Caroline's POV
"Where are you?" I blast into my phone. "Where are you?"
The other end picks up. "Home. Why?" It's Elena.
"Oh my God, Elena! I can't believe you forgot! It's, like, the biggest event of the year! Meet you there." I sigh. "Even Bonnie remembers, and she's Bonnie!"
"What do you have against her?"
"Nothing! She's late a lot of the time, you know. Just get your ass over here!" I hang up. Bonnie is next to me, and she stares. "You are tardy and you know it." I say.
"Sure." She eye-rolls, twirling on the spot with her cute, black lace dress.
"You look beautiful!" I say, smiling. "Are you dancing?"
"No, I'm not enrolled."
"But-- Anyone can dance, even for leisure. C'mon Bonnie!"
"I'll think about it. When I find someone…" She furrows her brow. I place a hand at her shoulder.
"Wait… Haven't I seen you with Jeremy?" I mutter aloud as the thought strikes. "I'm sure I have! Let's find him!"
"He's… I… No. Elena doesn't know. If I tell her, she'll break. I can't put her at risk."
"Oh… I guess we can find someone else! There's plenty of hotties here."
She chuckles, "I can agree." The pair of us dash off, our eyes glazing over several men standing and chatting. "Wait, what about you?" She halts. "Do you have anyone?"
I'm hit with a realisation. I don't have anyone. That's exactly what I say.
"Now our search becomes even more beneficial!" She smiles, and I can't help but feel somewhat cleansed.
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Elena's POV
"So…" I pause, placing a finger on my chin, "What are you two interested in?" I ask, cuddling one of the cushions. Stefan sits by my left, Damon at my right.
"Hm…" Stefan ponders, "Reading, journalling…"
"Brooding. He loves brooding." Damon smirks, "On the other hand, I like dancing, partying, walking and…" He holds up bourbon, "Drinking."
"Well, great to know! I better get going."
"Where?" They say in unison.
"Do you even know Mystic Falls?"
"I forgot to say, we are also new here." Stefan adds, "So, not really."
"It's one of the town signatures, the Miss Mystic Falls dance. Everyone goes, even newcomers. Join me for the ride!" I brush my hair aside, jumping up. "I also need a date." I wink at no one in particular.
"Great." Damon beams, "Something that's my strong suit!" He rushes away in the blink of an eye, reappearing in formal attire. Stefan does the same. We walk to the door.
"How are you two so fast?" I turn both ways to look at them.
"They call it genes." Stefan responds, "We like to call it superpowers." They hold out their arms, which I link in return. They exchange an excited glance. I keep my eyes focused ahead as we drive straight there.
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"Oh, Elena! There you are… Who are these guys?"
I was beaming the entire car trip, jamming out to the boys' favourite CDs and radio stations, but that now changes to a neutral face as Caroline brings up the current situation. "I had a bit of an accident the other day. They helped me. Stefan and Damon," I pointed to each of them respectively and when I did Stefan waved, and Damon smiled, saying, "Hi!"
"Don't worry, I only passed out." I reassured them.
"So, have you decided yet?" Stefan asks. Both their faces light up in eagerness and anticipation.
"This doesn't mean anything for the future, but I pick Stefan!" Damon's face droops a tad and the other brother holds me in his arms.
"Remember your friends!" Caroline shouts, pouting, before wandering away with Bonnie and Damon, who engage in unassuming small talk, "Your real friends!"
"Eh, ok." I sigh. I finally have a chance to turn my life around.
"You aren't ok, are you?" Stefan states.
"I just feel so--"
"Conflicted? Angry? Elated? C'mon, speak to me." He smiles and his eyes glint simultaneously.
"I don't wanna be around my friends. They pester and annoy me. I just don't know what to feel anymore…" I sniffle. He hugs me. It's tender and comforting, just what I need in life. It's a little too early to judge, but he seems like a guy I could cling onto in times of darkness. Not a knight in shining armour, but a light to guide the way.
"I suggest you talk to them, agree politely, have fun. Actually take the insights they give you. Don't fight anything of guidance."
"They aren't guidance. The only thing I see is you." Stefan turns away, holding his head in his hands. He seems to have a revelation, his hair spiking up on end.
"Ok… Close your eyes." he turns back around, and I instantly shut them. "Now open." I follow. "What was that feeling?"
