ead9 - I am in LOVE with your request idea and I definitely want to do it. I looked into the game and I couldn't find the questions anywhere online so I'll just have find the game somewhere for cheap. But ugh, just from what I did find, it sounds so hot!
koltherine - Awwww I inspired you? That's amazing. It's all I could ever ask for!
angelvasilis1997 - Haha I noticed that too, more emotion in the chapters. It's fun but sometimes I'm like "Shoot, this is supposed to be funny, not dramatic." and I have to figure out how to pull some humor out of my sleeve.
venomandchampagne - Sorry, no Damon this time around. Maybe next chapter though. :)
Always Silver Pen - Um...no promises. :X
lil7miss7sarcastic - You'll have to fill me in on what Scotland Yard is.
LouisaGriffins - Nope, I don't actually have a plot for this story at all. I kind of just use the games and the shipping drama to carry it along. lol I think I did Never Have I Ever already... Hmm. If I were to be related to one of the TVD characters I would want to be related to Katherine, like a sister or a cousin that could join her in wreaking havoc. ;)
NateBuzzLover5 - lololol While the idea of Kol being obnoxiously indiscreet with a girlfriend is delightful as ever, I always loved the idea of Kol being the forever bachelor and partying and having fun, flirting with whomever.
Camopi - Your English is fine! Be proud. :) And thank you so much for the lovely words. Je t'aime. ;)
I'm alive! Told you, I'd never abandon you guys. No long-winded apologies this time. You all know already anyway. And I'll keep it short and sweet with the love and just say you guys are all the best readers ever and mean the world to me. I continuously thank you all for the sweet words, encouragement, suggestions, and for sticking it out and enjoying the Originals how they should be - babyless and bickering with each other while still being kings and queens of the universe!
(Sidenote: I excluded the Challenge option and tokens from the gameplay because they seemed kind of redundant, what with the answers being on the cards.)
So! I hope you guys aren't sick of the drama yet... ;)
Week 20
It had been two weeks since Rebekah's life had been shattered by her brothers, and in all that time not one of them had approached her to apologize. She had even given them a prime opportunity last week when she'd stopped by the mansion under the guise of collecting a few necessities but none of the three had risen to the bait. Excuses, that's all they could afford to muster. Until suddenly this week she was summoned to the mansion after hearing that even more drama had unfolded between her brothers...
Enraged, she stormed through the front doors, metaphorical guns blazing as she listened in for the traitor in question.
"Nik!" she shouted, stopping in the foyer. "Get out here you bloody coward!"
Obliging to her request, Klaus appeared from the kitchen, unimpressed and all too used to the scene about to play out.
"Lovely to see you, sister. A bit of warning would have been nice. But by all means, tell me what I have done to upset you this time."
"How dare you dagger Elijah again!" she thundered, walking up to shove his chest. "What did he do now, blink at you wrong?" She brushed past him, starting her search in the Great Room. "Where is he?"
Confusion riddled his face as he followed. "What are you going on about?"
She whipped around, glaring. "Where is Elijah?"
At that point, the sounds of their quarrel drew Elijah himself into the room, a game box in his hands. He frowned when he saw her, just as confused as Klaus.
"What's wrong, Rebekah?"
"But - " Her head jerked in surprise at seeing him. "Elijah. You're awake."
He blinked. "Am I not supposed to be?"
"No. You're daggered."
He licked his lower lip, trying to make sense of what she was saying. "I assure you, I'm not."
Her shoulders fell and she suddenly felt dumb. "I don't understand..."
Caroline peeked around the corner of the doorway, wincing as she walked in. "I...might be able to shed some light."
"You did this?" Rebekah nodded, scoffing. "You tricked me into coming over here by telling me Klaus daggered Elijah. As if the three of them weren't bad enough?"
"But I have a good reason!"
"Not good enough," she muttered, walking past her.
"Rebekah, wait! Please."
She sighed and turned around impatiently. "Fine. I'll humor you. Why did you drag me over here?"
