"Ridiculously Stupid"
We immediately left the store and began to walk through town square. She walked beside me, holding one bag that had been filed with the chosen tux. I noticed how she hummed through her smile, the burgundy now highlighted with the sunlight and her slight sway to her hips with each step.
She hadn't changed.
"So made you want to come crawling back?" I asked.
Breaking into a smile, she glanced around wistfully before meeting my stare. "This will always be home" she replied softly but from the crease between her brows, I knew there was more to the story. Still, I couldn't exactly ignore how happy I would be to have someone from my past.
"Welcome back" I grinned and slung an arm around her shoulders, pulling her to my side. "Though I was not expecting to see you. 60 years of nothing and now…?" I murmured, wondering if she would finally lelt her secrets fall.
Instead, she jutted out her jaw and stared up at me. "Right back at you" she retorted and casually spun away from me. "But what kind of best friend would I be if I missed your wedding?" she challenged, now walking backwards so she could study me. "God, just saying it feels…" she cringed with a shudder and I cut her off with a glare. "Hey, it's your life and if you're happy then I'm happy" Isabella shrugged, noticing the change in my demeanour.
"Remember that" I warned playfully.
She simply grinned and stepped back to walk next to me. An impish grin tugging at the corner of her lips while her chocolate brown eyes gained a mischievous glint that I knew all too well. "How does it go? First comes marriage, then comes…" she sang.
"Don't…" I cautioned, with a shake of my head as I deliberated over why I wanted her here again. "You know kids were never for me" I grumbled, wishing that I hadn't left my flask at home.
"Neither was marriage, but things change" she cleverly deduced.
Not wanting to go down this road, I tried to distract her. "How did you even find out?" I snapped with an accusatory glare.
She ignored how I was glaring daggers and tilted her head towards me. "I was in New York and I saw some drunk idiot walking on the Brooklyn Bridge. No shoes and a half empty bottle of Jack" she began to explain, only leaving me perplexed.
"I do miss the Big Apple but how is this related?"
"That drunk idiot was Stefan" she revealed and I sighed heavily.
Shaking my head, I avoided her intense gaze. "Stefan?"
"Did you know he was a Vanilla Ice fan?"
I both laughed humourlessly and gasped at how strange her mind was. "What?"
"He was rapping the verse to Ice Ice Baby" she laughed and grinned when expertly walking on the bench before jumping down. "Finally hit rock bottom" she muttered in a lowered tone.
The thought of her having seen my brother before me frustrated me. However, I knew that being the person she was, Isabella wouldn't have just left him alone. That was somewhat appeasing. "What did you do?" I wondered.
"I joined him" she smirked and I rolled my eyes.
"He told Caroline he was in Colorado" I noted what I remember hearing from Elena. "How is he?" I frowned and nervously rubbed the back of my head.
She arched an eyebrow. "Do you want the truth?" she challenged and got her answer when I dropped my head. "When the fun wore off, we set up camp at a hotel and bought him a journal so he could brood again" she offered and I thanked whoever made it possible for her to be alive. "Anyway, when I asked about you, he was drunk so he spilled the beans" she added.
"What were you doing in New York?"
The crease returned but she hastily composed herself. "I was going to come see if you were still in town" she replied and then continued, "Your birthday" she reminded me but I rolled her eyes. When I opened my mouth to disappoint her, she interrupted me. "So now that I'm here, the fun can start" she grinned.
"I'm not celebrating my birthday" I answered adamantly, trying not to focus on how troubled she seemed.
"Well that doesn't sound like the Damon I know" she scowled disapprovingly. "Too much time with Stefan and the fun wears off" she accused.
I bowed my head and turned to walk up the driveway. "Elena's got a schedule so we have things to do"
"Ah…Elena" she sighed and stopped, her gaze falling on something over my shoulder. "Speaking of the devil…" she muttered.
We both faced Elena who bounded down the driveway. "Who's this?" she asked tightly, locking her hands behind her back.
"Isabella, meet…"
"The beautiful bride" she interjected and surprised me when embracing my fiancé. She made a not so subtle attempt at flashing the ring on her finger.
I had to admit, I liked when she was jealous – not that she needed to be.
"The girl who finally locked him down" Isabella replied but I noticed the crease between her brow as she studied the ring. "I never thought anyone would tame the beast" she fell back into teasing me again and brazenly ruffled my hair.
I ducked away from her and arched a brow. "Tame?" I challenged.
"Straight and narrow for you huh?" Isabella tutted.
Moving in closer, I found it easy to fall back into our relationship when lowering my lips to her ear. "My fangs are still bigger than yours" I joked and we laughed, remembering our hunting trips.
