't never gone change. Now, where the little white boy? I heard you dippin in the vanilla girl. I heard you got that jungle fever." Tara said laughing holding Bonnie by the hands.
"He's outside." She said quietly.
"Why?"
"I felt like I needed to talk to Cello in private?"
"Oh you don't know?" Tara said looking at Lafayette. "Why didn't you tell her?"
"Tell me what?" Bonnie said looking confused. "And where is Sabine? She's been dodging me. She never came to my going away party. Where's that girl?"
"Uhh, Lil B, the thing is-"
"Lil B? Is that you?" Tara was cut off by a cinnamon skinned man with a smile as big and white as Bonnie's.
She slowly turned and there he was. The most handsome man NOLA produced. A beautiful brown skinned, man that stood more confidently than she had ever seen him stand. He looked the same but different. He got a little bigger, and his beautiful fro was now a low cut, almost bald head. She looked at him and ran to him. She didn't mean to react the way she did, but she jumped and he caught her and he held her and their reunion was nothing short of emotional. At that moment she squeezed his neck and he had his arms wrapped around her waist.
An impatient Damon at that moment walked in and watched… they looked like they fit together. They looked like what was deemed acceptable by society. They had the same color skin, they fit like they were made for each other he thought. His heart ached at the sight. He tried to swallow his insecurities, but Marcel looked like he was going in for a kiss, and Bonnie didn't realize it and he kissed her. Breaking the already aching heart of Damon. In his disappointment, he walked out. He was ready to leave NOLA tonight.
A/N Damon was beginning to feel insecure about Bonnie and Marcellus' having to talk, but at the same time he just wanted to keep reminding her he loved her. He wants her to be happy at the end of the day. I hope you liked this chapter. Next one is gets elevated.