The Other Gilbert Girl

The Night Of The Comet

I ride up to the house to see Elena still in her car. I walk up to it and knock on her window.
She opens her door and gets out, I put my skateboard in her backseat.
"You waited. I'm sorry it took so long. I took all the short cuts that I know." I tell her and we walk up to the door.
"It's okay." She says and she pulls down on the red rope for the doorbell. I then knock on the door and it opens. "Stefan?" Elena calls out.
We walk further into the house. "Stefan?" She calls out again. We here creaking behind us and we turn around and a few seconds later a crow flys into the house through the wide open door. When Elena and I turn around there's a man standing right in front of us with black hair and bright blue eyes. "We're sorry for barging in. The door was... open." She trails of when we turn around and the door is now closed.
"You must be Elena." The guy says. "And you're.." He says looking at me.
"Phoebe. Her little sister. I'm in Hunter's grade." I tell him.
"I can see the family resemblance. In the eyes." He tells us and I stifle a laugh. "Did I say something?" He says with a slight smile.
"Oh, no. It's just, I'm adopted. We're not related by blood." I tell him.
"Oh, I see." He says with a chuckle. "Well, I'm Damon, Stefan and Hunter's older brother." He tells us and I frown. I didn't know he had another older brother.
"He didn't tell me he had another brother." Elena says reading my mind. Woah. Adopted sis telepathy.
"Well, they aren't ones to brag. Please, come. I'm sure Stefan will be along any second." He says.
"Okay. Well um, is Hunter here?" I ask him.
"Oh yeah. His room is upstairs." He tells me and points in the direction of the stairs. I walk over and up them. This house is huge, I think I'm about to never find it when I see him sitting on his bed reading a book.
"Hey." I say knocking on his open door.
"Oh, hi. What're you doing here?" He asks surprised.
"I'm sorry. I should've called, or texted. My sister wanted to see your brother and I mean I wouldn't mind seeing you, so she dragged me along and-" He cuts me off.
"It's fine. I'm happy your here." He says.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"God, what do you do to me? I mean, I'm never like this. I'm never unsure of what I do, or say. But I am when I'm around you. I have no idea what I'm doing." I tell him and he steps closer to me. At first I think he's about to tell me something but then he places his hand on my cheek and his lips meet mine. This time I don't hesitate to kiss back.
"Hunter-" I hear Stefan call and we break apart and I turn and see him standing in the door way. "Oh, um Phoebe your sister just left." He tells me.
"She left?" I ask.
"Yeah. Um, did you need a ride home?" He asks me.
"No! I um, mean no I'm good. I've got my skateboard with me. " I say and blush some more at my out burst.
"Here I'll uh, walk you to the door." Hunter tells me.
"Okay." I say, we walk out of his room but I can feel Stefan walking behind us. When we make it to the front door and I can't see my skateboard anywhere it dawns on me that it's in my sister's car. I mutter a 'shit' but I think both boys hear me because they turn to look at me.
"What's wrong?" Stefan asks.
"Oh, nothing. My skateboard is just in my sister's car. Which she drove home in." I tell them.
"Oh. Well that's fine I'll just give you a ride home." Stefan offers.
"Oh, um, that's fine. I'll just walk." I tell them and zip up my coat.
"You're crazy that's like 5 miles away." Hunter tells me.
"It's fine really." I tell Stefan.
"Stop trying to be kind, okay? I can't just let you walk home. I'll pull the car around while you guys uh, say your goodnights." Stefan says with a laugh and he walks out. I just nod because I didn't want to see rude or ungrateful. But also because I didn't particularly want to tell Stefan or Hunter that I haven't been in a car since my parents died. I know I can't avoid them forever, I just wasn't prepared to go in one tonight.
"I'll text you, okay?"
"Yeah." I say with a nod.
"Okay. So, we uh, still on for tomorrow night? Let's say I'll um, pick you up at 6?" He says.
"Yeah. 6 is great. But maybe I can meet you there?" I ask.
