CHAPTER FOUR; FRIDAY NIGHT BITES

❝ everything began for us the night where we were young, naive, and silently in love ❞

˚ ༘ ·˚꒰ 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒚 ꒱ ₊

˚ˑ1:35 ━━━●───── 3:47

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ

volυмe : ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇▉

･ ｡ﾟ☆
❝ the gilbert house ❞

"IF YOU'RE GONNA YELL OR LECTURE I'd prefer if we did it now," Maya Jane mumbled her hands gripping the edge of her jean skirt. Her throat was nearly swelled shut at the thought of what was to come. Elena kept insisting it wouldn't be a big deal, that their parents wouldn't be that mad she'd snuck out ( again ) to go see Tyler and was now too drunk to make it home alone. The older sister did have a point, they weren't exactly mad but their disappointment often looked the same when it came to her.

Her sister didn't understand why their parents were raising Maya radically different than that of her brother or twin. Across the world, children always got different version of their parents, Maya had understood this, Elena refused to see this. Their brother was able to see, Jeremy often got into shouting matches with their parents because of it. It was as if he was her only protector who had to follow his idols ( his middle sisters ) every step in life.

Which only lead him to see what his parents hoped would be ignored, how hard they rode Maya Jane into perfection. Since they were kids she had been enrolled in activities they never dared pressed upon Elena, their oldest, or their son and only boy. Their oldest child never had to shoot arrows while her fingers bled, nor did she have to run three miles in the middle of the night. Granted, Elena didn't have the drive nor the insane amount of energy that needed to be dealt with that her sister did.

It was as if all the calm and tranquility had been absorbed by Elena and had left nothing but all the liveliness of an armed bomb. To his parents, Maya Jane was best when she had so much structure it left no room for her to fall off the wagon. She had to have places to channel her anger because since she was a child it was dangerous to ignore her rage. One time, when they were about seven Elena had stolen Maya favorite MyScene Doll Madison. Without even bothering to tell their parents when Elena refused to give it back, Maya instead chopped off so much of Elena's hair she made her scalp bleed.

And when she was nine and Caroline had been pushed down by Vicki Donovan, in what Maya called typical defective Gilbert fashion, she broke the girls arm. Even though Vicki had been older and had at least a foot on the girl at the time, it didn't matter. Just like when Maya was 12 and she set fire to a girls bookbag who had been picking on Jeremy. Her little brother couldn't hit a girl, but Maya could.

The fire was the finale straw, therapy became a mandatory activity too. These were all excuses to Jeremy, he said how Maya wouldn't need to let off such steam if they let her exist in the same peace they allowed their other children. It was like they wanted to harden her up for some attack they would never see coming. One they didn't bother to think the other two could handle he supposed.

Maya didn't know and didn't have the energy to care why her parents could be so strict, she assumed it was out of love. That said, she hated waiting for them to start yelling. Especially her father, because it never stopped with yelling. This would mean for the rest of summer she would be with him, training. Maya swore he wanted her to become an Olympic level athlete or something. He didn't care what sport so he had her preparing for them all.

Most times she loved this, they bonded most when they were active but when he made it a punishment? Sometimes it was like he was completely different. And Maya's heart couldn't bear the anxiety of waiting until they got home where even Jenna would hear her be yelled at.

"We're not going to yell Maya-Jane," her mother insisted her voice making May wish she had. They never called her by her true first name unless they were mad. To her mother she was always Maya and to her father she was MJ. Maya could also tell by the pointed glance sent her fathers way the statement was also meant as a warning to him.

Miranda was a fierce woman, but she wasn't without compassionate. It wasn't fun to be in her cross hairs but she had a calmness to her when she was angry the middle Gilbert child wish her father learned to share. "I don't yell," returned Grayson sharply ever in denial about how he pushed Maya.

No one, not even his wife understood the road that laid before her. Even he knew his predictions weren't were it would end, perhaps she would think of even a path he did not. However he knew she needed to be safe and protected from a world she didn't know.

His words made a scoff escape Maya mouth accidentally, which only learned her a silencing glare from her father. "You know Maya-Jane not for nothing, but maybe if you just thought things through for once instead of-"

"Instead of what," interjected Maya knowing what he was already going to say and daring him to finish.

Grayson casted a look back at her taking his eyes off the road, "Instead of doing whatever the fuck you want because its was you selfishly want," he shouted. In that moment May could vivid as the daylight how tired her father had grown of her. 

Perhaps it was the alcohol talking, or the real Maya but either way her last words on the matter were, "Sorry I wanted one fucking night," this is where her mother began to shout and try and overlap both father and daughters voices.

