The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Fifteen

As she head teachered for the door of her dorm room, Elena rummaged through her bag, checking off a moral list wallet, keys, send for, lip gloss, eyeliner, hairbrush, student ID. As she swung the door open, something fluttered to the ground.A ameliorate white daisy had fal en to the plunge. Elena reached down and picked it up. Turning it in her hand, she snarl up a sudden sharp ache in her chest. God, I miss Stefan.She had no doubt the daisy was from him. It was just like him to let her k outright he was persuasion of her while stil respecting her space.The ache in her chest was slowly replaced with a brisk glowing feeling. It seemed so sil y and artificial to avoid talking to Stefan. She love him. And, beyond that, he was unitary of her best supporters. Elena pul ed let out her phone to cal him.And and then she stopped. Taking a deep breath, she put the phone spur into her bag.If she talked to Stefan, she would want to see him. If she saw him, she would want to touch him . If she touched him, it would al be everyplace. She would find herself fal ing into him, entangled in love. And then she would look up and see Damons dark unfathomable eyes wat chin upg them and feel that pul toward him. And then the brothers would look at each other, and love and pain and fury would arrive over their faces, and e rattlingthing would start up again.It had felt good to walk aside from them for a while, regular though it was heartbreaking and awful and terribly lonely, too. But, since then, Elena had felt a calm denouncetle over her.She wasnt happy, exactly it was like she was cover with bruises, and if she wasnt careful, pain would flood over her as she remembered what she had done. But she also felt as if she had been holding her breath for weeks and now was able to exhale.She knew that Stefan would be waiting for her when she was ready to face him again. Wasnt that what the daisy meant?She tucked the flower inside her bag and set off down the hal , her heels clicking firmly. Elena was going to go out with her friends, she was going to entertain fun, and she wasnt going to think nigh Stefan, or Damon. Or even the disappearances, or Christophers death. Elena sighed under the weight of it al . For days, they had been mourning, and now Elena and her friends needed to embrace carriage again. They deserved an evening of freedom. They needed to remember what they were fighting for.T present she is, Elena hear honest say as she entered the driveed bar. Elena Over hereBonnie, Meredith, and a girl Elena didnt know were sitting at a smal table climb up the jump floor. They had invited Matt to come out with them, unless hed give tongue to he had to study, his face politely closed off, and they knew he wasnt ready yet and that he needed some time alone.Meredith, graceful and relaxed, gave Elena a cool grimace in greeting and introduced her friend Samantha. Samantha was lean, bright eyed, and alert. She seemed like she had energy to spare, shimmy from side to side, chatting without stopping.Bonnie, too, was clearly on to iniquity and started talking as short as Elena reached the table. Bonnie was brave, Elena thought. Christophers death had shocked her, and she was as worried approximately Matt as any of them, but she would stick out her chin and smile and gossip and go on with life just as hard as she could, because they had decided that was what tonight would be about.I got you a Coke, Bonnie give tongue to. They carded me, so I couldnt micturate anything else. Guess what? She paused dramatical y. I cal ed Zander, and he state hed definitely try to assoil it here tonight. I cant wait for you computed tomographys to meet him Bonnie was practical y bouncing out of her seat with excitement, red curls flipping everywhere.Whos Zander? asked Samantha innocently.Meredith gave Elena a sly glance. You know, Im not sure, she said with treat confusion. Bonnie, tel us about him.Yes, Elena added, smirking. I dont think youve mentioned him at al , fetch you?Shut up, you blackguards, Bonnie said amiably, and, leaning over the table to Samantha, started to spiritualize al of Zanders virtues to her fresh audience. Elena let her mind wander.Shed heard it al , night after night in their dorm lately Zanders eyes, Zanders smile, Zanders bashful ch artillery, Zanders very hot bod (Bonnies words). How Zander and Bonnie studied together in a tucked-away corner of the library and Zander brought Bonnie secret snacks even though it was solely against the library rules. The way they talked on the phone every night, the long velvet-textured pauses when it seemed like Zander was on the verge of whispering something intimate, something no one but Bonnie could know, but then instead he would make a joke that made Bonnie laugh like crazy. There was something so sweet about Bonnie with a crush. Elena sincere y hoped this blackguard was worthy of her.He hasnt kissed me yet, Bonnie added, eyes wide.Soon, though. I hope.The very head start kiss, Samantha said, and wiggled her eyebrows. Maybe tonight? Bonnie just giggled in response.That ache was backwards in Elenas chest, and she pressed her hand against her sternum. During her first kiss with Stefan, the world had fal en away and there had been just the two of them, lips and souls touching. Everything had seemed so clear then.She took a deep breath and wil ed away tears. She wasnt going to remember anything tonight she was just going to hold up a good time with her friends.Having Samantha there, Elena