"Because." Caroline set her shoulders proudly. "I managed to get Kol to agree to apologize to you."
Rebekah stared at her like she was crazy and let out a laugh. "Oh that's rich."
"Seriously! Just...wait here and I'll show you. Don't. Leave."
As she disappeared up the stairs, the three Originals stood in looking at one another in awkward silence. Soon Caroline and Kol's voices began to echo in the foyer as they descended the stairs.
"You promised me you'd apologize. You can't back out now, or I won't hold up my end of the bargain."
"Your end of the bargain..." he tutted as he followed her into the Great Room. "You can't even guarantee Bonnie will show next week."
"Shush and make with the apology," she demanded, gesturing to Rebekah.
Rebekah crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow coolly as she waited for it. Kol sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes.
"Fine." He cleared his throat and began, "My dearest, darling baby sister Rebekah."
"Oh this should be good," she muttered.
"I half-heartedly apologize for whatever trauma I may have inflicted upon you in the last two weeks for the sole purpose of my entertainment and hope you can forgive me for my irritating yet hilarious shortcomings."
She gaped at him incredulously. "THAT'S your apology?!"
He shrugged with a nod. "For all intents and purposes."
"Well you can take your sorry excuse for an apology and rot!"
"Rebekah!" Caroline pleaded.
But it was no use. The Original scorned stomped her way up the stairs, the door to her room slamming shut.
Caroline turned to Kol with a scowl. "What the hell?"
Promptly after Rebekah's mini tantrum, Elijah excused himself from the bickering group to see to her. He knocked on the door and let himself in when she didn't answer, surprised to find her browsing through her closet as if nothing had happened.
"If you're here to convince me to give him another chance you're wasting your time."
Elijah let his shoulders drop, his breath slowly streaming out. "You know that Kol has never been able to express his emotions suitably. That he even apologized at all is a miracle."
"He didn't even acknowledge what he'd done," she argued, throwing another outfit onto the pile amassing on her bed. "There wasn't an ounce of sincerity in his words."
Elijah walked further into the room, glancing over the pile of clothes. "You're asking for a bit much asking Kol to be sincere."
"Well Nik hasn't apologized either. And he probably never will because all anyone ever does is take me for a joke. I'm tired of it."
"For what it's worth, Rebekah, I'm truly sorry that I didn't take your feelings as seriously as I should have. While our brothers may be negligent, it's not like me to forget that beyond our immortality, we are still capable of human emotions."
She stopped and turned to him, smiling bitterly. "I guess you have Katherine's attendance last week to thank for reminding you of that."
He rolled his eyes, looking away. "Katerina has nothing to do with my apology."
"Right. Well. Thank you for being the noble brother, once again, Elijah. But I won't be joining you in a Game Night again until those idiots downstairs learn to treat me like a sister and not a punching bag."
On that note, she walked around him and left the room. Shaking his head in defeat, Elijah followed her back down to the foyer where they were halted by Caroline who was smiling all too proudly. At that point, Elena had already arrived to join the game night, sitting in one of the arm chairs, suspiciously quiet and avoiding eye contact with Elijah.
"We have come to a compromise that I think you'll like," Caroline started.
Rebekah scoffed. "Not likely."
"Kol has agreed on a wager for tonight's game night. Go ahead, Kol."
He sighed, miserably, from his spot on the couch and spoke in monotone. "If Bekah wins the game tonight, I will be required to tell Matt - "
"And Stefan!" Caroline added.
" - and Stefan that the entire situation was misconstrued and completely my fault."
Rebekah stared at him in disbelief and let out a short laugh. "Am I actually supposed to believe you?"
"Come on, Rebekah," Caroline pleaded. "It took forever to even get him to agree. Don't make this difficult."
"And if I lose?" she challenged. "What? You'll ruin my life even more?"
Kol shrugged. "Maybe."
"Kol!" Caroline turned to glare.
"What? I can't lie to her face."
"You've done it before." Rebekah pointed out, icily. "How do I even know you'll really tell them? You obviously can't be trusted."