It was practically worthless as Maya overpowered them all shouting even louder, "To be anything other than some fuck up or some ridiculous silent trophy you can parade around and say 'look how I tame this wild teenage beast' at your little parties!"

"Well don't you think we sometimes wish you were different too," Grayson bellowed back in erupting rage. 

Miranda defensively yelled, "Both of you stop it now!" Before any of them knew it, the turn that only lasted seconds was enough to take them off the road. The shrieking of a car horn pulled Grayson back, but too little too late to do anything to change things.

The cars speed as it swerved forced Maya to grip onto her seat belt, "DAD," she screamed trying to warn him of the railing they were heading towards as her mother tried the same, "GRAYSON!"

Grayson attempted slam on his breaks but it was to wet a slick from earlier rain. "Roll the wind-" the idea tried to find its way out of Grayson's mouth before it was too late. But the crash and splitting of metal as the car broke through the barrier and their ca smacked the water.

Water slammed roughly against Maya's face as it seemed to fill the car within seconds. The world was too dark to see hardly anything when Maya managed to squint her eyes open. Her only light came from the moon that casted just enough of its beams for her to see her father beating at the car windows searching for a way out. What little she could see of her mother made Maya choke allow the water in.

A mistake that once she had made could not be undone.  Furiously she smacked her hands through the air motions that made waves that pushed Grayson to notice her. He was a swimmer, so was Maya, he sought to that but right then all his training meant nothing. In that moment Maya-Jane was just a scared little girl seeing her mother...probably dead and needed her fathers hand.

Maya knew her fathers eyes were telling her to fight harder, he would get them out. He needed to fight, they had said the worst things he couldn't let them be the last they spoke. She was his baby girl, she needed to survive. Her eyes fluttered as the burning in her chest and throat couldn't be fought. I am dying, Maya thought, I am dying and he thinks I hate him.

Feeling her fathers light embrace in hers, the Gilbert was grateful the quarry washed her tears away before they could be seen. She didn't want her father to think she was scared, even if he'd already known that. There was a look much like that of someone stuck in the middle of a tornados path, one that said she was okay with dying.

And she was, Maya allowed the water to spill in as she mouth her last words, 'I love you.' Her dad shook his head, but it was no use. His daughters world was turning completely black and the burning of water had completely given way to a peace that shouldn't have existed.

The darkness was all too much, all too familiar -- as if the darkness was calling her home again. There was a thick sweat covering Maya to the point her hair had taken on its very own wet look. Yet she hadn't noticed how she was screaming until a pair of hand were holding her still, "Maya! Maya! You're safe! You're not under water anymore," Elena's voice called her back to reality.

Her words bringing on a crash that landed Maya sobbing into Elena's arms. And just as she had done on and off since the night their parents died Elena continued to hold her in her arms. "I saw them, I saw them in the dark again," was all Maya would say. Often the younger twin would yell for her sister to leave, but on nights like tonight? She was too tired to fight, to tired to deny that she did in fact need her big sister.

Running her hands through Maya's hair she shushed her telling her, "It's okay. It's just a bad memory, memories can't hurt you. I won't let them, just sleep Maya. I'll hold you while you rest." With time, Maya managed to fall asleep in the only arms that had managed to get her to sleep for the past year. Quietly, and with great effort Elena managed to sneak out about an hour later.

As soon as she softly closed the door a new voice spoke up, "She fall asleep without cursing you out this time?"

Elena instantly hushed her brothers voice as she turned grabbing his arm pushing his away from her sisters door. "Yes, she is a sleep, so how about you do the same," she hissed trying to get him back to bed now.

"How long do you think you can keep this up," questioned Jeremy breaking her hold on him barely keeping his voice low. His words had stpped Elena cold with confusion, "How long do you think you can keep waking up multiple times a night to check on her? How long are we going to ignore that Maya isn't okay?"

"As many nights as it takes for her to be able to sleep without seeing mom and dad dead," she spat losing her own control of volume. Her words sliced through him, lowering her voice Elena told him, "I know she's not okay. I'm not ignoring her, I just don't know how to help her."

There was a cracking in Elena's words that soften the youngest Gilbert, "Maybe I'm just allowing her to be weak this once, to lean on somebody instead of pretending she's okay. I let her scream at me, hurt my feelings because -- because she was never allowed to be anything but perfect when they were alive." Her statement was true, but Jeremy nor Maya had ever heard Elena dare to question or judge their parents for it.

