Unforeseen Changes

A few hours later a knock on the door startled Bonnie. She had barely managed to clean out her room of all the remnants of last night. She was herself dressed in a turtle neck crop top and beige leggings that covered all the marks the intense love making with Damon had left her with. As she rushed to the door Bonnie made sure her hair covered the lobes of her ears where Damon had nibbled. Despite not having fangs he had quite sharp teeth. Bonnie swung the door open and the person that stood before her was her non-existent boyfriend, Zander.

"Hi Bonnie." Zander greeted her.

Bonnie wasn't prepared to face him after the activities of the previous night. "I thought we weren't supposed to meet for two more weeks. What are you doing here?" she asked a bit irritated.

"I just came to check on you Bonnie. Things haven't been smooth between us but I am sure that if we stick together we will get through this rough patch." Zander assured her. His words stung her heart however because she knew that they were just that, words.

"I don't really want to stick with you Zander. I am tired of being put on the side for the sake of your mission to protect the world. I want a full time boyfriend or none at all." Bonnie stated. Zander was a bit taken aback by her behaviour. She seemed self assured, almost cocky. If anyone were to see they wouldn't really believe that this was the same Bonnie who flinched while talking to puppies.

"Bonnie, is there something wrong? Should we be worried about something?" Zander asked with a tone of gravity.

Bonnie gave him a blank look. "What do you mean by we? I am your girlfriend, not your pack's right?" Bonnie retorted.

"By 'we' I meant your friends. Elena, Stefan, Serena and me." Zander stressed.

Bonnie smirked at his response. "Well you named four people who have no role to play in my life. I have had enough of being sidetracked Zander. Guess what? It is your turn to be left behind. I am breaking up with you." Bonnie replied. Zander was taken aback but did not know how to respond. If anything he should be relieved that he could finally move on from a relationship that had been serving as a distraction from his pack duties. But he couldn't help feeling a bit intimidated by the change that he observed in the woman who just freed him of an obligation. It was true that he was enamoured with Bonnie while in college but his being a werewolf implied certain limitations on their intimacy and that included when they could be together or not. Bonnie did not deserve someone who was ruled by the lunar calendar more than by their will. But Bonnie had always been a demure, unsure and scared little girl. The self assured woman who rejected him seemed to him like a stranger from another world.

Bonnie closed the door on Zander's gaping face and fell back in shock. She couldn't believe what she had managed to achieve that day. The fact that losing her virginity to Damon while being in a relationship with Zander was eating her up, nonetheless Bonnie was not sure how she was to face Zander. Yet when she faced Zander she knew exactly what she wanted to say to him. A part of her worried she had hurt him. But she couldn't let her vulnerable part make her susceptible to emotional exploitation. Bonnie hugged herself and wished that it were Damon's arms holding her instead. She scoffed at the absurdity of the thought and went about cleaning out her wardrobe. She didn't really want to be the pitiful chubby girl anymore. Heck, she wasn't even fat, just curvy. It was time she started to flaunt her curves. She took off her turtleneck and put on a halter top that flaunted her hickey. There was nothing shameful in showing off her man's love for her.

As Bonnie checked her reflection in the mirror she couldn't check the blue halo that surrounded her pink aura. The magic of the previous night forgotten Bonnie piled her Grimoires and put them inside a trunk that she just freed of some clothes she could donate to charity. Back in Italy however Damon relished the pink halo to his blue aura. It was a reminder of something more profound than anything he had felt in more than five hundred years or more: his sense of belonging.

As Bonnie went on a shopping spree Elena and Stefan were having a tiff of their own.

"What do you expect from me Elena? I want you to have some stability in life and that is not going to occur without getting a proper job. I am not going to go around compelling people to pay our tabs on our behalf. I am not Damon. I need to have a job and so do you. Bills don't pay themselves." Stefan argued.

"Well suppose I am paying bills when something powerful attacks Fell's Church. What will happen then? I will have to choose priorities and we both know how shitty I am at choosing. I will end up making a wrong choice." Elena said.

The look on Stefan's face was hurt. "I am sorry for being your wrong choice Elena."

"I didn't mean it like that." Elena tried to change her tone but couldn't.

"No, Elena that is all you have meant in the last few years. I can't give you what Damon could but have you ever stopped to think that it was my choice to be mature and stable among us because I didn't want you to have to take the responsibility for us?" Stefan retorted.

"Stefan, I bear the responsibility of the entire Fell's Church" Elena replied.

Stefan was silent for a while and then his face lit up. "Elena, why don't you try for a role in the Mayor's office? That way in times of emergency you can be at the scene of action without you having to choose priorities. Fell's Church will remain your priority."

Elena's face lit up. "Of course. This is a great idea. This is why I love you so much." So saying Elena placed a kiss on his lips. Stefan smiled against it. He had earned his love for the day. While Stefan found reassurance from the simple words of Elena Bonnie was discovering self-assurance for the first time.

