A/N: Upon popular request, I'm adding to this two-part. You know the Beginning, you know the End, but what happened in between?
I'll try to keep it as chronological as I can, but sometimes I get ahead of myself.
Replies to Reviews are at the end.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the TVD characters.Warnings: Language
Prompt: "This friend of yours isn't acting like much of one."
Disagreement with a Colleague
An uncomfortable fog had overtaken Bonnie's mind by late afternoon.
Everything this morning had a rosy hue. For the first time in a long stretch, contentment—no, happiness washed over Bonnie. She woke, as deliciously warm burrito of blanket and Bonnie, around eight o'clock. She enjoyed her unrushed time slot at the gym. She even had enough time to grab a second coffee on her way to class. When Elena shot her a message to catch a bite together, Bonnie had gladly accepted.
Now, as she numbly ambled down to the apartment's mailroom, her mind reeled at the day's turning point.
You'll never guess what happened in class today, Bonnie had erupted as she slid into the seat across from Elena. Recognizing the excitement of juicy details in the edge of Bonnie's voice, the doe-eyed girl unglued her eyes from her cell phone and prompted her with a smile. You know the Cutie from my Women and Law class?
"The know-it-all who sits in front of you every class?"
Bonnie had shaken her head so hard, her short hair lashed her face. He's not a know-it-all, E! Her best friend rolled her eyes playfully, eliciting an uncharacteristic giggle from Bonnie. Well, he and I got paired for our midterm presentation, and we're meeting up tomorrow, though the project isn't due for another month.
Elena had grinned, bouncing her eyebrows in a sly way. "Is this meeting over drinks because, girl, no one just starts a project weeks in advance anymore."
Bonnie had felt her face get hot at the implications, though she added, I think it might be over drinks 'cause that boy is a shameless flirt!
"Get it, Bennett!" Elena had cried, earning several looks from within a five-foot radius. She reached across the table and pinched Bonnie's cheek. "My little Bonnie is all grown up."
Shut it, Gilbert, Bonnie had snapped, though her demand was lighthearted. Very different from her attitude at home. Elena's eyes wandered back to her cell phone brightening to life next to her tray of appetizers. Fries, mozzarella sticks, and onion rings, all fried and beautiful before Bonnie's monochrome salad.
"Speaking of drinks…" Elena muttered as she picked up her phone with a scowl. "The guy I let do body shots off me last weekend hasn't stopped texting me." Bonnie pursed her lips. Elena took the college life stereotype very seriously. "Don't make the face at me—I had blacked out when I gave him my number… I think."
You have him stored in your phone as British Suit? Bonnie had peered at Elena's screen. A gloss of longing overtook Elena's brown eyes as they averted over Bonnie's shoulder.
"Bonnie, I have never seen a man pull off a suit so casually. I think I actually begged him to do the body shots. He was such a gentleman."
Sounds like a fairytale, Bonnie had mumbled as she stabbed her salad. This was at Rebekah Mikaelson's annual bash? The host of these infamous parties, Rebekah Mikaelson, graduated years ago, but she continued her legacy—parties littered with glow sticks, body shots, and lots of dry humping on the dance floor. And, yes, she did have a dancefloor. Isn't Rebekah British? Was it, like, her brother or something?
"O.M.G. Bonnie Bennett, you're a genius!" Elena exclaimed. "See? This is why you need to come with me to these things!"
Bonnie had finally speared a cherry tomato and shrugged. It's not really my scene, Bonnie had replied disinterestedly.
"I know, but still… you'd be with me!" Elena had flipped her sheet of straight hair over her shoulder. The skylight of the restaurant made her chestnut hair take a redder hue. "Well, you know the student body pres, Tessa? Well, she recently acquired this older sugar daddy—his name is some old-timey name, like Saul or Silas or something—and he has this gorg mansion. I swear, Bon, she's always posting pictures of it like she's on a vacay in Italy or something. Anyways, she's having a dinner party there, and guess who was invited." Elena's singsong voice had been coupled with a smile Bonnie was sure her friend thought was devious.
