Silent Vows || Elijah Mikaelson

iii. Moonlight

The next morning came slowly, dragging with it the dull ache of sleepless hours spent staring at the ceiling reliving the night before on a constant loop. Jamie lay there, motionless in bed, the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains but doing little to chase away the heaviness in her chest. Her body felt leaden, weighed down by the same familiar exhaustion that never seemed to ease, no matter how long she stayed in bed.

The sound of laughter filtered through the open window, breaking Jamie out of her head that held her captive in a cell. She rolled away from the sound, pulling the covers up higher as if trying to block out the relentless noise outside. It was Saturday, and the whole town seemed to be buzzing. Why? Jamie had no clue and no care.

All she knew was that her demons were staring at her that morning.

The orange pill bottle sat on her nightstand, untouched, its presence a quiet reminder of the choice she hadn't made. She frowned at it, a small wave of guilt washing over her before it disappeared. That was another day's problem.

Her phone buzzed, vibrating against the wooden surface of her nightstand. She ignored it for a few seconds, the hum of the vibrating phone the only sound in the stillness of her room. With a reluctant groan, she finally reached out, grabbing the phone without looking at the screen. She already knew who it would be.

Elena: Breakfast is ready. Can you come down?

Jamie sighed, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate Elena trying—she did—but everything felt too much. She didn't want to go downstairs, didn't want to sit through the awkward silences, or worse, the forced conversations.

She typed a quick response, keeping it vague. Maybe later.

Dropping her phone back on the bed, Jamie swung her legs over the edge, the cool floorboards sending a shiver up her spine. The sounds of Mystic Falls drifted in - children shouting, a dog barking, and the distant sounds of a car honking. It was all too much noise for a town that was supposed to feel small and quiet, but that's how things were now. Life kept going, with or without her.

Jamie stood up, pulling on an old sweatshirt as she wandered over to the window. She peered outside, catching a glimpse of a few kids riding bikes down the streets, their faces full of life and energy. The sight twisted something inside her - a reminder of the days when things felt simpler. Lighter. She slammed the window closed, not being able to handle the memories flooding in.

She turned away from the window, running a hand through her tangled hair, trying to summon the energy to face the day. Slowly, she made her way to the bathroom. The reflection in the mirror stared back at her, tired and distant, like she was looking at someone she didn't recognize anymore. She splashed cold water on her face, hoping it would wake her up, shake her out of the fog that seemed to cling to her no matter what she did.

Taking a deep breath, she made her way downstairs. The smell of coffee hit her first, followed by the sound of Elena talking to aunt Jenna about some reporter guy. Jeremy was nowhere to be seen, probably still asleep or you know avoiding her after last night.

Elena glanced up as Jamie entered the kitchen. "Morning," she said, offering a small, hopeful smile. "I made you a plate. Just some eggs and toast."

"Thanks," Jamie mumbled, moving to pour herself a cup of coffee.

Elena looked at Jenna, hesitating before speaking again. "You still thinking about coming to the event later?"

Jamie didn't respond right away, staring into the mug as the dark liquid filled it. "I don't know yet," she finally said, her voice flat.