Secrets of a Salvatore Sister

To Be Human

        Walking down the Boarding House stairs, I freeze at the sight of Stefan and Damon talking. After yesterday, I'm not sure where I stand with Stefan. As my twin's gaze flicks to mine, I swallow. Damon follows his sight line, smiling in my direction. "Lilybug!" He calls. Not only is there tension between Stefan and I, but I can feel major tension between my brothers. Taking Damon's call as a cue, I step down the rest of the steps, joining his side. I raise an eyebrow as a "what's up" after we all stand in silence for a moment. Damon coughs, turning toward me. "I was just telling Stefan what Professor Shane told us yesterday. That if we want to find the cure, we have to find a vampire hunter who can kill enough vampires to reveal the map on the hunter's mark." Damon shifts his gaze between Stefan and I. "Now, unless we want Jeremy to go all Connor two-point-oh, I suggest we find a different hunter."

"Okay. And?" Stefan says disinterested, his grumpy mood radiating off of him. I frown. Is he grumpy because of me? Or did something else happen?

"And," Damon emphasizes, "I was gonna ask Professor Shane, but turns out he's shadier than you are. Matt Donovan connected him and the Pastor through phone records. Apparently, the two were very chatty the day that the Pastor blew up the Council."

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Really?"

Stefan's face is tight in a look of annoyance. "Ah, so you're gonna confront Shane, threaten him, possibly kill him, that sort of thing."

Damon shrugs, trying to ignore Stefan's grouchy mood. "Yeah, unless he tells me what he's up to." He looks from Stefan to me. "What do you say? Should we family team this?"

My expression falls from my face as I drop my eyes. An uncomfortable shift of tension blankets my siblings and I. How do I tell Damon that Stefan's mad at me without telling him the reason why and making him angry at me too.

Stefan, not in the mood to pretend, looks to our older brother with a blank face, ignoring my glance. "Nah, I'd say you're on your own." His rejection slaps me in the face as I tuck my arms around my torso. Stefan turns to leave, but Damon stops in.

"Or we could just blow it off and go get drunk. Family bond over some Tridelts." His gaze softens as he looks at our brother. Now, I'm really wondering if something happened that I missed. "If you, you know, want some quality time."

Stefan smiles a mock one, laughing slightly. "Let's not pretend like this isn't the best day of your life."

Scrunching my face in confusion, I watch as the words seem to bite into Damon as he pauses. Stefan smiles again, patting Damon on the arm, then leaves. He never looks in my direction once.

A second of silence fills the air as my oldest brother and I stare at the door Stefan left through. A second passes before either of us fall out of our trances. Damon frowns at the ground, then turns to face me. "So, he's feeling broody today." His attempt to make a joke is weak and he knows it too. He, just like me, can feel our family falling apart.

I don't even bother to humor him with a smile. "So, what happened there?" I ask, referring to the obvious tension between my two brothers.

Damon scoffs, shaking his head. "Why don't you tell me what happened between the two of you first?"

Our eyes meet in a stare-off, a competition to see who will break first.

Not in the mood to play games, I shake my head. "Sorry brother, but I don't have time for deflection right now." Pulling my leather jacket tighter, I head to the door.

"Where are you going?" Damon calls after me.

"Miss Mystic Falls. I promised to help Care set up," I yell as I close the door behind me.