I kept going back and forth on whether to make this a chapter of Beast or a stand alone story. I went ahead and decided to put it in here.
Caroline had read in Cosmo that dinner parties were the thing that mature adult couples did that were in stable, long term relationships. So that's what she decided her and Matt were going to do. At least, that was as much as Matt was able to figure out from Caroline's rather long winded monologue. Matt decided the best thing to do was just to go with it.
So Caroline got her mom to agree to work late on Friday night. The food was bought, the drinks were chilled and the good table cloth was out in the dining room. Everything was perfect until Elena rang the bell.
"Oh, Elena and Stefan, great you're here. And...Jeremy. You brought Jeremy."
Elena didn't think it was possible but Caroline's smile actually became more plastic.
"I hope that's all right."
"Oh, of course, I'll just set another place at the table! So, Stefan the boys are outside trying to figure out how to get the grill going. Jeremy, why don't you help Bonnie in the kitchen with the salad? Elena, wait here a minute I want to show you something."
Jeremy gave his best fake smile and headed for the kitchen. Stefan walked down the hallway in the direction Caroline had pointed.
"Why is Jeremy here?" Caroline didn't quite wait until Stefan and Jeremy were out of earshot.
"Bonnie was worried about being a fifth wheel, so I figured if I brought Jeremy it wouldn't quite be so couply. Is that a problem?"
"Well, not really, but that was why I had Matt invite Tyler."
"Tyler's here?"
"Yes."
"Well, it's okay, they're like friends now or something." Elena rolled her eyes and flicked her hand in a rather dismissive way.
"Well, okay, but if they start a fight and get blood on the table cloth, you're paying for the dry cleaning." Caroline pointed her finger into Elena's chest to emphasize the point. Then it was back to plastic smile as she went into the kitchen to get the appetizers going.
When Stefan stepped into the back yard he saw Matt and Tyler trying to get the grill going. Or, more accurately, they were trying to see who could get the highest flames with the lighter fluid. Stefan smiled and tried to remember if he had ever been that young. Matt and Tyler both calmed down when they saw Stefan and actually managed to look a little embarrassed. Which lasted about 2 seconds before both burst out laughing.
Then Tyler straightened up and stared back at the house. "Where's Jeremy?"
"He's helping Bonnie with the salad." Stefan replied. "How did you know Jeremy was here?"
Well, see, I could smell him..."I just figured Elena would bring him." Tyler shrugged his shoulders like it wasn't a big deal. Which didn't seem to completely fool Stefan whose eyes narrowed slightly.
Right at that moment Jeremy came out carrying a platter of steaks. "Crap!" Matt immediately turned back to the grill. "Caroline is going to kill me if I don't these cooked right on schedule." Tyler rolled his eyes and made a little whipping motion with his hand behind Matt's back.
Jeremy smirked but then stood there looking a little awkward and out of place. "There are drinks in the cooler." Tyler added helpfully.
"Thanks" Jeremy said as he walked over to the cooler. He could feel Tyler's eyes on him so instead of squatting down to get a soda he bent right over from the waist.
Little tease Tyler thought as he saw Jeremy bend over to get a drink. Well, two can play at that game. When Jeremy stood back up and turned around Tyler casually scratched at his stomach. Then slipped his hand underneath his shirt to scratch a little higher lifting his shirt up to show off his abs. Bingo! Jeremy was staring. Catching Jeremy's eye Tyler gave him his smirk.
"Okay, so Matt, you're at the foot of the table, Elena on my left and Bonnie on my right. Tyler down by Matt, Jeremy..." Caroline's brow furled while she tried to consider whether it was better to put Jeremy next to Tyler (within arm's reach) or across the table from him (where they would have to look at each other).
Bonnie solved the problem by telling Jeremy, "Here, sit by me. I don't bite." It was supposed to be a dig at Stefan but Tyler was the one who blushed. So Jeremy sat next to Bonnie and Stefan grabbed the chair between Elena and Tyler.
"Oh, and one other thing" Caroline said with her serious look, "No talking about dead people." And there came back the plastic smile.
"Hmpf." Everyone looked at Bonnie. "Sorry, a little tickle in my throat." Stefan produced his fake smile while Elena shot her Be nice look at Bonnie.
So Matt grabbed the platter of steaks and passed it to Tyler. "The bloody one is on the left."
