A Quiet Life in Mystic Falls

Chapter 10: Sexy Suds

Azalea woke up with a feeling of dread as she knew that today was the day of the car wash. Begrudgingly, she went to her swimming costume draw and pulled out the two bikini's she owned, one was a red high waisted bottom and a halter neck top. The second a deep blue with flowers on, normal straps but had a wrap bow kind of detail on both the high waisted bottoms and the top. In the end with a small smile she picked the Gryffindoresk ones and put them on under shows and a t-shirt. She hoped she could avoid Caroline for as long as possible and just clean in what she was wearing. Tying her hair up in a high pony tail she grabbed her keys, and her bag prepped with lunch and a towel and she made her way out to the fundraiser.
As soon as she got there she saw Stefan and Elena, they were close to each other. Talking and smiling, looks like the whole meal thing went really well. She smiled at the thought of the two happy, and got out of her car. Locking it behind her, she made her way over to the sign up sheet and checked in. The cheerleader Dana, who had always seemed since compared to some of the others asked me to go over to the car behind Elena and Stefan. Smiling as she made her way over to the two seeing them kiss after what looked like and unsuccessful strip. She must have just missed Caroline.
"Get a room you two," Azalea teased as she walked towards the happy couple. They both turned to her with a smile.
"Hey, did you just get here?" Elena asked her.
"Yep, been given that car, and then told to go and help Bonnie."
"That'll be nice," the brunette said smiling.
"We should probably start working too," Stefan said. "Don't want Caroline to come back and scold us again."
"Speaking of Caroline, I'm going to get to work before she finds me. Bye." I moved past the two, picking up one of the heavy, sponge and soup filled buckets and lugged it to the car.
Wow this is a lot harder without magic, she thought as she with soaked shirt and hair tips stood back to admire her work. She had successfully cleaned the outside. Now she had to grab the hover and –
"Hold it!"
The redhead cringed at the sound of Caroline's voice, she turned slowly to see the annoyed blonde behind her.
"Hey Caroline –"
"Lea, this is a bikini wash, not a short a Tee. Strip now," Caroline snapped. She sighed, she had hoped the red bikini wouldn't be seen.
"Care, seriously I'm not sexy,"
"Yeah, you are –"
"No, I'm not, I have a few big scars that I'd rather not be seen."
"Lea," the blonde said gently, her expression softening. "Look, why don't you like, think of this as empowering. You have scars but you're a still sexy, confident and able to wear whatever the hell you want! Empower that you don't have to look like an airbrushed whatever to be cute, or hot or sexy. You just need to be you."
"Caroline that was actually really cool."
"Yeah it was," she smirked, before becoming strict again. "So listen to me, strip off and go empower Mystic Falls with your European, scarred beauty, sexy bod."
She winked and walked away. Still a little uncomfortable but smirking at Caroline's words; Azalea removed her shirt and shorts putting them into the bag she had kept nearby. She saw a couple of people staring at her and it made her blush.
"Looking hot, Lea!" I heard Caroline shout. I felt my face burn deeper.
Stefan watched the scene that Caroline had brought attention to. Looking at his new friends embarrassment. Her cheeks had gone red, she looked a little like a china doll. She looked down, one hand around her waist self-consciously as more people began to stare at her.
"Poor Lea," Elena brought his attention back to her. "But she does look great, I may go talk to her. Can you finish up this car?"
He smiled at her. "Of course," he said, giving her a quick kiss before she went.
"Hey," Elena said to the blushing redhead.
"Save me," she whispered, Elena laughed.
"I'm sorry she did that, but you do look great. That colour is really pretty on you."
"Thanks," Azalea said looking down. "I'm not used to being complimented, or showing so much skin."
"Well, just try and enjoy yourself, but if you are uncomfortable, I'll tell Caroline and you can go home, if you want. Your body. Your rules."
"Thanks Elena, I'll be fine once everyone stops staring at me, it's calming down again already. I may go wash with Bonnie when I have finished this one. I'm almost done."