"Yeah, that will work. I'll see you then." He then leans down and presses a kiss to my lips. I smile after we pull away. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight." I tell him and walk towards the door. The car is there running and Stefan is in the Driver's seat. I take a deep breathe and walk over to the car. My heart beats faster and faster the closer I get to the car. I open the door and sit down in the seat. Okay, not so bad. I tell myself but I'm internally freaking out. We are about 2/3 way to my house when I really start to feel like I can't breathe. I take of my jacket.
"Are you okay?" Stefan asks me.
"Can you pull over the car?"
"What?"
"Please, just um pull the car over." I tell him. He does and I stumble out of the car I walk until I grab the tree on the side of the road.
"Are you okay? Phoebe?"
"Brother. Call. Jeremy." I tell him in between breathes and point to my phone in the car. He rushes over and I fall to the ground with my back against the tree, trying to catch my breathe.
"Jeremy? Yeah, I was driving your sister home- Yeah Phoebe, and it looks like she may be having panic attack. She um, wanted you. Okay, yeah." I hear him say and he puts the phone up against my ear.
"Jer, I can't- breathe." I tell him.
"Okay, just listen to me Phoebe, okay? You're okay. I promise. You're not drowning, you can breathe. I know you're strong enough to do this. Breathe with me. In- Out. In- Out. In- Out." He says slowly and I can feel the air in my lungs.
"Okay. I'm okay now." I tell him.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I'll be fine the rest of the way home." I tell him.
"Okay. Call me if you need anything." He tells me and I smile.
"Okay. I'll see you when I get home. Bye." I say and hang up. I look up to see Stefan already looking at me. "Okay. Let's get going." I tell him and get up and walk towards his car. He gets into the driver's seat but doesn't move to start the car. " I haven't been in a car since the accident. I know, I should have just told you why I didn't want the ride home. It's just Hunter was standing right there, and I didn't want him thinking that I'm some crazy person who can't step foot into a car. And I know I can't be afraid of cars forever." I tell him looking out the front window.
"It wouldn't have mattered. He would want to know, he would want to help." Stefan tells me and I know he's talking about hunter.
"I know." I say with a smile. "He's just.. he is not like any guy I've ever met. He is so different." I say.
"Trust me. He feels the same about you. Now do you want me to walk with you to your house?" He asks.
"Um, no driving will be okay. We're only like 5 minutes away." I tell him and he nods, starts up the car and starts down the road. I open the window and lean my head on it. It makes me more calm, knowing that I have another way out of the car.
    "Okay. You okay?" Stefan asks as we pull up to my house. I unbuckle my seatbelt and get out.
   "Yeah. Thanks um, for the ride." I tell him through the window.
  "Yeah, hey if you need anything, I mean you and my brother have this thing, and me and your sister have a thing too. But, I'm here if you need to talk." He tells me.
   "Thanks, Stefan. That means a lot." I say and walk up to my house.
   "Phoebe, did Stefan give you a ride home?" She asks.
  "Yeah. My skateboard was in your car, so he gave me a ride." I tell them.
  "And you were in a car?" Aunt Jenna asks.
  "Yeah, Aunt Jenna that's usually how someone gets dropped off." I tell her with a laugh, obviously hiding the fact that after I got into the car I had a panic attack.
   "Okay. Well um, we're making dinner want to help?" She asks me.
   "Yeah, sounds good." I say with a genuine smile.
   "We're also talking about boys." She adds.
   "Yeah, when I was at Stefan's house and after he showed up, he was really weird. He practically rushed me out the door." Elena explains.
   "That's weird. Although I think Damon's pretty cool." I say.
    "Yeah. Stefan acted super weird around him, and he didn't tell me he had another brother. Anyways, how was it with Hunter?" She asks and now both girls were looking at me.
   "Oh, ya know the normal." I say as I cut some food.
    "Oh, come on. Give us more details." Aunt Jenna says to me.
   "Okay, well we're going on  a date tomorrow night and then going to the comet thing together." I tell them.
   "That's so great, honey." Aunt Jenna tells me.
  "We've also kissed a few times." I add quietly. "I know I just met him but, It's like we just.. get each other." I tell her.
   "I get it honey, just be careful."  
  "Yeah, I know. Do you guys have anything going on tonight? What about a movie night?" I ask.
   "Yeah, that sounds great!" Aunt Jenna says.