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In the small town of Mystic Falls, where darkness lurks beneath the surface like an overplayed teen drama, witty loner Emery Gilbert had modest plans--finish high school, mend her family's sanity post-parental tragedy, and then flee this 'charmi...
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Oh my god-kill me now. This is so boring! Not to mention completely awkward. Bonnie began acting stoic the moment Stefan walked into the house, shooting down any attempted conversation. In her defense, I can't say I was doing much better. Small talk just annoys me. Elena was being a trooper though, I had to give her that. She kept finding new conversations, never losing hope.
Bonnie, my partner in silent rebellion, shifted uncomfortably in her seat, glancing at me out of the corner of her eye pleadingly, as if willing me to do something outlandish in order to bring tonight to an abrupt end. I shot her an empathetic look, silently communicating that I shared her sentiments, but I wasn't gonna risk invoking Elena's wrath.
After one drawn out silence, Elena swallowed her bite of pasta before trying again, determined to salvage the evening. I couldn't help but admire her tenacity, even if it was for a cause that I found utterly uninteresting. "Did Tanner give you a hard time today?" she directed at Stefan.
"Well, he let me on the team, so I must have done something right," Stefan answered with amusement, and then suddenly turned to address me. "I've been meaning to thank you, Emery, for the push you gave me to try out." Stefan's smile seemed genuinely grateful, and I wondered if this was the first real smile he's given anyone but Elena since showing up in town. It made me recall my conversation with Sonia.
I shrugged and looked down, twirling the pasta around my fork. "No big deal. Like I said, I'll cash my favor in later."
Elena looked insanely happy at this new development. "When did this happen?"
I seized the opportunity before Stefan could speak, not being able to deny myself this. "During practice. He was creepin' on the team. I was afraid if I didn't talk to him, he might do something drastic. You understand how stalkers can be." I waved my hand nonchalantly for emphasis. Bonnie snorted, then tried to hide it by taking a bite of her meal. It was a brief respite from the tension, and I relished in the small victory of disrupting the awkwardness, even if just for a moment.
"Em," Elena frowned, giving me a look as she clearly regretted asking now. Just as I had planned it.
Stefan, however, took no offense like always. "I mean it, thank you. I owe you one. It felt good playing again. I can't imagine I would've left the bleachers without the encouragement." Encouragement? That's what he was calling it? Wow, this guy is too sweet for his own good. His genuine reply was really beginning to clash with my preconceived notions, leaving me a little baffled by how seemingly unaffected he was by my obvious taunting.
"Yeah, well, don't worry about it. Just don't expect me to cheer you on from the sidelines or anything," I quipped. Any cheering on my end was reserved for Matt alone.
Stefan chuckled. "I wouldn't dream of it. But seriously, if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
Elena smiled, beaming at our exchange. I could tell she was pleased with the way Stefan handled me, despite how annoying it was getting. She turned to Bonnie to explain the situation, starting from the beginning. "Bonnie, you should have seen Stefan today. Tyler threw a ball right at him, and-"
