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“I mean, god, she’s dating her best friends little brother, that’s a little bit weird isn't it? Especially when they were dating he still hadn't gotten over his first ex, who was never really his ex because they never dated they just used to fuck, and that was his sister’s ex-boyfriend’s sister… are you keeping up?” He nodded, “and like you’re in college and he’s still a senior in high school, why aren't you going out and having glorious college sex with hot college guys?”
“You think our sex is glorious?”
“Shut up. Anyway, they’re in a bit of a rough patch, do you think I should tell her to break-up with him or try and make it work, like she’s totally still in love with him?”
“Does he make her happy?”
“He used to… I guess.” “How about now?”
“Not really, they’re always fighting due to living so far away and she’s got all extra-curricular stuff which means she has to cancel their Skype calls all the time.”
“Well, if he doesn't make her happy anymore then she should break up with him. She’s at college, and she’s going to be growing and maturing at a lot faster rate than he is, and she’s also experiencing a new way of life. Long distance relationships rarely work anyway.”
“You’re really good at this stuff,” she manoeuvred herself so she was resting upon his chest looking up at him.
“Thanks.” He grinned.
She had been at college now for six months and she was loving every moment of it, she was a drama major and had already had a part in the winter musical, it was small but she had gotten it, and she was only a freshman. She had three more years to make it to the starring role. However her shockingly favourite part was the relationship she had formed with one Stefan Salvatore, he was a second year majoring in English Literature and they had met at a frat party. He had been very, very drunk having just broken up with his girlfriend, and she had also been very, very drunk having just broken up with her boyfriend.
The two had met, both sitting on the pavement kerb outside the frat house, they had drunkenly introduced themselves to each other and she had invited him back to hers, or he had invited her back to his, neither remembered much of that night. However what they did remember was that they had sex, and it had been the best sex of Caroline’s life (however she had only ever had sex with two other guys in her life, both her high school boyfriends and so she wasn't surprised there was better out there). They had both decided friends with benefits was a good idea and one they both wished to continue.
Whenever Caroline was bored, or had free time, or whenever Stefan was bored or had free time they would text each other and they’d have really, really great sex. However over time she began to use him as a agony aunt, he was surprisingly like herself in that he was super organised and a super motivated individual. Even if she did find him a tad too emotional. And so they had they same thoughts and ideas on most things, and so she would present one of her friend’s problems to him and without her conscience or previous experience, or her clouded judgement, give an answer to what she should to do resolve the issue. It worked, and she would always turn up at his dorm to let him know the advice he’d given her was helpful. And of course, they’d have sex, really great sex, or did she mention that already.
He never shared any of his friendship problems with her however, she began to wonder if he even had friends? So one day when he text her asking for her help she jumped at the chance.
What’s up???
I need you to call me in around 15 minutes. There is an emergency, just make sure I leave.
What are you getting out of?
My ex, wanted to meet up for coffee. I panicked and said yes, she won’t let up until we ‘talk’ would much throw myself off a bridge tbh.
What a mess. Hilarious. I’ll do it, even setting a timer for exactly 15 minutes.
Love you.
She perhaps stared at the message for a second too long, her eyes wide and jaw slack.
“Are you okay?” Bonnie asked her from across the table, she was at a girls coffee lunch with her and Elena. Bonnie was still occasionally in need of a pick-me-up after her break-up downer.
“Oh yeah, fine, absolutely perfect, I’m good… what were you saying?” She slammed her phone face-down upon the table fixing a fake smile to her face.
“I was asking about spring break, we should totally go somewhere. Abroad perhaps? I was thinking…” She zoned out once more thinking of the text, obviously he didn't love her. They were only hooking up? Purely physical, wasn't it? She cursed herself, she better not have gotten feelings for him. Despite him being actually nice and kind and really good in bed… she huffed shaking her head free from the obtrusive thoughts, she was not going to be that type of girl. Some pathetic girl who fell in love with someone who didn't love her back.
It was only a while later she realised she had forgotten to set the timer and she cursed herself realising it had been twenty-five minutes, she excused herself from the conversation quickly dialling his phone number.
