𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐒
Chapter Four | The Summer Time Girl

PRESENT TIME

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THE DAY STARTED OFF LIKE ANY OTHER FOR Jenna Sommers. She was a struggling college student trying to get by in her classes long enough to collect her pesky history degree. Her life started off simple.

Went to high school, dated plenty of douche bag boys to last a lifetime. Then, she graduated fourth in her class. Jenna got a easy job as a real estate agent for a small town that rarely anybody moved in. And went to college to earn some resemblance of her intellect. Nothing spectacular, but also nothing bad either. Just a steady stream of consistency that bored her to death.

But then, her sister died.

And everything went drastically down hill. A once carefree sorority girl was now suddenly the legal guardian of not one, but two, heart broken teenagers. Truth be told, Jenna was still reeling that her older sister was gone.

It happened within an instant. Before she was the youngest and now, she was the only. The concept of losing a loved one had never fully clicked until the day of her funeral. It was grim and emotional, plagued with kind apologies that she appreciated but everyone knew they didn't necessarily help the pain.

It felt like yesterday when Jenna watched her sister get married. Dressed in a beautiful white gown Miranda took months to finally pick out. She was crying in the bridesmaid line up, wishing for a love like her's that would stand the test of time.

Now, Jenna found herself grasping for straws of the moments they spent together. Looking at memorabilia. Reminiscing on the fun times. It wasn't the same.

Parenting her sister's children didn't ease the ache either. She had never been responsible for anything other than her car and if she had enough money in her bank account to purchase another pack of Ramen noddles three meals a day.

Elena and Jeremy took their parents passing differently. Whereas Elena wanted to assume the role Jenna had been given, leading the family despite her emotional turmoil to greener pastures. Jeremy wasn't up for taking one for the team. His thoughts became dark and explosive. The only way for him to calm them down was to resort to illegal drugs.

Jenna had been there once, she knew the name of the game. But she definitely hated seeing him suffer through it day by day.

As for Jenna, she tried to remain busy. Something, anything to distract her from reality. Whether it be volunteering for Founder's day festivities or assigning herself extra credit in her classes. It was all the same to her. She had thought this was as bad as it could get.

Then, Elena was introduced to the supernatural and suddenly, the entire family was subjected to the shenanigans of the fantasy world. Her niece, who she found out wasn't actually her niece, was a doppleganger that needed to be sacrificed for a stupid sun and moon curse.

Her boyfriend, Alaric, came to town to hunt the vampire that killed his wife, who so happened to be Elena's birth mother and her old high school friend, Isobel. The vampire that killed, or transitioned, Alaric's wife was Damon Salvatore, another vampire somehow involved with Elena. Not to mention witches and werewolves were real too.

It was all too much for her to handle. But miraculously, she's been staying above water, biding her time.

Better yet, she grew incredibly curious by the supernatural entities around her. So much so, she was staying up in the middle of the night, knowing she had a test tomorrow, just to figure out this ancient book she found at the society tea.

Jenna didn't know why, but she was drawn to the mysterious woman in the book. Her hazel eyes saw the saddness within her and instantly related to such a moving expression. She had experienced loss, just like Jenna had, and that was a story the Sommer's girl could get behind.

Dragging her finger along the pages, she bit her bottom lip, sagely. The chalice was made of real gold. She could tell by the hefty weight. The circle was encrusted with rubies and emeralds alike, surrounding an eye.

Nervously, the ginger held the book closer to the lamp beside her bed to properly see the words. They were still translated to the English language, beckoning her to read aloud.

Licking her lips, she tried it. "Behold this book and may your eyes be opened. Your deepest desires but a breath away. A touch of the tongue. The chalice seeks to please. The chalice must obey with the command: aliquis a somno expergisci." Her tongue was choppy enough to be cringe worthy, but she made it work.

All of a sudden, her hand was scolding hot. Jenna gasped in pain, dropping the chalice on her bedspread. The gold chalice glowed a vibrant white light, causing her to squint her eyes. It shook and buzzed against her sheets till it quickly calmed entirely. It was like it never even happened.

Abrupt and onmnious all the same.

With wide eyes, Jenna realized she should've waited until she had Damon, Alaric, or anybody really, who understood the supernatural to be with her. She glanced to her palm and stiffled a yelp when she spotted the brand of an eye on her palm. It didn't hurt, but it was certainly freaking her out.

