"Are you ready?" Caroline called out adding the last touches of mascara to her eyelashes. "We're late. I told Matt we'd be there by eight and it's almost nine." She smacked her lips together one last time before shaking out her hair and turning away from the mirror.
"Yeah I still can't believe you invited him." Elena answered as she hobbled out of the room, struggling to stuff her feet into the sky-high stilettos. "Exes should not be invited to a girls night out."
"Elena." Caroline sighed at her friend's words. "He's new to town and he doesn't know anyone. Plus we've known him for like forever."
"I know." She groaned. "But it's just awkward. I feel like he wants to give us another try." She adjusted her short black dress before grabbing her clutch from the coffee table.
"Well why don't you? I mean you guys were so cute together and things didn't end badly between the two of you."
"Yeah but like I've told you a million times there was no adventure. I felt like I was going to stay in that same small town with the same small town boy forever. That just wasn't what I wanted for myself."
"Well that small town boy that you speak of just moved to the big city. So what's your excuse now?" Caroline asked her best friend with a slight smile. They had been best friends for years but they were basically as different as two people could be. Elena lived her life on intuition and she based many of her life decisions on her gut feelings. She was spontaneous and wanted nothing more than a little adventure in her life. And she definitely wasn't getting that in her small town of Mystic Falls.
And Caroline, well Caroline made lists. She lived life according to schedules and she planned out most aspects of her day. She never made a choice before thinking it through thoroughly. She, unlike Elena, was a small town girl at heart. She was the type of girl you could imagine marrying her high school sweetheart and dropping of her three kids at soccer practices and then going home to bake cookies. So it was safe to say she surprised many people when she decided to accompany Elena to college in Los Angeles.
"There was just no passion there." Elena's voice broke Caroline out of her thoughts. "Everything was just so expected. There was no excitement."
"Well then I guess we're shopping for excitement tonight." Caroline rolled her eyes as she swung her bag over her shoulder.
"Maybe just a little fun." Elena answered winking as they made their way out the door. "You can never go wrong with having a little fun."
…
"So how do you like L.A. so far?" Caroline took a swing of her drink. They'd been at the club for close to an hour and "fun" wouldn't exactly be the word Carline would have used to describe the experience so far. The atmosphere was livening. All around her people were dancing to blasting music. But Caroline hadn't moved form her place at the bar all night. Even Matt had gone to dance with some girls earlier.
"Well it sure is different from Mystic Falls." Matt responded taking a drink of his beer. "It's really different."
"Yeah I guess it is. But surprisingly I really like it. I like the independence. I like being able to walk down the street and not having everyone recognize me. I like being a apart of the crowd."
"Well see I liked that." Matt said, pausing briefly taking another sip. "I liked the closeness of it. I liked the familiarity of it all. But I guess I wasn't meant to stay there."
"Matt." Caroline groaned. "Don't go all sappy on me. This is great for you. No, this is more than great this is amazing. This is what you've been waiting for your whole life. Not everyone gets to fulfill their dream of playing in the major league."
"Yeah I guess you're right there." Matt said with a hint of a smile. "This has been my dream. And you know what maybe a little change wouldn't hurt. Maybe living in a big city is just what I need."
"Absolutely." Caroline sent him a beaming smile. "And you forgot to mention the best part." Caroline playfully rolled her eyes. "You'll be living near your two most favorite people in the whole wide world. Me and Elena."
"Yeah that is most definitely the best part.' Matt said chucking. "But I'm not sure that Elena feels that way." He snuck a glance at where Elena was currently dancing with some guy on the dance floor.
Caroline sighed. She definitely should not be the one having this conversation with him. "Matt I know that you and Elena had this amazing relationship. I mean you guys seemed like the picture perfect couple. You both knew each other forever and you decided to give a relationship a try. But as her best friend I also know that right now Elena isn't ready for a serious relationship. I don't even think she was ready when you guys were dating. And frankly I don't know if she'll be ready anytime soon."
"So basically she doesn't want to be in a relationship with me."
"Matty." Caroline laid her head on his shoulder. You're going to find the one. And when you do it's going to be magical. And nothing or nobody will ever compare. You're smart, caring, cute." She sent him another smile. "And most of all you're a professional football player. I mean come on what girl can resist that."
"Thanks Caroline." He said laughing. "And you're pretty amazing yourself. Any guy who can't recognize that is an idiot."
Caroline knew there was so much more to his words. She knew that he was only trying to make her feel better. But his words just tugged at an old wound. One that could be reopened far too easily. "Lets go dance." She forced out a smile, hoping to change the subject. "We came here to have fun didn't we?"
"Sure." Matt replied, knowing not to push that part of the conversation anymore.
After dancing for not even half a song, Caroline felt someone tapping her shoulder. Turning around she found a cute blonde looking at her nervously. "I'm sorry to cut in, but do you want to dance?"
Carline was just about to say no when Matt spoke up. "Actually I see a really cute redhead. I'm going to go talk to her." And the facing the guy he said, "She would love to dance." He smiled at her before walking in the direction to the redhead.
