The Heavenly Appeal {A Vampire Diaries Fan Fiction}

{18} To Leave Or To Stay

All Heidi's POV. Chardonnay will return in the next chapter. Sorry for the mess up! This is my second upload of chapter eighteen . . . not seventeen. Totally my bad! Please accept my apologies! >.< Enjoy! -Her Lady

Chapter Eighteen

To Leave Or To Stay

=-Mystic Falls, Virginia-=

2010

My phone rang loudly, waking up from my slumber. "Huh?" I brought my head up with a tired groan before I reached out to turn off that infernal device, my fingers itching to throw it against the wall. As long as it would shut up, I didn't mind getting a new phone. I was up for an upgrade anyways. Glancing at the bright screen, I immediately shot out of bed in a hurry. It had been another text from Bonnie, saying: Where r u? Care's looking 4 u and we still need 2 talk. The pageant's starting soon.

"Damn!" I cried out, tripping on my comforters and narrowly missing a hit to the forehead again. What is it with me and bedside tables?

Three and a half hours had passed during my nap. I had missed a handful of phone calls from my friends, Winnie, and surprisingly Alaric. How did he get my phone number? It was obviously Damon's doing but I was curious as to why he did that. It was kind of weird having my history teacher know my number, even if he was a vampire hunter. Pushing the idea away, I ran to my closet as I called for a taxi, giving me at least ten minutes to get ready. There was no time for me to take a shower and I slipped into my a sleeveless beige dress with a wide white belt. Using fragrant hair foam, I twisted my hair into a messy half-do and put on weaved wedges as my shoes.

I caught sight of the Sheila's choker at the top of my jewelry box and couldn't fight the frown that grew on my face. I need to get over this. I need to say goodbye already.

But I can't, I found myself answering. Not yet. As selfish as it sounded, she was the only one who could help me with my powers. Sheila knew what I was. Even with Bonnie, I was as clueless as ever. Nature's reincarnation didn't cut out for me anymore. What was that even supposed to mean? Whatever the answer was, it didn't change the fact that I wanted to learn more. I also wanted to leave it behind but forcing determination, I tied it around my neck. It gave me a unique kind of comfort despite the melancholy it made me feel.

The taxi cab arrived in perfect timing as I locked the door and told him the directions to the Founder's Hall. It didn't take long to spot the building that was elegantly decorated for the event. All the driver had to do was follow the trail of mixed match balloons. Carol liked publicity, discreet or not. After paying the man the fee I owed him, I straightened up my dress and delved into the crowd. Loud murmurs of their conversations filled the hall. There was a sea of faces greeting me inside. Lots of people were in different colors, especially the women, and I watched them gathering around in stereotypical cliques with their thin glasses of champagne. It was difficult to spot a familiar person through the masses, but not impossible.

Luck, unfortunately, was not on my side today. Rather recklessly, I met gazes with John Gilbert - the one person I was not ready on confronting yet. He was coincidentally standing beside Alaric who followed his stare to me. "Oh, crap . . ."

John's dark eyes widened considerably and I saw Alaric ask him what was wrong without having to hear the words. If I wasn't so anxious, I would have laughed at his stupefied expression. I swallowed nervously, putting up a cool face and taking a deep breath. My grip on my clutch tightened when I sauntered in front of the two men. "-suppose. How interesting," he said to Alaric.

"Hey, Alaric," John rose an eyebrow, eyeing my history teacher and I suspiciously. It was an awkward moment for the two of us.

"Char," Alaric greeted, "Er, Caroline was panicking earlier. She didn't know where you were."