From Blood and Bone

Chapter 56

"You know, he's just being dramatic. He's not gonna starve himself." Damon was trying to make Elena feel better, and I was just poking fun at the two.

"It must run in the family because you are the most dramatic person I know. And I'm related to Caroline." I laughed playing with a strand of my hair while laying down on my couch. Mine now.

Damon was next to me on the back of the couch leaning on it to talk to a depressed Elena. Stefan had said he wanted to die and that he was going to kill himself by not feeding. So, now we're having a little house meeting.

"Stefan just feels bad for hurting that girl. It's very typical Stefan martyr stuff. It will pass." Damon reached over and snatched the strand of hair from my hands when I was about to place it in my mouth. "Nasty."

"He might be in pain, but it'll do him some good. It's like a punishment to him for hurting Amber, but once he comes back to his senses he'll realize he sounded like a girl on her period." I shrugged turning over to lay on my side and watch her. I felt Damon reach over and smack my arm. "What, I'm serious. He sounds like me when I have cramps. I keep repeating that I want to die and that I wish I were a dude. Can you imagine it? Me as I man, I'd be so hot, I'd pull all the cute girls." I laughed at the look on Elena's face. For the rest of the day, I locked myself in Damon's room to practice my spells, only easy ones, and charms hexes I would need a person to test on, I don't think anyone would willingly volunteer.

I ended up falling asleep, Damon went on an adventure with my history teacher and Elena helped Stefan get back to his senses. Everything was back to being a little less disastrous in our life. So I went back to sleep. The next morning, I woke up dreading the day I didn't even say anything to either of the vampires in my life. I had gotten to school early and while I was supposed to help Care with her float, Mr. Saltzman sat me down at a table with Tyler, Matt, and a couple of other students.

From behind me Alaric placed down a sheet next to me then along every other student. "So there are the, uh, the specs for the History Department's Founder's Day float. We're gonna be recreating the Battle of Willow Creek. Tyler's been nominated head of the production design." Taking offense Tyler asks Rick who nominated him and Rick snapped, "By me. I've seen your sketches, and they're good. You just pick your team and be creative and...don't screw it up." He leaves the stack of paper on the table as his eyes are distracted following Elena and Stefan. I get up and walk with him towards the couple.

"Hey, Mr. Saltzman." Elena greets him then turns to me with a grin. I open my arms and jump into her hugging her tight. "Hello, Hange."

"Come with me. We need to talk." Mr. Saltzman takes my arm pulling me off 'Lena roughly. I cringe slightly at the pain to which he apologizes and continues walking till we make it to is classroom. He shuts the door, "Sit down, Elena. You guys too." I glance at Stefan and Elena but they both seemed lost for words. I sat beside 'Lena and Stefan stood by the wall next to the door.

"Shouldn't Damon be here for this?" I asked once Rick was done explaining everything that happened to him last night after he and Damon got back from their little road trip. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

"Sorry I'm late. The dog ate my, uh.. never mind." Damon closed the door and smiled at his joke. No one laughed along or even blinked, "What's with all the furrowed brows?" He turned to me waiting for an answer, Mr. Saltzman beat me to it.

"I saw Isobel last night." Damon's head whip to him lips parted in shock.

His leather jacket wrinkled as he moved, turning to Elena, "Isobel is here? In town? Did you ask about Uncle John? Are they working together? They're not?" to every question Damon had Alaric's response was no, no, and no. "Did words completely escape you?" Irritated Damon got in Rick's face his hand clenched in a fist as if he was holding back a punch.

"No, I was a little too distracted by my dead vampire wife to ask any questions." The teacher retorted with a snap.

I snorted and tried to cover it with a cough rubbing my throat when Rick looked at me annoyed. "She wants to see Elena." He glanced at me and nodded.

Stefan sat at the teachers desk his eyes on Elena. "Alaric is supposed to arrange a meeting. We don't know why or what she wants."

"You don't have to see her if you don't want," Damon shrugged like it was as simple as that.

"I don't really have a choice. She threatened to go on a killing spree." Elena sighed rubbing her arms. I rested my head on the desk above my crossed arms watching her.

Damon smiled tightly, "I take it that's not okay with you guys."

"I wanna do it. I want to meet her. If I don't, I know I'll regret it." Rick didn't waste any time and reached out to his ex-wife, telling her to meet Elena at the Grill. Stefan was the only one who was inside with Elena to watch over her. Damon, nor Alaric were allowed inside, that was one condition Isobel had if they didn't want her to start killing.

"We should be in there." Damon leaned on the green bench I was sitting at. His back to my back.

"No. Isobel made it clear we're not to step foot inside." Damon groaned turning to the teacher.

"I'm not gonna kill her in a crowded restaurant—"

"You're not gonna kill her, period." Someone is touchy. "She's my wife. Was my wife. I looked for the woman I married, but she wasn't there. Whoever that is, they're cold and detached."

Smiling, Damon turned to him. "Yeah. She's given up her humanity."

"You see, I don't get that. Stefan has his humanity. He's a good guy. Hell, you're a dick and you kill people, but I still see something human inside you, but with her, there was...there was nothing."

I turned around now watching them, the conversation taking an interesting turn. "You can turn it off. Like a button you can press. I mean, Stefan, he-he wants the whole human experience. He wants to feel every episode of How I Met Your Mother' so he shuts his feelings out. The problem is, as a vampire your instinct is not to feel. Isobel chose the easier road. No guilt and shame. No regret. I mean come on, if you could turn it off, wouldn't you?" Alaric replied by saying Damon hadn't. which is a big lie. No one acts like Damon without having turned off their humanity, I have a feeling he's probably done it more than once. "Of course, I have, Rick. That's why I'm so fun to be around."

"I'm getting hungry," I grumbled leaning back on the bench. Damon scoffed and mumbled something. "Sonorus," I cast as I looking at Damon. "What did you say?"

"You're always hungry." His voice replied back, loudly. My jaw dropped not expecting him to say that I felt my ears turn hot and my face red. "How did you do that?" His voice still amplified from my charm.

"Quietus," I waved my wand at him and got up. "I'm going home." My eyes hurt not looking at either of them.

"I'll see you la—" I cut him off turning on my heel with a glare.

I slipped my wand away into my purse, "No. My home, I'm going to my house." I stomped away ignoring him as he called out to me this time without a charm.

I went home embarrassed, not knowing that he thought that I was always hungry. It hurts just thinking that maybe I should lose weight. The door downstairs screeched and slam closed. Quick footsteps got closer until they were right outside my room.

"Hangelina, are you home? I need major input on the float and my dress." The knob turned and she pushed the door with too much strength causing it to bang against the wall. "Come on get up, I need you to tell me I look pretty." She moved from side to side making me smile involuntarily.

"Alright, what color is it?" I scoot to the edge of the bed and get up, "I had a long day."

She grinned with her hands on her waist, "Well, it's about to get longer, I bought you a dress too. Since you were part of the pageant that means you get to be on the float next to Moi." Caroline winked at me and dragged me to her room where she not only made me dress up, but also did my makeup. By the time she had finished beating my face with a beauty blender it was 12am.