"Here I'll help you," Elena grabbed a brush and the two set to work.
Azalea had worked on another two cars before, she saw flames flickering in the corner of her eye. She recalled looking for the source, or something to put it out. She could see Bonnie in a trance. I clocked Stefan noticing her too. I used wandless magic, while Stefan snapped her out of it. She spoke to him for a second before she ran off. Stefan looked at anxiously, then he caught my eyes. I nodded. "I got it," I murmured to quiet for anyone but Stefan. I grabbed my bag and ran after her.
I caught up with her after three streets.
"Bonnie!" I shouted, now we were away from the crowds, she turned and looked at me.
"Lea,"
"Hey, relax." I said slowing down but still jogging as I got closer to her. "You didn't mean it, you're learning, no one saw but me and Stefan."
"But it keeps happening," she said grabbing my wrist. "I can't control it. I just tried to dry the pavement, and I blew up a car."
"Hey let me take you to my house, we can have some tea, and talk a little more." I said. She shook her head.
"Thanks Lea, but I want answers from my Grams. You said my magic is different to yours. So I need to talk to her about this."
"You want me to walk with you?"
Bonnie shook her head.
"I'll be ok, I will text you tonight ok," she said touching the redheads arms before walking away. Lea sighed, hoping that the old witch would help her granddaughter. Lea didn't really feel like going back to the school. Checking to make sure no one was around she took out her wand and apparated to her home.
She headed straight upstairs taking off the bikini and putting on some leggings and a comfy jumper. Her eyes caught her bookshelf, and the books seemed to call her. Maybe, it will help me relax, she thought walking over to the bookshelf, mostly there for Hermione's memory so far. However the teen picked up one of the books, curled up on the sofa and began to read.
Still, it suddenly seemed like a small thing compared to somebody causing a bloody explosion in Lissa's room. Yet, as the day went on, I noticed something weird.
KNOCK
KNOCK
KNOCK
The redhead shot up, dropping the book. Someone was banging on my door, I frowned putting my book down and walking to check who it was.
Jeremy, his eyes were a little puffy and red. He was ringing his hands together shifting from foot to foot. Great, what had happened now.
She opened the door.
"I had a fight with Vicki," he blurted out, the water returning to his eye. Azalea gestured for him to come in he did.
"I'll get you something to drink. And food?" she asked. He nodded. "Ok," she said gently. "Just sit down there and I'll make you something. He did as he was told and the redhead made her way to the kitchen, casing a charm to heat the milk and made a hot chocolate for the teen, she also reheated her shepherd's pie for him to eat.
Making her way back to him, with everything on the tray, he gave her a watery smile taking everything from her.
"Thanks, Lea," he said taking a sip of the chocolate.
"No worries, here eat this too." She said.
The redhead watched him for a moment allowing him to collect his thoughts and fill his stomach, he was half way through the food when he turned to her and spoke.
"Sorry to just barge in, I realise I just –"
"Hey don't worry about it," she soothed, rubbing his arm. "Why don't you just tell me what happened?"
Jeremy recounted the trip to the cemetery and how they were with some of Vicki's friends. At first it was fun and they were all having a good time. Then he realised Vicki had taken some of Elena's pain medication from the accident, and they had fought about it.
"I just, I really like her and want to be with her so I want to get better with her, you know." He said unleashing his puppy eyes at her.
"Yeah, I do, Jere. But sadly, she is an addict, and she will only stop when she is ready. You could not 'party'," she frowned using quotation marks. "With her, and see how that goes. Keep that part of her life separate from you, but don't ignore it. Slow and steady may be the best way. Again, I stress I'm not actually trained in this Jere,"
"Yeah, I know, but you make me feel better. I dunno someone who is paid to listen to your problems it feels weird like they don't care –"
"But they do Jere, or they should. They have dedicated their lives into helping people. Taking on their trauma trying to help them. Yes it's there job, but they are caring people. Which is why they do the job in the first place."
They sat for a moment in silence.
"Do you wanna keep talking or do you want a distraction?"
"Distraction."
