I wake up covered in sweat and shaking. Why? Because I dreamed that Damon Salvatore killed me. I really think I am going crazy or maybe I might just be a sissy. I kind if hope it's the first one, I do not want to be a sissy. I throw the covers off and drag myself to the bathroom. I open the door and Jer is in there brushing his teeth.
"Sorry." I apologize and start to shut the door.
"Oh no it's cool, I'm done." Jeremy says before I shut the door.
I give him a weird look, grabbing my toothbrush. "You're up early. Where ya going?" I ask.
"The police station, they're organizing a search party for Vicki so..." Jer explains walking back to his room.
"Elena will want you to go to school." I say.
"Your kidding me right?" Jeremy asks turning around.
"I'm going to be Elena here so bear with me please." I take a deep breath, "You should go to school, if they find her we'll know. That's what cellphones are for." I say.
"Your lips keep moving but I don't know why." Jeremy rudely says before walking away.
"Jerkface!" I yell hoping he can hear me. I sigh and look into the mirror. Vicki is a vampire now and I don't want her any where near my brother. She was already bad enough as a stoner chick but now she's a vampire chick.
Just what the world needs.
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I was going to go to school but then since my brother bailed, why can't I? I don't know what made me drive to the Salvatore boarding house but here I am parked out front. I know Vicki is here but I didn't come to check up on her, I came for Damon. No matter how much I deny it, I am attracted to him. Before I can psych myself out, I open the car door and head to the front door. I knock a bunch of times, playing a little rhythm on the door. Damon throws it open glaring at me.
"I would have heard you if you only knocked once." he says annoyed.
"I know but then I would have had to only knock once." I fake pout before heading in.
"Shouldn't you be in school Ari?" Damon asks.
"Jeremy skipped, Elena probably will so I figured why not." I smile plopping down on the sofa. Damon walks over to me, smiling slightly.
"You have a bad habit of making yourself at home on my couch." he sits down next to me. I smile and put my feet up, wrapping my arms around my legs facing Damon.
"Your couch is amazing though, I want it to be home." I grin.
"Are you going to kidnap my couch?" Damon raises his eyebrow.
"Maybe." I smirk.
Damon laughs, "Like you could even move it."
"Are you saying I'm weak." I fake being hurt. Then I glare at him and punch him in the arm.
"You know that doesn't hurt me." he smirks.
"Stupid vampire." I tease and punch him harder but I don't think it make a difference.
"Sexy vampire you mean." he says cockily.
"Please, I saw a trash bag this morning and it looked sexier than you." I say.
"Trash bag? Seriously? That's the best you could come up with?" Damon teases.
"Yes and maybe I just happen to think trash bags are sexy." I shrug.
"Sexier than me?" Damon asks surprised like nothing could be sexier than him.
"Yes, much sexier." I smirk. He glares at me playfully and I can tell he is thinking something mischievous to do to me. He lunges for me but I squeal and jump up running away.
"You can't run from me Aria." Damon taunts.
"I can try, Edward." I tease and scream when he suddenly appears in front of me. "Now, now Damon." I say but he just smirks and picks me up, throwing me over his shoulder.
"Told you I would catch you." he says while I pound on his back.
"Put me down this instant, Mr.Salvatore." I yell as he laughs spinning me around, making me dizzy. "Day!" I scream as I keep getting dizzier . Finally he sets me down and I start to fall down. Thankfully Damon catches me before I can fall on my ass. "You bastard, look what you did." I mumble and walk shakily over to the couch.
"Oh come on Ari, it's not like I drank your blood or anything." Damon says.
"You have done that before." I point out and I think I see guilt flash across his face. I narrow my eyes and am about to say something but the doorbell rings cutting me off. Damon and I head to the door, I am surprised to see Elena when I open up the door. Damon smirks and puts his arm around me causing Elena to turn red.
"What are you doing here, Aria." she fumes.
"Hanging with Damon." I say glaring at her. She glares right back.
"Is Stefan here?" she moves her glare to Damon.
