CHAPTER FIVE; FAMILY TIES

❝ never allow your monsters to see your weaknesses ❞

˚ ༘ ·˚꒰  𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒚꒱ ₊

˚ˑ1:35 ━━━●───── 3:47

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ

volυмe : ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇▉

･ ｡ﾟ☆

❝ mystic grill [ interior ] ❞

"HI, MY NAME IS MJ and I'll be your server today. What are you fixin' to have for lunch," Maya rambled off opening her red note pad hardly looking at the customer she'd been redirected towards.

In an effort to make her look, the customer replied, "What I want to eat you don't have on the menu."

His comment sounded more mundanely suggestive than he realized. However May was a waitress in a small town since she was fifteen years old, she had heard all the inuendo a girl's heart could bare. Tiredly she told him, "Well I'm sure you can find something to suit your high standards."

Part of Maya loved working with people, talking to new ones, hearing their stories but other times? She could've sworn she was being waterboarded sometimes by their stupidity. "You make a good point," he said pretending to look over the menu before adding, "I'll take a burger, fries, and one interesting question for you."

The ending of his statement finally forced Maya to look up meeting eyes of still glaciers staring back at her. "Well I could be convinced into being honest for my second favorite Salvatore," Maya quipped her attitude swiftly becoming lighter, "And let me just rip off the band aid for you -- I'm not looking to get married yet either."

The elder Salvatore sent a light hearted look her way as he assured, "No it's not that Gilbert, but I can't believe I lost out to Stefan. Ouch."

Pushing her dark chocolate curls back Maya was simple in her explanation, "What can I say? I'm a sucker for green eyes."

Doubling the meaning behind his words as he often did Damon said, "And Stefan's always had a thing for sisters, ironic, huh?" Maya's mouth twisted her attempt to silence the first words that came to mind. She was four hours into a six hour shift, groggy from the joint she' smoked on her break, and hungry for her own cheese burger right about now. She had very little energy to waste on Stefan's older brother and his double meanings.

It was very clearly bait being laid out as a trap for her and she was doing everything to avoid whatever it was Damon wanted with her. "Actually, I was just want you to join me tonight for the founder's party. Caroline is going to her dad's and I could use the company. What do you say?"

As much as Maya had wanted to avoid him, all her will to do so seemed to vanish from her body. When the word she wanted was 'no' all that came out was, "Absolutely." For Caroline alone she didn't want to go, yet she still had said yes. Why did she tell him yes?

Stranger still was the way Damon seemed to eye the necklace she dawned around her throat his jaw briefly clenching. "Another thing, I want you to wear a different necklace, I have something better for you actually. Red always looks nice on you."

"Okay," Maya found herself agreeing before she could stop herself. The swiftness of her words and sure confusion by them pushed the brunette to excuse herself by saying she needed to put his order in. She couldn't explain a second of the conversation with Damon, nor her unexplained need to do what he wanted. His very distaste for her necklace had her undoing the clasp by the time she reached her bag in the back.

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❝ the salvatore boarding house ❞

There was a lightness to his brother when Damon walked into their home that had Stefan at an unease. He had so many questions about his brother but his latest came when Caroline had arrived that morning.

Carrying with her not only the information she would be leaving town for the weekend, but a gifted necklace Damon had asked her to return to him. She explained how he had given it to her to keep as a secret gift. He was just about to open it when his brother's arrival made him ask, "Caroline brought this by -- what is it?"

An already light spirit became even more so as Damon happily told his brother, "You'll see later tonight."

Stefan hummed his eyes fixed on Damon who snatched the small box from his hands. His mentions of the night brought Stefan back to the other piece of information Caroline had shared with him. She'd given him the idea of taking someone she knew would keep an eye on him while she was away. An innocent attempt by an insecure girl to keep an older boyfriend from straying.

Caroline had refused to tell him who his brother would be taking, but her lack of an answer already gave him an eerie confirmation. "Which begs the question of who," challenged Stefan attempting to force him to meet his eye.