"Because." Caroline intervened. "I have video footage of him dancing to Michael Jackson to hold over his head and make viral if he doesn't hold up his end of the deal."
"Excuse me?!" Kol sat up alarmed. "You said you'd deleted that!"
She shrugged cheerfully. "I lied."
Elena looked up, half smirking. "And how exactly did you get that video, Care?"
"I walked in on him when I stopped by earlier this week. He's actually not that bad."
"Don't think I won't get you back for that, darling." He wagged a finger. "You're on my list."
She rolled her eyes, brushing him off. "So, Rebekah, do we have an agreement?"
Rebekah ran her tongue over her teeth in deliberation, letting out a small sucking sound. "Fine. If I I win – which I will – Kol will fix the mess he made or be exploited all over the media."
He snorted. "And how do you plan to do that? Compel the news anchors to show a home video?"
"Um, Youtube," Caroline informed him. "Duh."
"What the hell is Youtube?"
"So." Rebekah flipped her hair over her shoulder. "What game are we playing?"
Elijah showed her the box as he sat down. "Battle of the Sexes."
She smiled pleasantly. "Perfect."
While the rest of the group was finding their seats and Elijah began the set up, Kol began browsing his phone for the YouTube app, determined to uncover its secrets.
"Where's Jeremy?" he asked without looking up.
"He's boycotting in the name of friendship," Elena told him.
Kol tutted. "Some friend he is."
"Well, maybe he values Matt more as a friend than he does you. Not that I can blame him."
"Look at the Mary Sue insulting an Original." He beamed, darkly. "I could take your head for that, if I wanted."
She rolled her eyes dully. "Wow, Kol. I didn't know you actually had feelings."
He waved her away. "Don't make presumptions."
"Just stay away from my brother. You've caused everyone enough grief. You don't need to ruin his life too."
"What is that about? We were mates in Colorado."
"You're not mates, Kol. You never were. You were just using him back then to get to me."
"Bygones."
"Right..."
He said up with a mock puppy pout. "Can't we all just get along?"
The room rang out in "no"s and he waved a hand again as Elijah began to read out the directions. The teams were according to gender: Klaus, Kol and Elijah taking up the male slot and leaving Rebekah, Caroline and Elena to defend the female populous.
"Ladies always start before gentlemen," Elijah started. "On their turn, each team draws a card from their gender specific deck to read to the opposing team. The female team draws from the female deck to read to the male team, and the male team draws from the male deck to read to the female team."
"I'm already lost," Klaus mumbled.
"Shh!" Caroline scolded him.
"The color of the space the trophy sits on determines which color question to read. If the team answers correctly, the trophy moves one space towards their side of the board. If they answer incorrectly, their turn is over and they must draw a card to read to the other team. When your team successfully answers a green question, the trophy is moved to the winner's circle. The first team to capture three trophies wins the Battle of the Sexes."
"That's simple enough," Rebekah said.
"The cards are a mix of categories – Our Facts, Our Stuff, Our Pics, Our Lives, and Our Moves."
Elena's brow furrowed. "What does that mean?"
"Hmm. Well - "
Kol laughed out suddenly, pointing at the screen of his iPhone. "The baby bit his finger! Priceless."
Elijah shook his head at him dully and continued to read. "The Facts, Stuff and Pics cards are self explanatory. For Our Lives, read the question to yourself and choose one of the three answers of your preference, selecting one of the Decision cards without letting the other team see. They must guess which one is your answer. If you draw a Move card, you and a member of the other team must act out what's on the card without speaking and the first team to guess wins."
"All right, is that it?" Rebekah sat forward, clasping her hands eagerly. "Can we start?"
"In a rush to get beaten, baby sister?" Kol teased, sitting up more alert this time.
"Go ahead and poke fun. It's you who'll be the laughing stock of the world."
"I'll only be following in your footsteps, darling."
She narrowed her eyes in a glare. Elijah interrupted with a clear of his throat, nodding.
