"Have you talked to Bonnie?" Elena asked Caroline as we walked beside the busses towards school.
"No, I'm mad at her. She needs to make the first move." Caroline answered in determination and I rolled my eyes.
"Be the bigger person." I countered in protest, shaking my head at her and she scoffed.
"Uch—Impossible in her presence." Caroline stated, shaking her head back at me.
"Why are you so pissed at her, anyway?" Elena asked, raising her eyebrow and holding her books closer to her chest.
"She's a thief, that's why. I gave her my necklace and she refused to give it back." Caroline answered with a shrug. "It's a matter of principle." She stated in a matter of fact tone and I shrugged.
"Alright, alright.. Well—we tried. We're officially out of it." I pointed out and sighed in defeat.
"Good.. Your turn. Where's Stefan? Have you talked to him?" Caroline asked, turning to Elena and raising her eyebrow.
"He's avoiding me." Elena answered and I sighed at how diss-interested in the conversation she looked.
"Why?" Care asked in confusion and I folded my arms over my chest.
"It's complicated." I replied, saving Elena and shaking my head as I heard the first bell ring. "I'll see you later." I smiled quickly at Caroline before Elena and I walked away from her, towards the front doors.
"Bye." Caroline replied, nodding at us. Elena and I walked into school and down the halls before going into our history class. I looked look at Stefan's desk that was empty and I sighed in defeat. Elena sat down in the third row of desks, fourth seat and I sat down behind her in the fifth. The school bell ran again just as Bonnie rushed in hurriedly, going to her desk.
"Good morning, everyone." The new teacher greeted as he came in after Bonnie. I furrowed my eyebrows at her once she sat down, observing how shaken up she looked. I looked at Elena and saw the look of notice on her face as well. I turned back to the front of the class as the teacher rubbed his hands together from where he stood in front of the chalk board. He grabbed the chalk and started murmuring to himself as he wrote something. I looked back at Bonnie who looked met my gaze and I furrowed my eyebrows.
'Are you okay?' I mouthed and she gave me a small shrug before I slowly nodded and looked back at the chalk board.
"Alrighty. Alaric Saltzman." The teacher stated as he turned to the class and smiled. "It's a mouthful, I know. Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. Saltzman is of German origins. My family emigrated here to Texas is 1755. I however, was born and raised in Boston." Alaric stated and I turned to Elena who shrugged at Bonnie. "Now, the name Alaric belongs to a very dead great-grandfather that I will never be able to thank enough." Alaric stated and I smirked at him. "Now, you'll probably want to pronounce it Ala-Ric, but it's Al-Aric.. So you can just call me Ric." He said, folding his arms over his chest towards us. "I'm your new history teacher." He informed and I rose my eyebrow and sat back in my seat.
~~~~
"And then I ended up at the remains of old Fell's church before I woke up back in the woods." Bonnie informed from where she sat across from me at a lunch table.
"And you always see your ancestor Emily?" I asked, making Bonnie nod in agreement. "Huh." I stated, thinking it over.
"Do you believe in ghosts?" She asked in a rushed tone and I rose an eyebrow and tilted my head.
"Two weeks ago, I'd say no, but now—" I started but Bonnie cut me off.
"I think I'm being haunted." She pointed out frantically and I rose an eyebrow.
"I don't get it, why Emily?" I countered, shaking my head at her.
"Grams said she was a powerful witch back in the Civil War days and that this medallion was hers." Bonnie answered as she gestured down at the necklace she wore around her neck. "A witch's talisman." She added and I looked at the necklace carefully.
"And it all started when you got the necklace?" I asked, looking back up at Bonnie who nodded in agreement.
"I think she's using it to communicate with me." She informed and I slowly nodded and looked down at my plate of food and grabbed a fry.
"Okay, what does Grams say about it?" I asked, popping the fry in my mouth while Bonnie sighed.
"I can't call her. She's going to tell me to embrace it. I don't want to embrace it. I want it to stop." She answered in defeat. I sighed at her defeated look and looked down at the necklace in curiousness.
~~~
Elena and I walked out of the school and saw Stefan sitting on one of the lunch tables. I furrowed my eyebrows at him while Elena smiled in relief, walking over to him as he stood. "You weren't in class today. I was worried." Elena stated, running her hand through her hair.