But there was nothing but a hint of mischievousness behind them that only flooded Stefan's blood with ice. "Don't you worry about me little brother," he mocked walking backwards towards the doorway. "I already have another date," he finished vanishing behind the walkway. There was a brief pause before poking his head out from around the banister and added, "And this girl?" Damon whistled his tone ever so taunting, "She's just as fun as she is a knock out. You're gonna love her."

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❝ the gilbert house [ kitchen] ❞

All dinner long Jeremy couldn't take his eyes off Maya, a habit he'd taken up as a little brother wanting to be just like her that had become one of a young man watching his sister on the edge of a cliff. He could always tell how exhausted her day had made her by her eyes, her voice and smile were convincing but her eyes never lied. No matter what she did her eyes always told her truth and tonight they said she was preparing.

By the amount of food she actually allowed herself to eat, the lengthy time spent in her shower, and the meticulous choosing of her dress said she planned to go out. A simple thing that wouldn't have made most younger brothers worry, but Maya wasn't most sister's, and he wasn't most brothers.

His, and his siblings thoughts were cut short with the sound of the doorbell ringing out. Maya, the closest to the door was the first to stand and go to it. The second she opened it she was hit with anger and longing all rolled up into one. Standing on the other side as if a lost dog was the Lockwood boy. And when left between the choice between which emotion to act on, anger or longing she could only choose anger.

How could she choose something else when the image of her bloody, bruised, and broken brother was too fresh in her mind. She and Tyler could destroy each other all they very well liked, they both knew they had died inside long ago but Jeremy? He was better than her and Tyler put together and she owed it to her parents to always choose him.

And that is what she did when she groaned and greeted, "Sorry, Sheriff just left if you were looking to turn yourself in for assaulting my brother over a creepy 18 girl who won't stop fucking with my fifteen year old brother. By the way, tell Vicki if I see her, I am going to break every bone in her body for not only cheating with you, but for deflowering my brother when he was, as I said, fifth-fucking-teen."

A fight between Vicki and maya was as certain as the one between him and Jeremy, everyone knew it. Vicki especially who, from past experiences hadn't looked forward to defending herself against a fully enraged Maya. Only due to Vicki's fear, and Matt's intervention had they avoided each other this long.

Not being the one to defend Vicki, not when he could see the look in Maya's eyes -- Tyler had nothing left to say but, "I'm not turning myself in for a fight he wanted as badly as me."

The brunettes jaw clenched, "Fair enough. Then maybe you can just turn yourself in for being an adulterous fucking moron that is at my door for whatever reason." Maya knew her words carried a weight with him that no one, not even his mother did. She knew how much every insult hurt, and because it was the only thing she could do that could him as badly as he'd hurt her, she wouldn't stop.

Tyler tilted his head softly deflecting her insults, "I'm here for my mom. I was supposed to pick up a box of stuff."

Her eyes fell to the box beside the door Elena had told her about that morning. Elena had intended to be the one to give it to him, fate had seemed to hand her even worse luck. Tearing it off the table she offered it up to him with one piece of advice, "Right here. Please be careful -- I know how you are with delicate breakable things."

Tyler could only manage appear just like the lost dog he showed up like, and there was no one he could blame but himself. He'd looked for someone else, even his father, but eventually he knew his father didn't make him cheat. Perhaps Richard Lockwood made it seem normal, but he knew it wasn't right for his mom to suffer. How could he then do it to the only good thing in his life? She was the love of his life and he knew no matter how old they got that would never change. Mainly because he knew that even if offered a chance with another he couldn't take the chance if it wasn't her.

The sounds of voices had brought Jeremy coming up behind his sister to hear the tail end of their conversation. Without thought or hesitation he supported her snapping at the boy, "Yeah, careful with it, dick."

He tried to walk out of the house past her but Maya grabbed his arm keeping him in place behind her. Tyler had already beat the shit out of Jeremy, she didn't need to see it happen again. Especially because Tyler never physically hurt her, but she would physically hurt him in a second to protect Jeremy. She hesitated once for their past, she wouldn't do it again.

The nicest, and most level headed of the bunch came up from behind the pair diffusing the thick tension between all of them, "Not now, ok, guys? Please?"

Tyler shrugged telling her, "I'm fine. He's just being a punk."

