Love Bites

I woke up the next morning on my bed pissed at the world with the worst headache. I sat up groaning lightly rubbing the side of head which was slightly bruised. Then I felt something in my fingers and when I glanced down I saw the necklace that Elena had given me wrapped around in the palm of my hand. Oddly enough I don’t recall how the necklace got there, but I do remember the events beforehand. I remember arguing with Damon for the compelling he had done to me, and I remembered that I was furious with him, from then on out it was black and empty. I sighed out in frustration not knowing what to do, I was mad at him, and I wanted to confront him, but I didn’t know how to do it. Obviously today was going to be one of “those” days.

I got out of bed walking toward the bathroom before I brushed my teeth and my hair. I stared down at the bandage on my neck before I removed it carefully. It was painful, but the mark wasn’t nearly as bad as I imagined. It would scar, but I’d get over it. When I managed to pull the bandage off I exhaled and leaned forward resting on the counter staring at myself in the mirror. I had bags under my eyes, my shirt was stained with blood, my hair was messed up and knotted, and my makeup was half way down my face. Honestly, I had never looked so bad in my life. I knew I wanted Damon more than anything, but after last night, it was almost obvious he didn’t want anything to do with me. I was mad at the world and I was mad at him, for rejecting me, and using me.

“Damn it” I muttered closing my eyes still leaning forward on the counter. When I glanced up I saw Damon from the corner of my eye leaning against the bathroom door frame causing me to jump back.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I questioned angrily watching as Damon’s eyes slightly fell.

“I think we need to talk” Damon stated standing up straight and walking into the bathroom before he closed the door behind him.

“I think you need to leave” I walked toward him pushing slightly on his arm in order to leave the bathroom, but his arm snapped up and shoved me against the wall quickly but gently.

“Can’t you just listen to me?” I shook my head no my eyes filled with hate as I glared at Damon who was staring at me intensely.

“I compelled you for your safety”

“You don’t like me do you? It was a lie right?” Damon looked at me his jaw clenching in anger.

“That has nothing to do with anything, you don’t get it do you?” His voice was quiet but strained as he leaned in closer to me.

“If you’re with me, you are in danger. Just last night you almost got killed, aren’t you the least bit worried about your safety?” I shook my head no causing Damon to bite hard on his bottom lip.

“Damn it Erin people want to kill me and they’ll use anything and anyone against me. I want to be with you, but the only way I could do that was at night, and compelling you to forget so you’re not connected to me” I laughed at this before I shoved him off of me causing him to look taken back.

“Yea genius, you forgot one part, I actually like you. You may have made me remember everything as a dream, but all that time I actually felt something because I liked you” I managed to open the door but Damon quickly slammed it in front of me before he turned me around leaning his arm above my head.

“Listen to what I’m saying to you” Damon stated quickly his eyes scanning my face.

“Why the hell can’t you just apologize?” I questioned bitterly.

“Apologize for what? Saving your life?”

“Why do you automatically assume you’re the hero in this? You’re the one who MADE me forget everything”

“Because I was trying to protect you!” Damon yelled angrily causing me to laugh hard.

“From what Damon!? A vampire?!” I yelled back pushing him slightly toward the counter.

“I was trying to protect you from me, from this, from all of the shit I bring with me” All the noise in the room seemed to absorb into the air.

“The funny thing is, you never thought about me in all of this. I was just another piece in your game”

“See now you’re just acting like a self-centered bitch” Damon grabbed onto my arm causing me to swing around and glare at him.

“Let go of me Damon”

Damon watched me before he released his grip letting me walk away from the bathroom and into my bedroom where I closed the door sighing. But then I opened my eyes to see Damon sitting on my bed a small smirk on his lips making me roll my eyes from annoyance.

“See, the thing is I’m not leaving until we talk this out” Damon stood up causing me to yell out angrily.

“What more do you want from me Damon!? Do you want me to sit here and nod my head and believe all of your crap?” I watched him shrug and nod before grinning.

“Would that be so much to ask?”

“You are the most frustrating person I have ever met in my life” I growled under my breath causing him to smile slightly.

“And you are the most frustrating person I have ever met in MY life” Damon stated walking toward me.

“Please, can you just leave?” I watched Damon’s hint of playfulness fade into a serious shilloute.

“Seriously? You don’t even want to TRY to work this out?” Damon questioned slightly hurt by my reaction.

“There is nothing to work out, I just need time” He didn’t say anything, but rather by the time I turned to face him, he had disappeared and I was left alone in my bedroom. I let out a breath before I walked back to my bed laying down and tugging the sheets to the bottom of my chin. I didn’t want to get out of bed, or even leave my room. I wanted to sit here by myself, with no one bothering me…I just wanted to be alone, but that was quickly cut off when Jeremy opened my door closing it quickly behind him.

“First, how are you feeling, and Second I told you!” Jeremy chuckled slightly making me raise and eyebrow and turn over on my side my back facing toward him.

“Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?” I questioned bitterly while Jeremy laughed slightly.

“It’s my house and you’re my cousin, anyways! You said we’d hang out today” I felt my cousin sit on the bed beside me wrapping his arms around me.

“I really am not in the mood to go out today” I groaned quietly, there wasn’t a reply from Jeremy so I slightly turned to look at him. He sat beside me a knowing smile on his face.

