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Sempiternal
Chapter Twenty-Five
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"They're having this thing over at Wickery Bridge. Your mom said we should go, and your aunt is really ecstatic to spend time with you," Kaitlin explained, pulling Carter's comforter higher over her shoulders. She faced Carter, watching as the girl groaned slightly. "You know, you have you're own room," she huffed. Ever since Carter had gotten home that night, Kaitlin hadn't left her room. She laid down right beside her best friend and they looked through Kaitlin's photo album of the past year and a half. But now that it was nine in the morning, Carter wanted Kaitlin to leave. "We don't hang out anymore, Cee. Come on," the Japanese girl whined, moving closer to the strawberry blonde. Her green eyes rolled skyward, but her lips quirked into a small smile.
She did feel guilty for not hanging out with Kaitlin more. They were friends first, and now its like Carter puts her last. "Fine," she spoke, nudging her nose further into her pillow. "But let me sleep five more minutes, okay?" If Kaitlin knew what ran behind Carter's eyes at night, she would understand why the girl wasn't sleeping at night. Yet, Kaitlin pouted. "Carterrr," she whined. Carter slapped her palm over her face, letting out an irritated groan. "Jesus Christ, fine!" She threw the comforter from her body in a flash, and stepped onto the cool ground. She missed her closet. Her biggest mistake was leaving without her socks. Her sock feet padded across the floor silently, taking her to her very cool bathroom. Kaitlin bounced out of the bed and toward the girl's closet. "I'm so glad we're doing this!" she chirped with a small giggle.
"Ever since you and Damon reunited, its like he had you on an invisible leash. I'm glad you came back." Carter rolled her eyes at Kaitlin's words. She yanked her brush through her messy curls, wincing with each pulled tangle. "Don't get me wrong, you two are definitely made for each other, but you're so young. You need to go out and date. You need to find yourself," Kaitlin explained. Her words were heavy, and Carter could have swore they were the reason she dropped her brush. "You okay?" She hummed in response, pulling her hair back into a high ponytail. Kaitlin fingered through the outfits hung in Carter's closet. The two girls had always had different styles. Carter, although she wasn't as girly as she wanted to be, wore girly things. She always wore skirts and dresses, along with a pair of deathly high heels.
Kaitlin loved her tight jeans and big shirts, with her booties and low top shoes. But Kaitlin always admired the way Carter looked so effortlessly beautiful in absolutely anything. "Thanks for doing this, Kait. I really need this," the strawberry blonde spoke, exiting her bathroom. Kaitlin pulled out a flowered top with excitement, her dark eyes twinkling. Carter smiled genuinely at her friend, leaning against the doorframe. "Cee, we've been best friends for years. I know that you need this." Both girls laughed at Kaitlin's words. Despite not being the closest to Carter, Kaitlin knew her extremely well. "You've gone through a lot in your short life, and I want to help make things better. So, after the fundraiser, why don't we go flirt up some old guy and get some alcohol?"
Carter laughed harder at her words. She was spontaneous, that was for sure. "You know what,
okay. I could get drunk. We can invite Ty and Toby." Kaitlin's eyebrows wiggled playfully at her friend. "Is there something between you and Toby that I don't know about?" Her eyes widened in surprise, and she choked on her own spit. "What? No! No, he definitely has the hots for Elena," Carter replied. She snatched the top from Kaitlin's grip with an eye roll. "You know what, get out. Go get dressed, hooligan." Once Kaitlin exited Carter's room and shut the door, the teetering strawberry blonde fell against the wall and slowly slid down until her bottom hit the floor.
Ever since her transition, Carter had felt like she was hovering outside of her body. She wasn't connected with herself anymore, and the only thing fueling her was this scorching anger. Sitting there, staring blankly at her bed, she remembered that night. She remembered the way her chest clenched as she looked down at a peacefully sleeping Jackson sprawled across her bed. She remembered the tears swirling behind her forest green eyes, sticking painfully to her skin. She wanted to hide away, and to get rid of all of this pain. Waking up without a single memory of the Salvatore's balanced her equilibrium. Yet, here she was with that very memory, knowing that her life would soon turn to hell.
Calm tears began to trickle down her fair skin, staining the fabric shielding her chest with dark spots. This unnerving numb feeling washed over the still girl, showering her with this feeling of being alone. She was alone in this fight, whether anyone argued with her. No one could walk with her through this obstacle. She wiped blankly at the tears stinging her face and pulled herself off of the floor. That top remained in her grasp, and Carter found herself flinging it toward her bed. To accentuate the stunning blues, she grabbed a highwaisted, denim skirt and her black pumps. She quickly rid herself of her overnight clothes and replaced them with her new outfit choice. She left her face void of makeup, exposing the redness to her cheeks and her natural, dark lashes.