"What does that mean?" Elena asked with a quizzical brow.
"It means your fiancé is still a perverted pig" Isabella interjected and roughly shoved the bags into my chest, making me playfully groan.
Elena crossed her arms and I stopped staring at my long lost, thought to be dead friend so I could turn to my obviously frustrated fiancé. "So how do you two know each other?" she snapped and I knew that her being a new vampire, we had to be careful.
"I'm Damon's other wife, enchante" Isabella brought out her hand with a serious face.
I nudged her with my hip. "Ignore her. She's just a friend" I assured Elena but couldn't help but smirk at the shock that had been previously been written on her face.
"I'll remember that next time you're captured or being hunted by wolves" Isa mockingly glared.
"So, you're a vampire?"
"Have been for 500 years"
"How did you meet?"
Before she said anything, I cut her off with a glare. "Through friends" I offered instead, knowing the truth would set Elena off again. It didn't help that I began to walk into the house which only made her more suspicious.
"Is there something I should know?" Elena demanded, both girls trailing after me.
"Nope"
Isabella was busy scanning the rooms and I could tell she was taking note of all the things we kept. I didn't miss how her gaze lingered on the bookshelf either. Typical!
"Damon…" Elena called me again.
Placing the bags down, I turned to her and leaned on the doorway beside her. "You look very pretty today" I tried to distract her.
"Damon…" she continued and gave me the look.
"Isabella is…Katherine's sister" I finally revealed.
If vampires could have an aneurysm then that was happening to her right now. "She's what?"
"Therefore I'll make this less awkward and agree with the 'wedding invitation got lost in the mail' excuse" Isabella broke the tension but I gave her look that said 'now was most definitely not the time'. She raised her hands up in defence and went back to snooping.
"You're Katherine's sister?" she gasped and I closed my eyes, knowing I wouldn't hear the end of this. "Damon, can I speak with you? Privately" she hissed and
"Yeah yeah" I agreed and allowed her to drag me into the house and straight into the kitchen. "I know that you're probably freaking out but y-"
"Did you sleep together?" she interjected sharply.
I chuckled at her attempt at scaring me. "Isn't it possible for me to just be friends with a woman?" I quizzed, enjoying how angrier she became.
"Did you sleep with her?" she snarked, obviously not humoured.
After lingering for another second, I relented and shook my head. "No"
"How can you even be friends with the sister of someone who terrorised you?" she finally exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Terrorised me too, if you haven't forgotten" she continued.
"I haven't forgotten and that was Katherine, this is Isabella" I reasoned. Taking advantage of her silence, I closed in and wrapped my arms around her waist. "Be good to your family" I murmured with a small smile.
Elena groaned and threw her head to my shoulder. "This is so messed up" she moaned and I rubbed her back. "Things have just settled down for everyone and having Katherine's sister in the equation is going to complicate things" she continued.
"We don't have to tell them anything"
She lifted her head up, resting her chin on my chest. "I think we should learn by now that secrets always have a way of coming out" she reminded me and I nodded in agreement. "I don't want to hurt anyone" she added timidly.
"You won't. They'll just blame me anyway" I smirked at her disapproving frown.
She pursed her lips for a few more minutes as she thought over the idea. Unlike Isabella, Elena seemed to think before acting. "I guess we can make room for her in the seating plan" she grumbled and I grinned, knowing that it was just how she was. Only my smile fell when she began to walk away from me. "What are you doing?" I questioned.
"Getting our guest something to drink" she finally smiled and once again, I found myself wondering how someone like her would want someone like me.
Offering a smile, I replied, "Thank you"
While she was occupied, I stepped out of the kitchen and into the living room. Sure enough, Isa was stood by the bookshelf, a leather bound choice in her hands. However, rather than reading it, she was busy talking over the phone. "Yes, that's right" she murmured.
Like the good friend I was, I eavesdropped.
"Just one bed" she added. "Thank you" she finalised when catching my eye before pocketing her phone.
"What's up?"
She closed the book and sheepishly slipped it back into the shelf. "Mix up with my reservation" she explained.
"For what?"
"I need a place to crash while I'm here" she slowly explained.
I fell back on the sofa, wondering why she would think she couldn't stay in the Boarding House. It was as much hers as it was mine. "You can stay here" I replied.
"She's staying?" Elena appeared with a tray holding three glasses and a bottle of whiskey.
I shrugged. "Why not? We got six empty rooms"
"But she already booked a hotel room"
Isabella sided with her. "And this place always used to give me the creeps"
Was Damon Salvatore going to be brought down by two women?
I think not.
"What are you doing?" Isa cried when I stole the phone from her.
