Disclaimer: Not mine, based on the movie, only borrowed & nurtured. A/N: Apologies for delay, life has been extra busy! Can you believe I've been in my new job for 10 months! Crazy! Enjoy x
Bonnie's Flat
2
[Narrative B-Alternate Universe]
Wes Maxfield knocked on Bonnie's apartment door with continued persistence, he wasn't ready to accept his two-and-a-half-year relationship with Caroline was over.
He knew he'd been stupid to think he could let Katherine Pierce back in his life without consequences. He wished he'd the strength to turn the vixen away, but Katherine always got her way. She fed on his knowledge of English Literature – role playing Victorian and Gothic characters, and surprising him in period attire; this week had been Jane Eyre.
Wes supposed, he feared what she would do, should he end their affair.
Did he love Katherine?
No, he was adamant, it was everything but love.
Caroline Forbes would always be the love of his life - he just hoped she'd forgive him.
"Caroline? Caroline, I know you're in there?" he called, resting his head against the door.
He heard voices, one he was sure belonged to his girlfriend.
"Let me in, I want to apologise?"
The door opened, but instead of Caroline, Bonnie Bennett's glare returned his anxious one.
"She's not here!" she said.
Caroline and Bonnie were inseparable since childhood, both attending Mystic Falls High and later Whitmore College, undertaking different degrees, but always being there for each other.
Caroline always found refuge at Bonnie's after they fought, even over silly arguments like which colour they should paint the lounge room, and each time he knocked on Bonnie's door, she remained as formidable as the last, like a dragon guarding her golden egg.
"What have you done? Had to be something bad if you're here," Bonnie noted his dishevelled t-shirt, and erratic eyes searching for his missing girlfriend.
"You're Caroline's best friend, can you just tell her to come home?" he sighed.
Bonnie's lips thinned in contempt.
"Like you said, I'm Caroline's best friend, if she comes here, I'll do as she asks!"
Wes almost lost a finger when Bonnie slammed the door in his face.
[Present – Narrative A]
Wes and Caroline clinked their vodka shots together, spilling most of the liquor when they tried to stifle their laughter.
Liam, the twenty-something med student, tending the bar provided the drinks without question – it was clear, the couple were celebrating something.
What they were laughing about, Liam didn't have a clue, but the ex-Professor tipped well, and he wasn't one to complain.
He thought he remembered seeing Caroline's photograph around campus, or in the college magazine…
He left the couple to mop up their spillages, and went to serve two men at the opposite end of the bar. They were regulars, he remembered because the dark haired one always ordered bourbon, and the younger, after perusing the wine list, settled on the same as his brother.
"I'm telling you, Damon, you need some kind of sponsor or event planner…" Stefan argued.
Damon nodded to Liam, impressed when Liam poured him bourbon without even asking.
"Great, where do I find one? The restaurant will be open in a few days, and I need people to like it!"
Stefan shrugged, his eyes resting on a couple stumbling away from the bar.
[Narrative B – Alt]
Stefan excused himself from the bar, leaving Damon to make love to his bourbon, and brainstorm ideas to advertise his new business avenue on a napkin, while Stefan went to the bathroom.
He was surprised to witness his new friend flinging vodka shots down her throat.
"Caroline, hello? Rather annoying guy on the tube?" he interjected, waving at her.
He knew this tactic – a familiar move he'd adopted when having a shit day at the office, but the epic hangover which would occur the next morning was cause to interrupt.
His bladder would have to wait.
Caroline looked up, smiled and dabbed her puffy red eyes with a soggy serviette.
"It's only a job, you'll get another one," he encouraged her.
Caroline shook her head, concerning Stefan.
"Thanks, I just walked in on my boyfriend cheating on me," she admitted.
"What an idiot," he noted.
"It's okay, you weren't to know," Caroline sighed, mistaking his comment.
"Not me, your boyfriend," Stefan smiled and moved towards the bar.
Caroline laughed, attempting to breathe through her clogged nose.
