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" And so, ladies and gentleive you the class of ’92!"

Bonnie threw her cap into the air along with everyone else We ht, Matt and Meredith and I raduation There had been times this last school year when she had seriously doubted they would

Considering Sue’s death, Bonnie had expected the graduation cererim Instead, there was a sort of frenzied excite alive-before it was too late

It turned into rowdiness as parents surged forward and the senior class of Robert E Lee frag up Bonnie retrieved her cap and then looked up into her mother’s camera lens

Act normal, that’s what’s ilimpse of Elena’s aunt Judith and Robert Maxwell, theon the sidelines Robert was holding Elena’s little sister, Margaret, by the hand When they saw her, they smiled bravely, but she felt uncomfortable when they came her way

"Oh, Miss Gilbert-I mean, Mrs Maxwell-you shouldn’t have," she said as Aunt Judith handed her a small bouquet of pink roses

Aunt Judith sh the tears in her eyes "This would have been a very special day for Elena," she said "I want it to be special for you and Meredith, too"

"Oh, Aunt Judith" Impulsively, Bonnie threw her arms around the older woman "I’m so sorry," she whispered "You kno much"

"We all miss her," Aunt Judith said Then she pulled back and sain and the three of the at the crowd

There was Ray Hernandez, the boy she’d gone to Ho everybody to a party at his house that night There was Tyler’s friend Dick Carter,brazenly as his father took picture after picture Matt was listening, with an unimpressed look, to some football recruiter fro nearby, holding a bouquet of red roses and looking pensive

Vickie wasn’t there Her parents had kept her hoo out Caroline wasn’t there either She was staying in the apartment in Heron Her mother had told Bonnie’s mother she had the flu, but Bonnie knew the truth Caroline was scared

Andtoward Meredith Caroline h next week

Look norroup Meredith rapping the red-and-black tassel froant, nervous fingers

"Be careful with that; you’ll ruin it," she said aloud

Meredith’s look of thoughtfulat the tassel, kinking it up "It doesn’t seeet these and Elena shouldn’t It’s wrong"

"I know; it’s awful," Bonnie said But she kept her tone light "I wish there was so we could do about it, but we can’t"

"It’s all wrong," Meredith went on, as if she hadn’t heard "Here we are out in the sunlight, graduating, and there she is under that-stone"

"I know, I know," Bonnie said in a soothing tone "Meredith, you’re getting yourself all upset Why don’t you try to think about soo out to dinner with your parents, do you want to go to Raymond’s party? Even if we’re not invited, we can crash it"

"No!" Meredith said with startling veheo to any party How can you even think of that, Bonnie? How can you be so shallow?"

"Well, we’ve got to do so "

"I’ll tell you what I’ up to the ce to put this on Elena’s grave She’s the one who deserves it" Meredith’s knuckles hite as she shook the tassel in her hand

"Meredith, don’t be an idiot You can’t go up there, especially at night That’s crazy Matt would say the sa Matt I’ by myself"

"You can’t God, Meredith, I always thought you had soht you had some sensitivity But obviously you don’t even want to think about Elena Or is it just because you want her old boyfriend for yourself?"

Bonnie slapped her

It was a good hard slap, with plenty of energy behind it Meredith drew in a sharp breath, one hand to her reddening cheek Everyone around the

"That’s it for you, Bonnie McCullough," Meredith said after a moment, in a voice of deadly quiet "I don’t ever want to speak to you again" She turned on her heel and walked away:

"Never would be too soon forback

Eyes were hastily averted as Bonnie looked around her But there was no question that she and Meredith had been the center of attention for several minutes past Bonnie bit the inside of her cheek to keep a straight face and walked over to Matt, who had lost the recruiter

"Good"

"Do you think the slap was toowith the moment Maybe it was too obvious"

"It was fine, just fine" Matt was looking preoccupied Not that dull, apathetic, turned-in look of the last few months, but distinctly abstracted

"What is it? So with the plan?" Bonnie said

"No, no Listen, Bonnie, I’ve been thinking You were the one to discover Mr Tanner’s body in the Haunted House last Halloween, right?"

Bonnie was startled She gave an involuntary shiver of distaste "Well, I was the first one to knoas dead, really dead, instead of just playing his scene Why on earth do you want to talk about that now?"

"Because ot a knife in Damon?"

"What?"

"Well, could he?"

"I" Bonnie blinked and frowned Then she shrugged "I suppose so Sure It was a Druid sacrifice scene, remember, and the knife we used was a real knife We talked about using a fake one, but since Mr Tanner was going to be lying right there beside it, we figured it was safe enough As a matter of fact" Bonnie’s frown deepened "I think when I found the body, the knife was in a different place fro But then, so?"

"Just so off into the distance again "I wondered if it could be the truth"

"Oh" Bonnie waited for him to say more, but he didn’t "Well," she said finally, "if it’s all cleared up, can you come back to Earth, please? And don’t you think you should maybe put your arm around me? Just to show you’re onto show up at Elena’s grave tonight with Meredith?"

Matt snorted, but the faraway look disappeared from his eyes For just a brief instant he put his arm around her and squeezed

Dj vu, Meredith thought as she stood at the gate to the cemetery The problem was, she couldn’t reraveyard this night reminded her of There had been so many

In a way, it had all started here It had been here that Elena had sworn not to rest until Stefan belonged to her She’d made Bonnie and Meredith swear to help her, too -in blood How suitable, Meredith thought now

And it had been here that Tyler had assaulted Elena the night of the Ho dance Stefan had co for theraveyard had been the beginning, and the end as well And ht

Meredith started walking

I wish you were here now, Alaric, she thought I could use your optimism and your savvy about the supernatural-and I wouldn’t mind your muscles, either

Elena’s headstone was in the new ceraves marked reaths of flowers The stone was very si, with a brief inscription Meredith bent down and placed her bouquet of roses in front of it Then, slowly, she added the red-and-black tassel froht, both colors looked the same, like dried blood She knelt and folded her hands quietly And she waited

All around her the ce with her, breath held in anticipation The rows of white stones stretched on either side of her, shining faintly Meredith listened for any sound

And then she heard one Heavy footsteps