Invisible Control

Water cascaded in sheets along the dark, windy road. The rain flowed over the tar and made rivulets of mud along the side of the road, following the woods that thickened a few feet away. Addie stomped through the mud, getting a small satisfaction from the squelching suctioning sounds from the ground trying to take her by her boot and the rush of air released when she had to force her foot up to make the next step through the muddy terrain. She had been walking in the rain for so long that she was soaked; Addie couldn't tell if it was tears on her cheek or if she had finally stopped crying.

Life could be such hell sometimes and everyone expected her to handle it perfectly. They expected her to be like Elena and keep it all together and write her feelings down in some book and that would somehow keep her from breaking. Everyone gave Jeremy a free pass because he had already started smoking weed before their parents died; it had just gotten worse after. She was the one battling with depression for the past four years and somehow she was supposed to be just fine?

Aunt Jenna watched her every night take her medication, as if she couldn't be trusted to take it on her own. Her parents and Jenna and Holy Elena and big brother Jeremy would all be pissed at her if she started cutting so she hadn't. She didn't even have true control over her body, she was so busy pleasing everyone else and being babysat. The exercise was as close to control as she could get. That's why Addie had to run; that's why she was out here in the hot, humid, summer rain.

Jenna and Elena had been talking about her mother again and about cheerleading. Aunt Jenna wanted to know if Elena was going to do it this school year. It was always about Elena with her mother. Elena this or Elena that. All Addie ever did was fight with her mother and have her mother tell her to be more like Elena. To be more girly. To quit all her sports and dress more feminine. Addie couldn't handle hearing about her mother or about how perfect Elena was in her mother's eyes. Instead, she did what she always did when things got bad; she ran.

It had only been dusk when she had started running but it was full on night, now. The clouds had rumbled in when she had turned onto the road leading out of town, almost three miles from home. Two more miles out and on the edge of town, the pain of running five miles had begun to catch up with her. For another mile she had been stomping through the mud in anger, gaining that small sense of satisfaction of not getting stuck in what was acting like quicksand. She was thankful that the military grade combat boots she wore were waterproof; she could handle the soaked t-shirt and jeans but cold, wet feet would have been miserable.

Up ahead she saw a figure lying in the road. It was much too big to be a rabbit, squirrel, or any small game but the deer in these woods could get pretty big. This lump looked too flat to be an animal; getting closer it looked more and more human. Realizing it was human, Addie ran up to the figure.

But it wasn't on the ground anymore when she got there. She looked around and suddenly a man with a devilishly handsome smile was behind her.

"What the hell?! You can get killed lying in the middle of the road, you idiot. If you're on a holy crusade for suicide, hey, I'm all for suicide if you hate life that much. I get being that selfish. Yet how can you be so reckless? Some driver could have swerved or slammed on the brakes to try and avoid hitting you. In that process, you could have gotten them killed! That's just - that's - ugh." shrieked Addie, her voice scratchy and strained from all her crying.

The man stood there, his smile growing and his blue eyes taking on a dangerous shine. "I think the word you're looking for is still selfish. You might not be able to fathom killing someone but others are just that selfish," he smirked, walking back towards the edge of the woods to prop himself up against a tree.

Addie felt a sensation pulling her towards the raven haired man. She never really paid much attention to guys but she noticed the way his black hair fell in his eyes, plastered to his forehead by the rain, and his angular features. The eyes, a very unusual shade of blue, almost like steel but they looked like they held flecks of green from this angle, were most enticing. She couldn't deny that he was attractive.

"You'd do that?" asked Addie, cocking her head to the side. She could feel the anger rising up in her. Was it that he was so selfish? Or was it that he didn't care if a car accident happen? He could have been the thing lying in the middle of the road that made her dad swerve off the bridge. He could have been the reason that she and Jeremy were so screwed up and Elena was the miracle child, yet again, for making it out alive.

"Mhm," he smirked, propping one foot back against the tree. "I'd even kill you. Right here. Right now."

Addie looked at him for a minute. He definitely looked like he could kill her. If he killed her she wouldn't have to deal with being pissed off when anything remotely tied back to her parents came up. She wouldn't have to deal with having to live up to the standards set by Elena. She wouldn't have to deal with all the pain that came with remembering the past.

Addie just shook her head, feeling the hot tears versus the slightly cooler rain fall down her face. She couldn't believe she was contemplating this. Saying this.

