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

Chapter 67 - I don't suppose you know the number for the Ghostbusters?

MYSTIC GRILL

Aella leaned back into Stefan, and as they watched Carol Lockwood introduce each of the bachelors on stage, she'd just finished introducing Kelly's ex and was heading over to Alaric. Aella laughed at the uncomfortable look on Alaric's face; finally, this evening was becoming entertaining and not a sob fest.

"Alaric Saltzman." Carol laughed as though she'd never heard of Ric before. "Wow. That's quite a mouthful. What do you do, Alaric?"

Alaric leaned way too close to the microphone, something Aella thought Carol appreciated too much, "I'm a teacher at Mystic Falls High."

"Oooh," Carol oohed to the crowd, and Aella and even a stoic Stefan had to chuckle at Ric's awkwardness. "Beauty and brains, ladies... and such lovely eyes too."

Ric laughed to himself as he leaned forwards, "Thank you, they come with the face."

"Ha!" Aella chuckled out loud, "I'll pay $100 just for that comment."

Carol only glared as Ric winked at Aella for being the only one to laugh at his corny joke.

While this was going on, Stefan's eye was on Damon, who was looking far to happy on the stage as he watched Ric too closely. Stefan just knew his brother was up to no good and leaned down to Aella, "I need to tell you something."

Aella looked up at him frowning and pointed to the stage, "But Damon's next, I can't mock him if I mi-"

"-now," Stefan interrupted her, and seeing the seriousness on his face, she allowed him to pull her to the back of the room.

"What's wrong?"

Stefan looked over Aella to Elena, Ric, and Damon before he looked back down to Aella, guilt on his face, "I wasn't too sure, but I feel a hell of a lot sure now..."

Aella didn't like it when Stefan was this conflicted, "Tell me."

"Ric believes it, and the way Damon's acting, I believe it..." Stefan stuttered until he looked Aella in the eyes. "I think Damon turned Isobel, and I think she's still alive because they never found a body." He glanced at the stage and saw Carol reach Damon, "And I think Damon just realized that too, minus her being Elena's mother."

Aella gulped at the amount of information, "Holy cow!" She looked to the stage and saw what Stefan saw, but also saw the gleam in Damon's eyes. "We need to get Elena out of here."

Before Stefan could say anything, Aella was fast walking to the table, Elena sat at with Jenna and was pulling her up. Before Elena could protest, Aella pulled her close, "I just found out something, you need to go before you find it out too in a not so nice way."

Elena frowned and went to protest again, but Aella interrupted before she could do so, "If there was a time to trust me, do it now. I don't want you to be hurt."

That was enough for Elena, and the two started making their way to the door when Damon's voice echoed over the room, "I was in North Carolina. Near the Duke campus, actually. I think—I think Alaric went to school there. Didn't you, Ric? Yeah, 'cause I-- I know your wife did."

Elena stopped in her tracks, the words 'Duke' and 'North Carolina' resonating from her talk with Trudie. As she turned to the stage, Aella pulled on her arm, "Elena, don't do this."

Stefan's eyes met Aella's, where he was updating a perplexed Jenna, apologetic that he hadn't told her his suspicions earlier. Their eyes turned to the stage simultaneously as Damon dug more of his own grave, "I had a drink with her once. She was—she was a great girl. I ever tell you that? Cause she was -- Delicious. Mmm! Mmm, mmm, mmm."