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CHAPTER SIX
calm before the storm
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( plan b )

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Harper's POV.

*Lockwood Mansion*

"So we could help set up tables or help decorate," I suggest, looking out over the Lockwood grounds at what everyone else is doing to prepare for the upcoming masquerade ball. It's a charity event that takes place once a year for the homeless and needy, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to it. The masquerade ball is one of the only parties in this town that I actually enjoy going to. I don't know what it is, but there's just something about it that makes me feel like I've stepped out of this world and into a fantasy book.

Elena, to my left, doesn't say anything. She seems distracted and distant as she stands at the top of a staircase.

"Elena," I say to get her attention.

"Oh." She snaps out of it. "Sorry." She turns to look at me. "Look. I know I said I would try to keep the supernatural talk to a minimum, but I can't stop thinking about everything that's going on, with Caroline's mom and Mason . . . it's all just too much right now."

"No, I get it," I quickly assure her, "and it's fine. Thank you for trying anyway."

That night after Damon tried to apologize for killing my dad, and I had shut him down, I had made a decision that I was done with the supernatural. I wanted my normal life back, one where I didn't have to worry about vampires and werewolves or my life being in danger all the time. So, I told Elena on the car ride home my decision, and she promised to do her best to make it happen. By now, I'm sure she's told almost everyone about my decision, and I couldn't be more grateful. Only when absolutely necessary will I be brought into the supernatural loop. But, regardless, since I am already aware of the supernatural world, I'll know to be careful while I try to continue on with a normal life.

Maybe I am doing all this to avoid Damon, but I truly believe I made a smart choice for myself and for my future. And it's not like everything completely supernatural is going to be cut out of my life. I'll still be friends with Stefan, Caroline, and Bonnie. That's not going to change. I'm just not going to involve myself in the supernatural drama with them anymore.

Elena looks away, and her attention is drawn elsewhere at something down the steps we're standing above. Bonnie is walking by with a box in her hands.

"There's Bonnie," Elena says. "I need to talk to her."

"Okay," I say as Elena goes down the steps to meet with her, leaving me alone at the top of the staircase.

I need to find another anchor person who's not involved with the Mason or Katherine drama right now. I walk around the Lockwood grounds for a while searching out such a person. There are lots of jobs I could be doing to help set up for the masquerade ball—like decorating tables with candles or moving furniture around inside. But I don't want to get stuck doing those jobs with people I don't know. I hate forcing myself to talk to people I'm not close with.

After a bit, I spot Matt at the top of a ladder hanging up lanterns at one of the canopies. Tyler is with him, and while I don't normally like to hang out with Matt when Tyler is around, I suck it up and approach them.

"Hi, can I help?" I ask a little loudly to get their attentions.

Matt looks down at me from the top of the ladder. "Yeah, sure." He comes down the ladder with a lantern in his hand.

Tyler turns to me all of a sudden. "Harper, don't lie. You think Caroline is a little crazy, right?"

His question catches me off guard. What were they saying about Caroline before I arrived?

"Uh—well." I wrack my brain for something to say. "She has her moments," I agree half-heartedly. It's not like I can completely deny that Caroline can be a bit much sometimes. Even before she became a vampire, she could be overbearing. But I'm not going to talk bad about her either. She's my friend.

"See?" Tyler says, looking at Matt now. "Even Harper agrees."

"Yeah," Matt says. "I'm gonna go get an extension cord. I'll be right back." He walks away with the lantern.

Oh yeah, now Matt decides it's time to get an extension cord. Now that I'm here. So I can be alone with Tyler. Not that that was Matt's intention, but still.

An awkward silence fills the space between me and Tyler. I stressfully look around for something to talk about. Out of the corner of my right eye, I recognize the lean build of Jeremy standing at a table behind us.

I go over to him almost immediately, not thinking twice about leaving Tyler. I can only take so much awkwardness. "Hey, Jer."

"Hey." He looks up from whatever he was rearranging on the table. It doesn't go unnoticed by me when his eyes glance over at something behind me. Was he looking at Tyler?

Rocking back and forth on my feet, I ask, "What are you doing?"

Jeremy looks back down at the table before returning his gaze on me. "Just fixing this arrangement," he says plainly.

"Oh," I say.

"Hey, Elena told me that you wanted to stay out of everything. Is that true?"

"Yeah." I nod.

"She didn't force you or anything?" he presses.

"Nope," I say, loosing a breath. "This was my own choice."

Jeremy glances over my head again, and, this time, I'm sure he's looking at Tyler. "I need to talk to Tyler," he says.

Jeremy and Tyler aren't close, so the only reason he would want to talk to him is because of supernatural business. Tyler having the potential to be a werewolf and all. And being the protective cousin that I am, I don't like the idea of Jeremy being involved with the supernatural.

"You shouldn't involve yourself, Jeremy," I advise gently. "You could get hurt."

"Well, as long as my sister is involved, I see no reason why I shouldn't be involved too." He walks away towards Tyler.

Watching him go, I frown.

*Time Skip*

Matt, Elena, and I are sorting through costumes and masks on a table in the front hall of the Lockwood Mansion.

"So where's Caroline?" Matt asks. "This is like her thing. I can't believe she's not here."

I'm pretty sure she's probably over at the Salvatores taking care of her mom in the dungeon. But it's not like I'm going to say that. I'll let Elena handle this.

My cousin shrugs at Matt. "She had something else to do."

Matt goes back to sorting through costumes before asking out of the blue, "Is she seeing someone?"

Elena stops sorting through costumes to look up at the lovesick boy. "Matt, come on. No, she's not." Elena shakes her head.

From the box I'm sorting through, I take out a sparkly silver mask that would go perfect with the dress my mother bought me for the masquerade ball. I put it to the side on the table. I'll have to ask Mrs. Lockwood later if I can borrow it for the party.

To my right, Elena stops sorting through her box. I look up and realize Stefan has entered the room and gotten her attention. However, he leaves rather quickly without saying a word.

I know they're broken up, but I have a feeling his ignorance of her has to do with something else—something I'm better off ignoring for my own good, like I had decided to stay out of from now on. No more supernatural drama for me. Nah ah.

"I'm not even gonna ask," Matt says, also noticing Elena's behavior after Stefan had left.

With frustration, my cousin shoves a masquerade mask into a box. "I'll be right back," she announces before taking off after Stefan.

That's the difference between me and Elena. I crave peace and normalcy while she has always been more adventurous.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

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a/n:

I need TVD fanfic recommendations to read! If I can get at least 14 people to recommend me some good fics, I'll post the next chapter of this book. Please make your recommendations here in an inline comment (it can be your story or someone else's as long as it's good) >>>>>>

-- roxy

( word count: 1.4k )