"Do it."

"If you're sure," he said smugly. He pushed himself of the tree trunk with grace and stepped up in front of her. The man raised a hand to her throat, his fingers splayed around the front of her throat. Slowly, he walked behind her and as he did so, he crushed down on her windpipe.

As he stood flush behind her, Addie began to feel herself struggle for breath. Instinctively her hand went up to her throat, trying to pry away the fingers. They only clamped down harder. Panicking, the training from the years of martial arts her mother hated kicked in. To keep him distracted, she still clawed at her fingers while her other hand curled into a fist and she shoved her elbow back, hard into his stomach, trying to go up under his ribcage or at least crack one. He doubled back in shock, his grip on her throat slackening. Addie had a chance to grab a hold of the man's wrist. She pulled the arm straight down, tugging it backwards under her shoulder until she heard something snap. It sounded like his shoulder. She brought her other arm up and used her hand to smash the man's elbow in the wrong way.

Turning around to face him, she saw the shock on his face but she didn't let it phase her; this man had been about to kill her. She shot out a foot; he was too close for a kick to the stomach so she improvised, using the steeltoe of her combat boot to take him down with a solid kick right behind his knee and a forceful shove, sending him flat on his back.

Feeling tears of anger and relief and all the pent up emotions she had been keeping since the death overtook her, manifesting as violence and loud sobs. She dropped down over the man, not wanting to look into his enticing eyes, and began slamming her fist into his face and chest and arms. At first she stuck to his torso, not wanting to damage his beautiful face but Addie wasn't gaining enough satisfaction from hitting hard, solid muscle. She wanted him to hurt. She wanted him to pay. She needed someone to feel the way she felt. The feelings of bones smashing under her fist helped; the blood gushing from his mouth and nose giving her a sense of freedom.

That's when Addie realized something was wrong. Something was off about this fight; it wasn't a fight. The man wasn't doing anything to ward her off; he was simply laying there. Bones in face that should have been broken seemed to keep breaking and breaking again under her first. His face shouldn't even be structured after so many hits but it was still as handsome as ever, even covered in blood.

The young man took advantage of the girl's slowing in attacks and use the moment to reverse the situation. He now had her pinned, holding her wrist down tightly on either side of her head. She looked so lost and broken. She looked out of control. Now, she looked like a literal mess, too; the tussle had gotten mud splattered all over her clothes and hair. The constant fall of tears and rain mostly kept her face free of mud.

He was just going to kill her but actually requesting that he do it and then having the nerve to actually punch him piqued fight against him when he started to his curiosity. It was natural for people to fight back but she was good at it. Damon wasn't sure why he let her pound on him, perhaps it had been the fire he could sense in her.

"What's your name?" he demanded. He hadn't used compulsion on her so far and she seemed so reckless that he didn't think he would have to.

Addie closed her eyes and weakly attempted to pull her wrist out from under his hands. She knew it was useless but she'd feel stupid if she didn't at least try. "Addison Gilbert but I go by Addie."

Gilbert. If he recalled correctly, and he was certain he did, that was the last name of the girl that looked exactly like Katherine Pierce? Interesting development. This must be her little sister. No wonder the kid was spiraling; she just lost her parents a month ago. He didn't like to recall how he had felt when his mother had passed but he wasn't himself for a while.

"Well, Addie, this a small town. I get what's up. I suggest you stop letting the past control you and take control of your own life," he emphasized the last part, making sure he held her gaze. He saw the small eye-roll she gave him. Compulsion it was. "Take control of your life, Addie."

With that he flashed off into the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Addie hit her alarm for the seventh time, knowing she could no longer put off getting up. Rolling over to get out of bed, she realized too late that she hadn't needed to, landing on the floor.

"Ow," she grumbled, rubbing the center of her back as she walked towards her dresser.

Every year her mother would take her back to school shopping for clothes and she would never end up buying anything because Addie and her mother always had to fight about what was appropriate. Her mom wanted tighter or shorter while Addie wanted it plain and simple. This year she hadn't had to go with her mother and had actually bought new clothes and for the first time since the second grade had a new outfit for the first day of school. The idea made her a little sad, as it reminded her of her mother's death, but she couldn't forever live in misery.

