𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕱𝖎𝖛𝖊: 𝗔 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿-𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

                                    

                                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
                          
Chapter Five
-- -------- --
A Distaste For After-Dinner Discussions
                          
Long after returning home, I made Stefan aware of our detour for the night at Elena's house. He was ecstatic to be seeing her again but even more so that I was 'making an effort' to submerge myself in the world of having company. Damon had briefly appeared as I was straightening my hair, lurking about in my bathroom, fiddling with my witch artefacts only to burn himself on the vial of yellow liquid I kept with me on all my travels, toying with the grimoire's resting in my bookshelf and finally snapping the leaves, picking the flowers and prodding the stems of my in-house garden. A witch's garden was something special or unique to every witch, it was the base of our power, the basis of how our powers flourished. Pushing him out of the room was, by far, the greatest move of the night as it soon relieved me of the headache it was to live with both Damon and Stefan Salvatore. 
                          
I kept the attempts simple tonight. A casual, albeit plain, white blouse with onyx-black wide-leg trousers and simple nude heels to seal off the look. I hid most of my talismans in my handbag, they were also a staple of my wardrobe. The pink opalite talisman necklace was my most powerful, it's presence alone would destroy anything in my path, especially if more vampires were to collect in town. Slight knocks catch my attention as I battle with my mascara, leaning close into the bathroom mirror practically hunched over the sink and counter.
  "It's eight-thirty, you almost ready?" Stefan asks as he leans against the bathroom door.
  "Almost. Have you even showered?" I hinted, gesturing to his general clothing decision. We were attempting to convince both Bonnie and Elena that we were Stefan and Marielle Salvatore; seventeen-year-old highschoolers who just returned to town. Not Stefan the thirty-year-old man and his teenage accomplice.
  "Very funny." he notified, unimpressed by my judgment of his outfit. He looked the same as he did earlier - as if he had just arrived off the football pitch and briskly attempted to change in the locker room.
  "Stefan." I chided, walking towards him with my straighteners in hand plucking out certain bits that strayed away from his general look of all togetherness.
  "We are having dinner with Elena and Bonnie to win over the latter and impress the former. Show some effort, treat this as if it were the meeting of the century, like dear old Dad raised from the dead and we were discussing the logging business. Put on some of that nice cologne, change the shirt, keep the jeans, clean those shoes and god forbid; brush your teeth, wouldn't hurt to at least pretend that you needed to." I chastised, laying down the straighteners on the counter to unplug them from the wall. He sped away, cognisant of the remaining time we had before arriving at the Gilbert family home.
                          
-- -------- --
                          
Stefan was eagre to make his way up the porch steps, ringing the doorbell with a charming smile written over his face. It was gratifying to see him actually happy. When we made it inside very few words were exchanged although there were many awkward glances from both Stefan and myself as I felt discomfort roll up through my jittering fingers. Noticing my wary expression, Elena makes conversation directed towards Stefan but it's a futile attempt to get Bonnie interested.
"Why don't you tell Marielle and Stefan about your family?" she says directed as the Bennett witch sat poking at her food.
"Um, divorced. No mom, live with my dad." Bonnie spoke shortly, unsure of why her best friend would bring up such a subject in the dining setup.
"No, about the witches," Elena spoke incredulously. Now that had my interest piqued.
"Bonnie's family has a lineage of witches, it's really cool," Elena added to which Bonnie continued,
"Cool isn't the word I would use."