"Ugh, I don't know how you can like to eat your steak like that." Caroline wrinkled her nose.
Tyler shrugged his free shoulder and slid the bloody steak onto his plate. He then passed the platter down to Stefan. Elena opened her mouth to stop Jeremy when he went to pour himself a glass of wine. But she quickly shut her mouth when a look passed between Tyler and Jeremy and Jeremy put down the bottle of wine and instead poured himself an ice water.
Around the food went with casual conversation until Caroline asked Bonnie "So, is it lonely living all by yourself in your Gram's house?".
"Well, it is a little quiet. Sometimes I think I can hear echos. It is a little creepy at night. When you live alone you are convinced that every single noise outside is some...guy trying to break in. But I was thinking about getting a dog. For security and company and stuff."
"Shouldn't you get a cat instead of a dog?" Bonnie narrowed her eyes at Caroline wondering if Caroline also thought she should get a pointy hat and a cauldron. She opened her mouth to reply but Tyler beat her to it.
"Oh, I don't know. There's something nice about having a little lost puppy following you around everywhere, looking up at you with his sad, lonely eyes." He smirked right at Jeremy when he said it and saw the little flash of anger on Jeremy's face.
"A cat might be better. At least they can clean up after themselves. A dog would probably just go around growling and biting and ripping everything to shreds. And you have to keep him on a leash out in public." And Jeremy smiled his reply right back at Tyler.
Elena saw Tyler make a face. Tyler and Jeremy were exchanging glances and she didn't understand what was going on. Deciding to take control of the conversation Elena suddenly also remember how they used pets to help cure people of depression. "Well, Bonnie, I think a pet is a great idea. If you want I can go with you to the shelter on Saturday and help you pick something out; either a cat or a dog. Jeremy, did you want to come too? Maybe we can pick one out for ourselves."
"Actually, there's a two day local artist thing going on at the University of Virginia this weekend. I was figuring Jeremy would go with me to that, since he likes to sketch." Tyler interjected.
"Well, I don't really think Jeremy should be going anywhere over night" the with you part wasn't said but was somehow implied by the tone of Elena's voice.
"I don't really think it is your decision." Tyler smiled/bared his teeth at Elena.
"I'm his sister and I take care of him. And exactly what are you?"
"I'm his...friend and I'm the one who gets him to smile rather than sitting up in his room brooding in the dark."
By this point Tyler and Elena were glaring at each other. Each was clutching their steak knives in their hand and Stefan was starting to wonder if he could disarm each of them with out showing off too much of his abilities.
Everyone else's heads at the table had been going back at forth during this exchange like they were watching a tennis match. Caroline was looking at Tyler and then at Elena, and then at Tyler, and then at Jeremy, with her eyes widening and her mouth falling open. Her sudden gasp as her fingers flew up to cover her mouth broke the tension as everyone turned to look at her.
Recovering quickly Caroline said, "I think that artist thing sounds like fun. Jeremy you should go to that." To forestall Elena's protest Caroline went on, "Matt you can take some time off from the Grill and go with them."
Everyone turned their heads to Matt. Matt really didn't want to get involved in this but decided quickly that he'd rather have Elena mad at him then deal with Tyler's temper and Caroline's "headaches". "Ah, yeah, that would be no problem."
"So does everyone get to vote on what I'm doing this weekend?" By the reaction on Tyler's and Elena's faces, they both looked to Jeremy like they completely forgot he was sitting there at the table. Jeremy sighed. I need to be more of a presence in my own life.
Bonnie quickly changed the subject to what classes they had all signed up for next year. The conversation mellowed out and stayed civilized for the rest of the dinner.
After seeing everyone out, Matt turned to Caroline "Thanks for getting me in the middle of that whole weekend artist thing."
Caroline smiled "Well, unless you really want to be in the middle, I suggest you get your own hotel room."
Caroline always thought Matt's wide eyed confused look was so cute. "Okay, you've lost me."
"Tyler and Jeremy."
"Tyler. And Jeremy."
"Yes."
Matt started laughing until he remembered the weird phone calls from the day before. Eyes wide open and his mouth half smiling, Matt replied "No." He even shook his head slightly disputing what Caroline had said.
"Matt, I spent enough summers with my dad to know when two guys are playing chutes and ladders."
Okay, how come no one ever told me how fun it was to write Caroline? ;)