"Incidentally, he's a vampire."
She didn't even believe it herself. It sounded ludicrous.
A twinge from the side of her neck reminded her how serious the ludicrous story really was. She felt odd today, almost as if she were sick. It was more than just tension and lack of sleep. She felt slightly dizzy, and at times the ground seemed to be spongy, giving way under her feet and then springing back.
Flu symptoms, except that she was sure they weren't due to anyvirus in her bloodstream.
Damon's fault, again. Everything was Damon's fault, except the diary. She had no one to blame for that but herself. If only she hadn't written about Stefan, if only she hadn't brought the diary to school. If only she hadn't left it in Bonnie's living room. If only, if only.
Right now all that mattered was that she had to get it back.
Chapter Ten
The bell rang. There was no time to go back to the cafeteria and tell Bonnie and Meredith. Elena set off for her next class, past the averted faces and hostile eyes that were becoming all too familiar these days. It was hard, in history class, not to stare at Caroline, not to let Caroline know she knew. Alaric asked about Matt and Stefan being absent for the second day in a row, and Elena shrugged, feeling exposed and on display. She didn't trust this man with the boyish smile and the hazel eyes and the thirst for knowledge about Mr. Tanner's death. And Bonnie, who simply gazed at Alaric soulfully, was no help at all.
After class she caught a scrap of Sue Carson's conversation. "... he's on vacation from college - I forget exactly where..."
Elena had had enough of discreet silence. She spun around and spoke directly to Sue and the girl Sue was talking to, bursting uninvited into their discussion.
"If I were you," she said to Sue, "I would keep away from Damon. I mean that."
There was startled, embarrassed laughter. Sue was one of the few people at school who hadn't shunned Elena, and now she was looking as if she wished she had.
"You mean," said the other girl hesitantly, "because he's yours, too? Or - "
Elena's own laughter was harsh. "I mean because he'sdangerous ," she said. "And I'm not joking."
They just looked at her. Elena saved them the further embarrassment of having to reply or to get tactfully groupies and headed for Meredith's locker.
"Where are we going? I thought we were going to talk to Caroline."
"Not anymore," Elena said. "Wait until we get home. Then I'll tell you why."
"I can't believe it," said Bonnie an hour later. "I mean, I believe it, but I can'tbelieve it. Not even of Caroline."
"It's Tyler," Elena said. "He's the one with the big plans. So much for men not being interested in diaries." "Actually, we should thank him," said Meredith. "Because of him at least we have until Founders' Day to do something about it.Why did you say it was supposed to be on Founders' Day, Elena?"
"Tyler has something against the Fells."
"But they're all dead," said Bonnie.
"Well, that doesn't seem to matter to Tyler. I remember him talking about it in the graveyard, too, when we were looking at their tomb. He thinks they stole his ancestors' rightful place as the town's founders or something."
"Elena," Meredith said seriously, "is there anything else in the diary that could hurt Stefan? Besides the thing about the old man, I mean."
"Isn't that enough?" With those steady, dark eyes on her, Elena felt discomfort flutter between her ribs. What was Meredith asking?
"Enough to get Stefan run out of town like they said," agreed Bonnie.
"Enough that we have to get the diary back from Caroline," Elena said. "The only question is, how?"
"Caroline said she had it hidden somewhere safe. That probably means her house." Meredith chewed her lip thoughtfully. "She's got just the one brother in eighth grade, right? And her mom doesn't work, but she goes shopping in Roanoke a lot. Do they still have a maid?"
"Why?" said Bonnie. "What difference does it make?"
"Well, we don't want anybody walking in while we're burglarizing the house."
"While we'rewhat ?" Bonnie's voice rose to a squeak. "You can't be serious!"
"What are we supposed to do, just sit back and wait until Founders' Day, and let her read Elena's diary in front of the town?She stole it from your house. We've just got to steal it back," Meredith said, maddeningly calm.
"We'll get caught. We'll get expelled from school - if we don't end up going to jail." Bonnie turned to Elena in appeal. "Tell her, Elena."
Besides, it seemed such a... aviolation , to go into someone's house when they were not there, to search their possessions. She would hate it if someone did that to her.
But, of course, someone had. Caroline had violated Bonnie's house, and right now had Elena's most private possession in her hands.
"Let's do it," Elena said quietly. "But let's be careful."
"Can't we talk about this?" said Bonnie weakly, looking from Meredith's determined face to Elena's.
"There's nothing to talk about. You're coming," Meredith told her. "You promised," she added, as Bonnie took a breath to object afresh. And she held up her index finger.
"The blood oath was only to help Elenaget Stefan!" Bonnie cried.
"Think again," said Meredith. "You swore you would do whatever Elena asked in relation to Stefan.
There wasn't anything about a time limit or about 'only until Elena gets him.' "
Bonnie's mouth dropped open. She looked at Elena, who was almost laughing in spite of herself. "It's true," Elena said solemnly. "And you said it yourself: 'Swearing with blood means you have to stick to your oath no matter what happens.' "