Gabriella Gilbert Two || Vampire Diaries

Chapter Twenty - One

    Even death can't escape the cold.

I mean, how the hell could a freezer full of ice cream make the living dead cold? I'm practically freezing just standing here. Is it worth this pain? Should I just leave and not be bothered?

     Pfff. That's a dumb question. Strawberry ice cream will always be worth it. I don't care who says otherwise.

    Now, if only I could find the damn thing.

    My phone rings, temporarily interrupting my search. It's probably Caroline asking when I'm going to be back. After what feels like forever, we finally decided to hang out with each other.

    I answer it once confirming it's her.

    "Hey, I'm still in the store. The stupid ice cream is nowhere to be fo—"

    "Gabby?" she whispers into the phone, sounding a little hoarse. "Are you alone?"

    I frown. "Other than the humans, yeah. Caroline, what's going on?"

    "Whatever you do, ignore Ric's—"

    Her voice becomes static as the phone switches to someone else's hand. I wait patiently. Did she say Ric?

    "Gabriella," the familiar voice greets. Only this time, it's more sinister.

    Not Ric, that's Evil Ric.

    "Evil Ric," I greet, standing still in my spot. My fist clenches around my phone, but I stop myself from breaking it. "That's impossible, you literally died a few days ago."

    "I'm at the school," he continues, ignoring what I said, "I have Caroline and if you want to keep her alive, you need to come over here yourself. Tell anyone else and she dies."

    I wince at the screaming in the background.

    "Why should I listen to you?" I snap. "I'll bring the whole group and we can finish you once and for all."

    "You could," he agrees, "but I don't think Caroline can last that long. Her tolerance isn't as good as yours, is it?"

    Well, he's not wrong. Shit.

    Ric chuckles at my silence. "You have twenty minutes." The line goes dead, making me let out the breath I've been holding.

Damnit. Now Caroline needs my help.

It doesn't take long to leave the store and speed toward the school. Best case scenario, I'll be able to just grab Caroline and leave. Worst case, we both die in our high school of all places.

The most realistic, however, is we're both trapped there until either Ric gets what he wants or someone figures out we're missing.

I'll text the group, just in case.

Evil Ric's back, has Caroline at the school. Wanted me there for some reason so he's probably gonna use us to lure one of y'all. save us? idk that'd be nice.