Vivienne's POV:
As I entered, I saw the large sign reading "Sexy Suds Carwash" with "Help Mystic Falls High School" written beneath it. Girls in bikinis and boys in shorts, many shirtless, were all around-just as Caroline promised. It was, indeed, a very sexy affair.
Caroline stood out, as usual, looking stunning in her bikini. From a distance, I could see her giving Elena some instructions. She quickly turned away when Stefan appeared, walking briskly in his direction.
When Caroline saw me leaning against my car, she practically lit up. She rushed over and enveloped me in a hug. "Oh my god, you came!" she squealed.
"Well, my dear little sister is the mastermind behind this event. Of course, I had to come and support her." I grinned mischievously. "By the way, have you seen her? She's 5'8", gorgeous, sweet, cute, and blonde."
She kissed my cheek before pulling away. "Let's get your car washed," she said with enthusiasm as she took the keys from my hand. A few of her classmates immediately jumped in to volunteer for the job.
"12 o'clock-Elena and Stefan are kissing, and Matt looks tortured," Caroline remarked from beside me.
I glanced over at Matt, who was clearly not enjoying the spectacle. "Must be hard for him," I said. "I mean, Elena did dump him, and he's still obviously in love with her."
Caroline waved me off. "You enjoy yourself, baby. I've got something to check on." She winked and walked away. I turned my attention to the scene around me.
Bonnie was talking to a girl, telling her, "You don't have to be rude." I turned to see the girl, who was dissing someone's car. A little twerp, I thought. Just as I was about to walk away, I noticed Bonnie's expression change. She was staring intently at the girl, and then-splash! Water erupted all over her, drenching her in seconds. I nearly burst out laughing, but I held it in. The girl sputtered, and Bonnie just walked away, as if nothing happened.
I turned back to wait for my car to finish getting washed.
As I grew more restless from standing, I made my way to a bench and sat down. From here, I noticed Elena talking to an elderly man. When she left, he lingered, and I couldn't resist approaching him.
"Are you okay, sir?" I asked gently.
He glanced at me, his eyes a little lost. "Oh, yes, I'm just answering that girl's question." He nodded toward Elena.
"What was she asking?" I inquired, curious.
"I thought I saw someone I knew from the Salvatore Boarding School. It was a long time ago, 1953. I mistook someone for Stefan Salvatore. But my mind must be playing tricks on me," he said, shaking his head. He smiled faintly, then turned and walked away.
I stood there for a moment, processing what he'd said. Stefan Salvatore. 1953? That couldn't be right.
My phone buzzed with a text from Caroline, telling me she had to leave the carwash early because her period pain had become too much to handle. I sent a quick reply, telling her I'd be home soon.
The carwash was nearly done, so I headed back to where my car was parked. As I waited, I spotted Bonnie, standing near a fire extinguisher with a sweeper in hand, glaring down at the pavement. Suddenly, the water seemed to shift on its own, and within seconds, the blue car near Bonnie erupted in flames.
Bonnie was in a trance, her eyes wide, her body completely still. Stefan rushed to her side, shaking her shoulders. He snapped her out of it, and she blinked, dazed. The scene was surreal. Bonnie was a Bennet witch, and I had no idea what that meant for her powers.
"Here's your car keys," a girl said, tapping me on the shoulder. "Your car's washed."
I nodded, already paying for the service, and started the engine, heading to a store to grab some chocolates and baking supplies. I didn't realize how late it had gotten until I pulled into the driveway.
The house was quiet, but I could hear Caroline and mom talking. As I walked inside, I overheard mom ask, "Honey, are you okay? Do you want to talk about it? Is it a boy thing?"
Caroline's response was sharp. "Mom, if I want to talk about boys, I'll call Dad. At least he's successful at dating one."
The words stung, and I didn't even need to see mom's face to know they hurt her. I saw mom's expression fall as she left the room, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
I stood frozen for a moment before rushing after her. "Mama, are you okay?"
She didn't say anything, just brushed past me and shut herself in her room. I called after her, but she didn't respond. I was left standing in the hallway, feeling helpless and drained.
I walked into the kitchen and started preparing dinner for everyone. It was the least I could do, seeing as no one had eaten yet. I made spaghetti, meatballs, and apple pie. After an hour of cooking, I realized that no one had come out of their rooms.
I knocked on mom's door. "Can I come in, mom?" There was no reply, but I entered anyway. She was lying on her bed, her back to me.
"Mom?" I said softly, but she didn't respond. I stood there for a moment, longing for a hug, or at least a glance. But I got nothing. The lump in my throat grew. My tears fell without my permission.
Without thinking, I climbed into bed with her and hugged her from behind, pressing my face to her back. The tears came freely now, hot and steady.
I held on tight, wishing for something-anything-from her. Eventually, I pulled away, kissed her cheek, and whispered, "Goodnight. I love you, Mama." Then, I quietly left her room.
I made my way to Caroline's room and called out, "Care?"
"Yeah?" she replied from inside.
"Come out and let's eat dinner," I said, trying to sound normal. When she joined me at the table, I couldn't keep the conversation to myself.
"Care, you know what you said to mom... it hurt her," I said, my voice soft but serious.
She looked at her plate, her fork paused mid-air. "I know. I was angry when I said that. It was wrong, and I'll apologize to her."
I nodded, grateful for her maturity. "Okay."
She stared at me with concern. "Did you cry?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "Is it because of what I said to mom?"
I quickly wiped away any traces of my tears. "No, I'm just tired, Care. Nothing's wrong," I said, managing a smile. "Now, eat your dinner."
She smiled, clearly relieved, and we finished eating. Afterward, we both cleaned up the kitchen.
"Now go get some rest. Today was tiring for you," I said, and she smiled again, giving me a tight hug before heading off to bed.
I retreated to my own room, closed the door behind me, and collapsed onto my bed. The headache I had was unbearable-like my head might explode. It felt like I was losing control, like I was burning alive. The red glow I had seen before flared up inside me, rushing through my veins. The pain was almost too much.
I tried to call my mom, my hands shaking as I pressed the phone to my ear, but no words would come. I could barely make a sound, only soft cries, and all I could do was whisper her name. "Mama..."
Then, everything went black.
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Author's Note:
Thank you so much for reading this chapter! I'm sorry it took a little longer to update, but I hope you enjoyed it. This chapter was particularly emotional for me to write, as it delves deeper into Vivienne's internal struggles and her relationship with her family. There's a lot happening with her powers, and I'm excited to explore where her journey takes her next.
As always, your feedback means the world to me, so please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think!
Until next time, stay tuned for more twists and turns in Vivienne's story.
With love,
Your Writer
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