It seemed the harsh reality of what their actions had left something  festering within Maya since they died that brought ultimate clarity to her sister. She no longer could say 'they're doing it for her' in their defense. "Dad treated her like she could never break but they broke her. They broke her when they were alive and now? Now losing them is going to kill her. So just-- just cut her some slack, cut us some slack. We're grieving and scared too Jer." The oldest Gilbert didn't allow her brother to say anything more. As he opened his mouth she waved him quiet, "Just go to bed."

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❝ mystic falls high school ❞

"World war II ended in... Anyone got anything? Miss Gilbert," he asked standing directly in front of Maya.

Her eyes didn't even care to find their way up to his, rather dryly her tone carried out, "1945. Wasn't even a hard question that time." Maya-Jane had a habit of not paying attention and he always tried to make her slip, but it never worked. History was her strongest subject because her mother loved it. She and her siblings were constantly being told stories and taken on trips to museums and historical sights. Local and national. 

The class was filled with small chuckles as she answered, it was always known that being in the same class as Maya and Tanner was a treat. Their banter was one of the best things at the school to some students, it never failed to entertain. Since the town was small Tanner had managed to teach both middle and high school classes -- Maya's class getting to experience him the most.

Tanner moved on ignoring the bait that was her words as he turned to the less combative of the pair, "Pearl Harbor? Miss Elena Gilbert?" The brunette pulled her eyes away from her whispered conversation with Stefan staring up with wide eyes at her teacher. "Pearl Harbor," he repeated to the twin who clearly hadn't been half listening like Maya was.

Elena was searching for an answer in her brain she did not have, the oldest of the siblings didn't pick up the love for history her siblings both had. She liked the stories, she just didn't know anything about exact dates. The younger twin leaned forward and was about to answer for her sister but someone else beat her to it, "December 7, 1941," Stefan said.

Tanner zeroed in on the boy as if he too were a child who'd just entered the toy shop with something particular in mind. Even though Stefan had not been his target Tanner was all to happy to smirk taunting the boy, "Thank you, Miss Gilbert."

Laughter filtered the room while the twins glared at their teacher. What had given him the right to be so rude, Maya thought. It made her wonder what he'd been like in school himself, and if anyone back then had picked on him too much or not enough. "Anytime," Stefan jeered back a lightness to him that couldn't be tolerated.

His words were all but a declaration of battle to Tanner, and he could do nothing but accept, "Very well. The fall of the Berlin Wall?"

"1989," the Salvatore boy answered with haste as if the year were his own birthday, "I'm good with dates, sir." His justification seemed to be enough to please students already enjoying where this confrontation was going.

The ease in which he answered casted even more of favorable light on the Salvatore boy than before. Intelligence was a magnet to Maya. People whom she found smart as or god forbid smarter than her were impossible to ignore. "Are you? How good," Tanner his eyes looking around at the other students. He wasn't about to be outsmarted by a teenager, so Tanner had to challenge, "Keep it to the year. Civil Rights Act?"

"1964." once again Stefan answered with a swiftness that made Maya chuckle and glance to her sister who seemed just as surprised.

"John F. Kennedy assassination," Tanner followed up moving closer to him.

"1963."

"Martin Luther King."

"'68," Stefan answered just as quickly as he had many times before.

More sternly Tanner pushed, "Lincoln?"

"1865."

"Roe vs. Wade," Tanner questioned as closed the distance between them with each step.

"1973."

"Brown vs. Board."

"1954."

"The battle of Gettysburg."

"1863."

"Korean war," Tanner asked his voice laced with more anger which each correct answer Stefan gave.

"1950 to 1953," Stefan answered still keeping up his right answers streak.

Thinking he caught Stefan being wrong Tanner became excited, "Ha! It ended in '52."

Maya furrowed her brows almost exactly how Stefan did at the teachers denial. "Uh, actually, sir, it was '53," she spoke up her pen raised as an act to grab his attention.

"Look it up, somebody. Quickly," he ordered the class his eyes locked sharply on the girl.

Everyone pulled out their books looking it up but one smart student pulled out their phone looking it up. Devin finally announced to the class, "It was 19... 53." The confirmation filled the room with victorious laughter and some clapping as the bell rung overhead.

While her sister and their other friends lingered, Maya rushed to join Stefan sneakily making his escape down the hall. He barely made it a few feet from the door before she was beside him nudging him with her arm asking, "How did you know all of that? I mean I know how I knew it, but how did you?"

Stumbling from her motion he chuckled telling her, "Years and years of crossword puzzles. It's a loner thing."

Maya rolled her eyes insisting, "Being a loner isn't a bad thing, Salvatore. If anything it adds to mystery and who doesn't love solving a good mystery in the shape of a person?"

"Well thank you Maya, that's a unique way of looking at things. I think you may be giving me more credit than I deserve but," he trailed off with a laugh as they made their way down the hall.

