The party had started an hour ago but I didn't feel like partying all of the sudden. Something was missing, I didn't know what but it felt like something wasn't right. I sighed and stopped dancing. I sat down at a spot on the grass next to the pool where no drinks were spilled or nobody had thrown up. Leaning back, I had a great view over everyone outside and I started to guess the names with the faces. I recognized maybe ten of all the people who were here, which was at least sixty. A group of guys was watching me but I ignored them, I sat here alone for a reason. But apparently, one of them didn't get it and walked over with two drinks. I smiled. It was actually flattering if a guy came talking to you. I felt better, while just a second ago, I didn't want to be bothered at all.
''Hi, can I sit next to you? There are drinks spilled everywhere except here.''
''Sure. Is that the only reason you wanted to sit here? '' I looked at the two drinks he was still holding.
The guy got a shy look and offered me one. I thanked him but before I was able to drink, Stefan showed up and took it out of my hand.
''What are you doing?'' Me and the boy both asked.
Stefan shrugged and drunk it up. He raised an eyebrow and looked from me to the guy where after he left without saying a word.
I sighed.
''That was weird.'' He made little circles around his temple with his finger.
''That was my brother.'' I looked down, a little ashamed.
''That makes it even weirder. '' He smiled. ''I'm Josh. ''
''I'm Elena. Sorry about your drink.''
''It was beer but it wasn't cold anymore so no hard feelings.'' Josh winked.
I laughed, it felt nice to feel like a normal teenager, to go out and talk to different boys. Josh was cute, he had the looks of a surfer. His dark blond hair was styled with gel and he had amazing cheekbones, I had never seen a guy with those cheekbones that had a head which didn't look like a square box. The trunks he wore with no shirt, made the image complete. I couldn't help but glance every once in a while at his muscular chest. He was sitting practically naked next to me.
''Too bad I didn't get to taste it, even though Stefan probably enjoyed it.''
''Stefan? The brother?'' He asked. I confirmed with a nod.
''You came with him?''
I shook my head.
''I'm old enough to have my own friends. '' I smiled. A cold breeze made my hair fly in front of my face and I put it back in its place.
''So, you know Tyler?''
Josh nodded and had nothing but good things to say about the football player. I was glad because there were people who talked about Tyler as if he was a not very monogamous guy. And I wished Caroline all the best.
In the middle of his explanation about why boys hated reading, Josh looked up and greeted someone.
''Hi Jake!'' I looked up and couldn't believe my eyes. My heart started pounding and a rush of guilt ran over me. Guilt? What had I done to feel guilty about? I immediately jumped up but didn't know why. God, I hated all this confusion. There was definitely something wrong with me.
''Hi, Josh. Bothering girls, like usual?'' Jake looked at me.
''He isn't giving you trouble, is he?''
I shook my head.
Josh looked from Jake to me and back. And then sighed.
''Of course you know her. Can't you leave one girl on this planet for me? '' He kicked a can and walked back to his friends. I frowned.
''What was that about?'' I asked.
''I don't know. Josh is a good friend but ninety percent of the time, I don't understand what he means. ''
I laughed.
''Josh is a nice guy,'' I told him and looked around to see Caroline, so I could introduce the two of them. She was nowhere to be seen, nor were Willow and Jenna. When I spotted Stefan, lying on the ground, probably high even though I thought it was impossible as a vampire to get high, I was glad I needn't worry about any vampires.
''Are you alone?'' Jake asked, looking at me.
''No, I'm here with Willow, the girl who helped me escape school, Jenna, Caroline and Bonnie.''
''Where are they?''
I almost hadn't heard him because the music was turned louder and it was impossible to talk without screaming. Jake said something else but I couldn't hear him and when I gave up trying to understand him, he took out his phone, typed something and pointed at my phone in my pocket. I took it out and read I had a new message. It was Jake. I looked up at him and frowned. He gestured to read it, so I did.
Want 2 go 2 somewhere else? A couple of friends of mine are having a bonfire, it's nearby.
Right after I'd read it, another message came in.
+ it's much quieter so we can talk instead of texting J
I smiled, deleted the messages in case Klaus would take my phone again and send ''k'' back. I doubted whether to tell one of the girls because if Stefan suddenly decided to look for me, he could compel them. On the other hand, I couldn't leave without telling them something, they might get worried. I decided to send a message that said I was tired and had left the party. Stefan would believe it, in his state of mind.
It wasn't until we had walked almost a mile until we didn't hear the noise of the party at Tyler's. He was lucky to not have neighbors. The Lockwood's house was surrounded by a forest, owned by them of course.
''How do you know Josh?'' Jake asked me while holding a branch out of the way so I could go through.
I thanked him and answered.
''I don't. He came talking to me.'' Jake laughed and shook his head.
''Typical Josh. He's a good guy though, he is just very social sometimes.''
''How do you know him? Is he at my school like Matt?''
''Yeah, he goes to the same school as you two do. I think he's a year older. Or the same age as you, I don't know. ''
''How old are you?'' I asked, it didn't matter but I was curious.
''I'm eighteen.'' He looked at me. ''Why were you alone at the party?''
''I wasn't, I had-''
''No, '' he interrupted me, ''I mean, why were you sitting alone? Josh only talks to girls without other people around. He is too shy. ''
I looked up at the sky. There were several stars but one was bigger than the others.
