Chapter 4: The Divide
The sting of Damon's words lingered on Elena's tongue like a bitter aftertaste. Frustrated and confused, she sought solace in Caroline, the one person she thought would understand.
Finding Caroline in her room, sketching with a forlorn expression, Elena barged in, spilling out her woes.
"Can you believe them?" she exclaimed, gesturing wildly. "Stefan practically threw me under the bus!"
Caroline, startled, looked up from her sketchbook. "Elena, what are you talking about?"
"It's ridiculous! Jo's barely cold in the ground, and Stefan's already back with you!"
Caroline frowned, setting down her sketchbook. "Elena, grief affects everyone differently. We're just trying to find some solace, some normalcy."
Elena scoffed. "Normalcy? You call sneaking around with Stefan normal? Don't you think it's a bit… disrespectful?"
A tense silence followed, broken only by the scratching of Caroline's pencil.
"Disrespectful to who?" Caroline finally asked, her voice laced with a newfound firmness.
"To Jo, of course!" Elena blurted out. "It's insensitive!"
Caroline stood up, her eyes flashing with anger. "Elena, you need to stop! Stefan and I are allowed to be happy. We're not disrespecting anyone."
Before Elena could retort, Bonnie entered the room, drawn by the raised voices.
Sensing the tension, Bonnie's smile faltered. "Everything alright?" she asked, her gaze flitting between Elena and Caroline.
"No, thanks to you!" Elena spat, her voice filled with venom.
Bonnie's jaw clenched, a flicker of hurt crossing her face. "What did I do?"
"You playing house with Damon!" Elena ranted, unleashing the full force of her pent-up emotions. "It's disgusting! Don't you have any respect for Alaric, for Jo?"
The room spun, a wave of dizziness washing over Bonnie. Tears welled up in her eyes as she faced the weight of Elena's accusation.
"I care about Alaric deeply," Bonnie said, her voice trembling slightly. "And Jo… Jo was my friend."
"Then why don't you act like it!" Elena screamed, her voice laced with cruelty. "Maybe if you hadn't messed with your stupid magic, Kai wouldn't have gone crazy, and Jo would still be alive!"
The room fell silent. The weight of Elena's words hung heavy in the air, a crushing blow to Bonnie's already fragile heart.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway, growing louder until Damon and Stefan burst into the room, drawn by the escalating voices. Their faces hardened as they witnessed the scene.
Stefan rushed to Caroline's side, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Damon, his eyes burning with fury, marched towards Elena. "Did you really just say that to Bonnie?"
Elena, momentarily taken aback by his sudden appearance, stammered, "Damon, I—"
"Enough, Elena!" he roared, his voice laced with a dangerous edge. "Get out. Now."
Elena flinched, tears streaming down her face. "B-but you don't understand—"
"There's nothing to understand," Damon said, his voice cold and devoid of sympathy. "Bonnie has been your friend, your anchor, through everything. She's sacrificed more than anyone to save your life, to save Alaric's life! And you have the audacity to blame her for this?"
He paused, his gaze raking over Elena's tear-streaked face. "Don't come back here until you learn to see her for who she truly is – a hero. Until you can respect her, you're not welcome."
Elena, overwhelmed by Damon's anger and the hurt in Bonnie's eyes, stumbled out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
Silence descended upon the room, heavy with unspoken emotions. Caroline reached out and squeezed Stefan's hand, seeking comfort. Bonnie stood frozen, clutching a crumpled tissue, tears staining her cheeks.
Damon walked over to Bonnie and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Bonnie, you alright?"
Bonnie looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and gratitude. "I…" she began, then stopped, unable to find the words.
Damon pulled her into a hug, holding her close. "You don't deserve her words, Bonnie," he whispered. "You're stronger than you think."
Bonnie leaned into his embrace, finding solace in his comforting warmth. In that moment, surrounded by the people who truly cared about her, a flicker of hope rekindled in her heart. Even though Elena's cruel words had left a deep wound.