She shrugged with a simple return, "Maybe, I mean it certainly keeps my life interesting." Her mind began to wonder with theories of lives Stefan had lived before moving there. All of them seeming possible but she was desperate to know his story. She didn't need the whole mystery unveiled in a night like her sister, but she did need something.

The perfect idea of how to get the story flashed across her mind. "I've got an idea for that being more social thing though if you want," Maya began earning focused and cautious eyes from Stefan, "Now before you say no I heard about how the whole football thing this morning with Tyler -- would've killed to see that by the way -- and if you don't wanna be a loner anymore you try out for the team."

Stefan automatically shook his head refusing her with a swiftness, "No, no way Maya."

"Oh come one Stefan it would be fun," she begged throwing her head back. They came upon a door which Stefan lifted his arm over her head to keep open. Sneaking under his arm she walked backward keeping their eyes locked as she countered, "Give me one good reason that you shouldn't."

"It will ruin my whole loner thing," he teased guiding her with his free hand so she didn't walk into the group behind her.

His statement brought a cackle from the Gilbert, "Cheerleading didn't ruin my whole mean girl vibe so I think you'll be okay."

"I don't think you're a mean girl," Stefan told her honestly making Maya stop dead in her tracks. She knew she sometimes could be one, plus everyone she knew had called her one either behind her back or to her face at one time or another. That or just a straight up bitch which always was them saying the same thing in her eyes anyways.

The looked of soft belief in her eyes basked Maya in colors she wasn't comfortable wearing. Even the mere look in his eyes was captivating to her and Maya could feel the damage it was causing. She wasn't supposed to be with him "It's adorable that you think that. Stick around a while you'll learn how wrong that is," Maya laughed throwing her arm lazily around him as a joke.

They walked a little further down the hall before she saw the locker room she needed to change in before practice. "Alright pretty boy I gotta get to practice so I'll see you at dinner tonight," she said backing into the walk way, "No exceptions I'm determined to learn everything there is to know about you."

Stefan laughed as the Gilbert girl backed up into the locker room to go get ready for practice. The Salvatore boy shook his head slightly an unshakeable grin as he muttered to himself, "She is something else."

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Starring at herself in her lock room mirror might as well been laying sight on another creature. Another person wearing her body faking a smile, telling jokes, ignoring the crawling of her own skin. It was herself in the mirror -- she looked normal, perfect even. Yet that in itself was what felt so wrong to her. How could she fake things so well? What kinda monster or manipulator was she that she was capable of it?

Because she knew once she walked out that door no one would notice the truth. Or rather, they wouldn't be able to break the facade if they did try it. Fastening her dark brown curls into a ponytail Maya forced the smile before exiting the locker room through the door leading to the field.

 The brunette  glanced around the small pond of girls until she found the Bennett she was looking for. With a slight jog Maya made her way through the crowd greeting the stretching girl, "Hey pretty lady."

"Maya! Hey," she smiled while the Gilbert took her seat next to her allowing her to continue to stretch, "Is Elena coming," she wondered.

The Gilbert girl shrugged offering, "I'm not sure. Caroline didn't give me a choice so I'm here for her lets see what happens." Tapping her friend she asked, "Help me stretch my leg?"

With a nod Maya laid on her back lifting her left leg allowing Bonnie to push it down towards her chest. Her long legs were extremely helpful in cheer, no matter how much tightness it brought them. The gymnastics up until the eighth grade alongside cheer had made it easier long ago, but Maya didn't nearly keep the same training level now.

Her muscles hadn't even been running over the last few months, they were desperate for the stretching and the physical activity. The most active she'd been since her parents died was running to the car to buy more weed off her dealer, Vicki Donovan. Maya's desperation was what had kept her going to practice, and it must've what convinced her sister to come.

Upside down and heading towards her was her twin dressed for practice. "Look who came," Maya gestured up with her chin causing Bonnie to follow her gaze seeing her sister.

Bonnie instantly had dropped her friends leg running over to the Older Gilbert. "Oh, my God! You're here," Bonnie cheered throwing her arms around her friend.

"Well aren't you just filled with surprises Elena," Maya added as she hugged her sister too.

Elena shrugged telling them, "Yep. I can't be sad girl forever. The only way to get things back to the way they were are to do things that were,." Placing down her bottled water Elena's face perked as she remembered to tell Bonnie, "Oh, and you're coming to dinner tonight."

With furrowed brows Bonnie followed up with, "I am?"

The perfect daughter hummed, "You, me, Maya, and Stefan." Bonnie's smile vanished instantly hearing the last name on her friends list, and with it went the Gilberts hopes. "You have to give him a chance," Elena encouraged.

