The Vampire Diaries Fanfiction: Nobody's Look Alike Princess

Chapter 16: Anger is a Secondhand Emotion

When I get home, the door is unlocked. My eyebrows lift in surprise. Preston doesn't come home until late, and Ashton works until nearly dinner. I quietly put down my backpack by the coathanger and listen out for any bizarre noises. If there is a burglar or a murderer or fanger anywhere, I need to hear them before they hear me. Creeping as quietly as I can, I tiptoe to the kitchen. Ashton is there, playing on his phone. 

"Uncle Ashton!" I exclaim once he gets a glimpse of me. I let out a sigh of relief and sink back against the wall. "You scared me!"

He lips press against one another, tightening his jawline as he eyes stare into the deep dark depths of my soul.

Oh hell.

"You scared me. I hope you know that you forgot to return home last night."

I sigh and run a hand through my hair. "I'm sorry, Ashton. Something ha--"

"You know, I am absolutely livid, Zara," he says to cut me off. "I thought you were better than to hide things from me, Zara. Do you even know how worried I was?! I nearly phoned in the cops!"

"Ashton I--"

He looks at me with pure anger. "You're grounded."

My heart stops. "What?"

"No boyfriend, no cheerleading, no hanging out, no work. For a month."

I go to object, but he stops me.

"You know, most adults would let a grounding go longer, so this is me being nice. I have tried so hard to work with you and Preston since the accident..."

I momentarily tune him out as my blood boils. Suddenly all of my anger from Elena and her vampire posse becomes directed at him.

"...and I know your parents wouldn't stand for this."

That was the last straw. She was going to test him. "You mean my adoptive parents."

His facial expression changes in a hot second. "What..."

"That's what they are, aren't they?" I cross my arms over my chest. "Am I adopted, Ashton?"

He is speechless, confirming it. "I'm adopted, and you knew the whole time."

A look of shame washes over him. I make my way up to him, daring him to challenge me. "I thought you were better than to hide things from me," I spit at him, mocking his previous words.

With that I storm out the door and jump into my car. I speed down the road and pull into the woods. I turn off my phone, to ensure Ashton can't track me, before running into the depth of the woods before screaming. I scream in agony for hours and hours, until my throat can no longer handle it. Then I sob. I sob and sob and sob until I'm hiccupping and out of tears.

I sit on the ground, trying to pull myself together.

How the fuck did it get this bad?

***
Elena's POV

I sit in the boarding house with Matt, Caroline, and the Salvatores. Jeremy and Bonnie went out with Alaric to do some research on the Mikaelsons, so the rest of us were left to figure out what to do with Zara.

"We need to give her time," Stefan announces.

I nod in agreement. "This has to be a huge shock for her."

Damon rolls his eyes and takes a sip of bourbon. "Oh boo hoo. You went through all of it and it was your friends that helped you through it, Elena. She needs serious TLC."

Before we can comment, a phone begins ringing. Matt raises his hand and answers his phone.

"Hello?" We can all hear a rapid male voice on the other line. "No sir, she's not with me." More talking. "I actually don't know." A pause. "Don't call the cops yet. I'll see if I can get ahold of her. If I can't find her I'll be more than happy to come to your house and help look for her. Yes sir, I'm on it. Goodbye."