Bonnie had come over later the next day, since Elena wasn't responding to any of her calls or texts. She'd been worried naturally, but I explained that my sister was just stuck in her room all day. It was because of Stefan, but I didn't tell her that, didn't feel right telling her.
"You up?" I spoke up on the other side of Elena's door, and when she didn't respond, I sighed and opened it up, walking in with Bonnie.
As expected, she was in bed. "No, no!" She groaned, hiding herself under the covers. Bonnie walked over and pulled them down while I shut her door. Elena was going through her break up with Stefan, but it was almost like I too had just split up with him, and it was weird. I liked him, and I liked them, and I wanted her to be happy for once.
"Why haven't you call me back?" Bonnie asked, as Elena peeked up from the sheets.
"I'm sorry."
Bonnie reached the side of the bed, and sighed. "Are you gonna stay in there forever?"
"Yeah. "
"Move over. I'm offically worried." Bonnie told her and as she got into one side of the bed, I got into the other. "What's going on?"
"I'm tired of thinking..." Elena breathed out. "of talking I..."
"Can I get one-line version so I can at least pretend to be helpful?" Bonnie interrupted.
My sister sighed, with a heavy heart. "Stefan and I broke up."
"I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" Bonnie sighed, and nodded answering her own question. "Right stupid question. I know I've been kind of MIA when you need me the most. I suck."
I smirked. "You wanna make it up to her." I spoke up, and Bonnie laughed. "Get her mind off it, so I can get my sister back."
Bonnie furrowed her brows, like she was thinking of something before she slipped out of bed shutting one of the open windows. "Just remember you asked for it." We watched as she ripped open a pillow, moving to sit in the middle of the bed in front of us. "Hey!" Elena hissed, while I sat in confusion. What was she going to do with a pillow?
"Be patient." Bonnie assured as she dumped out the feathers.
"Ok."
Before Bonnie did anything else, she looked up at the two of us. "I need to swear you two to secrecy."
I sighed, glancing over at Elena who looked at me too. "It's king of a bad week for that kind of stuff." I decided, but Bonnie wasn't having it.
"Swear cause I'm not suppose to be showing you this."
"Ok I swear." Elena agreed, and I nodded swearing too.
"There's no windows open, right?"
"Right."
"There's no fan. No air conditioning."
"None." I agreed, wondering what she had planned. "What are you doing?"
"Grams just showed me this." She smiled. "You guys are gonna love it. You ready?" We both watched as Bonnie hovered her hands over the pile of feathers between us, when suddenly a few of them lifted - rose right off the bed - into the air in front of us.
I gasped, and Bonnie looked at the two of us, gently pushing her hands back down and the feathers went down too. "Bonnie what's going on?"
Suddenly, without Bonnie moving, all of the feathers rose and began to just float in the air around us. I laughed, eyes flickering around in amazement, and shock. How was this happening? The white feathers floating in Elena's room, the sun shining from outside, it was so pretty, so unexplainably beautiful.
"It's true you guys." Bonnie spoke up with a smile. "Everything my grams told me. It's impossible, but it's true. I'm a witch."
One of my best friends was a witch, and at first I remembered how I thought the whole thing was a joke, how grams must've been crazy, but I couldn't not believe it now. It was crazy, and it was perfect.
"I believe you."
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Elena had gone to see Stefan later that day, and when she got back, she told me all about how she walked into a blonde girl roaming around his house in a towel. Apparently they were friends, and her name was Lexi, and even though they were just friends I could tell that Elena was a little jealous at first. But, I mean it was Stefan, it's not like finding a rebound was really his thing, considering the last girl he was serious about died in 1864.
I had slipped out of my room to go downstairs when I heard her talking to him, and I peeked out from the little stair balcony to see him standing at the door.
"Hey do you need a ride to the grill tonight?" I heard him ask Elena. Caroline had texted all of us earlier about some party she was throwing at the grill, for apparently no reason.
I knew being nosy was not a good characteristic to have, but I couldn't help myself as I stood there. I wanted her to be happy again.
"Are you going to Caroline's party?"
"Lexi's dragging me and.." He sighed. "it's my birthday." How old was he? I smiled faintly, wondering if birthdays even felt the same anymore.
"Really?" Elena breathed out, surprised. "Wow uh - happy birthday then."
"Thank you.."
"Actually I...I think I'm gonna stay in tonight."