"Good to know my presence doesn't sway your mouth," she spat her eyes starring bewildered at the Lockwood boy whom she had loved most of her young life. Maya couldn't believe how much like his father he was becoming as he grew up.

With only action Jeremy attempted to lung through his sisters at him saying, "I got your punk." Before he'd even made it across the threshold Maya had grabbed the back of his hairs hissing at him to get back.

"Look, Tyler, maybe you should go," softly offered the eldest of the siblings. 'Tell your mom that I'll see her tonight," Elena added while taking Jeremy back inside leaving her twin to shut the door.

A task Tyler ruined when his voice protested, "Hey." The brunette huffed giving him a look to continue, which he did, "Would it make a difference if I told you I do really love you."

"Not even if you meant it. Have fun with Vicki tonight," she reminded him of the girl he was actually going to be taking tonight, not her. She slammed the door in his face not allowing him to utter one more word. The second the door shut all that was left in her was reality.

Her eyes shut almost believing when she had it made the whole world truly go away. And with it all of what had become of her and Tyler. They'd known each other for as long as she could remember, literal. There was not a life either of them knew where they didn't have the other.

Their history however intense and connecting it was, wasn't enough to save them anymore. Something else would have to give Maya back her will to live and as damage as reckless as she was, even she understood they had to let go. Didn't they?

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❝ the gilbert house [ elena's bedroom ] ❞

"Delicate flower vs. Naughty vixen," Bonnie pondered aloud to the twins but Maya wasn't paying much attention. She was trying to make her hair perfect, everything about tonight had to be perfect. That was what he had instructed her with when he dropped off the necklace for Maya to wear tonight. Said it was a thank you gift for her filling in for Caroline -- one too beautiful to ignore.

From the other side of the room with straightener in hand Elena mused brightly, "Tough call. Can we mix them?"

"Look at you," the Bennett girl beamed the glow radiating from her friend. Her attention made her friends cheeks redden as she was reminded, "Getting all pretty for your date. You seem happy-Ish."

Keeping her eyes on the mirror while telling her, "I am...ish. Tonight's going to be a good night."

Interjecting from her spot on the bed, Maya, half paying attention to them and half to the lotion she was applying saying, "But don't let that stop you from telling us whatever it is you wanted to tell us as soon as you walked in the door. The knowing silence is starting to make me uncomfortable."

Bonnie tensed pleading with the inquisitive eyes starring at her. The twins made not have shared the exact same faces but their eyes were mirrors of the other in Bonnie's mind. "What if I tell you in the morning? I don't want to ruin the night," offered their friend trying to avoid their sharp stares.

Her denial made Elena peer her head from the door of her bathroom and demand, "Bonnie, out with it."

With a heavy sigh she was left telling the twins, "Okay, but it has to go in the vault, because Caroline will kill me if it gets back to Damon that she squealed." The twins re-centered themselves round the Bennett who explained, "Apparently Stefan has a very interesting back story. Do you know what happened with his ex-girlfriend Katherine?"

The older girl glanced to her sister already having spoken with her about what little she knew. Walking into her bathroom Elena almost dismissed, "I know that they both dated her and that's why they have issues."

"Yeah, they both dated her, only she chose Damon. And that drove Stefan mad," Bonnie revealed. Before vanishing behind the door Elena sent a disbelieving look back to her sister. Caroline had a almost lovely knack for believing anything she heard. Especially when it was coming from the mouth of a beautiful man.

Their stare couldn't be ignored and Bonnie went on explaining to them, "He did horrible things to try and break them up. He manipulated Katherine. He filled her head with all these lies until finally it worked, and she turned against Damon."

The version of events spoken made Maya let out the loudest cackle they'd heard come from her in a long while. Even though the pair had just met Maya knew whatever risk or danger came from Stefan would never come back on them. At least never in the purposeful way that Damon would. Over her sisters laughs, Elena defended, "That sounds like one person's side of the story, meaning Damon's."

"I just wanted you to know," swiftly asserted Bonnie.

"Anyway, his past relationships are none of my business," Elena added on to her sisters statement.

Her friend couldn't help but counter, "Unless he's a calculating, manipulative liar. That is your business."

