To Be Or Not To Be » Stefan Salvatore

Chapter 5 - A Much Needed Distraction

Morning sunlight bathed Mystic Falls in gold, and for once, Skye allowed herself to enjoy it. The town square, though small, had an unexpected charm. Sunbeams stretched across every blade of grass, leaves gleaming like polished emeralds in their glow. Even the Mystic Grill was visible from where she sat.

She had settled herself in the middle of the field, head tilted back, eyes closed. For the first time in what felt like forever, her mind was still.

The dress she wore—soft, baby blue fabric cinched at the waist—fluttered lazily over her bare legs in the morning breeze. Her bag was tossed beside her, her jacket draped carelessly on top.

Most people would grow restless doing nothing. But Skye had learned to appreciate moments like these—the rare, fleeting seconds of quiet before the inevitable storm.

Back home, Rebekah had been up at dawn, chasing down leads about the White Oak. She even had a meeting scheduled with Mayor Lockwood tomorrow. Nik had spent the morning pacing the house like a caged animal, snapping at her for every little thing.

She couldn't blame him. Even she felt uneasy knowing that something was still out there—something that could destroy their family. And her family was everything. She didn't know what she would do if she lost them.

A sigh slipped from her lips. She had come here to escape those thoughts, yet they followed her like shadows.

How utterly predictable.

She needed friends. Desperately. But making them in a town where her siblings left destruction in their wake? That was impossible. The people of Mystic Falls looked at her and saw them. It was unfair. And she hated her family for that.

Lately, hate was all she felt.

It gnawed at her, hollowed her out from the inside. Skye had never been that kind of person. She had always chosen optimism, believed in the good in people. But ever since she returned, all she felt was bitterness.

Nine hundred years stolen from her. Nine hundred years where others had lived and loved and built their lives—while she remained frozen in time.

And she hated it.

Hated it.

Hated it.

She wanted to scream. To break things. To let her rage shatter the world like glass.

More than anything, she wanted to feel. Love. Friendship. Hope.

But all she had left was anger.

This isn't living, she thought. This is surviving.

With a deep breath, she rose to her feet, shrugged on her jacket, and slung her bag over her shoulder.

The Grill would serve as a distraction.

So, that's where she went.

⋯

The Grill wasn't crowded, but it wasn't empty either. Skye spotted Matt Donovan behind the bar and almost turned on her heel to leave.

But then she stopped herself.

If she walked away now, she couldn't claim she had tried—really tried—to fit in, to make friends. The choice was hers.

So, she squared her shoulders, took a breath, and approached the bar.

Matt noticed her almost immediately. As he walked over, his expression was guarded.

She understood why. At the Mikaelson ball, when Kol had nearly crushed his hand, she had been the one to help him wrap it. He had resisted at first, but guilt had driven her to insist. She had even offered him her blood—an offer he had swiftly refused.