"Yeah I got your messages. Sorry I didn't get back to you but.. What I wanna say shouldn't be said on the phone." Stefan pointed out with a small smile and I cleared my throat, feeling an awkward moment about to come.
"Look at the time. I'm gonna go." I stated with a quick nod, about to walk away from them but Stefan held me back.
"This is for you both to hear." Stefan protested and I looked back at him, furrowing my eyebrows.
"A simple 'I didn't kill my brother' text, would have sufficed." I replied sarcastically, folding my arms over my chest.
"I didn't kill my brother.. As much as he deserved it." Stefan stated bluntly and I nodded my head at him while Elena folded her arms over her chest. "He has you to thank for that." He added, looking back at Elena who smiled a bit.
"So what did you want to tell us?" I asked, shaking my head at him and wanting to hurry along this conversation.
"I won't be coming to school anymore." He informed, making Elena furrow her eyebrows. "I'm gonna back off and keep my distance.. It's the right thing to do." Stefan stated and I slowly sighed.
"Back off from school.. Or from us?" Elena asked, but what she was really asking was if he was keeping his distance from her.
"Thanks for telling us." I stated in annoyance and looked away from him.
"It's better this way." Stefan replied and Elena nodded in disappointment.
"Yep, we got it. Loud and clear." Elena countered emotionlessly, also looking away from him as he slowly nodded.
"You're angry. That's good." Stefan stated as he noticed our reactions but more so Elena's. "It'll be easier if you hate me." He added in defeat before walking away. I heard Elena let out a heavy and shaky breath and I slowly shook my head in disbelief.
~~~
"He's bad news, Elena. He really scared me." Bonnie stated as she drove us to our house and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"You need to stay as far away from Damon as possible." Elena replied in a cautious tone, shaking her head in agreement.
"I'm trying—but he just keeps showing up." Bonnie countered in annoyance and I looked out the window in silence, ignoring their conversation.
"I don't want you to be alone." Elena informed and I rolled my eyes at the dramatic measures. "You're sleeping at our place tonight. We can make a whole night of it." She added excitedly. I rose an eyebrow and looked back at Bonnie, waiting for her answer. I watched as she glanced down at the necklace in wonder and held it in her palm, thinking deeply before she swerved to the road side and parked the car.
"Whoa." I stated, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion but Bonnie ignored me and got out of her car.
"Where are you going?" Elena asked loudly, watching as Bonnie pulled the necklace from around her neck and walked towards the field in front of her. She chucked the necklace off in the distance and sighed deeply in relief before coming back to the car.
"Are you okay?" I asked her uneasily once she got in the drivers seat again and shut her door.
"Now I am. All my problems were because of that thing." Bonnie scoffed, pulling on her seatbelt and I chuckled a bit.
"What's your Grams gonna say?" Elena asked, raising her eyebrow in some skepticism and Bonnie rolled her eyes.
"Grams isn't the one being haunted by a one hundred and fifty year old ghost, is she?" Bonnie countered in protest and I smirked a bit as she pulled back onto the road.
-Time Skip-
"What do you think Elena is telling him?" Bonnie asked from where we stood in the kitchen. I sighed and looked out the window in the living room, seeing Stefan and Elena out on the porch talking.
"Something along the lines of 'He threatened her, Stefan'." I answered, imitating Elena talking, which made Bonnie laugh. "And probably going through the explanation of the necklace that you gave to The Children of The Corn." I added sarcastically, looking back at her to see her roll her eyes.
-Elena-
"He threatened her, Stefan." I stated in disbelief as I paced on the porch in front of him.
"What would Damon want with Bonnie?" Stefan asked, looking down in confusion as he leant against the porch railing.
"She has this necklace. Caroline got it from Damon, and she gave it to Bonnie, and now Damon wants it back." I answered, running my hands through my hair in frustration as I explained it. "He's tormenting her." I added in defeat and Stefan furrowed his eyebrows.
"Over a necklace." He countered, trying to make sense of it in his head.
"It's not just any necklace." I informed, watching him look at me in confusion. "It belonged to one of her ancestors who lived here during the civil war.." I started, leading off and tilting my head at him as he watched me, knowingly. "When you and Damon lived here." I added and he slowly nodded in realization.
