Chapter 3
Gwen threw her pencil down on her math book, slumping back in her chair. She'd been working over one problem for the last half hour and was nowhere near figuring it out. She stretched her arms out in front of her and over her head to work out some the stiffness that had settled in her back, noticing the library had emptied significantly since she arrived. She glanced at the clock and swore under her breath. She was supposed to meet Caroline and Bonnie by the football field in five minutes. Gwen closed her book, a little too loudly, and shoved the rest of her supplies in her bag.
The library was on the other side of the school from the football field. Gwen knew the girls would wait for her, but she felt bad about making them wait. They were only two weeks into November and it already felt like winter. Gwen didn't want them standing in the cold too long. They may have switched to wearing jackets and athletic pants during practice, but neither were that warm.
As Gwen fast-walked across the school, her bookbag and camera bag bounced violently off of her legs. She grimaced, hoping they wouldn't leave bruises. By the time she reached the field, she was slightly out of breath.
"You ready for girls' night?" Caroline asked when she reached them. She was practically bouncing on her feet. Gwen wasn't sure if it was from the cold or just Caroline's bubbly personality.
"Yeah," Gwen said, hoping she didn't sound too winded. Bonnie smiled in greeting but was distracted by a text on her cell phone. The smile fell quickly, a frown and creased brow replacing it. Gwen hoped it wasn't a reaction to her. Bonnie had seemed off ever since Halloween.
It was Gwen's first night off in two weeks — and she'd been looking forward to it for about as long. Sadly, it was only a Thursday night and Ric didn't let her stay out late during the week for non-work reasons. Given her limitations, Gwen was taking as full advantage of the rare free night as possible. Even if it was just pizza and romcoms.
"Great," Bonnie sighed as she aggressively tossed her phone in her bag. "Elena's bailing. Again."
Bonnie and Caroline shared a look that Gwen pretended not to see. Being the new kid at Mystic Falls High School hadn't been that bad. Despite the small population, no one had made a big deal about a new student. Even the process of making friends hadn't been hard, thanks to Caroline. However, becoming part of Caroline's friend group presented its own challenges. They'd all been friends since pre-school. Sometimes things got a little awkward when they were having an in-group moment, like now.
"Her loss," Caroline finally said. "If she wants to spend all her time with Stefan and ignore her friends, let her."
"Because we'll guilt her about it later," Bonnie added, grinning in amusement. Gwen laughed weakly, trying to pretend any of this mattered to her. Outside of classes, Gwen hadn't spent much time with Elena. Though she had to agree that her new boyfriend seemed to take up an unusual amount of her time.
"Let's go. It's freezing out here," Caroline said, no longer bothered by Elena's absence. "My car's this way."
Caroline's car wasn't far from the field, for which Gwen was grateful. The longer she stood still the more the cold air affected her. She slid into the backseat of the car, the cold of the seats seeping through her jeans. Chills ran through her, but she didn't complain. They'd be at Caroline's house in a few minutes.
"Ok, so what do you guys want to watch first?" Caroline asked. "I have the first Bridget Jones Diary, You've Got Mail, 10 Things I Hate About You, Sweet Home Alabama, and Two Weeks Notice."
Bonnie balked in the passenger seat, holding up a hand to signal for Caroline to slow down. "We're not going to get through all these movies in one night, you know."
"Not with that attitude," Caroline said, sounding a little indignant.
Gwen laughed. "Maybe you can, but I have an eleven-thirty curfew that my uncle is unreasonably strict about."
"Fine," Caroline whined, drawing out the word to show she was annoyed. "So which one do we watch."
"I have to vote for 10 Things," Bonnie said dramatically. "What about you Gwen?"
"I second that. I haven't seen that movie in forever."
"All right, but we watch You've Got Mail after that."
"Seems fair to me," Bonnie said with a shrug.
