𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

"Ughh, it's so hot out here!" I groan out in frustration. Elena laughs from next to me.

"That's because of that big hoodie you're wearing" She points tugging at the thick material. I huff with a pout.

"I know" I grumble crossing my arms like a child. Let me recap.

Stefan made me put on this stupid ass big ass hot ass hoodie because I was showing too much skin. And I know you're probably thinking 'Maria since when can anyone tell you how to dress?' And to that my answer is NEVER! No one tells me how to dress, but I did willingly put on this hoodie because I may or may not have put on one of my most revealing bikinis...but it doesn't matter okay. I looked good periodt- but I do look adorable with this hoodie on though. ITS JUST HOT AS TITS OUT HERE!

"Stefan please, just take me out of my misery" I whine clinging to his shirt. He shakes his head in amusement.

"Fine, I'll get you ice cream if you put on your shorts and my shirt" My boyfriend bribes with a knowing smirk. I glare at him playfully.

"Oh that's cold" I say shaking my head obviously knowing I'm going to agree. I sigh caving in.

"Fine- just give me the shirt okay!" I snap holding out my hand as he laughs at my need for ice cream.

He hands me the shirt as I lift the hoodie over my head. I sigh in relief as the coolness of the wind breezes through the shirt. I chuck the hoodie at Stefan's head. I bust out laughing as the hoodie slides down his face.

"Rude" His voice is muffled by the hoodie only causing my laughter to grow.

Stefan removes the hoodie showing his wide grin.

"I'm gonna go tell Caroline we're leaving" I say walking away from where we were standing.

Stefan watches his girlfriend walk away as he looks past her to Elena who's captivated by the Griffith girl. Stefan furrows his eyebrows in confusion. He watches her snap out of whatever trance she was in and go back to normal.

I watch Maria laugh with Stefan. I never realized how nice her laugh was, or how pretty her smile was. I'm used to only seeing her glare at me. I've never had a friendship like I have with Maria, she helps me in ways no one ever has. I talk to her about things I've never been able to talk to anyone about other than my mom. I love being around her- it's like- it's like a breath of fresh air or a cool breeze on a hot day like this one.

I constantly find myself itching to be around her, to just be in her presence. To breath the same air as her, to feel her on my-

Oh my god. What am I doing? I shouldn't be think-

No no no, get those thoughts out your head Elena. What the hell is wrong with you...I mean you've neve- I mean I don't even- What was that?

I snap out of my daze and glance up to see Stefan staring at me before looking away. God, I hope he didn't see me gaze off like that. I mean what he think of someone just staring at his girlfriend like that- oh my god. Was I staring at her like that? Oh god.

I rub my temples as a headache begins to set in. I probably look like a crazy person just standing here and making faces.

I walk over towards the register standing next to Maria as she plays cashier for a minute.

"That'll be $20, sir" I tell the older man politely. Elena looks up at the older man as a look of realization flashes across her face.

"Hey, I saw you last night. You were talking to a friend of ours, at the grill?" The brunettes ask the man. The man nods his head.

"Oh yes, well I...I thought he was someone else" He waves off his mistake.

"Stefan Salvatore" I look up at Elena in question, but she pays me no mind. The older man shakes his head in disagreement.

"Nah, it can't be. It's just my mind playing tricks on me" He shrugs in reply. I glance between them curiously.

"Where did you think you've seen him?" I ask gaining the mans attention. He looks down at me.

"When I first moved here, I stayed at the Salvatore Boarding house" I nodded along.

"Oh" Elena's lets out.

"Stefan was just passing through to visit his uncle. I mean, none of us knew he was even here until the attack" The older man continues telling us of past events. I do a double take.

"Attack?" I ask with raised eyebrows.

"His uncle got killed. Mauled by an animal in the woods. It would have gotten these two other fellas too, if the brothers hadn't scare it off" I frown hanging on to every word the old man spewed.

"Who were the two other guys?" Elena speaks up again moving the attention back to her.

"I can't remember really. I think it was Cartelli- no Canelli- no it was"

"Camelli" I cut him off as the feeling of dread causes my heart to beat out of my chest. The man frowns at me.

"Yes, how did you-"

"Grandpa, you gotta go. Mom wants you home. Ok?" Tiki interrupted tugging on her grandfathers arm.

