Chapter Two

When the friends are gone
When the party's over
We will still belong to each other
Underneath Your Clothes
There's an endless story
There's the man I chose
There's my territory
And all the things I deserve
For being such a good girl honey

Underneath Your Clothes- Shakira

The shot glass rattles against the one behind it as Enzo finished unpacking them into the cupboard. That's the last box. He paid a moving company to help him get all his shit to his new place from storage. He had plenty of friends who would have helped if he'd asked them. It wasn't something he'd anyways, because then he would have owed them. And he prefers to live his life debt-free.

Enzo had stayed with his mother during the summer holiday since the apartment building he was living in was zoned as student housing, which means if he wasn't registered for the summer semester, he had to be out.

But also because Enzo had no reason to stick around. His dad might try something stupid, like come over. When he wasn't occupied with teaching classes at the university, he thought the summer was a good time to try to convince his son that they could be a family again.

Fuck that.

Enzo only went to this university because he got a discount on his tuition. Dropping the paperwork off at the admissions office to prove he was the professor's son was the most he'd go to claiming Giuseppe as his father. Same goes with Stefan, but he doesn't claim him at all. And that was the condition he gave to his father when he agreed to come here. No one should know he was his son, and if he wants Enzo to graduate here, he'll keep it that way.

His parents had set up a trust fund for his college education when he was younger, and filled it up real good before the divorce. His father's family discount gave him enough money left over to order the bike of his dreams; a custom-built Triumph Scrambler.

After the twenty grand spent just for the build, his father was mad enough to not talk to him most of his freshman year. Fine by Enzo, but shit, he was here, wasn't he?

He threw out the last moving box, showered, put on the steel-toed boots, and crank the bike, heading out to the armory shop to do some welding. He had a commissioned piece he has been working on since last fall in its final stages. All he need is to add a few more touches, and then it's done collect the final check and ship it to its proud owner.

Enzo parks in front of the shop, no bigger than a small warehouse. Tripp's sitting outside on his rocker, sipping tea. "What the hell are you doing out here, old-timer? It's hot as hell today."

"It's hot as hell every day. About damn time your scrawny ass is back in town."

Enzo pats Tripp's beer belly. "Scrawny, my ass."

Tripp chuckles and takes another sip of his sweet tea.

"Thanks for keeping her safe for me while I was gone." He'd kept Enzo's piece here for three months so he wouldn't have to worry about shipping it elsewhere, risking dings or damage.

Tripp took Enzo under his wing during his freshman year. He owns the modification shop for custom work on cars, and Enzo started out doing small welding jobs for him with only the training he got from high school shop class. Eventually, he graduated from working with Tripp to doing his own shit, but he lets him use the shop.

Enzo wander to the back of the shop, passing old muscle cars and new lowriders, where he left Nyx. He pulls off her tarp and runs his hand along her leg, her shoulder, the detail in the back of her hair, along the metal scarf hanging from her lower arms, making sure she is as he left her. Enzo puts his mask on and got to work. The gold sparks and blue light shined through the shop, he always loses track of the time when he's welding, but the ache in his back told him it's been a long while.

"Well, look who I found wandering around outside the shop," Tripp says, Matt Donovan follows close behind him.

Enzo quickly lifts his helmet and took out his ear plugs, stretching his back, then pulled off his gloves. "Shit, it's nine already?" he ran over again.

Matt was all cleaned up. The gel wasn't even dry in his hair yet. "I knew I'd find your ass down here." Matt had been his wingman since sophomore year. He was an all-American boy next door, so they make an odd pair, but Enzo had never been one for that stereotype bullshit. As long as guys like Matt were cool to him, he was cool with them.

"You ready yet?"

"Yeah, let me get the place cleaned up and then I'll head home for a quick shower."

"Nope," Matt says, "we ain't got time for that. The boys are waiting at the Mystic Grill already."