"She's right Bon, he's not that bad," Maya added.

For some unknown reason Bonnie did not wanna be anywhere near Stefan. Maya could not for the life of her figure out why, "Tonight's no good. Have you seen Caroline? I texted her like a hundred times," Bonnie deflected

The Gilbert sisters shared a look briefly before Maya did actually look around for Caroline. Sharply Elena told her, "Don't change the subject, Bonnie Bennett. You're going to be there."

"Fine. I'll go," Bonnie sighed finally giving into Elena's wish.

"Good," Elena smiled victoriously.

The younger Gilbert, still glancing around for the fourth of their sisterhood. Bringing them back to the topic of earlier distraction Maya asked, "Seriously, where is Caroline?" When it came to cheer or anything Caroline had planned or worked on she a stickler for being on time. In fact before she walked out she thought Caroline was gonna throw a fit that she was late.

 "Try her again," Bonnie told Maya

Just as she began reaching for her phone, the sounds of tires racing up the pebbled road leading to the field called her attention upward. Barreling towards them was a beautiful blue 1969 Chevy Camaro Convertible and this flawless creation carried Caroline inside it. Caroline who was passionately kissing a man with ravens for hair a sight of which filled Maya with a burning in her mind. Why was Caroline making out with some random older guy in front of her right now? 

"Oh, my God. That must be the mystery guy from the grill," Bonnie said standing up along with the other two girls.

"That's not a mystery guy. That's Damon Salvatore."

Bonnie's face went white as a ghost repeating back, "Salvatore, as in Stefan?"

Caroline, grinning from ear to ear as she got out from the car after sharing a heated kiss with Damon. "I got the other brother. Hope you don't mind," she said taking a jab at Elena, in Maya's personal opinion.

Maya scoffed as she took her spot in front of all the girls, before they started she looked over to Damon. He puzzled Maya, for some reason she knew him other than from the Grill.

She remembered him from somewhere but she couldn't remember where. The two shared a intense look of an emotion neither one understood, mostly Maya.

"Sorry I'm late, girls. I, uh, was busy," Caroline's called out. "Alright, let's start with the double pike herkey hurdler, what do you say," she walked over to the radio turning on the music. Bonnie, Elena, and Maya got in their positions as the blonde began to shout, "And 5, 6, 7, 8. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8."

Maya moved with ease knowing the routine like the back of her hand, Caroline made sure she did, made her go to cheer camp instead of staying in doors. That made Maya love her more, she did all she could to try and make her happy, even if it didn't work.

Elena on the other hand did not know the routine like she did leaving her to look more confused than anyone.

Taking notice Caroline mocked, "Elena, sweetie, why don't you just observe today? Ok? Keep going!" Maya watched her sister walk off to the side looking like she felt extremely alone, not being able to stand it Maya walked off with her. They stood off to the side lines for the rest of the practice.

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❝ gilbert house [ kitchen ] ❞

The Gilbert twins and, Bonnie were spread about the kitchen 'cooking' dinner. Maya sat on the counter top swinging her legs back and forth watching as the pair moved food from the Grill into nicer bowls. A sad but cute attempt at impressing the Salvatore boy.

All the while Bonnie went on about the visions she felt she was being 'given' from higher powers like her grandmother had told her. "You explain it. Last night, I'm watching Nine-o, a commercial breaks come on and I'm like, I bet it's that phone commercial," Bonnie mocked herself slightly. "And sure enough, it's that guy and the girl with the bench, he flies to Paris and he flies back. They take a picture."

"Oh, come on. That commercial's on a constant loop," Elena said finishing putting the food together.

Her denial's only made Bonnie push the idea harder adding, "Fine. Well, how about this? Today I'm obsessed with numbers. 3 numbers. I keep seeing 8, 14, and 22. How weird is that?"

The older Gilbert girl smiled chewing on a piece of food, "maybe we should play the lottery." When all she received was a laugh from her sister and a glare from Bonnie, Elena went on, "Have you talked to your grams?"

"She's just gonna say it's because I'm a witch," argued the Bennett who added a pointed question for the twins quicky after. "I don't want to be a witch. Do you want to be a witch?"

The older Gilbert shook her head, "I don't want to be a witch."

Maya shrugged, "I wouldn't mind. You'd have all the power you want and be a total bad ass while doing it." Her statement earned sharp looks from their pair in front of her. Holding up her hands she told them, "What? I've seen Harry Potter..."

The Bennett girl rolled her eyes before focusing back in and rather bitterly telling her friend, "And putting it in a nice bowl isn't fooling anybody."

