(1) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Forty-One

Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena are preparing dinner when Cassandra arrives home, shrugging out of her jacket and throwing it down on the couch. Bonnie looks at her through the kitchen and raises an eyebrow in question at her mood. Cassandra shakes her head and waves it off. She doesn't want to talk about it. She doesn't want to admit that when Damon kisses her. It does things. He does things to her. Tingly things to her. And she can't get attached. She doesn't want to. She knows she shouldn't because he's already proven that he's not a good person. He's hurt her. Physically. But he also let her go. He also kept his word about keeping her out of vampire drama. Makes her smile. Considering the year she's had, that's proven to be a difficult task.

"You okay?" Elena asks her, Cassandra nods and leans against the counter at her side.

"What about you?" Cassandra counters. "Saw you with Stefan earlier at school" Elena shrugs and glances at her sister.

"He's keeping his distance" Elena offers. "He's not even going to go to school anymore"

"I'm sorry" Cassandra offers as she picks up a fry from the bowl. "I know I don't like him but...."

"Know I do" Elena agrees, Cassandra nods. "How's Damon?" Elena asks her, Cassandra gives her a weird look. "Your lipstick is smudged" She whispers with a smirk. Cassandra shoots her a look and moves to the window to check her reflection, quickly rubbing at the smeared lipstick. "So is that happening?"

"No" Cassandra defends. "It's not happening....he kind of surprised me with it..." Elena gives her a look. "Look, we talked about this. I'm not looking for anything. And to be honest, there is so much drama" Cassandra runs her fingers through her hair. "I can't deal with more...I had enough of it with everything that happened with Tyler, and Vicki, and..the crash..." Elena nods a little, understanding that Cassandra just wants simplicity for a while. And with vampires around. That is probably not going to happen any time soon. "Where's your necklace gone, Bonnie?" Cassandra asks as she motions to Bonnie's neck. Bonnie lifts her hand and touches the empty space.

"Will you hate me if I tell you I threw it away?" Bonnie admits, Cassandra leans up and gives her a look.

"You threw it away?"

"I had to get rid of it," Bonnie admits, Cassandra softens a little and then nods. She knows that Bonnie was having those weird dreams because of it. because of Emily. And to be honest, Cassandra probably would have thrown it away too.

"Then you threw it away" She offers and shrugs. "It's okay, it was hideous anyway" She teases, Bonnie laughs a little. "Are we doing manicures or what? Who has their kit?"

"Mine's in my bag" Bonnie offers, Cassandra hums and moves to rifle through Bonnie's purse for the manicure kit.

"So, Elena...how long do you think this fight with Stefan's gonna last? Is it...like a permanent thing?" Caroline asks her.

"I don't know, Caroline" Elena answers. Cassandra frowns down into Bonnie's bag.

"Urm...Bonnie" She starts, Bonnie looks at her.

"What?" Bonnie counters, Cassandra holds up the crystal, and Bonnie and Elena gape at her in shock. "I swear I threw it away" Bonnie assures Cassandra but she knows that Bonnie isn't lying, she can feel it.

"It's true. I watched her throw it into a field!" Elena adds. Bonnie then seems to realise what might be going on.

"Emily." Bonnie offers, Caroline frowns and looks between the three of them.

"Who's Emily?" She asks.

"The ghost" Bonnie answers.

"Oh, the ghost has a name now?" Caroline mocks.

"Caroline, please." Elena scolds her.

"I wonder why she won't leave me alone." Bonnie whispers.

"What is going on? Why am I not a part of this conversation? You guys do this to me all the time" Caroline scolds them.

"That's not true." Elena defends.

"Yes it is" Cassandra counters, Elena shoots her a look.

"I can't talk to you. You don't listen" Bonnie tells

"That's not true."

"I'm a witch" Bonnie admits.

"And don't we all know it?" Caroline mocks slightly.

"See? That's what I'm talking about. I'm trying to tell you something. You don't even hear it" Bonnie argues, getting upset that her friend isn't paying attention to what she is saying here. What she is admitting to.

"I listen" Caroline defends. "When do I not listen?" She asks them, the three of her friends all give her a look.

............

Caroline and Bonnie are talking in a room by themselves. Cassandra and Elena lingering in the kitchen, close by, listening in on their two friends attempting to talk, seriously, to make up in a way.

"Bonnie. Look, it's just not me. I don't believe in the..." Caroline gestures with her hands and makes a noise. Elena and Cassandra sharing a look, Cassandra rolls her eyes in response. "But, if you do, then...okay. I'm in. That's all it takes for me to jump on board, because I consider you to be my best friend. And I'm saying this, knowing that Elena and Cas are in the kitchen listening to my every word. Look, I didn't know how real this was for you, but I'm listening now. Okay?" Caroline asks. "You two can come in now. We're done" She adds, directed towards the twins. Cassandra and Elena enter the room smiling. "There is just way too much drama in this room. So, what do you guys wanna do? I have an idea. Why don't we have a séance?"

"I don't think that's a good idea" Bonnie argues nervously.

"Yeah" Cassandra agrees.

"Come on. Let's summon some spirits. This Emily chick has some serious explaining to do" Caroline argues. Bonnie glances at Cassandra who shrugs a little but is unsure. This whole psychic thing, she's pretty sure that covers ghosts too, right? She's not exactly excited to test the theory.