I throw the phone down on my bed, ready to break it if it goes off again. All morning I’ve been getting texts from Damon saying how sorry he is and that he was drunk. Not good enough. 

I don’t know how he just expects me to forgive him so easily. You don’t just go around kissing your best friends. Granted he doesn’t know my feelings for him but still…

“You look like you just suffered a break up.” Elena says amused as she walks into my room. I kind of do look like I did, I’m wearing sweatpants, a tank-top, and my hair is messily pulled back in a bun. In other words, I look terrible. 

“I did, a friendship one.” I sigh, sitting back down on my bed. 

“Damon?” Elena smiles obviously happy we’re not friends at the moment. 

“Don’t look so happy about it.” I glare at her. 

She shrugs, “What can I say? I like the fact you and Damon aren’t going to hang out anymore.” 

I roll my eyes, “How is Stefan?” I ask changing the subject. Elena convinced him to feed, and keep living because of their love or some shit like that.

“He’s fine, back to normal.” Elena smiles. 

“Wonderful.” I mutter happy he’s not going to kill people anymore. 

“Caroline is forcing me to help with the Miss Mystic float, I’m guessing she wants you to help also.” Elena points out. 

“Ya, she wants me to. That doesn’t mean I am, I would prefer to stay here all day in bed watching Dear John.” I shrug. 

Elena laughs, “You’re coming, I’m not going to let you drown in your sorrows all day. Stefan is picking me up in a half hour be ready or you’re going how you look now.” I groan and give her my best glare but she just smiles innocently walking out of the room. I can’t believe she’s making me go. I don’t want to be around anybody, Damon could show up any moment. 

Aria, what’s wrong with you? Your world has never stopped spinning for a boy, don’t let Damon Salvatore change that.

Stupid voice, always telling me the right advice. I shouldn’t let Damon Salvatore make my world stop spinning, I can live without him. I smirk and go to the closet grabbing some clothes. 

I’m so ready to live without Damon Salvatore. Uh, maybe…

———————————————

“Elena please don’t make me do this, I thought you loved me.” I fake sob and grab her hand as we stand in front of the school. 

Elena laughs, “I do that’s why I brought you here, you need to get out.” 

“No, I didn’t. I needed to stay home watching Dear John all day while eating chocolate. That is what I need Elena.” I glare at her as we get closer to the cafeteria. It’s pretty loud in there so there must be a good amount of students inside. How many people do they need to decorate some floats for a parade? 

“Who did you break up with?” Stefan asks amused. 

I move my glare over to him, “I didn’t break up with anyone but if you keep talking I might just break your spine.” It’s an empty threat of course for many reasons, but hey, it made me feel better. 

“Alright, alright. I will shut up.” Stefan smiles. 

“Good.” I smirk as Ric walks up to us with a serious expression. “Hey Ric.” 

“We need to talk.” he says emotionless. I look over at Elena and Stefan questioningly but they both just shrug. This can’t be good…

I look straight ahead emotionless. This can’t be happening, I thought it was done with. Why now? Elena is sitting next to me with a similar expression. I hear the door open and I don’t bother to look up knowing it’s Damon. Stefan and Ric insisted on calling him even though I screamed at them not too. 

“Damon thanks for coming.” Ric nods as he enters the room. No, not thank you. 

“Sorry I’m late, a dog ate my..ah- never mind.” Damon says looking around, “What’s with all the furrowed brows?” 

“I saw Isobel last night.” Ric tells him. 

“Isobel’s here?” Damon question shocked, Ric nods. “In town?” Ric nods again and I can feel Damon’s gaze on me. I know he’s worried and yesterday I would have wanted his comfort now all I want is for him to leave. “Did you ask her about John? Are they working together?” Damon presses. 

“No.” Ric answers. 

“No there not working together?” Damon asks. 

“No, I didn’t ask.” Ric says more forcefully. 

“What about the invention?” Damon questions some more. 

“Didn’t ask.” Ric shakes his head. 

“What about the tomb vampires?” Damon glares. 

“I don’t know.” Ric sighs. 

“Did words completely escape you?!” Damon almost yells getting in his face. 

“I was a little distracted by my dead vampire wife to ask any questions!” Ric stands up raising his voice also. This is getting annoying. 

“What does she want?” Damon sighs knowing Ric doesn’t have any useful information. 

“She wants to see Aria and I, Damon.” Elena says softly. I look up to gage Damon’s reaction and see he is frowning but not at Elena, at me. The second our gazes lock, I look down. I can’t get lost in those blue eyes, not now. 