Pulling out a pair of khakis, Addie considered that her taste in clothes had changed slightly over the summer. Taking a mock white, button-up blouse that had the layered look of being a navy sweater vest over it off the hanger, she concluded that she did like having a more professional look some days but other days were strictly jeans and band t-shirt days. Her options in clothing were expanding but it still didn't include the preppy, girly style her sister had.

Addie swiftly tugged on the clothes before finding a pair of navy Converse for her feet. She almost exclusively wore converse and had over a dozen pairs. She wasn't addicted to shoes, just Converse All Stars. One of the other three types of shoes she owned were track shoes, which she grabbed and tossed in her backpack. She double checked the backpack for gym clothes and notebooks and several different colored gel pens to keep her notes interesting.

Slinging the bag over one shoulder she popped into the bathroom and quickly washed her face and scrubbed her teeth. Addie brushed so hard that her gums bled a little; Elena had left her make-up shit all over the skin again. Rinsing her mouth out, she remember what Aunt Jenna had said the last time Addie and Elena got into a fight about the cosmetics being left out. With a smirk, she grabbed the wastebin and swept all the face painting goop into it. Now there was nothing to argue about.

"'Dear diary, today I am excellent and everyone at school will tell me how excellent and perfect I am,'" Addie mocked, nailing her impersonation of her big sister. She couldn't help but to open up Elena's side of the adjoining bathroom and bothering her. When Addie saw her writing at the window seat, she knew exactly what she was doing.

Elena looked up at her little sister with a glare. "Oooh, so close but so not right."

"Totally right," returned Addie. "I'm heading straight down to the bus stop. I don't really feel like doing the whole 'Yay! First day of high school' thing with Jenna this morning. Will you tell her for me?"

Elena set her diary down and stood up, walking towards her sister as she talked, "Only if you give me a serious, two armed hug."

Addie made mumbles of protest and bossy big sisters as she walked into Elena's open arms. Once there, she was immediately crushed into her sister who started happily singing into her ear.

"Yay! I can't believe we're going to be in school together! It's going to be so much fun! We'll go to the same dances and festivals and football games and I'll come watch your track meets! Lunch will be just like middle school: Bonnie, Caroline, you and me! My baby sister is growing up!"

With much force, Addie was able to extract herself from her sister. She tried to scowl but a smile kept tugging at her lips. "You are only marginally better than Aunt Jenna. Make sure and give Jer-bear the same treatment; I know it will make his day."

With that, Addie turned around to head out the front door. Until Elena called after her.

"I will if you ride with me to school. Bonnie's picking me up soon."

Addie groaned. She loved Bonnie. Bonnie was actually one of her favorite people but that meant more time with her sister and more time in this house, with the possibility of being caught by Aunt Jenna. Though, the bus was loud, overcrowded, and just gross.

"Only if I get to wait upstairs!" she declared, already sitting down on Elena's bed, tossing her backpack to the floor.

"Deal," Elena grinned before bounding out the room and down the stairs.

Addie eyed the door for a few minutes before grabbing the diary her sister had left perched on the window seat. It had been a few days since she had last read it and she was actually kind of interested to see what she had put for today.

"Dear diary, today will be different. It has to be. I will smile, and it will be believable. My smile will say 'I'm fine, thank you.' 'Yes, I feel much better.' I will no longer be the sad little girl who lost her parents. I will start fresh, be someone new. It's the only way I'll make it through."

Tossing the journal back where it had been. She didn't need to know any more about how Elena could simply decide to be someone new, someone happy and just do it with no problem. Addie would admit that she was handling the loss of her parents better than her siblings and was now actually going to therapy and reading self-help books along with taking her medication, but she couldn't just wake up as someone new. Someone who wasn't so screwed up by being depressed for absolutely no reason. This only made her feel guilty since she had a good life but the guild only made the depression worse.

"So Grams is telling me I'm psychic. Our ancestors were from Salem, witches and all that, I know, crazy, but she's going on and on about it, and I'm like, put this woman in a home already!" carried on Bonnie Bennett, her eyes focused on the road. This was just one of the reasons that she loved this girl, her passion and energy. "But then I started thinking, I predicted Obama and I predicted Heath Ledger, and I still think Florida will break off and turn into little resort islands."

Addie shook her head, this was ridiculous, "Ok, Salem witches and everything, that's cool. Like if your family escaped from persecution or something like that, how historically epic would that be? But, predictions mean nothing. I predicted September 11th, not the exact buildings, but just ask Jeremy or Elena, if she was paying any attention to us right now. I freaking predicted our parents' death too, but I'm sure she doesn't want you to ask about that."