Never one to miss a beat, Maya teased, "She would know -- Bonnie sees the future so she's already seen his reaction."

Bonnie grabbed a towel throwing it at her friend while the older twin began muttering about servings spoons. Muttering Bonnie didn't miss and almost without effort she answered, "Little drawer on your left." The sudden certainty behind her words made them all pause before Elena reached for the drawer in question finding the spoons inside..

"Ok, so you've been in this kitchen like a thousand times," shrugged off Elena -- it had to be just her memory playing tricks, right?

"Yeah, that's it," Bonnie rolled her eyes. They hear the doorbell, Maya hopped off the counter top.

Elena's face lit up telling her friend, "Ok, he's here. Don't be nervous. Just be your normal loving self." As her sister left Maya jumped from the counter hugging the Bennett's shoulders from behind. She didn't understand her friends fears, but that didn't mean she didn't sympathize with her.

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Awkward, that was the only way Maya would describe this dinner, awkward. Maya couldn't help but think maybe it would've been better to let Bonnie and Stefan to become friends on their own. "Did Tanner give you a hard time today," Elena asked trying to break the silence.

"Well, he let me on the team, so I must have done something right," Stefan said making a slight joke out of it.

Maya chuckled lowly allowing herself to be heard, "I told you, you could do it."

"Bonnie, you should have seen Stefan today. Tyler threw a ball right at him and," before Elena finished Bonnie cut her off.

"Yeah, I heard," she said. 

In Bonnie's defense it had gone around school like ten seconds after it had happened. Maya leaned back in her chair taking notice of her cold tone that very much wasn't from the repetitive nature of the story. "Why don't you tell Stefan about your family," Maya suggested hoping that would give them something to talk about.

"Um, divorced. No mom. Live with my dad," she said making Maya roll her eyes.

The younger Gilbert sighed, "No, about the witches."

When her friend said nothing she spoke up for her, "Bonnie's family has a lineage of witches. It's really cool."

"Cool isn't the word I'd use."

"Well, it's certainly interesting," Stefan said making both Elena and Maya smile. "I'm not too versed, but I do know that there's a history of celtic druids that migrated here in the 1800s."

"My family came by way of Salem," she told him.

"Really? Salem witches," Stefan questioned.

Bonnie nodded, "Yeah."

"I would say that's pretty cool," Stefan told her.

"Really? Why?"

"Salem witches are heroic examples of individualism and nonconformity," he told her making Bonnie smile.

Bonnie seemed to give his words a moment of thought before realizing he had made a point that couldn't be argued. "Yeah, they are," she grinned seemingly breaking ice that the twins were praying for at that point. Before anyone says anything else they hear the doorbell ring again forcing the twins to share confirming looks across the table. Neither of them invited anyone who wasn't already there?

"I wonder who that could be," Elena questioned getting up her sister following closely behind.

They stood at the door when they opened it seeing Caroline and the man from earlier standing there with smiling faces. "Surprise! Bonnie said you were doing dinner, so we brought dessert," Caroline beamed sneaking into the house without invitation.

Maya gave a tight smile never taking her eyes off Damon, "Oh?"

"Hope you don't mind," Damon added.

"What are you doing here," Stefan questioned coming up behind the two sisters.

Damon still stood in the doorway, "Waiting for Maya to invite me in."

She ignored the look Stefan gave her and was about to invite him in, "Hh, yeah, you can," she started but was cut off.

"No, no, no. He can't, uh... he can't stay. Can you, Damon," he said earning a strange look from Maya and her sister. He seemed almost scared to have his brother into her home, but why would he be so scared Maya wondered.

Just as confused Caroline said, "Get in here."

"We're just... finishing up," Stefan said and Maya was about to agree and send everyone home but Elena beat her to the punch.

Much to her sisters dismay said, "It's fine. Just come on in."

Damon smirked wickedly, "You have a beautiful home, Elena, Maya."

"Thank you," Maya said still feeling like she knew him from somewhere.

They all made their way into the living room taking seat on the couches Bonnie and Elena on one, Damon and Caroline on the other.

While Stefan and Maya sat on the arm chairs next to each others. "I cannot believe that Mr. Tanner let you on the team. Tyler must be seething. But good for you. Go for it," Caroline encouraged. Maya tensed a little at the mention of Tyler, they my have been on good terms but he was still a sore topic.

"That's what I always tell him. You have to engage. You can't just sit there and wait for life to come to you. You have to go get it," Maya couldn't help but glare at Damon. He seemed fake, like everything he said had another meaning to it.

Caroline nodded, "Yeah, Elena wasn't so lucky today. It's only because you missed summer camp. God, I don't know how you're ever going to learn the routines," she said as if Elena wasn't right there.

