Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries or any characters in this story… except Bonnie's parents and the art teacher.
*The Invite*
Bonnie POV:
It's been eleven days since the note from Damon. The bark collar is hanging on my rear view mirror as a joke.
When Elena and Mere asked about it, I looked at them as sadly as possible, and said that it was the bark collar that used to belong to my dog. They shut up immediately.
On the art project, Mr. Haldin just approved my dress design yesterday. Over the weekend I have to get Mere's size and measurements, so I'm staying the weekend at the Boarding House. Elena wants me to come over for dinner tomorrow night.
All my free time has been spent thinking about Damon, I still don't believe him fully about his intentions with me. When you have a friend as beautiful as Elena, you get used to guys using you to get to her. I know that I am ready to see Damon again, because my heart rate picks up just thinking about him. Some small part of me wants to believe that he really does like me, and I feel myself slowly hoping that he is telling the truth.
"Bonnie? Hello?" Elena was waving her hand in front of my face.
I smiled, "Sorry, spacing out again."
She rolled her eyes, "Gee, only the thousandth time today. This art project is going to kill you."
"Right, the art project," I shut my locker.
"So, we'll see you tomorrow for dinner?"
"Yeah, and I'm staying the whole weekend too."
"Well, Stefan is waiting for me, so I'll see you tomorrow!" She practically skipped out the door.
Walking slowly down the hallway, I noticed the Prom flyers already up. The theme this year was "Romance Under the Moonlight." It was going to be held at The Westin Tyson's Corner Hotel. The actual prom was going to be held on the rooftop for the whole 'under the moonlight' feel. I hadn't told Mere or Elena yet, but I really didn't want to go.
We had been talking about senior year prom since we became friends… but now, I just have no reason to go. I was skimming through some of my old diaries to find a note I had written myself in my freshman year of high school it was a promise I made to myself that if I didn't have a steady boyfriend, I was not going. I even cut out some of my hair and taped it to the letter. I couldn't just ignore my freshman self, I didn't accomplish the goal of a steady boyfriend.
The other problem with prom was that the guy I did want to take me was over a hundred years old… he probably didn't go to proms anymore.
I decided that it was best if I just forgot about prom, and walked outside to my car. When I got home, I immediately began packing; I was excited to see Damon after eleven days. What surprised me the most was that he actually respected what I said to him at the clearing and hasn't tried to contact me. The note doesn't count.
After dinner with my parents, I finished my homework, and went to bed early so I would actually get some sleep.
The next day, after school, I went back to my house. Elena was not expecting me over until six. It was only four o'clock. There was nothing to do except shower and get ready. I picked out the several different fabrics last weekend for Mere's dress.
At five, I took the longest shower, and when I emerged in a cloud of fog, the clock read 5:30. I calculated in my head that it would take me at least another thirty minutes to get dressed and to do my hair. It's not like I actually wanted to show up at six, I didn't want Damon to think I was excited to see him… I could be a little late.
For the dinner, I chose to wear a new pair of engineer style shortall jumper with an off the shoulder black shirt. I decided to put my hair in a low side ponytail with my black converse.
I waved good-bye to my mom and dad as I skipped out the door with my bag in hand.
When I got onto the road, I felt excited and jumpy.
I wonder if he's excited to see me too…
I reached the Boarding House, and Mere's car was already there along with Stefan's car and Damon's Ferrari. Taking a deep breath, I got out of my car, and grabbed my bag. Before I could even knock on the door, it was pulled open.
Damon was smiling at me in his casually sexy black attire, "Hello, Birdie."
My heart picked up speed, "Hello, Damon."
I walked inside the house, and Damon shut the door behind us.
He wordlessly grabbed my bag, and disappeared up the stairs to my old room to put it away.
"Bonnie!" Elena acted as if we hadn't seen each other in days.
"Hey!" I hugged her back.
"Mere and Alaric are in the kitchen. Stefan and Damon are making us dinner."
Mrs. Flowers is at Ms. Saitou's, and they were having their own girls' weekend.
"Really? Both of them?"
"Yeah, I know," she gave me the same lost look I had.
Damon appeared beside us, "Okay, ladies. We can talk more about me later, now you need to eat."
He practically pushed us into the kitchen. Mere and Alaric were looking at each other lovingly.
Stefan pulled out a chair for Elena and they smiled at each other in a mushy gushy way as she ascended into the seat.
Damon pulled open my chair for me, and I thanked him.
Stefan and him both gathered all the plates and laid them before us.
Damon explained, "These are homemade chicken and mushroom ravioli. Enjoy."
Stefan sat down beside Elena, and watched her eat. I glanced at Mere and Alaric to see them both testing the food. Somehow, I felt like an awkward fifth wheel. Damon didn't seem to notice because he was sitting beside me, giving me his full attention. He was waiting for me to take a bite.
After the realization sank in that I was a fifth wheel, Damon snapped his fingers in front of my face, "Birdie, eat before it gets cold."
I blushed, "Sorry."
I stabbed my fork into one of the ravioli's and slid it into my mouth. For a second, I just chewed. The ravioli was amazing.
After swallowing, I looked at Damon, "These are really good!"
He gave me a cocky look, "Well, yeah because I made them."
Stefan cleared his throat, "More like I made them while you stared out the window."
Damon almost looked embarrassed for a moment, and I blushed.
He was waiting for me!
Mere began a new conversation while scooping more ravioli into her mouth, "So, Bonnie, are you excited for prom?"
Elena looked over at me quickly before continuing to eat. Mere waited.
I poked awkwardly at a piece of ravioli, "Well… I was actually thinking of maybe not going?"
Elena choked on her food and Mere's eyes were wide.