"Let's begin. Ladies, you're up."
Klaus was first to draw, picking up a Facts card and reading aloud, "Iron pyrite is also known by what term to miners of precious metals?"
"Fool's Gold," Rebekah answered quickly, moving the trophy in their direction. "Do you really think I'd forget that little excursion of yours in the mines, Niklaus?"
His face went taut. "I told you never to mention that again."
"Right." She pantomimed buttoned her lips. "Mum's the word. Go on, then. Keep 'em coming. I'll beat you all quickly and painlessly."
"Wait." Caroline looked between them. "What happened in the mines?"
"Welding accident."
Klaus' eyes enflamed. "Rebekah!"
"What? It grew back."
Caroline blinked, starting to blush. "What...grew back?"
Rebekah smirked. "You'll have to ask him that. Next question, please."
"Who on earth is Britney, and why are we supposed to leave her alone?" Kol wondered aloud, watching another video.
Caroline and Elena rolled their eyes and Rebekah shook her head, slightly thrown. "Wh—just pick a card you idiot."
"Fine." He put his phone down and drew from the stack. "Ooh. How fitting. It's a picture card. Take a gander." Shows them the picture of the baseball bat. "Now if you could, what is the slang term for the best part of the baseball bat for connecting with a ball?"
Elena shrugged. "The tip?"
"Or the top?" Caroline offered in comparison then shook her head. "How are we supposed to know anything about baseball?"
"It's the battle of the sexes, sweetheart," Klaus reminded her.
"Sorry, ladies. The answer we were looking for is the "Sweet Spot". Not to be confused with - "
"Don't start, Kol," Elijah warned, before turning to the girls. "I believe it's now your turn to read to us."
Rebekah huffed and snatched a card up. "Fine. What is a Henley?"
The three men looked at one another, perturbed. Caroline groaned, flopping back against the couch.
"Seriously? Klaus, you of all people should know this!"
"Why me?"
"Think about it," she urged, glancing down at his shirt.
"You're not supposed to be helping them, Care," Elena scolded.
"Is it a type of motorbike?" Kol tried.
Rebekah smirked. "Afraid not. A Henley is a type of shirt, and it just so happens to be the type that Niklaus constantly wears."
Klaus looked at her dubiously and then down at his shirt, tugging at it. "This is a Henley?"
Caroline rolled her eyes. "So stupid..."
"A little louder next time," he dared her, cut his eyes to hers.
"Moving on!" Rebekah announced, gesturing for Caroline to pick a card.
Caroline drew from the stack, eyes widening with dread when she read it. "Crap."
"What?" Rebekah looked over, perturbed.
Elena leaned over to look and began to smile. "It's a Move card."
"Hey, no peeking!" Caroline held it against her chest. "You're not supposed to know what it is either."
"I didn't see which one you're doing."
Rebekah smiled conspiratorially. "So who's it going to be then, Caroline? Which of my idiot brothers are you going to have make a fool of themselves?"
"Hmm..." Caroline looked them all over with scrutiny then smiled. "Elijah."
He looked up at her hesitantly, licking his lower lip. "I don't think – "
"No objections. Get up here."
He sighed, a half growl in frustration, and joined her in the center of the room to read the card. The word they both had to act out made him blanche – cheerleader.
"Caroline, I assure you - "
"Don't worry," she laughed. "I'll go first."
She moved in front of him and took her stance, both hands on her hips perfectly bent and at the ready. With a big smile, she began performing the movements to one of her cheers, silently chanting in her head as she went through the routine – high V, pirouette, toe touch, low V, and at the end, she dropped to the floor in a perfect split, hands in the air victoriously. Both Kol and Klaus raised their eyebrows, flabbergasted.
"Please do that again," Kol requested.
She rolled her eyes and got to her feet, fluffing her hair as she caught her breath. Elijah shook his head in dismay.
"I'm sorry, but I cannot perform this task. There is no way."
Caroline's face fell. "You're forfeiting? Elijah. Where's your team spirit?"