"Yup." Damon says popping the p.
"Where is he?" she asks in a monotone voice.
"And good morning to you miss I'm on a mission" Damon says doing some weird eye thing. What is up with that?
"How can you be so arrogant and glib after everything that you have done." Elena crosses her arms over her chest.
"Bitchy much?" I whisper knowing only Damon can hear me. He smirks a little at my comment.
"How can you be so stupid and brave to call a vampire arrogant and glib?" I demand, glaring at my sister.
"If he wanted me dead, I'd be dead." Elena fires back, glaring right back at me.
"Yes you would." Damon agrees
"But I'm not." Elena states which is pretty obvious.
"Yet." Damon smirks causing Elena to shut up. Haha, he scared her.
"Where is Stefan?" she asks for like the hundredth time.
"He's upstairs, singing in the rain in Spain. Knock yourself out." Damon smirks before walking me out and pulling me along with him. Elena and I glare at each other before she finally goes inside to her boyfriend.
"So...what now?" I ask.
"Now we get drunk." Damon grins.
--------------------
I grin wildly as Damon sets the shot in front of me. "God, I love compulsion." I easily drown the glass and look over at Damon.
"Another one? You have had like three already." Damon says.
"Ah, so? I thought you were fun?" I whine.
"I'm not going to let you get any drunker, it will make me look bad." Damon frowns taking the glass away. I groan and ask the bartender for another shot but he just shakes his head and walks away. I wrap my arms around Damon's neck and smile flirtatiously.
"Please? For me?" I beg, batting my eyelashes at him.
Damon rolls his eyes and unwinds my arms from his neck. "Not going to work Ari."
"A girl can try." I shrug. "So what have you been doing for the past 100 years?" I ask but Damon isn't really listening. He kind of has this far away look in his eyes. I wave my hand in front of his face. "Damon?"
"What?" he asks coming out of his trance, "Oh sorry. I was listening to Mr and Mrs Lockwood over there." I look behind me and sure enough see the couple arguing.
"What are they talking about?" I whisper, like it's a secret or something.
"Nothing that concerns you." Damon answers causing me to glare at him.
"That is rude. What are they talking about?" I demand, really wanting to know.
"It involves vampires but that's all you're getting." Damon sighs.
"Fine be like that but this is all you're getting of me then." I glare before grabbing my bag and heading out the door. Ugh, why is Damon always so cryptic? It's really annoying when you're trying to get info out of him. I get out my car keys and hop into the car. I can't really call it my car because it's like the families car that when I need to impress people I say it's mine. I know it's totally lame but what can I say?
I blast Imagine Dragons then take off down the street. It's only like a 10 minute drive back home so it's not like I can experience the open rode for very long. I cheer as I pull in front of my house at a wonderful time of only 6 minutes. When I get out of the car, I almost fall forgetting I was a little drunk. Ops, I was drunk and I drove, not a very good example.
The door is unlocked so Jer must be home because I know Elena is at Stefan's. I walk in and throw the keys on the couch before walking into the kitchen. I grab a can of Sprite and a thing of coffee ice cream before heading back to the living room. I plop down on the sofa and turn on the DVD player, time for a Pretty Little Liars marathon!
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After about five episodes I finally get bored and get off the sofa. I head to the kitchen where Jer is making some smoothie. I think. I can't really tell. He is talking on the phone leaving another message for Vicki. I sigh and walk over to the freezer putting the ice cream back in.
"Hey." Elena says from behind me. Jeremy and I both turn around but ignore her. As she walks to the fridge I walk away, trying to keep my distance. "So..um...do you two want to hang out tonight? We could go to the halloween thing at school? It could be fun." Elena smiles hopeful.
"Cool...sounds fun." I reply sarcastically.
"Can't wait." Jeremy says also very sarcastically. Jer and I both try to leave the kitchen but Elena speaks up.
"I know Jeremy your upset about Vicki. I heard she called Matt. But you can't be with her. She needs to get better, the best thing you can do for her is let her go." Elena tells Jeremy.