"Ah" He waves her off walking away. Tiki turns to Elena and I.

"He wasn't bugging you, was he? He's a little alzy-heimer" Tiki explains to us.

"No, he was sweet" Elena defends the old man as I give Tiki a fake reassuring smile. She nods before walking away. I clench my jaw as my eyes begin to burn with tears.

Elena senses my mood shift. She sees Stefan walking over to us and quickly pulls him over.

"Stefan, we have to get her out of here" She whispers into his ear glancing at me. He looks at me in concern.

"Why, What happened? Is she okay?" Stefan rushes out questions looking around for any potential danger.

"No, this old man was just talking to us about you when your Uncle Joseph was attacked and he mentioned a name a-and now she-" His head snapped to Elena's direction.

"A name? What name?" He furrows his eyebrows, racking his brain for any name that would cause her to react a certain way. He gasps in realization.

"Camelli" Elena nods her head vigorously. Stefan rushes over to me.

"Come on, Angel. Where gonna get you out of here" My boyfriend coos pulling me from my seat.

"Stefan" I mutter as my voice breaks. He shakes his head.

"Sh sh sh, it's okay. It's okay, I know. We're leaving, okay?" I nod my head as I don't trust my voice at the moment. Elena grabs our stuff and follows us to my car.

She hands Stefan my keys. Stefan pulls my phone out of my pocket and puts the password in.

"Call her sister and tell her to meet us at my house" Stefan orders as she scrambles to catch the phone. Elena rushes to her car as Stefan helps me into the passenger seat of mine.

The tears become harder and harder to hold back. My breathing becomes ragged and strained. I clench the handle on the door as Stefan starts the engine. He starts speeding towards the Boarding house with Elena trailing behind us. I start hyperventilating.

"Maria, Maria I need to you to calm down for me okay? Look at me" I turn to him as he glances from me and the road.

"Watch me, watch me breath okay? In...and out. Do it with me, in...and out. You can do this okay?" I shake my head as I the tears break free. Stefan interlocks his free hand with mine.

"Yes you can, do it with me Maria" He commands sternly causing me to try and focus on him, but the horrible memories of them torturing me flash back and forth.

The nights I would cry myself to sleep wishing I could just die right there and then, just to end the suffering. The days when they forced themselves on me, and when they restrained me so I- I couldn't move.

"No no no, look at me. Don't think about that angel, just look at me" I turn back to him as my breathing becomes worse. I squeeze his hand even harder as the feeling of their dirty hands all over me cover my skin. My body starts shaking as I clench my eyes shut wishing the memories would go away.

Stefan finally pulls up to the house. He cuts the engine off and shoots out using his vamp speed to rush me into the house. Elena races behind us.

"DAMON!" Stefan belts his voice echoing throughout the house.

Then I saw it.

A portrait hanging on the right side of the hall.

An old picture frame holding a painting of the men that haunt very being.

The Camelli witches.

I let out the loudest scream I ever have in my entire life as a floodgate of memories punches me right in the chest knocking the air right out of my lungs. I drop to the floor as I stare at the picture. The smirks of the men taunting me. The portrait so life like it's looks like they could just step right out and grab me.

I don't notice Damon speed into the room.

I don't notice Tiare rushing into the house.

I don't notice Elena covering her mouth as tears run down her cheeks.

I don't notice Stefan pulling me into his arms.

I don't notice anything except that awful portrait.

I feel my magic brewing at the palms of my hands. I look down to see the purple and red hues leaking from my body. I look back up at the portrait as I feel a snap. It a matter of seconds I thrust my arms up and aim my hands at the portrait. I shoot waves of fire at it until the wall begins to burn. When everything begins to melt I feel a tug on my arm.

"Maria, you have to stop. You're going to burn the house down" Stefan tells me. But it goes in one ear and out the next.

They keep calling my name, but it's like I don't have control over my body.

"ARIA!" Damon shouts over everyone causing me to freeze. My eyes meet his as everyone stops and stares at the two of us.

"You need to stop" He tells me staring intently. I feel the magic flowing back into my hands before I drop them by my sides.

I look down at my hands before meeting his gaze again.

Then everything goes black.

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