I sighed, and quickly padded down the stairs, pretending that I hadn't been listening, and then I remembered that Stefan was a vampire, and maybe he had heard me upstairs. "Hey.." I trailed off, smiling at them. "Have you seen my jacket, Elena?" I questioned, glancing over at my sister. "I was just gonna go to Caroline's party.."
"Stefan is, too." She quickly responded, giving him a faint smile. "You two should go together."
I didn't know what was wrong with her, but she just stormed off, and I furrowed my brows as I watched her head back upstairs. I sighed. I knew it was hard, and I knew that she really really wanted to be with him - so then she should just be with him, no matter what he was because deep down he was still the same Stefan.
When I glanced back over at the door, Stefan was looking at me with a smile. "You coming?"
__________________________
Stefan and I had gotten to the grill together, and when we walked in, side by side, I almost felt like Elena must have when she'd first met him. Caroline's eyes instantly met mine, along with her judging glare that I just shrugged off easy when Stefan spoke up. "You uhh - I saw you playing pool that first night I came here.. you wanna play?"
"Right now?" I questioned, and felt stupid because of course he meant that. "Yeah." I breathed out, laughing as he smiled at me. "Sorry, I'm just..."
So much was happening all at once, and before I even got accustomed to the idea of vampires existing, I'd learned that my best friend was a witch. What was next?
"Stefan!" We were interrupted by a blonde girl that had joined us at the entrance, dark red lips formed into a friendly smile. This must have been his friend, Lexi. "This isn't.."
"I'm Lyssa." I introduced, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "You must be the towel girl my sister told me about."
She laughed. "I've been called worse... but where is Elena? I thought she'd be here."
"Oh," Stefan spoke up from beside me. "She - she couldn't be here... it's fine."
"Well," Lexi sighed. "I like the people that show up for a party. And since I heard you agree to pool..." She smiled. "You get to rack 'em up."
I giggled as she spun around excitedly to lead us to the pool table. Lexi seemed nice, and I wasn't the least bit surprised since she was Stefan's friend. He gently placed his hand on my back, leading us to the table, past onlookers.
Once we reached the table, I got out of my jacket, finding Matt and Tyler looking at me from a nearby table and I swallowed hard.
Your sister is dead, Matt. The guy that killed her is right beside me.
I was shaken out of my thoughts, when I noticed Damon across the bar, give me a small wave. I swallowed hard, before turning away to look back up at Stefan.
What was Damon doing there? Probably waiting to cause some sort of havoc, especially since it was Stefan's birthday. I didn't want him anywhere near me, I was serious about what I'd said last night, and seeing him at the party just made me uncomfortable.
"Hey," Stefan said, picking up a cue stick. "you sure you wanna be here?"
I wasn't sure, but I knew that I couldn't just sit in my room with my thoughts forever. It hurt too much, and besides it was Stefan's birthday - however old he was.
My lips curled into a smirk, moving to take the cue stick from him. "What makes you think that I wanna leave? Afraid you'll lose on your birthday?"
He smirked, tilting his head. "I knew you were listening.."
__________________________
"You cheated." I deducted, looking up at Stefan who smiled down at me. He won the game.
It was nice being around him ; perfect. Being around Stefan it was like everything else could just fall away, like nothing else mattered, and I wished that Elena had joined us. She'd shown up eventually, but instead she'd just sat alone and watched from afar.
"Ah," He played along, and I'd never seen him so free, so lighthearted. It seemed like ever since we'd met he was strung up about Damon and what he was doing. Now, Stefan was finally free of all of that. "well, I think that you're just a sore loser."
"I am." I admitted, giggling. "But, only because you cheated."
"I got us some shots!" Lexi announced, walking over with a tray of shots for the three of us. She picked two up and handed one to Stefan and one to me. "Even though technically you're both underage.."
Lexi downed hers before Stefan and I got to even respond properly, to which I decided to turn to him. "Cheers." I raised my glass to Stefan's.
"To?" He furrowed his brows, though still held up his glass to mine.
"To Stefan Salvatore." I grinned. "Happy birthday!" We both tossed our heads back, taking our shots.
Whatever Lexi had ordered was strong, and I unexpected, which made my throat burn. I coughed, placing the glass down on the pool table beside me, laughing at the same time.
"That was..."
"Awful." Stefan finished.
"Exactly." Lexi agreed. "Which is why I'm gonna go get more!" Just as quickly as she'd come over, she was on her way back to go find other drinks for us, which I was sure I wasn't ready for.
"She's trying to kill us." I laughed lazily, starting to feel the time settling in. It was definitely getting late.
