Firework

Alone

The next couple of months flew by for me, school was school, it never changed wherever you went, however far you travelled, it was easy and boring and that was all there was to it.

The major difference at school was my extra curricular activity. A week after my first movie night Bonnie, Caroline and Elena had cornered me. They had told me all about the fun they had together cheerleading, Caroline being the captain and the other two her seconds. I listened with a smile while slightly bemused, I was glad they had fun, but why tell me all about the new trials they had coming up to replace the members who had graduated?

It all became clear when they stared to ask me to try out. Obviously I point blank said no, why the hell would I try out for a sport when I couldn't even walk in straight line without falling on my face? Bad idea right?

Apparently though I was wrong. After a week of nagging I went to the trials just to prove my point. I couldn't do it without injuring myself or others. In my head a broken wrist was worth it, as long as it stopped them bugging me. It was almost like being around Alice once more without the annoyance.

I arrived at the trials with about twenty other girls, knowing that even if I did manage to not fall over there was no-way I was gonna be better than them. I hadn't reckoned on the judging panel being so biased though. It consisted of Caroline, Bonnie, Elena and another girl called Gina who'd I'd become friendly with in my English Literature class.

The trial was basic, we had to watch one of the routines and copy it as much as we could.

Unfortunately dancing came easy to me, which I would never have thought it would until I met Damon. So I got through the first round easily, in fact, Elena told me later that I was by far the best, I wasn't sure whether to believe her or not but I did realise that I was okay.

The next round was harder, we had to try the stunts. I managed to make it through without killing myself much to my surprise. The next round was simple after that, a group routine combined with stunts. Me and seven other girls were the last in, and I found myself down to the final three that had been accepted.

I was on the cheerleading squad. And I didn't hate every second. In fact I quite enjoyed knowing that I was good at a sport. Another moment, another thing where I felt myself becoming the girl I'd wanted to be rather than the girl that the Cullen's and circumstance had shaped me to be.

The other thing that happened that week was that I turned eighteen. I hadn't told anyone that it was my birthday and when I'd spoken to Charlie I'd begged him not to tell anyone either, reluctantly he'd agreed. I hated my birthday, last year it had been the cause of my world falling apart, that and I hated being the centre of attention.

So as no-one in Mystic Falls knew it was my birthday it was without any trepidation that I went round to the boarding house that Saturday when I got a text off Damon saying he was board. It was a pretty normal text to get off the vampire and as I had no other plans I jumped in my car and drove over.

"Hey!" I called as I walked into the house, at ease as anyone else here now.

"Up here!" Damon shouted back, I could hear the smirk in his voice from two floors down.

I jogged up the stairs only tripping twice before I walked into Damon's room. I still felt safe in this room, safe, cozy and somehow at home. Damon was sprawled on the bed with a book in hand and snacks scattered round him.

"If you're just gonna read then why am I here? I can do that on the comfort of my own bed." I asked while plonking myself next to him and scattering the snacks everywhere earning myself a scowl from Damon.