𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 : 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

𝟑𝟏 ════ 𝐁𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧

BLINDING LIGHTS.

It made her scrunch her eyes in annoyance, rolling over her bed. The previous night's events washed over her mind and she let out a gasp, darting to sit upright. Ignoring the loopiness of her vision, she tried to remember what had happened.

She had fainted when trying to siphon the spell, and Jeremy was trapped. . .

Estella flung the covers off her body and sprang to her feet, but the scene before her made her freeze in astonishment. The walls, a soft cream color, contrasted sharply with the deep purple she was accustomed to, creating an unfamiliar atmosphere in the room. The comforter draped over the bed was a subtle shade of white, different from the vibrant patterns she remembered. Above the headboard hung a framed sketch of a majestic horse—Jeremy's delicate artwork, capturing the animal's grace with every stroke. Turning towards the vanity, Estella was greeted by a collage of memories; pictures of Elena surrounded by the girls were affixed to the mirror, their smiles frozen in time, a reminder of joyous days gone by.

She was in Elena's room.

But why?

She headed to the downstairs, her legs feeling as if they were jello. There was no sight of Jenna so she assumed that Jenna was probably at her campus but then that brought another question. What time was it?

"Oh, you're awake," Bonnie stated, as Estella entered the kitchen. She gave the witch a small smile. Jeremy turned to look at Estella and she felt like a heavy burden just evaporated into thin air. But she had been expecting to see both of them with a smile but Jeremy held a frown, eyes glinting in anger.

"You know I'd like one person in this house to practice what they preach," Jeremy scoffed. "Why did you push yourself like that?"

"I just...I didn't realise I would faint." Estella spoke quietly.

"Oh really? Even with Stefan and Bonnie begging for you to stop. Stop kidding yourself, Estella."

Estella folded her arms over her chest, eyebrows furrowing in annoyance. "Says the dude who took a handful of ash and tried to take on a five-hundred-year-old vampire."

"I don't need to be having this conversation with you."

"Well, I think you need to hear this. Stop being stupid and reckless, Jeremy."

"I say the same thing to you then. Practice what you preach."

"Alright, guys," Bonnie said, countenance turning into one of hesitance looking at Estella and Jeremy glaring at each other. "That's enough."

Estella massaged her forehead, trying to dull the growing ache. She hadn't thought the first thing she would do when she woke up was argue. 

"Alright but ask her to stop acting like my sister. She isn't."

Estella took a step back, crossing her arms in an attempt to comfort herself and ignore the hurt sprouting in her chest like a flower with bleeding thorns. 

Bonnie glanced at her sympathetically, glancing at the mug in her hands. "Coffee?"

Estella nodded, although she was at a loss for her appetite. Nonetheless, she let her fingers wrap around the ceramic mug, the warmth emitting a small comfort to her. She decided to follow Bonnie, avoiding Jeremy's gaze like the plague. On the stairway, she was surprised to see Elena.