Elena, at the mention of her parents, snapped back into the conversation from her own thoughts. "You know what," she snarled, turning around from the front passenger seat to shake a warning finger at Addie, "how about you don't bring up any of that ever again or I'll hit you so hard that you'll get amnesia and entirely forget about it."

The younger sister smirked with mirth, "Please, leave the threats to those that can actually carry them out. We both know you'd never stand a chance against me." She didn't want to talk about it either because if she did, it would only remind her of how much she really blamed Elena for going to that party. For picking that party over her, when she tried to convince her she needed her home to comfort her from her first heartbreak. For going and then making Mom and Dad come get her.

"So you're like psychic now, Bonnie?" Elena said apologetically, turning to her friend. "Right. Okay, then predict something. About me."

When they got to the school, Addie asked where Jeremy would most likely be. The bus had picked him up long before Bonnie had gotten them. Elena pointed towards what looked like a drop of area for 18-wheeler trucks. As she headed closer Addie caught the smell of pot and cigarettes. What kind of school didn't just simply break this mess up?

Addie spotted Jeremy talking to Vickie Donovan, the girl he'd been drinking, drugging, and sleeping with all summer, along with a muscular guy with short brown hair. She hung back for a moment, not particularly caring for Vickie but as soon as she saw the girl and the mystery guy kiss she headed towards Jeremy.

"What was that?" Addie demanded of her brother, Vickie and the boy passing her.

Jeremy turned to his little sister. The last thing he wanted was a lecture from her about Vickie. "It was nothing, Ad."

"Really?" remarked Addie, raising an eyebrow. "Because it looked like some tool macking on the girl you've been with all summer."

"So, it was a little what it looks like. What do you want?" Now came the part where she would tell him he could do better.

Addie never liked Vickie but she had been Jeremy's way of coping. She definitely didn't like her kissing some other boy right in front of her brother when they had been shagging all summer. She crossed her arms and stared down her brother.

"You know, that's pretty sleazy of that guy to kiss her right in front of you like that. Or does he not know what you guys have been up to?" concern for her brother and disgust at the other girl laced Addie's voice.

Jeremy slung his backpack over his right shoulder, just as his sister had hers, and made to get up. Addie held back the small smile; she really didn't realize just exactly how many things she picked up and mirrored from her older brother. He was only older than her by eleven months, making him one of the first to turn 15 in the 9th grade and her just making the cut off to be in the same year as him. Growing up they had always been close and Addie practically idealized her brother. She had wanted to be just like him and had picked up so many of his mannerisms and habits over the years. When their parents died, Jeremy took up a method of coping that, for the first time, she didn't want to follow. The results were her and Jeremy drifting apart but that didn't mean she didn't still love him.

"I'm not talking about this with you, Addison," Jeremy said sternly, using his big brother voice and heading towards an entrance into the school. Addie had to walk quickly to keep up with his intentionally long strides.

"I get it. Of course, I wouldn't be a good sister if I didn't point out that she shouldn't be ashamed about you. She's lucky to be or have been - or whatever the hell you guys are - with you. Not to mention, what if she was just using you so she didn't have to pay for drugs? Maybe she's ashamed of that. I'd be ashamed of using a guy for drugs," Addie rambled on absentmindedly, following Jeremy through the halls. It wasn't until she almost bumped into his chest that she realized that he had stopped walking.

"Don't say that," he gritted out, a hurt look in his dark brown eyes.

It was only then that Addie realized what she was really saying, "Jer, I'm so -"

"Just go," Jeremy said pointing down the hall. "Go to class, Addie."

Normally she would have persisted but she could see that what she had said really upset Jeremy. Addie didn't want to step on any toes so she backed down and headed towards English.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I had a run in with your brother today," Elena huffed, strolling along towards the cemetery. "You know he was stoned first thing this morning? Like before the first bell? Did you know that? Can you believe him? I mean, yeah, I get the little "troubled" phase he had this summer but I thought he'd straighten up for school."

A rush of frustration with Jeremy washed over Addie but it was nothing compared to the pang of guilt she felt. There had still been ten minutes before the first bell rang when she had left him, upset by her remarks about Vickie. At that time he had been sober. In those few minutes he must have gone back outside to smoke. She knew he smoked when he was most upset and she could help but wonder if her words had affected him so badly.