They pulled into Caroline's driveway; the sheriff's car was missing. They climbed out of the sedan, all of them walking quickly to the house to escape the cold. Caroline had them dump their stuff in the living room while she ordered the pizza.
"C'mon, we can get the drinks and snacks," Bonnie instructed, leading Gwen to the kitchen.
Gwen had been to Caroline's a few times before. It was a nice house, not much bigger than hers but a lot homier. Despite Caroline's complaints, Sheriff Forbes had done quite a bit to make a nice home for her daughter. Gwen's house still felt temporary, even if they were finally all unpacked.
"The snacks will be in the pantry on the left," Bonnie said. "I'll grab the soda."
Gwen wasn't as comfortable as Bonnie when it came to helping herself to things in Caroline's house. Another byproduct of not being friends forever. But it felt less invasive since Bonnie was with her. Inside the pantry she found two bags of chips and cookies. She grabbed all of it. They were going all out after all.
Bonnie and Gwen took their pile of snacks back to the living room where Caroline was queuing up the movie. They set their stash down on the coffee table, all the girls grabbing something before they settled into their seats.
"The pizza will be here in twenty to thirty minutes," Caroline said, as she opened a package of chocolate covered cookies. "Hope you all like cheese and pepperoni."
Bonnie shushed them as the movie started. Their silence lasted all of ten minutes before they all chimed with their own commentary on the film. Gwen noticed Bonnie checking her phone a lot, maybe hoping Elena would change her mind and show up, but she seemed to be having a good time anyway. She was even making an effort to get to know Gwen better.
"So what's it like living with your uncle?" Bonnie asked when the pizza arrived. Caroline had paused the movie to go get it, leaving them on their own in the silence. "Is he a major history nerd all the time?"
Gwen laughed. "Sometimes, yeah. On the drive down here, he did want to stop at a few historical sites. But it was such a short turnaround from him accepting the job and having to be here that we didn't have time."
Caroline came back in, carrying the pizza and some napkins. Despite the chips and cookies, Gwen was still hungry. She hopped up as soon as Caroline opened the box to grab a piece. She'd have been embarrassed, but Bonnie and Caroline did the same thing.
"You know, your uncle seems pretty laid back in class," Caroline observed between bites. "Why is he so strict with you?"
Gwen shrugged, taking her time to chew the last bite of pizza before responding. "I had some issues when I first started living with him after my mom died. He's been like this, more or less, ever since. I think he was afraid the move would trigger some stuff, so he's been extra strict as of late. It should let up soon though. We've been here almost a month and I've had zero problems."
She kept her tone light, not wanting to really get into what had happened back in Boston. They'd probably think she was crazy and then she'd lose the only friends she'd managed to make.
"You're lucky," Caroline said, surprising Gwen, "that someone cares enough. Both of our parents are pretty absent. We basically take of ourselves."
Bonnie nodded in agreement but didn't add anything to the conversation. She was picking at the pepperoni on her pizza, not looking at them. An awkward silence fell over the girls for a minute before Caroline turned the movie back on. As the movie progressed, the awkwardness was forgotten, and they were soon commenting and laughing again.
They were about halfway through Two Weeks Notice when Gwen glanced at her phone and swore. It was already eleven. She needed to leave if she wanted to make it home by curfew. Gwen gathered her trash and took it to the bin in the kitchen.
"Thanks for having me over," she said, slipping on her coat. "This was a lot of fun."
"It was. Do you want me to drive you home? It'll be faster."
"No, it's fine." Gwen grabbed her bags, slinging one over each shoulder.
"Are you sure?" Bonnie chimed in. "I can take you on my way home. It'd be safer."
Gwen scoffed. "I walk home from work all the time. It's perfectly safe here."
Caroline seemed placated but Bonnie only grew more worried. She didn't say anything else though, so Gwen chalked it up to her some personal fear of walking alone at night. Compared to Boston, Mystic Falls was probably the safest place in the world. Plus, she didn't want to make anyone go out of their way.