“Alaric is supposed to set up a meeting with them, we don’t know why or what she wants.” Stefan explains to his brother. 

“You don’t have to see her if you don’t want to.” Damon says looking between Elena and I. 

“We don’t have a choice.” I snap and cringe when I see the hurt flash across his face. 

“She threatened to go on a killing spree.” Ric sighs leaning against the wall. 

“Oh…I take it that’s not okay with you guys?” Damon frowns still staring at me. 

“I want to do it, I want to meet her. If I don’t, I know I will regret it. I can’t speak for Aria though.” Elena says looking over at me. 

I shrug, “Why not? It will give me a good chance to yell at her for abandoning us.” Damon frowns and I meet his gaze this time not looking away, his eyes hold so much guilt. He feels terrible about kissing me but I’m not ready to forgive him yet. I just can’t, not after what he did. Am I stupid not to?

———————————————

“Aria, stop!” Damon yells jogging after me as I walk down the hallway. I don’t respond to him and just keep walking. “Fine, be like that.” Damon sighs and suddenly appears in front of me. Ugh, vampires. 

“Can you just leave alone?” I glare and try to walk away but he grabs my hand. I sigh and pull my hand out from his. “What do you want?” 

“I want to apologize, I was drunk…and I didn’t think.” Damon explains. 

“Save it, Damon!” I yell and storm away but he uses that damn vampire speed again and goes in front of me. 

“Why are you so upset about it? It was just a kiss.” Damon questions. 

I let out a disbelieved sigh and shake my head, feelings tears brimming in my eyes. “You don’t get it Damon.” 

“How do I not get it?” he presses. 

“I am in love with you! It wasn’t just a kiss for me! The only reason you kissed me was because you were drunk! How do you think that makes me feel!” I scream before walking past him and not looking back. This time he doesn’t try to stop me and I’m grateful.  

When I turn the corner of the hallway I see Caroline standing there looking shocked. I know she heard everything and for some reason that pisses me off even more. She didn’t have any right to eavesdrop on my conversation. I walk right past her not even sparing her a glance. 

My supposed best friends both pissed me off in a matter of ten seconds. Wonderful…

———————————————

I sit at the table right next to Elena, but my mind is in a complete other place. She tried to talk to me at the beginning, but I didn’t respond, so she just gave up. Right now she’s talking to Stefan on the other side of the room. I guess it’s not really talking because she’s just saying stuff and he’s listening. 

He came along to protect Elena and I just incase Isobel tries anything. I highly doubt she will in the Mystic Fall’s Grill but Stefan insisted. Damon wanted to come but both Stefan and I said no for very different reasons. I said no, well, I think you know why, and Stefan said no because Isobel knows him. He did kill her after all. Technically. 

I finally look up when I hear someone setting there coat on the table. I’m not surprised to see Isobel sitting down. She doesn’t look anything like us with black hair but we have the same eyes. 

“Hello Elena, hello Arianna.” Isobel smiles, emotionless. Neither Elena or I replied still in shock. “You both look just like her but with Arianna I can’t see any difference. It’s eerie.” she states. 

“You’ve met Katherine?” Elena asks. 

“She found me after I turned, genetic curiosity I suppose. She would be fascinated by you two. I think she may even like Arianna.” Isobel almost smiles. 

“Is that how you can walk in the day?” Elena questions doing all the talking. It’s not like I want to talk to this women. I’m only here so she doesn’t start killing people. 

“Katherine helped me obtain it.” she answers twirling the necklace in her fingers. 

“Who’s our father?” Elena straightens up in her seat. 

“Not important, he was a teenage waste of space.” Isobel states. 

“A name would be nice.” I glare speaking for the first time. 

“It would, wouldn’t it? Your sister here asks a lot of questions.” Isobel says and I can tell she is starting to lose her patience. 

“Why did you compel that man to kill himself after telling us to stop looking for you?” Elena presses on not caring if Isobel is getting agitated. 

“Dramatic impact, wish it would have worked.” she smiles coldly. 

“Human life means that little to you?” Elena glares at her. 

“It means nothing to me, it’s just part of being what I am.” she smirks causing me to roll my eyes. She thinks she’s so bad ass, doesn’t she? 

“No, it’s not. I know other vampires, I know that’s not true.” Elena argues. 

