I walk into the Mystic Grill and look around for Alaric. He doesn't seem to be here, so I grab a booth for us.
While waiting, I pull out my phone and shoot Jenna a text asking about her day. I put my phone back in my bag and Alaric slides into the opposite side of the booth wearing '60s inspired attire. "Nice outfit," I say with a bit of sarcasm.
"I had to work with what I had," he retorts. I give him a small smile in return. "Apparently Klaus is going to be at the dance. It's kinda scary, right?"
"Meh," I shrug my shoulders. "I mean obviously I'm not underestimating him, but what good is being scared going to do? Plus, he may be some real life super villain, but every villain has a backstory. I just wonder what he must've gone through if he is like this now. I get why he wants to break the curse, but I won't just let Elena die."
Alaric looks shocked. The waiter comes up and hands us the menus. I order an Arnold Palmer and Ric orders a coke. Once the waiter walks away, I turn back to the person across from me.
"Yeah, I guess so. How can you feel empathy for someone who is so horrible though?" Ric inquires.
"I guess it's just the fact that because people are so scared of him, he probably hasn't had someone give him a chance in a while. Most of us deserve a chance to prove we are not just the rumors spread about us." I sigh.
The waiter comes back with our drinks and we order. I get chicken tenders and a side salad. Alaric gets a burger and fries.
"Anyways," I begin, "do you want to talk about you and Jenna?"
"No, I think I need to figure that out myself," he replies. "What about you, love? Do you have any current love interests?"
Again with the "love." What the fuck?
"Since when do we talk about relationships and crushes?"
"Since now. So? You never answered my question," he points out.
I stare at Alaric for a second. Something seems off. I don't know what it is, but something isn't right. "Fine. I currently don't have anyone I'm interested in, but Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, and Jenna seem to think someone likes me."
"Who?"
"It's stupid and either way it doesn't matter right now because, as you know, he's trapped."
"Right," Alaric says but he's still confused. "So I was wondering if you were going to go to the dance?"
"No, Damon said I could stay out of it. You should know by now that I try to keep out of the drama so I don't make too many enemies. Obviously I'm going to help them if they need it or ask for it, especially since I've started to get closer to Elena, Care, Bonnie, Jenna, Jeremy, and you. Plus I've known Stefan and Damon for almost 200 years." I take the plate of chicken tenders and salad the waiter just put down and dig into my food. Ric does the same.
His mannerisms seem slightly different. I've always been a people watcher to be able to get to know a person by their body language. It makes me feel more confident in having a conversation with them or fighting them, whichever it is. I just want to make sure nothing has happened and I know the chances of this are slim and I sound ridiculous, but I test him to see if he's possessed or maybe compelled. "Ric, what was it you were telling me last Wednesday about the people in northeast England during the 1600s?"
I didn't hang out with him on that day and he didn't mention anything to me about northeast England. I also just came up with something random that he probably wouldn't know anything about.
"Well," Alaric starts, "I believe I was telling you about King James' plan for war?"
Bullshit. Who could it be though? Who might call people love? Well one certain Original that is supposed to be in town soon is known to call people love. Okay, so its not super well known, but one: he's British, two: apparently its a way to make people feel more scared and creeped out before he sucks them dry.
So it's Klaus? Weird. Why would he say yes to coming here if he obviously has diabolical plans to go through with tonight?
"What do you think Klaus' plan will be," I ask nonchalantly before putting a fork-full of salad in my mouth.
He does the same and seems to contemplate what he's going to say. "I think he will probably do something to try and throw us off or send us on a goose chase. Then he will probably try to take out the strongest one while he distracts the others."
I know that I should probably be texting Stefan and Damon to tell them that I know, but instead I just pull out my phone. "I have a text from Bonnie," I say to Klaus-Alaric. "One sec."
I type a message to her that says: "Try not to over-exert yourself. Also expect the unexpected. I'm rooting for you guys <3"
I get an instant reply that says: "I'll try not to. Thank you, I hope we can get rid of him."
I smile and put mg phone back. "What did she need," Klaus-Alaric asks.
"Just asking if I could drive her and Jer to the dance. But she said that another friend replied and could take them." I smile at him and realize that we've both cleared our plates. "Are you all done?"
"Yeah, here let me pay," Alaric/Klaus offers.
"No. I asked you, I pay." I place my credit card on the table and wave over a waiter for the check.
The waiter comes back with the check and I look over the receipt. They bring my card back and we get up to leave.
He walks me to my car. "Goodnight, Aspen," he says.
"Goodnight, Ric."
I get in my car and sigh, plugging my phone in and pressing play on Darlin' by The Beach Boys.
I feel the wind in my hair as I drive down the long street to the Salvatore house. I lightly bop my head to the music and tap the steering wheel with my index and middle fingers.
⇢⇢⇢⇢
I get a call from Damon around 11:00. "Hello?"
"Penny. I thought you would want to know that Bonnie has died."
"What," I ask. "She's definitely dead?"
"Yes," Damon says.
"Okay. I appreciate you calling." I hang up and lie back on my bed staring at the ceiling. I vamp down to the cellar and grab a blood bag. I am about to go back up when I hear Elena and Stefan come back from the dance. They seem tense and upset, so I decide to stay down here.
The door to the cell is open, so I walk in and see Elijah on the floor, temporarily dead. I sit against the wall and drink the blood bag slowly. "I know you're basically dead and can't hear me, but thank you for sometimes showing me kindness. Sure, it wasn't a lot, but thank you nonetheless," I whisper.
Great. I'm talking to myself.
I have always appreciated the people who make honest and genuine kind gestures rather than those who show a fake kindness to get something or use me. I've had quite a few manipulative friends over the decades and it screws with my mind sometimes. It causes me to constantly question some of the most genuine friendships I have.
At that moment, I hear the cellar door open. I ignore it, but when a shadow shows up at my side, I look up. "Penny," Elena asks.
"Yeah. What are you doing down here?"
"Do you promise not to tell?" She speaks in a quiet whisper while holding out her pinky.
I interlock my pinky with hers. "Promise."
"I'm undaggering Elijah. He's the only person who knows anything about this Klaus guy."
I nod and am about to agree when I remember something. "We have to get him out of here before we undagger him. He hasn't been invited in since the house was put in your name."
Elena furrows her eyebrows as she nods. "So how do we get him out of here?"
"I'm a vampire," I remind her, stating the obvious. "I'll carry you both. Is there a good place we can take him that's private?"
"The old Lockwood cellar?"
"Okay. I know where that is." I grunt as I pick up Elijah bridal style. It's actually kinda funny. I tell Elena to hop on my back and she does.
I listen and hear Stefan in his room. I speed off through the front door and to the old cellar in the middle of the woods. Elena hops off my back and I set Elijah down. She goes to take the dagger out.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," she says. She grips the dagger and pulls it out of his chest, placing it in her pocket.
"Now we wait," I sigh, sitting on the floor with Elena, leaning against one of the rock walls.