When Elena finally swallowed she gasped, "Why not? We have been talking about going together since we met!"
I shrugged, "I guess I just don't feel the same as the beginning of the year. Homecoming was nice… ish."
Mere gave me her calculating look, "Are you sure there isn't another reason you're not going?"
I quickly ran through excuses in my head, "No."
Elena gave me a sad look, "B, it's our senior year, we have to go. You have to go."
Mere added, "Bonnie, I don't even get to go with the man I love; come for me, please?"
Damn. She always knew how to persuade me.
I smiled at her, "Okay, I'll go for you."
Elena squealed, "Yay!"
We finished dinner up, and before any of us girls could start to pick up our plates, the guys were grabbing them for us.
Elena, Mere, and I went into the living room to put in a movie to watch. They wanted a romance, so I chose Australia. It was my favorite movie, and Hugh Jackman was pretty sexy.
Elena dove on the big couch after I put the disc in, "Stefan and I are laying here!"
Mere arranged plopped onto the smaller couch, "Alaric and I are laying here."
The only thing left was the floor, I sighed, at least I wouldn't have to see the couples cuddling.
Mere and Elena threw me some pillows, "You and Damon can take the floor."
"Uh… and you guys are okay with that?"
Elena rolled her eyes, "The farther away from Stefan and I, the better."
I arranged the pillows and sat down. We would be by Elena and Stefan's feet. Not something I was looking forward to.
Alaric, Stefan, and Damon came in just as I was pressing the play button. Stefan sat down beside Elena, and her feet automatically went onto his lap. Her feet barely even reached the third cushion on the couch. Mere and Alaric actually cuddled on the small couch. Damon sat down beside me.
Almost the minute it started, I heard smacking noises. Elena and Stefan were already making out. Then we heard moaning noises.
I was about to tell them to get a room because I was actually trying to watch the movie, when a pillow sailed past my head and nailed Stefan in the back of his head.
Damon growled, "If you guys aren't going to watch the movie maybe you should go somewhere else."
Elena giggled, "But I can't leave Bonnie here alone."
Before anyone could respond, I said, "That's okay. You two love birds go have fun… You are engaged after all."
Stefan's eyes looked relieved as he took Elena's hand and they left up the stairs.
I heard a sigh of relief from the other couch, Mere said, "Thank god, Bonnie. I thought we were going to witness the two of them having sex on the couch."
I winced, "Please, Mere. No mental image needed."
Damon and Alaric laughed.
I had my chin resting on my knees and my arms wrapped around my legs so that I would not be tempted to hold Damon's hand.
About halfway through the movie, my butt was numb. I moved to the couch behind us, figuring that Damon would just stay on the floor. He didn't.
Damon automatically shifted when I did. I felt my body tipping toward his because our close proximity was making my cushion lean towards him.
Now, I had two options: 1. Move to the cushion farthest away. 2. Move closer to Damon.
Without even reading more into the two options, I moved closer to Damon. His right hand casually placed itself on my left knee. I felt the chill from his fingers through my whole body.
When the movie was over, I felt stunned that after seeing it a hundred times it still made me so sad.
Mere got off the couch, "Bon, I have to take Alaric home, so you think you'll be okay alone?"
I looked at Damon, I'm pretty sure Damon was right beside me, and not a figment of my imagination. That's not what I said though. I instead said, "Yes, mother. I think I can take twenty minutes by myself without setting anything on fire."
She gave me a pointed look, "I probably won't be back until around early morning…"
I knew what she was saying, "Okay. I'll be fine."
"Well, shall we go?" she smiled to Alaric.
He grabbed her hand, and they walked out the door.
It took me a minute to realize I was alone. With Damon.
I causally stood up from the couch, and took the disc out of the DVD player. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I turned around to see Damon right in front of me.
He gave me a serious look, "Why did you not want to go to prom?"
This question shocked me, "Why does it matter?"
"Because Birdie, it just does."
I squinted, "Seriously, Damon. Why do you care?"
He stepped back a little, "It's not so much why I care; it's more about why you don't."
I shrugged, "I am just not in the mood for prom."
He snorted, "Right, Bonnie the fashionista is not in the mood to dress up for no reason and dance with her best friends. Totally believable."
I don't know why that made me angry, but it did. I crossed my arms across my chest, "We've done it every year before, why do it again?"
He gave me a suspicious look, "That's not it… there's something else."
I avoided his dark eyes, "No, no there is not."
He gave me a cocky half smile, "Yes there is."
I shouted it before I could even think, "It's because my freshman year I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't go to my senior prom unless I had a steady boyfriend!"
He smirked, "That's a dumb reason to not go to prom."
I glared at him and raised my voice slightly, "No it's not!"
"Uh, yes it is," he raised his voice slightly louder than mine and stepped closer to me.
I yelled back, "Well then if it's such a dumb reason, then why don't you go with me?"
"Fine! I will!" he raised his hands in the air.
I was speechless, I just asked Damon to prom. He said yes.
I felt a blush burn into my cheeks, He said yes!
He was smiling his toothy smile; he knew this was going to happen. He wanted me to ask him to prom.
I raised my hand awkwardly to my hair, "So… um. I'll just go now… to bed."
"Good night, Birdie," he grabbed my hand from hair and kissed it.
I felt another blush as I walked backwards toward the stairs. I spun around when I reached them, and mouthed, "Oh my god!"
When I got into my room, I shut the door and walked over to my bed. I placed my pj's out to change into then, I took off my shoes.
Before putting on the pj's, I did a small and quiet victory dance.
Bonnie McCullough, I thought to myself. You have officially become a woman.
Please review!
