Chapter 4 - Senior Citizen

Bonnie nearly started crying as her phone rang, waking her up from her slumber. She roughly grabbed the buzzing phone.

"What?" She growled into the speaker.

"Dang. Good morning to you too, Bon." Caroline's chipper voice said through the phone.

Bonnie took a deep breath. "Sorry, Care. What's up?"

Caroline scoffed in disbelief. "What's up? What's up? It's the first day of school, Bonnie! That's what's up!"

"The first day of- shoot, I forgot!" She exclaimed and fell out on her bed, landing in a heap of blankets.

"Well, somebody's day is off to a rough start." Caroline commented, hearing the thud that Bonnie made.

"Hm, you think?"

"You're mean in the morning."

"I try."

Bonnie scrambled around her room, looking for nothing in particular. She checked the time. She still had a half an hour until school started. Phew. If she drove, she would make it in time.

"Bon, how does one forget about the first day of senior year? This is like the biggest day of our lives!" Caroline exclaimed.

"I didn't forget! Okay, well, I did forget, but my alarm clock was supposed to remind me!"

"Are you sure you didn't beat it up in your sleep?"

"Yes, Caroline. I'm sure I didn't beat up my alarm clock while I was sleeping." Bonnie scoffed.

"You say it like it's not something you would do."

"It's not something I would- You know what? I'm above this. I'm gonna get ready for school, feed my cats and get there on time."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Yes it does. Are you wearing your fancy pants today?" Bonnie asked, her mood settling.

"Oh, yeah. Get ready, Bon."

"I'm ready, all right. I'm more than ready. I'm excited." Bonnie said. She held the phone between her shoulder and her ear as she struggled to put a pair of jeans on.

"Do you need a ride to school? I know your cars in the shop and if I hurry I can make it to your house." Bonnie asked.

"Actually, Katherine's giving me a ride today." Caroline said casually.

"Katherine's giving you a ride?" Bonnie asked, surprise evident in her voice.

"Well, don't sound so surprised. We're becoming sort of friends. And we live so close together, it's really practical. At least until I get my car back."

"That's great, Care!" Bonnie said. She was glad that two of her closest friends were becoming friends as well. Or at least hating each other less.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna hang up so you can get your butt moving. Love you."

"Love you, too. Bye."

After Bonnie's rushed morning, she finally made it to school.

"Hey, Bonster!" A voice called out. Bonnie turned to see Vicki Donovan.

"Hey, Vick." Bonnie crossed the parking lot to go say hi. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in college?"

"Where I should be and where I am are two different things." She said. Bonnie chuckled. "I'm just here to see Matty on his first day of senior year. They grow up so fast."

"They really do, don't they?" Bonnie agreed. Vicki slung an arm around her shoulder and messed up the hair that she spent the majority of her short morning fixing.

"Hey!" Bonnie exclaimed, desperately trying to straighten out her hair.

Vicki just laughed. "Sorry, kid. I couldn't resist."

"Watch your back, Donovan. I'm coming for you when you least expect it."

"Looking forward to it." Vicki smiled. "Hey, I gotta go, but, uh, make sure Matt doesn't get into trouble, alright? He doesn't have me looking out for him anymore."

"You got it, Vick."

"Bye."

Vicki walked off to her car. Vicki and Matt were always close with Bonnie. Their lack of family pulled them together. Vicki and her two best friends, Anna and Kai were always hanging around the school. It would be weird without them.

Bonnie turned back to the school and walked in, ready to take on her senior year.

Most people wouldn't assume this, but Stefan actually enjoyed learning. He acted like he didn't. He acted like being a jock was his only personality trait - like learning about history didn't fascinate him, or that writing wasn't his favorite way to pass time. And people let him. Nobody really cared about his inner thoughts and feelings because they already had him as a quarterback. They didn't need another sensitive guy who liked to write.

High schoolers loved to categorize, and once he was put in this box of being a jock, he couldn't escape it. One time, he and Amber Bradley went on a date. They went out to get ice cream. She was a cheerleader, he was a football player - it had to work out. But throughout the whole date, Stefan tried to talk to her. Like, really to her. About his interests, about her interests, but it came up blank. All she wanted to do was fake laugh at his lame jokes and touch his muscles. They didn't have a second date.

