Love Sucks | The Vampire Diaries

162 Candles

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

        "Okay, I'm gonna need a little more foot movement," Lexi chuckled the tiniest bit as she moved her hips to the rhythm of the music blasting through the speakers, hopelessly trying to get Stefan to dance as Annabelle watched from the side, more than amused.
        "Yeah, I'm not really - not really interested in making a fool out of myself," Stefan said, attempting to push past his best friend, only to be stopped by Annabelle, who pushed off the counter she was leaning against and walked over to join them.
        "Okay, you can't be that bad," she said, putting her hand on his chest to stop him from walking any further, making him sigh as he looked down at her.
        "He's not," Lexi informed her loudly, and Annabelle raised her eyebrows before holding out her hand, making Stefan sigh.
        "Just do me a favor, tell me if you see Damon with his camera phone," he said, a smile breaking out on his lips as he finally grabbed her hand, making her and Lexi both grin.
        "Right," the blonde nodded, before grinning even wider and grabbing Annabelle's hand, pulling both her and Stefan further out onto the dance floor.

*15 Minutes Later*

        "Woo!" Stefan exclaimed after taking his turn at the pool game he and Lexi started a few minutes earlier as Annabelle watched from the side, a smile on her face at the vampires' carefree demeanor.
        "Nice!" Lexi exclaimed with wide eyes before giving her best friend a high five as Annabelle chuckled, "Awoo!" Lexi grinned at Stefan, before turning her head to look at the brunette a few feet away. "Hey, come here! Come on, join us!"
        "Oh, no. No, thank you," Annabelle chuckled as she raised her hands, shaking her head.
        "Oh, come on!" Lexi exclaimed dramatically, making Annabelle chuckle as the blonde grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the pool table, "Live a little!" At that statement, Annabelle raised her eyebrows, and Stefan laughed as Lexi realized what she said before shrugging it off with a smile.
        "I would, but I don't know how to play," Annabelle admitted after a few seconds. "And yes, before you ask, it is possible to not know how to play pool in this town,"
        "Even with all the awesome pool tables?" Lexi asked, raising her eyebrows jokingly, making Annabelle chuckle as Stefan watched the two with a smile.
        "Even with all the awesome pool tables," Annabelle nodded.
        "I can teach you," Stefan suddenly spoke up, and Annabelle looked over at him in surprise before smiling, unable to stop herself as Stefan smiled at her.
        "Yeah, see?" Lexi grinned, and Annabelle sighed before smiling.
        "Okay," she surrendered.
        "Great! Okay, I'm gonna go get us drinks. Pick your poison,"
        "Oh, no, that's fine. I don't drink," Annabelle shook her head.
        "Another admirable trait," Lexi nodded in joking approval, and Annabelle chuckled as Stefan handed her the pool stick. "I'll be right back,"
        "Okay, here you go," Stefan said as he set up the balls on the pool table while Lexi headed over to the bar.
        "You know, I wasn't kidding when I said that I don't know how to play. I don't even know how to hold this thing," Annabelle said as she looked at the pool stick in her hand, making Stefan chuckle.
        "Alright, come on," he smiled, walking over to stand behind her, before moving her hands so that both of them were on the pool stick and placing his own over hers, "Bend over a little," he said, and Annabelle did just that, his body following suit as he moved her right hand to one end of the stick, bending her right arm in her elbow, and moving her left hand right underneath the stick and on the table, "Now, go," he said, his breath tickling the side of her face, and Annabelle did just that, managing to hit the ball right into one of the holes (with a little help from Stefan).
        "I did it!" she exclaimed in shock, though the smile on her face was ever-so present.
        "See?" Stefan smiled, and Annabelle couldn't help but return it. His smile was simply contagious.
        "Thank you,"
        "No problem," he replied, before they both looked over at Lexi, who came back with, strangely, no liquor in her hands.
        "Yep, I drank yours. Sorry," she chuckled, but Stefan simply smiled as he looked into her eyes earnestly.
        "Thank you," he said in gratitude, and Annabelle furrowed her brows in confusion, though she wasn't about to pry and ask what they were talking about.
        "You weren't supposed to be listening," Lexi said with a mock glare, but Stefan only continued to smile, "I was feeling epic. Whatever," she muttered with a tiny grin on her lips, before looking over at Annabelle. "So, how did the lesson go?"
        "Well, I doubt I could be an Olympian pool player, but... so far, so good," the brunette smiled, making the vampires smile as well.
        "Okay, I'll be right back. I'm gonna go touch up a little," Lexi smiled at the both of them before walking away. Annabelle opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by Elena - who she just realized was at the party - who walked over and grabbed one of the pool sticks.
        "Hi," she smiled, and Stefan looked over at her, his eyes bright.
        "Hey,"
        "You know what, I'm gonna go and try to find Bonnie or Care," Annabelle quickly spoke up, before walking past her sister, raising her eyebrows suggestively at Stefan while doing so, making him smile for what seemed like the hundredth time that night and shake his head.
        Annabelle slowly made her way through the dance floor, bumping into multiple dancing people while doing so and attempting to find either Caroline or Bonnie, or anyone she knew for that matter. Finally, she saw the familiar blonde hair in a booth next to Matt, and sighed with a small smile before heading over in their direction. However, her eyes widened in alarm and worry as she saw her best friend stand up, only to nearly tumble to the ground a second later.
        "Caroline?!" she exclaimed, quickly running over to them as Matt carefully put Caroline's arm around his neck and tucked his arm underneath her knees, picking her up bridal style. "What happened?!"
        "Oh, hi, Anna," Caroline slurred, clumsily picking her head up off Matt's shoulder to give Annabelle a weak smile.
        "She's drunk?" Annabelle asked, and Matt nodded.
        "Yeah, she's pretty hammered," he said, and Annabelle sighed as she reached over to smooth Caroline's hair from her face. "I was just gonna take her home,"
        "Yeah, okay, go," Annabelle gave him a nod and smiled a small smile at her best friend as Matt walked past her. "Good night,"
        Annabelle sighed, running her hand through her hair before looking around, hoping to at least find Bonnie, only for her brows to furrow as she saw Sheriff Forbes and two policemen making their way through the bar. She turned her head to look in the direction they were heading, only to see Damon and Lexi both by the bar. Having a horrible feeling in her gut, Annabelle started to slowly walk towards the bar, only to stop in her tracks and gasp in horror as she saw Sheriff Forbes stab Lexi in the side with a syringe, making the vampire gasp. She saw Lexi go limp and the two policemen grab her by her arms before beginning to drag her through the bar and towards the back door.
        "Oh, my God," Annabelle breathed out, before quickly looking around for Stefan, only to see him and Elena already heading in the direction Lexi was taken, "Excuse me. Sorry, excuse me," Annabelle began to push through the crowd of people, quickly following Stefan and Elena to the back door. Once she reached them, Elena looked over at her with wide eyes before they both followed Stefan outside. Only a few seconds later, they heard gunshots and quickly began to run in that direction, Annabelle having the tiniest difficulty with her choice of footwear. They rounded the corner and saw Sheriff Forbes firing shots at Lexi, who walked towards her, unfazed, with her fangs and bloodshot eyes and veins visible.
        Annabelle only had a second to comprehend what was happening, before Damon suddenly appeared out of nowhere and stabbed Lexi in the heart with a wooden stake. And though Annabelle was in no way an expert on vampires, she knew one thing: a wooden stake to the heart was lethal.
        Annabelle and Elena both gasped loudly in horror, and Stefan quickly pulled them both against the wall, placing his hands over their mouths and shushing them quietly as he, too, stared in horror. His brother had just killed his best friend and not bat an eye.
        "Oh, my God," he whispered, tears gathering in his eyes as Annabelle slowly took his hand off her mouth and leaned over to look at Damon, who pushed the stake even deeper into Lexi's heart. Annabelle's eyes filled with tears as she watched the girl's body slowly desiccate before it dropped to the ground. Lexi was dead.
        "You okay?" Annabelle heard Damon ask, and saw him place his hands on Sheriff Forbes' shoulders.
        "Thank you," she said gratefully, "Get it in the car, quickly," Annabelle shook her head at the use of word 'it.' Lexi was a person. An incredible person, one Annabelle felt incredibly grateful to have met, even if it was just for an hour. And now, she was gone.