"You see that guy over there? The one in the leather jacket? Well, he enjoys watching Baywatch, so, keep in mind, there's always someone sadder than you… do you love him?"
Caroline laughed, feeling her anger seep away every second she spent with Stefan.
"No, I could never love a Baywatch fan," she said, amused.
Stefan returned her chuckle.
"You're joking in your emotional state, that's a good sign, if you want company my brother and I are over there… look, Caroline, I'm really sorry. You deserve better," he said.
He couldn't help but smile at Caroline, pulling the menu towards her, as if she might stay a while.
[Present – Narrative A]
The next day, Wes sat at a table at Skull Bar, and pushed another beer towards his nephew.
"Well, Caroline's right you don't like Elton John," Aaron shrugged.
Wes sighed, waving his hand to disregard that aspect.
"Forget about Elton John, it's not important," Wes gulped down mouthfuls of beer, failing to rid himself of Katherine's corset, and his guilty conscious.
Aaron took a gulp of beer, thinking through everything his Uncle had just said.
"So, you say you couldn't end it with Katherine because you didn't know how she'd take it, but now you feel you're screwed because your girlfriend almost caught you doing the deed with your mistress. You do realize I've been warning you about this for years. I told you, Karma is a bitch."
Wes put down his beer, looking pale.
"Look, I know I'm a mess, and in many ways, a failure, but when I asked you to meet me here, I was actually hoping for some advice on the matter," he admitted.
Aaron sighed, running a hand through his thick head of hair.
"You want my opinion? You're not going to like it, it's based on reality, not fiction."
Wes sank into his chair, and braced himself for the truth.
[Narrative B – Alt]
Bonnie Bennett hurried into Skull Bar, wearing her coat over her pajamas.
It wasn't like Caroline to not call in tears, or come over if something was bothering her about Wes.
She scanned the bar for any lost souls.
She never cared for Wes, the Professor of Literature, who the other college girls and Caroline loved. His blue eyes did not make her melt, and his announcement to write a novel did not send her into a romantic frenzy, but irk her, aiding to her conclusion: he lacked commitment, he would only usurp Caroline's earnings, and as for the romance – it was non-existent.
Her best friend deserved better than Wes Maxfield.
Bonnie found Caroline hunched over a bowl of cashews, with several empty shots lined up in front of her. She'd smudged her mascara, and the bar tender, Liam, so the name-tag read, served her shots with a shaking hand, with an almost empty bottle of vodka.
"Caroline?" she ventured, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Bonnie?" Caroline squinted at her, slipping from her stool.
"What did he do?" Bonnie demanded.
Liam put down the vodka.
"I didn't do anything, she threatened to call my manager if I stopped pouring her drinks!"
Bonnie glanced at the empty glasses and the bottle, then sighed.
"How much has she had?" she asked.
Liam raised two empty vodka bottles above the counter.
Caroline shook her glass at Liam.
"I'm not paying you to talk, I'm paying you to pour!" she snapped.
Caroline turned to Bonnie, answering her question.
"I have an excuse to be here: Wes broke my heart," she said.
"Uh-huh," Bonnie covered the bill, and assisted Caroline to her feet. "Time to say goodbye to Liam, it's past your bed-time," she said, picking up Caroline's clutch.
She noticed two men wave at Caroline, the lighter-haired one grinned.
"Who's that?" Bonnie asked, taking in the latter's handsome features.
Caroline looked over her shoulder and smiled, waving exuberantly.
"My friend," she finished, as if Bonnie wouldn't have any questions.
"Right, let's get you home," Bonnie pushed open the door searching the street for taxis.
Rain and traffic made that search difficult, every taxi she waved down was already occupied.
Caroline complained of blisters, throwing her heels down the pavement to send them to Athena, Goddess of Wisdom & War.
Bonnie remembered their college years, nights were more fun when she could drink too, but tomorrow she had an early lecture to prepare for, so it was back home for the both of them.
