I was awoken by the sounds of someone moving the house. I was a bit of a light sleeper. I saw that Rachel was still asleep beside me, so I shook her awake even though I knew that she didn't like it when I woke her up, particularly in the middle of the night. Ever since Damon had killed Zach any vampire would be able to enter the house without being invited in and that was definitely not a good thing because there were a lot of bad vampires out there. She awoke with a yawn and looked over at me.
"What?" She asked sleepily.
"There's someone in the house." I told her. I wasn't sure if she understood what that meant.
"Well you can go check it out because I want to sleep." She remarked. I sighed and got out of bed. I heard someone running before I saw someone on top of Stefan and did the instinctual thing and tackled them off of him. She then looked at me.
"I thought you said that your nephew closed the boarding house to guests." The woman said. So apparently the two of them knew each other."
"He did." Stefan replied. "Lexi, meet niece Brandy and this is my best friend Lexi."
"That's great, but can you keep it down because Rachel and I are trying to sleep." I remarked.
I then went back to my room where Rachel had already fallen asleep and she was also hogging the bed. She always seemed to do that when I wasn't there with her. I sighed because I knew that I would have to sleep on the floor. I mean I could have gone to one of the other beds, but I was already in the room and I didn't particularly want to leave.
I woke up in the morning because for some reason, I was being questioned by the sheriff. It had been a few days since Vicki's death, or her disappearance as it was officially being called. Elena, Stefan and I had rehearsed what we were going to say. I was basically going to say that I didn't know anything about it and Stefan was in charge of the stuff with Vicki. I still felt kind of bad over not telling Stefan about how things happened with Elena.
Before I did any of that though, I found Stefan and Lexi downstairs on the couch. He was…tickling her for some reason.
"Hey Brandy. Stefan was telling me about your encounter with a newscaster with wooden bullets."
"We don't know." Stefan answered. "But we doubt that was working alone so you need to be careful."
"So why are you here exactly?" I asked. Her appearance was very unexpected.
"I always come and see Stefan on his birthday." She declared. I couldn't believe that he didn't tell me that it was his birthday. "That reminds me. I have tickets to see Bon Jovi in the Garden and I can get you in too, Brandy."
"First, you'd have to get my friend Rachel in as well and second we're not going anywhere." I replied.
"What's keeping you here?" Lexi asked.
"I told you. Her name is Elena." Stefan replied.
"Well let's hope that she's better than the last girl you got all sprung over." Lexi teased as she wagged a picture of Katherine around.
"You didn't even know Katherine." Stefan pointed out.
"Well if I did I would kick her ass." Lexi boasted. "Speaking of people whose asses need to be kicked, Where's Damon?"
Did everyone hate Damon because it seemed like he was really unpopular?
"He's probably out inflicting misery somewhere." Stefan quipped. "Are you going to be okay while we're gone?"
"Well it's not like I can go anywhere." She replied. That must have been why she got in so late. "I don't have one of those nifty daylight rings. I've got a mood ring from '75. I'll trade one of you."
"I don't think so." I declared before Stefan and I went out. "So you didn't tell me your birthday was coming up. I would have got you something."
"I don't want anything from you." He told me. I was still going to get him something.
"Alright I'll get you the Hannah Montana movie." I joked. He smiled at that.
From there we went to the sheriff's office and told the story that we rehearsed. At least, I was pretty sure that we did because I wasn't with either of them. I also couldn't believe that they were allowed to talk to us without any of our guardians present. I was pretty sure that that was why Jenna was there with Jeremy and Elena. Stefan and I walked over to her after she broke away from the two of them. She said that she would walk home or something. Stefan was trying to talk to Matt but the quarterback wasn't having any of it.
"How are you?" I asked.
"So it worked." Elena answered. That's right. She didn't like that question. "Jeremy doesn't remember anything."
"That's how it works." I replied. "Do you want to go somewhere with me?"
"I don't know if I can do this Brandy." She said. This as in what? "Every time I look at Jeremy or Matt, I keep thinking about how Vicki is never going to come hone and they are never going to know why."
"I just want you to come shopping with me." I said. "It's Stefan birthday. Don't be worried about not knowing because I didn't know either."
I could tell that she wasn't ready to define whatever we were and that was good because I didn't have any clue either. I didn't know if she wanted to be friends or anything more and if it was the latter, I didn't know how I was going to tell Stefan about it. I imagined that he would feel betrayed that I slept with Elena literally immediately after she had just broken up with him.