"Her name was Emily." Stefan pointed out and stood up straight before folding his arms over his chest. "She was Katherine's handmaid. And a witch." He stated and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"You know?" I asked, completely taken aback. "About Bonnie?" I added, gesturing inside and he nodded back in agreement.
"The first night that you invited me over for dinner, I made the connection." He admitted and I rose an eyebrow as I thought back to the night and the conversations we had.
"And now Damon knows and for some reason he wants that necklace." I stated, putting my hands on my hips as I came back to reality.
"What does it look like again?" He asked and I sighed, trying to remember it.
"It's um, an antique iron setting and a—" I started but he cut me.
"With an amber crystal." Stefan finished and I rose an eyebrow. "I know it, it belonged to Katherine. Emily gave it to her, which means that—" Stefan started, only to cut himself off and look away from me in curiousness.
"What?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows but he shook his head.
"I don't know. But I'm gonna find out." He reassured, looking back at me finally. "Let me talk to Damon." Stefan stated, turning towards the porch steps.
"Will he tell you?" I countered, folding my arms over my chest. Stefan looked back at me, a look of uncertainty filling his eyes before he sighed.
"I'll—I'll get it out of him." He stated with a stern nod and with that, I watched him walk away from me. Again.
-Mariana-
I set out silverware while Elena set out the napkins and Caroline got the food out of the grocery bag. Bonnie came into the kitchen and gave Caroline a small smile but Caroline looked away from her in annoyance. I narrowed my eyes at Care who furrowed her eyebrows back and I quietly gestured to Bonnie, making her roll her eyes. "Okay, fine—I'm sorry. If you want to keep the ugly ass necklace, keep it. It's yours." Caroline stated, giving Bonnie a fake smile. I shook my head at her and looked at Bonnie who stood in silence, trying to find words to say.
"..Would you hate me if I told you that I—threw it away?" Bonnie asked nervously and Caroline widened her eyes.
"You threw it away!" Caroline asked loudly, furrowing her eyebrows at Bonnie and looking between Elena and I.
"I know it sounds crazy, but the necklace was giving me nightmares, I had to get rid of it." Bonnie stated in protest as she shook her head.
"You could have just given it back to me." Caroline pointed out in annoyance and making Elena scoff.
"Why? So you could give it back to Damon?" Elena asked and Caroline furrowed her eyebrows before she sighed and looked down.
"Screw Damon." Caroline answered and I rose an eyebrow at her. "Are we doing manicures, or not? Who has their kit?" She added with a smile, changing the subject.
"Mine's in my bag." Bonnie replies happily, gesturing towards it. Caroline smiled back and walked to the table where her and Bonnie put their bags.
"So, Elena—" Caroline started as she shuffled through the bags in front of her. "How long do you think this fight with Stefan's gonna last? Is it like a permanent thing?" She asked and Elena sighed, biting a fry that was in her hand.
"I don't know, Caroline." Elena answered with a sigh, eyeing Bonnie and I in annoyance.
"Heh—Why are you such a little liar, Bonnie?" Caroline scoffed out of nowhere and I widened my eyes as we all looked towards her.
"What?" Bonnie asked, looking at her in disbelief.
"Caroline." I stated angrily, shaking my head at her in disapproval. She turned towards us and held up the necklace in her hand, looking at us all in annoyance. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at the necklace, exchanged confused glances with both Elena and Bonnie before Caroline angrily put it on the counter in front of us.
"I'm not lying to you, Caroline, I swear." Bonnie pointed out and shook her head in protest.
"It's true. We were there, we watched her throw it into a field." Elena agreed as she gestured at me before crossing her arms over her chest.
"Well, then explain it." Caroline stated, shrugging back at the three of us and I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at Bonnie.
"Emily?" Bonnie suggested, looking between Elena and I.
"Who's Emily?" Caroline asked in confusion at all of us.
"The Ghost?" Bonnie added frantically, shaking her head in disbelief and I looked back down at the necklace, thinking about it.
"Oh, the ghost has a name now?" Caroline asked sarcastically and I put my hand up to her.
"Caroline, please." I sighed, eyeing Elena and Bonnie again.
"I wonder why she won't leave me alone." Bonnie groaned, staring down at the necklace again and Caroline slammed her hands down in annoyance.