"Ok, pick a film, I'll grab some more snacks. If you're still hungry."
He smirked.
"Lea, I'm always hungry, especially when I am still high."
She laughed, but headed to get some popcorn. Then the two settled down and started to watch Ironman.
Tony was melting his cars when Azalea's phone began to vibrate.
"One sec, Jere. Keep watching." She smiled, seeing it was Stefan. Went upstairs and answered it.
"Ok, what's happened now. I doubt this is a friendly how's your 10pm?"
He gave a small humourless chuckle.
"Damon got out." He said, she felt her stomach drop. "I want you to stay inside, stay safe ok. I am going to find him."
"Yeah, Jeremy is here as well I make sure he gets home safe." She said, then she remembered... Vicki. She had to find Vicki.
"Jere, I'm really sorry, but something has come up. Can you head home?"
He sat up start looking at her.
"Yeah, sure is something wrong?" he asked her.
"Nothing too serious," I lied smoothly. "I just need to help with something that's kind of urgent. Here." She said grabbing the DVD from the player. "Finish watching it at home, bring it back whenever. And the snack bowls." She said giving him those as well. She walked the teen to his house before she got in the car and began to drive to the graveyard to get Vicki.
She slammed the car door shut and made her way into the cemetery. She shivered as she saw all the tombstones around her. It made her feel like he was close. Flashes of her fourth year in her mind as she looked for the troubled teen.
"Vicki!" she called out. "Vicki!"
She took a deep breath, this was Mystic Falls, bar Damon there was nothing to fear. Why didn't I bring my wand, she thought miserably. She saw the light of a fire and made her way towards it.
She could see a few bodies and Damon drinking from a familiar form.
"Leave her alone Damon," she called out, running towards the vampire.
"You're right, your blood is so much sweeter," he said, he blurred forward to fast for her to see and bit into the side of her neck. She struggled knowing it was pointless, her struggles became weaker and weaker until the world around her darkened...
She opened her eyes Damon was setting people on fire with one hand, the other was on the phone.
"No. What have you done? You're the one who locked me in the basement and starved me, so whatever I've done. Whoever I've sucked dry is on you buddy." There was a pause, through her hazy state she guessed it was Damon.
"I know how to cover my tracks Stefan. Where's my ring?" another pause as Stefan responded.
"Ah you almost got me. Where is it?" he paused again as Stefan paused.
"What did you do FedEx it to Rome? I want my ring Stefan or my next stops Elena's." Azalea listened harder.
"Just get it," he said hanging up. He was crouching over a body. Her eyes closed her eyes and heard no more...
There was a gentle tapping her face, bringing her out of the darkness.
"Azalea, wake up."
She knew that voice, her mind warned her this voice was a threat, but it was so gentle?
She moaned trying to move away.
"You all right? I think I took a little too much." The voice said again. Damon. She remembered. The voice belonged to Damon. He had bit her, drank from her.
"Hmm Damon," she tried to wake her self up, she tried to open her eyes.
"Hey try not to overdo yourself." He said. She then felt something warm and wet near her mouth. Iron. Her stomach dropped her magical knowledge coming back to her with force.
"No!" she cried, pushing the arm away and spiting out the blood. He groaned.
"Must you be so difficult," he said. "I'm trying to help you here,"
"If you wanted to help you wouldn't have bit me in the first place." She snapped, her hand going to her neck, she wasn't bleeding anymore, but there was dried blood all over the pillow.
"Sorry, I was starving and you smelt..." he trailed off. "I wasn't fully aware it was even you till I stopped feeding." He said. "I carried you back here and let you sleep." He gestured to the bed.
"Let me go Damon," she said, trying to stand, her mind whirling.
"Whoa, hey stay in the bed. I'd force you do drink my blood if I knew you wouldn't have a fit." He said. He came closer to her his pupils changing.
"Stay in the bed, until I come back to get you." He said, her mind whirled. Why wouldn't she stay here. She couldn't not stay here. Once Damon moved away from her, he made his way downstairs to deal with the problem on the sofa.