Ch 13. Founders party
"It's cool not growing old", Damon said adjusted the collar of his shirt as he gazed at his reflection in the mirror. "I like being the eternal stud."
"Yes, being a one hundred and fifty-year-old teenager has been..the highlight of my happiness", Stefan resorted as he lifted his glass of bourbon which he had poured for himself, in a mock toast. Damon turned to face his brother with his signature smirk on his face shrugging on his black blazer watching his brother sip on his drink.
"Cracked a funny there Stefan", he joked as he watched Stefan downing his drink in one go, not bothering to comment.
"I should have a drink to celebrate," Damon announced as he moved towards the table stopping in front of Stefan. Grabbing a glass, he made his way to the small table behind them. The opened bottle of bourbon there for the taking.
Stefan hid an eager expression. His plan was going brilliantly (or so he thought).
Instead of pouring himself a drink, Damon set his glass down, bending down to pick up an old picture that wasn't put down enough to gather dust. Katherine the supposed love of his life who he had to share with his little brother.
A smile twitches the corner of his lips but he stopped himself quickly before any suppressed feeling come seeping out into the open.
"1864. You and Katherine were the perfect couple", He began bitterly, gazing down at the picture. "It was hell watching you dance with her."
"My happiness was short-lived", Stefan prompted before continuing, "As you well know." He was getting anxious by the minute. All Damon had to do was take a sip for his strategy to work.
Setting the picture down to its original place, Damon turned his attention back to his brother as he proceeded, "I remember how I left the party early. I was waiting for her."
Completely ditching the glass he clasped the bottle in his hand as he paced towards his brother, until he stood only a foot behind him, as he continued, "That night when you dropped her off I was waiting just inside her room."
Uncorking the bottle, he poured himself a drink after yanking out another glass, the first one complete forgotten as he proceeded to ridicule his younger brother, "You were such a gentleman. Gave her a kiss on the cheek...when what she really wanted was..."
Stefan looked over his shoulder at his brother not letting his taunting words affect him. He was impatiently waiting for when Damon would eventually down his drink like he always does and then he can finally set things right and keep Elena safe.
"Oh, well. Here's to history repeating itself", Damon declared raising the glass of bourbon in a mock salutation. Winking at Stefan, he brought the glass to his lips as Stefan watched eagerly. Then, he tipped it over, pouring its contents out onto the floor smirking at Stefan's expression.
"I admire your efforts, Stefan", Damon announced with a smirk. Stefan stared up at his older brother disappointed. But his face did not give away a thing.
"Pouring yourself a drink", then spiking the bottle with vervain", he continues causing Stefan to lower his head in defeat. Damon was somewhat impressed the Stefan had the guts to pull this off. It would have worked with anyone else but not him, he wasn't that dumb to fall for such cheap tricks.
"I'm not some drunk sorority chick. You can't roofie me", He asserted causing Stefan to look even more disappointed.
"But I can't help but feel a little-used", Damon stated while adjusting his cuff links.
"And here I thought we were having a moment. Huh, now I have to go to the party angry", Damon said adding a slight threat to his voice enough to make Stefan anxious. The younger Salvatore looked up at his brother. Reading into everything he was saying.
Even though Stefan was trying his best to stay calm and expressionless Damon could see right through him causing his smirk to widen. Moving towards Stefan and mockingly patting his shoulder he threatened before storming out of the boarding to see his favourite blond,
"Who knows what I'll do".
"So what do you think?", Caroline asked as she flaunted her yellow dress which she has selected as one of the choices for today's founder's party, her questioning expression and raised eyebrows asking for his opinion on how she looked in it while Damon longed on her bed with a book in hand.
She wasn't even the slightest surprised when she had noticed Damon reflection in her mirror, laying on the bed in a killer suit of all things when she had entered her room with her phone in hand simultaneously text her Let's Taco Bout It group chat.
She and Damon had gotten into this weird routine this past week where he would barge into her room uninvited and would only leave when Caroline would kick him out. Most of the time they would discuss the council and vampire business but the rest of the time they would spend with either them arguing about something or just talking about random things that would mostly consist of Damon bad attempts of flirting and Caroline's constant eye rolls and the occasional "seriously" or them hanging out in silence. For example, when Caroline is doing homework Damon know better than to disturb her. He would lay on her bed reading a book from her collection or doing something on his phone only speaking out when he was bored of the silence.