"Okay, what is going on!" Caroline yelled in frustration and we all looked at her with furrowed brows. "Why am I not a part of this conversation? You guys do this to me all of the time." She stated, scoffing at us in defeat.
"That's not true." Elena countered in defense but I rolled my eyes.
"Yes, it is." I argued and gestured at Bonnie who tilted her head back at Caroline.
"I can't talk to you. You don't listen." Bonnie admitted with a shrug and Caroline folded her arms over her chest.
"That's not true." Caroline protested defensively, making Bonnie raise an eyebrow and look back at her with a serious expression.
"I'm a witch." Bonnie stated emotionlessly and Caroline tilted her head back at her indecisively.
"And don't we all know it." Care replied bitchily and I rolled my eyes while Bonnie scoffed.
"See? That's what I'm talking about—I'm trying to tell you something and you don't even hear it.." Bonnie stated in disappointment, shaking her head at her before walking away and Elena walked after her, leaving me with Caroline.
"I listen. When do I not listen?" Caroline asked, turning towards me and I slowly rose my eyebrow at her.
"Right there?" I asked sarcastically, making her slowly sigh in defeat.
"What do I do?" Care asked empathetically.I rose an eyebrow at her and sprawled my hands out on the island counter in front of me.
"I would start with apologizing." I suggested and Caroline slowly nodded before walking away also. I watched her walk into the next room and I looked back down at the necklace that sat on the counter in front of me. I rose and eyebrow and picked it up, examining it closely before the ember started to glow from my touch. I put it back down on the counter quickly and the glowing immediately stopped. I was about to pick it up again but Elena came back into the kitchen, sighing loudly.
"They're straightening it out." She stated in exhaustion and I smiled.
"Good. I don't like fighting." I stated, I looking over the necklace again while Elena grabbed more fries.
"Elena, Mariana! We're done. You can come in now!" Caroline yelled from the living room. I exchanged a look with Elena before we both walked into the living room and smiled at the girls who sat on the couch. "Well, there is just too much drama in this room. What do you guys wanna do?" Caroline asked, looking between the three of us and leaning against the back of the couch. We all shrugged back before she gasped and sat up quickly. "I have an idea. Why don't we have a seance?" She asked excitedly towards Bonnie and quickly stood up.
"I don't think that's a very good idea." Bonnie protested, shaking her head black at Care.
"Come on! Let's summon some spirits. This Emily chick has some serious explaining to do." Caroline stated with a nod and I rose my eyebrow at Bonnie who remained quiet.
"Your necklace, your decision." I informed and watched her narrow her eyes at me in annoyance, making me smirk.
~~~
"What are we doing?" Bonnie asked as we all sat in a circle on the floor of Elena's room, holding each other's hands while three candles were lit in the middle of us.
"I don't know." Elena answered in annoyance towards Caroline.
"Sh." Caroline snapped at them and I smirked at their faces. "Be quiet and concentrate. Okay, close your eyes." She stated and I relaxed, doing so. "Okay, now, take a deep breath." Care stated before inhaling and exhaling and we all mimicked her. "Bonnie.. Call to her." Caroline whispered reassuringly once it was silent and calm.
"Emily.. You there?" Bonnie asked, disinterested in the experiment. I rose my eyebrow and looked at her, trying not to laugh as Elena and Caroline opened their eyes skeptically also.
"Really? 'Emily, you there?' That's all you got?" Caroline countered in annoyance and I laughed, shaking my head at her.
"Come on." I reassured, looking at Bonnie who rolled her eyes.
"Fine, geez." Bonnie sighed as we all closed our eyes again, taking deep breaths. "Emily.. I call on you. I know you have a message. I'm here to listen." She stated in a strong voice. We all sat there silently for a few seconds before the candles in front of us burned brighter. We all gasped and let each others hands go as we stared at them in shock.
"Did that just—" Elena started but I cut her off, nodding in agreement.
"Yeah, that just happened." I answered uneasily as we all looked at the flames that were now under control. Caroline shivered slightly as a cold breeze went throughout the room.
"It's just the air conditioning." Bonnie stated quickly, shaking her head at Care before the flames grew brighter.
"Ask her to show you something. A sign." Caroline stated quickly, gesturing towards Bonnie who shook her head. "Emily, if you're among us, show us another sign." She said loudly as we all watched the candles, waiting for something but nothing happened.
