Really, how else did one respond to the fact that they had a villain from a Disney movie terrorizing the people? Though, the phrase tended to work for any situation that was only experienced in Lawrence because of the Seal. Everyone came from different worlds and while some were used to the supernatural and apocalypses, disney villains? Not so much.
And then the shock that she had dated a vampire. Most who knew her, were used to her, it wasn't so shocking. But for people who hated vampires, or apparently vampires who didn't really involve themselves in the lives of humans, well, it was shocking. So all Elena could do was nod.
"Mhmm. I mean, it wasn't easy. But we made it work. We loved one another and that's really relationships in general. Give and take, trying to make it work. But... things changed, life happened...." It wasn't that Elena regretted dating Stefan. It was that she regretted the fact he saved her life in the first place instead of letting her die in the crash. Maybe then... well, it didn't really matter. Not right now.
"But they are definitely different and strange as it is, you do get used to it. Things being different. Your normal isn't their normal. Which is why you learn to adapt, as opposed to refusing to and thus making your life here all the more complicated."
And oh compulsion. How difficult to understand. True, it wasn't how Mick described it. But that didn't make it so far from the truth. But how to explain it, that was the question. Because Elena didn't know all the details. She just... .knew what it was, had Damon use it on Jeremy to protect him while others disagreed with that assessment...
"Sort of? It isn't just I control your mind forever. But say a person is fed from, there have to be locked eyes and then a command is given. Like... forget what happened, go about your night. So the memory is gone of the feeding. But it can be anything.... but at least in my world, vervain is sort of a poison or deterrent. It's toxic and counters the effect of compulsion."