The Vampire Diaries- All is Fair with Love and Blood 9. Bad Luck Comet

The Vampire Diaries- All is Fair with Love and Blood 9. Bad Luck Comet

I decided not to drive. It was too much to think about, which seemed silly since I've driven for a while now. I ran with the current thoughts of how much harder this job appointed to me actually was. I was supposed to be helping Stefan, not getting angry with him the second day. I had a feeling as soon as we got past this, it'd all be easier. After all, he's my best friend, and trusting him is the most important thing right now. He needed my help getting closer to Elena.
When I got into town, there were already plenty of people there. It wasn't dark enough to quite see the purpose of tonight's gathering, but the sky showed signs of a clear and promising night. I remembered the last time they'd held a festival in Mystic Falls for the comet.
I noticed out of the corner of my eye that someone coming over to me. I turned my head to see Elena's friend Bonnie. She was beautiful, with large eyes and mocha-colored skin. She carried a box that's contents clattered as she walked.
"Hi," she said, smiling at me and reaching into the box. She produced a candle and held it out to me.
"Thanks." I took it.
"You're Stefan's friend, Vanessa. Right?" she looked friendly enough, so I returned her smile.
"Yup. Best friends. You and Elena are pretty close too, right?"
"Yeah, we've known each other forever." she stuck out her hand for me to shake. I smiled wider and took it.
Something went wrong. I could feel it, and see it in her eyes. She jerked back.
"I-I gotta g-go..." Bonnie mumbled, and walked quickly away. I stared after her, wondering what else could go wrong.
I looked around the park as the sky turned everything a darker shade. I followed eyes to the place where the comet lingered, suspended. It moved so slowly, it didn't look real.
Then my neck prickled like it always did when someone was watching me. I assumed it to be Bonnie, but it didn't feel like the right direction when I turned her way, and she was busying herself by handing out candles. She still looked flustered. I turned this was and that but I couldn't find anyone else staring. I wondered where Jeremy was, and how he was doing. I needed an update on Vicki as well, and my mind was averted from my would-be stalker. I spotted Stefan at the same moment he spotted me a moment later. I grimaced.
"Hey, Vaness," Stefan said as he came over. Using his nickname for me was not going to make me forgive him, I reminded myself coldly.
"Stefan," I replied with a monotone voice, twisting the wick of my candle and beginning to walk away. He followed, like he always did.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. You can't just ignore me, you're my babysitter."
I turned on him sharply. He fell back under my expression.
"You're right. I can't just ignore you. Like Damon did." I walked away defiantly, my confidence regaining. I was right, I could never stay mad a Stefan Salvatore for long, but for now I still had reason. What ever. I'd shown up, hadn't I?
Interrupting my thoughts, Caroline Forbes bounced in front of me, a smile plastered to her face. I suppose she was pretty, beautiful, actually. Her long, blonde hair curled at the end and her eyes were green and almond shaped. She was always dressed like she was a model from a catalog.
"Hey!" she greeted.
"Hi," I said, deciding to be as nice as possible. My neck tickled dully again.
"Were... you at the party last night?" she asked sweetly.
"Wouldn't miss it." we walked side by side throught the candle-bearing crowd. I wondered how to get away.
"I guess I missed you," she shrugged.
"Guess so. I was with Jeremy around the Pavilion."
"Elena's brother?" she stopped dead in her tracks. I smiled inwardly, trying to look innocent.
"Yeah, he's really nice." I said casually.
"Are you going to date?" Caroline blurted. I glanced at her, startled. I hadn't thought about it.
"I don't know, he's sort of-"
"-A druggie? Yeah..."
"I was going to say not my type." I said, shocked. Caroline looked at me like I was kidding, then when she realized I wasn't she faltered under my gaze.
I turned away from her to get my candle lit. My mind buzzed with annoyance for Caroline as the flame transfered from wick to wick. The flame joined, melting the wax, making it spill over the sides of the candles. One drop slipped past the plastic cup and fell on to the hand of the person that had lit my candle. Their fingers were long and that of a man. Familiar. Especially the ring.
"Stefan-!" Caroline cried suddenly, making my turn. I cursed, looked back, but-
"Damnit!" I looked around frantically, but... nothing. "What? What the hell do you-?"
"Caroline, can I talk to Vanessa for a minute..."
"Sure..." she seemed happy to get away from me. She knew she'd upset me, but I was a little too upset by something she had said. And it wasn't just that.
I regained control. "What? Can't you just leave me alone until I'm ready to talk to you again?"
"I just thought... we could..." Stefan's eyes moved away from my face. He was looking at something else now- no, glaring at someone else. I snapped my head back, following his gaze, but nothing was there. I turned back, moving my hair out of my face. "Just.." he looked at me, and he knew there was no getting through just yet. He made an exasperated sound in the back of his throat. "... just keep an eye out, okay?"
"Of course."
I watched him disappear into the crowd and felt like throwing something after him. I turned and ran. Nothing was going according to plan, everything was falling apart in my hands. I told myself I was overreacting over and over, but it didn't work. I put on one final burst of speed- now in the darkness of the abandoned edges of town- and BAM!
I tripped and landed- hard- on the grass, snapping my wrist and bruising my rib cage. Vampires have auto-pilot. As I jerked my wrist back into place, I looked around for an answer, but I was alone again. Always alone.
But I wasn't alone. I didn't know it, but another vampire WAS in Mystic Falls. And he was watching me.
One with hair so dark it was almost black.

One with piercing blue eyes.