The Other Side

A Cure

I wake up and I go into my closet. I do what I do everyday since Friday. I unlock the floorboard then I look at it.

My freedom.

~3 Days Earlier~

"Farah?" I look over while grabbing a purple top and my black cardigan with a pair of jeans. I pull my black boots on.

"Yeah Mom?"

"Time to go, sweetheart." I nod then I head outside to the car.

When I get to school, I think about today.

My date with Alex.

I grab my books shakily and I jump as a hand touches my shoulder.

"Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Hope asks.

"Y-Yeah. Just nervous about tonight." She nods then Jesse comes behind her and kisses her cheek. I see Alex down the hall. He walks over to me. "Hey! So, are we still on for tonight?" I nod.

"What do you want to do?"

"Umm... How about a movie?" He nods then quickly kisses me on the cheek. My heartbeat increases until I can hear it in my head.

"So, guess what I found out?"

"What?" I ask Jesse. "So, I heard from Brad who heard from Dylan who heard from Vince that Alex's cousin is going out with yours."

"Wait... Who?"

"I think her name is Juliette." I force a smile.

Wait a minute... If they're family...

"I have to go! I'll talk to you guys later!" I rush into the courtyard and I duck away from anyone else. I dial Sam.

"Hello?"

"I need to ask you something."

"Sure. Is everything alright, Fare?"

"I don't know. Your girlfriend, Juliette. Is Alex her cousin?"

"Hang on." I hear muttering in the background.

"She said he is."

"Oh my god... Alex knows. Oh my god." I fall to the ground and I begin crying. "He's the one person I wanted to be normal around."

"Farah, it's okay. He's not a danger."

"It doesn't matter! Don't you get that?!?"

"Calm down, Fare."

"This is why I wish my name wasn't Farah Salvatore."

"What? How could you say that?"

"I just want to be normal." I hang up and I walk back into the school.

After the day is over, Alex comes up to me at my locker. "So... My cousin called me."

"How long have you known?" I ask.

"Since the minute we met." I shake my head.

"You didn't tell me?"

"I want this to be normal just as much as you do. Okay? I know something that can cure it." My eyebrows turn down. "Cure what?"

"The vampirism." I shake my head. "You're a liar. There's no such thing."

"There is. My house will be empty tonight. Here's the address," he hands me a slip of paper. "I hope you decide to come." He walks away from me.

I head home and I unlock the floorboard in my room. I take out the ancient photos of my parents, from 1864.

Katherine Pierce and Stefan Salvatore
July 16th, 1864

I take the address out of my pocket.

Do I really want to cure this?

Yes.

No.

I don't know.

I want to be normal. But does that mean betraying my family? Leaving them forever?

But no matter what, I have to do what's best for me.

I head over to his house at 8:00, as instructed on the paper. He answers and smiles at me. "Hey you."

"Hi." He widens the door for me, so I step inside.

"So. Are you ready?" I nod. We go into his living room and he has candles on a table.

"I'll create it, and it'll take physical form. Then you can take it and it'll make you human." I nod.

"Do exactly as I say." The candles light up as he begins chanting.

"Cut your hand and put your blood in." I nod and I cut my hand. My blood drips down into the vial filled with herbs.

"Now do the same with mine." I gently cut his hand and he winces. I move his hand above the vial. His blood drips into it. He lights a match and drops it in while chanting. The blood catches fire inside and a ring of fire appears around it.

"Think about something that makes you sad." I remember the time when Ricky was gone. A tear falls out of my eye. He catches it in a bottle with a tear already in it then pours the tears into the vial, causing all the flames to get higher.

"Remedium!" Everything goes out and he turns on the lights. I look at the vial. It now contains a red-pink liquid, and seems to be glowing at the pink parts.

"Is that the cure?"

"Yeah. It won't be hot. Just grab it." I do and he puts a cork in the top. He curls my hand over it. "This is your choice, Farah. I... I love you either way." My eyes go wide. "Come again?"

"Don't make me say it again." I nod. One arm locks around my waist and one hand goes on my neck, then he touches his lips to mine. I clutch the vial tightly, and he pulls me closer. I pull away and he stares down at me.

"I-I... I have to go. I'll see you on Monday." I grab my jacket. "Wait! Farah!" I run out the door and home. I immediately go up to my room and I kick my shoes off. I go into my closet.

"Breathe, Farah." I unlock the floorboard then I lift up all of my childhood pictures. I place the vial in a box then I put the pictures over the box.

Someone knocks on the door.

"Hang on!" I quickly replace the floorboard then I lunge for the door.

"Farah?" I open it up and it's Evie. "H-Hi."

"You seem a little... Off."

"I-I'm fine. It's all good." She looks past me and at my closet. "Farah, give me the key."

"Everything's fine."

"Sam told me the boy you like is a warlock. How are you handling that?"

"Fine. Evie, I'm fine." She sighs then holds out her hand. "Don't make me break your hiding place. You're glad I haven't told your parents yet." I sigh. "It's unlocked. I was just looking through it."

"Alright. I believe you."

"Okay. Goodnight Evie."

"Goodnight." She heads back to her room and I quickly lock the floorboard.