"Damn. Well, they're just gonna have to wait a bit longer because I'm not going like this." Enzo wasn't going with metal dust and grease all over him. The local bar usually has some of the hottest locals there, so he was hoping he'd end up with one of them and not have to call Valerie.

Things worked with her because she doesn't expect much. They fucked and that was it, he told her up front. Sometimes she acts territorial when any girl hits on him, but she never takes it far when she sees that he's interested.

"I'll tell them the first round is on you," Matt says as he walks toward the front of the shop and waves over the back of his head. "Hurry the fuck up, or I'll make it the second too."

"Get outta here." Matt knows better than that. Enzo puts up with one round, but two is pushing it.

He rushes to put his tools and leathers away, but he take his time covering Nyx. "You're the best goddamn welder in all of Virginia," Tripp says.

Enzo grins at him. "That would mean I'm even better than you, oldman."

"Well, shit. 'Course you are. You have been for a while." Tripp claps him on the back and then cups the back of his neck, resting his hand there as they walk toward the front of the shop. "You go get yourself a fine-ass woman now, ya hear me."

Enzo smiles up at him as he gets on his bike. "You know I will."

He speed to the apartment and took another quick shower for the day. Once he was dressed and in his favorite boots, he was hopping back on the bike. The engine roared all the way to the Mystic Grill until he parked it next to another bike near the door and kill it.

The Mystic Grill was a shack of an old town bar, but the drinks were good. Enzo pushed the heavy steel door opened, as he walked in, he waved to Sarah, the long dark haired bartender, on his way to the table with the guys. She throws up her deuces; a double shot? He nodded before telling Gregor to get his ass out of his seat. He sat facing the dartboard. Always have.

Gregor grabs his drink and pulls another stool up to the table, and Enzo took his. After every semester break, they Phi Gamma Delta brothers or the Silas as they liked to call themselves, would meet at the Mystic Grill to catch up and let loose before classes start. The Silas frat house party will officially kick off the semester, but this is more low-key and just them brothers.

Sarah brings over his shot and he slaps her ass, giving her shit. She arches her back and shakes her head. Now Sarah was the girl he had never fucked. She was way cute enough, but he hated the thought of people spitting in his drinks. And it seems most women he slept with get mad at him eventually. He always tell them upfront he wasn't interested in a relationship, or falling in love, and he sure as hell won't be taking them home.

Yet every woman thought she'd be the one to change him. That their sex would be so magical, he'll be star-struck by her goods in the bedroom and put a ring on it. Or the least ask her out to a movie. And when he doesn't, they get all upset and confused. It gets old fast. That's why he had regulars like Val. He could get laid without having to deal with all that expectation bullshit and drama.

Enzo swallows his shot and got caught up with what everyone did over the summer. "Who's up for darts?"

A couple of brothers got up and dropped twenties on the table. He laid his down and notice a dirty blonde haired woman over by the bar already fucking him with her eyes, but he'd let her simmer for a while.

Matt starts the first round off right by landing a D18, but Enzo still manage to pass him by the third round. Markos gets close to catching up to him, but Enzo lands a trip sixteen to win the game. "Sorry, buddy, not enough rounds for you. You have to be quicker with those doubles and trips." Markos' been practicing. Enzo claps his shoulder and gather up his money.

The blonde was still doing dirty things with him in her mind, so he salute the boys farewell and walks over to the bar. "Another double, Sarah." he give her a twenty to cover more than this and the last one.

The blonde leans against the bar as she slides closer to him. "Good game you played over there."

He shrugs. "I landed a few."

She smiles, showing off her shiny white teeth, "What do you think about buying me a drink with some of your winnings?" she asks.

"What are you drinking?"

"I'll have a climax," she says with a sultry crook of her lips.

"Sarah—"

"I heard," Sarah says, shaking her head and turning around to grab a glass. Sarah has seen it all.

Enzo pulls out his wallet and trade Sarah the blonde's cocktail for a ten. "I'm Enzo," he said and gives the girl her climax.

