Unconventional

- 6 -

<Taylor's P.O.V>

I lay on Sam's couch, my head resting against her legs as she rubs the top of my head. I haven't stopped crying. I'm honestly so embarrassed at this point, but I don't think Sam minds. She's just trying to soothe me.

I don't understand why this is getting to me so much. We never had the best relationship, so me leaving really shouldn't affect me this much, but it's hurts. It hurts so bad. There's this tightness in my chest that I can't get rid of and my stomach is doing circles trying to get me to release whatever is in there, but I refuse to. I can't do anything besides stare in front of me and let Sam caress me, afraid to move as I might break even further.

"Taylor.." I hear Sam's soft voice but I can't register it. It's almost like I'm dissociating with my body. Like I'm across the room but my body is here with Sam's. "Do you want to go to bed?" Her voice is soft as if she's scared that saying it louder will hurt me.

"How could she do this?" My voice is shaky and barely audible, I felt the tears start to form in my eyes again and at this point I don't know how I even have any left. I'm beyond hurt, I'm broken.

"I don't know." She sighs. I finally find the energy to get off her leg and look at her. Her face shows so much concern. "I'm sorry, Taylor."

"It's not your fault." I sigh, leaning on her shoulder. She kisses the top of my head. "I just have to keep thinking that if they don't love me for who I am then they really aren't my family. It just sucks. I love who I love and that's not going to change." I manage to lift my head up to give her a small smile which she returns.

My phone starts ringing from where I set it on the coffee table. I just ignore it but Sam looks at it to check who's calling. Probably making sure it's not anyone important.

"It's Elena." She says. I just shake my head not wanting to get into that mess right now. We just let it sit unanswered but as soon as it stopped, it starts again. I sigh, but Sam decides to help me out by answering for me.

"Hey, Elena. It's Sam. Look, now's really not-" She starts to say but is cut off. "Elena, are you okay?"

I sit up quickly and look at Sam. I start to feel worried for Elena. The last thing I knew she was going to see Stefan and now she could be hurt. He could've hurt her. Sam looks at me, and covers the mouth piece with her hand. "She say's it's an emergency and she's crying hysterically."

I use my hand to motion to give the phone to me and I stand up walking only a few feet away from the couch.

"Elena, are you okay?" I ask into the phone. I could hear her heavy breathing and her stuffy nose from crying.

"I confronted, Stefan." She says fast. "He admitted it to me. It's true."

I let out a long, shaky breath and look at Sam who's looking at me confused and full of worry at the same time.

"Are you with him right now?" I ask her.

"No, he just left my house. Taylor, he said he would never hurt me and that Damon is responsible for all the killings. He doesn't even drink human blood. He wants to explain everything to me."

"Did he say anything else?"

"Yeah, he told me not to tell anyone. That it would it put me and a lot of people in danger if I did."

"What did you say?" I'm secretly hoping that she didn't bring me into this with everything going on right now.

"I told him that you also knew along with me and that you had figured it out first. He said that made a lot of sense like he was already on to you knowing."