"Stefan is none of those things," Maya told her voice taking on a seriousness that almost made a person believe her.

"Yeah," Bonnie opposed raising her brow as she further pushed her faith, "How do you know?" The softening of the Gilberts faces made Bonnie realize what she was doing, accidentally or not. She was telling them each that this new person that seemed safe enough to care about, wasn't and she had no right to change this for them. Not when her only say so was from the second hand words of an older man dating their friend.

The guilt of which left Bonnie changing the topic by asking her youngest of them, "Bot what about you May? I hear you're going with Damon tonight. How'd that happen? I thought you were going with Lucy Daniels?"

A sigh escaped her mouth, "Ah, Lucy," she mused still not fully understanding why she changed plans with her. Lucy was fun, and best of all she left Maya to be whatever she wanted to be-- and made sure neither of them died doing it. She was an ethereal blonde who belonged in a world far beyond their little town and yet Maya had chosen to go with Damon.

Now Maya was a great friend, no one you wanted with you in dark times more, truly. However if there was one thing she did put above most situations it was almost always the pretty face of some boy or girl. Maya wanted to say the truth, Damon asked and she literal felt like she had to do it but those words wouldn't find their way out. All she could manage to say, "Caroline was needy and I was there."

Her answer made both girls look at her strangely, sure it was something they would say, but never Maya. Caroline and her were practically one person sometimes. And Bonnie had long since had the theory one or both of them were in love with the other but would never say it. A friendship like theirs was too divine and vital to lose.

Not even Maya could understand why she said it, it was almost like it was someone else's words coming out. Elena was just about to question her when her phone erupting into rings stopped her cold. From the side of the conversation they got, Maya was able to get, "Hello? Hi, Mrs Lockwood. What do you mean? It is? Are you sure? 'Cause I saw it. Let me check. Mm-Hmm. I will find it and bring it. Ok. Bye."

Elena ignored the voices of her sister and friend asking who was on the phone and stormed directly through her bathroom and out through her brothers shared door. He hadn't noticed her at all until she was yanking off his head phones from his head, "Ahh! God, what now?"

The sound of his shouts had called Maya from the bedroom and storming in just in time to hear Elena demand, "The pocket watch. Where is it?"

The moment he went to speak Maya could tell her was faking his confusion, "What watch?"

"The one you stole from mom's box. Look, Mrs. Lockwood just called me, freaking out. It was on the list, Jeremy. And she can't find it, and she thinks she's the one who lost it," snapped his eldest sister who refused to allow him to do anything but focus on her. She could tell he was looking to Maya for help, he always looked for her to bail him out.

Even now Maya understood the truth was more needed than her desire to keep him out of trouble being satisfied. "Maybe she did. Maybe Tyler took it," he offered up the excuse.

Elena couldn't help but scoff at his attempt telling him, "Don't even play that card. Jeremy, you took it. If I go online, am I going to find it on ebay?" Her last question was a low blow Elena knew she was taking when she asked, "Is that how you pay for your pot?"

There was a truth to her doubt in him that sent Jeremy up to his feet. His height immediately making Elena offer space to him as he moved to a box above his desk pulling out the watch. Holding up the watch for her to see he hissed, "Screw you. I would never sell this, ok?"

He gripped up her hand slamming the watch securely into it. "Then why did you take it," Elena was left to softly wonder.

"Because it's supposed to be mine. Dad said it goes to the firstborn son. His father gave it to him, and now what," he griped pulling his chair back out to sit down.

Maya gnawed on her lip watching the argument unfold as Elena pieced together, "And he was going to give it to you."

"Yeah."

Knowing what she had sounded like Elena attempted to say, "Look, Jeremy, it's still yours, ok? Mom promised Mrs. Lockwood. What do you want me to do?"

Getting ready to ignore her and the rest of the word once more Jeremy bit back, "Just take it and get out."

Elena stood there for a moment before having no choice but to walk out. Maya waited until she heard Elena's room door close before she walked over to her brother tapping him on the shoulder. He looked up at her almost instantly rolling his eyes at her, "I'm not in the mood for one of your pep talks Maya," he told her shaking his head looking back to his computer putting his head phones on.

