Eska ~ The Forgotten Gilbert

23. Preparation

Eska's POV

"So will you be my escort, Stefan?" My sister was smiling brightly at Stefan, who had been acting strangely, his normally serious face now more melancholic. I knew he'd been struggling with weaning himself off human blood again, and though he claimed he was sorted and back on animal, part of me doubted him, and I hated myself for it. 

I'd found that I was more and more at fault for things, and was giving myself a hard time. I scored only an 85% on a test that I felt I should have got at least 90% on, and felt the shame of it every time I walked past that particular class room. I was avoiding spending time with Jacob in case I did or said something wrong, and that meant I was a horrible girlfriend, and now I was doubting Stefan's word, which made me an even worse friend. 

I sighed heavily, putting the lid back on my barely touched lunch box, hating myself more than ever, the thought of eating food making me feel sick. I stood up, swinging my bag over my shoulders, and made to leave the group who were still finishing up their lunch. 

"Where you going, Eska?" Bonnie called out to me, and I had to stop myself from looking surprised at her speaking to me. She'd only just come back to school after her Gram's death, and she was acting different to normal, seeming to spend more time with Caroline than my sister, who didn't seem too bothered, following Stefan around instead. 

"Oh, um, was just going to head to the library. I need to return a book."

"I'll come with."

I couldn't argue - I was already an awful person as it was, and Bonnie pushed her chair under the table and walked beside me to the library.

"Look, I was wondering..." she sounded shy, something I'd never associated with Bonnie before, her beautiful smile and bright eyes always making her seem confident to me. "I was wondering if you wanted to come over. We could talk... witchy things."

I looked at her, surprised, and found myself nodding. "I'd... I'd love to. Thanks Bonnie."

Bonnie smiled at me, the smile actually meeting her eyes for the first time since she'd come back to school. "Talking witch makes me feel close to my Grams. There's nobody else I can talk to about this."

"Of course, I understand." I rushed to comfort her, wanting her to know that I was there for her.

"Are you free tonight?" 

I shook my head, woefully. "Sorry, I promised Elena I'd help her get ready for Miss Mystic Falls."

"Oh yeah," Bonnie hit her forehead. "I'd forgotten too - said I'd go shopping with Caroline. Maybe another time?"

"Definitely." 

Bonnie took my hand and gave it a little squeeze before she walked away to her next class, and I felt a sudden warmth rush over me. She had good intentions. Perhaps this is what it was like to have a true friend.

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"You look amazing, 'Lena," I said, watching my twin waltz around the living room in her dress. "Mum would be so proud." 

She stopped and looked at me, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. "Do you think so?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. 

"I know so." I smiled at her, and she grinned back at me, wiping her eyes quickly and sniffing. "How are you going to do your hair?"

"Oh I don't know," she said, a small frown creasing her forehead. "I hadn't really thought of it yet. What do you think? I wondered whether I should curl it. Sometimes I'm so envious of your curls."

I sat open-mouthed, astonished at her easy compliment. For so long we'd been a sort of odds, her ignoring or belittling me, and me allowing her to say whatever she pleased and diminish my existence. I couldn't remember the last time she'd said something nice to me, and I let my walls down just a little.

"I...I could curl it for you?" I suggested, wondering how long this actual loving sisterly relationship would last, eager to make the most of it and spend quality time with her.

"Really? That'd be great!" She clasped her hands together, and came to give me a hug. "That's enough," she said, pulling away from me. "I don't want to crease my dress."

Some things never change.

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Damon's POV

The doorbell rang, and I opened the front door, annoyed to be disturbed. It was Anna, the vampire from the tomb, looking forlornly at me. 

"I came to apologise." 

I frowned. Like an apology was going to do anything...

"I'm sorry about what the others did to your brother. And that human girl. Esme?"

"Eska." I corrected her sharply. 

"Right." She shrugged. "I want you to know that my mother has sent them away. It's just her and I now. You'll have no more trouble from us."

"And the vampires that are stealing blood from the hospitals?" 

Anna looked confusedly at me. "That's not us?"

"Oh sure. For once, I believe that correlation and causation agree." I smirked at her, enjoying her floundering. 

"No really, it isn't us." 

"Well, whoever it is, they need to stop. They're putting our identities at risk."

"Well it's not us. I came here to apologise. I'm done."

Anna left and moments later, my brother arrived home. 

"Brother." I greeted, and he nodded curtly at me, seemingly in a hurry to get somewhere in the house as he brushed past me. A sudden thought struck me. "Say, Stefan. I don't suppose you're aware of the blood going missing from the hospitals, are you?"

"No." He replied to quickly for my liking, and I frowned. 

"So it's definitely not you, still high on life and human blood, looking for that next fix?"

"I'm clean, Damon. Leave it."

"Ok, ok..." I watched my brother leave the room, and followed him silently as he headed down into the basement, taking a blood bag from the stash. "Oh, I see." He jumped and I chuckled to himself. "You just got your next fix."

"I have it under control, Damon." He hissed at me, the blood already coating his teeth from where he'd taken a sip.

"Oh yes, I see that." I snarked, frowning at him. 

"It's fine." He insisted.

"No, it's not fine!" I'd had enough. "Stealing the bags is dangerous, Stefan! You're bringing unwarranted attention to us. And you can't even control yourself!"

"Just leave it," my brother snapped at me. "I'll sort it." He left before I could stop him.