The Number Of Six

Chapter 14

My first reaction was to talk to him and ask why he just couldn't tell me he wanted to go to the ball. I mean, it was weird he even wanted to go to a high school dance since he was an adult but it was understandable he wanted to do something fun without me. I'm just a little kid and not a vampire. Before I could do what I really wanted to do, which was getting mad and yelling at Elijah, Willow pulled me out of sight, behind a wall.

''What is he doing here?'' I asked Willow, as if she would know the answer. She rolled her eyes and shrugged.
''The bigger question is: what do we do?''
I looked around but didn't saw a solution until I noticed the mask in my hands.
I raised my eyebrow and showed Willow, who immediately understood.
Looking around one more time, I put the mask on and blended in the crowd. I smiled. Nothing would stop me from having fun this evening.
It was not long after I heard Willow say ''What in the world?'' until I saw Damon and Klaus. They were dancing with a couple of girls in the other corner of the room. I'd never been so confused before. Why were they here?
Before I could think too hard about it, Caroline and Jenna joined us.
Caroline looked beautiful, as always but Jenna caught my eye. I was used to the shy aura she always carried, people mostly didn't notice her. But tonight, something was different. She literally glowed, I had no words for it.
''You look-'' I couldn't find a word for it.
''Wow.'' Willow finished for me.
Caroline couldn't handle the attention being away from her and had to interrupt.
''Of course she does. I dressed her.'' Caroline looked at me and put her finger on her lips, as if she was thinking hard.
''But who are you actually? I've never seen you before.''
''Are you kidding me?'' I said, meeting Willow's eyes.
She shrugged
''I knew it was you before you put on the mask so that's why I probably didn't notice but you don't look like you. At all. ''
Willow continued.
'' Normally, your hair is really curly but now, it's straight and the mas covers half your face. The lip-gloss makes your lips look bigger and the mascara with the thick black line above your eyes makes your eyes also look bigger which makes nothing look like you anymore.''
The three of us stared at her. She had never ever showed any interest in the looks of someone or even said that much in less than a minute. Willow was someone who liked to stick to the point and didn't say things that didn't need to be said. She looked back at us and sighed.
''What? I can't be interested in make-up?'' She waved it off because she got too much attention to her likings.
''Anyway, I still don't know who you are, I'm sorry. And Willow, weren't you supposed to pick up Elena? Where is she?'' Caroline said. She looked at someone behind me and her eyes widened.
''Oh my god. Stefan is here! Willow, we have a huge problem. She can't come if her brother's here.''
Willow and I turned around. Our mouths both fell open at the same time.
''Caroline, it's me, Elena.'' I quickly said, thinking about the reason that they all were here, except for Rebekah unless she suddenly too showed up here. Little chance of that.
''If even Caroline didn't recognize you, they won't either so there's no problem.'' Jenna simply said, the first thing she said since she was here.
''It's not that simple, little miss sunshine. '' Willow said but I gave her a warning look to say any more. She didn't need to be mean to Jenna.
''Oh, I see Tyler. Is my hair still straight or did the stupid rain mess it up? '' She first looked at Willow for an answer 'cause she was the most honest but after rethinking her choice, she went for Jenna, feeling the need to hear she looked good. Jenna said, as predicted, her hair was still amazing and she would blow Tyler's mind when she talked to him. Caroline smiled and lightened up a little. She waved us goodbye and walked graciously to the guy she had a crush on. Jenna was asked to dance by a boy I thought I once saw with Stefan's friends but I wasn't sure, which left me and Willow alone.
''Why did you ask me for a solution?'' Willow suddenly asked.
''What do you mean?'' I answered and smiled at Jenna, who looked over and was nervous about dancing with a guy. She sometimes felt like a little sister to me.
''Jenna's a witch too. You could've asked her to get you out the house.''
I looked again at Jenna, but this time, in another way. Since Willow had told me about her, I hadn't had the time to even think about how I felt about her being a witch. I'd actually completely forgotten.
''When I asked you, I had no clue Jenna was one. After you told me, I didn't know what to think of it. I still don't.''
''I was curious about her though, so I asked my grandma what she knew about the name Hastings.''
''What did she say?''
''Nothing.'' Willow placed her hands between her knees and looked down.
''What do you mean nothing? She literally said the word 'nothing' or she just didn't answer it?'' I asked her.
Willow looked at me.
''She said she knew nothing. In the witches world it is not good that people don't know your name. ''
''Why?' It felt like I had a lot to learn about the witches.
''A name tells us a lot about the history of a witch. If your name is not known, it either means your family was so evil they could keep it a secret or so little that the bloodline has almost come to an end. ''
''I don't think that if you're not known, you had to be evil. You just lived your life without
any recognition because you didn't need it.''
''Yeah, well, there's a difference between your family never being recorded in The Tree and being unknown.''
''The Tree?''
''It's a book with all the witches family's and backgrounds in it during centuries. Every witch is in it, every family. Me and my gramma looked in it but didn't found the name Hastings.''
''Maybe she changed it? '' I guessed.
''Maybe. But I've got this weird vibe with her. I don't know. Could be me.''
I'd never seen Willow doubt before, it was weird to see her uncertain. It made me also feel less and less certain I could trust Jenna. Who was dancing with Stefan. My brother. Why was she dancing with him? I ignored the urge to stand up and drag her out of his grip but the chances were little. From the other side of the room, Caroline was looking and it was not her happy face. Even though she was talking to Tyler, her eyes always drifted off to Stefan and Jenna. I sighed. I thought she didn't care anymore about my brother. As if the evening hadn't been enough surprising, I saw Rebekah with Michael, dancing and smiling. So they were all here. That's why I couldn't come? A sudden anger rushed through me and I couldn't keep quiet anymore. I ran outside, leaving a confused Willow who wasn't the type to run after people and I was glad for that.