Maya didn't waste a second before pulling them back off his head, "Well then I guess it's a good thing I'm just asking questions. Like why didn't you just tell Elena? Why take the watch? You know she'd be understanding about it if you would've asked so why not ask?

"Because it's mine, I shouldn't have to ask for it. Dad was going to give it to me when I got older until—" Jeremy stopped talking not wanting to mention the accident in front of Maya? But, she didn't mind. In fact it upset her when people acted like it never happened. It left her twisting in rivers of tarred anguish thinking she was the only one who was haunted by them.

"Until, he got in the car with mom one night to pick me up, and we drove of a bridge," she finished sounding more like a confirmation than anything else.

Jeremy couldn't look up and meet his sisters eyes so instead he nodded as she went on, "I get why your so mad at everything and everyone Jer, I really do. I get being so fucked yo everything seems so fucking...out of your  control. But, you can't keep doing this, you can't push everyone away. The more you do that the harder it's gonna be to come back from. You can't expect people to think good of you when you only show them bad. I know you think I'm a hypocrite for telling you that but I tell you it because I know that once the world sees you as one thing it is next to impossible to be different. I don't want the world to decide who you are before you do it yourself."

Jeremy hated how right every word sounded coming from his sister, she was always his goddess-like voice of reason. His moral compass telling him how far he had strayed and right now such a simple mistake and left him feeling like he'd failed her. And Maya could see it clear as glass was to a bird so she placed her hand on his shoulder lowering herself so he had to look at her, "So next time you wanna do something you know you shouldn't call me. I don't care what time it is just call me, or where you are because Jeremy no matter how hard you push I won't leave you. I will always be right beside you. If you want the whole world to abandon you , you better start planning my murder because that is the only way you're getting rid of me."

Without adding pressure for him to say anything back Maya could only leave him with one thing he had to know, "I'm sorry I took mom and dad from you -- but don't let my choices ruin you too. Direct your hate and anger to me if you need to, just...don't become your hate."

Maya reached out for him but recoiled herself feeling as if she didn't have the right. Instead the brunette smiled turning her back heading back towards her room to finish getting ready. But before she left Jeremy's voice calling out, "Hey MJ?" She hummed turning back to face him as he said, "Thank you for always having my back."

The middle child smirked offering him, "And I do it free of charge too."

"And I don't hate you for them dying, because it wasn't your fault anymore than it was there's for being good enough parents to pick of their drunk daughter. That's why I'm angry, the very thing that made them so meaningful to us is the very thing that got them killed. They were good people trying to be good parents

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❝ the lockwood mansion [ front door ] ❞

"Maya," Carol Lockwood shrieked seeing the young girl, she was practically clutching her pearls at the sight. May wore a kind smile as the older woman stared between her and Damon mustering up the words, "You look beautiful." The Gilbert girl looked down at her tight velvet maroon dress paired with her black heels, and lose curls proudly grinning.

Since she was young Carol had never liked her and had always wished her son had chosen Elena, the respectable one over the defective one as she put it. Carol Lockwood taught Maya people would hate her for no real reason at all, no matter her age.

"Thank you, Mrs. Lockwood," she beamed placing her hand on Damon's chest as she introduced, "This is my friend Damon, his date couldn't make it tonight so I'm subbing in."

Mrs. Lockwood smiled at the older man tightly ushering, "Oh, well, come on in."

"Lovely to meet you. I've been looking forward to this party for quite a while," Damon said seemingly hiding something else behind it. Maya inspected Damon trying to figure him out but she couldn't, there was just too much unknown about him.

"Well, enjoy," Mrs. Lockwood said as Damon and Maya stepped into the Lockwood home.

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"The original Salvatore brothers," Damon called out to his brother and Elena as him and Maya walked arm and arm over to them. Once they got over there Maya took notice of the fact  they were looking at the original founders party guest registry. "Our ancestors. Tragic story, actually," he told the two girls who were hanging onto his every word.

Stefan whole body tensed as he began trying, "We don't need to bore them with stories of the past."

"It's not boring, Stefan. I'd love to hear more about your family," Elena stated happily wanting to hear more of Damon's story.

