When I woke up the next morning, I was still shaken up by the events of last night. I had woken up from nightmares in the middle of the night involving Duke and the bloody and lifeless body of Vicki Donovan. My wrists, where Duke had held me down started to become dark, as the bruises were forming. Not wanting to worry anyone, especially not my dad, I put on a dark red top with long enough sleeves to cover any marks. As for the one on my neck, I tried to cover it with concealer but had to opt for a light scarf instead.
„Morning," I greeted my Dad when I entered the kitchen.
„Morning," he answered while pouring two cups of coffee. „Did you sleep well?"
I shrugged my shoulders and sat down at the kitchen island.
„Not really," I answered as my dad placed one of the cups in front of me.
„Yeah, me neither," he sighed. „I used the time to go through some old boxes, family stuff. I found a whole box full of old journals, that reach back to the founding of this town," he said, pointing to a stack of boxes near the living room.
„I also found this," he said, pushing a small navy blue velvet box towards me. „It was your mother's, she got it from her's, who got it from her's, and so on."
I was intrigued by the little box and quickly opened it, revealing a pretty silver bracelet, with a little flower-shaped locket on it.
„It's so pretty!" I said in awe.
„I know your mother would want you to have it and wear it," Dad said with a smile.
I put it around my left wrist, over my top, admiring how it looked on me. It was truly a marvelous piece.
„Thank you," I said to my dad, smiling. My day had just become a whole lot better.
My gaze wandered back to the boxes full of journals.
„What are you planning to do with these?" I asked, walking over to them and pulling one of the journals out.
They were old, really old. The one I was holding was bound in dark brown leather, the pages already yellowed from the decades it had survived.
„I'm not sure," my dad said. „I thought about loaning a few to Carol Lockwood, for the founder's exhibition she plans."
„You want to loan them the bracelet as well?" I asked a little bit worried. I loved it and didn't want to part with it so soon.
„No, no," Dad said chuckling, "you're keeping this one, better you don't even take it off."
I grinned over at him, holding the locket closer to my face, admiring the intricate details on it, when I noticed a pleasant smell.
„What is that?" I asked, trying to figure out the smell.
„An herb," Dad explained, „back in the day, they used to put it in jewelry and food for protection."
„It sure does smell nice," I said taking a last whiff of it.
———————
I arrived at school at the same time as Matt. He looked like he didn't sleep at all last night and I couldn't blame him. I'm not sure I could have gotten any sleep if my brother were to be attacked by some animal.
„Hey," I greeted him as I walked up to him. He turned to me, giving me a weak smile.
„Hey, Lorraine."
„How are you doing?" I asked, my voice full of concern.
Matt just sighed. „Well, I haven't slept much, but other than that, okay, I guess."
I gave him a sympathetic smile.
„How's Vicki?"
„She's awake. They're keeping her overnight to make sure there's no infection, but she should be able to come home tomorrow," he answered, a relieved smile on his lips.
„That's good news," I said genuinely glad, while we walked up to the front doors.
„Yeah, it is," he said, then looked at me apologetically. „Listen, sorry, but I gotta run, take care of some administrative stuff for Vicki while she's in the hospital..."
„Of course, I understand," I said, smiling warmly at him. „I'll see you in class later."
Matt left in a hurry, but not before flashing me a little smile. I entered the building a few seconds after him, almost colliding with someone. I froze in fear, upon realizing who it was. Duke. My breath hitched as he looked down on me, the events of last night still clear in my head.
„Oh, sorry," he said in a neutral expression, no indication he remembered anything at all from last night, but also no cocky smirk, or mischievous flicker in his eyes, that he usually had around me. No nothing at all, it was almost like he didn't know me.
He continued his way, no glancing back, while I was left in shock. Has he been brainwashed?
I haven't been able to get that thought out of my head all day long. The sudden change of behavior was too drastic, too prompt to be normal. I mean, it wasn't that I didn't enjoy being left alone by him, I truly did, but something about it just didn't felt right. I had to talk to Stefan.
I tried to get a hold of him the whole day, but he was always around Elena, and it didn't feel right, accusing him of whatever that was in front of her. After all, he saved me. I owed him the opportunity to explain himself, without prying eyes and ears.
„Lorraine?" Bonnie's voice pulled me back to reality. „You still on for helping us hand out the flyers for the night of the comet?"
She stood with Elena and Caroline in front of my desk, which I haven't left yet, despite the class being over for a few minutes already.
„Someone's been waaaayyyy out of it," Caroline said snickering.
I blushed, quickly packing my things together.
„Yeah, sure," I said as I put my bag on my shoulder. „There's just something I need to do first. I'll join you a little later?"
Elena furrowed her brow at me. „Lorraine, are you ok?" she asked softly. „You looked off the whole day."
Bonnie and Caroline nodded in agreement.
