Replaceable [Damon x OC]

Chapter 6

To say that dinner was awkward was an understatement. Aelynn sat as everyone ate in an uncomfortable silence, she mostly pushed her food around with her fork, not able to find her appetite in this situation. Finally, after probably ten minutes silently eating, Elena started to speak.

"So did Tanner give you a hard time today?" she asked Stefan.

Aelynn brought her eyes up from her plate and looked at Stefan as she awaited an answer.

"Well, he let me on the team, so," he chuckled softly, "I must have done something right."

"Bonnie," Elena smiled at her, "you should've seen Stefan today. Tyler threw a ball right at him, and-"

"Yeah, I heard," Bonnie interrupted.

Aelynn could see right through her friend's smile. It was not genuine. Again, silence overtook the table.

"Why don't you tell Stefan about your family," Elena offered, receiving a disapproving look from Bonnie.

"Uhm, divorced parents, no mom, live with my dad."

"No," Elena's face fell, "about the witches."

Aelynn gave her sister a look, "Elena, you can't just offer up information like that, what if she doesn't want to talk about it?" Her tone was ruder than she would've liked it to be, but she still did not want to be at the table and let it show. She looked right at Bonnie who looked thankful that she had said something and not her.

"I think it's cool, so we should talk about it," Elena stared down her sister then looked at Stefan who looked pretty interested, "Bonnie's family has a lineage of witches. It's really cool," she looked at Bonnie to keep talking about it.

Bonnie shook her head, "cool isn't the word I'd use."

"Well, it's certainly interesting," Stefan stated. Aelynn tried to see if there was any lie in his tone but couldn't find any. "I'm not to versed, but I do know that there's a history of Celtic druids who migrated over here in the 1800's." Aelynn couldn't help but hum at this information. He sure did know his history.

"My family came by way of Salem."

"Really?" Stefan's eyes grew a little wide at this, "Salem witches?"

"Yeah," Bonnie smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

Stefan glanced to Elena, "I would say that's pretty cool."

"Really, why?"

"Salem witches are heroic examples of individualism and nonconformity," Stefan explained.

Aelynn watched as Bonnie gave a genuine smile and nodded. "Yeah, they are," she agreed.

Elena gave a satisfied chuckle at this.

Just as Aelynn was about to say something the doorbell rang.

"I got the door the last time, Elena, you can get it," she gave a fake smile to her sister who got up for the door.

"I wonder who it could be," Elena looked confused.

Once the door opened Stefan also got up and walked to the door. Aelynn and Bonnie looked at each other and shrugged.

"He seems nice," Bonnie stated, taking a bite of pasta.

"He knows a lot about history, I'll give him that."

Aelynn looked up when she heard another male's voice say something in foyer. When she saw Caroline, she hung her head and let out a sigh. She wouldn't be able to retreat to her room for a very long time.