Doing as she had been told to May began with a pout, "Well, I'm bored. I want to dance. And Damon won't dance with me." Damon hummed knowing full well he wasn't going to be dancing tonight. "Could I just borrow your date 'Lena?"

"I don't really dance," Stefan began to protest.

"Oh, sure he does," Damon disagreed. The three listened as he finished, "You should see him. Waltz, the jitterbug, the moonwalk. He does it all."

Looking at her sister she pushed, "You wouldn't mind, would you, Elena?"

"It's up to Stefan," Elena replied calmly. It was her sister she had no reason to be jealous or to worry. Even if the whole world often tried to convince her that she did.

Maya smiled grabbing his hand intertwining it within her own the tingles it sent through her desperately needing to be ignored, "Well I'm not taking no for an answer, especially not from two Salvatore's in one night so come on." She dragged him downstairs pulling him onto the dance floor with her.

Once they got on the floor he placed his hand in hers and his other on her hip while she put hers on his shoulder. They felt those same tingles race through out their bodies a sensation ignored as they swayed to the music.

Maya couldn't keep her eyes off his, something about them was so captivating, so hypnotic. In this moment everything she'd done to keep her feelings for him at bay had been destroyed. She was so fixated on looking at him with such admiration she didn't notice how he looked at her. He was looking at her as if she was his whole world and the stars too.

He shouldn't have been looking at her like that, he knew that. He was with Elena, but there was just something about Maya that kept him fixed on her. And it wasn't that she looked like Samara.

And if he were honest, Samara in his opinion was nothing compared to Maya. Their differences were so vast other than their appearance they truly were two different people. The Gilbert girl to him was everything Samara could never be.

But, not even Stefan realized that he had never looked at anyone how he looked at Maya in that very moment, and he never would look at someone that way either. Neither of them knew it then, but this moment was just one of many moments they'd have with each other for the rest of their lives.

"You look beautiful tonight Maya," he complimented her honestly.

Maya felt some air leave her lungs but she quickly recovered acting like it meant nothing, even though it really meant everything to her. She smiled brightly at him teasing to deflect from her emotions, "Why thank you Mr. Salvatore. You don't look too bad yourself."

This moment had been one of the very few moments since her parents died that Maya felt happy, alive even. It wasn't act like it had been with other people, around Stefan Maya was completely and utterly herself. She knew it was wrong, he was with her sister and Elena was happy but she couldn't help how she felt.

But her sister being happy was what matter most to Mj. She never cared if she was hurt in the process, that was how she was with Elena, selfless to a fault. Let the rest of the word be damned if it meant Maya could protect her sister.

Realizing this had gone too far and she was getting lost in her feelings Maya pulled away as the song stopped. "Thank you for the dance," she told him about to leave him.

Her attempt to turn cause her pedant around her neck to catch the light making it's ruby stone glow. He had known it so long ago that the moment his eyes made contact with it again Stefan knew it was what Damon had gotten that morning. It was hers. "Where's your necklace? The one I gave you," he wondered knowing the exact reason Damon had switched them.

Maya's mouth fell a gape looking down at the silver chain ruby prism and answered, "Damon gave me one. Seems your relatives had a ton of jewelry that I will be happy to take of your hands."

She could see his mind travel else where for a moment before Stefan's gaze fell upon the champagne. He stared at it for a moment debating his next action briefly before acting. Swiping the glasses from the tray he asked her, "Would you like one?"

Maya raised her brow with a look that had almost convinced Stefan it was a bad idea. But slowly she allowed her gaze to soften as she held out her hand and said, "Ok, just tell me if you see Elena. She'll kill us both if she see's us."

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Stefan laughed as feeling Mays hand on his arm became the only sensation he knew and her laugh the only sound he cared for. Shaking his head he refused her once more, "I don't believe you."

Absorbed in the moment so much Maya had forgotten who she was supposed to be there with. Repeating the same story back as they leaned on each other to stay standing she went on, "Believe it Salvatore. I told my parents I was going to cabin with Caroline on while I went to New York with Tyler over spring break. We did anything and everything we could think of and got our asses chewed the fuck out for it but it was worth it."