Caroline gathered that since he doesn't know anyone except Stefan, (who he is on bad terms with) she was his only option to cure his boredom since she was kind of his friend, no that sounds wrong more like his only acquaintance in this town
Damon would even crash her movie nights and walk in on so many video calls that she would have with her friends rendering most of them believe that she now had a secret boyfriend. Caroline just knows that she was going to get bombed with so many questions on the weekend when she finally visits them and she was not looking forward to that part at all.
"No yellow. Childish. Go for the blue", Damon answered after taking a good look at her causing Caroline to pout at his reply. She liked the yellow.
"I don't like the blue", she replied as she continued to pout (which made Damon admit, was kinda cute), turning around to get another glance of the dress in the mirror.
"Well, I do", he announced turning the page of what she noticed was the second book of the twilight saga series New moon. "And if I'm going to be your date-"
The blond cut him off before he could continue exclaiming firmly, "You cannot be my date." Pausing for a moment she continued, "My mother is going to be there and she is a very proud gun owner and I don't think it would help you gain her complete trust if you are seen dating her underage daughter"
"I went through a lot of trouble to make sure this party wasn't cancelled". At Caroline's raised eyebrow as she looked over her shoulder, Damon repeated with a scoff, "Okay, WE went through a lot of trouble to make sure this party wasn't cancelled." That still wasn't entirely correct since Caroline did most of the work nonetheless she'll let him have this one.
"I must be there...please take me", Damon said making sure to flash his best version of puppy dog eyes that he had perfected over the centuries. He rarely resorts to this since it didn't go with his image at all. Most of the time, his good looks were enough to convince any women or even men in some cases to do his bidding, even if they don't work he could always switch to compulsion. But since both of the options didn't seem to have even a slight effect on Caroline, he had to resort to this as a last-ditch effort. He had to go to that party at all cost and Caroline was his easy and his only entry in.
Caroline was going to flat out reject him but those eyes, those gorgeous mesmerising eyes were distracting her and she blurted out, "Sure why not. What's the worst that could happen?".
'And I would have a handsome arm candy to show off so why not,' She thought. Though she was not looking for to the conversation she was going to have to have with her mother. Who cares, she has always been a rule breaker.
The eternal stud looked confused for a second at the fact that she had agreed so easily, before turning his attention back to the book saying, "Not if you're wearing that dress."
Rolling her eyes Caroline moved to the closet pulling out a black off-shoulder dress that had creamy pink mesh ruffled long sheave, as she moved to the bathroom to change into it, not shutting the door completely so that she could still hear his voice. There was no way she was going to change in front of him. No way in hell.
Watching herself through the bathroom mirror, she tugged the yellow dress down and stepped out of it before getting in the black one as she heard Damon's question.
"What's so special about this Bella girl?", Damon asked confused as Caroline tried to zip up the dress."Edward's so whipped."
"You gotta read the first book first", she answered while straightening her dress. "It won't make sense if you don't."
When everything looked up to mark she made her way out of the bathroom back to the front of her mirror, starting to work on setting her hair as Damon spoke up, "Ah, I miss Anne Rice. She was so on it."
She had to agree. The Interview With A Vampire was one of her favourites out of all the books available in the vampire genre, that was by the way all in rage with the teens nowadays. The movie was great too unlike twilight which was pretty average and kinda cringe (but still iconic if you know what I mean) if you ask her but hey that's just her opinion. And Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise made pretty hot vampires which as a cherry on top.
Finally noticing what Caroline was wearing, he grumbled, "Hey, I am quite certain I said to go with the blue". Though he was appreciative that she didn't go with his opinion cause what she had on made her look ten times hotter.
"Ha, like I would take fashion advice for someone who wears all black most of the time", Caroline muttered as she moved towards the drawers to take out her makeup.
"Hey! I look hot in black if I say so myself ", Damon mumbled slightly offended by her assessment. He had great fashion sense OKAY.
"I am pretty sure you would look hot in anything even in a trash bag", She blurted without realising it as she put her lip gloss on.