“Hello?” His voice was tight, she hoped he wasn't angry at her.
“Quick! There’s been an emergency, I’m at the hospital and I’ve… broken my foot?”
“Oh my god, there’s been a car accident?”
“Yes! Yes! And it’s of the utmost importance you get here as soon as possible and god… is this enough?”
“Yes, thank you, thanks, I’ll be there as soon as I can! Can you stay on the line so I can give you my details… I’m really sorry Val but I have to go, I’ll see you around, yeah thanks, I hope they’re okay too.” The second half of his speech sounded far away as he presumably spoke to his ex-girlfriend. At this point Bonnie and Elena had finished their conversation and were eyeing her.
“You’re an absolute ass Forbes! Twenty-five minutes I sat there for, twenty-five!”
“I know I’m sorry,” She giggled, “was it as bad as you thought it’d be?”
“Worse, she wanted me to talk about my future and maybe our future.” She made a disgusted noise in response and he laughed, “exactly, like god, it was super awkward as well because I’d dumped her. She ordered food and everything as if to make sure I couldn't escape without being rude.”
“And of course you being you, politeness constrained you.”
“Until my poor friend got in a car accident, god you’re unimaginative Forbes, you broke your foot?”
She laughed, throwing her head back, “I was under pressure, I forgot to make up a convincing enough lie.”
“You disappoint me, your time-keeping skills are slipping. However, since I’m now free maybe do you want to… catch up in person?”
“I can’t at the moment, I’m out for a coffee date.”
“Date? Your date isn't sitting across from your right now is he?” His voice took on a strange tone.
She laughed once more, “with my best friends, obviously if I was on a date I’d be hid in a bathroom right now. This situation is pretty weird.” His laughter was dry.
“Well, I’ll let you get back to your date then, talk soon Forbes.” He had hung up before she had the chance to say goodbye, she was greeted instead with prying eyes.
“Guys, I’ve told you about my friends with benefits? Stefan?”
“That phone call was way more than a ‘come round let’s fuck’ booty call at 3am however.” Elena quirked her eyebrow at her.
“He needed me to get him out of a post-break-up coffee date with his ex girlfriend.” She shrugged, “I don’t see what the big deal is?”
“Why did he ask you, his FWB to do it though?”
“I don’t know? I don’t even know if he has friends.”
“Caroline.”
“What?”
“Does someone have a crush?”
“Oh my god, no ew. We’re just sleeping together, purely physical. God. Not all of us want to get married by age nineteen.” She snapped getting defensive, she didn't mean to. Just with her recent revelations that perhaps… maybe… she did?
“Tell us more about him though, literally all we know if that you’ve slept with him a bunch of times.” Elena chided her.
“His name is Stefan, he’s a second year majoring in English literature. He rides a motor cycle, and he is really, really good at sex.”
“That’s a pretty comprehensive list.” Caroline nodded, taking a smug sip of her macchiato. Damn right.
After the mid-day phone call it seemed to open up their interactions aside from their previous 3am booty calls which it had been once confined to. Soon she found herself texting him throughout the day, her angry texts at rude people, or how a character in the book she was reading was responding terribly wrong to a situation and how she would do much better herself. She first obviously checked to see if he had read the book. Stefan in turn would text her reminding her about the weather, to take an umbrella that day. Or book recommendations, some of the stuff was majorly political and boring and dry, but he quickly learnt her interests and sent her thoughtful recommendations of plays and poetry also.
This was why when she was invited to the end of year ball and she was dateless due to concentrating on her studies and not needing a boyfriend (as she had a fwb) and so she text him after deliberating for a day or two.
Is it weird if I ask you to attend the end of year ball with me? You can say no.
It’s not weird to ask me, I don't think. You’re my first fwb. And so I’d be happy to accompany you.
You’re literally a lifesaver! I’ll send you details at a later date! :* xoxo
She later decided it was a weird thing to do, and way overstepped their boundaries, but she as even unsure where the boundaries lay anymore and most importantly she couldn't really rescind the invitation she found herself waiting in her room for him to arrive, she was dressed up in a beautiful deep green dress. Elena and Bonnie were also with her, Elena had managed to find herself a date easily, some boy in her pre-med class called Liam. He was self-entitled, smug and she did not like him one bit.