“You mean your boyfriend standing over there by the pool table. Stefan Salvatore, too bad you didn’t get Damon but Arianna has already got her claws in him. Or, Elena, maybe you just enjoy them both, like Katherine did.” Isobel smirks and I want to punch it off her face. I am so sick of this women. The thought of Elena liking Damon makes me so mad I can’t even describe it. I guess I’m getting a little jealous. 

“Why did you want to meet us? It can’t be just to catch up. I have better things to do so why don’t you pick up the pace with this conversation.” I smile coldly, two can play at this game Isobel. 

“Wow, you are much more like Katherine than I thought. But to answer your question I’m curious about you two. Most importantly though I want what your uncle wants, Jonathan Gilbert’s invention.” she states. 

“How do you know my ass of an uncle?” I question glaring at her, I want her to know that I hate her. 

“I spent a lot of time here when I was younger. John had a crush on me for years, he was the first one who told me about vampires.” she explains. 

“So what made you want to be one?” Elena asks. 

“It’s a long list of reasons Elena, all of which I’m sure you thought about.” Elena shakes her head and it’s easy to tell she is lying. “That was your first lie. It’s inevitable you’re going to get old, Stefan won’t. Forever doesn’t last very long when your human.” Isobel is talking to Elena but looking at me. Does she think I’m so much like Katherine that I want to be a vampire? Ah, no. 

“I’m sorry but I don’t have what you’re looking for.” Elena glares and stands up but Isobel grabs her wrist, “Sit down! And tell your boyfriend to walk away.” Isobel commands pulling Elena’s wrist down to make her sit. Elena looks over at Stefan and nods her head. When Isobel removes her hand I can see a bruise on Elena’s wrist. 

“I want the invention.” Isobel states. 

“News flash, we don’t have it.” I smirk. 

“I know that but Damon does and you’re going to get it for me.” Isobel smiles coldly, man she’s a pro at that. 

“He won’t give it to me.” Elena sighs. 

“No but he will give it to Arianna.” she smirks looking over at me. 

“Even if he would give it me, which he won’t. I’m not going to help you.” I glare. 

“Then the blood will be on your hands.” she gets up and grabs her coat off the chair. “It was nice meeting you Arianna, Elena.” she says before heading out of the bar. I groan and lean back in my chair, looking over at Elena. She has tears in her eyes and looks like she is going to start sobbing. 

She gets up to go to Stefan but Bonnie walks in the room causing them to stop and stare at each other. I expected them to run to each other and hug but when Bonnie sees Stefan she just runs away. I watch Bonnie go in shock. How could she do that to Elena, her best friend? Well…screw her, if you hurt my sister, you hurt me. 

———————————————

“You and Matt are still fighting?” I ask Tyler, amused, as I glue some grass onto this float thing. I hope it goes there because I didn’t really check.

“I thought he would be over it by now.” Tyler sighs. 

“You made out with his Mom, Ty. You can’t just get over something like that.” I say. 

“It’s been weeks, Aria.” Tyler points out. 

“Give him more time, he needs it.” I smile standing up and jumping off the float. 

“Aria, Bonnie needs to see us real quick.” Elena announces walking over to us. 

“Bonnie? I thought she hated us?” I frown. 

“We made up, come on.” Elena says practically dragging me into the hallway. 

“So you just forgave her?” I question Elena. 

“There wasn’t anything to forgive, it was my fault in the first place.” Elena shrugs. 

“No it wasn’t! You were upset Elena and she just walked away. Come on, what kind of friend is that?!” I ask angrily and I didn’t even realize we had walked into the science room where Bonnie was seated. Bonnie looks down having heard what I said.  “Elena may have forgiven you for yesterday Bonnie but I didn’t.” I glare making it known that I’m mad. 

“Aria.” Elena sighs. 

“It’s fine Elena, I doubt Aria will change her mind. I hope she forgives me with time. But thank you for meeting my anyway, I wanted to show you this.” Bonnie says referring to the book. 

“Is that Emily’s spell book?” Elena asks. 

Bonnie nods, “I’ve been going through it since Grams died.” Elena gives her a sympathetic look and Bonnie rushes to change the subject. “Check this out.”

Elena and I both look down at the book. We can’t understand the words but there are some pictures. “That’s the vampire compass.” Elena states. 

“Ya, according to Emily, Jonathan Gilbert never actually succeeded in making anything. Emily spelled them all with magic, compass, rings, the mystery device you told me about.” Bonnie points to the page she flipped to and sure enough it’s the device. 

“Yeah, that’s it, well part of it. Damon only has that one piece.” Elena explains.