Standing on the entrance of the nearest shopping mall Bonnie was determined to have a makeover. She was tired of her grandma dresses and togas. Every time she had gone shopping it had been with one person or the other. Ever since Meredith moved to Germany and Elena got busy with herself Serena had been Bonnie's shopping partner and had filled her wardrobe with beige and brown. While Bonnie couldn't change the colour of her eyes she did not harbour a fascination for the colour. She preferred warm colours in the tone of red and purple and that was what she was aiming for.

When she bumped into Ashton on her way out she was wearing a black pencil skirt paired with an off shoulder red crop top and a cap sleeve black shrug. She wore her head high and she saw him giving her a second look. Ashton was one of Serena's lackeys and did not really like her. It was only a matter of time until Serena would call upon her. The fact that Zander was her cousin would also have a part to play in the impending intervention. She wasn't looking forward to it but some things were necessary. She always avoided confrontation but the events of the morning had left her feeling liberated.

Words reached Elena quite fast that Bonnie was behaving as if possessed. Elena went to check on Bonnie herself. Bonnie peeped through the window and took a deep breath on seeing Elena, Stefan, Serena and Zander all standing in front.

Bonnie opened the door and with a sarcastic smile faced Elena. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" she smirked

Elena took a step back at Bonnie's changed behaviour. She noticed that Bonnie's pink aura was surrounded by a dark outline. It was faint but that wasn't the main thing. Bonnie's aura was much more prominent than she had seen earlier which meant that Bonnie was using power.

"How did your aura get so prominent and why is there a black outline to it?" Elena charged.

"I am a witch Elena. As witches mature they become stronger. Also I can't see my aura but if it is going dark it must be because your policing is ticking my mood off." Bonnie replied.

"Bonnie, is this any way to talk to your best friend?" Stefan interceded.

Bonnie cocked her head towards him. "And the puppy speaks. Did you even notice the last time she and I talked? I don't even remember. So I am doing the best I can talking to an ex-friend, emphasis on the X." Bonnie said.

It was Stefan's turn to take a step back. "Bonnie, we think that you are possessed. You need help." Serena whispered.

"Thanks, Serena but I am good. I am actually tired of all the shit I have been dished out over the years and I have realized that I do not have to be the leftover in the fridge. I can get my own life, get a different set of friends who won't treat me as pariah or imbecile." Bonnie said in her sincerest tone.

Elena let out a sigh. "Thank God, for a second we got scared. You don't want us interfering in your life. It is okay. I won't come knocking again. We all have things to do. But if you ever need anything don't hesitate to give us a call and do be careful while using powers, Bonnie. We don't want you to turn dark." she concluded.

Bonnie frowned at her sincerity and nodded. She saw Zander's retreating figure as he was the first one to leave her presence.

"Thank you." Bonnie said apologetically.

"So our job is done here." Elena said. Serena nodded and turned around.

Stefan however hesitated. "Do you mind if I stick around for a while?" he asked Bonnie.

"You want to associate with me?" she asked confused.

Stefan nodded giving a shy smile.

"Sure come inside." she replied. Stefan turned around to bid a farewell to Elena who had already left.

Taking his seat on a couch Stefan opened is mouth, "I am very happy for you Bonnie. I wish I had the guts that you do."

Bonnie was a bit taken aback. "What are you saying Stefan? I thought you were going to give me some heat about calling you Elena's dog."

"I am not human. Dog, vampire, I guess it is the same" Stefan confessed. "I often feel that I am either her pet or her caretaker. It gets very frustrating."

"Oh" was all that Bonnie could muster.

"You see Bonnie I have always been the responsible one. I was the responsible son, the responsible brother and now I am the responsible adult in a group of teenage vampire slayers. I know they aren't exactly adolescent but they behave as such and I know that they need me even if they do not realize it. That is the reason that I cannot leave them.

"Still I am leaving for Dalcrest in a week. I have got a job at the University in the Department of History. I can teach undergrads while pursuing my masters, the latest one. he grinned.

Bonnie's eyes were sympathetic.

"When you spoke to me earlier I saw a bit of Damon in you and I thought that may be I could talk to you. When we were very young I idolized him. He was eight years my senior and though he was the black dog of the family he had nuggets of wisdom that I always found useful. With him back in Italy and refusing to have any contact with him I feel so indecisive.

"Am I doing the right thing Bonnie? I just want Elena to miss me, realize what role I really play in her life. Perhaps it is a bit selfish of me to desire acknowledgement when love should be selfless but I think for the longevity of our relationship Elena needs to value it as much as I do." he concluded.

"I agree." Bonnie replied. "With Zander and me it was the same thing. He had priorities and I was just there at the sidelines. I am glad to have broken up with him though. I am no longer obligated to reserve my feelings for him."

"You broke up with Zander this morning, right?" he asked. "That thing on your neck looks a day old though."

Bonnie knew what he was referring to. "I needed a push to make a decision as well." Bonnie whispered.

"So is he someone I may get to meet?" Stefan asked.

Bonnie vehemently shook her head and the look of horror gave away more than she would have wanted. Stefan threw his head back and laughed at her reaction. "Scared that I will show him my fangs?" he asked jokingly.

Bonnie wondered if she could take him into confidence. "Have you ever heard of Gwendolyn's grimoires?" she asked with trepidation and saw his face darken with concern.