Kaitlin was downstairs with Carol Lockwood, talking animatedly about the fundraiser. Tyler stood in the kitchen, glass pressed to his lips full of ice cold water. "Good morning, beautiful!" Carol chirped upon noticing Carter's descent. She smiled at her aunt and accepted her hug, greeting her softly in return. "You guys ready to go?" the older of the four asked with a wide smile. Carter slowly nodded her head, linking her arm with Kaitlin's. Tyler walked behind everyone, his eyes staring at the back of his cousin's head. She was so different now. Looking at her, he couldn't see that same light from before. She didn't harbor that full feeling when you would let everything out and she would be in front of you with that smile on her face, and you would just feel full because she was always there.
The car ride was silent. Kaitlin and Carter sat in the backseat, both girls staring silently out their windows. Wickery Bridge was an unpleasant reminder of the past. Looking at it, Carter could only think about how much pain it had caused Elena. And she, surprisingly, found herself cracking a smile. She approached the construction, her eyes scanning over the scattered bodies. An unfamiliar beating echoed within her ears, deafening the construction equipment. A sweat broke across her forehead. This sweet smell began to fill her senses, and her mouth began to water. A man cursed loudly, breaking the echoes within her head. Everything fell silent when her eyes zeroed in on the crimson liquid spilling across his dark skin. His sweat glistened beneath the sunlight. He looked like the perfect meal for the newly turned hybrid.
Her feet began to move toward the scene. Men shouting at her to leave fell on deaf ears as she approached the dark skinned man. Tyler was the first to see she had vanished. "Hey, have you seen Carter?" he asked his mother, who shook her head. Worry began to pulsate through his veins, his mouth turned in a tight frown. Across from him, kneeling down toward the worker, was a very distraught Carter. "Are you okay?" she asked, fighting against the strong urge to reach forward and swirl her fingers within the thick blood. The worker stared at the girl in confusion. "Ye–yeah. Are you crazy?" Her eyes snapped up to meet his, which filled with horror. He let out a scream; a scream full of terror. "You–" His words were cut off when a pair of strong hands yanked Carter to her feet. Her now golden eyes met Damon's icy blue ones.
She ripped her arms from his grasp, glaring deadly at the vampire in front of him. Despite the many confused workers, Damon knelt in front of the bleeding man. "Carter!" Tyler ran toward the girl, much to her dismay. "I didn't do anything, okay?" she spoke. Once Damon finished compelling the worker, he stood up angrily. "Yeah, except almost expose yourself to a human," he growled. She fought the urge to shove him. That blinding rage began to ignite within her stomach at the proximity of the two. "What is wrong with you?" Damon asked her. The feeling of his hand grabbing her arm threw fuel over the flames. She shoved him off with a harsh glare. "Get away from me, Damon," she hissed. Tyler bit back a smirk, watching as the vampire chased after a fleeing Carter.
"Why are you mad?" he asked in confusion. "And why didn't you come home last night? I was worr–" She whirled around to face the vampire, her expression blank. That fire behind her eyes had been doused with ice water, and it puzzled Damon. She was holding back, hiding away behind this hard wall. "That's not my home anymore," she retorted. She stood still, her eyes staring up at Damon. She didn't get that electric feeling. "Carter, babe," he spoke gently. She shook her head. "You and Elena ruined my life." He scoffed at her words. "Are you seriously still mad about that? Carter, you were going to die!" She felt her body begin to tremble at his words. "And you took that choice away from me!" she shouted. She stepped away from the vampire, her chest heaving.
"God, Damon. I remember everything. I remember you compelling me in the mall that day. You used me for your own personal gain. You killed Jackie. And, even after coming back, I still let you use me." Damon watched as the strawberry blonde began to shrink away. Her eyes were narrowed. Dark circles littered her fair skin. "You and I, we're toxic. You're toxic. And I can't help but think that if I hadn't have fallen in love with you, maybe Jackson would still be here." He stepped forward and reached for her. He wanted to show her that what they had wasn't what she was seeing. He loved her more than anything in the world. "I hate you... I hate what you did to me," she sighed. It felt like a weight had been lifted from her chest, freeing her.
"I can't do this anymore, you know? I can't stand here with you, because looking at you makes me sick. Looking at you now makes me want to rip your heart out." Her full lips quirked upward into a sad smile, tears glistening within her eyes. "What happened to forever, huh?" he asked, eyes dull with hurt. She grabbed at her ponytail, ripping at her hair. "You ruined that, Damon. The moment you decided that my choices weren't valuable, you threw away our forever. We're done." Damon's sadness was beginning to transfer to rage as he watched the strawberry blonde move away. "Fine. You know what, I was the best damn thing to ever happen to your pathetic life!" She ignored the insults spewing past his lips. She knew he didn't mean them. He was hurting. "Goodbye, Damon." Her retreating back was the last thing Damon saw of the strawberry blonde that day.
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"All you have to do is walk up, bust those up," Tyler pointed at Carter's chest, "and ask them to buy you beer." Matt, Kaitlin, Tyler, and Carter all sat in Margaret's car, parked behind a gas station. "Perv," Carter retorted jokingly, glaring at her cousin. Both boys in the back began to laugh, and Carter just rolled her eyes. "God, this is humiliating. Can't we just compel people?" Matt tsked the strawberry blonde and placed his hands on her shoulders. "You're the one that wants to he normal. And normal high school girls flirt their way into getting alcohol. Now, go. You're chance is fleeting." Her eyes zeroed in on the man standing at the gas pump. He was going through his wallet. "Give me the twenty," she huffed, holding out her palm.