„I'm fine," I tried to reassure them. „I just need to get an answer about something. It shouldn't take long."
———————
I borrowed my dad's car and drove to the old Salvatore boarding house. It has been a while, I haven't been here, the last time being when I had to pick up a package that Zach had prepared for my dad.
As I stopped in front of the house and turned off the motor, I suddenly began asking myself, it if really was a wise choice, confronting him alone. I quickly shook the feeling though. Even if I didn't know a whole lot about Stefan, I knew Zach. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the car and with shaky hands I knocked on the front door.
Moments later the door was opened by a tall, dark-haired man with dazzling blue eyes. He looked at me raising an eyebrow and wearing a cocky grin on his face.
„And who might you be?" he asked, his tone almost seductive.
„Lorraine. Lorraine Tate," I introduced myself. „And you are...?"
„Damon Salvatore, Stefan's older brother," he said with a shrug. „I guess you wanted to talk to him?"
„Yes, is he home?" I asked, trying not to let my surprise show too much. Stefan hadn't talked about any siblings. Much less hot older brothers.
„No, I'm afraid not, but he should be home any minute. You want to wait inside?" he offered, opening the door a little bit wider.
I considered for a moment, but even though, I had to admit that I was kind of attracted to Stefan's brother, my gut feeling told me to leave. Something about him just screamed danger.
„No, it's okay. Can you tell him though, that I stopped by and that I need to talk to him?"
Damon tilted his head, squinting his eyes a little bit at my choice of words.
„Ow, the dreaded words. Tell me, what did my brother do this time?"
„Nothing, really, don't worry. There's just something I need to ask him," I said with a laugh.
„Well, I'll make sure to let him know, Lorraine Tate," he said with a smirk. My breath hitched a little at the way my name rolled off his tongue, and it took a couple of seconds for me to regain my composure.
„Thanks. Bye," I said with a last, wavering smile before turning around, back to my car.
As I was driving away, I watched him, through the rearview mirror, disappearing into the house again.
———————
I arrived at the Grill, where the girls were sitting at a table outside, a few minutes later.
„Where's Elena?" I asked sitting down.
„She went to have sex with Stefan," Caroline said with a smirk wiggling her eyebrows, only to be punched in the shoulder by Bonnie.
I raised my eyebrows in surprise, not sure if I should believe her.
„Don't listen to her," Bonnie said with an exasperated look. „She went to him trying to continue where they left off last night."
„And where would that be exactly?" I asked removing my jacket. I had heard that Stefan had come by at Elena's after the attack, but it seems like I missed the juicy details.
„Nowhere," Caroline said, rolling her eyes and handing me a stack of flyers to fold. „They just talked."
„Nothing happened at all?" I asked surprised, while I started to work on my stack. They almost looked joined at the hip today. „Not even a kiss?"
„Nope," Caroline mouthed, popping the p. She seemed rather annoyed that there wasn't much more to tell. „So... we never got to finish our conversation about hot college boy..."
Bonnie chuckled at her change of subject while I gave her a deadpan look.
„She's right, you know?" Bonnie said with a grin.
I glared at my friend. Wasn't she supposed to be on my side?
„You two are unbelievable!" I sighed shaking my head. „Fine. What do you want to know?"
„Name?" Caroline fired right away.
„Nathan."
„Age?" Bonnie joined in.
„21."
„Ooh, a little bit older," Caroline said a devious grin on her face. „I like it! Where'd you meet?"
„At my aunt's. Jake invited him over for dinner. Unfortunately, I had no idea he was bringing someone, so I was in sweatpants and a hoodie when he showed up," I answered, still cringing at the memory. „The next time I saw him was even more embarrassing actually..."
The memory was still vivid in my head, and I grew red at the thought of it, much to Caroline's delight, her impatient gaze urging me on.
„The next day, my brother and aunt were out of the house, grocery shopping. I was coming out of the shower, only in a towel, when I saw him standing in the living room, completely shocked to see his buddy's little sister practically naked. Turns out, he had forgotten his laptop, which he urgently needed, for a paper or something. He called my brother, who tried to call me, but because I was in the shower I didn't hear my phone, so he gave him the location of the spare key."
„Did he say something?" Bonnie asked, trying to keep from bursting out laughing.
„No, he turned bright red and practically fled," I scoffed.
„So then what?" Caroline asked eagerly, just waiting for the smut.
„Well, the next few times we met, at my aunt's or at some parties Jake brought me along to, he didn't speak a word to me, and if you ask me, he was even actively avoiding me. At some point, it really started bothering me, so I confronted him about it."
„What did he say?" Bonnie asked. Both of my friends were completely enthralled by the story.
„It was actually very sweet," I said smiling. „Basically he was avoiding me, because he really liked me, but didn't want to get in trouble because I am underage."