''I-'' I couldn't explain why. I didn't even know why I had felt like that. There were plenty of excuses I could make up, tell him I had sore feet, that I had been waiting for someone who hadn't come but I wanted to tell the truth.
''I didn't feel like partying anymore.''
''And now?''
''I feel better. '' I admitted. I hadn't noticed it but I felt much better than a couple of minutes ago, before Jake and Josh talked to me.
''Good.'' Was Jake's answer. We walked about half a mile when I saw a little light coming through the woods and smoke going up.
''Who are your friends?'' I asked, realizing I probably didn't know any of them because Jake didn't go to my school. I suddenly felt scared and nervous. What if they didn't like me or Jake felt tired of being with me because I only knew him?
''Don't worry, you'll like them.''
I didn't worry about me, I worried about them, whether they'd like me. How did he even know I was worried? It was crazy that he always seemed to know what I was thinking.
''How do you do that?'' I asked.
''Do what?'' He genuinely seemed confused. I shook my head and didn't answer. We arrived and there were about twelve people sitting around a huge fire which made it difficult to see the people behind it.
''Jake! '' A girl, about twelve years old, ran to him. Jake picked her up and swung her around where after he put her down. She looked at me.
''Who's this?'' The girl crossed her arms and I was almost sure she looked jealous. I wanted to introduce myself but didn't think the girl would like that. If she wanted me to speak, she would've asked me my name.
Jake grinned.
''Charlotte, be nice. This is a friend of mine, her name is Elena.''
''Hi.'' I waved but she turned around and walked back to the fire where she sat down next to a tall guy who almost was as muscled as the Hulk. I was not exaggerating.
''Don't mind her, she'll come around. ''
I nodded but I knew how children could be with a crush. They didn't come around easily.
Almost everybody greeted Jake and me with a smile, the atmosphere was very happy and friendly. After we sat down, on the opposite side of Charlotte, I asked him about the guy sitting a couple of people away from us.
''Why did he ignore you?'' I asked, even though he also hadn't said a thing to me.
''We don't get along very well. '' Was all he said before someone asked him to come and get more wood for the fire. I was left alone with eleven strangers and felt a little out of place. The woman next to me must have noticed because she started talking.
''Hi, I'm Nancy.''
''Elena. '' I told her and shook her hand. She had a very pretty tattoo on it, it wasn't big. It was a line that went straight up and bowed a little later with a little curl on the end with two dots on the outer side.
''What does it mean?'' I asked her and pointed at her ring finger, it was tattooed on the side.
''This?'' she held her finger up, ''This is the sign we get when we marry.''
''So no rings?'' I asked and wondered what the tattoo meant. She smiled at my statement.
''No, no rings. '' She thought for a moment, asked something to the guy on her right and took his hand.
She put their fingers against each other, he had the same tattoo as her. When the two fingers touched, the tattoo's formed a heart with four dots on the outer side, it was very pretty.
''That's way better than rings,'' I said, and meant it.
''I'm sorry if I offend you, but aren't you a little young to be already married? '' Nancy didn't look older than 22 on the outside, even though she sounded much older. She smiled and looked at her husband.
''Mason and I have been together since we were five. We were inseparable. The moment we turned 21, we got married because we had been together for already sixteen years, even though it was only very serious from my sixteenth birthday. I knew it was him, I've always known. ''
''And I've also always known it was her,'' Mason interfered where after they gave each other a kiss so full of love I needed to turn my head away. I felt like an intruder.
''So you and Jake, how do you know each other?'' Nancy asked. Her eyes looked intensely at me.
I didn't know what to say for a second because I couldn't tell him we met in the tree outside my house. But I also didn't want to lie to a woman I'd just met. Thank god Jake had just come back and answered for me.
''We have a mutual friend, you remember Matt? From my karate classes.''
''Yeah, you've mentioned that boy a couple of times. ''
I smiled thankfully and impressed at Jake. He hadn't lied and hadn't told the truth either. I needed to practice it so I could tell something like that too. An older man, I guessed he was around forty years old and the oldest here, wore a necklace I recognized. It was the same triangle with an eye in the middle as I had found in Klaus's room but it had another color. Klaus's was red, this one was brown. I would ask Jake later, I was curious what it meant. I could also ask Klaus but then he'd know I had been in his room. Suddenly, I realized something else. Elijah had been looking for the necklace earlier this night, before we left. Why did he want to have it and why had Klaus it? All these questions would need to wait.
I spoke to almost everyone and they were all interested in me, sincerely. It almost felt like Jake never brought anyone with him, that I was an exception. It was stupid to feel that special, it was probably my imagination. Until one of the boys brought it up. He had introduced himself as Alaster.
''Jake never brings someone here.'' He looked at me from head to toe and I got that awkward feeling again that I always got when someone looked at me like that.
''Why not?'' I asked.
Alaster shrugged and grinned.
''Probably because he's ashamed of us. '' He winked and I knew he didn't mean it. It still made me wonder where these people lived and how they had become friends. I didn't dare to ask though because it felt too personal and it was none of my business. Minutes or hours passed, I didn't know but I did remember someone carrying me to softer place than the one I had been lying asleep before. I hadn't been asleep in that short moment but also not yet awake. Now I was and I sat up, panic and confusing ran over me. This was not my bed. I was lying on a sleeping bag in a sort of tent with my clothes from yesterday. The party. Josh. Jake. I smelled my clothes. The bonfire. Right after I realized this, the tent got ripped apart and a hand grabbed my waist. This wasn't good.