Walking away from her reach, I craned my head to wink at her. "I need your hotel number. I'll cancel your reservation" I explained.
"Thanks…" she relented, not able to resist my good looks and charm.
"I'll just leave you girls to get acquainted" I purred and disappeared, knowing that there was a number I would be looking for in her phone.
BPOV
"Manners? How very foreign" I murmured and sank back into the seat that Damon had left empty. "You're a good influence" I added as Elena tentatively sat down on the chair next to me.
I don't bite…much.
"I think he's been doing all the influencing" Elena finally spoke and politely offered me the glass.
"Tell me about it" I smirked when graciously accepting the rink. Though her looks made it impossible for me to not smell for vervain before drinking it. My sister was my Achilles heel and sitting here with Elena was…discerning. It was hard not to want to hate her.
She crossed her legs but didn't relax in her chair. "You know him pretty well" she sniped.
"Apparently not" I scoffed, suddenly needing the alcohol. "I never thought of him as the marriage type" I explained so she could stop gaping at me.
I watched as Elena downed her drink too before giving us both refills. "You probably think this is insane"
"It crossed my mind…" I admitted.
She was silent and I could tell she was collecting her thoughts. "When we were kids, me and my friends – Bonnie and Caroline. We used to put the pillow cases on our heads steal our mum's jewellery. We'd pull flowers from the garden and use my mum's makeup, until we looked like clowns" she laughed and I joined her. "It was a stupid kids game" she lowly uttered and dropped her head. Distress etching her features and the part of me that had evolved when I became Bella was sparked. Remorse and sympathy now filled me as she continued, "…I've already lost so much of my human life, I just…"
"You want a piece of your humanity" I finished and nodded in understanding. "How old are you?"
"Eighteen"
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "How long have you been a vampire?" I clarified and her lapis lazuli eyes glazed with understanding.
"About a year"
"Wow, you're young" I suspected it with how easy her rage and jealousy was sparked.
"Is that an insult?"
"No, just an observation" I assured her and grabbed the bottle myself. "I'm here to be a friend to Damon. I'm sure you've noticed that he hasn't got many" I added and willed the words to stay true. What I felt for him in the past would not resurface. I had numbed myself to the idea.
Elena nodded, relenting. "Okay"
"Okay?" I arched an eyebrow.
"How are my two favourite girls?"
"We're okay"
We turned to watch Damon's return. He passed me my phone but from the dulled look in his eye I knew something was up. He thought I was stupid enough to believe that he only cancelled my reservation. I knew he wanted Stefan's new number but I hadn't saved it. I memorised it but I wasn't going to tell him that. Stefan promised that he would come when he was good and ready.
I hated this! I hated how someone else had come between them!
Were they doomed to live a life where they fell for the same girl? At least Elena wasn't like Katherine…at least I hoped she wasn't. I couldn't kill my own sister but I could definitely kill this doppelganger if she hurt Damon at all. I would probably find more pleasure in it than I should.
"Good you're back!"
This time we turned to the tall blonde at the doorway. For a second all I saw was flower print and pink but when I focused, I noticed her likeness to a previous Forbes.
"Who is this?" she paused when her blue eyes locked onto mine.
Standing up, I brushed down my top and made an attempt on a good first impression. "I'm the best man – well, best girl if you want to get technical" I blurted and realised the familiar buzz was warming my senses…
"Well this is going to change the seating plan" she huffed, ignoring my outstretched hand as her shoulders slumped and her clipboard hit her forehead. "A phone call would've been nice" she snapped.
"I only learnt about this yesterday" I said, trying not to laugh at her pout.
After studying me for a fraction of a second, she sighed. "Well the more the merrier" she reasoned and put the headset back in place. A smile now adorning her features as she grew excited. "Plus it would be nice to have another pair of hands"
"Not for me" I stepped back, horrified. "Frilly dresses, heels and bouquets" I continued to shake my head as a terrified shudder ran through me. "Not my thing"
"We'll see about that" she replied
"Caroline, Isabella. Isabella, Caroline" Elena introduced and I turned to her friend to finally study her. I was going to have to avoid this one. She was obviously the…hyper type and really, I just wanted to spend some time with my best friend, before he was tied down.
"Did you pick up your tux?" Caroline begrudgingly asked while some crackling voice rang in her ear.
Damon nodded, now sat on the armchair with the wife to be on his lap. "I did" he nodded.
"Does it fit?"
He shrugged. "I guess"
"You're not supposed to leave it in the bags" blondie screeched and turned to glare at him. "As soon as you get in the house, steam it and hang it in an empty closet. No creases!" she cried and I worried over her mental health. "I don't trust you. I'll just do it myself" she took the bags and left in a huff.
