Vampire Diaries Blood Brothers

~Chapter Thirty~

My hands trembled as Stefan parked the car behind the Music block at school. Luckily Jenna and Jeremy had come earlier to get good seats so they didn't have to see me like this. All of my spare time had been devoted to practicing for this concert, but it was as though the ability to play the piano had been completely erased from my memory.
   Stefan clasped his hand over mine, squeezing it tightly. "Eva," he smiled, brushing my hair out of my face. "You've been practicing for months, you know your piece inside and out and you will be fantastic," he urged.
   I shook my head, panic bubbling inside of me. "No, no I can't. I'm sorry, I can't. I just can't. I don't want to do this. Let's go home."
   Stefan grabbed my shoulders and held me still, staring into my eyes with his own, compassion filled ones."Eva, what's really going on? Why don't you want to perform?"
   Wiping my eyes, I shook my head, knowing I could no longer hide my reason for wanting to go home. "My dad taught the piano," I started, smiling as I recalled my first lesson with him. "He spent most of his days at work, saving the world one patient at a time. But music was a love that we both shared and piano playing was something we did together. It was our thing.
   "Elena wasn't musical at all. She could barely carry a note let alone have the right amount of hand eye coordination to play the piano. Mom didn't have a great knowledge about music either, but all three of them supported me as much as they could.
   "Whenever I was invited the play, before I went on stage my dad would give me last minute tips and pointers. He always wanted me to succeed. Since my mom knew nothing helpful, after dad had his say, she would pull me aside and tell me that she loved me no matter what, and that as long as I did my best and had fun she'd be happy, however the music sounded."
   Stefan squeezed my shoulder, smiling softly. "She was right."
  "Yeah," I breathed. "She was. My parents couldn't always make my performances, but my sister, there was no doubting the fact that she was my biggest fan. She never missed a performance, not one. Even when she was sick, she would still find a way to sneak out of the house and come watch. She would always stand right under the stage at the front of the crowd. She's shush the murmuring people around her while I sang and played, but as soon as I finished," I chuckled, shaking my head in amusement. "She would scream and whoop and cheer like there was no tomorrow. She would run up and down the aisles telling everybody that I was her sister and that I was amazing. Sometimes she would even run up on stage and give me the biggest hug and kiss in front of everyone. If it were anyone else they'd be embarrassed, but not Elena. She didn't care what anyone else thought, not when it came to being the best sister she could be. All she cared about was letting me know how proud she was of me."
   I cried into my hands, sobbing until my throat hurt. "Oh Stefan, I miss her so much!" 
   Stefan held me in his arms and rested his chin atop my head, rocking us back and forth. "Eva, I know you miss your sister, but you don't have to be sad because of it. Elena may not be here physically, but that doesn't mean she's not with you. She lives here," he pointed to the left side of my chest. "In here. Wherever she is, whatever's she doing, I know she's cheering you on. She wouldn't want you to miss this opportunity and neither would your parents."
   "You don't know that," I sniffed, wiping my nose.
   "No, but you do. I know it's hard, but you can't stop living your life because theirs have ended. Eva they are so proud of you and this is your chance to prove them right, to show them how strong you are, even in their absence."
   "But Stefan, how can I prove to them that I'm strong when I'm not?"
   His eyebrows furrowed as a crease appeared in his forehead. "Not what?"
   "Strong," I replied weakly.
   His eyes widened. "Eva you are the strongest person I know. You went against everything you believe and lied to all of your friends and family just to keep my true identity a secret. I know you're not entirely comfortable with Jenna dating your History teacher yet you haven't said anything because you care too much about your Aunt's happiness to taint it with your own doubts. Eva," he grabbed my hands tightly. "You are so loving, so loyal, so selfless and that is what makes you strong. Now I know you're nervous about your first performance without Elena, but when you get nervous or you feel like running away, you remember this conversation Eva. You remember that you are capable of so much more than you think. Alright?"
   A sense of warmth an happiness overwhelmed me as I nodded, leaning my forehead against Stefan's shoulder. "OK," I agreed finally, trying to suppress a shy and grateful laugh. "OK, yes, I promise."
   "Good," he beamed. "Now get out there and you give that audience the best show they've ever seen," he encouraged, hugging my tightly. "But don't forget to have fun," he laughed.