A/N: Hey! So I hope you all are enjoying the new book! I know that I am enjoying writing it. So my class starts next week and I have no life out of school except for my one bestfriend lol. So I might update some more before next week! Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Dear Diary,
Yep, it's me. Elena still insists on me writing so I will. I know that she is just trying to help. But I don't really need it. I can't just move on like she is. On a better note, Hunter and I texted a little last night after he left. It's like I could talk to him forever and never get bored. Nothing special, just hoe our days are going and that stuff.
I put my journal down and walk to my bathroom. I had nothing more to write. If I'm being totally honest the thing I write about the most is how Elena is the one who wants me to keep writing. I take a shower and get changed into clothes. I put on my hightop converse and grab my skateboard and backpack. I walk out into the hallway and I hear Jenna and Elena talking.
"Yeah. Okay, well off of Jeremy and on to Phoebe. How has she been? She seems a little quiet recently. Is it just me?" She asks Elena and I turn back into my room but lean up against the door to hear.
"No. It is not just you. She has been little distant. I think she just needs some more time. And she also won't step near a car with any intention of getting in it." She tells Jenna.
"Yeah. Now that I think about it she hasn't been in one since that night. Do we send her to a therapist to talk about it?" She asks.
"I'm fine." I say as I walk out of my room and start down the stairs. "I'm leaving for school."
"Oh, wait for me. I can give you a ride." Jenna tells me.
"I'll pass. I wanna take my skateboard." I yell up the stairs and walk out the door skipping breakfast due to not wanting to be there any longer.
▫️▫️▫️
"Woah. Guess someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." Hunter says from beside me as I slam my locker shut. "Are you okay?"
"Yep, all good. Just wish everyone would stop worrying about me." I tell him with a sigh.
"Okay. What happened?" He asks grabbing my shoulders and stopping me.
"It's nothing really." I tell him.
"Phoebe, come on. You can trust me." He says.
"I do trust you. I don't know why I trust you, but I do. I mean I just met you and I feel this connection with you." I tell him, until I realize how weird that just sounded. "Wow, that sounded super weird and stupid so just forget I said anything." I tell him and start to walk away.
"Hey, come on. It wasn't stupid or weird okay? I feel it too " He tells me.
"Really?"
"Really." He says and I smile at him.
▫️▫️▫️
Meet at the grille after school to hang out?
The text from Bonnie reads. I'm currently in my last period of the day, which is history with Tanner. He is such an asshole but you just gotta live with him.
sure. See ya there.
I text back.
need a ride?
Nope. I have my skateboard.
I tell her and put my phone in my desk.
I look up to see Hunter looking at me. I smile at him, he smiles back. The bells rings and as I'm packing up, I look ever at the door to see Hunter waiting there. I grab my bag and walk over to him.
"Not waiting for me are you?" I tease.
"Actually, yeah. I was wondering if you wanted to get something to eat tomorrow and then go to the comet thing together?" He asks.
"Like a date?" I asks with a smile.
"If you want it to be." He says with a smile.
"Yeah. I'd like that a lot." I tell him with a smile. "Okay. I'm actually supposed to be meeting my sister and her friends at the grille right now, but I will see you tomorrow." I tell him with a smile.
"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow." He says and I turn to walk away.
▫️▫️▫️
"Well, I was talking with grams, and she said the comet is a sign of impending doom. The last time it passes over mystic falls, there was a lot of death. So much blood and carnage, it created a bed of paranormal activity." Bonnie tells us, as we sit outside the Mystic Grille. I was just caught up that Bonnie's grams is telling her that she is a witch.
"Yeah and then you poured grams another shot and she told you about the aliens." Caroline comments.
"God, you don't have to be rude Caroline." I tell her as I play with the food on my plate.
"So then what?" She ignores me and asks Elena about how Stefan came over last night and they just talked.
"So then, nothing."
"You and Stefan talked all night? There was no sloppy first kiss or touchy feely of any kind?" Caroline asks.