She jumped when someone knocked on her door, and rushed toward it before collecting herself. Both her friends having made comments about finally getting to meet him. And he was in top form tonight, her heart fluttered just a little as she opened the door to reveal him in a tuxedo. He certainly cleaned up.
“Wow.” Slipped out before she could stop it, he grinned in response.
“I do look good don’t I?” He winked before leaning forward to kiss her cheek, “you look beautiful, as usual. I also got you this,” he handed her a small bouquet of flowers.
“Oh Stefan, you didn’t have to do all this… really.” She said as she took the flowers from him, his face dropping a little at her words.
“I… didn’t realise. Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it, come in and I’ll introduce you to my friends.” He now stood awkwardly in her doorway, all previous notions of swagger had drained away as he jammed his hands into his pockets. “These are my best friends, Elena and Bonnie, and this is Elena’s date Liam.” Both girls had appreciative looks, nodding their heads ever so slightly to let her know they approved, Liam stood just that little bit taller, widening his stance.
“Nice to meet you all,” he nodded grimly. She suddenly felt irritated, if he hadn't wanted to have come then he should have said something.
“Come on, let’s go, we’re already late.” She demanded grabbing her purse and phone, leaving the flowers on the sideboard, abandoned.
“We’re just fashionably late Caroline,” Elena corrected rolling her eyes linking arms with Liam, ever the cool one.
And they they made their way over the five minute walk, all chatting amicably joking and laughing, well apart from Stefan who hung near the back looking out of sorts. She held in her sarcastic comment instead falling back to walk alongside him, his hands still firmly jammed into his pockets.
“How did you final paper go?”
“Oh yeah, not my best. I was in the library until 5am, there was a lot of caffeine involved. I haven't really slept since then as I handed it in at six, and then sat in my flat and just watched the walking dead.” He shrugged.
“Oh my god, how are you not dead! I would literally be dead right now, how are you even standing?” She stopped him to inspect his face, “why don’t you have blood-shot eyes and dark bags under your eyes? What magic is this?” Both hands were clamped around his face as she tried to find evidence of his all-nighter but found none.
Finally he laughed and placed his hands on top of hers, pulling them away from his face but keeping hold of her right hand as they sped up to catch up with the others.
“It’s genetics Caroline, I’m an aristocrat remember.” He laughed as she pulled a face.
One of the few things she knew about Stefan was that he came from a very rich, old Italian family. She knew this because sometimes he liked to whisper things to her in Italian as he went down on her.
“You people are ruining this country.” She muttered under her breathe, shooting a particularly dark look towards Liam whose father was clearly wealthy and he had been privately-educated with an attitude to match. She hadn't even noticed with Stefan, perhaps because he didn't feel the need to let everyone know, he was effortless in his good manners. That was one of the many things she liked about him.
“I’m a strong democrat, don’t worry Forbes.”
“You’d better be, or..”
“Or what, you’re not going to come back to mine tonight and yell my name as I made you come?” He whispered in her ear, she shivered and elbowed him away. She was not entirely sure Bonnie, who was walking beside her hadn't heard, and with flushed cheeks she pushed herself away from him, ignoring his dark chuckle.
The ball was terrible, she was having a terrible time, or she would have been had she not had Stefan at her side who had stopping acting like a boyfriend thankfully and instead got drunk and stood beside her making sarcastic comments about everyone’s dress sense, or any family secrets he knew about them. Bonnie also stayed with them as Elena had disappeared with Liam to go dance or have sex in a closet or something and the two of them were getting along quite well as they were as critical as each other.