*10 Minutes Later*

        "Stefan," Elena called as she and Annabelle both attempted to catch up with Stefan, who was walking ahead with a determined expression on his face, "Stefan!" Elena called again, grabbing his arm, only for him to push her off him as he turned around to look at the sisters.
        "He killed her. He killed Zach, he killed Tanner, he turned Vicki... I have to kill him," he said, his voice choked up, before turning around to walk off.
        "No, you can't do that!" Elena said loudly, following him.
        "Why are you trying to save him... Elena? He's never gonna change, don't you see that, he's never gonna change!" Stefan exclaimed, before beginning to walk away again, both Annabelle and Elena following him.
        "I'm not trying to save him, I'm trying to save you, you have no idea what this will do to you, please, Stefan!" Elena pleaded, grabbing his arm again.
        "Everywhere that I go, pain and death follow. Damon follows me. No more," Stefan shook his head, his voice pained.
        "Stefan, please, please, just-just talk to me, let me be here for you, talk to me," Elena begged, grabbing his arm to stop him from walking off once again.
        "No," Stefan shook his head, tears in his eyes, "You were right to stay away from me," he said, before walking away. Elena stared after him for a few seconds, tears in her eyes, before she turned around and headed back to the Grill, walking past Annabelle. As soon as Elena walked away, Annabelle began to run in the direction Stefan headed, praying silently that he wasn't gone yet.
        After running for at least a minute, she finally saw him, and sighed in relief before picking up her pace again, determined to reach him.
        "Stefan," she called, but was ignored, "Stefan!" she called louder, and the vampire finally turned around.
        "What?!" he nearly roared, and Annabelle stopped in her tracks, before sighing as she saw the pain and tears that threatened to fall. Hesitantly, she began to walk towards him, and seeing that he wasn't walking away, she quickened her pace before finally reaching him and wrapping her arms around his neck once she did.
        Stefan was stiff for a few seconds, though that didn't affect her hold. She kept her arms wrapped around his neck, one of her hands moving to stroke the back of his head as he finally crumbled, his breathing shaky as he wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her neck, tears finally falling. One of his hands reached up to fist itself into her sweater, but Annabelle only pulled him closer as he cried into her neck, the pure despair nearly breaking her heart in half.

        "I'm sorry,"