"See? It's not working." Bonnie stated, shaking her head in disbelief before the window behind her flew open, making us all gasp and Scott back in shock again. Bonnie quickly stood and shook her head as wind angrily blew in. "Whoa—no, I can't. I'm done." She stated, pulling the necklace from around her neck before throwing it to the floor. The candles instantly went out, leaving us in darkness and she screamed. "Get the light, please—get the light!" She yelled worriedly and I stood up quickly.
"Hold on, hold on, I got it." I reassured her, quickly moving towards the light switch and turning it on. Bonnie sighed in relief before looking down at the candles and slowly furrowing her eyebrows.
"You guys.. The necklace, it's gone." Bonnie, breathing heavily in concern. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked towards where she threw the necklace but it wasn't there anymore. She was right.
~~~
Elena, Bonnie, Caroline and I searched through Elena's room for the necklace but gave up after not finding it. "Okay, Caroline. You made your point. Now give it back." Elena stated, shaking her head at Caroline who scoffed.
"What? I didn't take it." Caroline replied, furrowing her eyebrows and Elena darted her head towards me.
"What?" I asked, shaking my head as she stared out her door behind me and I furrowed my eyebrows. "What—what happened?" I asked, a slow shiver crawling up my spine. Something wasn't right.
"Nothing—Jeremy? Are you home?" Elena asked, walking passed me and to the door only to look out of it confused.
"Um.. Guys?" Bonnie asked nervously and we all turned looked at her as she slowly walked towards the bathroom. I furrowed my eyebrows and watched as she bent down to the rug that laid on the bathroom floor before she picked up the necklace. She held it in her hand and turned to look up at us but the bathroom door slammed shut, locking her inside and I widened my eyes. "Ah—oh my god!" Bonnie yelled out from inside as she banged on the door. "You got to open the door! Open the door!" She screamed in fear and I widened my eyes.
"Bonnie?" I asked frantically, shaking my head as I moved towards it and hit the door harshly, along with Elena and Caroline, trying to get it open. "Bonnie, what's going on!" I yelled in concern as her screams were loud and frantic.
"Hold on!" Elena said loudly from beside Caroline and I. "Try the other door!" She added, looking at Care and I. "I'll check the hallway." She stated worriedly before running out of her room.
"Bonnie, unlock the door!" Caroline yelled loudly as we kept hitting the door, waiting for it to miraculously fly open.
"Bonnie, unlock the door!" I yelled again, slamming on it before the lights all over the house started flickering on and off vigorously. I widened my eyes as Bonnie's screams were the only noise we heard besides the electricity surging around us. "Bonnie! Bonnie!" I yelled again, banging on the door.
"Open the door!" Caroline added loudly in defeat. Elena came back into the room and banged on the door again before the lights stopped flickering. Bonnie's screams stopped as well and we heard the lock from the inside of the bathroom, click. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and exchanged looks with both Elena and Caroline. The door opened in front of us, revealing Bonnie who held her head in her hands as she stood in the middle of the room.
"What happened, are you okay?" Elena asked worriedly as Bonnie quickly stopped panting and looked up at us emotionlessly.
"I'm fine." She answered, staring back at us and holding her hands in front of her as the necklace hung from her neck.
"Unbelievable.. You were totally faking it." Care stated in disbelief as she scoffed at her and I rolled my eyes.
"Caroline, come on." Elena sighed, defending Bonnie who remained silent.
"No, you scared the hell out of me." Caroline countered angrily. She stalked off and Bonnie watched her in curiousness, not phased.
"Bonnie?" I asked, tilting my head at her and making her look back at me.
"I'm fine. Everything's fine." Bonnie stated with a short nod and slowly walking out of the bathroom, moving passed Elena and I.
"I can't believe I fell for it." Caroline stated in annoyance as Bonnie walked out of Elena's room and we followed.
"Are you okay?" Elena asked, furrowing her eyebrows as Bonnie walked towards the stairs.
"I must go." Bonnie answered, not looking back at us and I slowly shook my head at her. A feeling crept up my spine and I knew something was off.
"She's leaving, I'm leaving." Caroline stated in annoyance as she looked between Elena and I.
"You guys can't leave." I sighed in protest, shaking my head at them and Bonnie stopped on the stairs.