"Nope. We didn't go there."
"Not even a handshake? I mean, Elena, we are your friends and sister. Ok? You are supposed to share the smut." Caroline says and I cringe.
"Oh god, please do not share the smut." I tell her with a laugh.
"We just talked for hours." Elena tells us giving me a smile.
"Ok, what is the blockage? Just jump his bones already! Ok, it's easy. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy, sex." She explains.
"God, she met him like 2 days ago and you want her to have sex? is that what teenagers are supposed to be doing?" I ask.
"No. Not you atleast. Don't get any ideas with Hunter." Elena tells me.
"It's not like that." I tell her, though I did want it to be something more, I felt unnaturally comfortable around him. Like I could tell him all my deepest darkest secrets.
"Where are you going?" Bonnie asks as Elena starts to put on her coat.
"Caroline's right. It is easy. If I sit here long enough, I'll end up talking myself out of it instead of doing what I started the day saying I was gonna do." She says. "Come on, Phoebe."
"What? No I don't wanna be there when you jump Stefan's bones." I tell her.
"Come on, I need my little sister, plus then you can see Hunter." She says.
"Okay, fine. Only because I love you." I tell her, I get up and she's walking over to her car. It dawned on me that, of course she wanted to take her car. I mean she had a drivers license, and a car and she didn't have a fear of them after that night.
"You know what. I think I'll meet you there." I tell her and grab my skateboard and take of before she can say. The Salvatore boarding house was a good 5 miles away. She would get there before me but if I take some short cuts I can make it there in 25 minutes.
I ride up to the house to see Elena still in her car. I walk up to it and knock on her window.
She opens her door and gets out, I put my skateboard in her backseat.
"You waited. I'm sorry it took so long. I took all the short cuts that I know." I tell her and we walk up to the door.
"It's okay." She says and she pulls down on the red rope for the doorbell. I then knock on the door and it opens. "Stefan?" Elena calls out.
We walk further into the house. "Stefan?" She calls out again. We here creaking behind us and we turn around and a few seconds later a crow flys into the house through the wide open door. When Elena and I turn around there's a man standing right in front of us with black hair and bright blue eyes. "We're sorry for barging in. The door was... open." She trails of when we turn around and the door is now closed.
"You must be Elena." The guy says. "And you're.." He says looking at me.
"Phoebe. Her little sister. I'm in Hunter's grade." I tell him.
"I can see the family resemblance. In the eyes." He tells us and I stifle a laugh. "Did I say something?" He says with a slight smile.
"Oh, no. It's just, I'm adopted. We're not related by blood." I tell him.
"Oh, I see." He says with a chuckle. "Well, I'm Damon, Stefan and Hunter's older brother." He tells us and I frown. I didn't know he had another older brother.
"He didn't tell me he had another brother." Elena says reading my mind. Woah. Adopted sis telepathy.
"Well, they aren't ones to brag. Please, come. I'm sure Stefan will be along any second." He says.
"Okay. Well um, is Hunter here?" I ask him.
"Oh yeah. His room is upstairs." He tells me and points in the direction of the stairs. I walk over and up them. This house is huge, I think I'm about to never find it when I see him sitting on his bed reading a book.
"Hey." I say knocking on his open door.
"Oh, hi. What're you doing here?" He asks surprised.
"I'm sorry. I should've called, or texted. My sister wanted to see your brother and I mean I wouldn't mind seeing you, so she dragged me along and-" He cuts me off.
"It's fine. I'm happy your here." He says.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"God, what do you do to me? I mean, I'm never like this. I'm never unsure of what I do, or say. But I am when I'm around you. I have no idea what I'm doing." I tell him and he steps closer to me. At first I think he's about to tell me something but then he places his hand on my cheek and his lips meet mine. This time I don't hesitate to kiss back.
"Hunter-" I hear Stefan call and we break apart and I turn and see him standing in the door way. "Oh, um Phoebe your sister just left." He tells me.
"She left?" I ask.
"Yeah. Um, did you need a ride home?" He asks me.