"Jenna Sommers," she says, delicately wrapping her manicured fingers around the frosty glass.

He made small talk with Jenna until she finishes her drink. "You want to get out of here?" he asked.

She beams and hops off the stool. He put his hand on the small of her back and walked her out. Before they reached the parking lot, she attacks his face with her lips. She's a little sloppy, but she smells nice and her ass was quite perky.

They made their way over to her car. "Your place or mine?" she asks.

He never took anyone to his place. It only causes more drama. "Yours. I'll follow you."

"Okay," she says and kisses him again.

Enzo pulls back. "This will be as far as I go with you, I don't date and I don't do relationships."

Her smile tightens a little, but she nods and turns around to get in her car. "It's only about ten blocks from here."

He follows her through what is really double that and then inside her cozy yet posh place. Her heels are off at the door of her apartment, and her dress and his T-shirt followed before they were out of the living room. She was eager; he'd give her that.

Jenna took him into her bedroom, which had a large, white, four-poster bed as the centerpiece, and he gave her more than he promised, she climaxed about three times on that bed before they called it a night.

Enzo left contented, but like every other time, something's missing.

Bonnie had done nothing productive for the past two days. She called in sick to her job, which wasn't really a lie. She couldn't keep food down, Caroline talked her into eating something, yet it wouldn't stay down and she spend a good amount of time in the bathroom heaving it up. Caroline says as long as Bonnie can keep ginger ale and juices down, she won't make her go to the doctor.

Bonnie told her it's not a virus. It was Jeremy.

"Look Bon, there is more to worry about than just a virus. You could get dehydrated or some shit." She looks at her with understanding and brushes the hair off her best friend's face. "Are you sure I can't go over there and cut his dick off for you?"

"I'm sure," Bonnie said in a deadpan tone.

As soon as she got home, Bonnie pulled all the condoms out and counted them. She recounted them and recounted them until she was sure the number of missing packages remained unchanged.

Six.

That's the number of times She could be certain Jeremy slept with someone else. The number of times he cheated on her. The number of times he probably lied to her face about what he was doing. She rolled onto her side and clutch her knees up to her stomach.

Jeremy always hated using condoms. She was sure there were girls who were okay with going without protection. Her stomach rolls, but ends there. "I have to get tested. I could have an STD."

"We'll get you tested. I'm sure you don't have anything, but if you do, I am definitely chopping off his little wiener with a butcher knife."

"I have to know. Right now." Bonnie rolls off the bed and goes to the closet for shoes. She slips on her boots. "Let's go to the clinic." A Planned Parenthood is conveniently located down the street from Whitmore campus. She would rather go there than have her father find out what was going on through her insurance's medical explanation. She couldn't do that to him.

Bonnie grabbed her toothbrush and walk down the hall to brush her teeth. Her breath smells like something died inside of her.

Probably just her heart.

She watch the water swirling in the sink with a blank stare, trying to think of anything else than what Jeremy did, what disease might be multiplying inside her body right now.

"Hey, Bonnie," Lexi says when she comes in with her shower stuff. "You feeling any better?"

"Caroline is taking me to the doctor." She doesn't need to know Bonnie's not sick in that way. She doesn't need to know what Jeremy did. She don't want anyone to know.

"Well, let me know if y'all need anything, okay?"

"Thanks," Bonnie said, rinsing her toothbrush one last time and turning off the faucet.

Caroline has her keys in hand when Bonnie walks back into the room. "You ready?"

"Yeah." They drove since it was too hot to walk anywhere that wasn't that close by. Plus, she felt like shit.

Caroline unlocks the doors. "You're not puking in my car, right?"

Bonnie shook her head. "I should be all right."

When they got to the clinic, the cars in the parking lot were scattered, but Bonnie still asked her to park in the far back. This was so embarrassing. How could Jeremy do this to her?

She walks up to the front desk and tells the middle-aged woman she needed to get tested.

