Finding Hazel -Elijah Mikaelson

Chapter Seven

Hazel sat at the breakfast bar, she was surrounded by textbooks and in front of her, she had her laptop open. She typed furiously as she neared the end of an assignment due in by Monday next week. She heard her phone start buzzing just as she was articulating her final thoughts. She looked down at the mobile and answered the phone. She put it on speaker and continued to type.

'Mum, hi what's up?' Hazel asked.

'It's Friday. Do you have time for a chat? Last week you didn't say much.'

Hazel finished typing her last sentence and closed the laptop.

'I have time, I've just finished an assignment.'

'That's great. How is everything? Have you made any friends? Do you have an update for me?'

'It's okay. Kind of.' Hazel replied.

Hazel stood up from the breakfast bar and put her textbooks away.

'Has something happened? You can tell me.'

Hazel smiled, her mother was infuriating at times but she was honest and was always the voice of reason in her head.

'Mum, something did happen. It's crazy, these things don't happen- '

'Are you okay? Is it school?'

'More of an impossible creature,' Hazel replied.

'Werewolf?'

Hazel looked down at her phone in shock.

'No, it-'

'Vampire?' Her mum asked it sent chills through her body.

Hazel grabbed her phone and sat on the couch, she pulled a throw over her and took a deep breath.

'You believe me? I wanted to tell you last week.'

'Hazel, I need you to pack a bag. I am coming. We need to talk,' her mother sounded concerned.

Hazel grabbed her suitcase and piled in clothing, her laptop and all the wires. She made up a quick purse of essentials and went to her bedside table and dug through the drawer for her passport, just in case. She grabbed it and packed it in her purse.

She started to think back to the conversation with her mother. Did that mean werewolves existed, she started to over analyse the conversation. Hazel could feel her heart pounding and a headache starting to emerge. The last two weeks were impossible however it was explained to her, the proof she saw was ridiculous.

She started her breathing exercises and calmed her mind. Hazel pulled the throw closer and reached towards the coffee table, she grabbed the remote and put a show on. The background noise calmed her further. She closed her eyes and counted slowly aloud. Her heart rate returned to normal, the pulsing in her head subdued.

A knock on the door startled her, she looked down at her watch. There was no way her mum made it here that quickly. Hazel stood up and walked to the door, she looked through the peephole, Stefan was outside. She unlocked the door and opened it. She noticed the anxiety pull the further the door was open.

'Hi Hazel, I could hear you from downstairs. I just wanted to check on you,' Stefan said, his eyes were filled with empathy.

'I'm processing, it's all just so-'

'Crazy?'

'Yeah,' Hazel replied. She felt okay, she seemed to trust Stefan more than Damon and a lot more than Elijah. 'Why do I feel more comfortable with you?'

Stefan leaned against the door frame, 'maybe because I haven't given you any reason not to be. You know, you're taking this better than most people, it's rational to be afraid.'

'So great hearing, huh?' Hazel asked.

'Yep and speed, strength, compulsion. Look, Elena and Caroline are downstairs, you wanna join?'

Hazel checked her watch, nodded and grabbed her purse. They went down the stairs and sat in the booth. They all talked about school and the gossip while sipping on cold drinks. She relaxed into the friendly atmosphere, she checked her phone and sent a quick text to her mum so she would know where to find her. Half an hour later the door to the grill opens, Hazel looked up and saw her mum walk through the door in her work suit. She stood up and ran over and enveloped her in a hug.

'Mum, I've missed you.'

'Me too sweetheart, are those your friends over there?'

Hazel turned around and introduced them to her mum.

'Well it was nice to meet you but we should get going we have a lot to talk about.'

Hazel waved goodbye and nodded gratitude to Stefan, she linked arms with her mum and walked up to the apartment.