"What does that even mean let her go?" Jeremy laughs bitterly. "Oh right because we're such experts on letting people go right?"
"I know you may not see it but trust me Jer, it's for the best." Elena argues.
"For months after Mom and Dad died, I felt like crap. Like nothing even really mattered crap. And all of a sudden I would have these moments and things would start to feel a little bit better. Vicki was in every single one of them. You may not see it but trust me, keeping me away from her is not for the best." Jeremy states before pushing past me and leaving the kitchen. I start to leave but again she stops me.
"Aria I know your mad at me too because I was a total hypocrite. I just don't want Damon to hurt you, he was hurting Caroline for a long time. I mean he did bite you and I know your having nightmares." Elena says softly. I turn around and give her a sad smile.
"I know you're just protecting me but Elena after Tyler I needed someone to bring me back to the real world. Damon did, he made me forget about Tyler and even Mom and Dad sometimes. If Damon ever lays a hand on me, I will never talk to him again. I think you know that." I tell her.
"Alright." Elena nods, her eyes wary.
"I'll go with you tonight, to the halloween thing." I say. Elena looks up and smiles at me. Not knowing what else to say I turn around and head up to my room.
Now the ultimate problem. What should I wear?
-----------------
Wow, there are a lot of people here. I think the whole town's supply of teenagers came. Everyone is wearing pretty cool costumes except for my lame ass brother who is just wearing a hoodie. Elena is wearing some sexy nurse costume while I am wearing a short red dress with high heel black boots that go up to right below my knees, fish net style gloves and a red witch hat. Yup, I'm a witch. I was thinking vampire but then I changed my mind and went for a witch. Plus I look super sexy in this. Just saying.
"Couldn't you at least wear some costume, Jer?" I sigh annoyed as we walk in.
"No, I'm not five." he says.
"Haha real funny. I'm older than you and I'm wearing something so don't use that as an excuse." I narrow my eyes at him. "Lena is also wearing one too and we all know how boring she is." I point out.
"Hey! I'm not boring." she defends herself.
Jeremy and I look at each other, "Yeah you are." we say at the same time. Elena rolls her eyes and drags us into the school where it's decked out for halloween. As soon as we walk in we see Matt, he smiles and walks over to us.
"Elena you went with last year's costume too, huh?" Matt asks smiling. I frown and look over at Elena. Oh yeah! I remember that from last year. Ugh, she really couldn't get a new costume?
"Yeah, I didn't know I was coming till an hour ago." Elena smiles. I roll my eyes, I totally vote for Elena and Matt not Stefan and Elena.
"Me either." Matt smiles back looking into Elena's eyes. They stare at each other for a few seconds before Matt turns to Jer and I. "And Aria you are going as a sexy witch."
"The costume is just a witch one, I put the sexy in it." I smirk. Matt laughs shaking his head.
"And your going as....you?" Matt asks Jeremy. Jer glares at him before walking away. Well, that's my brother for you, always the life of the party.
"He's not talking to me right now we got into a fight." Elena says. I laugh and Elena punches my arm.
"Yeah I got into it with Vicki when she got home. I'm trying not to smother her tonight but part of me didn't want to let her out of my sight." Matt says.
"She's here?" I demand, a little panicked.
"Yeah you can't miss her, she's a vampire." Matt smiles. I want to laugh at the irony there but I don't think it's the time.
"Where did Jeremy go?" Elena asks breathing heavily.
"Elena what's the matter?" Matt asks.
"I got to go find him." Elena says panicked. I follow after her, a little worried but not overreacting like her.
"Lena you're overreacting." I say as she pushes through people looking for Jeremy.
"I am not. She could kill him if she loses control Aria. You're under reacting." she replies not looking at me.
"She doesn't want to hurt him Elena. He will be fine, just let him see her." I try to convince her. She spins around and glares at me.
"Aria I know she doesn't want to hurt him but she can't control it. We already lost Mom and Dad, I will not lose Jeremy due to a vampire." Elena spits out before continuing to roam the hallways. I sigh and follow her not saying anything. She has a point but I know how much Jer loves Vicki.
