delicate

60

The lines on the page were all starting to look the same. I groaned as I put the book down on my face and pressed my hands against the cover.

"What's wrong?"

I lifted the book and snapped it shut. "I'm bored."

Caroline sighed. "So do something."

I turned my head and looked at her sitting in the chair. "I can't. You put me on house arrest, remember?"

She looked at Stefan, who was at the other end of the couch, then looked at me again. "I'm not letting you out of this house until I know you're not in danger of being hurt again."

I rolled my eyes and then sat up off the back of the couch, tossing the book on the coffee table. "I told you I handled it." I looked at her. "Those people are no longer a threat to me."

"And who exactly was it? You never explained anything." She leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees.

"All you need to know is that it won't happen again."

"How do you know it won't happen again?"

With every word she said, my frustration grew. "Because I do!"

"That's not a good enough answer!" All I could hear when she said it was that man's voice. My heart started beating faster. The front door opened. I didn't need to look over to know that it's Kai, Alaric, and Damon. "Who were these people? Why did they take you? Where did they take you? How did you get -"

"Caroline, stop!" I didn't feel like fighting with her anymore.

"No! This isn't something you can ignore, Evelyn. I'm not going to let you."

"Let me?" I put my hands on the couch cushion on either side of my body. "This isn't something you can control, Caroline."

"I'm not trying to control you; I just want to understand what happened, and I can't because you won't tell me anything!"

"Caroline," Stefan started. "Stop."

My chest felt tight. "You really want to know what I did?"

"That's what I'm asking."

I nodded. "Okay." I felt like I could break down, but I didn't. I got up and walked out of the living room, then out of the house, ignoring Kai, Damon, and Ric. I started walking down the street, heading toward Jo and Ric's house.

I stormed inside, forcing the door open. I could hear footsteps from the others heading toward me. I headed to the basement, tearing the door open. I trudged down the steps. The man who I chained to the wall was severely sick and unconscious. I broke the chains from the wall. I dragged him by his arms. I grabbed the head off the ground.

I dragged the body up the steps of the basement, unbothered by the weight of him. I gripped the hair of the head tighter. The man was groaning as he started to wake up. I dragged the man down the porch steps, then let go of him. I looked at Caroline as I tossed the head toward her feet. The faces of horror and disgust that stared at me made me feel worse.

"I was here the entire time, chained to the wall of the basement. Every few hours, they decided to ask me where Joshua Parker was. When I said I killed him, they didn't believe me. He told me it wasn't the right answer and then had me killed." I stepped off the last step, then took another step forward. "So, I'm sorry if me not talking about this was upsetting you, but you need to get over yourself and stop acting like it was worse for you."

All the color was drained from her face as she stared at the head. I glanced at the nameless man. He was unconscious again.

"Hey." Damon was closer now. I looked at him. He grabbed my hand. "Let me walk you home." He squeezed my hand gently as he started to pull me to walk home.