"Maybe he'd do it if Katherine asked..." Elena muttered out of nowhere.
His eyes flicked to hers in concern. "Pardon?"
"Nothing." She smiled, too brightly. "Is it still our turn?"
"Yes," Caroline sighed, sitting back down and moving the trophy one step closer to their winner's circle. "You pick one."
Elena rolled her eyes and drew a Pics card. She held it up for them to see, and it was a pair of pantyhose.
Kol frowned. "And those would be what, exactly?"
Rebekah gaped. "Have you really no idea what pantyhose are, Kol?"
"I was daggered for quite some time, you know. Forgive me if I'm not up to date with all the fashion trends of this century."
"What is the difference between stockings and pantyhose?" Elena read off.
Kol sat back, at a loss. "This one's on you, Nik."
"What about me?" Elijah objected.
"You didn't cheerlead for us. You're in the dog house."
"Any time you're ready," Elena urged, impatient with them.
"They don't know," Rebekah insisted. "You might as well move that trophy into our possession."
"Fine. Take it," Klaus agreed. "I haven't any idea, and I doubt even Elijah could answer."
"I happen to know that pantyhose and stockings are not one in the same," he argued. "I just don't know the exact reason why. Something about lengths, I believe."
"And who exactly helped you figure that one out?" Elena asked, coming off more bitter than intended.
Elijah stared at her, taken aback by the attitude. While they faced off silently, Rebekah snatched the card and read out the answer.
"Stockings stop at the knees or thighs while pantyhose come all the way up the waist. You were close, Elijah. But not correct."
She plucked the trophy from the board and kept it on their side, one step closer to winning. All they needed were two more trophies. However, Elijah seemed to be more concerned with Elena's sudden anger and less with Rebekah's quest to beat them.
He half shook his head, keeping his eyes on hers. "Elena, if there is something you'd like to say, you're free to say it."
She paused for a long time, thinking, and finally let out a small huff of breath. "Okay. Why did you let Katherine stay last week?"
He sighed, wearily. "I didn't, Kol did."
"Liar," Kol muttered too loudly.
"And what she said to me – is it true? That you're settling for me because you can't have her?"
He looked up, lips parting in shock. "Elena, she's out of line. And she doesn't dictate how I feel. Katerina just has a knack for stirring up trouble wherever she goes."
"That didn't answer the question."
"Because he can't," Rebekah answered for him with a sweet smile. "Because if he says the truth he'll lose you and there's no sense in letting you go when he knows Katherine won't come running back."
Elena frowned hard at him and got up, rushing to leave the room.
"Elena, please." Elijah stood, turning after but not following.
Caroline gaped at Rebekah as she got up. "What did you do that for?"
She shrugged. "Kol gets away with it, why can't I?"
"Kol being an ass is a part of his personality. You just did that to be a bitch."
"Well excuse me for speaking the truth!"
Shaking her head with a dramatic scoff, Caroline left to go after her friend. Kol sighed loudly, shaking his head in dismay.
"You know Gangam Style isn't even a legitimate type of dance."
Twenty minutes, an argument, and four more viral videos later, the game was back on. Elena stayed silent as they resumed playing, despite Elijah's attempts to goad her into speaking with him with his version of puppy eyes. As it stood, the girls still had their one trophy, and the boys had succeeded in winning one of their own. The third trophy was sitting in the center as a new round began. And it was the boys' turn. Klaus drew a card from the deck. It was a Lives card.
"If I were in the market for a new boat, I would buy one that's powered by a) oars, b) wind, or c) a motor." Placing the card facedown, he picked up the three Decision cards and chose one, laying the other two back down, face down.
"Oars?" Rebekah tried. "After all, Nik would enjoy having his slaves rowing it, isn't that right?"
He glared at her, tightening his lips. "Is that your team's final answer?"
"No," Caroline said quickly. "Our answer is 'wind'."
"Why the bloody hell would he choose wind?"