Elena finally stops and stands by the wall. "Were never going to find him." I put my hand on her shoulder and point down the hall to where Stefan is leading Vicki towards us. "Oh thank God." Elena says to Stefan.
"What's the matter?" Stefan asks worried.
"I lost track of Jeremy. I was worried." her eyes move over to Vicki when she says this. Subtle Elena, subtle.
"What's going on?" Matt asks coming next to us.
"Hey, uh..everything's fine." Stefan says.
"I told you to quit bothering me!" Vicki yells pushing away from Stefan.
"No, Vicki. Don't be a bitch." I force a smile even though I'm glaring at her.
"Matt he won't leave me alone." Vicki says softly.
"You need to back off man!" Matt yells getting up in Stefan's face.
"Matt it's okay." Elena says putting her hands up.
"No, it's not okay! What the hell is your problem?!" Matt fumes. I hear a whooshing sound and see that Vicki is gone.
"Stefan, Elena she's gone!" I say and take off running to wear I saw her leave. I don't care if there following, I am going to find her before she finds my brother. I'm pushing past everybody but it's hard to focus with all the flashing lights and shit.
Tip for later; don't lose a vampire in a haunted house. I yell out in frustration and think were is a good make out spot. That's what I'm guessing there doing. The back exit by the school buses! I smile and run for the exit. I throw open the door and hear Jeremy yelling at Vicki to stop. Oh no she doesn't. I grab a wooden beam and run to wear I hear them. I see Vicki holding Jeremy up against the bus.
"Vicki no!" I yell as she turns towards me throwing Jeremy to the ground. She snarls and comes towards me, oh shit. I swing the beam but she easily catches it and tosses it to the ground. I gasp as she picks me up and throws me about 2 feet. I groan as I land on the wooden crates and roll over to see her coming at me again. I close my eyes and wait for the impact but it never comes. Stefan is restraining Vicki.
He pins he up against the bus but she is fighting back pretty hard. "Vicki!" Jeremy yells. I groan and stand up in pain, holding my side that is bleeding. Stefan gets distracted and Vicki slips away disappearing.
"Get inside!" Stefan yells while he searches under the buses. Elena grabs Jeremy and I and we all run for the entrance back inside. I get there first and pull open the door but suddenly I am pulled out and Vicki is sinking her teeth into my neck. I scream in pain and fear but suddenly she stops and pulls away from me. She is gasping for breath and is looking at the stake through her heart. I gasp and back up into Elena who wraps her arm around me.
Stefan pulls the stake out and Vicki starts turning some weird color with veins all over her. "Vicki!" Jeremy screams pained and tries running to her but Stefan restrains him. Vicki falls to the ground dead for real now and Jeremy is screaming and crying. Tears are streaming down my face and I am sniffling.
"Get him out of here!" I say to Stefan, Stefan nods and leads Jeremy away. I fall to my knees beside Vicki, ignoring the pain. She's dead. She's dead. I keep repeating in my head until it sinks in. I openly start crying and Elena tightens her grip around my shoulder.
"You two should go. I got this." Damon says coming out of no where. I look up at him and I think I see a little worry but it soon fades.
"You did this." Elena seethes standing up. I stay seated on my knees, not wanting to move. "This is your fault."
"You confuse me for someone with remorse." Damon shrugs still looking at me. I frown and quickly look away from him. Elena pushes him hard but he doesn't even budge. She tries to slap him but he easily catches her hand bringing it down. Elena, don't try to fight Damon. You won't win. "None of this matters to me. None of it." he whispers the last part, letting her go and pushing her back a little.
"People die around you! Aria is hurt, she could have died because of you. It matters and you know it." Elena spits out this time actually slapping him. I stand up alarmed.
"Elena!" I say surprised. I know it didn't hurt Damon but it probably pissed him off.
