•••
She gurgles up blood, and as it drips down her cheek, her bloodstained lips stretch into a painful and forced smile. She was trying to reassure me. Like it was okay for her to die.
"No, you're fine- you- you'll be fine. I-it's gonna be okay."
I sniffle, and choke on a sob, laying her head in my lap, stroking her hair. She looks up at me with a pitying gaze.
I shake my head at her stare.
"I'm not gonna be o-okay. But you will be."
Tears start to leak out of her eyes because even she knows that's not true. I won't be alright, I won't be able to get over this.
I can't lose her. She's my big sister.
"You can have a life. Fall in love, get married, have a f-family."
She starts sobbing. And I know it's because that's all she's ever wanted. She wanted a family. She wanted a great love with a husband that would love her with everything he had. She wanted a ton of kids.
She wanted to live.
But that option was taken from her.
"No, we will. I- I won't let you die. Ju-just hold on, the ambulance with be h-here soon." Tears rolling down my face.
•••
I woke up with a gasp.
I turn my head a look at Jeremy, making sure I didn't wake him up. He lays there peacefully sleeping, snoring like a truck.
I sigh as my thoughts go to her. My sister. River.
We were five years apart. She would watch over me and make sure I was alright. She would baby me and treat me like a kid even when I was in high school. River was like the parent we should have had. Our real parents were too busy worrying about themselves and making sure their reputations weren't sullied by having children out of wedlock to even think about us.
I had River to take care of me, to make sure I grew up happy. But River... she didn't have anyone.
That was why she always wanted to have a family. To love them the way she was never loved, to raise her children the way she wanted to be raised, with love and affection.
I was in college when it happened. I was visiting Rivers new apartment, and we were having dinner. Chinese, her favorite fast food.
We were talking about her new boyfriend, and I could tell she really loved him. Her eyes were sparkling. I was teasing her about it when the door busted open.
Three men came in, dressed in black.
If you haven't guessed they were robbers.
They saw us and aimed a gun at me. I was so scared I just raised my hands in surrender trembling.
My sister though, she was so brave. She told them to take anything they wanted and that we'll do anything they say as long as they lower the weapon.
They lowered the weapon and started grabbing things. The tv, her purse, her laptop, anything they saw.
When they got everything they wanted they paused for a moment and looked at each other before looking at us. Like they were having a silent conversation about us.
The tall one with a Brooklyn accent pulled out a gun and shot her in the chest.
She wasn't even doing anything. She was just watching them steal her shit. Stuff that she worked hard for.
When I saw her drop to the floor I panicked and ran to her. I guess they took that chance to run, I don't know.
She died that day. After that my parents decided they wanted their roles back. Forced me to become a cop because 'it's the perfect chance to protect people like I couldn't protect my sister'. That's what they told everyone I wanted.
I never quit and I worked hard until the day I died.
I sit up and go to the bathroom, brushing my teeth, and coming back to check the time.
It's 6:48 am.
I wake up Jeremy and we both get ready for the day.
After visiting Vicki with Jeremy, we headed to school.
The first thing Jeremy did was try to find Tyler. I knew this was gonna turn into a dramatic spat, and as much as I love watching them I don't want Jeremy to threaten people over a girl.
"Hey, Jer-bear, can you get me.. a pencil??"
Well now I sound stupid.
He looks at me like I'm dumb. Okay so it's confirmed, what I said is stupid, let's move on.
"Don't you have one in your backpack?"
"No, I left them at home, can I borrow one? Maybe two? ...and maybe a highlighter?" I giggle sheepishly.
He laughs and nods. He pulls out his pencil case and gives them to me.
"Thanks your a life saver!" I through my arms around him and hug him.
The bell rings and we head off the class after saying goodbyes.
Crisis averted.
I'm walking in the hallways passed Mr. Tanners class when I hear him talking about Jeremy.
Oh, damn. Is this when he talks shit on Jenna? Oh hell naw.
I lean against the door and listen.
'Mr. Tanner.. are you aware that Jeremy and Elena's parents died?'
Yes, he is. He just doesn't care and thinks it shouldn't interfere with school.
'Yes, four months ago, a great loss. Car accident. Wickery Bridge if I remember correctly.'
I roll my eyes and knock on the door.
I know what he was about to say after that was downright rude and disrespectful, so might as well stop him now.
He pauses and opens the door, looking irritated that I knocked in the first place.
"Yes, Mr. Gilbert? I'm in the middle of a meeting right now."
I look past him at Aunt Jenna and wave smiling at her. I look back at him and drop my smile. I look in his eyes and use a spell I've been working on. It's like compulsion but instead you are simply 'strongly suggesting an idea' in their mind. I call it 'Problem Solver'.
"You are tired of people today right? You should cancel all your meetings for today." I say lowly.
"You know your right Mr. Gilbert, I am tired."
"Right?" I say smiling.
I'm at Damon's just sitting in front of the fire place waiting for him to come back with snacks when Elena walk in.
Bitch. I mean, I knew she was gonna walk in but damn. Who walks into peoples houses?
If the doors open you politely close it and knock again. Geez, she's so stupid. And she looks even dumber right now.
She's looking at me confused as yo why I'm here. Like hoe, you don't need to know.
"Elliot? Why are you here?" She demands.
"Why? You think I'm gonna steal your boyfriend or something?" I laugh hard.
It's that moment when both Stefan and Damon walk in.
Stefan raises an eyebrow at me before going to Elena and asking why she's here.
I ignore them and walk to Damon. I take the Doritos out of his hands and open them, eating them immediately.
"Oh, is that Stefan's new girl? I thought it would be awhile before he got a girlfriend. Ya know, after the last one." He says to me loudly. Loud enough for her to hear him.
I laugh and we walk upstairs to his room.
After a few movies we head to The Grill. We decided that watching the comet was boring and we were hungry.
As we sit down I remember that Damon was supposed to attack Vicki again tonight.
"Hey D, no hurting people okay? If you wanna snack or eat people, go get a blood bag alright?"
He looks up from the menu and nods.
We order and we're eating when we hear Jeremy ask about Vicki.
"Hey, has anyone seen Vicki?"
"You're her stalker. You tell us." Tyler says rudely.
"I can't find her!"