“Didn’t you think I already knew that…that’s why I brought these” Jeremy pulled a few DVDS from behind his back showing titles like Friday The 13th, Halloween, and Nightmare on Elm Street. I sat up quickly a smile pulling onto my face. Horror movies are the one thing that oddly can make my day better.

“Jer! You know me way too well!” I yelled excitedly throwing my arms around my younger cousin’s neck as he chuckled lightly.

“Ok, ok but! Before we get to have this movie marathon. I know something’s up, and you are going to have to tell me what’s wrong” I paused watching Jeremy carefully before I cautiously glanced out the window.

“Look I don’t want to talk about it” I frowned slightly as Jeremy shook his head no.

“That’s not the deal. Spill…or no Nightmare On Elm Street for you” My face fell slightly as I got up from the bed before I walked over toward the window slamming it shut.

“Damon is going to be the DEATH of me”

“You like him” I was about to start rambling on and on about my confusion but Jeremy’s statement caught me off guard.

“No I don’t” I spoke defensively as Jeremy grinned.

“Yea sure, whatever you say. You are totally in love with the guy”

“Shut up Jeremy” I rolled my eyes angrily as I sat down back on the bed crossing my arms over my chest.

“Well I’m just telling you what I think about this whole entire thing” I brought my eyes to stare toward my cousin almost bitterly. I didn’t want to admit he was right, even though I knew he was absolutely right. I was annoyed by the fact Jeremy knew and understood my emotional dihlemma faster than I did. And it angered me even more that I didn’t know what to do about it.

“Oh Erin…I invited Bonnie over” Jeremy gave me a sheepish grin causing my eyebrows to lift up a small knowing smirk coming onto my face.

“Oh really?” I smiled lightly as Jeremy blushed.

“So since when have you had a thing for Bonnie?” Jeremy cheeks flushed a brighter red making me laugh hard.

“It’s okay Jeremy, I have a better idea, why don’t you watch these movies with her?” Jeremy’s blushing faded in one quick second and he jumped up shaking his head no.

“Erin! I said we were going to hang out today” I nodded and smiled toward my considerate cousin.

“Hey I know what it’s like to like someone and want to spend time with them” Jeremy stared at me before he sighed out grabbing a hold of my shoulder.

“Are you serious right now Erin?” I chuckled loudly grabbing a hold of Jeremy’s arm.

“Dude, chill. Of course I am!” I watched as he stared cautiously at me causing me to sigh out annoyingly.

“Look, I’ll hang out here with my I-Pod and journal”

“Hell no! Can’t you invite someone over?” Jeremy questioned bringing a sarcastic grin to my face.

“Like who Jeremy? Damon?” Jeremy was about to give me a smart ass remark making me raise my hand stopping him midsentence.

“Leave before I kick you out” I stated emotionless. Jeremy got wide eyed, but before he could object I had managed to crowd him out of my bedroom and lock the door. I sighed out in relief before glancing toward the bathroom. I guess I might as well shower if I’m not going to be doing anything. I reluctantly stood from the bed walking toward the drawers grabbing new clothes. I then walked toward the shower turning on the water. I waited a couple of minutes making sure the water had warmed before I stripped off my clothes. I then slid past the curtain feeling the warm water run down my hair and back. Once I turned around and felt the soap and hot water hit the cut on my neck I jumped back grabbing onto my neck which was hurting like hell.

After what felt like painful hours of soaping and shampooing I bent down turning off the water. I then grabbed the towel from the rack wrapping it tightly around my body. I then drew the curtain back glancing up and letting out a loud scream to see Damon standing inside the bathroom the door closed behind him.

“Are we seriously going to do this AGAIN Damon?” I watched as he straightened out his back giving me one nonchalant shrug.

“If it will make you listen to me, I guess” Damon stated walking toward me causing an angry growl to come from my lips. Then the stinging sensation on my neck caused me to slam the palm of my hand onto the cut.

“That’s not looking so good” His statement caused me to turn my head angrily toward him.

“Really? Like I couldn’t see that” I watched as he took several steps forward grabbing onto my hand pulling it away from the cut starring at the wound cautiously. At first I hesitated when he grabbed onto my hand, but then the feeling faded away. It was only when I realized I stood centimeters away from Damon, wet, and in nothing but a towel, did I get an awkward sensation.

The mere thought of him being so close to me caused a bright cherry flush to light up my cheeks.

“So do you want to get rid of the cut or not?” I managed to stop my rambling thoughts for a moment to raise my eyebrow curiously.

“And how do you plan on doing that?” Damon’s face fell as he brought his forearm to his lips biting hard into his wrist causing my eyes to shoot wide open.
“What the hell are you doing?” I stared at Damon as he moved his wrist from his lips toward mine.

“Drink up” My eyes became fixated on the cut and blood bringing a gag to my throat.

“Ew” I stated glancing at the cut while Damon rolled his eyes.

“Then stop whining about the cut” He began to wipe the blood up with some toilet paper but I quickly took it back watching him hesitantly.

“This isn’t a mean prank right? Like this will work?” Damon raised his eyebrows before he pressed his wrist onto my lips causing my eyes to widen as I tasted the coppery taste I hated so much. After a few seconds he pulled away cleaning up the rest of the blood with a little bit more toilet paper. Instantly I felt relief of the pain on my neck, and when I looked in the mirror the cut was gone.

“That’s amazing, thank you” But when I turned back around Damon was gone leaving me confused and dumbfounded by his actions.