CHAPTER FIVE;
dark eyes, blue eyes

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"CAMI! WAKE UP!"

Camila groaned into the pillow, turning her head to the side to see Jenna, leaning on the door of her bedroom with an amused smile. Camila scowled at her and pulled the sheets over her head, going to sleep again.

She heard Jenna laugh and walk over to her and in the next moment the sheets were ripped out of her, "You're late for school."

"Can I just not go?" Camila groaned, rolling around on the bed, looking up at the ceiling with a pout before turning to Jenna, doing her best to give her puppy eyes.

"Come on, I'm driving you," said Jenna, ignoring her request, "I have to go too."

"Why?"

"Jeremy's parent-teacher conference." Jenna stopped by Camila's vanity mirror and frowned, tilting her head at her pulled-up hair, "Do I look like a sexy stewardess?"

Camila let out a laugh. "What?"

"Elena was in a good mood today. Told me I looked like a sexy stewardess with my hair up and with it down like a boozy housewife," said Jenna with a snort and Camila chuckled as she sat up on the bed.

"I mean, I heard Tanner has a kink for stewardesses," she said with a smirk and Jenna grimaced, taking down her hair, and Camila added, "And he's looking for a boozy housewife, too."

"You're a menace in the morning," said Jenna with a scowl, "What do I do?"

"Half up, half down," said Camila as she stood up from the bed. Jenna nodded as Camila picked up her clothes and headed to the bathroom before adding with a laugh, "You'll be a boozy stewardess."

"Or a sexy housewife," grumbled Jenna, and Camila burst into giggles as she closed the bathroom floor.

Quickly getting ready, Camila joined Jenna in the car, giving her aunt an entire speech about Tanner and his dickish behavior and how she shouldn't worry about a thing he said. When they got to school, Camila made her way to her classroom, slipping in the back and sitting in between Caroline and Nathan

As their English teacher droned on about Shakespeare and the Tempest, Camila felt sleep welcoming her again, and taking Nathan's sweater from the back of his chair, she used it as a pillow and promptly fell asleep again, hidden away by the row of people in front of her.

There was a house, yellow light peeking through the wooden door, a door that didn't seem to be keeping out anything besides the wind, the wind blowing in her ears, carrying the sound of a sword slashing through the air to Camila.

Hesitantly, Camila walked towards the house, her steps cautious, her breathing ragged, she looked around, but all she found was nothingness, nothing besides the house, with the wooden door, and yellow light that seemed to come from a fire.

Her hand wrapped around the handle of the door and she swung it open, a gasp leaving her lips at the sight before her. There was blood, bodies, pain. A man stood behind a boy her age, a sword buried in his chest, peeking from the other side, blood staining his lips.

Camila let out a pained scream, as the man wielding the sword, cruelly pulled out the sword from the boy's chest. The latter fell to his knees, the cotton of his shirt stained, blood seeping into it like a crimson wave. His dark eyes met hers, and his lips twisted into a pained smile before he fell to the ground.

The breath got knocked out of her lungs and Camila staggered back, a scream leaving her lips as she begged for someone to help, but as she stepped away, Camila found herself falling, falling into an abyss, where everything was dark and she couldn't see anything.

Camila had woken up with a gasp, thankfully low enough that no one besides Caroline and Nathan and probably the kid in front of her had heard. And then the bell rang and she wiped a tear that fell from her eye away as she gathered her things.

After school was over, she, Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena met at the Mystic Grill, sitting outside as they talked and folded some flyers for the night of the comet festival, and Camila was doing her best to keep the dark eyes from the boy in her dreams out of her mind. To keep the sight of his bloodied smile away. At least in this dream, she hadn't been the one that died, but weirdly it hurt more.

"Well, I was talking to Grams," said Bonnie, "and she said the comet is a sign of impending doom. The last time it passed over Mystic Falls, there was lots of death. So much blood and carnage, it created a bed of paranormal activity."

Camila raised a curious brow at the girl just as Caroline snorted, "Yeah, and then you poured Grams another shot and she told you about the aliens." The blonde turned to Elena, "So then what?"

"So then nothing," said Elena with a shrug.

