From Blood and Bone

chapter 16

My phone vibrated in my back pocket, I took it out while Matt watched Elena tentatively, she was preparing for her shot. They were tied, and so far Matt had lost a total of five times and won three. I think it is safe to say that he is getting a little competitive.

Checking who the message is from, I frowned when there were no notifications. I shrugged and checked the time and sighed. I slipped away the phone and missed. Quickly I tried to catch it, I could not afford to get it fixed again. My hand shot out to grab it before it touched the ground, my heart stopped as well as the mobile. It floated sideways only inches from the ground. I snatched it, with wide eyes. My heart started beating again faster by the second. As my hand connected with the phone, I realized that it wasn't just the electronic that had stopped in midair, everyone else was stuck in place. I stood back straight and jumped hearing the loud noises, people talking and the balls on the pool table knocking against each other.

My face must have shown how freaked out I was, because Elena rushed to my side and grabbed my arm.

"Hey, what's wrong? You okay?" I didn't know how to respond, so I lied.

I laughed it off and showed her my phone. "I'm fine. I almost dropped my phone. Mom would kill me if I broke another within two months of getting this one." She laughed and shook her head at me. That must have been believable, or I am just that good at acting. I guess mentioning my cell made her remember Stefan since she took out her phone and checked the time.

The smile she had faced causing Matt to lean close to her, "How late is he?"

She pursed her lips and I answered when she rolled her eyes. She most likely didn't want to talk to her ex about her current boyfriend. "Hitting the hour mark. But it's fine, we can just keep playing for a while. Besides, I'm hungry, I'll get something." I turned to Elena, and she grinned telling me to get her a milkshake. I'm definitely going to dip my fries in there.

I bounced away, my heart now back to a normal beating. Just as I was about to get to the counter, I get rammed into. Turning to the person with a glare, about to give them a piece of me, I stumble back seeing their tall figure.

"Sorry 'bout that kiddo, didn't see ya der." Deep gruffy voice, he was huge and had unruly hair. Long dark, and puffy. He gave me a kind smile that made me feel safe and at home, he was large and thick. His country accent thick.

"I'm okay, no worries." I smiled back with a grin, he seemed really kind. He gave me a wave then headed out, the door to the Grill barely big enough for him to exit. I went back to getting a snack, it only took a couple of minutes. Elena and Matt were close when I got back, they were laughing talking about how Stefan has secrets. Matt joked asked what kinds of secrets and suggested that Stefan keeps a clown suit in his trunk. I don't think Stefan even has a car. I was just walking up the steps to where they were when I bumped into another person. This time I almost spilled the milkshake Elena had asked for. "Sorry-"

Looking up I saw Stefan's green eyes peering down at me. I smiled at him; it was about damn time he arrived. "Sorry I'm late. Something came up."

"It's okay, we were having fun playing with Matt." I pointed towards the pool table and cringed when Elena leaned close to her ex whispering something, but I couldn't hear them.

Stefan walked up the steps and I followed. "Talk to who?" He asked, I frowned confused not knowing what he was referring to. The two at the pool snapped their heads to him and me, they moved away from each other slightly, still an arm's length away. "I'm so sorry that I am late."

Elena placed a hand on her hips and gave him a scolding look with a deep exhale of breath. "What happened?"

Slowly, Stefan made his way over to her cautiously, he took steady strides towards Elena, her eyes pinning him down clearly aggravated. "I got held up. Something came up with my uncle Zack."

Matt walked over to my side and stole a fry from my plate. I glared at him and kicked his shin. "You should have told me you wanted fries so that I could buy some for you. How dare you steal from me?" I groaned pushing him away when he laughed and attempted to take another. Stefan looked over his shoulder to us and frowned.

Annoyed that he was distracted, Elena sighed and crossed her arms. "Can you look at me? God, I can't do this." She walks around him as I eat the last of my fries, deciding that I'll give half to Matt, so he doesn't have to get his own. "Let's go, Hange."

I stepped to Matt, and he wrapped me in a hug, Elena only gave him a wave and waited till I gave him a kiss on the cheek. To Stefan I gave him a smile and walked away with Elena. She took my hand and squeezed it, my eyes found hers and she gave me a sad smile, instinctively I rubbed my thumb on the back of her hand.

"Han-Elena, please wait." He rushed after us, taking me back by the shoulder.

"No, Stefan. Don't you get it? Every question gets a vague non-answer. What is so awful that you're afraid to tell me?" Elena asked with a laugh of disappointment.

A voice behind me caused me to jump at the sudden voice. "I know you." He was as tall as Stefan, and he walked over with his brows dipped in the middle. Walking over carefully staring at him. "My god." His deep eyes stared at Stefan, slowly racking over the boy. "How can it be?"

"I think you have the wrong person, sir." Stefan said. I stepped back pulling Elena with me.

"You haven't aged a day." He was in deep thought. The man was clearly shocked seeing Stefan.

Taking my with him and Elena with me, Stefan excused us quickly. "What was that?" Elena said as we got to the door about to leave. She pointed back to the man, asking Stefan. He didn't answer just said that it was nothing, and that really ticked off Elena. "Right, okay. I gotta go, Stefan." She left him there and dragged me out of the Grill without saying anything else to Stef, she pushed past him to exit leaving Stefan behind looking after us with a group of teens blocking his path.