"See you tomorrow," Gwen called over her shoulder as she walked down the porch steps. She heard Caroline say good-bye and close the door, leaving Gwen alone on the dark, empty street.
Despite what she told Caroline and Bonnie, Gwen was a little unnerved walking home in the dark. She supposed it was a holdover from living in big cities. Apart from a few animal attacks that happened earlier in the year though, Mystic Falls didn't have a dangerous element. Still, she couldn't stop the spike of paranoia every time she walked the barely lit streets.
Except for the occasionally rustling of the trees, Gwen's echoing footsteps were the only to be heard. It wasn't like there was usually a lot of traffic at this time night. Still, the lack of activity didn't help with Gwen's uneasiness.
The wind picked up, sending loose blond strands of hair flying into Gwen's face. As she struggled to tame her hair, she felt something wet hit her hand. Then another drop landed on her head. A second later, she was standing in the middle of a very steady rainfall. Swearing, she pulled the hood of her coat on her head and tried to shield the camera bag. She quickened her pace but was still about a mile from home. She groaned. By the time she got there, she'd be soaked. She'd be lucky if any of her homework or the camera survived.
The intensity of the rain increased, turning it into a downpour in a matter of seconds. The rain was coming down so fast, the road turned into a shallow stream, soaking her shoes. Her coat pointless by this point, too. Not only was she completely soaked, but her vision was limited by the rain. Unable to see more than a few feet around her, she was careful to stay as close to the edge of the street as possible to avoid becoming roadkill. She mentally cursed the town for not installing sidewalks. They would have made her trek a little safer.
When a car pulled up and stopped next to her, Gwen jumped backward with so much force that she nearly fell over. The door opened to reveal Damon leaning over the passenger seat and motioning for her to get in. Getting into a car with someone she barely knew was a bad idea. It was something she never would have done in Boston. She got in without hesitation.
"Oh my god, thank you!"
"No problem," he said, watching her struggle to settle into the seat with all her bags. "Why were you walking in the rain?"
"I don't ha-have a car," she explained, her teeth chattering. She'd expected warm air when she slid into the car and was surprised to find none. In fact, she was pretty sure the heat wasn't even on. "I think it's colder in your car than in the rain."
"Sorry, just waiting for the engine to warm up."
She watched as he messed with a few dials, turning on the heat. As the warmth sunk through her wet clothes, she sighed in relief. Gwen was about lean back into the seat when she jerked forward.
"Shit!"
"What?" Damon asked, one eyebrow raised.
"I'm soaked! I'm going to ruin your seat."
He laughed, putting the car in drive. "It'll be fine. I wouldn't have stopped if I was worried about that. So, where am I taking you?"
"I live over on Telegraph Road, uh, 654 Telegraph Road. Do you know where that is?"
He scoffed. "Just a few blocks past the old train tracks. Relax, I'll get you home safe and sound."
His eyes turned to the road as the car accelerated forward, giving Gwen an opportunity to observe him without being too obvious. Unlike her, he was completely dry. Wherever he was coming from — probably the Grill — he'd made it to his car before the rain started. Though the Grill was in the direction they were heading now, she realized. There weren't many places in town open this late and worth going to that Gwen knew of. She wondered where he'd been, but thought it was rude to ask.
"Where were you this evening? I missed my favorite waitress."
Gwen glanced out of her window to hide the blush that rushed to her cheeks. Not that he could see it since he was driving and it was dark, but she didn't want to risk it. Though now she felt better about being noisy.
"I had the night off. Caroline had a few of us over for pizza and movies."
"Let me guess, romcoms?" he asked, a mix of condescension and boredom.
"Is there something wrong with romcoms?" she challenged. It was such a typical guy move to hate on romantic comedies. They all thought their brooding anti-heroes were cinematic gods or something. Gwen thought most of them were irredeemable, entitled dicks.