There were so many other instances like this. Every relationship he had outside of his close friends and family wasn't him and someone else, it was quarterback and cheerleader, teenage boy and teenage girl, jock and homecoming queen.

In reality, Stefan was horrible with girls. He was awkward and always stuttered, especially if he really liked them. He was sensitive and took things personally a lot, but was always too scared of confrontation to talk to people about it. He was funny, not the kind of funny bravado that people expected him to have, but actually funny.

He wanted a real bond where he could express that side of himself without being afraid of rejection or disappointment. He had some real friendships, but the only time he really clicked with a girl was with Bonnie.

Which was why he was walking towards her, getting ready to ask her to the founders party. He didn't know if she would say yes (he was really bad at picking up signals), but he was going to put on his big boy pants and ask her anyway.

She was at her locker, putting away some books when he got to her.

"Bonnie!" He called, jogging towards her.

"Stefan." She greeted him. He caught up to her and they smiled at each other. She looked really pretty today.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"Um, so how are you? I feel like I haven't seen you in a while." He asked. Stefan mentally patted himself on his back for not stuttering.

"I'm pretty good. I know, we haven't spent much time together lately. What about you?"

"Uh, I'm good as well. Listen, I've been meaning to ask you something." He said. Here goes nothing.

She nodded for him to continue.

"Do you… uh, so you know the founder's party that's coming up next week?"

Oh dear. Keep it together, Bon. Bonnie's heart was racing. "Yeah." She tried to keep her voice calm.

"Well, um, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?"

"Yes." She answered a little too quickly. He chuckled. "I mean, yes. I'd love to go with you."

Stefan beamed. "Great. I'll pick you up at six."

He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and walked to his first period class with a huge grin on his face.

Hayley went upstairs to her room after her and Elijah's awkward phone call with Klaus. She didn't think Elijah knew that it was awkward - he was normally a perceptive person, but in this case he seemed absolutely oblivious - but there was very much a tension between Hayley and Klaus.

It had been around two weeks since the dinner where they announced their engagement, and Klaus and Elijah had been talking less and less. Elijah was confused as to why, so he called Klaus earlier to catch up. It was going fine until Hayley walked in the room. Elijah urged her to say hi to Klaus and after she did, Klaus' mood very obviously soured.

He kept making passive aggressive comments towards both Hayley and Elijah. Elijah somehow managed to think the phone call went well, but Hayley disagreed.

A few months after Hayley started dating Elijah, she met his brother Klaus. He was charming, sweet and funny. He also 'fancied' her. He said so himself in his little British accent ('Hayley, it's a shame you're dating my brother. If you couldn't tell, I fancy you very much').

Granted, he was tipsy at the time, so she just brushed it off for being a drunken lie.

But as time went on, they grew closer. Sometimes they would go out with just the two of them, no Elijah. She grew to like him. Not like him, but as a good friend. Klaus apparently didn't read that right and decided to kiss her one day. She's ashamed to say that she kissed back.

It went on for a moment until she realized what she was doing and was disgusted with herself. She rambled out an apology and ran off.

She felt terrible for her past actions and planned on telling Elijah right after, but convinced herself that it would just cause problems between her and Elijah and Klaus and Elijah.

After the kiss, he acted like it never happened. But when Elijah and Hayley announced their engagement, Klaus clearly took it hard. She wanted to comfort him, but decided it was better not to. Thankfully, Bonnie took care of him instead. Hopefully he didn't tell her.

Hayley was sure Klaus would get over it.

I mean, it was just one kiss, right?

Rebekah narrowed her eyes as she saw Katherine and Caroline laughing about something.

When did they get so close?

She walked up to them. "Hi, guys."

"Oh, hey, Bex. Care and I were just talking about Mr. Tanner's new mustache."

"Oh, it's ridiculous isn't it?" Rebekah giggled.

"Yeah, he looks like a catfish!" Caroline exclaimed.

thanks for reading! let me know if you liked the other perspectives. i know i've been going hard on the mikaelson siblings lately. poor klaus and rebekah! but don't worry, they'll get their happy endings ;).