Cold Hearted | Damon Salvatore

fourteen

14. Stay

"Look, I know graduation still has a few months to go but Jeremy and April have gotten accepted to art school" Aria said, as her and Damon sat and talked to Principle Webber.

"I have no problem with April Young going to art school, but Jeremy Gilbert? I don't think so" Principle Webber, "Not with his academic record".

"What's wrong with academic record?" Aria asked confused.

"You have a few hours?" Principle Webber asked, "All right, let's start with drug use in his freshman".

"You mean the year that his parents died?" Damon asked.

"Okay" Principle Webber replied, "So, what's the excuse for the next three years of woeful attendance?".

"Extracurricular activities, health and fitness, that sort of thing" Damon replied, "I mean, did you see how scrawny he used to be?".

"No" Principle Webber replied, "But I do recall the four months where he faked his own death".

"Funny thing about that, he actually didn't fake it" Damon said, making Aria look at him in shock, "We went to this island off the coast of Canada in search of this cure for vampirism, and--".

Before Damon could reveal anything else, Aria placed her hand on his mouth, preventing him from speaking, "Kol was right, you were the wrong person to bring for this" she said.

"Is this some sort of joke to you?" Principle Webber said, glaring at Damon.

"Of course not" Aria snapped, "Look, you don't understand, Jeremy and school just don't go together, but he's really good at art, all we want for him is to be happy and do what makes him happy".

"Exactly" Damon said.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I can't let that happen" Principle Webber said.

"So can we try this my way now?" Damon asked Aria.

"Go for it" Aria replied, having enough of Principle Webber.

"Okay" Damon said, standing up and kneeling beside the principle, "This small-town atmosphere doesn't nurture a creative spirit like Jeremy Gilbert, and it's of your opinion that it's high time for him to get the hell out of Mystic Falls" he compelled.

***

After dealing with Principle Webber, Damon and Aria entered the Grill where Kol, April and Jeremy were doing going away shots.

"Look who graduated" Damon said, slapping Jeremy's diploma on to his chest and the graduation hat onto his head, while Aria handed April her things.

"Wait, the Principle actually let Jeremy graduate?" Kol asked shocked.

"Yeap" Aria replied.

"Sure, I mean practically flunking, missed a hundred days of school and he can barely spell cat, but sure, he was fine with Jeremy graduating early" Damon said.

"You guys compelled him, didn't you?" an amused April asked.

"We had to" Aria replied, "Otherwise Jeremy was going to be stuck here, while you were away at art school, now, who wants shots?".