"No, there's nothing wrong with a good romantic comedy. I'd even say there's nothing with a bad one every now and then," he explained, his eyes briefly turning to her before going back to the flooded road. "But those movies are predictable. Where are the stakes? The passion? Sometimes you need something more substantial."
Gwen gaped at him. "Wow," she said, her voice unexpectedly soft. "I didn't peg you for a romantic movie guy."
"No?" he smirked. "What kind of movies did you think I liked?"
"Given how you dress — all dark clothes — and how you like to be all mysterious, something dark, tragic, and obnoxiously highbrow," she said thoughtfully.
"Ouch," he said, his hand flying to heart as if she'd shot him. Gwen rolled her eyes, laughing. "I didn't peg you as such a harsh judge of character."
Gwen shrugged, noticing they were just now passing by the center of town. She hadn't realized how slowly he was driving. It was good that he was being careful. The roads were pretty bad, and it was almost impossible to see. But she couldn't help but worry about missing curfew.
"Not character, just movie tastes," she teased. "Anyway, what were you doing out this late? I didn't think anything in town was open."
Damon was quiet while they drove through a rather deep puddle. He studied her out of the corner of his eye once they were through it. Under his stare, Gwen squirmed. Once again, she felt as if he was trying to read her mind.
"Nothing is," he finally said. His tone perfectly casual, as if the previous tense moment had never happened. "I was visiting an old friend just outside of town."
"Was it fun?" she asked awkwardly. His vagueness about where he had been was disconcerting. She could tell he didn't want to talk about it. Was he involved in something illegal?
"Yeah, I guess," he said nonchalantly, though it seemed a little forced. "To be honest, I was hoping they'd be able to help me with something."
"And they couldn't?"
"Nope," he sighed, a slight frown appearing on his face. "I have other options, though."
"What did you need help with?" she asked hesitantly.
"I can't say, not yet."
She wanted to ask why but stopped herself, reminding herself that she didn't know Damon that well. He could be involved in anything. Gwen was starting to suspect his mysteriousness was more a part of his personality than an act. A chill went through that had nothing to do with her wet clothes and hair. Something was telling her she needed to be careful around him.
The hammering rain filled the silence as Damon drove over the bridge. Gwen could just make out the river below them, flowing faster than she'd ever seen it move. She leaned further into her seat, as if doing so could keep them from falling into the river. She let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding once they reached the other side of the bridge.
"Fear of bridges?" Damon asked, increasing the speed of the car just a little.
She shook her head. "No, I just had a horrible thought of the car going over into the river. Sorry, I'm a little morbid at times."
Damon laughed, unbothered by her revelation. "A little morbidity is all right. Keeps you grounded. Besides, it only proves my first assessment that you're a little goth."
She groaned. "You're not going to let that go, are you?"
"No," he teased, a smile playing on his lips. "In fact, I'm going to start calling you … Barbie Goth."
Gwen pulled a face. "Really? That's the best you can do?"
"You're right. I'll work on it."
The car came to a stop. Gwen looked up to see they'd reached her house. The front porch light was still on, meaning Ric was still up. She glanced at the clock on the dashboard. It was after midnight.
"Think you can make it to the door? It's coming down pretty hard."
"I'll manage," she said, grimacing at the downpour. "It's not far and I'm already soaked. Thanks for stopping."
"Anytime."He paused; his jaw clenched slightly as he mulled over something. Flicking his eyes to hers, she said, "Do you have a phone?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Good, I'll give you my number. Then if you ever need a ride again, you have someone to call."
"Oh, you don't have to," she mumbled, embarrassed once again. "It's really not — "
"Phone. Now," he demanded, cutting off her protests.
Sighing, she dug the phone out of her pockets, which had been protected from the rain by her coat. It was only with some reluctance that she handed it to him. It's not like she needed a personal driver. Walking around Mystic Falls wasn't that bad, and she was usually covered between Ric and Caroline when she did need a ride. But she couldn't ignore the thrill of excitement that went through her as she watched him type in his number.
