Not That Kind Of Witch • Kai Parker #1

28: cool cool cool

Damon was drinking his bourbon. Apparently he hadn't missed the house, so much as it's alcoholic contents. Valerie was lazed on the two steps that followed into the main room. Bonnie was fussing over dinner in the kitchen, she'd insisted on making something despite nobody being in the holiday mood.

She peered over her shoulder, following Damon's expectant stride towards the front door. Swinging it wide, his motion stopped once it was open. Valerie couldn't see around him, but she was guessing Elena had finally arrived.

"Hello?" Damon questioned. "Is anybody there?"

Standing up, Valerie came up behind him and chided, "You going to let them in? Is nobody there?"

Frowning into the empty front yard, he replied, "Doesn't look like it."

Stepping aside, he shut the door and frowned all the way back into the front room. Picking up his abandoned bourbon, he downed the glass' contents.

"It was probably just some kids mucking about." Valerie threw out there, plonking down onto a sofa.

***

Sat with her feet crossed like in kindergarten, Valerie was sat opposite Jo between the sofa's in the Salvatore mansion. Liv had been trying to teach Jo the basics and Valerie had thought, what better time to learn? So there she was; learning the basics of magic. Surprisingly she was better at it than Jo, who couldn't master levitating a book in front of her face.

Sat with her back to the door, she felt a cool breeze as the front door swung open. Damon stomped down into the living area, agitation obvious as he demanded, "Hey! Is that my t-shirt?"

Continuing to levitate the book in front of her face, Valerie looked over her shoulder. "I have no clothes here. I can't exactly walk around naked."

Crossing his arms, Damon looked at the contents strewn across his floor. "True, this is a better alternative than that."

Valerie, testing her novice abilities, imagined the book flying into Damon. A smile lit up her face as the book sailed through the air and flung into Damon's leg. Smirking at him over her shoulder, Valerie warned. "Be nice."

Stirred from her chair beside Alaric, Liv praised, "Not too bad for a newbie witch."

Doing mock bows, Valerie beamed, "Thank you! Thank you!"

Reaching across, Alaric patted Jo's shoulder. "You're doing great." The book was wobbling in front of her face, she attempted to twirl it in the air and the book flopped to the ground.

Pouring himself a drink, Damon quipped, "Valerie knowing how to use her magic is the last thing we need right now."

Spinning to face him, she demanded, "And why's that? There's an over-abundance of vampires in this shitty little town, so why shouldn't there be more witches to balance that out?"

Taking a sip, Damon frowned at Jo's flopped book. "It just shouldn't be a priority at the moment."

Huffing, Valerie imagined the book she flew sailing back into the air. "It's not a priority. I'm just listening in."

Snapping back at her, Alaric cut in, "Maybe you should stop Valerie. It's distracting Jo."

Valerie watched Jo's face. Frustration and guilt were splayed across her features. "Yeah sure."

Standing up, Valerie walked out of the room. She heard Liv accuse as she left, "Wow, how sensitive of you Ric?"

Pouring herself a drink of water, Valerie headed back into the front room. Damon was pacing and shouting down his phone. "Elena! Elena!"

Dropping his phone from his ear, Damon gloomily glanced around the room. "Kai has Elena at the high school."

Pointing at Jo, Damon claimed, "You. You're coming with me." Glancing at Valerie leaning against the door frame, he motioned for her to go out the front. "And you, you're coming too."

Putting her drink down on the table, Valerie warned him, "You couldn't have left without me if you tried."

***

Valerie was trying not to cry. She was strolling behind Damon and Jo down the hallways of her high school. She'd spent the best days of her life in this school, with her friends, who thought she was dead.

"I can hear Kai yammering." Damon childishly motioned a mouth with his hand.

Speeding up to walk beside them, Valerie questioned, "What's he saying then? Don't leave us hanging?"

Looking down at her, Damon whispered, "He said 'It's a shame you don't have vampire hearing.'"

Scoffing, Valerie quickened her pace, "Wow, mature Damon."

Tapping his shoulder, Jo whispered, "What was he saying?"

"Don't worry about it."

Jo outlined, "Look, I know you don't like me. Your best friend has got a new girl in the picture and you feel like he's prioritizing her over you, so naturally-"

Cutting her off, Damon interrupted, "Yeah, he's ignoring all logic and reason."

Shaking her head at Damon, Valerie concluded that he is a dick towards everyone. Coming to a T in the hallway, Valerie began turning right when Kai walked out right in front of her. She couldn't help herself; a gasp escaped from her lips and she jumped backwards.

He was stood there, drinking a can of Soda and his eyes were peering right through her. She'd be doing herself favors if she admitted she was insanely attracted to him whilst he was wearing her school's gym shirt. It looked good on him; and yet what didn't look good on him. She needed psychiatric evaluation.

The light flickered above his head, taking another gulp, he walked right past Valerie. Following him with her eyes, she saw as he walked right between a frozen Jo and Damon.

Shivers ran down Valerie's back, "That was creepy."

Heading for the line of trash cans, Kai lifted the recycle one and dropped the can in to it. Wow, at least he recycled. Sparing a glance up at the flickering lights, he began walking back towards her. Shaking his head, he frowned as he passed right in front of her, "Okay."

Disappearing back around the corner, Kai's shadow flew along the lockers.

"What'd'ya know? This actually worked." Jo proclaimed, smiling between them.

Smiling innocently at her, Valerie pleaded, "Well, about that. Could you maybe show me how to do this? Whatever this is? Obviously not right now? But ya' know? Later?"

Jo placated, "Yes later Valerie."

Nodding her head, Valerie replied, "Cool-cool-cool."