"You got a little.." Stefan gently swiped the pad of his thumb across my lower lip, collecting the bit of liquor that I must've choked on, and I laughed again.
"What would I do without you?" I said, jokingly and I never knew how many times I would say that with seriousness, how much I wouldn't be able to live without Stefan.
"Shots! And Elena!" Lexi came back, this time with my sister who smiled sheepishly at the two of us.
"Hey." She greeted Stefan who gave her a small smile.
"I'm glad you decided to come." As they began to talk to one another, Lexi's gaze moved to mine, holding up a shot, a smirk plastered on her face.
"Oh, no." I laughed, shaking my head. "I am not having anymore of those..."
She laughed. "Oh come on! I don't wanna drink alone!"
"Lys!" I turned my head over to spot Tyler calling me across the bar.
"Who's that hottie?" Lexi nudged me playfully, and I could really see her becoming a new friend of mine. She was fun, and she was quick to be friendly to someone that she barely even knew.
"Just a friend." I responded, before walking off to meet Tyler. "Hey," I said when I reached his table, Matt suddenly moving to go join someone else. "What's uhh - did you wanna talk about something?"
"Yeah.." He breathed out, as I sat up on the stool across from him at the small table. "Look, I wanted to say that I'm sorry for..the football game.." I nodded, eyes scanning past him to spot Damon at the bar, grabbing a drink. "And that... I really like you."
I smiled and giggled, confused as to why he needed to tell me that. We were friends of course we all liked each other. "Thanks, Ty."
"That's not..." He sighed, and I realized that this was more serious than I'd thought. "Lyssa, I've loved you as a friend for almost all my life, and.."
"Tyler.." I trailed off. That time he'd asked me out to the founder's party, it wasn't because he just wanted to apologize, it was because he wanted to be with me, I concluded. "I.."
"I saw you come on here with Stefan," He began. "and I realized that I don't wanna see you with anybody else.."
Tyler had been my friend since we were little kids, and I did care about him, but I didn't want to be with him. I didn't want to end up like Matt and Elena - owing it to one another to see if you're friendship could be more. It couldn't be more.
"I.." I didn't know what to say, shaking my head. As I looked away, I saw Damon watching me, surely listening to everything that was being said between the two of us. "I can't be with you Tyler, not like that.."
"Got it." He wasn't one to take rejection well, mostly because he'd gotten everything he'd ever wanted. But, I still didn't want him hurt. It just wasn't going to work out for us - I didn't feel the same way.
Tyler was quick to get up out of his chair, and I panicked. "Hey, don't go-"
"It's that guy, isn't it?" Tyler questioned, stopping in front of me. "That Damon guy. I've seen the way he's been looking at you - are you and Elena planning on a sibling double date?"
"Stop-"
"I gotta go." He stormed past me, but I didn't try to follow him. I wasn't really surprised that these feelings had come up - I got it, it happened to Elena and Matt, but it wasn't going to happen to me.
I didn't want to be with someone, just to see if it would work out - I wanted to be with someone that I couldn't ever imagine being without.
I sighed, and ran a hand through my hair, eyes flickering over to Damon who was already on his way towards me.
"Don't." I told him, before he could make a stupid comment. I knew that there was no special way that he was looking at me, and if he was it was for something else. He didn't care about me, not really. "Just..leave me alone."
__________________________
I was sitting alone at the bar, a few seats down from Damon and Lexi who were talking. I didn't bother glancing his way, growing tired and in need of my warm bed sheets, and comfy mattress calling my name back at home. I lazily spun around in my seat, spotting Elena and Stefan talking.
He caught my gaze and I threw him a small smile, before a somewhat expected yawn escaped me. "Tired?" He mouthed, and I nodded, to which he smiled.
My lazy and tranquil moment was ambushed by Sheriff Forbes and two officers storming into the bar suddenly. I furrowed my brows, spotting them standing with some girl who was wrapped in a blanket.
She pointed in my direction, and I got out of my chair, confused as I watched Sheriff Forbes walk across the bar, letting the girl go with a different officer. What was going on?
She walked over to Damon and I thought that she was going to arrest him - or god knew what - but she went for Lexi instead.
She said something to Damon, who stood up too, and I was able to see from where I was standing, Sheriff Forbes suddenly injecting Lexi with some sort of syringe.
"What are you.." I mumbled, watching as the blonde vampire suddenly started to fall dizzy, like she was drunk. And that was when I knew that the officers knew about vampires. "No, Sheriff Forbes.." I tried to walk over, but Damon had stepped in front of me, stopping me from following.