Klaus turned his card around and revealed the letter B with a small smirk. Caroline grinned, boastfully.
"Because, he's a control freak with a soft spot for anything old fashioned. Besides, the dread pirate Niklaus has a certain appeal."
"I wonder if you'd have thought so at the time," he teased.
"Wait." She sat up, eyes wide in shock. "You were literally a pirate?!"
He shook his head, bashfully. "Let's save this story for another night."
She tilted her head, lips quirked curiously. "Like, a Johnny Depp pirate? Because that I could actually see."
"Elijah, could you please continue the game?" Klaus begged wearily, regretting bringing the topic up.
Rebekah moved the trophy piece one space towards the female side while Elijah picked another card. He sighed upon the realization that it was a Move card and he would again have to be center stage.
"It's a Move card," he announced. "Rebekah, would you care to join me?"
"Not really."
"That's unfortunate." He narrowed his eyes with a scheming grin as he rose. "You have to."
Rolling her eyes with reluctance, she got up to join him. Kol leaned over to Klaus, showing him the screen with a chuckle.
"Look. It's animated presidents of the United States rapping to one another. Look, look!"
Klaus watched for a few seconds and rolled his eyes. "That's historically inaccurate."
"But it's funny!" Kol was hysterical.
Rebekah held her hand out for the card Elijah was holding and read it to herself, grimacing with a scoff. "How the bloody hell am I supposed to know how to use a toilet plunger? I've never unclogged a toilet in my life!"
Elijah closed his eyes briefly, letting out a slow sigh. "The point of the game is not to reveal the answer, Rebekah."
"Well then have a freebie. I don't even know how I would act that out."
Kol beamed. "I'd think you'd be fairly good at pantomiming anything having to do with a stick."
"How about I pantomime my foot going up your - "
"Enough!" Klaus interrupted, moving the trophy again so it sat just one space away from their winner's circle. "Caroline, pick a card. It's our turn."
She picked up a Pics card showing a brassiere. "What do you call a bra that uses metal strips beneath the cups for support?"
Kol sat up, startled. "Hold on. You women go around wearing metal under your breasts all day?" He scoffed. "No wonder you're all so pissy."
"What's your excuse?" Elena jabbed with a grin.
"I, my dear, am not a pissy individual. I just enjoy tormenting others."
"So we've noticed."
"Klaus?" Caroline urged. "Answer please?"
"I don't know. Ask Elijah."
Elijah lifted a brow. "Why should I know that?"
"None of us know that," Kol laughed. "I didn't know they even made brassieres with metal in them. How do you get through security in an airport?"
"Are you serious?" Elena almost laughed.
"What? I want to know. Are any of you wearing metal now?"
"Underwire!" Caroline threw the card down. "It's called underwire!"
"All right!" he laughed, raising his hands defenselessly. "I know the metal must hurt but you don't have to shout."
She growled a groan in annoyance. "Just go, Kol."
He moved his lips like he was talking silently, mocking her as he picked a card. It was another Pics card with a photo of a football field. "On what yard line do you place the football for kickoff in the NFL and CFL?"
"Ooh!" Caroline almost squealed. "The 35 yard line!"
Elena raised a brow with a dull look. "Why do you even know that?"
"Um, hello? Head cheerleader? Plus, I dated two football players, one being the star quarterback," she boasted as she moved the trophy one space away from their winner's circle. "Give me a little credit."
"Let's not mention football players right now," Rebekah griped.
"Agreed," Klaus said, clearing his throat in annoyance. The losing streak was clearly starting to wear on him.
Elijah picked up another card, taking his turn to read the Facts card. "Comic book collaborators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created what superhero in the 1930s?"
"That's not fair," Rebekah objected. "Nik had me daggered during that time!"
Klaus smiled in amusement as he leaned over to read the answer. "So sorry. The answer we were looking for was Superman."
"Hey! You didn't even give us a chance!" Caroline argued. "I demand a do-over."
"Fine," he agreed, rolling his eyes as he took another card. "Name two of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."
"Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Donatello," Elena raffled off out of nowhere. When she noticed everyone looking at her, she shrugged. "It was Jeremy's favorite show growing up."
Kol pointed at her. "Thanks for the tip."
She rolled her eyes, tiredly. "Stay away from Jeremy, Kol."
"You stay away from my brother then," he retorted petulantly.
"Maybe I will."
"Is that right?" Elijah shot back.
"Why is it we can never get through a game night without someone arguing with someone else?" Klaus wondered aloud miserably.
Caroline held a hand out defensively. "It's not like he's completely blameless, you know. You all let Katherine stay last week, and from the looks of it they were getting nice and cozy."
"If there was any cozying up, it was on Katerina's part," Kol argued for Elijah.
"And did he stop her?" Rebekah chimed in.
"You guys, I don't need your help," Elena spoke over them. "It's pretty obvious what's going on, anyway."
"And here I thought your lot was always preaching to have faith," Klaus muttered.
"Well maybe Elijah is the one who needs a lesson in being faithful," Caroline shot back.
"Would all of you please stop insinuating?" Elijah finally stood his ground loudly. "I can think and speak for myself and I would like the opportunity."
"No." Elena began shaking her head. "You know what, I don't think I'm comfortable with this relationship anymore."
Elijah frowned, deeply hurt. "I don't understand..."
"Then let me ask you this. Would you even have told me she was here if we hadn't been at the door?"
He swallowed. "I don't see why I would have had to keep it secret from you. I've never once lied to you."
"You didn't even try to push her away when she was all over you after we walked in. Just tell me the truth, you still have feelings for her and that's the only reason you're with me."
A small scoff escaped him. "This is ridiculous."
"I look just like her, Elijah. Isn't that just a little weird to you?"
"Appearances aside, the two of you are nothing alike."
"But you were in love with her once. How can you even look at me and not be thinking of her? That's not right."
"She has a point, you know," Kol pointed out.
Elijah glared. "Please don't help me, Kol."
He shrugged, letting his hands flop. "I don't get you people. If I hurt you, I'm in trouble. If I try to help, I'm in trouble. How am I supposed to win?"
"You're not," Rebekah said, dismissively.
Klaus shook his head getting up, telling no one in particular, "I'm getting a drink."
"Just admit it, Elijah," Rebekah went on. "You're still in love with Katherine and Elena will never be able to fill that void."
"Rebekah!" Caroline scolded.
Fed up with everything, Elena excused herself from the room without realizing Elijah was quickly on her tail.
"Great!" Caroline held her hand up in dismay. "Now look what you did!"
"It's the truth and I'm not sorry for saying it because he never will!"
"It's not your place to say it!" Caroline continued.
"And it wasn't Kol's place either but everyone got over that, didn't they?!"
Kol groaned. "Oh will you just drop it already?"
"...Hello?" a voice came from the foyer.
The three stopped and looked toward the doorway, surprised when Matt appeared in the threshold.
Rebekah's eyes flew wide. "Matt! What...why are you here?"
He rubbed the back of his neck nervously under the weight of a room full of eyes. "Stefan came by tonight. He told me everything. I was...kinda hoping we could talk."
"Oh." She stood immediately. "I mean, of course."
Rebekah smoothed her shirt and walked out with him, not even sparing a glance back at the room. The door slammed and Caroline and Kol were left to stare at each other, completely at a loss.
Caroline folded her arms stubbornly. "I'm still posting that video to YouTube, you know."
"That's all right, darling. I already posted yours."
Her eyes widened. "What do you mean you posted mine?"
With a roguish grin, Kol turned his phone around to reveal the video he'd captured of her cheer routine earlier in the game. "Already has a couple hundred hits."
"KOL!"
"And on that note..."
He sped out of the room like lightning, blurring upstairs before she could blink. Caroline let out a shrieking groan and sped to the doorway, bumping right into Klaus just as he was walking back in. He caught her and raised an eyebrow, totally lost.
"What did I miss?"