The Gilbert Twins

Chapter 38: Miss Mystic Falls Part I

Holly parked the car in front of her house and didn't get out of it for a few minutes. It felt weird being back like if she had just gone through a long vacation, even though it had only been a week, but in a way Holly felt better, her head was clearer and she didn't feel like the end of the world was fast approaching.

"You can do this, Holly." She murmured to herself as she got her bag. "Fight, fight!"

She exited the car and was just about to open the door when it opened first, at first she thought it was Jenna, but then she took a better look and blurted out "Uncle John!" she couldn't remembered the last time he had visited. He didn't visited often because Jenna hated him.

She knew Elena though he was annoying, but Holly didn't care either way as long as he stayed out of her way, she would stay out of his. Still it wasn't a pleasant surprise and Elena could have mentioned it. "What are you doing here?"

"I could say the same thing." He said suddenly stern. "Shouldn't you be in school, you've been gone all week."

"I was, uh," her mind went blank. "Doing a school project out of town . . . very big project."

Uncle John could see right through her bull shit. "Listen, Holly you're a good kid, but you've had your . . . bumps." he said. "But I want to make one thing clear, I'm not your Aunt Jenna and I'm not happy with you ditching school, so no more of that do you hear?"

"Perfectly," Holly said coldly as she passed through him. "I would also like to remind you that you're not my father."

"Bonnie!" Holly wrapped her arms around her friend as she practically skipped across campus. She had drove towards school even though the school day had already ended as soon as she checked her phone and saw a text from Bonnie saying that she was back. "You're back."

"I'm back." Bonnie smiled warmly. "I guess I wasn't the only one MIA."

"No," she flushed. "I had a pretty bad week and I was feeling dramatic. How are you?"

"Fine." Bonnie admitted, but something about her smile seemed fake. "And you?"

"I've been better." She turned to Elena who seemed upset for some reason, she playfully put her into a headlock. "Hey, you. Why the long face?"

"No reason, welcome back." Elena said, but her eyes never left Bonnie.

"Holly! Bonnie! Yay you guys are back!" Caroline squealed as she pulled both of them into a hug. "I've missed you, where have you guys been!?"

"Hey, Caroline." Usually Caroline's perky attitude could be annoying, but how Holly was feeling she could definitely use perky. "Family emergency."

"And I'm getting out there." Her face saddened as she remembered her grams. "Trying to keep myself busy."

"Good." Caroline clapped her hands. "Major wardrobe issue, you need to help me pick my dress for the Founders Court."

"Founders court?" Elena frowned. "Did I miss something?"

Caroline shook her head. "The Founder's court, you know Miss Mystic Falls. They announced it today, you and I are both on it." She paused. "So are you dropping out?"

Elena bit her lip. "I can't."

She looked at Holly. "No."

Holly shrugged. "Mom was the one who wanted Elena to participate."

"Brother." Damon entered the Salvatore living room while pouring himself a whisky. "How was school? Drink? Blood?" there was a slight teasing in his voice, but Damon would be lying if he said he wasn't concerned for Stefan's wellbeing. He didn't really believe that Stefan was 100% better.

Stefan didn't even blink. "No thanks." He said after a pause. "Holly is back."

Damon paused, but he didn't say anything for a while. "Oh."

"Oh, that's all you have to say, oh?" Stefan raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you go apologize?"

"For what?" Damon asked annoyed.

"For killing her birth mom." Stefan said exasperated.

"I didn't kill her I turned her," Damon snapped back. "And the bitch abandoned her and Elena when they were babies how was I supposed to know that she would get all sentimental."

Stefan stood up. "Fine, let her hate you. Forget it, you're hopeless."

"Hey Jeremy." Holly said as she jumped up the stairs. She had just been at the Grill to apologize for missing a week. The manager hadn't been pleased and they had docked her pay, but they were willing to give her another shot. "Long time no-"she trailed off when she saw Jeremy's upset face. "What's wrong?"

"Don't give me that innocent look." Jeremy snarled. "How could you keep this from me?"

"Keep what? I don't understand."

"How could you hide the fact that Stefan and Damon are vampires? That you guys are their friends?" Jeremy snarled.

Holly gaped as she rapidly shook her head. "No, Jeremy you weren't supposed to know-at least not like this. How did you find out?"

Jeremy shook his head. "Small world, at least Anna isn't a liar like you."

"Anna?" Holly could feel herself growing angrier. "What does Anna have to do with this?"

"How many times did Elena have Stefan compel me while you just stood there and watched it happened?" Jeremy demanded. "I know you were the one that killed Vicki, and that you're a witch like Bonnie. They just found Vicki's body a few days ago, how could you have hid her body like that? She was Matt's sister. How could you hide this from me?"

Holly felt the tears threatening to pour down her face. "No, Jeremy let me explain please."

"Why?" Jeremy said as he walked down the stairs. "So that you can lie to me again? No thanks."

There was a knock on the door as Holly finished drying her eyes hoping that they wouldn't look so puffy, but it was no use, she still looked like she had been crying. Her mood didn't improve when she saw that it was Damon. "What do you want?"

"I heard that you were back in town." Damon frowned as he studied her face. "Were you crying?"

"Yeah," she said as she tried to hide her face behind the door. "Jeremy found out about this whole mess, so I'm already having a bad day so-"

She tried to slam the door in his face, but Damon easily managed to hold it. "I've already been invited in, remember?" he smirked.

"Yeah," Holly put her hair in a ponytail. "Bad luck."

There was an awkward pause. "Things will work out with Jeremy . . . and about Isobel I probably shouldn't have killed her."

Holly raised an eyebrow.

"I shouldn't."

Holly softened. "Thanks for apologizing, but maybe it's just what I needed to hear, if Isobel doesn't want to be found maybe it's just what I need to stop thinking about it."