Here We Go Again: TVD Doppelgänger #5

S1E3

~Salvatore boarding house~

"And we meet again Skylar."
"Hello Damon. Beautiful house you have here."
"I see you've met my little brother."
"Classmates. Don't worry you're my favorite Salvatore brother." Damon and I smirk similarly to Stefan. "So you live with the married couple?"
"Uh no. Stefan and I live in a house not too far from here. I got it when my mom died."
"Oh I'm sorry Caroline."
"Where do you live?"
"2104 Floyd Street."
"Oh my god. You're the new neighbors? Well I should've put two and two together."
"You live next door?"
"Yeah that's so cool! You can drive to school with us and slumber parties! Oh it'll be just like when..." The room is uncomfortably silent. "Sorry Damon."
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"Elena lived in the house that burned down there. You just moved into the newly built one," Tyler tells me.
"The irony," Damon laughs. "It was a very long time ago. It's okay to talk about it. She's at peace."

"Okay well moving on. Let's get to know you Skylar."
"Uh you can call me Sky. Oh Stefan knows but you'll see I guess, I'm a twin. My brother Daniel isn't anything like me besides our looks. I'm the oldest by a few minutes."
"That's so interesting! I've always wanted siblings but Elena and our best friend Bonnie were always like my sisters."
"Who's Bonnie?"
"Crap. Well Bonnie, uh she moved. Now lives somewhere in Europe," Caroline rushes to say again.
"That's cool for her."
"So why'd you move here." I was hesitant at first, but I end up telling them everything. By the time I was done they were all understanding.

"Well we better get going. Want us to drive you home?"
"Nah I think I'll walk. It's a beautiful evening."
"Be careful."
"It's Mystic Falls nothing bad ever happens here." They all exchange glances. I say my goodbyes to the bunch and walk out the door.

I'm not far when I feel someone approaching me from behind. I know exactly who it would be.
"What do you want Damon?"
"Just making sure you get home okay."
"I'll be fine but thank you. Now stop being a creep and walk with me not behind me," I laugh. We fall into step. The walk home is pretty far from the boarding house, but the way is still lit by the sunset.

"Can I ask you about your ex?"
"Shoot."
"What happened to him after you regained consciousness?"
"I found out him and my best friend were dating. I cried for a long time but then I moved on."
"And your friend?"
"I'd known her since I was a baby. She and I were so close until high school when I got boobs and she got acne. I never saw us in competition with one another, but apparently that's all she saw. She cleared up this summer and had a major glow up. That's when she was out for me and my role as queen of the school."
"I'm sorry."
"It's whatever. So Elena?"
"I love Elena. We were married actually."
"Isn't she like my age?"
"Yep eighteen. We got married and had a life built together."
"I'm so sorry Damon."
"She got everything she ever wanted."
"That must bring you some comfort."
"It does. She would've wanted me to move on and be happy. I couldn't see happiness without her, until now."
"What's changed?" I ask as we pull up onto the porch.
"You." He looks me in the eyes. His are beautifully lit by the outside lights. He's about to lean down and kiss me when Stefan suddenly appears on my steps.

"Sorry to interrupt but Caroline sent me to see if you were home safe."
"I'm alright thank you Stefan."
"You want a ride to school tomorrow?"
"Sure thank you." I give each of them one last look. "Goodnight Salvatore's." I now turned the doorknob and head inside. I'm leaning against the door when my dad appears from the living room.

"Who's outside?"
"My friends dad don't worry."
"I'll always worry about you princess. I'm afraid of the day I stop worrying. Come sit with me." I push off the door and sit with him. "I love you more then you know. I want the absolute best for you, but I can't do that if you don't want that for yourself. We moved here so you could have a fresh start. Promise to behave the best you can?"
"I promise dad. I love you, but I should head upstairs. Goodnight." We hug and I run up to my room. I go into the jack and Jill bathroom I share with Daniel and start preparing for bed when he walks in.

"Danny I could've been naked! It's called knocking."
"What are you doing with that older guy?"
"Excuse me?"
"I saw you two. I was walking around the house when you two were on the porch. He was gonna kiss you wasn't he?"
"So what if he does?"
"I don't wanna move again! You always do this! You're selfish!"
"Go to hell."
"You're always getting in trouble and somehow we all end up paying for it besides you! You never cared that I didn't want to move from our last home! You suck as a sister and it's much worse that you're my twin!"
"Daniel!" I yell when the door that leads to his room slams shut. I didn't think Danny cared that we moved. He wasn't really popular or had any friends at our last home. How'd I become the bitch for having us move? I give us both time to cool off as I finish my nightly bathroom routine and pull on my pjs.

"Danny we need to talk."
"Isn't it a little late for that?"
"You're right. I suck as a twin. I'm sorry for putting you through so much, and it never occurred to me to ask you how you were doing. So how are you doing?"
"I miss Jillian."
"Who's Jillian?"
"My girlfriend!"
"Wait what? You had a girlfriend!"
"Alright you're the worst twin ever. Yes Jillian and I had been dating for two years. How didn't you notice? She came over everyday!"
"Oh jello Jill right!"
"She hated you and your friends. You always bullied her and called her fat. To me she was beautiful."
"I'm so sorry Daniel. I thought she was just your friend. I shouldn't have been so mean to her or anyone."
"Or me."
"You? I never bashed on you."
"Maybe the words didn't escape your lips, but you allowed your friends to dig at me. Freak. Loser. Social outcast. All your friends were the worst to me, and you stood by and let them bully me."
"Oh god Danny I'm an idiot. If I could take it all back I would. They had no right to hate one you. I'm your twin sister and I should've stood up to them for you. I promise to never be like that person again. New town new start right? I'll be a better sister and person."
"Yeah whatever. Empty words Sky."
"I swear I will stop drinking/doing drugs, no more being mean to people, no more craziness. I'll prove it to you little brother."
"I hope so." I lean over his bed and hug him tightly. To my surprise i get hugged in return. I don't think we've had a conversation like this since the womb. We were never like siblings. He liked one thing and I liked the other. That's how it's always been and it created a divide. I love my brother and although old me wouldn't be caught dead hanging with a kid like him I'm going to work on my relationship with Daniel.