Today's the career fair at school, even though my dad gave my mom a photography studio and now that I run it. I don't need to money-wise, but honestly it helps me center myself and see that something that is a product of my mother and father blooming and flourishing. I still decide to dress up as nicely as I can with jeans without looking like a complete professional. I straighten my long hair, but curl the ends with a dramatic cat eye wing and nude lipstick. I put on a rather grown up look. It's my nice pair of gray jeans that fit my curves and enhance them, along with a long sleeved green crop top that shows off my tummy a little bit, and a pair of matching green suede ankle boots along with some diamond and gold studs. I wake up early and make some pancakes for Mark before I head back upstairs and I see the book great-grandpa sent me on my bed. I open it and I see that it changed from the old language into English. "How strange." I read up a bit and I start to get the gist of it. Basically on my dad's side back in the olden days, the girls in his family were born with these magnificent powers and it says that they can create any plant with a wave of a hand or even a thought (If my emotion to create it is strong enough), and can grow or destroy anything having to do with nature. Also that they are both creator and destroyer, so they take in enormous amount of energy. If they don't release that energy somehow they can either die or destroy everything around them.
Tyler comes by with his car signally me with a honk and I quickly get downstairs. He smiles as I hop in and he gives me a kiss on my temple where one of my scars is hiding behind my hair. "No nightmares?" He asks as he drives off towards school.
"Nope, not since I woke up in the hospital." I say as I text Stefan good morning since he texted while I was asleep saying that he gave her blood and her heart monitor started getting stronger almost immediately. I smile happily and I relax in the seat.
"That's good, so I'm thinking of putting one of my sketches in the art table for later tonight." He says out of the blue and I look over at him. He has never wanted to show off his artwork to anyone other than me.
"You totally should Ty." I give him a big wide smile and kiss his cheek before we get into the parking lot. "I'll see you later Ty and you better follow my advice or I'll find you and kick your ass." I say before I walk over to Bonnie and Elena.
"I will Ray!" He yells back and I wave at him.
"Hey, girls. You okay Bonnie?" I ask as I hug her and she hugs back gently.
"Yeah. I'm fine thanks." She smiles and I look at Elena.
"Ray, what did you do to Damon?" She asks and I smile.
"My father's side of the family calls the women that can do what I can with nature, Nunnehi's and I basically call them Nature Manipulators." I say as I grab a little twig from outside and as we walk in I make sure no one is looking. "Watch this, it's so cool." I focus and I wave my hand letting my magic rise into my hands making the twig glow gold. I smile as it grows into a little branch with small green oak leaves on it.
"That's amazing." They both say and we spot Matt and Caroline walking laughing and talking intimately to each other. I furrow my eyebrows and I tilt my head, I certainly didn't see this coming.
"Did I miss something?" Elena asks obviously as confused as me.
"They've been hanging out." Bonnie shrugs easily.
"Kinda weird. Don't you think?" Elena questions.
"It's actually kind of nice in a way." I say with a smile. "Matty is a nice guy."
"She needs that right now." Elena explains and I raise an eyebrow at her. "Considering her last boyfriend is..."
"A homicidal vampire. Damon." Bonnie finishes for me and my jaw drops.
"Yeah, how are you doing with all that?" Elena asks her.
"I'm freaked out. Damon attacked me. I could be dead right now. But I'm also grateful." She says and Elena and I give her a confused look. "To Stefan. He saved my life." she adds. "Have you seen him?"
"Not since he told me he was leaving. For all I know, he's already gone." Elena says throwing her scarf and bag into her locker.
"He wouldn't leave without saying goodbye." I try to comfort her not knowing if he told her he went to my house and I'd rather not be the one to rub salt in her wounds.
"Yes, he would. He thinks that he's protecting me with this clean break and all that." She says getting her books from her locker.
"So, what are you gonna do?" Bonnie asks her.
"What am I supposed to do?" Elena closes her locker and leans against it. "I'm being selfish. It is what it is."
"I mean, what kind of future could you have had with him, even if he stayed?" Bonnie asks the obvious question and suddenly, a banner fell down on us that says, 'The Promise of your Future.'
"Did you just…" she looks at Bonnie with an eyebrow raised slightly and I smile as she thinks that it was her best friend, the witch, which it might've been. Or was it fate?
"No. I swear." Bonnie says before Elena could finish her question and I pat Lena's back teasingly.
