Page 48 of A Vampire's Pain
-Valeri-
Lara had come over today. I was so surprised when she called and asked if she could visit. Damon was also happy that I got someone to spend the day with, but I believed he was mostly happy about it because it might just distract me from the idea of leaving the house. Three days had gone by since I had seen Gabriel or any of the others from the house, and things were very strange between Damon and me. We knew there was more to talk about but neither of us wanted to bring up the subject. He knew I wanted more. I wanted to be able to leave the house whenever I wanted, and he didn’t want me to.
“So, how are you?” Lara asked.
She was sitting in front of me on a couch, with a small coffee table between us where both coffee, tea, and snacks stood. Lara sat with a cup of coffee in her hand and smiled at me.
“I am … fine,” I said.
“Really?” she asked.
I sighed and shook my head.
“Honestly … I am a little lonely, but I have felt like that in a long time,” I told her.
“I don’t know your story in a detailed way. Dominic has only told me very little out of respect for you,” she said.
I smiled, remembering Dominic back when he and my brother had gone out to avenge me. Damon might have found me and brought me home, but the ones who had taken me had gotten away, and Damon couldn’t accept that.
“It’s not a pretty story,” I said.
“No, I can understand that,” she said. “I am very sorry.”
I shrugged a little.
“It’s many years ago now.”
“Still, the pain might lessen, but it never really goes away, does it?”
I smiled at her and shook my head.
“Not really,” I said.
I liked Lara. She seemed to understand me in a way that others didn’t, and despite knowing my story she didn’t treat me like glass.
“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.
“I have talked to professionals about it,” I said.
“Yes, but sometimes you just need a friend to listen.”
“A friend?” I asked surprised.
“I would like us to be,” she said.
My smile grew.
“I do too.”
She smiled back at me, and a happy moment passed between us, as we looked at each other.
“So? Do you want to talk about it?”
I shook my head.
“Thank you, but I try not to dwell on it,” I told her.
“I understand. Is there something else you would like to discuss?”