Elena, treading her father's footsteps closely, was a pre-med student. Her desire to be noticed and admired pushed her to be dangerously competitive—to the point of joining the Student Government and becoming vice president and best buddies with the president.
Elena nudged Bonnie's shoulder from across the table. She had put a little too much force into the gesture, eliciting a sharp look from Bonnie. "That's more of your scene." The way she had thrown Bonnie's words back had a cold bite, but Bonnie only offered a little smile.
You're right, Elena, she encouraged her friend halfheartedly.
"Which is why you're my plus one!" Elena's smile could have bridged New York to England, but, noticing Bonnie's lack of enthusiasm, it fell into a frown. The usually composed brunette let out a frustrated sigh. It was more of a noisy groan that drew many stares and scowls. "Bonnie, I love you so much, and I would do anything for you, but I have to be honest with you—how could I call myself your best friend if I wasn't? I just don't get you. Ever since you broke up with Jer—"
Narrowed jade eyes cut Elena off. Talking about Jeremy was okay—after all, he was Elena's younger brother—but Bonnie preferred the subject to stay in theory or in passing. Bonnie had been to Elena's home for Thanksgiving since her undergrad studies, so she knew Jeremy well. When he started working at her gym, she finally caved into his boyish charm.
"Look, I know Jer really did a number on your heart."
Yeah, by cheating on her with Ana, some mystery girl who played hot and cold with him for months, who ghosted in and out of his life like he was disposable—all the while Bonnie doted on him, her affections turned on like a faucet. She had felt like an idiot.
"But honey, I think it's time to put yourself back out there! Maybe not for another relationship, but just for a fun time."
My fun and your fun are on opposite poles of the spectrum, Bonnie had pointed out. She suddenly felt tired. Weary.
"We used to be on the same page."
We run in different circles now, E. We were bound to change once we started specializing, Bonnie had tried to reason, but the stubborn girl shook her head vehemently. Listen, Elena, you just have to trust I'm okay.
"Well, you don't act like it! All you do is go to school, study, work, and maybe have lunch with your best friend." Bonnie tried not to roll her eyes at Elena's shameless toss-in. "Bonnie, you're turning into a workaholic! That can't possibly be healthy for you. I mean, look at your—"
"Okay, I know I'm a god, but you have to stop following me."
Bonnie's eyes shifted from the wall of mailboxes to the slightly amused male voice that burst through her thoughts. Of course, it was Damon. He was wearing his usual black t-shirt and jeans, but a navy cap concealed his dark hair. Whenever he was in public, he wore some disguising element, like a hat or sunglasses, but Bonnie never commented on it.
"Didn't take you for a Yankees' fan." Bonnie blinked quickly as she unlocked her mailbox. His, naturally, was right above hers, so he watched and waited as she sifted through her mail.
"Yankees? That's baseball, right?" Bonnie rolled her eyes, but the usual heat of annoyance was missing. "All right, Bon-bon, what's eating you?"
"Listen, Damon, I don't have time for you sexual innuendos—"
Damon's hands flew up to claim his innocence. "I actually didn't mean it that way, but I'm glad I've perverted your mind too." Despite his surrender, he did the eye thing, as Bonnie deemed it.
The latent annoyance erupted into full-blown anger.
"Bullshit," Bonnie nearly growled. "You're always so intentional about your words, and now you're carelessly tossing around words? Bull-fucking-shit."
"All right, Kitten, let's retract the claws."
"Just—stop with the goddamn nicknames!" Bonnie's fists crumpled her mail. "Why do you even live here, huh? You're some bigshot guitarist, right? Why don't you have a fucking mansion somewhere? Secluded and far away from me."
Damon blinked, surveying Bonnie's tense stance. "Trust me, my little Junior Mint, there's nothing I'd love more, but unfortunately, Stefan—"
Junior Mint? Instead of calling him out, she opted for, "Stefan? Your brother?"