"I guess what people say about you being the rebellious is true," he joked his laughter slowing allowing himself to focus on all the little things about her. Like how she had a small L shaped scar on her hand from some presumed accident. He didn't know that it was from one of her bad nights, one in which an argument with her father ended up with her throwing her hand through a mirror.

However the very fact he didn't know her scars and couldn't judge them was one of the things she liked most about being around Stefan. Especially because as time ticked away she became a little more certain if he ever did learn he wouldn't give judgement but instead empathy. Perhaps it was the green of his eyes that made her think of her favorite fields of green in the woods. One of her only safe untarnished places and his eyes felt like coming back to it.

Maya shrugged taking a sip of her drink muttering her tone shifting, "Yeah well Elena is an angel really too pure to get her hands dirty and that is why god gave her me." A bitter yet genuinely amused chuckle escaped her as she added, "Life's little defective spare."

Stefan's small smile vanished her words bringing a sharpness back to him their joy had overtaken. She had just finish downing her glass when Damon, with Elena following asked, "What'd we miss?"

The glared look from her twin noticing the glass in her hand was swiftly ignored as Maya answered, "We were just chatting." When they closed the distance Maya noticed how her sister still hung closer to Damon. "What about you two lovelies? Anything interesting happen while we were gone," Maya pondered her voice giving the same air of double meaning that Damon couldn't help but find amusement in.

Raven haired and arrogant Damon tilted his head replying, "Just trips down memory lane. Say I didn't know you were a National archery champion last year. Daddy had you training long hours for that I bet."

Mention of 'training' with her father had stolen all wit from the Gilbert girl and replaced with a fixed stare upon her sister. Had she mentioned Maya's relationship with her father? To a near stranger? The look in Elena's eyes had said no, but the voices in Maya's head had whispered differently before reason took root.

"Drink, Damon," Stefan offered up a glass to his brother suddenly.

His brother reached forward for the glass and was about to say yes but at the last second he changed his mind, "No, thanks, I'll pass." He looked to Maya pulling her closer to his side, "Someone's obviously gotta be designated driver since you got my date all hyped up on champagne."

Maya forced a smile while his arm snaked around her and Elena looked to her boyfriend and wondered, "Stefan, do you have another dance in you?"

"Absolutely," he grinned taking her hand pulling her away and as they joined together slowly swaying she was left with her gut having sunk to the bottom of her being. And she hated how seeing their happiness left her so twisted up.

All she could remind herself of while she watched was, "They look so happy together."

"Don't talk, please," Damon ordered her. As much as she wanted to she couldn't, she just stood there in silence.

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Her ankle twisted out from underneath Maya's very own feet as she reached the top of the stairs. Walking past her even faster was Damon racing down the hall like a man on a mission. Ever since Elena started dancing with Stefan the older brother had taken off and hadn't come back for her. Which was a poor choice for Maya who hadn't stopped sneaking champagne since then.

As he passed by Maya shouted, "Hey!" The boom of her voice made Damon flinch as he spun to face her, "Where have you been? I didn't come to this shitty dance with you to be ditched by you."

"Looking for you," he said grabbing her arm tightly pulling her.

"Ow," she let out but he didn't loosen his grip on her, he simply dragged her along and allowed her to ramble, "Your brother barely danced with me for five minutes, so I hope you weren't planning on that lasting."

Maya thought she was going to continue down the hall until they reached the back exit or something. However at the last second he had yanked her into Richard Lockwood's study, "Ok, just a minute." Grabbing both sides of her he placed her in the middle of the room blocking everyone's view of him. "Stand right...there. Also you were gone for a while with him, like 30 minutes," he told her as she swatted his hand away like flies.

"Um, you're not supposed to touch," she grimaced watching as he pulled an old and tattered box out from Richard's desk. With furrow brows she began drawing closer while asking him, "What is that?"

Reaching inside he pulled out a necklace with an amber pedant on the chain. "It's a very important crystal," he answered eying the jewel as if a missing piece of himself had been found.

"Well, how did you know that it was there," she wondered narrowing her eyes onto him now instead.