Addie had taken the three mile walk to the cemetery in stride, while Elena had been left a little winded. Addie may have been walking at a faster pace than usual, not particularly pleased with her sister's company. The walk for her was nothing; in fact, it was a break compared to running up and down the bleachers at the football stadium. Ms. Allen, the track coach did not ease her runners back in from summer vacation but tossed them into the lion's den.

"Have you ever notice he's my brother when he does something you don't approve of yet he's our brother the rest of the time?" Addie pointed out. Lightly, jokingly she added, "How come I never get to pawn him off on you when he screws up? How is it fair that you can brag about our brother but I can't brag about my totally messed up one?"

Elena's breath evened and her voice lowered as they turned onto the gravel drive of the of the cemetery entrance, taking the familiar path towards her parents' grave. "You have more control and influence over him than I do. Makes sense that you should be able to keep a better reign on him."

There were so many things wrong with that idea which made Addie want to explode on her sister. It was over simple things like these ideas that she and her sister would never truly get along and she'd never really like her. She would always love her though. Family was family.

"Control? I can't just take control of Jeremy's life," Addie snapped at the ludicrous idea. She could barely manage her own life. "And in case you didn't notice, Jeremy Gilbert is a singular, individual person with his own, independent mind. Besides, it's not like he's a dog on a leash that I can lead wherever I want nor would I want him to be that way. I love Jeremy just the way he is, even if he doesn't make the wisest choices sometimes. Now, stop talking and start writing, Scaredy Cat."

Elena gave Addie a dirty look before sitting up against her parents' headstone, pulling her diary from her purse, and beginning to write. Addie sat at what would be the feet of her parents' grave. She couldn't understand how Elena could sit on their parents' faces; it was just weird, even if they were six feet underground. Worse yet was that she didn't know why she continually indulged Elena in these little field trips to the graveyard. The cemetery creeped Elena out so much she couldn't face it alone and yet she found comfort in being near her parents' burial site.

Addie supposed that was why she let Elena convince her to accompany her. Addie had found a way, she wasn't sure how, but she did find a way to regain as much power, if not more, over her life since her parents death. Elena was still falling off Wickery Bridge but being near her dead parents was like a parachute; it made her feel better. Addie remembered that falling feeling and if she couldn't pull her sister out of the air, she would at least slow her down. She loved her sister even if she annoyed the hell out of her.

Addie had taken out a book assigned for school, Wuthering Heights, and was reading when she noticed a crow land next to Elena's head on their parents' headstone. She thought it was strange that a bird would willingly land so closely to humans. It seemed to be staring back and forth between Addie and her sister. Elena hadn't noticed and continued to write.

"Elena, don't freak," Addie reassured her sister calmly before using a strong, louder, commanding voice. "Scatter, creepy crow!"

Elena had looked and screamed when she saw the bird right next to her head but relief filled both the sisters as it took off.

"Stupid scrapper birds," mumbled Addie, turning back to her book.

Elena, out of the corner of her eye, saw the crow return and land in between them about two feet away. Behind it a sudden layer of fog was quickly approaching her and Addie. Freaky graveyards freaked her out; she would come back another day.

"Let's go, Addison. Now," Elena quivered, putting her diary back in her bag and standing up. As the fog rolled closer her fear increased and she ran to escape, cutting through the woods and taking an unmarked path.

Startled, Addie looked around to see why her sister was so paranoid. It was always something serious when Elena used her full name. There was the crow and the sudden fog; her sister's fear of the weird and of birds was strong but so strong as to make her run like that? As the fog rose up from the ground, becoming denser, Addie thought she saw a man hiding behind one of the statuesque headstone. Briskly walking, it took a moment for Addie to catch up with her sister. She had almost caught up to her when she saw her fall almost flat on her face, her hands catching her. Addie could hear her hiss as she came up next to Elena and saw the tear in her jeans and the slight scrape on her knee.

Elena quickly took the hand Addie held out and pulled herself up before turning around on the path that would lead them to the exit from the cemetery. Addie took a step back as right in front of them was a young man, maybe her sister's age, in a dark t-shirt and a dark jacket. The figure she had seen had been in dark clothing, perhaps?

"Were you following us?" she demanded harshly, tugging on the sleeve of Elena's jacket, trying to pull her closer to her but she didn't budge.