The two men from the bar joined them on the sidewalk and hailed a cab in under two seconds.
Bonnie frowned until Stefan noticed her predicament and offered them a lift.
"Where do you want to go?" he asked, opening the door.
Inside the taxi, Caroline noticed her reflection in the rear-view mirror.
"I'm hideous," she gawked, flattening her frizzy hair.
Bonnie held up her hand when Stefan's brother looked like he might say something stupid.
"No, you're not, it's the vodka talking," Bonnie dismissed.
Stefan turned around from the front seat, as the taxi pulled away from the curb.
"Nothing a shower won't fix," he added.
Bonnie and Damon caught each other rolling their eyes, and turned out of opposite windows.
"I love you, Bonnie Bennett, and that's not the vodka talking," Caroline sighed.
"I love you too, Caroline Forbes, now get some rest," Bonnie gave her friend a sad sort of smile, and rummaged in her purse for her house keys.
[Present - Narrative A]
Wes tucked Caroline into bed, kissing her head, and letting her sleep off her hangover.
He returned to the bathroom to get ready for bed, and took in his relieved appearance in the mirror.
"That was close, what kind of idiot are you? She nearly found out about us! Have you lost your mind? This cannot happen again!" he hissed at his reflection, holding onto the sink.
Wes paused, realizing he had lost his mind, or he wouldn't be talking to himself in the mirror.
[Narrative B - Alt]
Caroline woke the next morning to the sound of Bonnie opening the curtains with a clatter.
"What are you doing in my room?" she groaned.
"You don't remember last night, do you?" Bonnie queried with raised eyebrows.
Caroline sat up in bed, squinting at her friend.
"I remember a cute bar tender… and then, nothing. Honestly, it's a blur," she concluded.
Bonnie crossed her arms.
"You drank two bottles of vodka, and tried to French-kiss that bartender."
Caroline stared at Bonnie, flabbergasted.
"I did not! I mean, the vodka maybe, but I'd remember French kissing someone…"
Caroline touched her lips, as if touching them gave her any indication of where they'd last been.
Bonnie picked up a breakfast tray with orange juice and bacon, Caroline hadn't noticed.
"So, Wes came here looking for you. I can't believe he cheated on you," Bonnie changed the subject.
She sat on the edge of her bed, eyeing the strips of fatty bacon.
"Now I remember why I French-kissed the bar tender…" Caroline groaned sinking back in bed.
Bonnie sighed, pinching some bacon from her plate.
"You didn't French-kiss anyone, but you did get googly eyed at that Stefan-guy."
Bonnie smirked, licking her salty fingers.
Caroline blushed when she denied any feelings towards her new friend.
"He offered us a lift home," Bonnie pressed.
"He was just concerned," Caroline admitted, sipping her orange juice.
"If he was that concerned about me, I wouldn't be here serving you breakfast in bed…"
Caroline let a smile creep along her lips.
Bonnie looked at her bedside clock and smiled warmly.
"Now, I know all you want to do is eat ice-cream all day and watch Calamity Jane but I need you showered, so we can go to Lucy's, and only then will I help you find a new job."
Caroline contemplated her options.
"Do you think your cousin would be able to do, shorter, and blonder?"
Bonnie nodded, picking up her bag and keys.
"She's a professional, she'll make you feel like a different person," she smiled.
[Present - Narrative A]
Caroline sat at the table circling jobs in the paper while Wes cooked bacon and eggs.
She concluded her dream of finding a career in Marketing or Public Relations was officially over.
"There's no PR jobs, Wes, I think I'm going to have to do something totally mundane, like wait tables, or look at this, deliver sandwiches/be a kitchen hand…" she circled both adverts and called the numbers shown, with a dwindling glimmer of hope in her heart.
Whilst Caroline wrote the details for her job interviews, Wes' phone went off and he answered it, catching Katherine's sultry voice on the other end.
"The other day was sensational, I particularly liked the way you-"
Wes' hand trembled against his ear, and he glanced at Caroline who hadn't noticed anything odd.