Noting Damon's cocky smirk and that weird eye thing he did, Caroline realised what she has just said. To cover up her embarrassment, she let out the first thing that came to her mind. "So you don't sparkle".
"Because I live in the real world where vampires burn in the sun", He murmured, still skimming through the book despite his earlier comment.
"I already know that. What I mean is, why aren't you burnt toast yet", she countered, turning around to look at him raising an eyebrow in question.
"I have a ring," Wiggling his fingers so that she could see, "Protects me. Long story." A ring now that's new information. She was going to note it down and find out more about this ring. All she knew from what she could see was that it was some kind of blue gemstone.
Turning her attention back to the mirror, Caroline stared intently at her reflection, fingers grazing over the faded bite marks Damon left on her the night they first met which was a week ago.
"So how does one turn into a vampire. Just biting someone doesn't turn them into a vampire, does it?", she asked trying to cover up the bite marks with a concealer.
Diverting his attention from the book, Damon looked up at her in thought. "It's more complicated than that. You'd have to feed on my blood, then die, then feed on a human. It's a whole ordeal."
Caroline would have to jot that down as well. Damon seems in a calmer mood today since he is giving out answers just like that. And she was quite happy about it as she had got some pretty interesting and did she mentioned useful information.
Turning on her heel Caroline placed her make-up back in the drawer before walking towards her closet and kneeling down as she began to dig into the bottom shelf.
"This book, by the way, has it all wrong", Damon said setting the book aside focusing his full attention on the wonderful view he was getting of her glorious ass.
Taking a huge box out of the way, Caroline reached out for the matching, never been used before rice white with peach coloured straps pointed block heels that went well with the mesh part of her dress.
Noting the huge box she had taken out he asked moving to sit up straight as his curiosity peaked, "What's that?".
"This...I don't know how to explain it...See it yourself", Caroline announced picking up the pretty heavy box and placing it on her bed right in front of Damon.
With his increased inquisitiveness, Damon opens the box revealing a different bunch of stuff. There were some very expensive jewellery, some art pieces that looked authentic, some vintage stuff and few novels that seem like they were first edition copies. As he continued to go through the box, he mumbled, "These are some pretty expensive stuff you got here Buttercup, I didn't know that you were that rich enough to afford these".
"I am not", Caroline answered changing his attention. At his questioning gaze, she elaborated, "These all things were sent to me as gifts I suppose".
"By whom?", Damon asked curiously. He knew that Caroline didn't have a boyfriend so who could it be? A secret admirer?
"That's what I don't know. The only people rich enough to even afford these kinds of luxurious items in this town are the Lockwood's. But Tyler's not a possibility, cause we barely talk anymore", She mumbled. She had considered that it was Tyler for a bit. But he wasn't as considerate as whoever this person was, cause clearly, they put some into these gifts. Tyler had like one brain cell and he had that thing going on with Viki who in turn had or was having a thing with Jeremy. Yeah, she knows and it was pretty obvious with all those lovesick and longing looks he used to send her way. She was surprised that she was the only one who noticed right away.
"And you know what's totally creepy, whoever this person is clearly staking me", She concluded a shiver running down her spine at the thought.
"Why do you think that?", Damon asked with curiosity. He doesn't think that she has a stalker causing he would have noticed by now with the amount of time he spends around her.
"Take this for example", She said handing him a vintage-looking book. "I was talking to Bonnie about I much I love Gone With the Wind and then the next day I get delivered the first edition and did I mention a signed copy of the same".
Damon could see where she was coming from. That was creepy and that was something coming from him.
Pick up a diamond necklace, he asked once again, "So why don't you use any of these. They look pretty untouched to me".
"That cause I plan to return all of this back to who sends them". Caroline replied right off the bat. "If they could like to get to know me or something they can just approach me. No need to go all creepy and keep sending me hella expensive gifts. I can't be brought".
"If only I can find out who this is. None of this stuff came with a return address and the delivery boy wouldn't take it back", she explained. She had tried so many times to get the delivery boy to give her an address or any type of information about the sender, but he wouldn't budge. He wouldn't even take them back. After their 3rd argument, the dude stopped even waiting for her and would just ring the bell, leave the package at the door and disappear before she could open the door.