"You need to leave, Aria's wounds are bleeding. And you need to leave." he says darkly. Elena takes the hint and walk over to me, wrapping an arm around me for support. I shake it off, I am not a sissy. I can walk without her help.
We quickly walk through the school and out towards the parking lot. We are almost to our car but we hear Matt running up to us. "Elena, Aria!" he yells, we stop and turn around. "Wow, what happened?" he asks me seeing the blood.
"Nothing some idiot spilled fake blood on me. Were gonna get home so I can shower." I lie, turning around.
"I can't find Vicki, she totally bailed on me." Matt panics. I turn around trying not to let the tears fall but thankfully Elena speaks up.
"We don't know where she is, we haven't seen her." Elena says, her voice not breaking.
"Is this what I'm meant for? A life time of worrying about her?" Matt sighs.
"You're a good brother Matt." I whisper, hoping he'll remember that.
"Yeah..maybe she went home." he says, just sounding done with everything.
"Maybe." I agree, my voice cracking a little.
"Okay." Matt nods before heading off. I turn around and walk to the car, getting into the passenger seat. Elena follows not saying anything but I can't keep it in any longer. I let out a long sob, hitting the dash board, why us? Elena doesn't respond to my outburst and just starts the car, pulling out.
Why does it have to be Damon who caused this?
---------------------
I grip the railing for support walking up the steps, Elena walks beside me. Stefan stands up when he sees us, he sends a worried glance my way.
"Where is he?" Elena asks.
"Inside." Stefan answers. Elena and I head inside and up the stairs to his room. He is sitting on his bed with his legs up and his arms around them. We walk in and I hang out a little back while Elena goes and sits in front of him.
"Do you understand what happened tonight?" Elena questions, her voice not as gentle as I thought it would be.
"No, I don't understand." he says his voice hoarse from crying. "I mean, I know what I saw but...I don't understand."
"She was going to kill Aria." Elena states, probably not wanting us to think we're murderers.
"Now she's dead. Vicki's dead." Jeremy cries.
"I'm so sorry Jer." Elena tries to put her hands around him but he pushes them away.
"Make it stop, it hurts." he whispers crying.
"Shh." Elena soothes, "It's okay."
"Why does everybody have to die on me?" he ask broken. That is what breaks me, I go over to him wrapping my arms around him. After a few moments, he wraps his arms around me and cries into my shoulder why I cry into his. Elena wraps her arms around both of us and we all cry together.
We are the broken kids.
------------------
After our crying session and I put on a sweater, Elena and I head back out onto the porch. "Are you okay?" Elena asks as Stefan stands up coming towards us.
He puts his hands in his pockets and lets out a long sigh. "I wanted to help her but instead I uh.....how's he doing?" Stefan asks changing the subject.
"He's a mess, I don't want him going through this again he's just a kid." Elena cries.
"Elena what can I do to help? I'll do anything." Stefan whispers taking her hands. I lean against the wall watching there interaction.
"Can you make him forget?" I question walking over towards them.
"Aria." Stefan says shaking his head.
"Stefan please," I beg "I don't know how he will ever get past this. I just want him to forget everything that happened."
"Aria if I did this there is no guarantee it will work because of who I am. Because of how I live. I don't have the ability to do it right." Stefan says sadly. Oh yeah, he only eats animals.
"I can do it." Damon says from behind me. I spin around and stare at him as he walk up to me. "If this is what you want, I'll do it." Damon shrugs.
I look at Elena and she nods, "It's what we want." I say firmly.
"What do you want him to know?" Damon questions.
"I want you to tell him that Vicki left town and she's not coming back. That he shouldn't look for her or worry about her. He's gonna miss her but he knows it's for the best." I say to Damon who is staring at me very intently. It's a little unnerving.
Damon nods and goes inside, I follow him giving Elena and Stefan some alone time. Damon walks up the stairs and I just lay down on the couch closing my eyes. Vicki died tonight and I gave permission to a vampire to erase my brother's memories. I was attacked and one of my friends died.
If this is becoming my new normal, I don't want anything to do with it.