"Later it's time for class. See ya." I giggle before Elena storms off to class and I head to my locker to put my backpack into it. I quickly grab my stuff along with my headphones and I walk into Alaric's classroom with a sad flutter because of Stefan's absence.
TIME JUMP
After this morning with Stefan leaving, I kinda just put my headphones in and tuned everything out. School kinda blurs into a boring cycle and the next thing I know is it's after school and time for the career fair. The only supernatural thing that I know from Stefan is that there's a new vampire and they'll stay to make sure Elena and everyone is safe. My photography teacher surprised me and framed one of my pictures of my younger cousins, Ali and Teisha, dancing with their mom's during pow wow. I walk outside with a smile leaning against a tree practicing my gift and I call upon it letting it heat my body up. I sigh happily as I wrap my fingers in some blades of grass feeling even more energetic. I wrap my hand around the root, flexing my fingers on the exposed root, and I manage to heal the trees around me without meaning to.
"Oh this is the night
it's a beautiful night
and we call it bella notte
look at the skies
they have stars in their eyes
on this lovely bella notte
side by side with your loved one
you will find the enchantment here
the night will weave its magic spell
when the one you love is near, oh
this is the night
and the heavens all rise
on this lovely Bella note," I sing as I use my gifts to have the roots of the tree dig deeper into the ground and I make the trunk stronger than before. I smile as I can feel that it is healthier than it was before I helped.
"Ok, let's get this out of your system. Go ahead. Fight." I stop using my gift almost immediately hearing Ty's dad. I open my eyes and look up to see Mr. Lockwood with Jeremy Gilbert and Ty.
"You want us to what?" Jeremy asks and I decide to see what's happening. I get up and brush my ass off before walking towards the voices.
"I'm not gonna fight him, dad." Tyler says standing up for himself.
"I don't think so, sir." Jeremy says and attempts to leave, but the Mayor blocks his way. That's when I made my presence clear.
"Hey! What's going on here?" I demand as I make my way towards them and Ty looks at me with a guilty look which most likely means he and Jeremy got in another fight.
"You should stay out of this, Ray." Tyler's father says angrily I give him a deadly look and I put my hands on my hips.
"Nobody is fighting anybody!" I snap keeping my glare on him before going over to Ty as I try to keep my gift from lashing out.
"Dad! It's so not gonna happen! Let's just go back inside." Tyler tells his father trying to be a peacekeeper and I get closer not to alarm Mr. Lockwood.
"You don't fight in there like pansies. You take it outside, fight your battles like men, and move on. Best lesson my dad taught me. So let's settle it. Fight." He orders with a growl.
"Well, your dad was an idiot. Much like you're actions are reflecting, Sir." I retort crossing my arms and glaring up at him.
"Come on, Ty. Take me home I want some ribs." I grab his arm and turn to leave, but the mayor grabs my arm. My eyes widen in anger and my gift is pulsing in me making my body feel warmer than it is as I look up at him.
"Let go of my arm, Mr. Lockwood." I say darkly as I lock eyes with him and I see in his eyes a flicker of fear and confusion.
"No one is going anywhere until this is over Rayen." He states with a growl and I clench my fist hearing the trees creak and the ground rumble as my anger for him grows. I feel my vine moving under my skin wanting, no, needing to get out and cause some damage or just to make him bleed a little bit.
"Dad. Let go of her!"
"Get off of her!" Jeremy yells angrily and shoves him away from me, the mayor retaliates and shoves Jeremy back into Ty.
"Whoa. What's going on out here?" I look away to see Alaric walking towards us and I smile as my arm throbs where he grabbed me.
"Just letting these kids work it out. We're good here. Go back inside." The mayor answers and I feel my arm throb as the boys get up and check on my arm.
"I don't wanna go back inside." He replies as he looks at all of us. "What I want is an answer to my question. What's going on out here?" I watch their exchange carefully.
"Who do you think you're talking to? Do I look like a student?"
"No. Actually you look like a full grown alpha male douchebag." He remarks with amusement flickering in his eyes and I smirk admiring his boldness.
"You don't talk to me like that. I can have your job like this." The mayor warns snapping his fingers and he smirks thinking Alaric will back down.
Alaric chuckles. "Ah, you do that. Then it will be you and me in this parking lot, working things out. You cool with that?"
"You just marked yourself."