"I think I'd rather just go home. I need to get some sleep." She said. I supposed it was pretty early. I sighed because I would have to do it myself, I was going to head to the Walmart in Grove Hill because they had a lot of things.
After I was done shopping, I headed home and Stefan also got home around the same time. I noticed that Rachel was up and she was talking to Lexi.
"So Brandy, you'll never guess where I know Lexi from." She said. I wasn't sure if she wanted me to guess. She started speaking again before I got the chance. "She was the first customer when I opened the store. She was looking for a copy of Lesley Gore's debut album."
To be honest, I was surprised that she remembered that. I had also gotten some clothes there even though they typically didn't have my usual style. I could wear some other things too.
I then went and got a blood bag from my room before I came down and joined them again.
"So are you having girl troubles?" Lexi asked Stefan. He just nodded. "You know she'll come around. Have the two of you had sex yet?"
I nearly choked on the blood that I had been drinking when she said that.
"No." Stefan replied. I assumed that she was asking him that. It seemed like a bit of a personal question to be asking, but apparently the two of them were best friends.
"Then that's your answer. Sex always works." She replied. I was pretty sure I would disagree with that. "You will rock her so hard with your vamp sex that she'll never want to leave."
"It's not about sex or compulsion or any of other tricks." Stefan stated. "She has to want to be with me."
"Wow that sounded all mature and grown up." Lexi commented.
"We'll I'm not getting any older." Stefan remarked. That was when I started to smell some blood and I noticed that she had some of her own. She jammed a straw into it like it was a Capri Sun and started to drink from it.
"Ah that hits the spot." She said before looking at Stefan. "You want some?"
"No." Stefan declared.
"Oh don't judge me. I didn't kill anyone from it." She replied. I didn't think anyone was implying she was. "I just can't practice what I preach. I tried the animal diet and I only lasted about two weeks."
That must have been where Stefan got the idea to drink from animals from. I didn't even know that was an option. I mean I wasn't going to switch to animal blood but I didn't know it was an option.
"I'd never judge you, Lexi." He assured her. "It's just if I started again…"
"You don't know if you could stop." She finished. "I just have to say that I admire your restraint. I have none. I delight in hedonism. So what are we doing tonight for your b-day."
"Funny you should ask that." Damon interrupted. I couldn't help but wonder how long he had been there. Had he just been waiting for someone to say something related to what he wanted to say?
"No one asked you." Rachel remarked. Was I the only one who kind of liked him?
"There's a party at the Grill tonight." Damon continued. "It will have dancing, booze, all of Stefan's friends."
"I don't want a birthday party." Stefan said. It actually seemed kind of nice for Damon to throw him a birthday party like that.
"It's not a birthday party. No one will know it's your birthday." Damon explained. "Caroline's throwing it."
"Damon, you need to stay away from Caroline." I told him with a sigh. That was one thing that I didn't want him to do. I realized I should probably get her some vervain.
"We're friends. It's cool." He stated. I didn't know if I believed that. "It's important that the townspeople see us out and about like normal folk."
Now that didn't sound suspicious at all.
"I prefer mine at 98.6." Damon remarked as he looked at the blood bags before walking away.
"Let's do it." Lexi stated. Stefan frowned and she pouted at him. "Please?"
I looked like we were doing something. I would probably need to a shower before it. I started to sing as I normally did when I showered.
I hopped off the plane at LAX with a dream and my cardigan
Welcome to the land of fame excess am I gonna fit in
Jumped in the cab, here I am for the first time Look to my right and I see the Hollywood sign, This is all so crazy everybody seems so famous
My tummy's turning and I'm feeling kinda homesick
Too much pressure and I'm nervous that's when the taxi man turned on the radio
And a Jay-Z song was on and a Jay-Z song was on
And a Jay-Z song was on
So I put my hands up they're playing my song the butterflies fly away
I'm nodding my head like yeah moving my hips like yeah
I got my hands up they're playing my song I know I'm gonna be OK
Yeah, it's a party in the USA yeah, it's a party in the USA
Feeling like jumping gonna fly back to my hometown tonight
Something stops me every time, the DJ plays song and I feel alright
So I put my hands up, they're playing my song, the butterflies fly away
Nodding my head like yeah, moving my hips like yeah
I've got my hands up, they're playing my song, I know I'm gonna be okay
Yeah it's a party in the USA, yeah it's a party in the USA
I then came out of the shower and just as Rachel was about to head in when Lexi came, wearing a towel and more importantly holding the picture of Katherine from earlier.