"I'll work with her. She'll get it," Maya snapped slightly. Elena sent her a look to calm down and much to her dismay she did.

Caroline once again began to talk like Elena wasn't in the room, "I guess we can put her in the back."

"You know, you don't seem like the cheerleader type, Elena."

"Oh, it's just 'cause her parents died. Yeah, I mean, she's just totally going through a blah phase," Maya scoffed resisting the urge to get up and hit Caroline. She loved Caroline she really did, but mentioning her parents? Bad move. "She used to be way more fun. Maya's still fun though, and I say that with complete sensitivity."

Maya glared at her friend, "or maybe I'm just better at masking pain than Elena is."

"I'm sorry, Elena," Damon said changing topics. "I know what it's like to lose both your parents. In fact, Stefan and I have watched almost every single person we've ever cared about die."

Maya looked at Stefan as he tensed up, "We don't need to get into that right now, Damon."

"Oh, you know what, you're right, Stef. I'm sorry. The last thing I wanted to do was bring them up," there he went again with his double meanings behind everything.

✰✰✰

Later Maya stood in the kitchen putting the dishes into the dish washer while the others  stayed and talked. She was still kinda pissed at Caroline so she needed time to calm down, "One more," Damon said walking in with a cup.

"Oh, thank you," she said taking the cup from him but somehow she missed it and it slipped right through her hand. Surprising her Damon caught it making her laugh, "Nice save."

Damon once again handed her the cup and this time she took it, "I like you. You know how to laugh. And you make Stefan smile, which is something I haven't seen in a very long time."

"First you've got the wrong sister for the whole smiling thing and second earlier, did you mean... Katherine and Shay? Elena told me about them a little," she asked curious.

It's not that she didn't hope she made Stefan smile but she knew that she wasn't the main reason, Elena was. Damon hummed in agreement, "how did she die?"

Though he tried to hide it Maya saw the pain in his eyes when he talked about her, but she knew he was too proud to break his bad boy 'i don't care' exterior. "In a fire. Tragic fire," he told her.

"Recently," she asked.

"Well, it seems like it was yesterday," he answered oddly vague.

Out of curiosity Maya asked, "What were they like?"

"Which one?"

Randomly she said, "Shay. What was she like?"

Damon couldn't help but smirk at the irony of her asking about Shay, "she was beautiful. A lot like you in that department," Maya blushed a little.

"She was just very complicated and selfish and at times not very kind, but very sexy and seductive. I couldn't understand at first why Stefan was with her, but then again. I was with Katherine who was the same exact way, they were sisters."

"So which one of did both of you date," she asked. After hearing the way he talked about Shay there was no way they both didn't date her at least once.

The elder Salvatore laughed, "Nicely deduced. Ask Stefan. I'm sure his answer differs from mine. I'd quit cheerleading if I were you."

"Why do you say that," Maya asked. She did feel like cheerleading was giving her back  piece of her old life, but she wasn't sure her old life is what she needed, at least not any more.

"I saw you at practice. You looked miserable," he said Maya chuckled knowing he was slightly right.

"You saw that," Maya was sure she had hid it well. Maybe it was easier for someone who didn't know her to pick up on it than others. He once again hummed, "I used to love it. It was fun. Things are different this year, I just want to hold on to who I used to be."

"You can't, who you used to be is gone, move on. Problem solved. Ta-da," he mocked jokingly.

"Some things could matter again."

Damon shrugged, "Maybe. But... seems a little unrealistic to me."

"I'm sorry. About Katherine, and Shay. You lost them, too." Damon stood there shocked, he hadn't had anyone show him such...kindness in so long.

That was his own fault and he knew Maya would grow to hate him, everyone did. But for a moment her showing him kindness made him feel oddly human again.

Ruining Damon's moment Bonnie walking in with Elena, "Hey. Need some help?"

"Sure, why not," she answered as Damon walked away.

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❝ mystic falls high ❞

Maya walked across the school parking lot in her cheer uniform, "Look at you," she heard Stefan call out to her, "I thought you were gonna quit with Elena, but here you are."

"Here I am," she said holding up her pom–pom's in the air with a sheepish smile on her face making Stefan laugh.

Stefan smiled brightly at the girl who always seemed to make him smile even when he didn't notice it. He was so surprised by how different she was from Shay, Maya was warm and kind. Shay was cold and manipulative. "Hey I got you something," he said pulling out a necklace.

The necklace wrapped an amethyst opal glass cabochon in exquisitely detailed antiqued brass filigree. The stone is set in an antique Victorian style setting, which was embellished with matching opalescent crystal stones.