Sweat poured from his upper lip and his heart pounded painfully.
Guilt ripped through his chest.
Katherine's lips grazed his, softly at first, and then more passionately. His heart pounded in excitement when Katherine stepped out of her corset, and stockings, rendering him speechless. He trembled in anticipation when she undid his belt, and left tantalising kisses along his skin. He trailed his ink-covered fingers between her breasts, satisfied to have procured mewls of excitement. Katherine's pants turned to screams when his hot breath puffed between her thighs.
"Sorry, I didn't order any trout," he panicked.
Caroline looked over her shoulder, perplexed, tapping her pen against her notepad.
Wes swallowed, his mouth completely dry.
"Wrong number," he had hung up on Katherine. "So?" he asked.
Caroline looked at her phone, scrolling to Bonnie's name.
"I have interviews for both, listen, I'm going to ring Bonnie, let me know when breakfast is ready?"
Wes looked down at the pan and realized he'd burnt the bacon.
[Narrative B – Alt]
Caroline admired her hair after Lucy Bennett finished blow-drying it.
"It's shorter, and blonder, do you like it?" Bonnie's cousin asked.
Bonnie lowered the magazine to her knees, and grinned.
"I love it, I feel amazing, totally re-invented," Caroline admitted.
"You look amazing," Bonnie concluded. "Now, you're ready for that hot date with Stefan."
Caroline blushed rhubarb, and tried to deny she had feelings for him, neither Bennett were fooled.
"You should ring him, from what Bonnie tells me, he's one of the good guys," Lucy smiled.
Caroline pretended not to notice the butterflies fluttering in her chest each time they mentioned Stefan's name.
That afternoon, Bonnie and Caroline were enjoying a day of doing nothing, when the door-bell rang.
Caroline's hair was the highlight of her day, she had changed into a sports-bra and yoga pants, intending on some mediation to clear her head, and her hangover.
Bonnie disappeared behind a face-mask, wearing her slippers, which only meant one thing – she was ready for bed, and not taking social calls.
"Can you get that?" Bonnie asked, lifting a cucumber from her left eye.
"It's your flat?" Caroline said in downward dog pose.
"I'm not answering the door looking like this?" Bonnie argued. "Besides, it's probably for you."
Caroline groaned, dreading facing Wes and forgetting everything she wanted to tell him.
"'Hi, it's Wes, I'm a twat!' bullshit, bullshit…" she mimicked her boyfriend's voice as she came out of the pose. "No, you can't have me back, because I'm not an idiot!" she drank from her water bottle.
Bonnie's flat voice interrupted her imitation.
"You know that would be more believable if you weren't still in love with him?" she said.
"I'm not in love with him!?" Caroline said, tapping her foot against the floorboards.
Bonnie sighed, putting her cucumber back on her eye.
"So why are you still reading his horoscope then?" Bonnie said, throwing the magazine at her.
Caroline frowned, ashamed to admit she couldn't shake Wes from her heart, even when he stomped on it. But Bonnie was right – she did deserve better, she deserved the world.
"What is he?" Bonnie asked.
"A wanker?" Caroline said, debating whether or not to open the door at all.
"I meant star sign," Bonnie frowned.
"I don't care anymore," Caroline muttered.
"Then, why haven't you opened the door?" Bonnie asked.
Caroline swung open the door, surprised to see it wasn't Wes at all.
Stefan Salvatore stood there with an unsure grin.
Caroline steadied her breaths and leant against Bonnie's door, expectantly.
"So, I was wondering if you wanted to check out this diner with me?" he asked.
Caroline looked over at Bonnie who gave her a thumbs-up without opening her eyes.
"Sure, I'll just grab my things," she said, running up to her room to grab her purse and change into a summery yellow dress that didn't have any chocolate cake or ice-cream on it.
"Enjoy your hot date!" Bonnie called from the couch when Caroline passed.
