When Nia Elizabeth Jackson's life ends tragically at the age of sixteen, she finds herself thrust into the enigmatic realm of the afterlife. There, amidst the tranquil gardens of the Rebirthing Station, she's presented with a unique opportunity: to...
I was driving my gang to school, the usual morning routine. Jeremy, always the eager beaver, wanted me to drop him off at class. "I don't get it. Why won't you give him a chance?" Bonnie questioned, her curiosity persistent.
"Because I don't want to, now drop it," I say firmly, rolling my eyes at her insistence. "Leave my sister alone, butterfly," Jeremy interjects, his frustration evident. I sigh and reach over, placing my hand on his chest.
"Listen, it's my life. I get to decide what to do. I'm done arguing about it," I assert, grabbing Jeremy's hand and leading him away from Bonnie's questioning gaze.
"Where is your class?" I inquire once we've distanced ourselves enough from the prying eyes. "Over there," he replies, guiding me towards his classroom where he plants a kiss on my cheek.
"I'll be fine," I assure him, though the doubt lingers in his eyes. I offer him a sad smile before turning to leave.
"Oh, hey," Stefan's voice interrupts my thoughts, and I inwardly groan. I didn't want to engage in conversation; I just wanted to be alone. "Hey," I reply, turning to face him reluctantly.
"How are you?" he asks, and I offer him a sad smile, my inner voice screaming 'stop kidding yourself, Stefan'. "I'm just tired," I admit, trying to deflect the conversation.
"You were sick?" he inquires, concern evident in his voice. "Yes, I fell ill a while ago. I'm much better now. I believe you have class any second now," I deflect, trying to change the subject.
"I wanted to ask you something," Stefan starts, and I internally brace myself. "What is it?" I ask, trying to maintain politeness despite my growing discomfort. "Do you want to go out on a date with me?" he asks, his eyes hopeful.
"Stefan, I'm sure you're an amazing person. But I'm just not interested in dating anyone at this time, and you're just not my type," I say gently, trying to let him down easy. I can see the disappointment in his eyes.
"I understand, it's just—" he begins, but I cut him off with a sigh. "I think it will be best if I leave now," I say, moving to exit the conversation. "Wait," he says, reaching out to grab my arm.
"Stefan, I'm just not interested. I'm sorry," I say firmly, pulling my arm away as I leave. I sigh as I head over to my car, 'Baby', a gift from my dad's old friend, waiting patiently for me.
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"How you doing, Baby," I ask my car, running my hand affectionately over the sleek exterior. I hear a low whistle nearby, prompting me to turn around. "That is a beautiful car," a voice remarks. "Thanks, it was a gift," I reply, offering a polite smile as I face the source.
"I'm Damon Salvatore, and you are?" he introduces himself with a cocky smirk. "I'm Yelena. Are you related to Stefan?" I inquire, already aware of the answer but indulging the conversation nonetheless.
"Well, Stefan's not one to brag, but yes, I am his older, hotter, smarter brother," Damon boasts, and I can't help but roll my eyes at his arrogance. "I see why my brother's so smitten. It's about time. For a while there, I never thought he'd get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him," he continues, glaring at Stefan. 'Why does everyone think that I like Stefan?' I wonder to myself, growing increasingly annoyed.
"Listen, Blue Eyes, I'm only going to say this once. I will never, and I mean never, date a Salvatore. Got it?" I assert firmly, meeting Damon's gaze with determination.
"You act like we're poison. I bet I can change your mind," he counters with a flirtatious grin, causing me to roll my eyes once more. "Listen, I have to get to my... Anyways, you are not even worth the calories I burn talking to you," I retort, crossing my arms over my chest.
Damon smirks and begins to approach me slowly, his gaze intense. He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear and leans in, bringing his lips dangerously close to mine. Reacting on instinct, I swiftly knee him in the groin, causing him to groan in pain and collapse to the floor. "Oh shit," he mutters. "Keep your hands off me and my friends. If I find out you did anything..." I trail off, my voice firm, before climbing into my car and leaving Damon behind.
Later, I head to the building to sort through cases before my alarm rings, signaling it's time to pick up my brother. As I arrive, I spot Bonnie talking to Stefan, both of them engrossed in their phones. Bonnie spots me and rushes over, excitement written all over her face.
"Guess what?" she exclaims eagerly. "What?" I reply, though I already have a sinking feeling about what she's going to say. "I gave Stefan your number. I told him you were playing hard to get," she reveals, and I sigh in frustration.
"No, Bonnie. I'm not. I'm not playing any games or anything," I protest, feeling irritated by her meddling. 'Why is she giving out my number?' I silently question. "No, you are playing hard to get, you just don't know it," she insists, prompting me to roll my eyes.
"Stop it, Bonnie. I'm not playing some sick game. Stop it, please, stop," I plead, garnering odd looks from those nearby. I'm done, utterly frustrated.
"Are you coming to the comet event?" Bonnie asks, completely ignoring my previous statement. I sigh heavily. "No, I'm not. And I am never dating Stefan. So stop bothering me about it," I snap, causing Bonnie to flinch as Jeremy pulls me away.
"Lena, you good?" Jeremy asks, concern evident in his voice. I scoff. "No, I'm not. I'm not interested in Stefan. I'm too occupied with everything else. I can't worry about dating anyone, especially not Stefan," I vent, slamming my hands against the steering wheel in frustration.
"I know, I do," Jeremy offers, attempting to comfort me. "I'm not going out. I'm staying in. I'm done," I declare, driving us home as Jeremy makes apologies to our friends for missing the pick-ups.
"I'm going to meet up with Enzo," I announce upon arriving home, grabbing my bag and keys. "Hey, little savior, are you alright?" Enzo inquires, his concern palpable. I shake my head no, tears beginning to fall.
Through sobs, I pour out everything to Enzo, who listens attentively, his expression growing increasingly grim. I knew Bonnie liked him, and I knew he liked her. "Come on, little savior, we are going to have a movie marathon and cuddle and eat ice cream and popcorn," he suggests, pressing a comforting kiss to my forehead.
