ren. [tvd spinoff]

10 | an encounter

10

a n e n c o u n t e r

A total of a week had passed since Juliet found out about Ren.

Charlie still hadn't heard anything from Eliza.

"But what if they've captured her? Maybe that's the reason why she isn't here with me right now." he pondered, spreading his whole body across the couch.

"She compelled that guy to send the message, didn't she?" Ren sighed, flicking a grape at Juliet that he found on the floor.

She glared at him and threw it back at him, hitting him on the forehead.
"How do you know it was Eliza that sent him though?" Juliet questioned, pretending not to notice Ren's obnoxious stare.

The truth was that the question had stumped Charlie. He didn't really consider the possibility and now that it was brought to his attention, he realised that it could be more than likely.

Of course, however, he wasn't going to admit that she was right so he shook his head and profusely argued back.

"No, it was definitely her."
"What proof do you have?"
"Nothing, i... i just know, okay?"

Juliet and Ren exchanged looks but chose not to pursue the matter any further.

___

"Oh, sorry." she muttered. Juliet didn't bother looking up and carried on walking when she suddenly stopped.

She recognised the smell of cologne.

"My lunch break ends soon, Charlie. What do you want?" she sighed, crossing her arms.

"You know about compulsion, right?" he asked. Juliet pursed her lips and nodded, "Yes, why?"

"Are you wearing any vervain or have you ingested any within the last 24 hours?"
"Depends. Do you want to compel me?"
"No, i actually wanted to give you this."

He placed a necklace in her hands and she looked up, raising an eyebrow.
"A necklace?"
"With vervain inside of it, yes."
"Why?"
"Just in case you see Eliza and she compels you to forget about it. This necklace is your leverage, Juliet. Use it to your advantage."

She clipped it around her neck cautiously and sighed again. "Are we done now?"
"Yes."
"See you."

Juliet turned around when Charlie suddenly grabbed her arm. "Oh my god, what now?" she groaned.

"Here's Eliza's photo. Just as a reference." he murmured, handing her a small passport-sized headshot.

Eliza was pretty, Juliet could see that much. She had what seemed to be blonde locks, maybe dirty blonde, twisted into a bun.

She was smiling at the camera, Charlie was probably behind it. Eliza looked innocent but Juliet knew it most likely wasn't the case now.

"Keep it safe. That's the only copy i have." he muttered.

The girl clutched it in her hands and nodded, smiling slightly at the new side of Charlie she was seeing. It was refreshing to see his vulnerable side.

"Goodbye, Juliet."

___

Juliet walked up to her department block, not being able to help but hold back a smile. She thought Charlie was sweet to be so worried over Eliza.

She knew he cared, even if he didn't want to show it.

Walking through the front doors of the building, she was immediately met by a glimpse of two girls. One was blonde, the other was a slightly darker dirty blonde.

The dirty blonde glanced behind her and Juliet furrowed her eyebrows. "Eliza?" she muttered, looking back at the picture still in her hand.

Juliet's voice brought Eliza's attention onto her. She whispered something to the blonde girl standing next to her who also looked familiar to Juliet, she just didn't know how.

Eliza sped up Juliet which made her let out a small gasp. She quickly regained herself and straightened up her posture.

Eliza smiled sweetly and cocked her head to the side. "Juliet Moore, right?" she asked.

Juliet nodded slowly and furrowed her eyebrows but before she had a chance to say anything, Eliza started speaking again.

"I can't keep Rebekah over there waiting i'm afraid," she said, gesturing to the girl behind her, "and no one can know that i'm back in town yet. I want to reappear with a big bang, you know?"

Juliet didn't say anything. She just stared at Eliza with a confused look, not sure about what to say.

It was all types of emotions: confused, fear, and plain surprise. It was as if she had seen a ghost but she didn't say anything.

She just stared.

"God, you humans aren't fun. You're going to forget about this encounter, Juliet dear. Me and Rebekah had to fetch something from your archives but we have it now. Nice meeting you, i wish it could've been a bit more formal but it'll do." she let out a small sigh after she was finished speaking.

Eliza sped back to Rebekah and the two walked out of the building.

Once they were out of sight, Juliet fumbled around under her sweater and got her necklace out, letting out a sigh of relief.

She had vervain on her.

Eliza just tried and failed to compel her.

Juliet remembered every single last bit of that encounter but she decided not to tell Charlie. Or Ren, for that matter.

Not just yet, anyway.

___

a/n Eliza's here bitches

i did cross country on tuesday and it was okay

what stressed me out more was the fact that i looked like a blushing radish but-

i have one more day until half term but i'm going away to spain w my bestfriend for a week on saturday

i'll have wifi so updates will be posted

i hope you have/had a great day 💗