"What does your mom say about all this?", He asked as he watched Caroline pick up the box and placed it back to its rightful place, closing the closet doors.
"She just thinks that I am a shopaholic. And it's useless to tell her anything, she would have believed me", Caroline retorted, once again moving towards the mirror making sure she looked perfect sounding a bit sad at her mother's indifference which Damon noticed. Her mom always seemed to assume the worst of her. And that's okay, she was used to it by now.
After making sure everything was perfect and the marks were invincible Caroline strapped on her heels and moved towards the bed as Damon contemplated.
"Okay now, let's go", Caroline voice out as she pulled Damon out of her bed.
As Damon dusted off his suit, Caroline straightens her bedding simultaneous going on a rant about how he should stop laying on her bed with his shoes on resulting in Damon rolling his eyes in response.
After Caroline was done and everything looked up to mark, she took a pearl bag that was just big enough to hold her phone and some cash, as well as her id's, pulling Damon by the arm and dragging him through the door, "I don't feel like being fashionably late today".
"Caroline you look amazing". Is the first thing Damon and Caroline hear as they enter the gates of the Lockwood estate hand in hand.
Veering around and flashing her perfect pageant smile towards the owner of the voice, Caroline answered back, "Thanks, Tiki, you too. I love the dress, it totally brings out your eyes".
"Thanks, I know", Tiki replied with a proud glint in her eyes.
"Okay, she so needs to burn that dress, that outfit looked hideous", Caroline whispered to Damon without meaning to as they moved towards the main doors of the mansion. Prompting him to laugh out loud.
At the sound of his laughter, Caroline's cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment as she blurted out the question that has been on her mind since they arrived, "Why do we need to hold hands again?"
At Damon raised eyebrow, she quickly got the connection. Which was weird. She had gotten pretty good at reading his expression. And she doesn't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
"No wait I remember fake dating and all", she let out mockingly, clearly hating the situation.
"Don't you sound optimistic", he amused. Notice that she was not having it, he continued with a smirk, "You know, you should be appreciative that you are being linked with me. I am a great catch"
"Sure, half of the population says otherwise", she sassed
"Hey!", Damon yelled out. Not going to lie he was somewhat offended.
Rolling her eyes at his childish outburst Caroline proceeded, "Just keep an eye out for my mom, I don't want to be seen with you"
"A lot of people you like to be in your place, you know that right?", he declared, dismissing her attempt at changing the topic.
"I'm sure the thousands of women you slept with and then ditched would agree man-whore", she replied, the annoyance was definitely noticeable in her tone.
She knows that it might seem like she's being hella judgemental but she just knows that she was right. Damon was the biggest flirt that she had ever met, and that was saying something since she was friends with Jessica who was a pretty big flirt as well. But no Damon was worst. He would constantly flirt with each female he came across with. Take yesterday, for example, she had to cancel her after school cheer practice because Damon kept on charming the cheer squad and distracting them causing the whole pyramid they were working on to collapse. Thankfully, no one got hurt except few minor injuries here and there.
Recalling yesterday's event she remembered another annoying thing that he would do. Taking this conversation as an opportunity she voiced out, "And please stop introducing yourself as my boyfriend. There are already enough rumours going around about me and I don't need an older boyfriend added to the mix not when Miss Mystic Falls is right around the corner"
"Anything else?", he asked both amused and annoyed at her ordering him
"No that's it for now", she responded as they reached the end of the line.
"Caroline, you look smashing", Carol yelled out as she moved to them.
"Thank you, Mrs Lockwood", Caroline replied as she let go of Damon's hand, stepping in while simultaneously returning Carol hug.
"This is my date, Damon" introduced Caroline, knowing what Carol was going to say next. She has always been quite predictable. For being members of the vampire killing council, these people sure did invite a lot of strangers in.
"Oh well come on in", invited Carol.
"Lovely to meet you. I've been looking forward to this party for quite a while", said Damon stepping in prompting Caroline to look at him sceptically. He was definitely up to something and she was going to find out what.
"Well enjoy", Carol replies with a smile before leaving to greet other guests.
