𝟙.𝟙𝟜: 𝕃𝕖𝕥'𝕤 𝕁𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕙 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔻𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖

—Narrator's perspective—

trigger warning warning (kind of)

"You know, this is not how I wanted my day to go. It was quite all right when Lizzie was the one who was competing, not you." Arabella joked with a faint smile on her face, right palm up and inches away from Hope's.

"I'm beginning to think this was a mistake. Maybe I should just flunk it?" Hope questioned in a suggestion tone, a small smile escaped her lip when she heard Arabella chuckle.

"Left hand around." One of the judges spoke, which everyone followed. "Both hands."

Arabella hid her smile, following Hope's lead that she was beginning to think this was a good idea. "You want to talk about it? This morning ot whatever?" She asked, never letting her gaze lift off of Hope's tense figure.

"Not now, please? Let's just finish the dance." Hope whispered out, earning a terrified look from Arabella who just cleared her throat and nodded.

"Say no more" Arabella replied in slight pain of Hope's words, holding her waist as they were instructed to do and danced formally. "And of Roman? You never really did tell me what you felt towards him."

"He was the past, Arabella." Hope said and by the mention of her name, Arabella felt her heart clench. "He spent half of his life desiccated in a cave. Then he was brainwashed by his mother who's a literal nazi. And he's spent the last two years doing really good work for the school."

Arabella sighed, trying to refrain herself from snapping and making Hope upset. "It doesn't change the facts." She snapped and inhaled, pulling apart from Hope. "I-I'm sorry. I need to go." She whispered, sparing one last look at Hope before leaving the rehearsal.

Hope watched her figure leave, her magic lost control when she saw how disappointed Arabella looked. The glasses and bottles of drinks were clinking, the tables going crazy because of how seeing the vampire leave drove her mad. Lizzie saw this, walking up to Hope and told her to follow her.

On the other hand, Arabella slammed her door shut, the unbearable and familiar pain on her chest started to rise. Ever since Hayley died, she couldn't adjust to a normal life knowing she passed. It certainly didn't help her when Klaus was gone as well. All because of some Vampires that wanted to balance the nature.

Arabella walked around the room, hyperventilating and had flipped a chair towards the wall, creating a small dent. But she didn't care when her knees went weak and buckled on the floor, couldn't breathe normally. It took every ounce of her humanity on not killing Roman the moment she saw him.

She hasn't felt that kind of pain again when first, Stefan died. Arabella shut everyone out and that included the Mikaelson family who had no idea on what was happening even. So, to put her mind at ease and distract herself, she bounced off from country to country, city by city until she could no longer remember to torment of losing a brother.

All that pain came back when she heard Hayley was dead. Everything she has been pushing through so much came back with a snap of a finger and it angered her. Arabella lets out a whimper, her heart felt like its been crushed by someone physically as her thoughts were invaded with the memories of her and Hayley.

The girl was alone in the room, having to go through this by herself. Arabella's mind went to Hope and how she might be coping when Roman arrived here. It was selfish of her to snap and run away from Hope when she needed her the most. For almost a few more

minutes, she breathed in sharply, exhaling like her life depended on it.

Arabella stood up, holding onto the bed to balance herself and not fall. She looked so done and fragile but all she wanted was to apologise to Hope and what she said earlier.

When she exited her room, Landon passed the door and was surprised to see her come so undone and panting. He knew something was wrong but Arabella told him to not worry and ignore it. He hesitated but knew it was for the best and told Dr. Saltzman of what he saw.

The Blonde Vampire searched everywhere and the only place she could think about was outside, so she did. She saw Hope with Lizzie, about to come back inside the school. Her eyes held regret when she saw Hope looking her with the same feeling.

"Hey, Can I talk to her for a minute?" She asked Lizzie, her nodding and stepping backwards for them to talk. "I'm sorry. It's not my place to tell you how to feel and I regret it, I know I— Jesus, where did this come from?" She exclaimed when a close statue was by them.

"Uh, I-I don't know. Someone probably moved it up here when they were cleaning?" She suggested but Arabella wasn't buying it and took a look. "Looks like one of the statues from the basement."

Arabella shook her head, remembering that Mg was talking with a woman in the lounge a few hours ago. "Looks like Mg's mom." She said, looking at it more closely.

"I think it is Mg's mom." Hope said in a surprised tone.

"I'll tell Ric." Arabella said, pulling her phone out and texted him. Him immediately responding back that he's on his way with Mg.

For a few more minutes, they studied the statue in concern and by the time Alaric, Landon and Mg arrived, they have no clue on who might do this. Landon was with Ric, telling him what happened to Arabella when they got the text.

"Who would do this to my mom?" Mg asked, all of them looking at the frozen statue in shock.

"Well, not just who would— who could?" Hope had her arms crossed, besides her was Arabella who was shifting uncomfortably in her spot because of what happened earlier to her in the dorm.

"It could be a bad spell translation. Or a potion mishap?" Ric questioned and looked at the tribrid.

"Or a monster." Arabella suggested and shrugged.

Ric shook his head in disbelief. "There's no reason a monster would be here." He argued back.

"Unless this sentient jar of artisanal mayonnaise activated a new artifact. What did you touch?" Lizzie asked Landon who tagged along.

"Everything? We cleaned the school from top to bottom, remember?" He defended and Lizzie gave him an eye roll.

"How about..." Arabella started but looked at Hope, immediately regretting it and a shook her head. "Nevermind." She sighed, backing down before she gets in another fight.