"Oh, I can and I will—I've had enough freaky fake witch stuff for one night." Caroline replies in frustration.
"Thank you for having me." Bonnie stated in monotone from the stairs and I furrowed my eyebrows at her. "I'll take it from here." She added, walking down the stairs again.
"Where are you going?" Elena asked in confusion as she watched with furrowed brows.
"Back to where it all began." She answered emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows at her.. She was different. Her behavior, Her speech.. it wasn't Bonnie.
"Bonnie?" Elena asked again, shaking her head in defeat but Bonnie ignored her. "Bonnie?" Elena pressed louder but still, Bonnie ignored her. I thought all of the possibilities over in my head before I widened my eyes in realization and quickly walked down the stairs after her.
"Emily!" I said loudly, stopping on the steps. I watched Bonnie turned quickly towards me once she got to the bottom of the stairs.
"I won't let him have it. It must be destroyed." Emily stated from Bonnie's body as she stared up at me before quickly running out of the house.
"Wait!" I yelled after her, widening my eyes and turning towards Elena and Caroline who looked at me completely confused. I ran downstairs after her but the door slammed shut just as I got to it. I tried to open it again but it wouldn't budge and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"What's happening?" Caroline asked worriedly, coming down the stairs after Elena.
"I don't know—it's not—" I started in frustration before the door was pushed open and we all screamed, only to see Jeremy standing on the porch.
"What the hell?" Jeremy asked in annoyance at us before slowly sighing and walking towards the kitchen, shaking his head.
"I'm outta here." Care stated, breathing heavily before walking out of the house. I pulled out my phone and dialed in a number quickly as I turned to Elena and out the phone to my ear, letting the dial tone ring.
"What's wrong?" Stefan asked, picking up and I put my phone on speaker.
"It's Bonnie." I informed and watched Elena run her hands through her hair uneasily.
"What happened?" Stefan asked in confusion before Elena grabbed the phone.
"Emily's possessing her, Stefan. She said something." Elena stated frantically and I folded my arms over my chest.
"What did she say?" Stefan asked and Elena looked at me in confusion.
"She said 'I won't let him have it. It must be destroyed.' And they she just left." She pointed out. I walked to the coat rack from beside the door and grabbed my jacket, making Elena furrow her eyebrows.
"Where do you think she went?" Stefan stated and I put my coat on before I grabbed my phone back.
"Fells church by the old cemetery. That's where Emily took Bonnie in her dreams.. That's where it all began." I replied, remembering what Bonnie was telling me at school today.
"Okay, stay there. I'm gonna go find her." Stefan reassured before he hung up. I scoffed and looked back at Elena who rose an eyebrow at me.
"We're not staying here.. are we?" She asked and I chuckled a bit as I grabbed my car keys.
~~~
"Mariana, wait!" Elena yelled after me as we got out of the car and started running through the woods towards the Fell church. "Mar—" Elena started but I ran faster, ignoring her as I focused on where I was running to.
"Incendia!" I heard a voice yell from somewhere in the distance and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Bonnie." I whispered, breathing heavily as I ran before I saw a bright light glowing in the distance in front of me. I widened my eyes at the light as I got closer, realizing that it was fire. I saw the remainders of the Fell church that was nothing but cinder blocks, due to how old it was. I breathed heavily and looked at the fire to see that Bonnie stood in the middle of it and I realized she stood in a pentagram.. A symbol used in witchcraft. Bonnie yanked the necklace from around her and held it up in front of the flames.
"No, no—please." Damon pleaded from outside the pentagram across from her where Stefan held him back.
"Bonnie!" Elena yelled out from behind me. I looked back at her as Stefan vamped over to her and shielded her while Bonnie flung the necklace into the air.
"No!" Damon yelled out in protest before the necklace exploded above us, causing sparks to descend from it. I looked at Damon who slowly clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes at Bonnie. Emily took form and stared back at him before she closed her eyes and disappeared, leaving Bonnie standing there. The flames around her went out and Bonnie slowly reopened her eyes, looking around in complete confusion. Damon shifted out in anger and yelled out as he vamped towards her, making me widen my eyes.
"Damon!" I yelled in protest. I jumped out in front of Bonnie who gasped at the sight of him. Damon stopped immediately in front of me while Bonnie slowly backed away from behind me in fear.
