Disclaimer: Although I wish I owned The Vampire Diaries, I sadly do not.
A/N: Please enjoy and review :D
Damon Salvatore, this was the only thought on Caroline's mind as she drove back to her home town of Mystic Falls. There were many words to describe him: he was rude, sarcastic, manipulative, selfish and altogether a plain jerk. Caroline had never understood her own attraction towards him but all she could hope for was to see him as little as possible during her month long stay in Mystic Falls.
Caroline had journeyed back to Mystic Falls to attend the wedding of one of her closest friends, Bonnie Bennet. It had been over 4 years since she had stepped foot into Mystic Falls. Caroline had always hated the town as she described it to be too small and conservative for her vibrant personality. Straight after senior year she had moved away to Chicago to study law. Her widowed mother would visit her at least once every year; therefore Caroline had seen no point in returning to Mystic Falls - until now.
Caroline was experiencing a multitude of emotions consisting of nostalgia, nervousness and excitement, amongst others. She dreaded the sight of Damon and his girlfriend, Elena Gilbert. Caroline had always despised and envied Elena as she was as close to the definition of perfect as could be. Everybody loved her, even Stefan. Stefan, Caroline thought. How could she have forgotten her best friend? He was the only thing, other than her mother and the wedding of course, that had made Caroline very eager to return home.
Stefan, Damon's baby brother, happened to be Caroline's best friend. Mimicking their mothers' friendship, they had been best friends since babyhood. Stefan had unfortunately lost his mother at the young age of six and had sought maternal guidance from Caroline's mother, Elizabeth Forbes. Since the death of his mother, Damon had adopted a rather rebellious attitude towards people and life in general. Even after his father, and Caroline's, had passed in a tragic road accident almost ten years after his mother's death, he had still continued to behave recklessly.
Although devastated, Elizabeth put on a brave facade and continued her role as Sheriff, mother and surrogate mother to the Salvatore brothers. Elizabeth even went as far as asking the boys to move in with her and Caroline. Damon although fond of Elizabeth, had rudely declined the offer and decided to remain at the Salvatore mansion which now belonged to both him and Stefan. Stefan, although keen to move and escape the memories of his deceased parents, decided to remain at home and look after his reckless, older brother.
Damon had just completed his third year of engineering at the local technical college when Stefan and Caroline graduated high school. Caroline, very adamant on escaping Mystic Falls, took leave straight after the graduation ceremony. She had already been accepted into one of the best colleges in Chicago and had managed to find residency near to the campus. Stefan however, was destined to leave for London where he was to study medicine. Their farewell had been a very difficult one and the friends vowed that no matter how big the distance, their friendship would never undergo any strain.