"Since he was born," Damon replied as if he had never been interrupted, "…thought it would be safer to live among the people. It'd be different, it'd be edgy, he had said. Something about having a contingency plan."
"Your brother sounds like a smart man." Bonnie's fingers released the envelopes wrinkled in her hands. Her jab lacked its usual punch.
"So, is your tantrum done?" The comment was less playful. "Are you going to answer my question now?" He sounded irritated by her evasion. Bonnie studied her neighbor through a squint.
"I had a… disagreement with a colleague," Bonnie edged. Damon's eyebrows rose.
"Disagreement with a colleague," he repeated. "You and I disagree all the time, and I know I'm nothing more to you than a leech—yet you never get this upset." His jaw clenched for a moment. "Want to try again?"
"By disagreement, I meant a fight, and by a colleague, I meant my best friend."
"Sounds more legit." Damon reached for his mailbox, causing Bonnie to step away but didn't take the opportunity to leave. She felt compelled to… defend Elena or explain the whole story?
"She complained about how I never do anything fun—"
"Well, she isn't wrong," he muttered, filing through the few envelopes. Bonnie slightly surprised it wasn't overflowing with fan mail.
"You don't even know me." The sudden weariness washed over her again. She wanted to sleep for the entire weekend. "My idea of fun may not equate to yours or Elena's, but it doesn't mean I'm like my…" Her words died in her throat.
She felt his eyes study her silence, and when she finally met his gaze, the façade of indifferent had melded into something of concern.
"This 'best friend' of yours isn't really acting like one." Bonnie blinked, and his nonchalance returned. "I mean, I am definitely no expert on friendship—I can barely get my brother to like me for more than five minutes—but I know what friendship isn't."
"Please," Bonnie leaned against the wall of cool metal boxes, "do share."
Damon mirrored her gesture with a small smile. They both folded their arms across their chests, but neither spooked—the staring contest was afoot. Bonnie had to tilt her chin up to even look him in the eye.
"Well, I know best friends aren't supposed to make you take your anger out on innocent bystanders."
"You're anything but innocent."
"I think, in this case, you should grant me immunity. I mean, I'm being sensitive and crap." The playful glint in his eyes dulled into a softer gaze. "I also know best friend shouldn't push you to tears."
The corner of Bonnie's mouth ticked up in a tightly pressed smile. She didn't know what to say—or if she could say anything without showing the thickness of hurt in her voice.
"Careful, Damon. I might start to think you actually care," she finally mumbled.
"Yeah." Damon took his thumb and wiped the corner of her watering eye. "We wouldn't want that."
This update is a little... serious. Do you like this more? Less? Equally? And did I toss in too many canon details/characters? I'm just trying something different... let me know if you liked or disliked!
You guys are the greatest, thanks for reading!
xo
glass27doll
Replies to Reviews in Chronological Order
DancesWithButterflies: Thanks so much! It means a lot! I'm glad you liked it!
PerfectlyBamon: Sassy Damon is the best. Actually, if you read Six Mornings After by gabrieeella, your sassy Damon needs will never be disappointed. As for the Bamenzo drama, though I kind of like Enzo, he's also such an opportunist. Like, he'd see Damon isn't going for Bonnie, so he'd just swoop in. Rude! Glad you're liking it so far. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Guest: Here's the next chapter! I'm glad you like it! Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Damon's Sexy Witch: Thanks for reading and reviewing! Glad you like it so far! I hope this update lives up to the hype lol.
JadeXO: YO I thought the same thing about the title. I wanted to keep it edgy and vampiric lol. I'm glad you love it so far! Thanks for reviewing!
La p'tite Antillaise: Thank you for actually reading it! It's a blast to write. I'm glad you like it!
bellavida0213: They are the best part! But knowing Damon, he'd be a dick and eat them all lol. Damon is wearing on her, and it's great. I know the banter is the best part of their canon relationship, especially in the 1994 prison world, so I'm trying my best to be just as witty lol. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Keep reviewing and sending me your thoughts. They give me life.
