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four

She was actually much prettier up close, Billie deduced in her head, but it felt a bit bitter considering the brunette held a rude tone of voice. But Billie could tell she was concerned.

"What was what about?" Billie responded politely. It was a little funny to her how the brunette's impatience got the best of her for a moment and she huffed through her nose, locking her jaw.

She pointed generally in the direction of where Damon and Bonnie were talking.

"That. What the hell is that about?"

Billie nodded in understanding and turned her head to see them, tilting it sideways in contemplation.

"Well, I would tell you to go ask them yourself, but it seems your totting on the edge of a fit..." The brunette sent daggers at her and Billie smiled playfully, "Kidding, kidding. Damon came over and said there was a problem. He also thinks he's a hundred and eighty six years old, I think you should get that checked." Billie creased her brows in slight concern of the man, before she cleared her face to look at the brunette, but she'd already stomped back towards the school.

Her boyfriend hung his head a bit and tried for a charming smile, but Billie could tell he had a lot on his mind. "I'm sorry about Elena, she's just been really tightly wound these last few days." He genuinely looked apologetic and Billie couldn't help but smile kindly at him, nodding her head.

"Yeah, you don't say..." She chuckled lightly and looked back up at him, seeing he was looking right at her, no, almost through her. Billie started to squirm a bit under his gaze and quickly put on a smile. "It's fine, don't worry about it." Billie gestured with her head to the school's entrance. "You should probably go check up on her."

He nodded distractedly at her and started to move away, turning back on a second thought. "I'm Stefan, by the way. And Bonnie's a good friend. You can trust her with a lot." He said the words meaningfully, like she should understand what he meant, but when he turned back around to follow his girlfriend, Billie was more confused then ever.

She got up, deciding to head to the bleachers for the rest of lunch eating her snack and revising over the work dumped over her throughout the day. Despite how she'd felt at the beginning of the day, it seemed AP History was about as easy as her homework was gonna get.

»»»

Walking home let Billie finally think about the day. She felt accomplished with what she'd done. But Bonnie's friends had confused Billie. Damon's weird words and Stefan speaking like he was seventy years old, no less the cryptic message he'd sent her. And that was all over a total of five minutes. She couldn't imagine how Bonnie must feel, being friends with them for years, presumably.

Aunt Georgie still wasn't home by the time Billie unlocked the door with her spare keys. She only shrugged and continued to the kitchen, guessing that food would be her responsibility. She'd never cooked much at home.

When Billie was younger and the business hadn't become such an overwhelming part of the Harper's lives, Cara used to cook for the family, sometimes Noah. Some days they'd cook together, laughing and accidentally spraying red sauce at each other. All while young Billie would sit at the island, head cupped in her hands, admiring her parents' love, wishing it for herself one day.

Nowadays it was take out and junk food, Cara would hire chefs sometimes when people came to visit, business partners, potential clients. But Billie never got to eat at home when that happened, she'd be told to go to the library or a friend's house. Anywhere but home.

A drop landed suddenly on the marble countertop Billie rested on and she realised she'd been crying. She laughed sadly at herself. She still cared about them and she missed them, even after they'd kicked her out to save their reputation.