"No! I um, mean no I'm good. I've got my skateboard with me. " I say and blush some more at my out burst.
"Here I'll uh, walk you to the door." Hunter tells me.
"Okay." I say, we walk out of his room but I can feel Stefan walking behind us. When we make it to the front door and I can't see my skateboard anywhere it dawns on me that it's in my sister's car. I mutter a 'shit' but I think both boys hear me because they turn to look at me.
"What's wrong?" Stefan asks.
"Oh, nothing. My skateboard is just in my sister's car. Which she drove home in." I tell them.
"Oh. Well that's fine I'll just give you a ride home." Stefan offers.
"Oh, um, that's fine. I'll just walk." I tell them and zip up my coat.
"You're crazy that's like 5 miles away." Hunter tells me.
"It's fine really." I tell Stefan.
"Stop trying to be kind, okay? I can't just let you walk home. I'll pull the car around while you guys uh, say your goodnights." Stefan says with a laugh and he walks out. I just nod because I didn't want to see rude or ungrateful. But also because I didn't particularly want to tell Stefan or Hunter that I haven't been in a car since my parents died. I know I can't avoid them forever, I just wasn't prepared to go in one tonight.
"I'll text you, okay?"
"Yeah." I say with a nod.
"Okay. So, we uh, still on for tomorrow night? Let's say I'll um, pick you up at 6?" He says.
"Yeah. 6 is great. But maybe I can meet you there?" I ask.
"Yeah, that will work. I'll see you then." He then leans down and presses a kiss to my lips. I smile after we pull away. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight." I tell him and walk towards the door. The car is there running and Stefan is in the Driver's seat. I take a deep breathe and walk over to the car. My heart beats faster and faster the closer I get to the car. I open the door and sit down in the seat. Okay, not so bad. I tell myself but I'm internally freaking out. We are about 2/3 way to my house when I really start to feel like I can't breathe. I take of my jacket.
"Are you okay?" Stefan asks me.
"Can you pull over the car?"
"What?"
"Please, just um pull the car over." I tell him. He does and I stumble out of the car I walk until I grab the tree on the side of the road.
"Are you okay? Phoebe?"
"Brother. Call. Jeremy." I tell him in between breathes and point to my phone in the car. He rushes over and I fall to the ground with my back against the tree, trying to catch my breathe.
"Jeremy? Yeah, I was driving your sister home- Yeah Phoebe, and it looks like she may be having panic attack. She um, wanted you. Okay, yeah." I hear him say and he puts the phone up against my ear.
"Jer, I can't- breathe." I tell him.
"Okay, just listen to me Phoebe, okay? You're okay. I promise. You're not drowning, you can breathe. I know you're strong enough to do this. Breathe with me. In- Out. In- Out. In- Out." He says slowly and I can feel the air in my lungs.
"Okay. I'm okay now." I tell him.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I'll be fine the rest of the way home." I tell him.
"Okay. Call me if you need anything." He tells me and I smile.
"Okay. I'll see you when I get home. Bye." I say and hang up. I look up to see Stefan already looking at me. "Okay. Let's get going." I tell him and get up and walk towards his car. He gets into the driver's seat but doesn't move to start the car. " I haven't been in a car since the accident. I know, I should have just told you why I didn't want the ride home. It's just Hunter was standing right there, and I didn't want him thinking that I'm some crazy person who can't step foot into a car. And I know I can't be afraid of cars forever." I tell him looking out the front window.
"It wouldn't have mattered. He would want to know, he would want to help." Stefan tells me and I know he's talking about hunter.
"I know." I say with a smile. "He's just.. he is not like any guy I've ever met. He is so different." I say.
"Trust me. He feels the same about you. Now do you want me to walk with you to your house?" He asks.
"Um, no driving will be okay. We're only like 5 minutes away." I tell him and he nods, starts up the car and starts down the road. I open the window and lean my head on it. It makes me more calm, knowing that I have another way out of the car.
