Predator or Prey ➳ D. Salvatore [REWRITING]

➳ 10: our town

ELENA was working out with Alaric's punching bag while Alaric held it still for her, and Carter watched from her position on his couch.

"So, what's got you all worked up?" Ric asked curiously with a jerk of his chin at the doppelgänger.

"I didn't really sleep last night." Elena responded in between blows.

"Yeah, me neither. Probably something to do with dying..." He said gruffly and turned his head to make a face at Carter, who glanced back at him with a worried look.

"Are you okay?" Elena inquired breathlessly, stopping for a second.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine." He assured both of them quickly. "I think the ring, however, is running low on batteries."

"Yeah, that's another reason why Jeremy has to get out of town. If those rings have a shelf life, he is not protected, neither are you." Elena said before kicking the bag with so much force that it knocked him back a few feet.

"Nice, nice, you're getting stronger." Ric praised is genuine pride.

"I'm just channeling frustration." Elena brushed off his compliment while taking her gloves off. "I need coffee." She walked over to the kitchen counter behind her and poured herself a cup.

"I guess Damon's compulsion worked. Jeremy was packing when I left the house, going on about his new school in Denver." Ric brought up, standing there with his hands on his hips.

Carter broke her silence but sighing heavily in annoyance. "I still think all of this was a horrible decision. You took Jer's free will away. He should get to make this choice himself. You know, honestly, I'm surprised Damon even agreed to do it. He's very anti-do what he's told."

"Have you, uh, talked to Damon today?" Elena asked both of them in feigned curiosity.

"Not yet." Carter replied with a shake of her hand then scoffed loudly and wagged her finger in the air while glaring at nothing in particular. "But I do I have a few choices words for him."

"No. Why?" Ric asked in slight suspicion.

"No reason." She lied horribly, spun around to face him, and took a sip of her coffee.

"Well, that's obviously a bullshit lie. But I don't have time to get into it. I have to get ready for school. I will see you both there" Carter stood up from the couch, grabbed her jacket, and made her way toward the door. "See you later, Ric."

When Carter pulled up to the school, she noticed that Bonnie's car wasn't parked in its usual spot. Frowning, the huntress climbed out of her vehicle and walked up the steps to the entrance of the high school.

She saw Elena decorating Caroline's locker for her birthday and did everything she could to avoid being seen, but it was useless. Elena spotted Carter's military rucksack of a backpack and called out above the noise. "Carter!"

Carter swore under her breath and sighed before turning toward the younger teenager. "What's up?"

"Can you help me for a second?" Elena asked as she rushed to finish the locker.

Carter pursed her lips for a moment in thought then reluctantly nodded.

As she was beginning to help Elena, Bonnie came running up to them in a hurry with a sign in her hands. "Hey, sorry I'm late, I... I got held up."