Offering his arm to Caroline he looked around for his brother and his ex's carbon copy realising that they weren't there yet. When she reluctantly accepts his arm he announced, "Let's get a drink".
"Yeah, no thanks. My mom is right there", she said noticing her mom talking to one of her deputies causing Damon to pout, yes he was actually pouting but in his defence, he didn't seem to notice that he was. It took all her self-restraint to resist his pout before continuing, "How about you go do whatever you came here to do while I go distract my mom from noticing you".
Saying that Caroline walked towards her mom, leaving Damon all alone. Having nothing else to do he moved to his favourite place in such kinds of parties, the bar.
"You couldn't even change out of the batch for this?", Caroline said with distaste, glancing at her mom's uniform.
"I'm working, honey", Liz answer blandly resulting in Caroline rolling her eyes at her monotonous response.
"Who's the date you tried to sneak past me?", Liz voice out caching Caroline attention.
'Damn it! So she noticed. But at least she did not note that it was Damon', Caroline thought letting out a sigh of relief at her mom's weak eyesight.
"Just some guy", responded Caroline nonchalantly.
"A little old for you, don't you think?", Liz resorted.
"Because otherwise, you would approve", Caroline scoffed.
"Yeah, I doubt that".
This wasn't new. Her mother would always give her shit about the guys she hung out with regardless if she was dating them or not. But that was only for one day the next day her mom could go right back to ignoring her presence and forgetting all about her.
"Where's your dad?", Liz asked trying to diverting the topic.
"Memphis", Caroline answered moving slightly forward. She knows that she was about to be petty, but she decided to overlook that. Her mom had barely said a word to her this week and she was indignant.
"Good", nodded Liz.
Ready to give her final blow, Caroline slightly turned around and let out mockingly, "With Steven".
"Bonnie, you look great", Caroline said pulling Bonnie for a hug.
Breaking the hug, Bonnie raised an eyebrow in question, "Is this code for 'you look horrid but I'm too nice to say that straight to your face"
"Come on Bon you know that I would say it right to your face if you did. You know, I don't hold back with my close people", dismissed Caroline. She wasn't herself if she wasn't brutally honest and everyone familiar with her knew that.
"That I know", giggled Bonnie.
"Saw you came in with Jenna. Does that mean Blake is a no-no?", asked Caroline. Bonnie had agreed to go out with Blake, the guy from her chemistry class after he had asked her out of like the hundred times this week. Honestly, he kinda seems desperate and he also gave her this eerie feeling whenever he was around them.
"Oh, a definite no-no. He's just a little weird to me. I always catch him staring at me. It's super creepy", Bonnie confessed and Caroline couldn't help but agree. He was definitely kind of creepy.
"Yeah, I noticed. Bonbon has got a secret admirer", she teased trying to lighten the conversation.
"Not funny", deadpanned Bonnie causing Caroline to chuckle.
"All that aside, I had the most awkward car ride with Elena and Stefan. Remind me to never ride with them again", Bonnie cringed at the thought of her third-wheeling yet again prompting Caroline to laugh out loud at her distraught expression.
The sound of Caroline's adorable laughter caught Damon's attention, who was eavesdropping on Stefan and Elena having the blandest conversation ever while he was sipping on his drink. Was it 2nd or 4th drink? He doesn't even know at this point. The party was pretty boring so he decided to tune in to Caroline and Bonnie's chatter which seem much more appealing.
"Can you give me a ride back when all this is done", he heard the Bennett witch ask.
"Um...I...I can't. I came with someone", Caroline mumbled knowing very well that she couldn't reveal her travel companion. If she had a dollar for each time Bonnie, Elena (and even Stefan sometimes) had warned her to stay away from Damon then she would have those Jimmy choo's she been eyeing for a month.
At first, their worry was touching. I showed that they cared but then it got annoying real quick. It's not that they were hanging out with each other by choice. It was just that they were working together for the time being. She anyways has today's dose of a lecture from Bonnie earlier this morning something about her getting bad vibes from Damon, that he was up to no good (which couldn't be any more true) so she wasn't up for a repeat telecast.
