"I really don't know about this whole Blind Date idea."
"Stefan, just think about it. You haven't been on a date in forever." Damon gestures at the bartender for another two drinks.
"I went on a date last week!"
"Please, Stefan, sleeping with some girl you meet at a bar is not a date."
"Well… maybe you're right. But at least it's not like my uh… needs aren't already taken care of."
"Please," the older brother interrupts, "I don't need the details of your slow soft vanilla sex life, Stefan." Stefan shoots off an irritated side-eye as he picks up his drink. "What I'm getting at, brother is this: as much as I'm all for the never-settle-down lifestyle, it's not you. I don't like you like this. It's like a dog walking on it's hind legs. You have to find yourself a girl."
"Right. So you're suggesting that I meet this girl you've chosen for me-"
"Ric's chosen, actually."
"Okay, so I meet this girl Ric's chosen, at this bar, probably in this exact spot, and then take her home, just like I did with the girl I met last week, but the difference is that we've pre-organised it, so it's a date. Sure Damon."
"You're looking at this all wrong. The difference is that you need this to be a date." Damon's voice shifted into a mock-cute pentameter. "You, Saint Stefan, need some girl to love and protect and hold onto forever and ever. "
"Oh, good. Now you're mocking me. That'll get what you want. What makes you think this girl's the one, anyway?"
"Just give her a chance. Ric says she's Caroline's friend. And they both seem to think you two need each other."
"Look. If this is a way for you to try to rid yourself of a guilty conscience, don't bother, Damon. I'm over it. You and Katherine deserve each other and I don't need you to set me up with some new girl to try to make up for stealing my old one." Stefan starts, a little more bite in his tone now.
"Just be there."
xxxxx
"So, he's definitely going to show up?"
"Elena, you need to stop worrying. Have my excellent date choices ever let you down before?"
"Actually, yeah. What about last time?"
"Last time doesn't count. Bonnie totally chose him. He was gross. Anyway. He's definitely coming. Ric said his brother said he's super excited. And super hot!" Elena listens to the pitch of Caroline's voice climbs through the phone as she rambles about this new guy she's picked out.
"How do I even know which one is him?" She asks as she fixes her dress in the bathroom mirror.
"Oh god I totally spaced. Okay, his full name is Stefan Salvatore. Search him on Facebook right now."
"Okay, hold on." Elena pulls her phone from her ear and opens up a Facebook search.
"Wait, is that really him?"
"Ughh Elena, what's wrong this time. You have got to stop being so picky or you'll become an old maid and-"
"Wait, Care, slow down" Elena interrupts. "He's… really attractive. How have I never seen him before? You said he's Ric's friend?"
"No, he's Ric's friend's Brother. They both just moved here from Chicago a couple of months ago."
Elena pulls the phone away again to look at the profile some more, when the time catches her eye. "Damn it, I have to go, Care. It's already 7.30 and I'm meeting him at the Grill at 8."
"Oohh!" Caroline squeals into the phone. "Good luck, be friendly. I love you! And text me EVERYTHING tomorrow morning! Bye! "
Elena steps out of her house, but quickly ducks back in to grab a thicker coat and some gloves. It's getting weirdly cold outside tonight, she thinks.