"So what's your name?" The guy wrapped a hand around my waist as a slow song came on.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that considering you're the one that asked me to dance?" She asked smirking.
"Feisty. I like it." He chuckled. "Well let me introduce myself then. I'm Alex."
"Caroline." She said. "So Alex tell me about yourself." She said giggling.
"Well I'm twenty three, in law school, and don't have a girlfriend. Just in case that would be information you'd be interested in." He answered winking.
Normally Caroline wouldn't have even bothered continuing the conversation. But tonight, after seeing both Matt and Elena out having fun, she decided that she deserved the same. It had been three years since she'd left home. And it was about time that she started opening up and letting people in. "I could definitely take into consideration if that information will be of importance."
He smiled. "So Caroline tell me about yourself."
"There's not much to tell."
"Of course there is." He pulled her closer. "Everyone has a story."
"Well I was born and raised in a small town in Virginia. I'm twenty-one. And just in case you were wondering I don't have a boyfriend." She reciprocated his wink form before.
"Well I can definitely say that that is good news." Looking at him closer, Caroline could definitely say that he was a looker. He was gorgeous. "Well that's nice to know."
"How about we continue this conversation at the bar. I'll buy you a drink."
"That sounds great" Caroline twirled a piece of her hair between her fingers. She was flirting big time. But from the five-minute encounter that they just had, Caroline realized that she liked Alex. And this time she wasn't going to let fear get in the way of a potential relationship.
…
"Hey." Caroline looked up from the homework she was currently doing to see Elena drag herself through the front door, her heels in her hand. "Long night?" she asked with a smirk.
"You have no idea." Elena whispered, collapsing on the couch next to Caroline.
"What happened last night?" She asked, shutting the screen of the laptop and turning herself to face her. "I mean you just kind of left."
"I'm surprised you noticed. You seemed too caught up in that guy." Elena cracked a smile for the first time since she had trudged through the door.
At this Caroline couldn't help but smile. Memories from the previous night flooded her mind. She definitely liked him; she knew this for a fact. And she hadn't left last night without his phone number. "He's amazing. But nuh uh missy, we are not directing this conversation away from you. Now spill. What exactly went on last night?"
The smile that had temporarily taken up residence on her face disappeared. "Care I messed up big time." She aid whispering again.
"Why what happened?" She was worried. She had known Elena practically her whole life. They had been inseparable since they had been in diapers. And throughout the whole course of their friendship Caroline had only heard her use that tone of voice a handful of times. And it usually wasn't reserved for happy occasions. "Elena." Caroline said raising her voice. "Tell me what happened."
"I can't. You're going to be so mad. My parents are going to be so mad. They're going to kill me."
"Elena." Caroline repeated warningly. "Tell me right now. We've been through so much together. Whatever this is, you know that I'll help you through this."
She took a deep breath before sticking her left hand right in front of Caroline's face. But instead of admiring her manicure, Caroline couldn't help but stare at the ginormous ring adoring her finger.
"Elena." She gasped. 'You didn't. Tell me you didn't."
"I got married." She announced, though there was no reason to. The ring was proof enough. She wiped away a few tears that were threatening to fall out.
"Oh Elena." Carline pulled her into a hug. "How did this happen. Who is it?"
"What am I supposed to do?" This time she didn't bother to wipe away the tears. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
"Elena who did you gets married to?" She tried to remain calm. Elena didn't do well when she was faced with a problem and right now it was Caroline's job to keep things under control.
"I-I don't know what I'm supposed to do." She exclaimed, trying to take deep breaths. "Care tell me what to do."
"Elena tell me what happened this morning." Caroline resorted to asking. It didn't seem like Elena was going to be giving away any names anytime soon.
"I woke up and there was this ring on my finger and god there was a marriage license. And then it all came back to me. I got married. I can't believe I was actually stupid enough to get married."
"Well what did the guy say." She didn't think referring to the man, as her husband would help current matters.
"I told him that I needed to go home. And he kept insisting that we figure things out. But I just needed time to think."
"Well where is he right now?" Caroline asked her friend slowly.
"He's downstairs." Elena answered biting down on her lip. "He wouldn't let me leave by myself so he drove me here. I told him that I needed to take a shower. So he's waiting in his car."
Caroline sighed. She honestly didn't know how Elena managed to get herself into this situation. But then again she was Elena: spontaneous, adventure seeking Elena. And what could be a better adventure to embark on than marriage.
The knock at the door thrust Caroline out of her thoughts.
"Oh God that's him." She exclaimed frantically. "I have to get in the shower. Stall him." And before Caroline could answer Elena had already started running in the direction of the bathroom.
Letting out a groan, Caroline got up to open the door to Elena's new husband. And boy was she shocked when she saw who was on the other side of it.
"Oh my god."
Okay So I admit, this was a pretty sucky first chapter, Kind of awkward. But I had really good things panned for this story so I hope you guys liked it and keep reading.
Let me know what you thought!