"Who? I thought you were going solo?", asked Bonnie with a raised eyebrow. "Was it the guy from your math class who keeps on asking you out?. What was his name again? M...m...ax yes Max"
Unable to think of an excuse, Caroline stammered,
"No um...it was...um"
"Omg it's the older Salvatore, isn't it? I thought nothing was going on between you two", Bonnie yelled gaining a few passersby attention at her sudden outburst. Caroline just lowers her head while Damon continues to listen to on.
"And you thought right. NOTHING is going on and nothing will ever be going on", Caroline firmly stated.
That was a sting on Damon ego. No one had straight-up rejected him like this before. Suddenly getting a mischievous idea, he stood up drowning his entire drink gradually making his way towards them with a smirk, which only meant one thing, he was up to no good.
"I am just showing him around town since he is new here", Caroline clarified hoping that Bonnie would buy it.
"Okay", Bonnie sighted. "I believe yo..."
Before she could complete her sentence, they hear a voice interrupting her causing both to turn around.
It was Damon Freaking Salvatore and Caroline just knew that this wasn't going to end well for her. Bonnie watched on with a dumbfounded expression as he placed his hand on Caroline lower waist causing her to visibly twitch.
Turning to look at Caroline with his signature cocky smirk, he declared openly, "Babe! Where were you, I was looking everywhere for you? You ditched me as soon as we got here"
"Um, I have been here the whole time", Caroline blankly said. Noting the looks she was getting by people around her which she preserved as them assuming that they are having a lovers quarrel. So she added, "But I am sorry I guess"
She knew what he was doing. He was doing all his on purpose after she had clearly warned him not to. Oh she wanted to punch him so badly but that would do her no good and she knew that. Nothing good ever came from angering a sadistic vampire. But she definitely wishes that karma takes her revenge for her. Let's just hope that none of these rumours that he just jump-started reaches her mother's ears. For both their sakes.
"How about a kiss as an apology", Damon smirked, doing his weird eye thing while simultaneously taping at lips suggestively, knowing very well that he was getting under her skin.
At Caroline's deadpanned expression, he let out a chuckle. If looks could kill, Damon would have been dead by now. "Yeah, not the time or the place. Maybe later"
Finally turning around to look at still dumbfounded Bonnie, he announced extending his hand forward, "Oh, I don't think we have formally met. I am Damon Salvatore, Care-bear's boyfriend. We met at Elena's".
Caroline cringed at the childlike nickname and the fake sweet voice he was using. If she didn't know him as well as she does now, she would have been fooled as well. She could see some of the girls from her class swooning over him but she wasn't having any of it and by the looks of it Bonnie wasn't either as she aggressively pulled her hand away from his grip, with a somewhat horrified gaze breaking the handshake.
"Um, hi. I am Bonnie Ben...", she muttered as soon as she was able to find her voice. To say that she was surprised was an understatement she cannot believe that Caroline was lying to her all this time. He was dangerous she knew that as soon as their hands touched. It was the same feeling she got from Stefan but just much worst. Bonnie did not care if Caroline was dating him or even if she liked him, she just needed to get her away from him by hook or by crook.
"Bonnie Bennett yeah, I know. Care-bear here talks a lot about you", Damon said once again using his fake sweet tone provoking Caroline to scoff and cringe even more at the sound of the nickname. It was what her friends called her and she didn't mind, but it just sounded super weird coming from him.
"That's funny cause she never brought you up", Bonnie said looking accusingly towards Caroline, inciting her to chuckle awkwardly in response.
Whirling back towards Caroline he said, "Now how about that drink you promised me?".
Before Caroline could respond, he turned toward Bonnie in question, "You wouldn't mind if I whisk my girlfriend away, would you?"
At her non-objecting nod, he let go of Caroline's waist taking her hand in his and pulling her towards him, as he exclaimed, "Great".
"Let's go, honey", he said with that annoying smirk of his, pulling Caroline away from Bonnie in the direction of the ancestral display area.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?", Caroline voice out in annoyance once they were away from the crowd.
"I don't know what you are talking about", Damon said his smirk widening.
She so wanted to slap that smirk off his face but she controlled herself.
"Oh I hope you rot in hell, Salvatore"
A/N: I am so sorry guys . I had a pretty hectic week and to make matters worse my chapter got deleted on its on thus I was unable to update sooner. I have this longer than usual chapter would make up for it
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