"Thank you," she said, reaching out to take back her phone. He jerked back, causing her to look up at him.
"I mean it," he said, keeping his eyes locked with hers. "If you need something, just call."
"Thanks," she repeated, accepting the phone from him. Dropping her eyes from him, she said, "I better go. I'm sure my uncle is worried."
She opened the door and the sound of the thundering rain filled her ears. Gwen climbed out as quickly as she could with her bulky bags, slammed the door behind her, and ran up to the front door. Once she reached the semi-safety of the covered porch, Gwen turned around to wave good-bye — but Damon was already backing up and driving away.
Bracing herself for a lecture, she opened the door and went inside the warm house. Even though it was late, Ric still had most of the lights on. Gwen craned her head toward the living room to see if he was in there when she was startled by a voice behind her.
"You're late."
Gwen spun around to face Ric, who was leaning back in his office chair. She should have known he would be in his office. He always was these days. Tonight, it looked as if he'd been there since he got home, if the pile of dishes were anything to go by.
"Yeah, the rain slowed me done. It's pretty bad out there, if you hadn't noticed," she said, unable to keep the sarcasm out of her tone.
"I did. I was wondering why you didn't call for a ride."
"Well, it wasn't raining when I left," she explained, setting her bags on the floor so she could take off her coat. Ric pushed himself out his chair to help her, taking her coat. "Thankfully, Damon was driving by and gave me a ride. He had to drive slow, though; the roads are pretty bad."
Ric had been hanging up Gwen's coat and paused as she continued her explanation. "Who's Damon?"
"Stefan's brother," Gwen said, realizing she hadn't mentioned knowing the older Salvatore before now. She needed to play this off as nothing so he didn't freak.
"He must be older," Ric said in a slightly accusatory tone as he finished hanging up her coat. "Stefan doesn't have a brother enrolled in the school."
"He is. I met him at the Grill. He's there a few times a week," she said casually, toeing off her shoes. She rolled her eyes at his furrowed brow and suddenly tense stance. "He's just a friend, Uncle Ric. Not even that, really. More like an acquaintance. Can't you just be happy I didn't die in this storm."
Relaxing, he smiled. "Fine. I'll let it and missing curfew go this once. Now, go get changed and head to bed. It's late and you still have school in the morning."
She grabbed her bags, calling good night as she ran up the stairs. As soon as she'd taken off her coat, a chill had settled over her despite being inside. Once in her room, Gwen changed out of her wet clothes, setting them over the back of her chair to dry. She was plugging in her phone to charge when she realized her leather bracelet she wore was missing from her right wrist. Her stomach dropped as a feeling of dread filled her.
Practically throwing her phone down, she ran over to her clothes, shaking them vigorously. Finally, the brown, two-inch wide band tumbled out of her sweater sleeves. Sighing in relief, she bent down to pick it up. The band was a gift from her mother, one of the last she'd ever given her. It was, supposedly, a family heirloom. However, Gwen had never seen it before her mom gave it to her. It had a symbol for protection embossed on it. Gwen couldn't remember what culture it was from and she didn't believe it protected her from anything, but it did make her feel closer to her mom.
It looked like the tie of the band had frayed and broken. She set the broken band next to her phone. Ric could probably fix it; he was good at that sort of thing. Gwen walked over to the window to check on the bird feeder she'd hung up that morning. In the dark, she could barely make out its shape as it bounced on the tree branch. Satisfied it was there, she made her way to bed. Exhaustion hit her as she crawled into it. As fell asleep, she focused on hoping for a silent morning and not phone calls from a dark-haired, blue-eyed someone.
AN: Fall semester is here and I'm a full-time college again. I will continue to work on this story and hopefully I can manage at least one update a month. I know that's not a lot, but I don't have a lot of free time between work and school. I just wanted to let anyone reading that I wasn't abandoning this story. Updates might just be slow.