"Okay. You okay?" Stefan asks as we pull up to my house. I unbuckle my seatbelt and get out.
"Yeah. Thanks um, for the ride." I tell him through the window.
"Yeah, hey if you need anything, I mean you and my brother have this thing, and me and your sister have a thing too. But, I'm here if you need to talk." He tells me.
"Thanks, Stefan. That means a lot." I say and walk up to my house.
"Phoebe, did Stefan give you a ride home?" She asks.
"Yeah. My skateboard was in your car, so he gave me a ride." I tell them.
"And you were in a car?" Aunt Jenna asks.
"Yeah, Aunt Jenna that's usually how someone gets dropped off." I tell her with a laugh, obviously hiding the fact that after I got into the car I had a panic attack.
"Okay. Well um, we're making dinner want to help?" She asks me.
"Yeah, sounds good." I say with a genuine smile.
"We're also talking about boys." She adds.
"Yeah, when I was at Stefan's house and after he showed up, he was really weird. He practically rushed me out the door." Elena explains.
"That's weird. Although I think Damon's pretty cool." I say.
"Yeah. Stefan acted super weird around him, and he didn't tell me he had another brother. Anyways, how was it with Hunter?" She asks and now both girls were looking at me.
"Oh, ya know the normal." I say as I cut some food.
"Oh, come on. Give us more details." Aunt Jenna says to me.
"Okay, well we're going on a date tomorrow night and then going to the comet thing together." I tell them.
"That's so great, honey." Aunt Jenna tells me.
"We've also kissed a few times." I add quietly. "I know I just met him but, It's like we just.. get each other." I tell her.
"I get it honey, just be careful."
"Yeah, I know. Do you guys have anything going on tonight? What about a movie night?" I ask.
"Yeah, that sounds great!" Aunt Jenna says.
▫️▫️▫️
After dinner we watched a movie or two and we all must of fallen asleep on the couch because I woke up to Jenna shaking me awake.
"I'm up. I'm up." I tell her standing up and stretching. "That couch is actually kind of comfortable." I tell them and they laugh. I go upstairs and get dressed in a jeans and a white crop top. I grab my backpack and go downstairs. I see Aunt Jenna and Elena sitting at the kitchen counter eating food. "Hey, can I get a ride to school?" I ask her.
"Yeah. No problem. You have enough time for breakfast if you want?" She tells me but it sounds more like a question. I nod and sit down next to her. I was already dreading the car ride. I still don't like cars, but I can't be afraid forever so I'm just gonna get over it. Ya know, just keep getting into a car until I'm not scared anymore.
When we get to school I'm glad to be out of the car. I walk to my locker and see Hunter walking down the hallway towards me.
"Hey, Phoebe Gilbert." He greets me.
"Hey yourself." I say with a smile.
"I'm looking forward to tonight." He tells me.
"Me too." I tell him.
"Good. I'll see you at the grille at 6."
"I will see you then. I'll also see you in biology in 10 minutes." I tell him with a laugh.
"Yeah, I'll see you then." He says and turns to walk away.
I open my locker and grab my books, I then make my way to Jo's locker. We walk to class together because it seems that's the only time we get to hang out. We text but we're both busy after school.
"Hey you." I say as I lean against the locker next to hers.
"Hey. You and Hunter still going to the grille tonight?"
"Yep. At 6." I tell her.
"OooOoo. That's exciting."
"Yep. My first date." I say with a smile.
"Are you nervous?"
"A little. I mean what do you even talk about on dates?" I ask her.
"Just ask about his old school and stuff. Ya know try yo learn more about him." She tells me.
"Thanks JoJo. You really are the best friend." I tell her and she pulls me into a hug.
"I mean yeah. We've only been friends since we were 2 and at day care." She tells me.
"Yeah and our dads went to school together." I tell her with a laugh, to think about all the stories they told us about when they were teenagers makes me happy.
"Yeah. We were bound to be bestfriends." She tells me.
"Yes we were. Okay. Lets get to class."