"Okay." Alaric mocks and I tried to hide my smile.
"You have to get your own ride home Ray. Dad will want to chew me out without you there." I turn to look back at Tyler who gives me an apologizing look.
"I figured. Go, I'll call you later." He hugs and kisses my temple before walking away. His father follows him and as soon as they leave Alaric turns to Jeremy and I.
"You guys all right?" He asks us and I nod.
Jeremy looks like he's trying to suppress his smirk so I answer with a smile, "We're fine Alaric. Thank you for doing that."
"You guys need a lift?" He asks again.
"I actually do, Jeremy?" I ask as I look up at him and he ruffles my hair.
"I'm good." He says before going back in the school and I smile as I look up at him.
"Thanks for offering Alaric." I smile and he returns it kindly.
"My car's this way Ray." He says as he holds his arm out and I decline politely.
"I don't think it would appropriate if my arm was in yours Alaric." I say with a smile before he chuckles and he helps me into his truck. We start talking about the mayor and I direct him to my street. "You may want to let me out here otherwise my cousin will go all over-protective on ya'."
He chuckles before stopping at the end of my street, "Here you go."
"Thanks again Alaric and beware Mr. Lockwood will calm down a bit but he will still be a dick-bag unless something catches his attention." I say as I get out and close the door.
"Your welcome and no worries, Rayen. I know how to handle these types of guys." He says and I smile before I start walking down the street and I open the door to hear my mom's bell like laugh in the kitchen. My eyes widen as my heart beats louder than I have ever heard it. My body freezes up like a statue and drops my keys on the floor as I see her glistening blonde hair in the kitchen holding a glass of wine. My jaw drops as I hear the unfamiliar, yet familiar tone talking to Markus and my eyes automatically tear up.
"Momma?" I ask in disbelief with tears threatening to fall and her big green eyes glisten with happiness while she smiles.
She gets up and walks towards me looking me over as I am her, "My beautiful little Sassy." She gets closer and puts her hand on my cheek and puts her forehead on mine.
"When the hell did you get released?" I whisper as I put my hand on her arm and she smiles before tugging on one strand of hair.
"I got her from the hospital around 8:30." Mark says with a big shit eating smile and she pulls me into a hug.
"I'm back and better than ever Sassy." She says as we pull Mark into our hug and I feel her petting my hair. After our very long awaited hug, we eat some dinner and we have a mini TV show marathon, eating junk food, until we all pass out in the living room. I hear some light tapping on the window and I open my eyes to see Stefan looking worried.
I slide out of my mom's legs and I walk over opening the door, "Are you okay Steffie?" I ask softly before I walk out of the door and he looks down holding a piece of paper.
"You haven't seen Elena have you?" He asks as he runs his free hand through his hair and I fix my shirt.
"No, the only time I see her is when there's school or stuff for school and she never comes here unless she has to, why what's wrong?" I ask as we move to sit on our little porch swing that we have that overlooks the porch and the front yard.
"She went to the boarding house after the fair and she found something that scared her. Now I can't find her to explain what she found." He says as he looks at the paper. "Before you see this, there are things you need to understand." I tilt my head as I look at him. "I knew Elena long before I met her." He states calmly.
"How long have you known her then?" I ask suspiciously as my heart beats louder and I nibble on my lip nervously. He rubs the picture in between his fingers as if it were a safety blanket.
"When Elena survived your accident, her surviving wasn't a miracle at all. I… um I was the one who pulled her out of her parents' car." My eyes widen, my heart beating faster, and he continues, "Her father was still alive holding his breath, but he insisted that I save Elena first before trying to save them and then I saw you fighting to swim to the surface. I helped you to the surface and onto the bridge."
"That's it?" I ask deflecting. "That's the whole story?"
"When I pulled Elena out, that's when I noticed the uncanny resemblance between her and someone that I used to know. From my past." He states in a melancholy tone that tugs at my heart. "After that I spent months watching her, making sure she wasn't that person, I found out that Elena was the complete opposite of her. And then I fell in love with her."
"Who is this 'her' that you're talking about in past tense? Who does she look like?" I question as I look up at him. He sighs softly and hands me the paper which is actually a picture. I take it gently and see that it's a picture of Elena, but it says, 'Katherine Pierce, 1864' on it. My jaw drops as I see that she and Elena look exactly the same. "That's unbelievable." I whisper as I look at it farther seeing that even though it's in black and white I can see that her skin tone, hair, and eye colors are most likely the same.