"Are you out of your fucking mind?" She asked me.
"What are you talking about?" I replied.
"I just met Elena." She said.
"And why are you saying this to me?" I asked. I then looked at Rachel and she didn't seem to know what was going on, so I assumed that she hadn't told Lexi about it.
"I saw how you blushed when I asked Stefan if he had sex with Elena." Lexi declared. "You totally had sex with her. You have some serious emotional damage."
"First, I never even met Katherine and second why would it be so bad if I slept with someone who looked just like her." I pointed out. "You can't tell Stefan about this."
We were soon in Stefan's room after we were all dressed. I was wearing a black lace dress with patterned sleeves and black heels and Rachel was wearing a pink sweater with jeans and pink heels.
"You are seriously fucked up." She said.
"Elena is not Katherine." He replied.
"Well then they must related because they look like twins." Lexi pointed out. I mean there were plenty of 'people who looked just alike who weren't related.
"She's not Katherine." Stefan repeated. Lexi just looked at him. "Okay, yes, the resemblance is what drew me to her, but Elena is kind and selfless and devoted to the people she loves."
"Oh my god you love her." Lexi remarked. Well that complicated things more than a little bit. She looked at me and I blushed.
"Yeah I do." Stefan replied.
"It's about time." Lexi said as she glared at me, basically telling me to back off. I mean I didn't know if Elena felt the same way but it was probably good to do so. We didn't even know if she was going to be there. Maybe I could go to her house to see if she was coming or maybe I should let Stefan do it. She was probably right. I needed to let them figure it out.
I decided to talk to the person that I always did whenever I had something that I needed to talk about.
"What do you think that I should do about Elena?" I asked.
"Well you know that Stefan loves her." Rachel replied. "I know I've been teasing you about this but don't you think it's kind of wrong to go after her knowing that he does?"
"Yes I absolutely think that is wrong." I answered. "But that doesn't mean that I still don't want to do it. That's why I need your help."
"Well let me ask you something first. Do you love her?" She questioned.
"No." I replied. "I like her a lot but I don't love her…yet. You know I've never been in love before and I probably wouldn't even know what it feels like."
I did want to know what love was like, but I didn't know if it would be with Elena. There was also the one major issue with us. She was human and I was a vampire. I knew that was also an issue with her and Stefan, but it was still a major issue.
I decided that it probably would be best for me to talk to her. We had only briefly conversed earlier and we hadn't really said much to each other for the whole week. I also wondered if Damon something to do with Caroline's decision to know a party. I mean I knew that she was stinking rich but I still didn't think that she was the type to decide to throw a party and spend the money to rent out the restaurant on a whim.
I noticed Elena's window was open but since I was a normal person, I decided to ring the doorbell instead.
"What are you doing here?" She asked. "I thought you would be at the party."
"I thought you would too." I countered.
"I don't really feel like being social right now." She said.
"Lexi told me that you were there. She kind of figured out that we had sex." I replied.
"Oh." She declared with a blush.
"I really think that you should come to this party with me." I declared. "I think you will have a good time."
"I can't even understand why Caroline is throwing this party in the first place. I doubt she knew Stefan's birthday since she seemed to think he was Gemini." She stated.
"I think Damon had something to do with it." I replied.
"He's not feeding on her again, is he?" She asked in concern.
"No, I don't think so." I replied. "Now how about you put a jacket on and we can go out?"
"How is it that you can manage to be so persuasive." She asked as she went to her closet.
"I'm pretty sure it's because I was blessed with cuteness." I replied. You could also say it was a curse because I didn't choose to look like this.
The two of us then headed to the Grill and found that there were a lot of cars parked in town square. It seemed like it was a very successful party. I couldn't help but wonder how she managed to spread the word so quickly.
The first thing that I noticed upon heading inside was Stefan was dancing with Lexi and he looked like he was having a good time.
"Stefan smiles. Alert the media." Damon remarked from behind us. He was definitely planning something.
"You haven't given him reason to smile lately." Elena argued.
"Poor Stefan ever tormented by his fiendish older brother." He replied as she started to walk away. "Does my presence bother you that much?"
"I tend to get a rash whenever I'm in the presence of psychopaths." She retorted..
"Ouch. Well consider this psychopath's feelings hurt." He replied as I followed her.
"So what did you do to my brother?" Elena asked.
"What do you mean?" I asked. I compelled him just like she asked me to.
"He's acting different. He's doing homework. He's not doing drugs." She told me.