shortly real(a)ized, was going to be a huge help with that. If it had been just Elena, Meredith, and Bonnie, they would have ended up discussing Christophers murder and the disappearances on campus, combing obsessively over the very few things they knew and theorizing about everything they didnt. But with Samantha there, they had to keep the conversation light. in some way Bonnie got off the topic of wonderful Zander and on to care read ing. Look, she said to Samantha.See the line that crosses down your palm, across the other three lines? Thats a fate line, not everybody has that.What does it mean? Samantha said, gazing at her own palm with wide interest.Well, Bonnie said, her brow furrowing, it changes direction a lot see here? and here? which means that your destiny is going to change because of outside forces influencing you.Hmm, Samantha said. How about love? Wil I meet somebody amazing tonight?No, Bonnie said slowly, and her voice changed, taking on a flat, almost surface ic, tone. Elena glanced up quickly to see that Bonnies pupils were dilated, her eyes looking away from Samanthas palm into the distance. Not tonight.But theres soulfulness waiting for you who wil change everything. Youl meet him soon. Bonnie, Meredith said sharply. Are you okay? Bonnie blinked, and her eyes snapped back into focus.Of course, she said, sounding confused. What do you mean?Elena and Meredith exchanged a glance had Bonnie s lipped into a fantasy? Before they could question her, a whole group of guys was suddenly at their table, laughing, shouting, swearing. Elena frowned up at them.Hey, gorgeous, one said, staring down at Elena.Wanna dance?Elena started to shake her head, but another of the guys dropped into the seat neighboring to Bonnie and threw his arm around her. Hey, he said. Did you miss me?Zander Bonnie exclaimed, her cheeks pink with delight.So this was Zander, Elena thought, and watched him covertly as his three friends settled at the table, too, introducing themselves cheerful y, seeming to make the maximum amount of noise dragging chairs over and jockeying to sit next to the girls. Zander was cute, sure, she had to admit that. Pale blond hair and a gorgeous smile.She didnt real y like the way he was pul ing Bonnie close, turning her head toward him, his hands running restlessly over her shoulders even as he talked over her head to his friends. It seemed real y possessive for a guy who had nt even kissed her yet. Elena looked over at Meredith to see if she was thinking the same thing.Meredith was listening, with an amuse smile, to the guy next to her Marcus, she thought his name was Zanders friend with the shaggy dark-brown hair, explaining his weight-lifting routine.Shots, another friend of Zanders said succinctly, joining them with a tray ful of walkover glasses. Lets diarrhea quarters.Bonnie giggled. Theyre not al owed to serve us here. Were underage.The guy grinned. Salright. I paid for them, not you.Wanna dance? Spencer, the one who had asked Elena a minute before, said again, asking Samantha this time.Sure she said, and jumped to her feet. The two were quickly lost in the crowd on the dance floor.God, I was so drunk last night, the guy next to Elena, Jared, said, tipping his chair back on two legs and regarding her cheerful y. His friend on his other side gazed at him for a minute, then poured a shot into his lap.Hey In a moment, they were on their feet an d shoving each other, the guy who had poured the drinkable laughing, Jared red-faced and angry.Knock it off, you guys, Zander said. I dont want to get kicked out of here, too. alike? Elena raised her eyebrows. This guy and his friends were definitely too wild for innocent undersize Bonnie.Elena looked at Meredith again for confirmation, but she was stil lost in jock world, now giving her opinion on the best weight training for militant arts.Bonnie squealed with laughter and bounced a quarter directly into one of the shot glasses. Al the guys cheered.Now what? she said breathlessly, her eyes bright.Now you choose someone to drink it, the guy who had brought the drinks said.Zander, of course, Bonnie said, and Zander gave her a long, slow smile that even Elena had to admit was devastating and drank, then winked at her as she laughed again.Bonnie looked real y happy. Elena couldnt remember the last time she had seen her laughing like this.It mustiness have been at least a year ago, before things had done for(p) crazy in Fel s Church.Elena sighed and looked around the table. These guys were rowdy tussling and shoving at one another but they were friendly enough. And this was the kind of thing people did at col ege, wasnt it? If it made Bonnie happy, Elena ought to at least try to get along with them.Samantha and Spencer came back to the table, both laughing, and Samantha col apsed in her seat. No more, she said, bringing up her hands to fend him off. I need a water break. Youre a madman, you know that?Wil you come dance with me, then? Spencer said pleadingly to Elena, outturn big brown puppy-dog eyes at her.Hel try to pick you up, Samantha warned. And submerge you. And spin you around. But dont worry, Il be back out on that floor in no time.Pretty please? Spencer said, making an even more pathetic face.Bonnie laughed triumphantly as she bounced another quarter into the glass. dance with a group of friends isnt betraying anyone, Elena thought. Besides, sh e was single now. Sort of, anyway. She should try to enjoy col ege, to embrace life.Wasnt that the whole point of tonight? She shrugged.Sure, why not?