Chapter 10: Bella's Perspective

The cold voice is Elena's. I'm not expecting that at all.

At the school, she had seemed like such a happy-go-lucky girl. But now she just seems mad. Really mad. And all that anger and hate seems to be aimed at one Mr. Damon Salvatore.

Ha-ha, that's right Stranger; I know your name now.

"Hello, Elena," he rolls his eyes, "Care to join the party?"

She ignores him.

"Hi, Bella," she's all smiles and rainbows now. I wonder if I should be scared at how quickly her emotions just changed. "You're early."

I raise one eyebrow at Damon. It asks: is this your girl problem?

He shakes his hand back and forth. It replies: sort of.

"Yeah," I'm back to talking to Elena now. She's still smiling at me. Beaming, actually. "Charlie wasn't home, so I thought I'd leave early. Nothing to do, you know."

"Charlie?" Elena asks.

"My dad."

"And you call him Charlie?" I don't know whether she's being curious or accusing. I was never really good with people. So instead of answering her, I just nod.

Damon is smirking at the exchange.

"Well, Stefan and I are here. Tyler, Matt, and Caroline should be here soon too," she points to the back of the Grill at a table close to where people are playing pool. Stefan's already sitting there, and he's glaring daggers at his brother. "You can come and sit with us now."

I smile at her. I hope she can't tell it's fake.

"I'll be right over there, Elena. I just need to finish my conversation with St—Damon."

"Really?" she looks concerned.

"Yep."

"Well, okay then," it's awkward now. I can just tell. "I'll see you soon."

I smile at her as she walks over to Stefan. Thankfully, her appearance takes away his focus on Damon and me.

It's a couple of seconds before we talk.

"You want me to go sit with you?" Damon asks.

I nod my head.

"Don't want to sit alone with creepy Stefan?"

I nod my head again. Damon laughs.

"I really don't get you, Just-a-Girl," he's still laughing as he says it, "I really don't."

Chapter 10 (Continued):

It's really awkward now.

Really, really awkward.

Elena, Stefan, Damon, and I sit at the table in the back, alone and unwatched. Stefan is looking between Damon and me with a disgusted look, Elena has the fake smile glued to her face, and Damon is smirking like crazy. Me, well, I'm looking down at the red table, blushing until my face is completely red.

"There are only six seats," Elena says after a very long pause.

"And there are four of us," Damon parries.

"Not for long."

"Oh, that's right Blondie, and your two boy toys are coming too." It's really hard for me not to laugh, but somehow I'm able to restrain the smile and keep my face neutral.

"Yes, they are," Stefan defends his girlfriend, "Then you'll have to leave." I look at Damon to see a flash of hurt cross his face before it's quickly masked with a blank stare.

Stefan and I were definitely not going to get along.

"Can't we just push the chairs together and bring another one over here?" I pipe in.

"Where will we get the other chair?"

"We can borrow one from another table, Stefan. It's not like the place is packed." My voice is cold. So very cold. And I think it shocks all three of them to hear me like that. Hell, it shocks me. When did I grow a pair and start putting my opinion out there? I was usually a go-with-the-flow type of person.

The table is quiet as Stefan and I have our very own stare-off. He's the first to break contact, his eyes flickering down to my wrist. All he'll see is the cloth of my shirt.

That's right, buddy, I'm not making that mistake again.

"So, Bella," Elena says, trying to break the tension, "You and Damon seem to know each other well…" She doesn't finish her sentence. We all know she wants to ask how, when, and why.

"I don't know him that well at all, actually," I'm just rolling with this confident Bella today. I like her. A lot. "We just met yesterday, and I didn't even know his name until tonight."

"And he hasn't driven you away yet," I heard Stefan mumble under his breath. I don't think I was supposed to hear it. Yet I did.

"No, Saint Stefan," Damon's voice is snarky and rude, "I haven't."

This conversation isn't going well at all. It was a mistake to invite Damon over here. It was a mistake to even come here tonight. I had been a stupid, stupid girl to ever think that I would fit in with these people.

I stood up to leave. I have had enough.

"Bella, what are you…"

"Did we miss something?" A deep voice said from behind. We all turned our heads slowly to see Tyler, Matt, and Caroline staring at us in shock. "Because it looks like World War Three just started without us."