"Yep, let's go." She says and loops her arm through mine.
▫️▫️▫️
"Don't get me wrong I'm more of a Marvel girl but, um Arrow or Flash?" I ask Hunter as we're walking down th street hands linked together.
"Oh, that is a hard one. I gotta go with Arrow. I mean he's a total badass."
"What? No way! Flash can run at inhuman speeds. He can freaking time travel!" I tell Hunter. "Plus he doesn't go around killing people." I tell him with a laugh. "Although I will admit he is a little bit of a badass."
"Okay at least you can admit that. Now my question. Um, okay I know, Marvel girl. Favorite Avenger?" He asks.
"Oh, why'd you gotta do that to me?" I ask with a laugh. "Definitely Iron man."
"Okay, at least I agree with you there." He says. "I mean Tony Stark is a genius. Plus he can fly so."
"Wait, does it have to be Avengers or just apart of Marvel?" I ask.
"Why? Who you thinking about changing it with?"
"I don't know if I can just forget about my man Spidey like that." I tell him. "Okay, it's a tie on Iron man and spider man."
"Okay, I can live with liking a girl who can't choose between Iron man and Spider man." He tells me and I immediately smile and stop in my place. I place my hands on his cheeks and reach up on my tippy toes and place a kiss on his lips.
"I like you, too. Okay now come on otherwise we'll miss the comet." I tell him and place my hand in his again, dragging him with me.
As were walking through the square I see Elena, Bonnie and Caroline all together. We walk over to them and on the way we grab candles.
"Will you light my candle?" I ask Elena in a sing-song voice. She smiles and lights it. That's how I know she gets my reference. We used to listen to Rent all the time as kids. "Here you go." I say as I light Hunter's candle.
"Thank you." He says and takes my hand in his again.
"So are you two like boyfriend/girlfriend now?" Caroline asks with a smile.
"Caroline!" Elena scolds.
"No, it's fine. We haven't talked about it. But I'd like us to be." Hunter tells them and I look up to him with a smile.
"Aweee, Phoebe's first boyfriend!!!" Caroline squeals.
"Caroline!" I scold her this time.
"Wow, no one would know you two weren't blood sisters." She tells me.
"Okay, we're walking away now." I tell them and pull Hunter along with me and he calls a quick 'bye' to them. "Back there, did you mean what you said about us being boyfriend/girlfriend?" I ask.
"Every word." He tells me, and I lean up and kiss him.
"Well, I would like that too." I tell him.
"Well then it's settled. You're my girlfriend."
"And your my boyfriend."
"Your first ever boyfriend." He says mimicking Caroline.
"Oh shut up." I say with a laugh pushing his arm.
"Ow. You know that really hurt." He tells me.
"You'll heal." I tell him with a smile.
We walk over to the grille and walk in as Elena is giving Jer another lecture.
"Or you can talk to me." Elena tells him.
"I vote for none of the above." He says and as he starts to walk away I go over to him.
"Hey, Jer, wait." I say and grab his arm to stop him. "Are you okay? What was that about?" I ask him.
"It's nothing, phebs. Just go hang out with your boyfriend." He says and tries to walk away again, but I stop him.
"Hey, I know you've been through alot, we all have, but pushing Elena and I away isn't gonna do anything, okay? This is the time that we're supposed to be leaning on each other. So, when your ready, I'm here. Okay? If you need to talk or anything. I'm here for you."
"Phoebe, just leave me alone." He says and pulls his arm out of my grip and walks away. I sigh and rake my hands through my hair. I feel a pair of arms wrap around me and I lean my head on Hunter's chest.
"It's okay. He won't be like this forever."
"I know. I just wish he would talk to me." I tell him and look up at him.
"I know. Okay, it is getting late. I should get you home before your aunt hates me." He tells me and I laugh.
"You haven't even met her yet." I tell him.
"I know. I'm hoping if I drop you off I'll run into her." He tells me with a smile.
"I think I can arrange that." I tell him and place a kiss on his lips.