„This law is so stupid," Caroline sighed, as she leaned back crossing her arms. „You know, I read, that in a lot of European countries, they have an age of consent under 18! Basically, the moment they turn 16, they're are free to have sex, no matter how old the other guy is."
„If I'm not mistaken, the legal drinking age is at 18 too, or even lower," I said, a little envy in my voice. „Let's move to Europe, shall we?"
All of us laughed at the thought, but it wasn't long before Caroline continued her interrogation.
„So that was it then?" Caroline asked with a raised eyebrow, leaning forward again. „No contact until you're 18?"
„There might have been a kiss, or two," I said sheepishly, „or five, maybe even a little touchy-feely."
Bonnie leaned back with a scoff, shaking her head. „Lorraine Olivia Tate, how dare you leading a nice young man like that down the path of depravity?"
I laughed, rolling my eyes. „Don't worry it all stayed legal."
„So do you think you'll see him again?" Bonnie asked with a warm smile.
„I don't know. I mean, he lives on the other side of the country," I answered shrugging my shoulders. „I guess it'll only ever be a summer romance, nothing more."
———————
„Hey, you staying at the Grill a little bit, with us?" Bonnie asked me when we finished with all the flyers a few hours and laughs later. The sun was already setting.
„Sorry," I apologized with a shrug, „my dad is cooking his famous shrimp and mushroom risotto tonight."
„Lucky you," Caroline said with a pout. „Now I'm hungry too!"
„I'll see you tomorrow then?" I said as I packed up.
„3 pm sharp," Bonnie said with a smile. „These flyers are not gonna hand themselves out."
I laughed. „Yes, M'am!"
They waved me goodbye as I headed for my dad's car. I fumbled with my keys, trying to get the right one when they fell out of my grasp. I bend down with a sigh to pick them up. When I got up again, I noticed a presence. I turned around but saw no one. Turning back to my car, I was startled by the sudden appearance of a man, promptly making me lose my keys again.
„Oh my god, Stefan!" I sighed in relief, upon realizing it was my classmate. „You nearly gave me a heart attack."
„I'm sorry," Stefan said picking up my keys and handing them back to me. „Damon said you passed by. Something you wanted me to ask?"
„Right", I said as I tried to calm my heartbeat. I looked around, seeing a group of guys approaching as they were on their way to the grill. It was peak hour. „But not here..."
I didn't want anyone to overhear our conversation, so I lead him to a calm alleyway. I could tell that Stefan was a little confused, but I let it slide. When I was sure, there was no one around I turned back to him.
„What did you do to Duke?"
Stefan furrowed his brows even more. „I don't get- What do you mean?"
„I mean, you saw him yesterday. For a year, he's been trying to...", I trailed off not bringing it over me to say it.
„Bed you?", Stefan offered. Well, that was an eloquent way of saying it. I smiled at him, thankfully.
„Yes, by any means necessary it seemed," I said softly, slightly shuddering.
„You could still press charges. You know that, right?", Stefan interjected, but I shook my head.
„I have my reasons, Stefan," I said softly. „But I think it's understandable that I was more than a little on edge today at the prospect of seeing him again. Terrified might be a better word, actually."
I let out a humorless chuckle, looking down at my hands and hating how weak I felt. Stefan didn't say anything, he just waited patiently for me to continue.
„I actually met him, first thing in the morning, but he just full-on ignored me, almost as if he didn't know me, as if nothing ever happened... I know Duke, he is hot-headed and stubborn as a mule. Under normal circumstances, he would never have yielded that easily yesterday, or reacted to me the way he did this morning."
Stefan just looked at me for a moment, staying silent.
„What exactly are you trying to say?"
I sighed and sat down on a few boxes standing on the side.
„I'm not even sure, to be honest. I've been trying to think of any reasons why he might act this way, and they all are ridiculous. My best guesses are blackmail or brainwashing." I buried my head in my hands at this admission. I felt tired all of a sudden, the lack of sleep finally catching up to me. „I'm truly grateful to you for helping me out yesterday and keeping it to yourself, but I need to know, Stefan. I need to know if he's truly changed or just biding his time until he finds another opportunity."
I looked back up at him and saw his expression soften as he took a few steps toward me. „All I did was telling him to leave you alone. He's a bully, he needed someone stronger than him standing up to him. That's all. But your safe now, I promise."
His voice seemed sincere and I felt a lot more relaxed all of a sudden, before realizing something else.
„Yeah, about that... Duke is a solid wall of muscle, packed in a 6 foot 3, 230-pound body. How did you manage to get him against that tree so easily?" I asked, a hint of playfulness hiding in my voice.
Stefan looked down with a smile. „I work out," he said simply, shrugging his shoulder.
„Yeah, I saw that," I chuckled and stood back up. „Well, thank you again, and sorry for all the- you know...craziness. I swear I'm not normally like that."
„You're not crazy, Lorraine. You had questions, I understand," Stefan answered with a nod.