It was half-way through the night when Stefan disappeared to go get more drinks, however after ten minutes he hadn't returned and she had been getting worried and so had told Bonnie to stay put while she went in search of him. It was, however, a mistake as she found him stood close to another girl, some blonde-haired floozy in a twenties-style dress, their heads bent close as she whispered into his ear and he laughed his own hand finding it’s way around her waist. She knew right now she should turn away, but she felt frozen, an awful mix of emotions inside her churned, or that might have just been the amount of alcohol she had consumed. However the two were stood so close, the blonde had her own arms around him then and she was resting her head on his shoulder. She said something and he laughed, looking completely at east, quite unlike Stefan. They knew each other - well. It was too much as the girl tilted her head up and went to kiss him.
She felt angry and humiliated.
She knew this was a terrible idea, he was not her boyfriend of course he had every right to get with another girl, she had no claim over him. So she spun on her heel and returned back to Bonnie who had managed to attract two boys fawning over her.
“My night is over, I’m going home.”
“Woah, wait, what’s happened. Where’s Stefan?”
“Ask the blonde over there.” She pointed back from the direction in which she’d come, tears burning at her eyes.
“Oh Care,” the pity in her tone was too much for her, so she ran.
Instead she went straight home, tearing off her dress and binning the flowers, she sniffled and cried a little as she watched sex and the city, falling asleep before two.
This is over.
She text Stefan the next morning before blocking his number, thankfully they had never added each other on social media preferring to enjoy each other’s anonymity. Sadly, she realised that she had left her favourite shirt over at his place, but there was no point knowing she was never going to see him again voluntarily.
First year ended, and she went home back to Mystic Falls with Elena and Bonnie and they had a fun summer with random hook-ups with guys from their high schools. And all too soon it was September, and they were returning to Whitmore, ready for their second year.
Elena had long since dumped Liam after the terrible end of year ball and she moved onto a new boy, apparently however this was no boy, he was a man. He was one of the residents at the hospital who she came into contact with, apparently it was less of a relationship and more or a hate-ship as they were constantly fighting and he was an asshole but she was still into him, and still wanted to have sex with him.
Caroline’s dating front had been dead after Stefan, she had been hurt by his actions despite knowing it was only a hook-up and she had vowed never to do that again and so had restrained from doing anything over summer. A part of her also knew she wasn't really over Stefan, but she wasn't going to allow herself to be used like that again. Serious dating only.
And so when Elena finally slept with Damon, she knew instantly, as she met him the very next morning as he strolled into their kitchen clad only in a towel.
“You must be Bonnie, or Caroline. Nice to meet you, Damon.” He saluted at her as he sauntered past her with a bowl of cereal in his other hand.
“Caroline,” she clarified feeling vaguely irritated.
Since the three girls were living together she ran into Damon a lot over the next few weeks, he always seemed to be in a state of constant undress. Either shirtless or clad only in boxers or a towel. And while the view was rather nice, she didn't care for it and found herself increasingly at the her local coffee shop doing work.
Damon even started to invade their girly nights in, Elena explained it was to due to his crazy shift hours and that he could only come over when he was free. Caroline didn't comment on the fact that she was dating a guy who was eight years older than her, although she bitterly wanted to.
Which was why she accepted the request to see Damon’s apartment another week later, so she could finally invade his space, and also to see Elena who had been spending an increasing amount of time over at his due to him being a fully functioning adult. And so to see if he lived like a slob, as the way he treated their apartment said yes.
They were supposedly going to some ‘wine and cheese’ thing to which when she’d asked Elena what to wear had shrugged and said ‘a nice dress I guess’ which had been bitterly unhelpful as what constituted as a nice dress? She had a formal nice dress and casual ones and nice ones in-between. However Bonnie was in the same situation as her and grumbled alongside her, in the end they waited to see what Elena was wearing and copied her. The three girls caught a cab to his and were sat excitedly at the thought of their first adult party.
It was not what she was expecting, large glass structures modern and impressionistic dominated the floor space. Clearly Damon was making quite a bit of money, especially since he lived alone. They were early, and the other two other people in the apartment were two other men, Alaric who was even older than Damon, and Enzo who grinned at the two girls widely, shark-like, making her feel uncomfortable.