"You and Stefan talked all night?" asked Caroline with an incredulous look. "There was no sloppy first kiss or touchy-feely of any kind?"

"Believe me, Care, all they did was talk," Camila said with a teasing smile, "It was really nauseating too."

"You and Nate are no better," Elena argued, "You still have his jacket in your room."

"He's my friend. Besides, I was cold and he gave it to me! I didn't spend the night talking to him."

"No, because you actually have sex with Nate," said Caroline, and Camila rolled her eyes. Caroline turned to Elena again, "I mean, not even a handshake? Elena, we are your friends. Ok? You are supposed to share the smut."

"Please don't," said Camila with a grimace.

Elena rolled her eyes before shrugging, "We just talked for hours."

"Ok, what is with the blockage?" asked Caroline, shaking her head in disbelief. "Just jump his bones already! Ok, it's easy. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy, sex!"

"Profound," drawled Elena with a small smile playing at her lips. She pursed her lips before standing up, "Come on, Cami."

"What?" asked Camila just as Bonnie asked, "Where are you going?"

"Caroline's right. It is easy. If I sit here long enough, I'll end up talking myself out of it instead of doing what I started the day saying what I was going to do," said Elena with a smile and Camila frowned at her.

"And what? I'm supposed to agree to a threesome?"

Elena scowled at her, "I don't mean having sex. I mean I need to talk to him and I'm your ride home, so you're going with me."

Camila sighed, "I hate sharing a car."

With that, she stood up wishing Bonnie and Caroline goodbye before following Elena. Camila slipped into the passenger seat and Elena started the car, driving towards the Salvatore Boarding House.

"What are you going to do when you get there?" asked Camila curiously. "Cause if you want to have sex you could just drop me off at home."

"I just want to talk to him, Cami. I met him the other day, I'm not having sex with him."

"Why not? He's hot."

Elena gave her a side glance and Camila smiled innocently. Elena let out a laugh as she turned back to the road and Camila soon joined her. When they calmed down, Elena spoke with a smile, "I like seeing you happy."

"You've been happier too," said Camila, and Elena shrugged but the smile that was left on her lips as she parked the car in front of the boarding house was telling. "Stefan seems like a good guy. I have a good feeling about him."

"Me too," said Elena with a smile before the two of them got out of the car.

They walked up to the front door, and Camila blinked as the wooden door from her dream flashed through her mind. Elena's knock on the door brought her back to reality, the door opening immediately out of its own accord.

Elena stepped forward to enter the house but Camila stopped her, "You can't just walk in, Lena."

"What am I supposed to do then?" asked Elena as she walked in and Camila gave her a look of disbelief as she followed her.

"Literally anything else. We're barging in," she said as they stepped into the foyer and Camila looked around, her lips parting at the size of the house and the old and expensive-looking furniture adorning the living room.

"Stefan? Stefan?" Elena asked, as both of them stood by the entrance of the house, not wanting to trespass more than they had already.

Both girls turned as they heard something from outside, and Elena let out a scream as she jumped in place when a crow came flying through the house, hitting Camila in the stomach with her elbow when she turned around.

Elena gasped and Camila turned around to see a black-haired man with blue eyes staring at them. Her eyes widened a fraction. He was the man she'd seen Elena talking to on the day of the accident. She was a hundred percent sure of it if her gut was anything to go by.

"I...I'm sorry for barging in," said Elena, and Camila saw no hint of recognition in her eyes. "The door was," they turned to see the door closed, "...open."

"You must be Elena," said the man, and then he's eyes found Camila and he tilted his head, "Camila, right? I'm Damon—"

"Stefan's brother, then," Camila concluded and Damon scowled slightly as if disappointed he didn't get to introduce himself. But Camila didn't care. Because she was either going mad and had imagined him on the day of the accident or Elena suffered from amnesia. Either way, it wasn't a good thing.

"Stefan didn't say much about you," Elena added and Damon smiled.

"Well, Stefan's not one to brag. Please, come. I'm sure Stefan will be along any second." With that he let the girls step past the entryway of the house and Camila took it as a hint to make herself at home, walking towards a couch and sitting down, still, eyeing Damon with cautious eyes. Unlike with Stefan, when her instincts told her it was fine to trust him, with Damon they seemed conflicted, more inclined to say no.