The young man with bright hazel green eyes spared a glance at Addie before returning his focus to Elena, "No, I-a, uh, I-a just - I saw your sister fall."

Addie crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow in disbelief, "Uh-huh, and you just happened to be hangout in a cemetery?"

The guy gave her a hard look, "I'm visiting. I have family here."

Elena had been too startled by the reappearance of the sexy mystery guy from school to say anything until now. It wasn't unusual for Addie to be rude but to someone she didn't even know. Manners were a foreign concept to her little sister. She shot Addie a warning glare that said 'be nice or get lost'. Addie rolled her eyes; Elena didn't intimidate her.

"Wow. Forgive my tactless sister. I apologize. It's the fog. It's making her foggy. And back there, there was this - this bird, and it was all Hitchcock-y for a -"

"It was a crow and my mind is not foggy. You found it Hitchcock-y while I sensed a disturbance in the force," Addie cut Elena off, closing her deep blue eyes and acting like a meditating Jedi.

Elena and the mysterious guy both looked at her with puzzled faces.

Addie shook her head sadly and sighed deeply, "You don't get the Star Wars reference? Well, I just simply don't like either one of you."

Addie walked past her sister, who she heard making apologies and excuses for her to mystery man, and grit her teeth in annoyance. She didn't want her doing that; this was who she was. But it was hardly like she was going to go back and have a fight with Elena right now over it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somehow she had found her way to the Mystic Grill; it was better than the awkward tension at home. Addie slid into a booth, thankfully unnoticed by her brother so she could observe him. Jeremy tried to catch Vickie's attention once but she blew him off to wait on her brother Matt and the guy that had kissed her that morning. Now that Addie had a better look at him, she recognized the boy as the mayor's son, Tyler Lockwood. Jeremy caught up with Vickie again and they started to talk. Her brother could do so much better than chasing after some druggie. Addie's view was interrupted as Caroline and Bonnie sat on either side of her at the circular booth.

"Ad," she hated when people she didn't care for, like Caroline, called her that, "have you seen the extremely hot new guy?"

Addie stared at her soda as if she had to think hard to remember him, "Well, it was my first day at the school so everyone except those who followed me from middle school were new and nobody I saw was as hot as the sun, so I'm guessing not. Then again, you think every new guy is hot."

"This one actually really is," smiled Bonnie, bumping Addie's shoulder with her own and raising her eyebrows suggestively.

Caroline nodded like a blonde bobble head, "His name is Stefan Salvatore. He lives with his uncle up at the old Salvatore boarding house. He hasn't lived here since he was a kid. Military family, so they moved around a lot. He's a Gemini, and his favorite color is blue."

"You got all that in one day," asked Bonnie, a bit shocked.

"Obsessive, much?" muttered Addie, taking a sip of her Sprite.

"Oh, please, I got all that between third and fourth period. We're planning a June wedding."

"Nope, just plain mental," Addie whispered to Bonnie, who held back a giggle.

Caroline hadn't seem to notice Addie's comments at all. "If you guys will excuse me, I'm going to the restroom."

As soon as her seat was evacuated, it was taken up again by Matt Donavan, Elena's ex-boyfriend. Addie groaned inwardly; if Caroline was an overly eager puppy, Matt was always the lost and wounded puppy you wanted to take care of. A smirk fought at her lips as she thought that she was as much a dog person as she was a people person.

"Hey, Addie, how are you doing?" he asked cautiously, just like everyone else had been since her parents' death.

"Walking on sunshine. And before you ask about Elena, think about it, Matt. Our parents died. How do you think? She's putting on a good face, but it's only been four months," Addie said, trying to sound patient.

Matt nodded, understandingly, though Addie could see that he didn't. He looked between her and Bonnie, "Has she said anything about me?"

"Oh, no. So not getting in the middle. You pick up the phone and call her," Bonnie quickly cut in, knowing that whatever Addie would've said would have been much harsher.

Surprisingly, Addie was a bit sympathetic to him. "Give it more time, Matt."

"More time, huh?" he asked, walking over towards the entrance, were Addie was surprised to see Elena and mystery cemetery man.

In the blink of an eye, Addie was somehow squished between Bonnie and Caroline on her right and Elena and the unknown dude on her left. She tuned in to the conversation long enough to gather that this was Stefan Salvatore, the extremely hot guy, before counting the grooves in the wooden table. She honestly couldn't care less about the 21 questions game they were playing with the novelty toy.