Come As You Are¹ || The Vampire Diaries

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟿: 𝙴𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙿𝚊𝚜𝚝

Suddenly she sprang to life and grabbed my wrists. Her cold dead hands gripped my wrists tightly in a vice-like grip as she slowly inched forward. I watched in silent horror as she opened her mouth with much difficulty.

"Help...me...." She croaked. "Please...my daught—"

I woke up with a gasp and threw my covers off me. I hugged myself, trying to shake off the nightmare that I just had. In and out. I breathed, trying to calm myself. It wasn't real. It was just a dream. Just a dream. "Huh." I breathed out weakly.

Dreams.

You never just have dreams, Ava. I thought to myself. When was the last time, I had a normal dream. I couldn't remember.

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"Remember—"

"—No use of powers. No talking to vampires. Avoid talking about supernatural stuff all together, if possible. Stay safe. Stay alive." I recited obediently, unclipping my seat-belt and getting out of the car. Making sure to grab my bag as I did so. "I remember. You guys practically drilled it into my head over the holidays."

Uncle Nate laughed. "And whose fault is it anyway."

I pouted. "...Damon Salvatore." I said quietly under my breath, standing outside the car.

"No!" He handed me my denim jacket from the backseat and lightly punched me. "It's yours for trying to be a martyr. Our family doesn't make sacrifices."

I opened my mouth to argue and bring up Grandma Janine and Grampa Charles but stopped. They were the whole reason my family stopped caring. Bringing them up would not help my argument.

"Next time, you're in that situation. You. Walk. Away. What did your mom say?"

I looked away annoyed. "...Don't blame other people for my own actions. Don't get involved in other people's mess."

"Exactly." He sat back in his seat and pulled the passenger door to shut it. He rolled down the windows. "Have a nice day. I'll be home a little late, have to swing by the library." He said before he drove off, leaving me standing in the school parking lot alone but surrounded by familiar and unfamiliar faces.

I huffed and stomped over to where Elena and Caroline stood watching me from a distance. "Hey." Elena greeted me, the minute I walked over to her. She looked better than last time I had seen her. "How are you?" She asked quietly while Caroline fussed over something on the side.

"Better. But I can't talk about it too much." I replied, putting on my jacket.

I remembered the family rules. No talking about supernatural stuff. That night fell under that category. Elena nodded unconvinced and stared at me in concern.

"Don't worry 'bout it. It all worked out in the end. Right?" I tried to reassure her.

"Right." She picked up her pace and decided to change the subject. Turning to Caroline, she opened her mouth and went back to the previous conversation. "Have you even talked to Bonnie?"

"No, I'm mad at her. She needs to make the first move." Caroline retorted.

"Be the bigger person."

"Impossible in her presence."

Elena paused near the school building. "Why are you so pissed at her anyway?"

"She's a thief, that's why. I gave her my necklace, and she refuses to give it back. It's a matter of principle."

I scoffed. "Seriously?"

"Seriously." Caroline repeated.

"Caroline. You were complaining about that ugly thing like a few weeks back when you actually had it."