Elena still seemed to be taking in the house. "Wow. This is your living room?"

"Living room, parlor, Sotheby's auction." Damon shrugged. "It's a little kitschy for my taste."

"Change it then," offered Camila, "It's your house."

"I don't get along with interior designers," replied Damon with a shrug. He turned to Elena again, "I see why my brother's so smitten. It's about time. For a while there, I never thought he'd get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him."

"Has anyone told you're a bit dramatic?" asked Camila from her place on the couch and Damon scowled at her.

"The last one?" asked Elena.

"Yeah. Katherine, his girlfriend?" Damon gasped. "Oh, you two haven't had the awkward exes conversation yet."

"Nope," said Elena with a tight smile and Camila rolled her eyes.

"You've barely spoken Elena, I'm sure he'd tell you."

"Camila's right. I'm sure it'll come up now, " said Damon, "Or maybe he didn't want to tell you because he didn't want you to think he was on the rebound. We all know how those relationships end."

"You say it like every relationship is doomed to end."

"I'm a fatalist," he said with a smirk and Camila narrowed her eyes. "Hello, Stefan."

Camila's head turned to see Stefan standing behind Damon and Elena, his eyes set on his brother, glaring not so subtly at him. Camila stood up, coming to stand next to Elena as Stefan spoke, but not looking at either of them, "Elena, Camila, I didn't know you were coming over."

"I know," Elena said, her smile verging on a grimace as she shared a look with Camila, "I should have called, I just—"

"Oh, don't be silly," Damon cut her off, "You're welcome any time. Isn't she, Stefan?"

Stefan didn't answer, still glaring at Damon. Camila and Elena exchanged a look.

"You know, I should break out the family photo albums or some home movies," said Damon, his voice sounding overjoyed at seeing his brother's reaction. "But...I have to warn you. He wasn't always such a looker."

"Well, that's just impossible," Camila drawled. Damon's lips twitched into a smile.

"Thank you for stopping by, Elena, Camila," said Stefan, and yet he only spared them a glance and Camila was getting particularly irritated at him, especially as she saw Elena's smile falter. "Nice to see you."

"Yeah, we should probably go," said Elena, "It was nice to meet you, Damon."

"Great meeting you, too, Elena." Damon turned to Camila, "You too, Camila."

She gave him a tight smile, "Well, yeah, sure."

With that, both sisters turned to leave, and Stefan stepped aside, not sparing a glance their way. Elena's shoulders slumped slightly and Camila let her walk out the door before she turned to Stefan with a glare.

"What the hell is your problem?" she asked bluntly and saw Damon raise an amused brow. Stefan's eyes snapped to hers. "I mean, I get it, you hate your brother if the way you're looking at him is something to go by, but get a grip, Salvatore. You hurt Elena, and I'll hurt you right back."

"Feisty," said Damon with a whistle, and Camila turned to him unimpressed.

"I'm not going to hurt Elena," Stefan spoke up and Camila turned to him again, pursing her lips.

She didn't say anything, merely hummed, before rolling her eyes at him and leaving the house.

Camila slipped into the passenger seat and Elena turned to her, "What did you say to Stefan?"

"Nothing special," Camila waved her off and Elena narrowed her eyes at him. "I swear I played nice, Lena."

"Nice?"

"I didn't hit him." Elena sighed and Camila shrugged as she started the car, and they drove away. "Anyway, did you know Damon already?"

Elena frowned, turning to her, "What?"

"Didn't he look familiar?"

"No..."

Elena had amnesia then. Because Camila was sure Damon Salvatore had been there the night of the accident.

•••

"He's on the rebound and has raging family issues," said Elena as Camila sat down at the dining room table, looking blankly at her homework, which she did not want to do.

"Well, at least it's an ex-girlfriend," said Jenna with a shrug, an apple hanging from her hand as she looked down at Camila's history homework with a grimace. "Wait till you date a guy with mommy issues or cheating issues. Or amphetamine issues."

"Or addiction issues," Camila found herself adding, as closed her book just as the door opened and Jeremy walked in, prompting Jenna to shoot right after him.

"Jeremy? Jeremy, where were you?"