After their introduction and obligatory small-talk with Alaric sidling up her her, and Enzo moved closer to Bonnie. They were polite, and gentlemanly, although Enzo did make a few crude jokes accompanied by that wide shark-like smile. The six of them moved to the couches and Caroline learnt that Alaric ‘call me Ric’ was a high school history teacher, and Enzo worked in finance when there was a loud thud and a girl appeared from the fire-escape of the apartment, her head poking through the open window with a cigarette hanging from her mouth.
“Can we not do that inside please.” Damon snapped.
“I’m doing it outside, but it’s cold and I’m getting a god-damn jacket ass.” Her eyes fell upon the three of them, all slightly over-dressed for the men’s jeans and button-downs. “Aren’t they a little young, Jesus.” Caroline felt her cheeks flare with embarrassment.
“Shut up Lexi, I’m letting you use my washer for free be grateful… is that…” The smell hit her the same time as it did the others, the strong stench of weed.
“It’s medicinal.” She snarked slipping on a leather jacket and slipped back outside the window.
“Jesus I can’t remember the last time I had any weed, I’m literally old.” Alaric commented throwing back his glass of scotch.
“Something vaguely uncomfortable about my brother and flat-mate smoking drugs on my fire-escape.” Damon muttered as he topped their wine up some more, she awkwardly thanked him. “Stef!” He called after a moment of deliberating, and stuck his head out the window having a conversation with the two people out on it.
Strained silence filled the air as Bonnie gave her a look of raised eyebrows complete with judgement of the first degree.
“Isn’t a little wrong to be using your younger, impressionable brother as a drug dealer.” And then suddenly her worst nightmares came to light, as her ex-fwb fell through her best friend’s boyfriend’s window high as hell. He slowly scrambled to his feet, sighing heavily before looking up straight towards her.
“I wanted to introduce you to my girlfriend, but considering your state…” Damon trailed off dryly.
Stefan’s face was one of horror, wide-eyed and all. “We’ve already met… and I’m going to crawl back now…” He was stopped easily by Damon who grabbed the back of his sweat-shirt.
“Elena?” Damon questioned.
The other girl, Lexi decided to join now, also scrambling through the window and landing next to Stefan giggling wildly.
“Erm, he knew Caroline.” Elena shrugged looking towards her dropping her right in it.
“It was a while ago, let me go.” Stefan with surprising force shoved Damon who let go as he staggered and Stefan stormed toward the back of the apartment, face dark and cheeks burning bright.
“What the hell?” Damon looked in-between where Stefan had stormed off to and back to Caroline finally really taking her in. “Caroline?” He asked, “as in Caroline Forbes?” His jaw tightened.
“Shit, who, what the fuck! You’re Caroline!” Lexi scrambled to her feet. “Shit,” she muttered before taking off after Stefan.
“Care to fill us in?” Enzo butted in as Damon was still scowling at her.
“Caroline Forbes was the girl Stefan was dating last year, and who dumped him without reason and then completely cut him off. He was rather upset by it all.” She could finally see why all the other interns hated Damon.
Enzo laughed, “well fuck, that’s certainly awkward.”
“Keep it up Enzo!” Damon’s icy tone broke through her, as did his ‘upset by it all’ comment, what did that even mean.
“They weren't dating,” Elena thankfully jumped in clarifying the situation. “They were just…”
“Having sex with each other. Yeah, Lexi told me. However what he told me was about their date to the end of year ball.”
“We just went as friends.” Caroline clarified, needing to defend herself. “We were just friends, and I saw him with another girl, and I thought that the end was in sight so I cut it off. We’re in 2016, not the 1990s when you were a teenager.” She snapped, “Elena, I’m going to go…”
However unfortunate timing as Lexi and Stefan appeared once again, both with large bags of washing. Stefan’s head hung low as he tried to move quietly, but kept stumbling.
“Well you might have just seen him as a friend, but he clearly saw you as more, and you upset him when you abruptly broke-up with him, with a honestly, flimsy excuse.” Damon pushed the matter seizing their chance.
“There was some other girl wrapped around him, another blonde, which didn't exactly make his supposed attraction to me obvious to me, so I’m sorry but I didn't want to be the ‘other woman’.”