Tyler slapped the bill into her hand, and Carter leapt out of the car. She pulled her top down a bit and shifted her breasts. "Here we go," she whispered to herself. The man began to move. He had long legs and wide shoulders. His hair was blonde and shoulder length. She admired the stubble decorating his rather sharp jawline, connecting his mustache and beard together. He was a very handsome man. She shoved the folded bill between her breasts before moving toward the man. "Excuse me!" she called out, jogging toward the man. His eyes found hers and his thin lips pulled upward into a grin. "Hi," she breathed out once she reached him. "Hi," he replied. His eyes ran over the girl's frame, appreciating her outfit very much.
"Can I help you?" She smiled up at the man, her fingers tangling with a strand of her hair. "You can, actually." She slowly pulled the bill from its hiding place, her bottom lip held between her teeth. "I have this party to get to, and my friends asked me to bring the drinks. Problem is, I'm only eighteen." His eyebrows raised curiously. "Do you think you could buy me a twelve pack?" He glanced from the bill in her hand to her breasts, then to her eyes. "What do I get in return?" He eased forward, his hand coming into contact with the girl's hip. She was taken by surprise. She was not about to sell herself for nasty beer. She fluttered her eyelashes up at the man, her sultry lips pulled into a seductive smirk.
"I could make it worth your while," she lied, placing her palm against his chest. He snagged the bill from between her fingers with a grin. "Wait here." She watched as he vanished into the gas station. She turned to face the car, her lips formed in a frown. Kaitlin pushed Tyler's shoulder, and the boy opened the car door. She quickly waved the boy over. "He wants something from me," she spoke through gritted teeth, knowing he could hear her despite the distance. Tyler broke out into a grin and leaned back into the car, repeating Carter's statement with a laugh. Tyler would just easily run up and snatch the beer, and the two teens would make a break for it. Carter was beginning to ditch when she heard the gas station door jingle. Out came the strange man holding a twelve pack of beer.
His eyes lit up once noticing the strawberry blonde still standing where he last left her. Her heart was in her throat as he approached, yet she put on a charming smile anyway. "Here's your change," he spoke, dropping the cents into her palm. She went to take the pack when he stopped her. "I don't normally buy beer for minors. You think you can just give me your number?" Her eyebrows rose in shock. "You don't want to...?" He shook his head with a grin. "I'm not like that. Besides, how am I supposed to know you don't have anything going on down there?" His words made the girl laugh. She felt her heartbeat slow and vanish from its previous place as her nerves calmed down. "Give me your phone." He dug through his jeans pocket for his iPhone, unlocking it with a four digit code, and handed it to her.
She knew that if the guy turned out to be a creep, she could easily rip him to shreds, or block his number. Once she punched in her digits and name, she returned the phone and gladly took the pack. "Thank you," she hummed with a playful wink before turning to face her friends. She jogged back toward the car with a happy smile, the cans clinking against each other within the case. Tyler looked proudly toward his cousin as Matt whooped, both boys wearing bright smiles. Kaitlin clapped from the passenger seat eagerly, and took the cans from Carter's grip through the open window. The music was cranked up, and Carter felt that anger and emptiness vanish. "Three cheers for Carter!" Matt jokingly shouted. Carter's eyes crinkled with her smile as she peeled out of the gas station.
"Hip, hip," Tyler shouted. "Hurray!" they shouted in unison. Carter laughed loudly, her fingers wrapped around the steering wheel. "Hip, hip!" — "Hooray!" Matt shook her shoulder with a wide grin, Tyler and Kaitlin peering back at each other across the seat. "Hip, hip!" — "Hooray!" Carter joined in on the final cheer gleefully. The atmosphere radiated excitement, adrenaline, and anticipation. Carter drove to the only place she knew the four wouldn't get in trouble, and that was that clearing in the woods. She parked just outside the tree line and hid her bag consisting of her wallet, keys, and essentials in the glove box. Kaitlin bounced out of the car, holding the box of beer to her chest with a radiant smile that brightened the space around them. Carter and Tyler led the way to the clearing, both excited to finally forget about the world around them.
Matt plopped down the first moment he could, dragging Carter alongside him. Kaitlin tore open the box and handed everyone a beer. "Here's to drunken memories," she cheered, holding her blue can high. Matt clashed his with hers while the two hybrids glanced at each other. "Here's to normalcy. What little we have," Carter added, clanking her can against everyone's before popping open the tab.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE;
okay, please don't hate me. it broke my heart writing this chapter.
i felt that carter was becoming too dependent on Damon and no matter how hard i tried to make her independent, it didnt seem to work.
she's got a lot to figure out and a lot of anger to get over.
a new item of her backstory is revealed next chapter. get ready.