Work Text:
At the beginning of the night I was enthusiastic to go to this party Rafael organized to celebrate that he was back to being a human teenager. Landon and Hope are now back together and I could definitely use a distraction for my breakup with Landon. The distraction was going fine until Landon and Hope showed up.
I do not know why I was surprised that Landon and Hope showed up at the party. Rafael was the one who organized the party, so of course, Landon would be there. They are like brothers after all.
Most of the people at the party were pretty drunk at this point. I thought about getting a drink myself but after the black magic stunt earlier this year I decided that being drunk was not a great idea. Which means I am the only sober human at this party.
My conclusion? My once bright idea of a distraction was becoming a failure. At this point, I would rather be back in my room with some ice cream and a bad movie. There is only one problem: Lizzie has the car keys and she is nowhere to be found.
I should have asked her for the keys when we arrived, but I forgot and now I am stuck here. Unless I walk back, but I am hoping she comes back soon because it is cold and here at the bonfire there is at least some warmth.
Deciding to wait and hope Lizzie appears gives me some time to think. Now that my memories have returned after the spell I did I do not know if I would have continued my relationship with Landon even if he did not choose Hope. It is really weird. Without the memories of Hope, we both were different people. It is not that I am not sad anymore, but dating Landon would not have felt the same as it did before.
That is when I realize that seeing Hope and Landon together does not make me jealous, but just sad. Having someone that would go to the end of the world for you, someone to have a picnic with under the stars. I never really had a person like that.
Penelope and I were together for a long time and it was good, but there was always so much drama. It always felt like we were running from one problem to the next problem. No peaceful moment to catch my breath. Landon and I were just getting started, but we were not like that. More like friends really.
Then there was Jade. We were getting close even though we have a weird history, but then she left. I understand why she left, but it hurt nonetheless. And then when I thought I had moved on from her she came back to the Salvatore school.
She has been working with my dad on her ripper problem. She wants to help people, but she can only do that if she can control her thirst. That is why she came back to the Salvatore school. To learn how to control her thirst for blood.
We have barely talked since she came back. We had a short awkward conversation where she told me why she had come back to the Salvatore school. The conversation ended abruptly when Landon appeared by my side. Since then she has avoided me and Landon for most of the time. When I do come across her she walks away with a sad smile towards me on her face.
Turning my thoughts back to the party, Lizzie is still nowhere to be seen. And so is Rafael. Lizzie has been going after him and since they both disappeared it is not hard to put one and one together. This is bad news for me. Unless things go wrong it will be a while before they return from wherever they are.
If not Lizzie, maybe someone else can give me a ride back to the Salvatore school. All the witches and werewolves are drunk, so they are a no-go. In the time that I was lost in my thoughts, the vampires have gotten their hands on some special drinks for them as well.
The only person who seems to be sober besides me that has not gone to make out somewhere in the woods is Hope. Before I can even begin to think about whether I would rather walk home or talk to Hope right now I can see someone new entering the party. Someone who has not been to any parties since she came back. Jade. Why would she come to this party, what changed?
Whatever it is, having both Jade and Hope here is enough motivation to leave the bonfire and choose the option to walk in the cold after all.
After a last look around for Lizzy, I turn around and start to walk towards the road. It really is cold, but there is no way that I am staying any longer at this party.
Just as I pass past the parking place I can hear someone call my name. It is a voice I recognize easily. But I am not in the mood to talk to her right now. I just broke up with Landon, but as I keep ignoring Jade’s calls I realize that I am still more heartbroken about her leaving than my breakup with Landon just days ago.
What I need is some time to myself. No relationship drama. Just the usual Salvatore monster drama and hanging out with my friends.
As soon as I have decided on my new no-drama resolution it is broken as Jade reaches my side. Sometimes vamp speed is really annoying. Especially if you are trying to ignore said vampire.
“Jose, where are you going”? Jade asks. “Home,” I say while I keep walking towards the road. I can hear Jade sigh as she starts to walk faster until she is in front of me. “Let me give you a ride Jose, it is way too cold outside to walk all the way back”. She says to me. I look her straight in her eyes in the hope that my unwillingness to talk will get across and tell her “No, I am good, but thanks for the offer”, then continue my walk towards the road past Jade.
Surprisingly she lets me go. Taking the win I keep walking. A few minutes later I reach the road and start the long track towards the Salvatore school.
A few minutes later I hear the motor of a car coming closer towards me. I turn around to look if the driver is a threat or not since I am a girl walking alone on a dark road without magic after all. When I turn around I spot Jade in her jeep. Great, guess she did not give up after all. I would say I am surprised, but I am really not. Jade has always been stubborn. Once she put her mind to something she did not stop until she accomplished what she wanted to do.
In the past, I always gave up eventually and ‘saw reason’ as Jade so eloquently put it. But now it is different. She decided to leave, so she has no right to just waltz back into my life and keep me out of trouble, however sweet it is.
The moment she catches up to me she rolls down the window of the car. She must have turned the heat up pretty high, cause I can feel a wave of warmth as she rolls down the window. As nice as it would be to be in that warmth there is no way. I can feel Jade staring at me, but I ignore her and the car.
After a few moments, I hear her sigh again before she says “Come on Jose, please just get in.” Annoyed I answer “It is Josie and no thanks, I want to be alone right now.”
A few moments pass before Jade speaks again “I know you are mad at me right now and you have every right to be, but you can be mad and me and warm at the same time. If you want to ignore me at school that is fine but please just get out of the cold Josie.”
It is appealing, but I stand by what I said, I do want to be alone right now. Walking always cleared my thoughts in the past and it is exactly what I need. Even if it is freaking cold outside. Maybe I should plan my next walk in summer, it would definitely be nicer for my fingers and toes which are starting to go numb by now.
I would say that I am not cold, but even I notice that I am shivering like crazy. Jade must have noticed as well cause she decides that enough is enough. She drives the car a little in front of me before she stops and gets out. “That is it, Josie, just get in the warm car. I am not asking anymore.” She shows that she is serious by opening the passenger door simultaneously blocking my way past her car.
Knowing Jade she is not kidding and it is not like I would win from a vampire without the use of magic. And okay, maybe some warmth would be nice. Deciding I am not going to win this fight I give up and enter the car, but not without giving Jade a look that hopefully shows that I am not happy about this turn of events.
Once I am safe inside the car Jade closes the door and vamp speeds towards the driver’s seat. Not that I would admit it, but the warmth in the car is heavenly, and as Jade starts driving I sink into the seat. Being warm for the first time since I got out of the car with Lizzie I cannot help but relax in my seat.
Jade at least respects that I am not in the mood to talk and just drives in silence. Not even five minutes later I can feel my eyes start to close. I try to stay awake, but the combination of warmth and fatigue wins, and not much later I am asleep.
The next time I wake we are at the Salvatore school. Jade nudges me awake and helps me out of the car. But after a few stumbles on my part she picks me up and before we reach the door I am asleep again.
The next day I awake to the smell of pancakes. When I open my eyes I see the light streaming into my room, so I must have slept in. The last thing I remember is Jade getting me out of the car. She must have brought me to my room
.
Turning I see that the smell is indeed pancakes. They look delicious. Next to the pancakes is a glass of orange juice and a note.
Curious I pick up the note and start reading.
Good morning Josie,
You would not wake up, so I tucked you into bed. Sorry if I overstepped with any of this. I get that I cannot just waltz back into your life after leaving so suddenly. The only thing I can do is tell you that I am sorry and show you that I will not leave again. Enjoy the pancakes. They are chocolate chip. Heard they were still your favorite.
Jade