Gabriella Gilbert Two || Vampire Diaries

Chapter Forty - Four

Edited

    Peaceful.

    I'm, dare I say, happy? I'm here. I'm with my family. I'm gonna graduate. Silas is dead. Soon, I'll make amends with the man I love and I'll be with him too.

    There's almost nothing that can ruin that.

    "What are you thinking about?" Jeremy's voice pulls me out of my thoughts.

    I blink, barely glancing at my brother before remembering where I am and what we're doing. Elena's sitting next to me on the stone bench. Jeremy and Ric are sitting across from us on another stone bench. All of us have a to-go box of burgers and fries on our laps and now we're eating in a cemetery of all places.

    "Nothing," I say before giving everyone a small smile. "I'm just...I'm happy to be here right now."

    Elena lets out an "aw" before leaning her head on my shoulder. She pops a french fry in her mouth.

    "We're glad to be here too," Ric says after taking a bite of his burger. "I never knew I could miss food this much." Jeremy nods in agreement before taking a bite of his own burger.

     Jeremy and Ric both simultaneously moan in delight. "Oh my god," Ric praises, a mouthful of cheeseburger. Elena and I both chuckle at their need for cheeseburgers.

    "No grease on the other side, huh?" Elena teases as she sits up again.

    "You have no idea how much I miss this," Ric pulls out a bottle of bourbon, "and this." Elena grabs it from him, making him protest with, "No! Hey, hey!"

    "She just got her humanity back, let her live a little," Jeremey swings to her defense with his boyish grin as Elena takes a swig. Jeremy reaches for it, only for Elena to pull it away.

    "Hey, you wish," she scoffs, taking another sip.

    "I'm dead. What are they gonna do, throw me in juvie?" Jeremy deadpans.

    "Well, then at least you'd have a place to live," Ric sighs, joking about how Elena burned our house down.

    Elena gapes. "You both suck!" Elena laughs, throwing a French fry at the both of them. I laugh along as they try to dodge it.

    I'm quick to grab the bourbon while she's throwing a french fry before subtly passing it to Jeremy. Jeremy practically beams before sneaking a sip or two. I can't help but smile.

    "There it is," Ric grins, looking at Elena and me with adoration. "Those smiles. I wasn't sure we were gonna see that again."

    Elena's smile tightens before she looks down shamefully. "I did some pretty terrible things," Elena sighs, looking like she's about to cry.

    I give a pat on the back. "You and me both, sister." Her eyes water and I slap her on the back harder. "No tears, got it?"

    "Yeah," Jeremy agrees. "If Caroline was right, we only have until tonight. We need a no-crying rule."

    "But crying's good," Elena smiles before sniffling, "It means that I'm finally seeing something, and right now I..." she grabs a hand from both of them. "I feel happy."

    She lets go when her phone rings. "It's the Grill. Must be Matt." She answers it and places it beside her ear. "Hey, you went awol this morning. What happened?"

    "Hello, Elena," a recognizable voice greets. I frown. "It's your dead friend Connor here. You remember me?"

    Hunter dude.