"I don't know, honestly…" Something clicks. "I'm gonna go find my friends and dance. Bye, Stefan!"
"Bye, Elena." He says.
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"What's up with you?" Bonnie asks, "Boy drama?"
"It's more like the opposite…"
"So, you like 'em!"
"Yeah." I smile.
"And you turn to them over your besties?" Caroline butts in, jealousy painted all over. It hurts me to see her like that, but then again, that's her problem.
"Nice dress!" I deflect. Caroline's outfit is beautiful though. White, slim, dotted with shiny sequins.
"Good try, Elena Gilbert. You aren't doing yourself any benefit. So tell us, why them?"
"Well… I haven't fallen in love with quite the same effect--"
"Matt! Matt, Elena. What about him?"
"Me and him? A sinking ship. I knew that from the beginning, and he didn't. We recognised our differences. Now we're friends. That's good enough."
"Elena! I'm appalled!"
"I'm sorry, but maybe don't be so invested."
"Guys, what are we meant to be doing?" Bonnie intervenes, placing herself in between the two of us.
"Dancing…" Caroline says with shame. I say the same, but with more sass.
"Elena, find Stefan and dance. Care, you're coming with me." She lowers her voice to a whisper, "Dates, remember?" Caroline nods in agreement. They look for new men, while I stay close to mine.
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Caroline's POV
All the men we spot are stereotypical in some way, shape or form. You have your loud jocks in one corner, quiet nerds in the other, the middle consisting of a mixed bag. But there are two, classier looking men huddled over in the shade of a tall, almost umbrella shaped tree. One took my eye, the other seemed to light up Bonnie's, only for a millisecond.
"They're the ones!" I say, and we both walk closer with a spring in our step.
"How can we help you?" The one on the right asks, brown hair slicked back and shining.
"We… uh…" My mouth went dry. I nudged Bonnie, who proceeded to speak.
"You might know of the annual dance, see, everyone needs someone, and we don't have anyone." She blinked sweetly.
"So you just want us for the taking?" The left guy questions. He's gifted with two beautiful eyes, glittering a mix of blue and green.
"Well, yeah?" I shrug, and he takes me by the hand.
"I'm Klaus." He smiles, twirling me around.
"And I'm Caroline." I respond. Bonnie and the other guy can't seem to get into a sudden, lovestruck mood like us, so instead, they strike conversation. I listen with keen ears, figuring out that his name is Elijah. The pair of them were filled with charm and splendour, and it felt like I could spend the rest of my life around them. Oh! They are brothers, too, born in a large family of seven.
"You're sweet, love." He says after a while of gazing and silence.
"You seem that way too… Do you call everyone that?"
"Well, love, it just flows off the tongue."
Time just passes by now as we chat and dance and sing about with that whole concept of 'instant connections' being displayed. Bonnie ushers me away, probably because she got the short straw.
"Something doesn't seem right. They are hiding something." She inhales to speak again but I intervene.
"Well, isn't everyone?" And I dash back to Klaus. Love has pulled me into its trap, but it isn't a nasty one. I no longer feel disgusted by Elena. The only person who is… Bonnie, because she has Jeremy without Elena's blessing. She's watching us get all tongue tied, goofy and passionate while she boils over with rage. Fear. Faithlessness. Lack of something. But Elena and I selfishly put her to one side, because our lusty desires are more important than hers.
"I see your search went well." Damon strolls over after wandering off on his own, a red smudge at the end of his lip. His eyes widen as he spots the brothers and Klaus chuckles.
"Good to see you, Damon!" He shakes his hand.
"Klaus." He shakes back nonchalantly. "What brings you here?"
"Doing a spot of touring, window shopping…" he pauses, "Eating and drinking." His smile turns border malicious. "All in good fun." He slaps Damon's shoulder as if they were comrades, Elijah making eye contact with his brother, a cue to make a departure.
"Klaus! Don't leave!" I shout.
"Love, I'll be back. You can come visit our residence when you please." He hands me a business card. "But not you, Damon. Or your brother. Or the girl. Actually, the girl is invited." And… they're gone!
That's that.
"The dance was just an illusion." Bonnie whispers to me, blinking. "You all just went down the lovesick road with no peripheral vision!" Her tone grows more threatening. "I have to stop this!" She mutters aloud, walking away in the direction of her home.