Chapter Ten
1955 Words
The last four days have been very guilt-ridden and confusing for me. Damon and I almost kissed. I wanted to kiss him, but he’s Caroline’s boyfriend and I promised I wouldn’t go after him. Caroline said she forgives me at least because nothing happened. Elena has been so stressed out too. Apparently, she and Stefan are in a weird position now too. I ended up telling Elena about that dream from four nights ago and she said it might have been my mind trying to warn me after what she found out he was doing to Caroline, even though she wouldn’t tell me.
I get up after another night of a weird Damon dream. The last four nights I’ve had the same dream. Damon, miserably sitting in a cell as if he is dying. It’s weird. I also haven’t seen him since that night so I’m a little worried. Stefan has been MIA as well. I know Elena’s upset about that even though she refuses to admit it.
I get dressed for the day and go down to the kitchen to make breakfast for the five of us. Jeremy has been sneaking Vicki into his room and he thinks he’s being real slick about it. Jenna and I know and I’m pretty sure Elena hasn’t caught on yet, but she will soon. He’s not hiding it very well.
Today’s breakfast is eggs, bacon, and toast. My dad and I used to cook together all the time and it took me a few months to not either overcook or undercook the bacon. I also used to overdo the eggs and they would come out super dry. He would eat it all anyhow just so I wouldn’t feel bad and then guide me in making it again for everyone else.
Just as I hand Jenna her plate, Elena comes into the room.
Elena: “Jenna, are you aware of what’s going on upstairs?”
Jenna: “Uh huh.”
She continues working on her college stuff while I make a plate for Elena.
Elena: “And you have no objections?”
Jenna: “He could be craftier about it. At least make an effort to sneak her in and out.”
Skylar: “Yeah, she accidentally came into the bathroom as I was getting out of the shower today.”
Elena: “So you know too.”
Skylar: “Of course.”
She rolls her eyes.
Jenna: “Oh and uh, just so you two know, I won’t be home for dinner.”
Elena: “Mmm, so you’re actually going to do it. You’re gonna go out with Logan.”
Skylar: “Action news, TV reporter Logan Fell has a hot date tonight.”
Elena and I giggle together as we sit with Jenna.
Jenna: “I’m gonna show up and torture him, yes. And have you heard from Stefan?”
Elena: “Not since he left that very vague message three days ago. [Imitating Stefan] Hi, um, Elena I, um, I have something I have to do. I’ll, uh, explain in a few days.”
Jenna and I giggle.
Jenna: “Have you called him?”
Elena: “Nope. Not going to either.”
Jenna: “And you’re okay with everything?”
Elena: “No, I’m not okay with any of it. But I’m not gonna cry about it either. You know, I was gonna write in my diary this morning, and then I thought, what am I gonna write? Honestly, I’m not gonna be one of those pathetic girls whose world stops spinning because of some guy.”
Jenna: “Okay then.”
Skylar: “Because that’s totally not what’s happening right now.”
Elena: “I’ll be fine.”
She gets up and leaves the room while Jenna and I share a look like we’re saying she’s in denial.
Jenna: “Have you talked to Damon at all?”
Skylar: “Nope. I don’t know if I even should. He’s dating Caroline and I don’t want to hurt her.”
Jenna: “Yeah, that’s hard isn’t it?”
Skylar: “It’s not like we actually kissed anyhow.”
Jenna: “But you wanted to.”
Skylar: “Of course I wanted to. But we didn’t. Mostly thanks to Elena.”
She rubs my shoulder.
Jenna: “It’ll get better, I promise.”
I nod before bringing Jeremy and Vicki their breakfast, much to their surprise.
Once I arrive at school, Caroline ropes me into helping pass out flyers.
Caroline: “The Sexy Suds Car Wash is tomorrow. The football team and the band have committed. Well, not all the band; just the ones who can pull off a bikini. I want, in your face, sexy. I mean, it’s a fundraiser for god’s sake.”
The other girls giggle and I roll my eyes at this. I help her pass out flyers to everyone we pass in the halls all day. I get why she’s in denial after everything that happened and it seems weird that Damon has apparently disappeared and is never coming back, according to Stefan.
Elena went to the Grill to meet up with Stefan a couple hours ago and came home furious with him. She’s been moping in her room since she returned. She has no idea what to do about it so we started watching Titanic in her room. About halfway through the movie, Jeremy opens the door.
Jeremy: “Hey, you two okay?”
Elena sighs and I roll my eyes.
Elena: “Is Vicki in there?”
Jeremy: “Don’t answer a question with another question.”
Skylar: “That’s not an answer.”
He chuckles.
Jeremy: “Maybe. What’s wrong with you two?”
Elena: “We’re miserable.”
Skylar: “Boy problems.”
Jeremy: “Well, you should go get something to eat.”
He texts someone and my phone gets a notification. I look to see Jeremy texted me to let Elena go downstairs alone. I nod and she gets up.