"More stoner stories?" Camila heard her brother asking and raised a brow in question, "Look, Jenna, I get it, you were cool. And so that's...that's cool."

"Oh, no, no, no!"

The next thing she heard was Jeremy's yelp and she exchanged an amused look with Elena.

"Ow! Why? Why...why did you do that?" asked Jeremy.

"Listen up! Quit ditching class or you're grounded. No discussion."

"Parental authority, I like it. Sleep tight."

"Stop being a dick!" shouted Camila from her place on the table and Jeremy shouted back, "I wasn't talking to you!"

"Brat," Camila grumbled under her breath and Elena let out a chuckle.

"I don't know what to do with him," Jenna grumbled as she sat down next to Camila.

"We can just return him to the orphanage," Camila muttered, "I think our parents saved the receipt."

Elena let out a laugh and Jenna let out a chuckle though it sounded strained. Camila turned to her with a questioning brow and Jenna cleared her throat.

"Your mother used to do that to me," she said, "Spent a whole year believing I came from Ireland."

"Ireland?" Elena laughed. "That's nice. Camila convinced Jer he came from a dumpster for a whole month. Every time we passed one Jeremy would start crying."

"Was it that one, Cami?" Camila mimicked Jeremy with a pitchy voice and the other two burst into laughter. "I probably traumatized him. Mom and Dad grounded me for a week."

•••

The night of the comet was nothing short of chaotic. Vicki disappeared, and Camila had the horrifying discovery her little brother slept with the Donovan girl during the summer.

Vicki was found and the comet was, to say the least, underwhelming. Especially because as she looked up at it, flying thousands of miles away, in the infinite space beyond, she found it familiar. As if she'd already seen it before. As if a rare cosmological occurrence was something she'd seen before.

And now, she was walking up the stairs to her room with Nathan and Elena—the two sisters had gotten a ride from the boy. They stopped in front of Jeremy's room when they found Jenna looking through the drawers of his desk.

"Jenny?" Camila called out and Jenna looked up with a grimace at the three teenagers.

"It's me, the hypocrite patrol," she said as she straightened up. "Hey, Nathan."

Nathan smiled just as Elena asked, "What are you doing?"

"I've become my worst nightmare," said Jenna with a sigh as she walked over to a pair of boots on the floor, "The authority figure who has to violate a 15-year-old's privacy. Jackpot. I see the hiding places haven't gotten any more creative."

"What brought this on?" asked Elena as Camila shared an amused look with Nathan.

"Your ass-hat of a history teacher shamed me good yesterday."

Nathan hissed, "You got tannered."

Camila snorted, and Elena nodded, "Been there."

"Discover the impossible, Ms. Sommers. Got it. Thanks," Jenna said with a grunt as she opened the bottom drawer of Jeremy's dresser. "Like I didn't know I was screwing up."

"You're not screwing up, Jenny," Camila said gently as she shared a look with Nathan, who nodded and left the room to give them some privacy.

"Yes, I am," argued Jenna. "You know why? Because I'm not her. She made everything look so easy. You know, high school, marriage, having you. I can't do it. I'm gonna say or do the wrong thing, and he's gonna get worse, and it's gonna be my fault. It's impossible."

"Aunt Jenna, no one needs you to be perfect," said Camila taking her aunt's hand in hers, "Mom left us with you for a reason. Not because she wanted you to replace her but because she knew you were strong enough to love us like she did. Jeremy will get better."

Elena nodded, "This is just the fear talking. You're a little scared, that's all. We all are." Elena hugged Jenna before pulling away, "I have to go do something. But are you going to be ok?"

Jenna nodded and Elena smiled before leaving. And Camila turned to her aunt again, "You're allowed to freak out, you know? We weren't the only ones who lost someone. You lost your sister that day, and your brother-in-law. You can grieve too, Jenny."

Jenna sniffed, blinking quickly as if to keep the tears away, and pulled Camila into a hug as a sob left her lips. "I love you guys."

"We love you too, Jenny," said Camila quietly as she hugged her aunt tightly. When they pulled away Camila smiled, "I'm gonna go to my room, Nate's waiting. You okay?"

"I'm fine. Keep the door open," she said sternly and Camila saluted her with a laugh.

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