“Jesus Caroline, can we not in front of everyone.” Stefan’s voice cut her and she recoiled, he was squinting at her while scowling. He dropped his washing on the floor and stormed towards her, his hand wrapping around her upper arm and he propelled her towards the door away from prying eyes and ears, the door slammed behind them with a click and they were left on the corridor.
Stefan leant against the wall, curling forwards and put his head in his hands.
“She was my friend, Rebekah Michelson, we even went to boarding school together. We used to date, when we were seventeen, but we broke up and we hadn't seen each other in a while and she had missed me, also she’s a touchy person. So yeah, it must have looked suspicious but god Caroline, I thought you knew me better than to pick another girl up on our first date? Couldn’t you have just asked me instead of dumping me.” He sounded weary and hurt, but his tone had her defences flaring.
“Date? We were fucking Stefan, you don’t have to dress it up and make it sound nicer than it was. We were fucking each other and it was fun.”
“I thought… the ball…” He had brought her flowers, and he had taken her hand and danced with her all night long paying attention to no one else. He had thought they were dating. His jaw tightened suddenly, and he stood up tall. “Well Caroline, I’m sorry I thought differently. I really liked you, for what it was worth…” That was all she needed, already tipsy from expensive wine she wasn't used to drinking, and tumbled towards so was pressed against his whole body. She had missed him so much, god, his familiar smell and touch…
So she went in for it, standing on her tip toes she pressed her lips to his moulding her lips to his, he began to kiss back. He stunk of tobacco and weed, with two day old stubble tickling her chin.
“Stop,” he whispered against his mouth, “stop it Caroline.” The sound of her name on his mouth.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I really liked you too, but I didn't want to admit it to myself and when I saw you with another girl I thought… I’m sorry!” Wine made her emotional, which was why she didn't drink it. But bourbon tasted gross so she was confined to expensive red wine knowing at some point she was going to cry and have to fix her eye make-up. So she cried into his chest, his arms wrapped around her and he rested his own head on top of hers.
They stayed like that for a while until the door creaked open a few doors down, Lexi sticking her head out trying to be subtle.
“I should go.” He muttered pulling away, and she was left alone in the corridor as Stefan and Lexi disappeared around the corner and she began to cry, properly now. Feeling like she had been broken-up with all over again. Elena was there suddenly pulling her into her arms.
“I really liked him Elena, I was so stupid, I should have told him instead of…” She couldn't speak anymore as she started ugly crying for real then. Real guests had started arriving at this point as the party really began and Bonnie offered to take her home, however already successful as she clasped Enzo’s number in her pocket.
And so she was home by half nine on a Saturday night, drunk and crying like she’d been hurt all over again.
Damon stopped coming over after everything, which was kind of a blessing but more of a curse as Elena never came home anymore, even moving half her clothes over to his. Caroline had apologised to Bonnie for this but she understood, mostly because she started doing the same as her and Enzo were ‘seeing where things were going’, Bonnie had a lot of free time as well being an ‘occult studies’ major. Things only seemed to be going downhill when Elena was tagged on someone’s photo to see her at someone’s party with Stefan’s arm around her shoulder grinning wildly.
She had promised herself not to snoop and she had been true to form, but allowed herself to now. Stefan’s profile was mostly open, there were a lot of photos of him mostly with Lexi at parties and awkward family photos. There were also a lot of photos with an Elijah Michelson and Katherine Pierce, and then finally he found first year photos he found Valerie, the girl who he had dumped in second year and she had saved him from that disastrous date. Even further back was high school photos, he even had to wear a school uniform but he still managed to pull it off and… there she was, a younger and less made-up Rebekah the two in the traditional boyfriend/girlfriend pose wrapped around each other.
However it was his most recent photos which she scrolled through again, and on his information page she saw it ‘Stefan Salvatore is in a relationship with Ivy Chang’ and she felt herself cringe all over again. So instantly she stopped lurking and cut herself off all over again and worked ridiculously hard, so she would be extra prepared for third year.