"Stefan it's beautiful," she said in amazement of the jewelry. It was possibly the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, "Why did you get me this? Shouldn't you be giving Elena this."

"I already gave her one," he told her. "I was going through some old family boxes when I found it and I thought you should have it. My  friend," Maya smiled though it hurt to be called just his friend but she was gonna take what she could get.

She smiled sweetly at him, "Thank you. Help me put it on," she asked and he nodded. Maya turned around lifting her hair exposing her neck. The feeling of his fingers lightly touching her skin sent chills down her spine. She could've swore his hand lingered on her neck after clasping the necklace shut. 

The feeling of the chain resting made her turn to face him not realizing how close they were until it was too late. They were already mere inches from each other and neither of them wanted to move. Why couldn't she stop feeling pulled towards him? The idea of having him crushed her just as quickly as the idea came to her because all she could see was Elena's sadness. "Thank you, again. I-I'll see you later," she said before quickly going to join the other girls.

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Caroline, Bonnie, and Maya stood around the fire cheering with all the other cheerleaders. The warmth of the fire in front of them made wearing her skirt much easier. A thankful small comfort for having to listen to Tanner shout into the microphone, "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait Let's be honest here."

"In the past, we used to let other teams come into our town and roll right over us! But that is about to change. We've got some great new talent tonight starting on the offensive line, and I'm gonna tell you right now, it has been a long time since I have seen a kid like this with hands like these."

"Go Stefan," Maya cheered earning a smile from across the way. A sight in which made her wonder if her sisters heart skipped the same way when she experienced it.

"That have been waiting for us to put a check in the win column, I have only one thing to say to you... Your Timberwolves are hungry." Maya stood there listening to him but she notice people walking away and heard people chanting 'fight.' Curious she ran over seeing Tyler on top of Jeremy and Vicki trying to stop them.

Maya took off running to them, "Tyler, stop it! Tyler! Tyler, stop! Stop it! Stop, you're hurting him! Tyler, stop!" The Gilbert girl grabbed Tyler but he pushed her down to the ground. "TYLER! Get the hell off him," she screamed getting up from her feet. The Gilbert dug in her feet about to take full tacking sprint at him, but Stefan had beat her to him.

Seemingly out of no where Stefan was pulling Tyler off, "Hey, he's down! Enough!"

In the moment of distraction when Tyler punched Stefan earning not even so much as a flinch, Maya saw as her little brother get up grabbing a piece of a broken bottle. "Jeremy, no," she screamed. But it was too late he swung missing Tyler and slicing Stefan's hand.

Having arrived for the tail end of the chaos, Matt came and pulled an extremely pissed off Tyler away. She watched as Elena helped Jeremy before dragging him off to be yelled at. As the dust settled and her eyes fell upon Stefan, Maya lit up rushing for his hand, "Oh, my God, your hand."

"No, no, no, it's fine."

Maya could feel him pulling away refusing to let her see his injury. "Is it deep? How bad is it? Come on Salvatore," she demanded as he finally gave in showing his hand but there was nothing there. "But... I saw it, it was," she let out confused.

Stefan shook his head, "He missed. It's not my blood. See? I'm fine," he told her wiping his hand on his jeans.

"No, no, no. I... I saw it. The glass cut your hand. It was," Stefan cut her off.

"It's ok. I'm ok. It's almost kick-off time, all right? So, um, I'll, uh, I'll see you after the game."

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All Maya had in her now was going home. She didn't care for the game of her routines, she just wanted sleep. The brunette was sneaking off to her car when she heard, "Maya." She turned around seeing Tyler walking towards her -- Maya groaned at the sight and continued walking, "Maya wait."

"Get the hell away from me," she yelled walking away.

Quickly she caught up with her grabbing her arm, "Please just listen to me.'

"Listen!? Listen to what? You telling me it's over between you and Vicki, or you saying sorry for beating up my brother," she yelled hitting his chest over and over again. "I'm done Tyler! We're done! Now stay the hell away from me," she screamed walking away. For the first time he let her go, he listened to her.

She only made it a few steps further before her heart swore it would give out at the sight of what was before her. Mangled and torn apart form the neck was Mr. Tanner. When her voice strangled out all Maya could do with it was scream. 

Up until that moment the only other person she'd seen dead so vivid was her mother. Her father had life in him last she'd seen, but not her mother. Looking at Tanner felt no different, almost as if she were looking at the bruised and wet corpse of her mother at the same time. The sounds of her screams had sent Tyler bolting back to her -- the moment he reached her he shielded her eyes pulling her into his chest.

maya's necklace from Stefan

maya's dress next chapter