"Elena is Katherine's descendant." He says and I let him come in before I cover my mom with a blanket my dad's mom made for us.
Steffie and I walk up to my room and close the door before putting some music on to cover up our voices. We talk for a while about everything before we fall asleep on my bed and even with his arms wrapped around me my dreams still contain Damon resisting my gifts and having him rip into my neck. I wake up tired as hell and needing to pee my entire bladder out. I try to slide out of Stefan's arms, but he just pulls me closer and I let out a sigh. I pout as I drag my nails on his arms and he nuzzles my neck before I growl loudly. I start wiggling trying to get out of his arms and I hear him stifling a laugh.
"You asshole, let go of me I need to take a shower." I whine as he pulls me closer and I smack his side. He chuckles and tickles my hips in retaliation of me smacking his side. He lets go of me before giving me a kiss on the cheek and sitting up.
"Okay, I'll meet you at the grill for lunch." He kisses my cheek before vamp-speeding out of my window and I roll my eyes before going to my bathroom to take a shower. I roll my eyes and shake my head at him.
"He's just being a friend he doesn't like me in that way." I whisper softly to myself and run my hands through my bangs. "I'm never a choice when it comes down to Elena or me." I turn back just as I go to close the bathroom door and I quickly grab the book once again. I walk back into the bathroom and I close the door before opening my book. I continue my reading as I walk past my little plants letting them grow. I read that once I start using my magic on a more daily basis helping with anything that involves how much nature is around me. I can use the magical properties of gemstones along with I can create any type of foliage or I can destroy anything created by nature. I start my bath and I bring out some Night-blooming Cereus also known as Moonflower petals that my mom bought from Hawaii along with some forget-me-nots from Texas on their layover and Viscaria they got from an occult shop on the way back home. I throw a couple of each into the water and I bite my lip.
"I wonder…" I put the rest away and I put my hand over the rising water before closing my eyes. I take a deep breath and I focus on that feeling of being warmer like all the other times that I have used my gift. "Flower of the moon, field mouse's ear, and sticky catchfly allow this water to take in your combined power to show me and allow me to dance with the one that is my other half, please I ask this of you." I say feeling the heat building up in my body and I lower my hand into the water. I take a deep breath pooling all my concentration into this act.I push the heat from my body out through my hand letting it spread out like a flower in bloom and I sigh lightly as I feel the heat flow from my body into the water like a snake. Then with my eyes closed and my mind focused on my spell my body feels lighter than before. I feel a more masculine hand holding my free hand gently making me smile and I grip it tightly. I open my eyes and I see that the different sized flower petals are still floating, but they are circling one another and my other hand completely empty.
'The hell?' I think in my head and I growl before putting in some bubbly purple soap into the water since I'm guessing it didn't work. I shake my head before I strip down and climb into the water. I pull my hair up into a clip as I let the hot water relax the knots in my back and in my legs. I turn the water off as my eyes get heavier and I lean back as the smell of the flower petals invade my senses. I let my eyes close not resisting it anymore and my body feels weightless almost like a little feather.
I open my eyes to see that I'm a rather large room with fog at my feet and people dancing. The music is almost a mix of some type of old waltz and a newer siren-like beat. I smile as the air smells like vanilla and statice mixed together and surprisingly they mesh well together. I look down at my change in attire and I see that I'm wearing a long V neck grey ombré chiffon dress with silver heels. I pass by a mirror that's about 7 feet tall with silver vines around it and stop with my mouth agape. As I stare at my reflection to see that I look like a goddess and I touch my cheek just to make sure it's not someone else. I gasp lightly as the reflection does the same. I step closer to notice that my make-up is light and noticeable, but not dark like how some girls' are. While my hair is up in a bun with some curls framing my face. I bite my pouty bottom lip as I walk down the stairs towards the people and I feel as if someone is watching me. I look around as I reach the bottom everyone trying not to stare at me. I blush lightly before I stumble into a hard wall that smells very manly. I look up to see a pair of dark blue eyes with some subtle hints of light blue framed by long dark eyelashes that every girl would be envious of.
"Sorry darling, I wasn't watching where I was walking." He says in this amazing melt worthy British accent that has me practically melting. My eyes travel to his kissable pouty pink lips and some tasteful blond stubble that matches his messy wavy dark honey blond hair. My body feels electrified and yet I feel so much more relaxed.