"Have you ever been here before?"

Bonnie shook her head no.

She rolls around in her chair and gathers up some paperwork for her to fill out. "Okay, complete these forms and then give them back to me. Do you have any insurance?"

"No," Bonnie lied.

"Okay, the test ranges from forty-five to seventy dollars depending on what you want to get tested for, but we'll consider your income when it comes time to check out."

Bonnie nodded and took the clipboard, sitting down in the faded purple chair next to Caroline. She signed her name with a shaky hand and return the clipboard to the receptionist.

"We'll call you up."

"Thanks," Bonnie says and sat down. It takes everything within her to not get sick again. The place reeks of sweat and antiseptic.

"Bonnie," a nurse calls from the hallway door leading to the back.

The two girls stood up. Bonnie's stomach was in a knot in her abdomen. They followed the nurse through the doorway. She stops at a scale and weighs her. "Okay, follow me this way."

They trail behind her into an exam room. The nurse sits down on a black stool, and Caroline sits on another chair. Bonnie climbed up on the exam table, the paper crinkling underneath her. The nurse scans her paperwork. "It looks like the last time you had unprotected sex was earlier this week."

"Yeah, I've been on the pill, though. I just found out my boyfriend cheated on me." It's important to her that this woman doesn't think she slept around. It's ridiculous because it's the smart, responsible thing to do and everyone who has sex should get tested. But she felt the need to defend herself.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she says, looking up. "We can run the test today, but there are some things that won't show up as positive if you have it until three to six months later, so I'd recommend you get retested and then and use protection until you can get a correct result."

"I will." This is if she was ever having sex again. Jeremy's definitely not getting any from her anymore. "Let's test for everything we can at this point." She was disappointed she won't be getting a definite yes or no today, but she'll take whatever consolation she could get.

The nurse walks Bonnie down the hall to the bathroom and hands her a cup, instructing her to pee in it and then place it into a small cabinet when done. "When that's ready, I'll run the tests and the doctor will be in with you shortly."

"Thanks."

Bonnie does as she's advised and rushes back to the exam room. She lays back on the bed, crunching the paper under her weight and looks up at the tiled ceiling.

"It'll be okay," Caroline tells her.

Bonnie nods because she doesn't believe it.

"They'll all come back negative, and your heart will heal."

Bonnie blinks. She doesn't think so. She has seen the fallout of a broken heart. She doesn't think it'll ever heal.

Caroline scrapes the chair across the white floor to sit next to her. She rubs her arm.

Bonnie didn't realize how cold it was in the room until the heat from Caroline's hand touches her. Chills broke out on her arms.

"It'll be okay," she repeats.

Bonnie swallows.

Caroline leans over and puts her arm across Bonnie's stomach and rests her head by her friend's waist. Words don't help. Nothing does.

Bonnie counts the ceiling tiles and when she's done and the doctor still hasn't come in, she starts to count the small holes in the tiles.

The door finally opens and Caroline sits up. She does the same. An older man walks in and introduces himself. "Hi, Bonnie. I'm Dr. Jonas Martin. I have some results here for you."

Bonnie nods her head. She couldn't speak. A lump of nerves forms in her throat.

"The good news is that all the tests came back negative."

"See?" Caroline says happily. "I told you so." Bonnie was somewhat relieved, but it does little to cheer her up. It was all still shitty.

"The bad news," Dr. Martin continues, "is that some of these tests aren't accurate until more than three months after the last incident of unprotected sex."

"I understand. I'll get tested again then."

He marks something off on the paper in front of him. "Any questions or anything else we can do for you today?"

"No. Thank you."

He stands and opens the door.

They follow him out as he goes to the front and hands her papers to the receptionist.

Seventy dollars is a small price to pay for peace of mind, but she was still pissed she even had to do this. Jeremy left his kindle in their room the last time he was over. She was so pawning it. And anything else of his she might find.

