An Elemental Difference - AIR - Book 1 (Stefan Salvatore)

Chapter 26 - I think Jenna is shouting at God again.

UPDATED FROM JULY 2020

When the afternoon sun shone down on the Sexy Suds Carwash, the event was still going strong.

Aella looked up to see her adoptive aunt's car pull up, and Jenna getting out to pay Caroline. Aella left her position and jogged over to the two, "Hey Caroline,-" she looked pointedly at Jenna "-I think this car needs to be charged triple for lack of volunteering!"

"Hey!" Jenna exclaimed, shoving the brunette. "I got you three up this morning with coffee, I deserve a freebie!"

"Ha!" Aella scoffed out loud. She pocketed her cloth and sauntered over to the two deciding to put on a broad New York accent. Nodding her head over to Caroline, she told Jenna, "I'm sorry, but Mystic Falls' version of Miranda Priestly made it very clear this morning to us mere slaves. No friend discounts. No freebies. No pay ya laters. We are not running a charity here!"

Caroline pushed her out of the way with a tight grin and a nervous laugh when Aella's show started to attract the attention of paying customers, "Okay... that's enough now." She quickly lowered her voice and leaned down to Jenna, "Take her away, and you get the full workup for nothing."

Before Aella could object, Jenna pulled her away from the customers and back to their group, who had been watching the show with broad grins. Only one person could get under Caroline's skin like that and get away with it.

Jeremy moved over to Matt and Tyler, holding his hand out to them both, "Pay up, she lasted less than three hours before she got annoyed at Aella."

"Fifteen more minutes," Matt whined, slapping the $20 into Jeremy's hand. "Thanks, Aella!"

Bonnie giggled at his expression and looked over at Tyler, as Aella came over after hearing Jeremy's comment, "How long did you say Ty?"

"Four hours," he grumbled and practically threw the $20 at Jeremy.

"Aww, thanks, Ty." Aella cooed, grinning, and Tyler quickly bucked up. Still, his confidence was shot down when Aella snorted as she walked away, "But four hours was wayyyy too generous, ya dummy! Don't you know me?!"

Matt grimaced at Aella's sentence; it wasn't her fault that she didn't know Tyler had the biggest crush on her. To anyone else, that would have just been funny, but to Tyler, it was anything but as his face fell. "At least she smiled and thanked you." Matt tried to make his friend feel better.

Tyler sneered as he watched the brunette skip back over to Jenna, "Yeah, then called me dumb."

"Maybe it's time to face it, Ty," Bonnie smiled gently at him. "Aella just sees you as a friend, and she's really happy with Stefan. Why don't you focus on yourself and find someone who makes you happy." As she spoke, Bonnie missed as Matt's eyes glanced over at Caroline at her words.

Tyler grimaced at her truth, but agreed with a brief nod, "Yeah, you're right." At that moment, two cheerleaders walked past, and Tyler's eyes automatically drew to them, "Time to make me happy."

As he walked after them admiring the view from the back, Jeremy choked back a laugh as Matt slapped his back, and Bonnie shook her head.

"That's Tyler for you," Matt shrugged and went back to cleaning, leaving Jeremy and Bonnie alone.

Bonnie looked at him for the first time that day; it wasn't lost on the both of them that she was purposely ignoring his gaze every time he tried to meet hers. He had seen something she didn't even know was possible at the party, and she didn't know how to handle it.

Jeremy took a big breath, "Look, Bonnie. About what hap-"

"-Oh look, a new car," Bonnie interrupted him and started walking back to the car. "Talk soon, Jer."