Bad Blood – Chapter Two

-New York-

"Elena Gilbert! Get your skinny butt over here right this minute!"

The screeching voice from the other side of the flat woke me from my sleep and I frowned in amazed confusion, standing and making my way to the kitchen, "Jesus Christ Vera you sounded like my old headmaster there." I muttered, finding my friends sitting on the corner of the counter with a tub of ice cream in her hand, a spook in the other and a huge fluffy pink dressing gown over her pyjamas, massive unicorn slippers on her feet, my lion ones on my own feet. It was surely a strange sight. If you saw Vera Castellanos at work you'd be absolutely terrified of her. She was like Sandra Bullock in 'The Proposal'…scary. But you see her at one o'clock in the morning like this and you couldn't even imagine her liquidizing quivering interns with one stern look.

"What's this?" She asked in her normal, sweet voice. I sometimes think she had a split-personality disorder.

Following her finger to the small card on the central island, I sighed and slipping into one of the bar stools, "That is a wedding invitation. As you know because you've read it."

She grinned, popping another spoonful of Cookie Dough in her mouth, swallowing it before speaking, "Yes I have. Are you going? It's next week."

"I guess…I'll have to ask the boss for time off though." I worked at a publishing company called Peirce and Sons…very original. I was somewhere in the middle of the hierarchy which was quite impressive considering the fact that I was only twenty-three…I had my own office and a PA called Jones…well, Alex Jones but I liked calling him his surname since he said that he was only called that when he was in trouble.

"Same, but I'm basically my own boss so that's fine." I raised my eyebrow in question and she let out a disparaging sigh, "Obviously you're not going on your own. Anyway, Katherine invited me too; you know how much she loves me."

I guess that was true. Katherine was all about fashion and celebrity and, admittedly, Vera was halfway to both. She worked at Vogue and was always going to these glamorous parties. I promise you that's not why I'm friends with her, although I did appreciate the many outfits I got off her and the occasional plus-one to these events. No, we'd met at university, both taking English; she'd been my room-mate in the first year. Katherine was definitely happy when she came to Mystic Falls with me one holiday, "Alright, alright," I muttered, picking off some grapes from the bowl and eating them.

"Besides, you know I can't let you face McDreamy without me." Yes, yes we'd been watching Grey's Anatomy and yes, Vera had decided that Damon was my McDreamy. He was even a heart surgeon. How ironic. The nickname had stuck.

I let out another sigh and propped my head up on my hand, "And that's why I don't really want to go." I saw her open her mouth to tell me to suck it up so I quickly continued, "But I'm going! I am and I'm going to sort it out. Don't give me a rant; I know exactly what you're going to say."

She smiled, hopped down and threw the now empty tub in the bin (damn her never putting on weight), waltzing over to me and popping a kiss on the side of my head, "Just don't get hurt Sloth." She said the old nickname with a smile (just because I like my lie-ins) before saying goodnight and heading towards her room.

"Night Captain." I gave a mock-salute and she laughed, waving before disappearing into her room.

If you were going to an ordinary wedding, you probably just go in a nice dress or suit…but this was no ordinary wedding…this was a Mystic Falls Wedding. We had a Founders Council…meaning Founders Month which was more just an excuse for endless parties or dinners. So Stefan Salvatore, a member of one of the Founding Families, getting married was a rather large thing. I had one very large suitcase for clothes (some courtesy of the Vogue wardrobe…I love Vera), then another smaller one for make-up, random bits and bobs, and presents because I couldn't go home without presents. The third and final bag (unless you count the clutch in my clothes bag) was just a simple shoulder bag, but don't worry…they weren't all matching Louis Vuitton. No, they were all matching pale blue.

We'd decided to fly there, not in the mood for a six and a half hour car journey. This way it only took an hour (sorry world) and we touched down at five in the afternoon. One long taxi drive later and we were finally pulling up outside my family home. Jenna had insisted that we stay there rather than a hotel even though there were already a few people staying. For starters there was Jeremy and his girlfriend Anna, and then there was an old friend of Katherine and me, Lexi. Katherine's godmother Eva and her husband Chris were staying in the spare room. Everything was made all the more frantic by the fact that Jenna and her husband Alaric had a four year called Gabriel and an eight year old called Sophie. It wasn't a large house, but John's was even smaller where he, Katherine and her grandparents were staying…the whole town was crazy. Even the Salvatore Boarding House was full and one of the reasons we were staying here was that the town's one hotel was indeed full and the only other option would be that dodgy motel on the outskirts of town.

We were sharing my room, which was still my room whether or not I lived here, a mattress on the floor for one of us since Lexi was in there too. Jeremy still had his with Anna. Sophie (who was just coming up to that 'cool' stage) was not best pleased about having to share with her little brother although Jenna claimed she was just trying to act older because we were here. I loved both my two cousins equally, but I had to admit that Gabe was just the cutest thing, with his curly ginger hair and huge blue eyes and he really did give the best cuddles.

We'd timed our arrival perfectly so kiddie dinner was over and bath time was about to begin. Knowing the routine like the back of my hand, once the greetings were done I followed Jenna's silent plea and went to find the little ones. I left Vera downstairs to talk though, knowing how much she didn't like children. She really was a lovely person…once you got to know her. Don't get me wrong she's my best friend and I love her but to people who don't know her she can come across pretty cold…lucky she'd met everyone here before and liked them…well, apart from Bonnie.

There were no serious topical territories breeched that day, nor the next. I guess everyone was too busy in the wedding preparations. Only Lexi and I were bridesmaids, and then Sophie was a flower girl; everyone had their jobs. The days passed in a flurry of dress fittings and panics and calm-downs so it was the day before the wedding that Caroline (perhaps my closest, very excitable and manic friend) managed to pull me aside.

"You know he arrived today."

That was all she really needed to say and I knew we were 'there'…it was about to begin, "I heard." I said simply, trying not to let anything show.

She sighed, that typical pity look spreading over her face and I knew she was about to try and reason with me, like I needed it, "Lennie I know he hurt you but you still love him, he still loves you…please just give him a chance this time…"

I frowned a little, glancing out the window at Katherine who was waiting impatiently by the car for us to go for a final dress fitting, "Caroline I never gave him a chance and I haven't seen him once since it happened. You know I regret that so stop making me feel worse. I will give him a chance, I will talk to him, and I will try. But you've all made it out that I'm the only one who needs to forgive…you seem to forget that he's going to pissed off at me too. I took off without a word and without giving him a chance to even sober up. So yes…it's going to have to be a mutual forgiving…moment."

My rant barely seemed to function, she just seemed to capture that 'I will give him a chance' bit and she was trying to squeeze the air out of me, "Thank you! I don't like seeing my people sad."

"I'm not sad!" But she was already gone and Katherine was yelling at us. Jheeze these people.

I had a newfound respect for Katherine. Most people like to humiliate their bridesmaids by selecting the most vile dress and colour for them to wear but she's actually chosen nice ones. She'd gone for a white a blue colour scheme so we were in pale blue strapless floor-length dresses with a sort of empire waist, fine details on the bodice. They were beautiful, and thankfully the type that you could reuse…perfect. Each of us would be carrying a small bouquet of white roses, including Katherine who was in a stunning white dress.

I fell asleep that night (after a very long day) with my dress hung up on the door. The following morning would no doubt be an absolute panic but as long as I didn't have to deal with any cold feet I'd be happy. I realised just before drifting off that I hadn't even seen Stefan yet…I had to do that…

The bridesmaids dresses:

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