Which was why when June 22th rolled around and Elena hadn't returned home for the holidays, instead preferring to stay at Damon’s and she had been invited to the party, their apartment lease had begun and so she knew she had to attend or be forever in social suicide. She just knew Stefan would be there, him and Elena forming some horrible friendship which she did repeatedly apologise for but Caroline had waved her off not wanting to seem like a bitchy ex since …you know, they’d never dated in the first place.
The party taking place at Damon’s apartment made her doubly wince, it had been described as a ‘formal’ event with floor-length dresses as her twenties was going to be ‘classy’, Caroline had rolled her eyes scowling so much Bonnie had told her she didn't have to go, not if it was going to be so uncomfortable for her.
She recognised Alaric and Enzo from their first meeting, thankfully Bonnie was still dating him and so it gave her a place to hide behind as they stood in the corner. Most of the others being medical students, people from the hospital or Elena’s hockey team.
It was by the drinks table she saw him, standing alone and texting. Elena caught him pulling his phone from his hands and holding it away from him, she was speaking and grinning to him both shared laughter. Stefan leant forward smiling and pulling him towards her managed to grab the phone from her, but they were standing so close… Caroline felt a stab of pain.
“Blondie.” Damon greeted her, finally having separated himself from Elena’s side. “You have to stop that.” He pointed towards Elena and Stefan who were continuing their conversation, he poured a drink for her and she fixed his tie.
“Stop what?”
“That friendship.” He drawled out the word, “Stefan never likes my girlfriend, and he likes this one a little too much.”
“Why are you telling me this? You think he’s into Elena?”
He laughed sharply, “he’d better not be, but I doubt it. He been acting like a monk since you broke his little heart.” He laughed to himself, “ha, I knew saint Stefan was an accurate nickname. Anyway, he still needs girls to talk to, and Lexi doesn't quantify so he uses Elena. Get in there and put his poor broken heart back together.”
“Don’t be cruel.” She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the two of them.
“I’m not, I just really want him to fuck off from their private conversations together which they won’t let me join.”
“He already has a girlfriend, or did last time I checked.” She emphasised this, it had been a while since she had lurked.
Enzo laughed this time, “crazy rebound Ivy, ah yes, she was a blast. But they never quite dated, she just got onto his phone and changed the relationship status to ‘dating’ without him knowing for like months after they’d stopped speaking. I liked Ivy.” He grinned a wide, sly smile.
“Jesus, Ivy, yeah, no never a girlfriend don’t worry Barbie, get in there!” Damon encouraged her throwing a heavy arm around her shoulder, he was already quite drunk.
She ignored him however and instead pulled out her phone and began scrolling through her facebook. Anything to avoid eye contact.
“Caroline!” Her name was dragged out with one too many e’s, Elena jumped her pulling her into a hug, “I’m so glad you came! Oh god!” Over her shoulder Stefan had been brought over to the conversation also and he stood facing slightly to the side, ready to bolt. “There are jello shots in the kitchen if anyone wants any?” She also added to the rest of the group before being swept into another social circle.
“God jello shots, I haven’t done them in forever!” Ric was gone as soon as he’d finished speaking, Damon followed eagerly. So it was just the four of them.
“Let’s dance!” Bonnie exclaimed suddenly dragged Enzo closer towards the sound system so it was only the two of them left.
“Hey Caroline, you’re looking good.” He nodded half raising his glass awkwardly.
“I, yeah, you too.”
“How’ve you been?”
“Are you single? Like right this very second?”
“Yeah… why?”
“Do you want to find a room and have sex?”
He deliberated on this a second and then nodded, throwing back the rest of his drink and lead the way throughout the flat to the back room. The room was large and spacious, this was also where the coats had been left but they made quick work of throwing them all onto the floor, Stefan jammed a chair underneath the door and then she was against him, attacking him.
Angry, passionate sex. She was ripping the clothes from him, pulling his shirt over his head and he made quick work of her dress, bra and panties.
“Do you have a…”
“Fuck.” He was clambering away, onto the coats, “someone has to have one,” he muttered to himself, and sure enough within twenty seconds she heard the rip of the wrapper. A while later once they’d both come he lay half on-top of her, with her curled against him underneath.
