𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 | 𝐭𝐯𝐝

5

"Get up. Let's go." Elena knocked on my door. I was already up, of course. Running on eight cups of coffee, I really didn't sleep. I checked the windows every 30 minutes and downstairs every hour. Ridiculous, but necessary.
"I'm up," I mumbled. I took a shower and changed into a gray crop top and sweatpants, then slipped on a white hoodie and slides with black socks. I brushed my hair and teeth and didn't bother to put on makeup, only curled my eyelashes, and walked downstairs with the cups I had last night.
I rinsed them off and placed them in the dishwasher, then made a new cup of coffee in a thermos and walked to the car to wait for Elena. I grabbed the headache medicine from her glove box and took two tablets, then put my hair in a bun. Elena got in and began driving to school. She tried getting me to talk but figured it was pointless seeing as I didn't even dare to look at her.

"I'm not saying don't date the guy. I'm just saying take it slow." Bonnie explained. "You were the one who said to go for it." Elena scoffed. "Now I'm saying take it slow."
"Why the about-face?"
"It's not an about-face. You're single for the first time in your entire high school career. It's the perfect time to play the field."

I listened and cocked an eyebrow, then sat up, as my head was resting on my arms. "Oh, because I'm so that girl. Seriously, what are you not saying?" Elena crossed her arms. "It's stupid," Bonnie mumbled.
"Bonnie...Spit it out." Her friend advised. "I accidentally touched Stefan. And I got a really bad feeling." Bonnie confessed. "Wow, that sounded wrong." I snickered. "Go back to being quiet, Sundance." Bonnie snapped. "Go back to being crazy...oh wait. You never stopped." I snarled back. "Sun!" Elena yelled. I got up and walked away.

I turned a corner and ran into a chest. "Stefan." I stepped back. "Sun...you okay?"
"Stay away from me. You and your brother." I began walking away, but he grabbed my arm. "What happened?"
"You figure it out, Mr. Fangs." I pulled my arm away and walked away quickly.

Stefan walked over to Bonnie and Elena.
"Good morning, Elena. Good morning, Bonnie." He smiled. "Hey, um, I gotta find Caroline. She's not answering her phone. So I'll see you guys later." Bonnie left.
"She doesn't like me very much." Stefan pointed out. "She doesn't know you. She's my best friend. She's just looking out for me. But when she does, she will love you."

"Here's what we're going to do. Are you free tonight?"
"Yes."
"Perfect. Dinner, my house. 8:00. You, me, Sundance, and Bonnie. You two will spend some quality time and she'll get to see what a great guy you are. Mission accomplished." Elena smiled.
-
"World war II ended in...Anyone got anything? Miss Juan? 1945."

I refused to look at Stefan, her knee shook. "Psst. FYI...Our team sucks. They could use you."
Elena whispered to the boy next to me. "Cant...I'm a loner." Stefan smiled. "Miss Gilbert?" Mr. Tanner crossed his arms. Elena and I looked up. "The older, more original, Gilbert." Tanner cocked an eyebrow. "Hmm?" Elena spoke.
"Pearl Harbor?"
"Um..."
"December 7, 1941," Stefan answered. "Thank you, Mrs. Gilbert." Tanner scoffed.
"Anytime." Stefan grinned. "Very well. The fall of the Berlin Wall."
"1989. The younger, less original, Gilbert is with dates, to sir." I smirked. "Are you? How good? Keep it to the year. Civil Rights Act, the both of you." The teacher challenged.

"1964," Stefan answered.
"John F. Kennedy assassination."
"1963," I responded.
"Martin Luther King."
"'68." Stefan looked at me.
"Lincoln."
"1865." I looked at Stefan.
"Roe vs. Wade."
"1973." Stefan looked at Elena
"Brown vs. Board."
"1954." I looked away from Stefan and at her desk.
"The battle of Gettysburg."
"1863." Stefan pretended to yawn.
"Korean War."
"1950 to 1953. I think I have proven my point, so keep me out of it Mr. Tanner." I requested and put my head down. I listened as Stefan and Mr. Tanner went back and forth, arguing about the date of the Korean war. "It's in 1953. Stefan got it right. Now do your job, Mr. Tanner." I groaned. "Fine."

I walked with Elena and Stefan out to the hallway, trying to pry Elena off her vampy boyfriend. "How did you know all of that?" Elena giggled. "Years and years of crossword puzzles. It's a loner thing." Stefan shrugged.

Elena giggled and followed Stefan, leaving me alone in the hallway. Great. I looked to my right and found someone I used to know.
"Sunny...Please." the gruff voice said. "Seth...please don't." I whispered. "follow me." he sighed. I followed him into a janitor's closet. "I have class," I mumbled. "Sundance Soul Gilbert, when have you ever cared about class?" Seth chuckled. "You tried to hurt me." I crossed her arms. "And I regret it. I like you, Sun. I always have. I just...got clingy." Seth frowned. "I'll see you at lunch. I'm leaving." I scoffed. "Fine...but if I don't see you tomorrow and you're avoiding me...happy birthday," Seth mumbled.

I left for the football field and changed into my uniform, then began doing the warm-ups near my sister. "I can't be a sad girl forever. The only way to get things back to the way they were is to do things that were. Oh, and you two are coming to dinner tonight." Elena shrugged. "I sure hope so. I live with you, dumbass." I snickered. Elena hit the back of my head. "Ow! You dick!"
"I am?" Bonnie questioned. "Mm-hmm. You, me, and Stefan. You have to give him a chance." Elena whined. "Tonight's no good. Have you seen Caroline? I texted her like a hundred times." Bonnie excused. "Don't change the subject, Bonnie Bennett! You're going to be there." Elena crossed her arms. "Fine. I'll go." Bonnie huffed. "Good."

"Seriously, where is Caroline?" I said. "I don't know. It's not like her." My big sister looked around. "I'll try her again." Bonnie groaned.
A blue car pulled up to the field, where Caroline jumped out and kissed the one and only, Damon Salvatore. Damon pulled his sunglasses down and looked at us girls and waved with a smirk, before leaving. "Uh..." Elena stuttered. "Oh, my God. That must be the mystery guy from the grill." Bonnie exclaimed. "That's not a mystery guy. That's Damon Salvatore." Sundance whispered. "Salvatore, as in Stefan?!" Bonnie gasped.

"I got the other brother. Hope you don't mind. Sorry I'm late, girls. I, uh, was busy. All right, let's start with the double pike her key hurdler, what do you say? And 5, 6, 7, 8. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Elena, sweetie, why don't you just observe today? Ok? Keep going! Ok. Do it again from the top. And 5, 6, 7, 8. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8." Caroline smirked while leading the warm-ups.
"Have I ever mentioned how much her attitude annoys me?" I snarled to Bonnie.