Caroline and Bonnie rushed back out to the car in fear of being spotted. "Want some ice cream?"

"Nah, I still don't feel like eating."

Caroline looks at Bonnie with concerned eyes. "I really think you'll be fine. I mean, even though Jeremy doesn't like using condoms, I doubt he'd risk you getting some weird disease and finding out he's been sleeping around."

"Thanks, Care. I really don't feel like eating anything now."

"Sorry, but you know what I mean."

"You're probably right. But I have no way of knowing. Any trust I had in what he would or wouldn't do has been demolished. Thanks for taking me, though."

They parked in the student lot and head back up to their room. Caroline opens the door to their room and Bonnie was engulfed in a rush of cool air. She took off her boots and crawled back onto her bed. This was where she planned to stay until classes start on Monday. And that's as far as she could plan her crumbling life right now.

Caroline was trying to cheer her up all day. She was probably getting sick of seeing Bonnie like this. "I know it hurts. But, girl, right now you need to see how much better you can do than Jeremy with a small penis."

Bonnie cracked and couldn't hold back the tiny smile. "He does have a small dick."

"See? And you would've been stuck with that for the rest of your life! There are so many better guys out there. Guys who come packing." She raises her eyebrow at her. Caroline would know more than she would. Not that she's a slut, but unlike Caroline, Bonnie's college sexual experience consists of only Jeremy.

"I was certain, so certain he would never cheat on me. He was everything I thought I wanted in a husband."

Caroline leans over and hugs her again. "I know. But if he's gonna be a cheating asshole, be glad you found out about it now. You know, instead of later when you're married, when you have kids to deal with."

"Of course," Bonnie says adamantly. But it all feels so close. It brings back up all the horrors from her own childhood. She came to college thinking she could start over, that she could leave that past behind her. "I just can't believe he did this. I didn't see it coming at all." Almost every way she lived her life has been a step toward avoiding this.

"I bet most people think the same thing, honey." Caroline never really liked Jeremy. She'd reminded her of this on a number of occasions. She should have listened to her.

"What a waste."

"Well, what would you like to do different going forward?"

"I don't know," Bonnie said honestly. If she were a crier, tears would be pouring down her cheeks. She should be crying. There has to be something wrong with her.

"Come on. There's something you've always wished you could do, but felt it didn't fit with your OCD plan. What is that?"

Bonnie couldn't believe she was about to admit this. It's so unlike her. "I want to be free. I want to be able to let go and not think about my actions and just act." This terrifies me because it's exactly what my mom did after the divorce.

"Good!" Caroline says, clapping her hands. "Then that's what you're gonna do. Tonight." Bonnie looked at her with wide, terrified eyes, but she continues. "There's a welcome-back party at the Silas frat house tonight. We're going to get drunk, and you're going to let loose. We'll dance. Hell, if you wanna sing, my weak ass voice will sing right along with you. And on the way back, if you feel like swimming in the school fountain, we'll jump in!"

Bonnie chuckled. "We'll see." Somehow Caroline made her feel like she could do anything she wanted. At least for tonight. Like they own the night.

Caroline looks at her, with a grin so devious. "Yes, we will. Now get your moping ass up and get dressed. We have important shit to do!"

"I love you, Caroline." Bonnie crawls off the bed and reach out to hug her.

"You're my favorite girl, you know that?" Caroline squeezes her tight, popping her back.

Bonnie smiles as she lets go. "I better be because you're mine." Caroline successfully channeled Bonnie's sorrow into anger toward that sick, pathetic, small dick Jeremy. And now she channeling that into some kind of fierce woman power.

Bonnie was gonna wear her favorite ass hugging skinny jeans and Caroline's 'fuck me' pumps. Tonight they were gonna have some raw fun and be free. Bonnie was gonna forget all about Jeremy Gilbert.

AN: Thanks for all the reviews and follows, can't believe you all liked it. Next chapter Bonnie and Enzo meet.