"Mariana—" Bonnie started in a shaky voice, cutting herself off and grabbing onto my arm tightly.
"Damon.." I stated in a tense tone as I looked up at him. He stared down at me, still shifted and angry before looking past me and at Bonnie who clenched my arm tighter. "Get Bonnie out of here." I stated emotionlessly. Elena quickly tore out of Stefan's hold and walked over to Bonnie, grabbing her arm and leading her away.
"Mariana—" Stefan started, going to follow after Elena but I cut him off, not taking my eyes off of Damon who narrowed his eyes down at me in return.
"I'll be fine." I reassured and watched a small smirk fall across Damon's face, clearly hoping to scare me. "He won't hurt me." I added in an optimistic voice and tilted my head at Damon who furrowed his eyebrows back at me. Stefan stated at the two of us for some time before he walked after Elena, leaving us alone. "It was Katherine... wasn't it? The one that you wanted to save with the stone?" I asked, as if seeing right through him and he looked away. "She's still alive?" I added quietly. I watched in silence as he shifted back into his ocean blue eyes and slowly walked away from me.
"Katherine never compelled me." Damon stated emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows, following him. "Stefan thinks that he wasn't the only one she compelled but—she didn't have to compel me.. I knew everything, every step of the way." He informed, sitting back on a tree stump and I slowly knelt down in front of him. "It was real for me." He stated, staring straight ahead of him and I observed how broken he was.. how destroyed. "I'll leave now." Damon informed emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows. "I came and did what I intended to do and I failed.. There's no point in me being here anymore." He pointed out and I gently grabbed his hand that sat on his knee. Damon furrowed his eyebrows and looked down at our hands before finally meeting my gaze. I gave him a soft smile before I silently stood and walked away from him, not wanting to say anything... especially goodbye.
~~~
"I don't understand, Mariana, what happened?" Bonnie asked in worry as I met up with her and Elena while Stefan went to go lecture Damon. "He came at me and—his face was like.." She whispered, leading off as her eyes glazed over.
"How do you feel? Are you okay?" I asked, changing the subject and looking her over carefully.
"I'm fine, it's just his face—I can't—" Bonnie started but cut herself off and looked past Elena and I. I furrowed my eyebrows and turned to see Stefan standing behind us with his hands in his jacket pockets.
"I'm not going to hurt you." Stefan reassured her and she slowly looked back between Elena and I again.
"What's going on, you guys?" Bonnie asked us in confusion and I grabbed her hands, trying to calm her down.
"We'll explain everything, Bonnie, okay? Let's just get out of here." Elena reassured her as she looked back at Stefan and clenched her jaw, unsure.
"Bonnie, look at me." I said gently, pulling her focus back towards me. "Trust me, okay? He's not going to hurt you." I stated as Bonnie shook from fear, standing in front of me. "Come on." I added, walking her towards my car before putting her in the passenger seat. I looked back at Elena and Stefan who talked intently and I climbed into the driver's seat and shut the door behind me. I sighed loudly and rested my head on the driver's wheel in front of me.
"Mariana?" Bonnie asked softly from beside me and I looked at her as she furrowed her eyebrows. "What's wrong?" She asked with worry in her voice and I slowly shook my head.
"It's nothing." I reassured, giving her a fake smile and looking away.
"It's Damon—isn't it?" She countered and I furrowed my eyebrows, slowly looking back at her and not saying anything as I sat up in my seat.
"He almost killed you, Bonnie." I informed in defeat, feeling my eyes glaze over and she slowly nodded.
"But he didn't because you stopped him. You protected me." Bon replied with a small smile and grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently. "You saved me, Mari." She whispered as her eyes glazed over as well and I looked away from her. "And I don't know what kind of friend I would be if I didn't protect you..." She added leading off and I looked back at her, furrowing my eyebrows. "Damon is dangerous." Bonnie warned in a serious tone and I stared at her, not knowing what to say. "You need to stay away from him." She added, shaking her head at me in warning. I looked away from her in defeat and out the windshield at the front of the car where Stefan and Elena still talked, heatedly it looked like. Stefan quickly walked away from Elena and I furrowed my eyebrows, watching them in confusion. Elena yelled after him but he kept walking.. Further and further away.. not turning back.