First Come Love

Bonnie could remember when she first told a boy she liked him via note. She had passed it to him in class secretly with bated breath. He in turned read the note and showed it to all his friends who all laughed at her. She started to cry which only encouraged more mockery. When she told her Grams later what had happened her Grams gave her very valuable advice that she still followed to this day. "Never let them see you cry, baby." Her Gram's Southern twang soothing her as she laid in her bed.

So, after hanging up her cell Bonnie didn't cry even though no one was around to see. She instead hopped on her bike and made her way over to Rayna Cruz's MMA Gym for a good, and thorough workout, and if she spent that time picturing the punching bag as Damon's face then that was her business.

XXXXXXXXx

Ric tried to hold back his look of disappointment, and disgust when he saw who he was picking up along with Damon at the airport late Thursday evening. Damon pointedly ignored him, and instead made it point of making out with Amber during the ride home, even after Ric raised the privacy glass.

Pulling away from her he took out one of his credit cards from his wallet, along with a card for a private fashion stylist. "I want you to call this number and speak with Nora Hildegard who already knows what I want for you which is a whole new wardrobe." He explained as she took both items from his hand.

"What's wrong with the way I dress?" She demanded angrily.

"You dress like a whore honestly. I'm moving up in the world, and if you want to be a part of that then I'm laying down some ground rules right now." Damon explained plainly. First off, that daddy/baby crap stops right now. You will resign yourself to speaking like an adult in mixed company. Second no more excessive parting because if the papers catch you out doing something that will embarrass me you will regret it. And lastly which is not up for negotiations you will be loyal, and all that entails. If you follow all my rules, you can ride the gravy train all the way to the top." Damon finished succinctly. "Oh, one more thing never say the words 'I love you' to me ever again."

Just than the car pulled up in front of Ms. Pearls five-star B and B. "We're not going to your house?" Amber asked in a more subdued tone.

"After that stunt you pulled. Don't make me laugh." Damon said harshly. Amber looked away shamefully.

"Now I don't want to see or hear from you till tomorrow." He said cruelly as Ric opened her side of the door.

"You really are a bastard." Amber said as she stumbled out of the car.

The ride home was spent in quiet contemplation. At least I won't get hurt if I take a firmer hand with Amber. He reasoned to himself. The irony of the situation was Damon was starting to become more like his father, a man he absolutely loathes.

"I hope you know you're playing with fire." Ric said once he pulled into the driveway. His expression was concerned.

"Hey Ric if I wanted your opinion, I'll ask you for it. So why don't you mind your own damn business." Damon snapped at him.

"Yes, Mr. Salvatore." He answered him in a crispy tone.

Damon sighed before getting out of the car. He watched feeling a smidgen of guilt as Ric drove off.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, what do you think?" Bonnie asked nervously modeling her outfit for Rosita, and Alejandro Friday before her welcome home party. Early that day she, Caroline, and Elena went shopping for outfits for tonight. Caroline went with a maroon opened back silk jumpsuit with strappy black heels. Elena went with a plum-colored lace neck maxi dress, and black ballerina flats. While Bonnie went with a long sleeve sexy midi open back dress in black, and a pair of red stilettos that wrapped around her foot in a bow she wore her grandmother's locket around her neck. Her hair was pulled up in a bun.

Rosita, and Alejandro clapped in appreciation at her little modeling show. "I told mama that I would like to marry you one day." Alejandro admitted to her shyly.

"Well then make sure you get well, and strong" Bonnie said indulgently before kissing him on his forehead. "Do you need me to bring you home anything?"

"No just have fun tonight. Maybe dance with a handsome man." Rosita told her fondly.

Just then a horn honked outside letting Bonnie know that Caroline was outside waiting for her. She waved goodnight to her friends before heading out the door.

XXXXXXXXXX

By the time they arrived at the Grill the party was jumping. Bonnie didn't realize how much she had missed all her friends, until she started making rounds the Grill. Each one of her friends were either starting families or had a family. They all had pictures to show her, and she had pictures to show them from her travels.

"So, what are your plans after the wedding?" Matt asked Bonnie while bringing Elena a piece of cake.

"Well, G.F.P. wants me to run point on the generator situation. Once that's done, they were thinking of sending me to Madagascar to help with the Water Project." She answered taking a bite out of her own cake.

"Oh crap." Stefan swore looking behind her his eyes going wide.

"Hello everyone." Damon said from behind her.

The whole restaurant went quiet.

Xxxxxxxxx

AN: The situation that Bonnie describes in the first paragraph is something that happened to me growing up. I didn't put it in the story for pity but did it to infuse some of my childhood with hers in the last chapter I put the fact that Damon left his phone in the reach of Amber's grasping claws he didn't do it on purpose, but he did spend the night partying, and he did have a major hangover. A confrontation is coming up.