I watched as she took her out with another officer through the back door - they knew the truth. But, they didn't know about Damon, or Stefan obviously.
Damon had grabbed me by my arms. "You might wanna sit -"
"No, don't touch me." I said, pushing out of his hold. "Y- you did this." I looked back to see that Stefan and Elena had hurried out to the back door, too. "Oh my god - you told her that Lexi's a.." I shook my head.
"This isn't any of your concern."
"Oh it is." I told him. "Because I know the truth. You wanna tell them about Lexi? I'll tell everyone about you, and who you really are."
I went to pass him, but he grasped my arm and all I wanted to do was scream and shout vampire at him. "Don't touch me." I said once more, before walking right out of his grip.
I hurried past him and everyone else, to the back exit like Stefan and Elena had. Where I thought Damon would be right behind me, he wasn't, and as soon as I got outside I saw that Lexi had two of the officers tossed aside, Liz shooting at her. I gasped, standing beside Elena and Stefan behind the building where they couldn't see us.
All of a sudden, what I didn't want to ever happen again, happened. Damon had appeared almost out of nowhere and stepped in, stabbing Lexi right in the heart with a stake.
He killed her.
__________________________
Another person had died, and it was his fault, again. And again, he didn't care and he hurt everyone, and I hated him. I didn't want anything to do with Damon. I didn't want to see him - I didn't want him in my town anymore. There was no way that I could ever forgive him for what he was doing, and I laughed at myself because I sounded so stupid.
He didn't care about forgiveness. He just cared about himself, and I hoped that was how his life would end ; alone. Damon could kill us all, and it wouldn't matter in the end because he'd have nobody. Maybe that was what he wanted, I wasn't sure.
I sat on my window seat, wrapped in a warm blanket, staring aimlessly at the wall across from me. A tear slid down my cheek, and I pulled the blanket up higher, before pulling my knees to my chest.
I didn't want to feel like that. I didn't want to feel lost, and sad - like the whole world was just falling apart and there was nothing I could do about it.
I thought of Lexi, and I thought of Vicki, and my parents and that random couple on the news - and I cried because none of them had deserved to die. I knew who did it, and I couldn't stop it.
I wanted to tell, I wanted to tell so bad, but I couldn't because then I'd tell on Stefan in a way too and I couldn't do that.
My eyes flickered over to the window, noticing that there were tiny raindrops on it. I stood up, and slipped out of my room silently with the entire house dark and asleep.
There was this fresh, crisp, cool air that rippled through my lungs when I opened the front door and stepped out. It was sprinkling.
I shut the door, spotting a figure sitting on the front steps. "Stefan?" I said softly.
He glanced over his shoulder. "Hey..sorry I just didn't wanna be at home right now."
"I get it." I nodded, pulling my blanket tighter around me. I sighed, as he looked away, and I didn't want to be alone. "Can I.."
"Yeah," Stefan said, glancing back over at me. "Come here."
Bare feet tingling against the cold wood floor, I walked over to Stefan, sitting down beside him on the steps. He kept his gaze out in front of him, even when I looked at him, and I bit my lip. He was beautiful, and I knew that I'd said it a million times, but he really was. And not just physically, but he was kind and warm and I almost found it impossible to believe that someone like him could exist.
"I'm sorry.." I spoke up, looking away. "I know Lexi meant a lot to you.."
He nodded, before looking up at me. "What about you?" I furrowed my brows. "How are you dealing with everything?" I shook my head, and looked away, tears ready to start. I didn't want to cry, but I couldn't not. I shivered when I felt the back of Stefan's hand caress my cheek, making me look over. "I thought I heard you cry.."
"I'm just..." I let out a heavy breath, staring out at the world in front of me. Mystic Falls no longer looked the same. There were vampires. Bonnie was a witch. "I'm so scared, Stefan.."
"I know.." He sighed, before I felt him wrap an arm around me. I looked up at him, blurred vision from the tears, a slight gasp elicited from me when he held me. "Come here." I moved into his embrace, both arms around me, holding me on the front steps and he was home.
We sat on the front steps of my own house, and I hadn't felt at home until he'd wrapped his arms around me, until he'd wrapped me in his warmth. I melted into it, let myself get lost in his soft touch, and I knew in that moment, that I cared about him. To what extent, I didn't know, but I also didn't know what I'd do without him.
a/n - hey guys! I just wanted to say thanks for everyone that has read this series before and is reading this new "revamped" version. I really appreciate you guys!