"I'll go check on her" Elena hastily excused herself and their disappearance had me laughing.
Once my laughter subdued, I smirked at Damon. "This is why I don't do girlfriends" I shook my head and fell back onto the sofa, draped across it as I stared at the ceiling. "I don't know how you do it"
"You get used to it" he chuckled and I scoffed. Something about this caught his attention as he suddenly appeared, hovering above me. "Hey I'm still the same Damon" he argued.
Before I could help myself, my tongue traced my bottom lip as I peered up into his intensely piercing blue eyes. "Prove it" I challenged.
"How?" he grew cautious, guarded.
Not caring that I was treading on dangerous waters, I wrapped my hands around his neck and inched him closer slightly. "Let's go hunting" I breathed with a smirk.
-XxxxxxX-
After taking off the checked shirt, I remained in the white camisole and acid wash jeans. My beloved boots still in place as I crossed my legs before me as I waited for my company. He was still upstairs, taking his sweet ass time as he spoke to his girl.
"So what do you and psycho have planned?" he attempted nonchalance.
Don't be surprised – of course I'm listening in. How could I not?
"Be nice" Elena chided. "Bonnie's coming over to help decide on china patterns" she added and I chuckled to myself. If I was this Bonnie chick, I would rather watch paint dry.
"China patterns? They'll be eating a meal worth a thousand dollars, not looking at the plates" Damon huffed and I mentally hi fived him. I guess after spending over 5o years with him, it was hard for him to grow accustomed to what other normal girls were like.
There was a shuffling sound before I heard Elena lower her voice. "She just wants this to be perfect. So do I." she whispered and my guilt finally piqued. Though it didn't stop me from eavesdropping.
"Anything you want" Damon replied and the softened tone and the way he had looked at her told me that this wasn't a Katherine obsession. He actually loved Elena... No one – not even me should get in the way of that.
"What about you and your friend…?"
Here we go…
"I thought I'd take her around town. She hasn't been here since..."
"1864" Elena finalised and I could imagine the reappearance of her noticeably common bitch brow. "She's nicer than Katherine. You picked the wrong sister" she added, surprising me and probably Damon too. Her words earned me a pat on the back.
"Maybe I didn't" Damon argued and I felt my heart falter. "Otherwise I wouldn't have found you" he continued and I rolled my eyes, thankful that the conversation was coming to an end. "I'll see you soon" he said and I heard his footsteps bound down the stairs. "Have fun with your china patterns" he called.
"Have fun being a tour guide" she retorted before the door was slammed.
At his appearance, I composed myself and slid down the hood of his car. My arms now crossed over my chest as I glared at him. Only he purposefully avoided my stare when slipping into his car. Sighing in aggravation, I entered the other side and turned to stare.
"What?!"
"You lied to her" I stated calmly. Was it terrible of me to be happy that their relationship wasn't as perfect as it seemed?
He was hesitant for a second but thankfully remembered who he was talking to. "Elena doesn't like me feeding on humans" he admitted.
"What?" I exclaimed and didn't know whether to laugh or go inside and shake the answer out of his beloved fiancé.
"Straight and narrow" he reminded me.
"Taming the beast"
Without another word, he put the car in gear and the engine was awakened. "Come on Belladonna" he winked at me.
I was stunned at how easy it was for him to use the ridiculous nickname he made for me.
Ridiculously stupid…but I loved it.
"Let's go"
I agreed and that as enough encouragement for him to speed out of the driveway and further into the night.
A/N: Thank you all for your reviews. Hope this really long, really informative chapter was welcomed.
What do you think of Damon lying? Bella's feelings? Elena's jealously? Hyperactive Caroline? and missing Stefan? Leave a review - all welcome.
RECS - sharing my love:
MOVIE: Wolf on Wall Street. Give DiCarprio an oscar already!
I took my brother to see Frozen but loved it.
TV: Weeds
PODCAST: If I Were You - Jake and Amir (coolest dudes I know)
MUSIC: London Grammar (Wasting My Young Years - Favourite) and Civil Twilight
blueseedfan recommended Sons of Anarchy so I will be giving that a go...
I forgot to thank all those who voted and nominated me for the Burning Diamond Awards. I am just so overwhelmed with gratitude and I hope to keep you on your toes. It is a pleasure to write for you and I wish I could do it every day. Thank you all again.
Congratulations to the other writers. I have so much respect for them and I am more than lucky to consider them friends.
Anyway, that's it from me. Have a good week and I hope this helped. I'll do my best to fill your weekdays if I'm not busy.