"Shit, shit, shit. Not good," Her words rushed, she foolishly tried to wipe it off to no avail. "Serves me right for trying to interfere with all this craziness."

Warily, she lifted the chalice by its chain and set it on her desk. It appeared normal, but she wasn't too sure. Glancing at the time, her eyes widened in fright. Three hours of sleep wasn't enough to get her through the day, but it would have to do.

The chalice didn't look to be doing anything suspicious. Skipping to her bed, she practically face planted into the sheets. Curling into herself for any sembalance of sleep before her alarm clock jostles her awake.

...

Knock. Knock. Knock, the bedroom door protested. "Jenna! Wake up or you're going to be late!" Elena's voice called from the otherside. Sometimes, it was like the teenager was the adult in the house, but Jenna knew better.

Grumbling to herself, she perked abruptly. Her hair a ginger tinted ravens nest on top of her head. She hastily wiped at the drool in the corner of her lips, squinting her eyes around her room.

"Hello," A calm, melodic voice sounded.

Jenna screamed bloody murder, jumping from her bed in bewilderment. "What the hell? Who the hell are you!?"

The brunette was at peace, glancing around the room with interest. It had been more than a century since she was released from that damn chalice and now she was seeing everything through rose tinted glasses.

Literally. She had picked up a pair of Jenna's sun glasses whilst the woman was sleeping and placed them over her eyes with an adorable curiousity.

She took in Jenna's odd choice of wardrobe and noticed it was an entirely different era. Her corset and feathered hat greatly stood out amongst the modern furnishings of the 2000s.

With a wide, pearly white smile, "Kalliope," she introduced herself.

The poor Sommers' girl was shaking in her fuzzy socks, pointing a finger from the open book on her night stand to the chalice on her desk. If she looked closely, she'd spot the eye of the chalice was closed shut - notifying that it was now empty.

"Y-You're that-t woman in the drawing - how?"

Kalliope drew her eyebrows together in confusion, placing her hands into her lap. "Did you not summon me? Pretty sure I heard you say the words -"

"Yes, yes. But I didn't expect it to work! This is crazy," Pacing her room, Jenna ran her hands through her hair, trying to understand the situation she put herself in. Although, the girl seemed friendly, for all she knew, she could be planning to murder her or something. Pausing in her stride, she pointed towards Kalliope. "Wait, you're not going to kill and inhabit my body are you? Like a demon."

The brunette smirked with a humorous twinkle in her mocha eyes. "Not unless you want me to... do you want me to?"

"No!"

"It is strange but hey, I don't judge." She shrugged, gracefully taking off her hat and glasses as she glanced around the room. The ribbon untied delicately, revealing her hair as it unraveled down her back in chestnut curls. Padding towards Jenna's mirror, she eyed her outfit with pursed lips.

With a snap of her fingers, she was dressed in an outfit best fitted to the decade. No pants, of course, she had no idea women actually wore those yet. But in due time. "Your wish is my command, that's how this goes, dear."

Jenna gaped at the magical woman, Kalliope, blinking sluggishly.

Pushing open her bedroom door, Elena and Jeremy came in with a sudden urgency. Worried for her aunt after she screamed, thinking the worst. "Jenna, are you okay -" However, they paused when they spotted the woman in her room.

Helplessly, the ginger gestured a hand towards her unexpected visitor. "Elena, Jeremy, this is Kalliope. The woman in that chalice over there."

"T-The woman in the what?" Jer sputtered, eyeing the clueless woman.

The relatives shared wide eye contact to which Kalliope seemed oblivious to. "Hello," She greeted with a wide, rosy smile. "Do you have any... uh, would it be too much to ask for some sustenance?"

"We have coffee and cereal." Jeremy instantly offered, used to the craziness by now. Offering her a hand despite Elena warning him not to. Kalliope eagerly accepted his open palm although her brows were pinched at the slight misunderstanding.

"What is this... cereal and does it come straight from the ocean or do you clean it first? I'm not a big fan of fish."

At that, Jenna and Jeremy couldn't help but laugh. Although the situation was strange and slightly anxiety inducing, they couldn't help but think Kalliope was enjoyable to have around so far. They just hoped she was on their side.

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Unedited. 01/25/2021

Jenna deserved better. She's going to get that here!

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