“Emily pledged her loyalty to Katherine but she couldn’t stand by and let innocent people be killed. This is the only way she could think of, to let Jonathan Gilbert actually think he invented these devices.” Bonnie tells us like she actually heard it from Emily. Who knows maybe she did, it’s not like Emily hasn't talked to us before. 

“Does it say what it does?” I ask wanting to speed this little meeting up. Bonnie leans down and reads the print. Elena and I both stare at her waiting since we have no idea what it says. 

“Are you sure this is what Isobel wants?” Bonnie looks up frowning. 

“Ya, we’re sure. Why?” Elena asks confused. 

“This is a weapon, against vampires.” 

———————————————

Why am I always stuck with Elena when she searches for Stefan? I don’t know but it really sucks. There are so many people here and it’s just giving me a headache but Elena is forcing me to stay with her. She thinks that if I leave I could do something reckless because of the state I’m in. I know, that state I’m in?! She thinks that because I suddenly hate everyone it’s Damon’s fault because he kissed me. Well, she doesn’t know that… 

“Hey, Aria, Elena!” Jeremy calls out running over to us. 

“Hey, um…have you seen Stefan? We need to find him.” she says looking around, searching for her him. 

“No, not lately. Listen, um…do you two have a second?” he asks trying to keep up with Elena’s fast pace. 

“Yeah, sure. What’s going on?” Elena questions finally stopping. 

“It’s Anna, I left her all these messages and she hasn’t got back to me. Not even a text.” Jeremy frowns obviously worried about her. 

Elena and I look at each other, I thought he was going to stay away from Anna. “Anna? I didn’t know you guys were still friends.” I say. 

“We’re more than friends.” Jeremy states, go little brother! Finally found some one other than Vicki. Wait, bad little brother, he’s supposed to stay away from her.  “Look something could be seriously wrong and if you know anything you got to tell me.”

“We haven’t talked to her, Jer.” Elena shrugs. 

“Are you lying to me right now?” Jeremy questions Elena. 

“Why would you say that?” Elena frowns. 

“Because that’s what you do Elena, you lie. You lie about everything. I know what Anna is, and I know you know. I don’t know about you Aria but I’m guessing you know also. So tell me, do you know where she is?” Jeremy glares at us. 

Elena shakes her head, “No.” he gives us one final glare before walking away. “Jeremy wait! Jeremy!” Elena calls out but he doesn’t listen to her. She sighs and turns around only to find Isobel standing there. Creepy much?

“Isobel, a pleasure to see you.” I smile but it soon fades off my face. “Nah, I can’t play nice, what are you doing here?” 

“I’m your mother Arianna, I want to be more involved in your life.” Isobel says. 

“Yeah well we don’t want you in ours.” I smirk. 

“I understand that, you two already have a lot of people you care about but I’ve been studying. Let’s see if I got this right.” Isobel smirks and turns around slightly. “There’s Elena’s witchy best friend, Bonnie. Gonna stay away from that one.” she turns back around and makes some weird facial expression I can’t even explain. “Sad little brother Jeremy.” she gestures to the float next to us, “And there’s Arianna’s best friend, Caroline. Obnoxious Caroline, I got all of my info from her by the way. She had no idea who I was and she wouldn’t stop yapping.”

I smile a little bit knowing that’s so Caroline, she loves to talk. “Oh, and there’s Matt. Friend, Ex, yappy’s future ex, lot’s of connections there.” Isobel smiles coldly. Wow, I say that a lot but she does it a lot. 

“Matt’s not involved in this at all.” Elena glares at her. 

“He’s involved with you two, isn’t he?” Isobel questions. 

“Look, you shouldn’t be here. You need to leave.” Elena says shakily, she’s starting to get nervous. 

“No. I have some friends here too. Look, see that man over there next to Matt by the float. His name is Frank, he’s very handsome and also quite handy. He noticed that the axel is rusted which is very dangerous so all you have to do is apply a little bit of pressure and…” Frank jumps up onto the flat causing it to break and land on Matt’s hand. Elena and I both try to run to him but Isobel grabs our arms stopping us. 

“Come on guys lift this up!” Matt yells clearly in pain. Tyler and a few other rush over and try to lift it up but it’s too heavy for them. “Come on!” Matt yells but the boys aren’t going to be able to pick it up. Stefan runs out from the crowd and helps pick it up, lifting it off Matt’s hand. Thank you for vampire strength. 

“Why are you doing this?” Elena