I blush as I back up a bit even though I feel it protesting at the slight distance between us, "It was entirely my fault. I was letting my feet guide me instead of my eyes." I say softly as he smirks down at me with his perfect lips and that makes me blush even more. I start taking in the little not very noticeable details about him, like he has a little freckle next to his right eyebrow along with a couple light ones dusting his cheeks and a single one on his left cheekbone near his temple.
"Do you always allow your feet to guide you?" He asks as his eyes do as I was just doing and I shake my head brushing some of the loose curls behind my ear.
"Not all the time, but sometimes they take me to places where I didn't know could be so magical and that's when I try to capture the magic."
"Oh and how do you do that?" He asks with a genuine curiosity in his voice while I start walking away while a tango starts playing. I turn my head as he takes my hand pulling me in to him like a start of a dance and I catch a hint of expensive cologne lingering on his clothes.
"A photograph or a sketch, I have to warn you Freckles. I'm horrible at ballroom dancing." I say as he starts dancing and my body returns the notion.
"I just let the music dance through me and in my years of experience dancing is always locked up in a woman's heart just aching to be free. Freckles, what's that mean?" He says with a small tilt of the head as his body and mine react to the music and to each other.
"Freckles, is because of your freckles, that are trying to hide on your face." I say as I trace some of their locations and he sighs and closes his eyes as we continue dancing.
"That seems reasonable but what should I call you?" He asks putting his hand on my hip pulling me closer before I feel a rumbling in his chest and he smirks.
"Well my name's Rayen, although everyone has a different nickname. I will let you give me a unique nickname, but nothing that's generic, a creative nickname that only you can call me." I say with a smile and he chuckles as we dance to the tango music. He quickly spins me out and pulls me back in holding me to his chest. His bitable lips kiss my neck making me weak.
"Mm… you smell delectable. Vanilla and passion flower. What an odd combination, little one any meaning to them?" he asks whispering in my ear and I drag my nails on his scruff lightly.
"Not really I just enjoyed the mix." I say as I hear and feel a growl in his chest and I smirk. He does the spin out once again except this time he drops me down into a dip. My left leg resting under me on the floor as my right is out parallel to his. I open my eyes as we pant softly and I smile softly. Our eyes connect once again and he smiles as he brings me up.
"Care for a drink Wonder?" He asks as he motions to my forearm and I smile.
"I'd like that." I say as he gently puts his hand at the small of my back before guiding me to the bar. "Though I get really sick from cheap liquor." We get to the bar which is a dark brown and red mahogany with a silver sigil molded on the front and sides of it.
"What would you like? Liam will glad make you anything." he asks as Liam smiles shyly hiding his eyes from me. He hands Freckles what smells like a whiskey, but it's a bit red so maybe it has some cherry flavor or a couple drops of red food coloring.
"I'll have a cherry martini please." I ask and he starts making it almost immediately keeping his eyes down to the floor. "No mint spring please. I get headaches from them." He nods and I turn back to Freckles who whispers in a guys' ear.
"So how did you get in here Wonder?" He asks as he takes a sip of his drink and I tilt my head looking at him sideways.
"What do you mean?" I ask and he chuckles darkly.
"I have never seen you before tonight and seeing as though you are in my house in Paris you cannot usually crash one of my parties." He says and my eyes widen as I realize I'm in Paris. "Without being immediately escorted out by security and or by me."
"Your security sucks. I snuck in with a couple's invite that nicked off them." I quickly make up the lie as Liam hands me a martini glass that has twin cherries attached by their stems. "Thank you Liam." Liam blushes and I smile as Freckles chuckles.
"Smart. Would you like to look at the tower?" He asks as he guides me like before but outside and he motions behind me.
"I've always wanted to see this." I whisper before taking a sip and I see the plants growing slowly as I walk to the stone bench. Freckles smiles and sits next to me.
"It's a true beauty, isn't it?" He asks as I lean against him and smile with a nod.
"It is. I wish I could take a picture of it." I drink some more from my drink as he rests his arm over my shoulder idly letting his fingertips drag on my arm. I lay my head on his shoulder as we drink in silence and I start humming lightly.
"Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly" I close my eyes as I hear Freckles singing the rest of the song to me which has me smile and for some reason, with this stranger, I feel completely safe.