“I miss this… I miss you.” She found herself whispered, she was at her most vulnerable at this very second. Emotionally and physically.
“God Caroline, don’t do this again to me.”
“No, as in the I want to be with you, like be your girlfriend. I get it if you don’t…” her words her abruptly cut off as his mouth founds hers.
“You’re not doing this because you feel guilty?”
“What? God no, I don't do anything I don't want to. And I definitely want you.” At her declaration he kissed her again, before he moved down, kissing her neck then stomach then…
Apparently she was a little too loud as someone was knocking on the door asking if everything was alright, they were rather persistent and Caroline angrily grabbed the first thing she could find and threw it on. Half-opening the door she scowled out into the bright light of the hallway.
“What?”
Surprisingly enough it was Damon, “I heard someone scream?” Clearly he wasn't satisfied with seeing Caroline, and hadn't realised that she wasn't wearing her dress anymore, or that she well and truly had sex hair. He stumbled into the room hitting the light, she never seen Stefan move so fast as he threw himself from the bed, completely naked.
“Jesus Christ! I didn't think you’d be fucking so quickly, ahh!” He held his hand up to his eyes shielding himself.
“Out Damon!” He complied stumbling away muttering incoherently to himself, mostly ‘little brother fucking in his own flat’.
“We should get back the party, we don’t want to be those people.”
After they were redressed and Caroline had attempted to fix her hair, which was a complete state and had to be simply fixed by being swept up into a side-braid since her sex hair wouldn't completely go. Before they were about to leave Stefan caught her hand spinning her to face him. “Caroline Forbes, will you be my girlfriend.”
“Yes Stefan Salvatore!” She kissed him then, again and again until she had to pull away and slide away from his into the hallway.
Once they were back and mingling neither could stop smiling wildly. Bonnie and Enzo approached them after a while. “Are you two…” “Boyfriend and girlfriend, yes.” She cut in smiling so wide it hurt her.
“I was going to ask if you two have sorted out your problems now, but that’s really good too.” Bonnie congratulated them with a laugh.
After the party was over the six of them hung around all heading up to the roof, where Damon had stashed blankets and candles earlier. He had intended it just being the two of them, but he couldn't deny his brother’s happiness. The two of them were wrapped up in each other speaking quietly far away from the other two couples, catching up and whispering plans for the future.
Dating Stefan Salvatore was much like having sex with him, but much better. She discovered many things about him, like his fondness for foreign films, and his love for his car which he had named and everything. And about his family, apart from Damon. And especially with how rich he was, because, damn.
She also spent a lot of time around at his apartment in the day, no longer having to sleep out in the dead of night or early morning. She got to know Lexi who was smart and funny and hit on her more times than she knew to count, but massively boosted her self-esteem. She got to meet his friends, Klaus, Elijah and Katherine. She liked Elijah most, a sensitive, quiet politics major who was dearly devoted to his girlfriend Katherine, who was a awful mean-spirited girl. She reminded her a lot of Elena in looks, but in personality, well… the girl did not have a filter. Klaus was an English international student who acted like an ass but was surprisingly kind and flirted with her a lot more than was acceptable. But then Katherine flirted a hell of a lot with Stefan, and poor Elijah had to put up with it all.
Stefan was like a laid-back version of herself, it was nice not to have to nag for clothes to be not dumped on the floor and for dishes to be washed. They just seemed to… fit. And she found herself falling in love with him, for real, without having to hold back.
When Stefan graduated the following June she even got to meet his family, his father who Damon had repeatedly reminded her how awful and her he was had congratulated in clipped tones. His mother had been a lot nicer, but Damon had also dismissed her too but clearly Stefan didn't feel the same way toward her, it was just his step-father who made some cutting comments making her feel awkward. She fell instantly in love with his step-sister Nora as they bonded over their shared fashion interests.
Stefan instantly got an internship in New York and moved away, eight hours away in fact. But it wasn't too terrible, and the next June he flew back for her graduation and she followed him. Both living in New York, living the dream and deeply, deeply in love with her boyfriend.