"Do you want him to not do his homework and do drugs?" I questioned. That really didn't seem like it was in his best interests. She shook her head. "Okay, I added the part about quitting drugs and doing better in school, but you said that he was like that before the accident. I just gave him a little push in the right direction. Speaking of drugs, I could go for whiskey."
"So do you ever drink brandy?" She asked. It was kind of weird sharing my name with an alcoholic beverage.
"No, but you have." She said with a grin. She blushed. "Sorry you walked right into that one."
Later, I couldn't help but notice that Damon was yelling at Caroline and she was crying. I wanted to slap her. Even if he wasn't physically abusing her, he was still mentally abusing her. I really needed to get her some vervain. She then started to drink from a pitcher of beer.
"Rachel, I need you to do me a favor." I asked. She looked at me. "Can you please get Caroline home? And whatever you do, don't have sex with her. She's way too vulnerable right now."
"I don't know where she lives." Rachel remarked. I sighed and wrote down her address. "Now will you do it?"
"Fine." She agreed before muttering. "I wish I hadn't made you so cute."
I then looked across the room and saw Lexi was talking to Elena.
"If it isn't the famous Elena." The blonde stated.
"Towel Girl." Elena countered.
"Eh, I've been called worse." Lexi replied before her hand a shot. "Here."
"I didn't know you guys could drink." Elena declared. I literally just told her that.
"Yeah, it helps with the cravings." Lexi explained. "It does make for a lot of lushy vamps though."
Was I lushy? No, probably not.
"So I've never seen Stefan smile like that. He's not like that with me," Elena stated.
"That's the benefit of knowing someone for 145 years. "You can be yourself with them and you'll get there with time." Lexi responded.
"You seem so sure." Elena noted. "How do you know?"
"Because the love of my life was human." Lexi replied. I was a bit surprised to learn that she had a significant other. "He went through all of the things that you're going through right now but in the end, love really did conquer all."
That sounded pretty clique if you asked me. I supposed that made her an expert on love. I also couldn't help but wonder how he felt about her going away to see another guy.
"Are you going to drink that?" She asked.
"No." The brunette answered before Lexi downed it.
She then walked over to Stefan and he said that he had been listening too. Hopefully he hadn't heard my joke to Elena. Lexi said that she was feeling epic, whatever that meant.
Then be started to talk with Elena and it seemed like she had made her choice and it would probably be best for me to respect it. She wasn't the only reason that I had to stay in this town and I didn't love her like Stefan did. The two of them kissed before suddenly Damon took a seat next to Lexi. That wasn't too odd because then the sheriff and a deputy walked in. Had they found out that Damon was the vampire. I couldn't let them take him. Instead, they stabbed Lexi with some vervain.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"This woman is a suspect in a crime from a few towns over." The sheriff said. However, I knew something was up. Elena, Stefan and I managed to go out through the back door and we managed to see Lexi attack them before suddenly Damon showed up and staked her. Oh my god, he killed her. I couldn't believe it. I knew that I had only just met her, but I really liked her and now she was dead.
"I'm gonna kill him." Stefan seethed. This time he looked like he really meant it. I needed to stop him.
"Stefan, no you can't." Elena argued.
"Why are you trying to save him?" Stefan challenged. "He killed Lexi, Zach, Tanner. He turned Vicki and he abused Caroline."
"I don't want you to kill him because I'm afraid of what it'll do to you." Elena replied. "You can't kill your brother."
"You were right to stay away from me." Stefan replied before he ran off. I knew I had a limited amount to time to act, so I ran right behind him.
When I got home, Stefan was beating the crap of Damon. He then reached for a stake and I knew I had to act.
"Stefan, stop!" I demanded as I stood between the brothers.
"You can't possibly want to save him." He declared. "He killed your nephew. He killed your father too."
As much as I wanted to blame Damon for that, I don't think that was entirely his fault. I was still angry at him for it, but I doubted he was in the right state of mind with how hungry he was. As far as my dad, I didn't know what happened there. It was possible that it was my dad's fault. I couldn't believe that I was trying to rationalize Damon's killings, but I didn't want him to die.
"And he saved my life." I declared. "He chose to save me despite barely knowing me. Stefan, please don't do this."
"You are so lucky." Stefan said before he left the room.
"Now we're even, but you're not getting off scot-free either." I told Damon before I broke his neck.
So Elena chose Stefan but you know things never to stick around Mystic Falls or will Brandy end with someone else? She also saved Damon's life from Stefan. Please don't forget to review.