Elena: “Are you coming, Sky?”
Skylar: “No, thanks. I’m just gonna go to my room.”
Once she leaves the room, I give Jeremy a look.
Skylar: “Why did you want her to go downstairs alone?”
Jeremy: “Stefan is down there, cooking to make it up to her.”
Skylar: “Well that’s sweet of him. I’m sure he appreciates your assistance.”
I ruffle his hair on my way out and he slaps my hand away as we both giggle.
I show up to the car wash, which Caroline has deemed the Sexy Suds Car Wash, with Elena by my side. She is wearing a sweater over her bikini top. We sit with Caroline at the cashbox while she is giving us our instructions.
Caroline: “No friend discounts. No freebies. No pay you laters. We are not running a charity here.”
Elena: “No we are not.”
Skylar: “Got it.”
Stefan walks up to us in a black hoodie and jeans.
Stefan: “Hi.”
Elena: “Hey!”
Elena gets up to greet him and I wave to greet him as Caroline stands up.
Caroline: “Uh, the event is called Sexy Suds, you know.”
I lay my cover up on the chair and walk away with her.
Skylar: “Hey, Care, what do you want me to do?”
Caroline: “Man the cashbox while I’m away.”
Skylar: “Got it.”
I go back to the table and find Elena struggling to take off her sweater. Stefan helps her with a smile on his face. It’s very cute and kinda makes me jealous of their relationship. As they kiss, I bite my lip and try to look elsewhere. I feel a pair of hands land on my shoulders, making me jump a little as I turn to find Tyler chuckling.
Skylar: “Ty, what the hell.”
I playfully slap him as he raises his hands in surrender.
Tyler: “My bad.”
Skylar: “What do you want?”
Tyler: “I’m here for a task.”
I try to hide the fact that I’m checking out his shirtless chest while he’s smirking, being a cocky little s**t and he’s not hiding the fact that he’s definitely checking me out.
Skylar: “You can start on that car with Tiki.”
Tyler: “Cool.”
He runs over to Tiki. Caroline joins me at the cashbox for a while before Elena comes over.
Elena: “Hey, we’re out of towels and those shimmy things.”
Caroline: “I will get some more. Mind the money.”
Caroline goes into the school and Elena sits with me.
Elena: “Hey, I saw you with Tyler earlier.”
Skylar: “Oh, you saw that?”
Elena: “The two of you checking each other out. Yeah, I saw. You know he’s with Vicki.”
Skylar: “Just because he is kinda hot, doesn’t mean I’m gonna do anything, Elena. I wouldn’t go for someone else’s boyfriend or whatever the two of them are. I don’t know what he and Vicki are, especially since Vicki and Jeremy are kind of a thing.”
Elena: “I know, I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
Tiki’s grandfather shows up at our table to pay for his car.
Skylar: “That’ll be $20.”
He hands me the money. As I put it in the cashbox, Elena seems to recognize him.
Elena: “I saw you last night. You were talking to a friend of mine. [He looks confused]At the Grill?”
Tiki’s Grandpa: “Well, I-I thought it was somebody I knew.”
Elena: “Stefan Salvatore.”
Tiki’s Grandpa: “Nah, it can’t be, it’s…it’s just my mind playin’ tricks on me.”
Elena: “Where do you think you’d seen him before?”
Tiki’s Grandpa: “When I first moved here I stayed at the Salvatore Boarding House. Stefan was just passing through to visit his uncle. I mean, none of us knew he was even here until the attack.”
Skylar: “The attack?”
Tiki’s Grandpa: “His uncle got killed. Mauled by an animal in the woods.”
Elena: “Uh, his uncle, Zach?”
Tiki’s Grandpa: “[Shakes his head no] Mnm-mnm. Joseph.”
Elena: “I’m sorry, sir, I don’t think I’m familiar with the story.”
Tiki’s Grandpa: “Well, how could you? I mean, this happened years ago.”
Tiki walks over to us.
Tiki: “Grandpa, you gotta go. Mom wants you home, okay?”
He nods before turning to leave.
Tiki: “He wasn’t bugging you, was he? He’s a little alzy-heimer.”
I honestly hate how rude Tiki is.
Elena: “Uh, no, he was sweet.”
Elena gets up and Tiki walks off to do whatever she wants while I help more people. I don’t know what’s going on with Elena, or where Caroline ran off to. I watch as Elena leaves with Logan Fell and Jenna seems frustrated.
I have clearly been left alone to handle everything. Stefan, Matt, and Tyler are cleaning cars, Elena and Caroline are MIA, and Bonnie is trying to sweep away some water. I guess she realized it was a slip hazard.
Someone starts screaming and I look up to see a car on fire. Matt yells for someone to call the fire department as a couple of the guys get some buckets of water. I look around, worried about my friends. Stefan has Bonnie off to the side near the fire. The fire just goes out suddenly and I watch Bonnie run away.
What on earth just happened?
- Writer
