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Bonnie squinted at the crossword puzzle. She was halfway through it. It was actually pretty nostalgic. Growing up, her Grams loved crossword puzzles. She had several of them lying around her house. Bonnie helped her as much a little girl could help with a crossword puzzle.
Her heart ached. Suddenly, Damon placed the plate of vampcakes in front of her. The cute vampire face stared up at her, taunting her. Her stomach growled and she reluctantly gave in. She took a bite, and she had to admit, it tasted really good.
But she’d never admit that to him. Loud music blared from the radio. Bonnie grumbled curses under her breath. She knew that with his vampire hearing, he surely heard her, but she didn’t care.
Damon’s been using the radio ever since they got to his house. On all day, drilling holes into her skull. Sometimes, he still keeps it on all throughout the night while drinking. It’s sad and completely infuriating.
“Any magic tricks yet?” Damon asked. Bonnie frowned. She filled in another word on the puzzle. Fire. She’d really like to light a fire on his head. Bonnie gripped the pencil tightly.
“No, Damon.” Bonnie sighed. Damon clucked his tongue in disappointment. Bonnie’s eye twitched irritably. At this rate, she'll have a permanent eye twitch because of him.
“Well, Bonnie. It’s kind of important that you do. Since we’re you know, stuck in here.”
Damon turned back to the radio to change the song. Bonnie stared daggers into his back. She forced herself to breathe. Stabbing him with her pencil doesn’t help anything.
“Damon, I’m trying. You know I’m trying.” Bonnie forced out of her mouth. She took another bite of the pancakes. The whipped cream melted in her mouth.
“Try harder. I’m immortal but my patience isn’t. I have a beautiful girlfriend to get back to and you’re my only hope. So, chop chop.” Damon clapped his hands. Bonnie narrowed her eyes at him.
“If you stopped rushing me, maybe I could focus long enough to do it.” Bonnie retorted. Damon chuckled darkly and Bonnie realized much too late that they were about to have another heated argument. Great.
“Bonnie, Bonnie, Bonnie. You’re the witch. You do magic spells and shit. You’re supposed to I don’t know, figure it out? So, figure it out!”
Bonnie abruptly stood up and whirled around to face him. The chair loudly scraped the floor. Damon smiled as if he'd been expecting her to snap.
“You know what, Damon? You’re an ass and I’m sick of it! Figure it out on your own!” Bonnie grabbed her stuff and stormed out. She wandered the streets of Mystic Falls till she ended up at her house.
She went into her house and grabbed an old picture of her and Grams. Bonnie sat on the porch swing and mindlessly stared at the stars. The picture was of an eight-year-old Bonnie and her Grams on her birthday. The wind surrounded Bonnie like a warm blanket. The sky was pitch black. A wondrous void.
Try as she might, Bonnie couldn’t ignore the ache in her heart. Bonnie glanced down at the picture and wished with all her heart that she could talk to Grams. Someone who wouldn’t need her just because she’s useful. Someone who would actually recognize that she’s been sacrificing herself for everyone else and that’s not okay.
She’s not a tool for survival. She’s Bonnie Bennett. Never before has Bonnie Bennett felt this alone. Not till now. Bonnie hugged the picture so tightly. Hope feels so distant now. She began to laugh.
Oh, if Damon saw her now, he’d laugh his ass off. She’d been trying to stay positive this whole. If he saw her now, he’d laugh out of disbelief that she’s finally starting to lose hope.
“What’s so funny?” A curious voice called out. Bonnie immediately went quiet and stared at Damon as he strolled up the steps and over to the porch swing to sit next to her. Bonnie recovered quickly and shrugged.
“When we get out of here, I’m gonna tell you I told you so.” Bonnie grinned and Damon regarded her with a confused expression.
“Why do you do that?” Damon looked at her curiously. Bonnie raised an eyebrow.
“Do what?” Bonnie questioned. Damon lifted his arm to rest it behind her on the swing. Bonnie pretended she hadn’t noticed.
“You pretend to be happy when you’re not. I don’t get it.”
Bonnie stared at him. She had no idea Damon had the capacity to think about anyone but himself. She had no idea he was this observant either. Damon scoffed at her shocked expression.
“I’m an asshole but I’m not stupid. I’m not getting all soft on you, but I do notice things. Sometimes.”
After all the horrible things he’s done, seeing him try to say something nice felt so weird. She wanted to snap his neck and slice his head off numerous times before. She had so many murder fantasies about him. Now, her mind was blank.
“I feel like pretending to be happy go lucky while trapped in Groundhog Day is really pointless. Just say it. You’re a shitty liar anyway.”
Bonnie gawked at him out of bewilderment. Bonnie thought to herself that she’ll have to write about this in her diary later. The distant memory of a certain school dance popped into her head. Bonnie shook it off, but it stuck to her like glue. Damon gave a wry smile.
“Whatever. Don’t expect a hug or anything. I’m not a cuddly teddy bear. It was just an observation.”
Bonnie burst out laughing. Damon rolled his eyes and grabbed the picture from her arms. He stared at her younger self with a bored look on his face, but his mouth twitched. It occurred to her that Damon was an innocent child once. He was just a person like any other.
It made her wonder about his life as a human. But she knew he’d shut down immediately if she tried to ask for more than he’s given. It would shatter the delicate moment he’s created with her.
Damon’s never talked about himself like that and he’s almost never vulnerable. Unless he’s confessing his passionate hatred or of course, love for a specific person. She’ll find the right moment to ask him some other time. Somehow.
“Thanks. It was unfortunately a very accurate observation. So, what brought on this sudden change of character?”
Bonnie looked at him curiously. Maybe being in this prison from the past has forced him to confront some things. Damon shrugged nonchalantly.
“I don’t know. Felt like it. Don’t get used to it. It’s a one-time thing. I’ll be a dick tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that and-.” Damon snarked back. Bonnie smirked and interrupted. Damon avoided her smug gaze.
“Ok, ok. I get it. Damon Salvatore being nice is so weird. Who are you?”
Damon rolled his eyes fondly. Bonnie’s smile faded as she thought about the right thing to say in response.
“You’re restless and frustrated. You miss everyone. You miss Alaric and...well, Elena.”
Damon's eyes dimmed.
“That’s true. I’m so charming and he was so lonely that he tolerated me. I liked that. But since he’s not around, the drinking buddy position is totally open now...”
Damon winked. Bonnie chuckled. She noted to herself that he noticeably chose to ignore the mention of Elena.
“I think I’ll take you up on that.”
Damon’s eyes lit up again and he grinned. The excitement danced in his eyes. They’ll have many wild nights together full of booze, loud music, and dancing all night. Bonnie smiled back and they sat there in comfortable silence for a while. Just staring at the stars and enjoying each other’s company.
"Wait, you saw Groundhog Day?" Bonnie blurted out.
"I do watch movies, you know." Damon scoffed.