|𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐒|
Song; As It Was by Harry Styles
I walked into the drawing room and immediately caught sight of Kaiden and Damon, voices raised, faces flushed with anger and worry. They were standing too close, the tension thick enough to cut through the air. They were already losing it, and it had only been one night.
"Relax." I said, trying to keep my voice steady as I headed straight for the drinks, hoping to avoid whatever mess they were stirring up. "I just needed a breather, I'm perfectly fine. Now, if you boys—Kaiden!"
Before I could finish, Kaiden lunged forward, snatched the glass from my hand, and without hesitation, smashed it on the floor. The shards glittered like broken promises. My breath hitched. I took a startled step back, my heart pounding in my ears. That sudden flash of anger in Kaiden—so raw, so close—it scared me more than I cared to admit.
"You can't just run off like that without saying anything! We thought you could've been dead in a ditch somewhere or—"
I flinched at his harsh words, but before he could say more, Damon stepped between us. He put a firm hand on Kaiden's chest, steadying him.
"Kaiden, calm down. You're not helping."
Kaiden's chest heaved, eyes wild with worry and frustration, but Damon's steadying grip was like an anchor in a storm.
"God, Kaiden, get a grip," Damon said, voice low but urgent. Then he looked at me, softer now. "Rossana, go and get changed. We'll talk when you're ready."
I blinked, still trembling, my gaze flickering between the two of them. Kaiden's anger hadn't vanished, but Damon's calm presence made the room feel a little less suffocating.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced out, "I'm okay. Really."
Damon's eyes searched mine, as if trying to find the truth behind the words I wasn't saying.
"You don't have to pretend," he said quietly. "Not with us."
Kaiden let out a ragged breath, his anger melting into something raw and aching.
"I just—" Kaiden's voice cracked. "I was scared. I thought I lost you."
His admission hung between us like fragile glass. I wanted to say something, anything, but the words caught in my throat.
I turned away, heading for the stairs.
Damon's voice followed me softly, "We're here, Rossana. Always."
I didn't look back.
I stormed upstairs after glaring at Kaiden, my chest tight with frustration. Just when I thought he was finally treating me like an adult, he slipped right back into his old habits—talking down to me like I was a child. That mix of anger and disappointment churned inside me as I closed the door behind me and got myself changed.
I avoided looking in the mirror, focusing instead on the familiar routine—something I could control. Once I was ready, I grabbed my keys and told Kaiden and Damon we were heading out. A phone call from Alaric had pulled me into action, asking us to come down to the high school.
The drive was quiet, thick with unspoken tension. Kaiden sat rigid beside me, jaw clenched, while Damon kept stealing glances my way, as if trying to guess what I was feeling but unsure how to ask.
When we arrived, I followed them down the crowded hallways to Alaric's classroom. The instant I stepped inside, I sensed something was off. The look on Alaric's face was grave, Stefan's jaw was tight, and Elena sat stiffly, eyes clouded with a mixture of shock and something deeper.
