Vampire Diaries Blood Brothers

~Chapter Nineteen~

Jeremy leaped out of Aunt Jenna's car and bolted for the courts where his druggie friends milled about, staggering drunkenly all over the place, half empty bottles in hand. My lips vibrated as I exhaled, disappointed in Jeremy's actions. Jenna and I had tried to get through to him, but he wouldn't stop. For weeks we'd been racking our brains, but all of our attempts to make him see reason and how bad drugs and alcohol were failed. 
   He claimed it was his way of dealing with the loss of our parents and Elena, which I understood because my vent was diary writing and visiting them at the cemetery, but why did he have to pick something which only harmed him? I mean, I can't write myself to death. If his 'vent' killed him then I wouldn't just have to cope with the loss of mom, dad and my sister, but also Jeremy. And besides Jenna, he was the only family I had left. The only member of my immediate family who hadn't been taken. I couldn't lose him. I just couldn't. Even if he was annoying and moody and depressed and into drugs and alcohol, he was still my brother.
   I had to find a way to get him off the drink and drugs. I just had to. And fast.

~~~

Caroline and Bonnie met up with me in the hallway just before first period to discuss Halloween costumes. Caroline had made them both witch costumes in her fashion class but they were curious as to what I was wearing. 
   "I don't know," I shrugged. "I'll probably find something..."
   "Oh come on Eva! Halloween only comes once a year. You've got to put in the effort or you won't get any of the rewards that follow."
   I frowned. "And what rewards would those be, Caroline? A cake of chocolate for the best dressed?"
   "No," she rolled her eyes. "Guys."
   My heart sunk as I thought of Stefan. He had been so willing to make our relationship work, but he was just too dishonest and distrusting and I was not going to open my heart up anymore than I already had to a boy who I couldn't even trust to tell me the truth.
   "Yeah, well, I'm still not sure if I'm gonna come."
   "Excuse me?" Caroline demanded. "I know you broke up with Stefan, but just think, maybe it wasn't meant to be. Besides, what better way to get back at him than to have him see you smooching some other guy?" She beamed proudly.
   "It's not because of Stefan." OK, so it was because of Stefan, but not entirely. I mean, Jeremy already said he wasn't coming and Jenna would probably stay home too. What if Damon came by again? I wouldn't be there to stop him from coming inside, or worse, from doing something to my family. 
   "Mm-hm," Caroline raised an eyebrow, disbelieving.
   "Come on E," Bonnie begged, grabbing my hands. "It was so much fun last year."
   Last year. Last year, and every year before that, I did have fun. Fun with Elena. Elena always made me feel so confident and calm and relaxed. She knew how to have fun and I loved doing it with her. But this year? This year would be different.
   "I don't know..."
   "Well if you don't we are going to bring Halloween to you," Bonnie stated firmly. "Whether you like it or not."
   "But then you guys will miss out on all the fun," I groaned.
   "Exactly," Bonnie nodded. "You wouldn't want to do that to us, would you?" She grinned.
   Rolling my eyes, I wrapped my arms around my friends and laughed. "OK, OK, you win. I'll come, but you guys don't get to know my costume until I come. Got it?"
   Groaning, Caroline reluctantly agreed before we headed off to class.

Stefan was at school today, which was surprising. Especially with everything going on with Vicki and Damon and all the other vampire stuff. Oh, and the fact that I dumped him. He hung around me a lot, not in a creepy way, and not in a full on way, but he was around.
   "What are you doing?" I sighed eventually. "You're just torturing yourself. Go home. Vent about our break up in your journal or whatever."
   "You honestly think I haven't done that already?" He raised an eyebrow as I gathered my books from my locker.
   "What are you doing here Stefan? I thought you were..." I glanced around and leaned closer, whispering, "watching Vicki."
   "Yeah, well, she doesn't have a magical ring. She can't go outside or she'll burn to death," he explained. "She's not going anywhere."
   "OK, well, what about Damon? He still has his ring, doesn't he?" I raised an eyebrow, walking to French.
   "Yes, but he's too busy having... Uh... Fun, with Vicki." Rolling my eyes, I placed my books on my desk and sat down, Stefan relaxing into the chair beside me. "I'm beginning to get the feeling you don't want me here," he pursed his lips, tilting his head. "Is that true? Because I can leave, if you want. It's just, I meant what I said. I care about you and I don't want anything bad to happen so I will do everything in my power to keep you safe... Even if that means shadowing you at school," he breathed a laugh.
   Smiling, I looked past his gorgeous face to the window, thinking about us. He was just so amazing, even if I wasn't going to get back with him, I could at least make this less difficult. "OK, so, you want to keep me safe?" He nodded. "Tell me where I can get some vervain. If it protects my mind from vampires then I want some, and some for Jenna and Jeremy, and my friends. That way you can rest knowing I'm fine, and I can relax knowing everybody I care about is fine."
   "Uh..." His face fell and he chewed the inside of his lip, avoiding eye contact. "If I told you no, how would you react?"
   "Stefan!" I glared, my teeth clenched. "Why would you say no? I thought you cared about my safety?"
   "I do," he reassured me. "It's just..."
   "Just what?" I demanded.
   "Um..."
   "Tell me," I repeated. "Why can't I have some vervain? Or is caring about my safety just another lie?" I exhaled, pushing my chair back and grabbing my books.
   "Eva, wait-"
   "No!" I rebelled, striding out of the class before the teacher came. "I am so sick or your lies and keeping things from me and I don't care whether we're together or not. I am not gonna put up with it!"