Caroline shut the door with tinged pink cheeks.
"How's the job search going?" Stefan asked when they'd ordered some food.
"Great actually. Bonnie's got me a job through a friend, I'm going to be waitressing at Skull Bar."
Stefan's eyebrows raised to the ceiling.
"After the other night, they let you back into the building?" he joked.
Caroline punched him in the arm for his cheek.
"Remember the bar tender, Liam? Well, he vouched for me, said I had what it takes."
Stefan paused before Caroline prompted what was on his mind.
"Look, if you wanted a side-project, Damon's looking for someone to help put his new restaurant on the map, and I know you've only worked marketing previously, but, would you maybe consider, helping him plan the event?" he asked.
Caroline pictured Bonnie's 'I told you so' expression and smiled.
"Side project, huh?" she pressed.
Stefan shrugged, giving her a hopeful smile.
"Sure, I'd love to help out," she said, guiding a strand of hair away from her lips.
Stefan sipped his strawberry milkshake, glancing at her sideways.
"Hair cut suits you by the way," he complimented, pushing $2.85 to the cashier.
He had meant to say it earlier but got distracted by their tangent conversations.
"Thanks, I was ready for a change," she admitted. "You've been full of compliments tonight?"
Stefan sat shoulder to shoulder with her.
"My brother taught me never to make a joke about a woman's hair, clothes, or menstrual cycle."
Caroline sighed, distracted with thoughts of Wes and their first date.
"So, what convinced you to come out tonight?" Stefan asked.
Caroline sighed, an overwhelming sense of sadness flooded through her.
Despite everything, she missed Wes.
Even on a date, she felt incredibly lonely.
"Look, Stefan, maybe I shouldn't be here, I'm not being fair…" she began. "I mean, under normal circumstances, you're really nice, and funny, my friend Bonnie thinks you're cute," she shrugged.
Stefan raised his hand, halting her.
"Your friend, Bonnie? Your friend Bonnie thinks I'm cute?" he queried.
Caroline stifled a laugh that wouldn't disturb the other patrons.
"Shit! I just blew…wait, $2.85 on the wrong girl…?" he joked, drumming his fists on the counter.
Caroline returned to her untouched milkshake, and cold chips.
"Listen," Stefan held her hand. "Sometimes we are plonked into people's lives when they just need to be cheered up and reassured, and for some reason, it's just your job, we don't know why, in your case it's my job, but I'll be honest, the fact that I find you moderately attractive just makes the job easier in my part," he grinned when she smiled.
He sighed, pulling back his hand.
"My intentions are completely honourable. I have no desire to overstep the mark, seriously…" he fiddled with a ring with a crest on his finger. "Do you prefer diamonds or sapphires?" he joked. "Sorry," he kept his mouth shut, his lips curving at the edges.
Caroline let his kind words sink in.
"Moderately attractive?" she asked.
He pointed at her.
"Ah-huh, I knew you were listening! You know, lose the sad eyes, the droopy mouth… I could get you an upgrade. So, having firmly set the ground-rules, what are you doing two weeks from Saturday?"
"Probably killing myself," Caroline said, flatly.
"Excellent, what time does that finish? Do you like boats?"
Caroline liked his sense of humour, and soon they'd exhausted several topics of conversation; made each other laugh until their cheeks hurt, and shared a slice of chocolate cake bigger than her shoe.
"Thank you for cheering me up," Caroline said, when Stefan walked her back to Bonnie's flat.
"Remember, you don't have to pretend with me. Break-ups take time to get over. I had fun too."
Caroline watched his eyes hover over her face, and then glance at the door which unlocked, as though Bonnie had known they'd returned – had she been up waiting for her?
"I'll call you about Saturday," Stefan added, putting his hands into his jacket pockets.
Caroline nodded, and pushed open the door, hearing Bonnie's surprised squeak behind it.
"Sure," she smiled, watching Stefan return down the side walk.
A/N: So, what did you think? Reviews make me happy x