ꜱᴡᴇᴇᴛ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ⇴ ᴛᴠᴅ ² ✓

forty

Billie shoved the books hurriedly into her bag, sunglasses hanging off her nose, not because she had any current clairvoyant responsibilities she wanted to neglect, but because it was a bright morning and she'd spent the last night drinking herself dizzy to ease first day of school nerves.

Senior year, she was finally coming back. The prospect of actually being able to graduate gave her the strangest feeling, a little like hope. Hope that maybe her future wouldn't be such a shitshow after all.

Stepping quickly into her sneakers, Billie kissed a slumped over the counter Georgie on the cheek, receiving a deep groan in response before slipping out the door.

Her aunt had just finished her exams, marking the official half-way point through her final year of med school and when Billie suggested they celebrate together, safe to say, the two of them took it a little far. Billie had flawlessly convinced Georgie to let her drink with her using the argument that in almost every other country she was already at the legal drinking age.

In all honesty, it wasn't just going back to school that had Billie so worked up. After Billie's tip about Ric, they'd discovered that he'd been behind the murders in town, the Gilbert ring that allowed him to cheat death making him black out and go crazy.

Rebekah had also come back into town and while this meant bad news for her friends, Billie actually wanted to see her. The original had always seemed a little misunderstood to her and she always naturally gravitated to the type.

The morning breeze slapped her in the face as she almost tumbled down the front steps to her building, getting ready for the half hour walk until her eyes landed on Damon's car parked on the curb, the vampire leaning casually against the passenger side door.

She abruptly stopped, casting a glance either way down the road cautiously before she stepped forward into hearing distance. "Morning."

Damon smiled to her, opening the door, gesturing for her to get in and rounding the other way.

"Any reason you're parked outside my home at 9am on a Monday?" She finally asked as he stepped on the gas.

He smirked at the road ahead. "I'd never miss your first day of school, Blue."

Billie hummed, narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously. "You need something." It wasn't a question.

"Yup." He popped the 'p' a little. Harper sighed heavily, rubbing her eyes tiredly from under the glasses and grumbling to herself. "Of course."

"Don't get all angsty with me, you don't even know what it is yet!" He tried to defend himself. "No, but I know you." He rolled his eyes, continuing anyway. "All I need is for you to do a little babysitting after school today."

She stared at him from over her glasses with a deadpan expression. "I hate babies." He scoffed, turning a corner with one hand on the wheel. "Not babies, Blue. Adults. You're good at babysitting adults. Besides, you like this one so it shouldn't be so bad."

He didn't need to turn to her to know she wore a questioning look. "It's Ric. Meredith's gonna spend the day with him while we look for something that'll cure all the murdery stuff, but I want you there too... just in case."

Billie laughed a little. "What the hell am I supposed to do if 180 pounds and a knife come my way? Tell him it's a bad idea?" She giggled quietly at the thought.

The corners of his lips turned up and he shook his head softly. "You, do nothing. Just keep the alarm system turned on." As he said that, Damon reached over, taking the sunglasses off her nose and resting it on her head instead.