Hope sighed, looking at her. "Were you seriously about to suspect Roman? I thought you apologised?" She snapped making Arabella nod and look away in pain.

"All right. Lizzie, Hope, Ara, You keep an eye on the contestants. Mg, were gonna search the campus. And Landon—"

"—I'm gonna go on a limb and ask this Roman some questions." He cutted off and began to walk, believe that there was something off with the 90 year old vampire.

"And I'll... Leave, I'm obviously not needed." Arabella sighed in defeat, closing her eyes as she followed Landon back to the school. She crossed her arms, feeling people stare at her from behind.

Ric sighed and turned to Hope. "Couldn't you've gone easy on her? Be safe out there, all of you." He already turned to leave with Mg, leaving Hope to groan in frustration before stomping back to the school.

☘︎︎

Arabella popped open the bottle of champagne, the cork flying out in the air while she let her legs swing around in the air, her sitting on the edge of the roof of the Salvator school facing the backyard. She managed to sneak out two bottles and had to sneak out discreetly but heard someone walk towards her.

"The spot is taken. Leave." She said without looking behind her, tilting her head aback to drink a large sip of the Champagne.

"Dreadful. Depressed yet, you look light." Penelope spoke and sat besides her, grabbing the bottle from her hands and taking a sip.

"Is that a compliment, Pen" She questioned, taking the alcohol off her hands. "Find your own champagne."

Penelope snorted and grabbed the unopened bottle besides her. "Who's sorrows are we drowning?"

"Mine." She exhaled, the sun was getting ready to set. "I haven't drunk a drop of alcohol or atleast, Want to get drunk. I hate it here, why did I even go here? Should've stayed under the tunnels desiccated in a coffin." Arabella complained and stopped to drink. "Atleast in that way, I never met Hope Mikaelson."

"Oh please. You love her." Penelope scoffed, looking at the blonde who rolled her eyes in response.

"Ofcourse I do." Arabella replied in a monologue tone like it was so obvious. "We're in a fight and... I don't know. I feel my head is about to explode if I think about her wanting to break up." When she said that Penelope spits out the beverage on her mouth. "What the— are you good?"

Penelope laughed shaking her head. "Dude, you're kidding, right? Hope Mikaelson loves the crap out of you. It'd be shocking if she breaks up with you."

"Have you seen how she looked at me in the rehearsal?" She snorted and looked over Penelope. "She's pissed, It's my fault. Now, I'm pissed that Roman Sienna came back to our lives because he's involved in Hope's mom death." Arabella snapped and threw the bottle over, it breaking in the backyard. "Why are you even here?"

"Because I am leaving." Penelope shrugged. "Going to Belgium and a school for witches. Might be great, you know?"

Arabella frowned and looked at her seriously. "What? Why? I'm just starting to tolerate you and now you're leaving?" She asked making the witch laugh again.

"My whole family is moving so I really don't have a choice. Also, I can't handle watching Josie put Lizzie's needs first. It's... depressing." She exaggerated, handing Arabella the bottle which the girl took. "I need to bolt. I'm still Jo's escort. You coming?" Penelope already stood up, waiting for an answer.

"Uh... No. No, I'm not. Tell Hope I'm sorry." Arabella said, going back to her sad state and faced the yard. She heard retreating footsteps and that was when she heaved a deep exhale, feeling too tired for the events played today.

☘︎︎

"It's nothing." Arabella said blankly, having her face covered with her hand while she have to listen to Ric's scolding.

"You had another breakdown, Ara! In the middle of a monster crisis." He said, glad that the Mystic Falls Pageant is over and everyone either left or slept already. "You could've told me."

Arabella scoffed and shook her head, standing up to look at him seriously. "I'm tired, Alaric. Hope's mad at me, I'm getting multiple breakdown from the curse my father— Oh wait, my 'not father' casted on me! I just want to go and sleep this off before I have another 'breakdown' like you said!" She shouted.

"Ara—"

"—No! I'm so exhausted. When I saw Roman Sienna I remembered Hayley. It all came back, the pain, the suffering and I hate it. Okay? I hate it so much. Even so, I remembered Nik, I remembered Stefan, Elijah— All of them! Even Hope is mad at me because I went against Roman who had a hand in her mother's..." She stopped talking, seeing the familiar face standing in the doorway.

Hope cleared her throat, hesitantly walking inside the office. "Dr. Saltzman can we have a moment?" She quietly asked to the man who nodded, leaving the room and closed the door behind him.

"You don't need to talk to me 'cause you heard all that." Arabella said softly, walking past her but Hope held her wrist spinning her around.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm so sorry." She said and her voice cracked, sobbing already.

Arabella exhaled and closed her eyes when she pulled Hope for an embrace. She let Hope cry in her arms despite their differences.

"I love you, okay? Like I said before, you're stuck with me whether you like it or not." Arabella whispered, pulling away and wiped her tears away. "I heard about the dress. He would have loved to see you in it." She spoke honestly. Hope lets out a few more reluctant tears, making it harder for Arabella to stand her ground. "We'll talk more tomorrow when you get a good night's rest. Come on, let's go to bed." She opened the door behind her, letting Hope exit first.

Hope hung onto Arabella's words, there were so many events that occured tonight. Landon finding out about the truth with Seylah, the monster that turned many people into stone was captured, and even more she didn't know and that included Josie going to search for knowledge on what's the merge.

☘︎︎