He was brief in his explanation, "Because I put it there."

His answer only left her with more questions, "You only got to town like a couple weeks ago when did you do this," the Gilbert wondered.

"A long time ago," he said annoyingly surreptitiously putting the things away, "Tonight, I'm taking it back, thanks to you."

"Well, what's it for," she pushed as he began gripping her up by her arm once more.

"That's none of your concern."

"You can't just steal it," she cautioned him.

"It's not stealing if it's mine. Come on," he said pulling her outside to where there was no one around. It wasn't until they had reached the wet grass she realized how alone they were out there. The lights from the part hardly even shined on them down where they were. "Maya I saw the way you looked at him," he said his hands snaking down to be on her hips keeping her locked in place.

Her heartbeat quickened while her breath raggedly escaped as she managed to ask, "What are you talking about?"

Her repones elicited a laugh as he spoke, "Stefan. I saw the way you looked at him, I know you have feelings for him. And, as your friend—" Before Maya knew it, he spun her round placing her back against his chest. His fingers traced delicate touches along her neck that left her breathless. "I'm going to tell you something," he began his lips trading places with his fingers.

For a moment Maya had forgotten how unsettled she'd felt s she bared her neck for him more, "Tell me what?"

Pushing her hair slowly away from her neck sending chills down her body whispering to her, "You deserve more than Stefan. He is practically in love with Elena already, and loving him would bring you nothing but pain -- let Elena suffer him," he said placing a kiss on her neck.

"Just let me get another taste, don't fight," his voice lowering and before a sound could escape her lips teeth piercing her flesh stopped her voice cold. The world was beginning to blur, a screaming, no roared at her to fight. She could swear she saw her father yelling at her for not fighting as the world began to fade.

And she wanted more than anything to fight but she just couldn't, because he asked her not to and it would upset it and for some reason that didn't scare her it devastated her. Like the world would truly end if she raised her hand to pry him off.

All she felt as were his arms securely wrapped around her tightly while he enjoyed every taste of her blood. He had take such a long gulp of her blood that ever his vampire lungs craved air. The second he came up for air the cherry and vanilla taste of her blood replaced itself with a burn that could be none other that vervain.

A sensation too overwhelming for him to hold onto Maya any longer as he dropped her carelessly onto the grass. "What the hell," he coughed out coming down to his knees.

From out smoke came Stefan who had to watch Maya suffer in order to save her. In a blur he had gone to her side placing his bitten wrist into her mouth. Her vision began to clear slowly but she unmistakably heard Stefan saying, "I knew, I couldn't spike your drink... So I spiked hers." She didn't understand a word of it, but she was still to weak to care. Whatever Stefan poured down her throat was only able to do half the job before he was forced to flee with Damon.

Still she was barely able to keep herself upright when she heard a voice shout, "MAY!" Hands were under her armpits lifting her up within seconds. maybe it was the drinking because it was like the further Damon got the less about the night she knew at all. She did remember him telling her when he dropped off the necklace the alcohol would do that very thing to her.

She forced herself to blink so she could see the safest brown eyes she'd ever known outside Elena's, they were Tyler's. "May what happened? Did that guy do something I swear I will fucking kill him," he snapped his hand keeping her head steady.

Her breaths increased and tears filled her eyes, "I'm fine," she choked out touching his arms them being him only thing Maya knew to be real.

Tears welled up in the Lockwood boys eyes, the alcohol on her breath, the smeared make up and messy clothes was a look he'd known all to well on her. Losing her parent hadn't changed her for the better, and he tricked himself into thinking she didn't need him anymore. Perhaps she didn't want him around, but that was because he saw her truly and it scared her. She couldn't be seen for all she was the way Tyler understood her, no matter how much she loved it.

She would be more damaging to him than his own father the way she was going. Nevertheless she couldn't fight how right it felt to cave into his arms and just cry. And like he'd done many times before, Tyler lifted her into his arms carrying her into his house. He was so enamored with Maya that when his mother attempted to comment he simply continued walking. His father always liked Maya, saw something in the girl he liked for his son. She was messy but she drove him to be better, even better than Richard himself.

maya's outfit next chapter