[𝐈] 𝕽𝖊𝖘𝖘𝖚𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 | 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕹𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓: 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗨𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀

Chapter Nineteen
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Just Until The Sun Rises

May 16th, 1953. Toulouse, France
Another long night spent in the 'Maison de la mort' or 'House of death' bar here in the pink city, a homage to my witch brethren as sorcerers partied inside the painted walls of the ivy infested bar, plants sprouting from the ceilings like a grandiose chandelier. I turn to my right to see an oddly familiar face at the other end of the bar, chattering away with a perky blonde on his arm. A perfectly straightened black suit and tie, silver cufflinks with his hair combed to perfection, a fitting haircut for the times compared to the last style I had witnessed his hair in. Edging over, it seems that we recognised one another, but as I harshly blinked before looking back, he was gone. Mysteriously disappeared with the soft breeze of summer's winds.

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February 27th, 2019.
The incessant buzzing of my phone on the nightstand awakens me, Elena groans to my left as my stiff fingers reach for the device, answering the call quietly only to realise that it was the alarm, for school, which I had been avoiding. And it was the alarm to help Elena prepare for the carnival, something I was also avoiding, seeing as the last one we appeared at; my brother met a girl and she broke his heart, I wrote a threatening letter to Stefan's governor Mr Wattles and my father had drunken himself halfway to death. I'd had such fun, joyful memories as a Salvatore, my childhood couldn't have gone any better.
  "Get up Grouchy. It's the alarm." I groan, nudging her legs with my cold feet which earns me a tired moan as her eyes carefully peel open. She ungracefully rolls out from the covers as I continue to check my phone, a few unread texts from Caroline who had told me she was spending the rest of the day inside, after texting her back I too blunder out of Elena's sheets, making headway for the bathroom only to bump into Jeremy Gilbert, Elena must have made headway for the kitchen.
  "I'm sorry about Damon. Since the fire...my abilities haven't resurfaced much. All I can do is apologise for his actions, although that doesn't mean that all should be forgiven." I apologised to the teenager who was brushing his teeth, he spits out the toothpaste before muttering 'thanks' before trailing back into his bedroom. So much for companionship.

Following in Elena's tracks, I meet both her and Jenna in the kitchen, the former is shovelling cereal into her mouth whereas the latter was chugging down a scorching hot cup of coffee.
  "There's some left in the pot if you'd like some." Jenna offers, a short smile playing on her face as she budged out of the way.
  "No thanks, Miss Sommers. Me and Coffee don't mix well." I decline, being as polite as Stefan usually is when it comes to residing in other people's houses, she was giving me an alternate place to stay whilst protecting Elena.
  "Please, Marielle. It's Jenna. 'Miss Sommers' sounds too formal." she insists, that same smile somehow shining brighter as she finishes her cup.
  "Marie, Marielle sounds too formal." I echo in response, earning a satisfied look from Elena as I bond with the remaining members of her family, she was far too invested in mine for my liking. Jenna gives me a nod before returning upstairs, probably getting ready for work.
  "What?" I question, Elena's grin making everything overtly obvious.
  "Nothing! I'm just glad you're making friends is all." Elena replies, finishing off her cereal, mimicking Jenna as she scurries off to get changed.
  "So you're...not a vampire?" Jeremy inquiries from behind me as I stand before the sink, peering out the kitchen window.
  "No, I'm a witch. We're the mostly good ones, depends on what mood you catch me in." I joke, turning to lighten the sombre cloud hovering over the youngest Gilbert.
  "Thank you, for trying to save me. Even though Damon still killed me." we don't verbally converse afterwards, my phone buzzed due to 'Sweet Saint Stefan' being a worry-wart about his dearest girlfriend Elena. I declined his call, texting him the usual response to get him off my back, now too tracing up the stairs to get ready for our long day.