GOLDFISH & EMERALD
You may be wondering why I'm lumping these two together, don't worry, it'll make sense rather quickly because though they're separate people, they come together eventually. In more ways than one.
But let's start with Goldfish, as mentioned previously, I met him through Mister the night of the club. My first impression of him was high, he dressed nice, smelt nice, his locks shiny. If things were different and I didn't want what I couldn't have, maybe things between us would've elevated but that's not how the story goes. Once I realized that he was more than just a simple friend of Mister's and that I'd see him around more often, I started to make an effort in getting to know him. He seemed like a really cool, down to earth guy and I could tell that he cared about Mister very much and I remember thinking that I wish I had someone to care about me that way, I mean I had Mister but I knew he didn't care for me that deeply. When the movie was over months later Goldfish actually reached out to me and asked how I was doing which was very sweet. It was only the once and I assume it had something to do with my standoffish, one-word response; Fine. I regret sending that text and I still hate to think about to this day, it makes me shiver in embarrassment.
At the international premiere of the movie is when we have our reunion and it's also the first time I have ever locked eyes on Emerald. Gotta admit I was jealous, especially since Mister kissed her, claiming her publicly like he never did with me. I had to force a smile, keep up the facade and when I see her standing alone and Mister distracted on the carpet, I decided to introduce myself. We both had an attitude with each other, I wasn't sure what Mister had or hadn't told her about me prior so I didn't judge. Honestly, I admired how she wasn't putting up a facade or treating me differently because I'm a "celebrity". Mister walked up to us and I suggested that we pose on the carpet together, distancing myself from her and also Mister from her.
The next time I see Emerald is a couple of months later during a photoshoot. In the beginning, we didn't pay each other any attention at all and kept our business private, but later in the day as I was walking out of my trailer after an outfit change, I approached her. She was buried in her phone all day sporting a look that I know all too well so I asked her who she was stalking. It took her a moment but she had told me that she's suspicious that she has a feeling that her best friend which we will name Crystal, is sleeping with her ex-boyfriend. The irony was a little too real. I asked her how she felt about it and she was indifferent about it assuming that she's moved on with Mister. I gave her my advice of if it's indeed true then to not get involved in their relationship and her response is what made me realize that I wanted to be her friend. She told me basically that no matter what Crystal is her friend and if she needed her she couldn't picture herself not being there for her (later on I would find out that this would be one hundred percent factual). I had my assistant give her my number...then I kissed her. Mister witnessed and I'm sure he was just as confused as Emerald was. I was drawn to her, she seemed like an honest person, a person that you would want to have on your side at the end of the day. An attractive feature.
We texted every so often and in between that time, I decided to up my relationship with Goldfish more on a business level which grants me an invite to his first-ever movie screening at his house. I knew that Mister and Emerald would be there since they are the leads so I figured why not. I arrived before they did and practically as they stepped foot into the house, I whisk Emerald away and ask for an update. What she tells me is shocking and completely worse than what either of us had thought. Turns out the cheating had started several months before Emerald and her ex had even broken up. To take her mind back off it, we get a drink and chill on the couch. She asked me what was going on between Goldfish and I and I told her that it is strictly business. I don't think she fully believed me and at the time I'm not sure if I believed that myself. I could picture us dating even though it might be a little weird in the beginning considering our relationships with Mister, but it probably would've all faded away quickly. The boys join us and Mister voices how he's unsure how he should feel that we're friends which we only laugh at.
The movie was great and I will admit that at first, I thought Goldfish was simply giving Emerald a handout with this role, but admittedly she killed it. Congrats, girl.
One October afternoon, I was on Instagram when I saw a post that took me completely off guard. He had proposed to her. I was happy for them but at the same time I couldn't stop the part of me that resented her. I thought that I was over him but seeing that made me realize that I wasn't. He gave her the proposal that I've always wanted, not the cliche 'let's go out to a nice fancy dinner', but something that was actually shocking. The words that he wrote under the post, professing basically his undying love for her sparked the jealous nature that I thought was long gone. I didn't comment, I didn't even 'like' the post, I couldn't.
Halloween weekend is when I see them again. Mister was dressed as a cowboy, she was a cowgirl, I, a kitty cat, and Goldfish was a cop. I asked to see her ring and it's very stunning and sparkling. I give them both my congratulations and shortly the four of us are dancing on the dance floor. Throughout the night, I see her drinking from the punch bowl and I confront her and tell her that every year someone spikes it. It had got me one year and my friend the following year and luckily we had each other but from then on we swore off it. Emerald tells me that she felt fine so I let it be mainly because she had Mister but the following day, I wish I hadn't.
I was getting my nails done when I received a call from Mister. He asks me if I'm with Emerald and I questioned him why would he assume that we're together and he tells me because I had texted her this morning and asked her out to lunch. At that very moment, I get a text from Emerald and she's asking me out to lunch. I played it cool with Mister and told him that I did in fact text her that but it's a little too early for lunch. He buys it and admits that he feels like something is going on with her. Said that she admitted that she couldn't remember much from last night and he was worried that something happened. I felt completely guilty and told him that I'll talk to her and maybe get some answers and report back to him. He thanked me and once my nails were dry, Emerald and I met up for lunch. I got straight to the point and asked her to tell me why she lied about me texting her that morning. She admitted that she went to see Goldfish and I'm sure that my mouth dropped. I wanted more detail and she told me that I was right about the punch bowl and the last thing she fully remembers is locking eyes with Goldfish on the dance floor. She went to ask him if she said it did anything to jeopardize their friendship because, in the beginning, they had unspoken feelings for each other. Goldfish admitted to her that he's in love with her but Emerald dismisses his feelings and says that they both need to respect her engagement. I told her that she has to tell Mister about everything but yet again she doesn't listen to me and I could've easily told him myself but I don't. I later call her and ask if she told him the truth and when she denies, I finally ask why and she tells me that she doesn't want to ruin their friendship over it then asked me why I cared so much and I told her that I cared because he deserves to know. At this point, I knew that no matter what I say she wouldn't listen to me so I dropped it. It's there that all my positive opinions of her shifted. It's there that I realized that Mister deserved better so I go and visit Goldfish and question him on how much he in fact loves Emerald. He acted as if he has no idea what I'm talking about but he knew that I knew so that's when I tell him my god awful, stupid, dumb plan to break them up. He could have Emerald and I can be with Mister as it should be.
Goldfish finds out where they're having dinner that night and that's when everything was put into motion. I wasn't sure if my plan would work at all but I tried it and somehow it succeeded. Stefan had gone to the bathroom and as he got out I started to fake cry pretty loudly so that he could hear me and hopefully ask if I was okay. He, of course, didn't know it was me, he was just being a nice person and eventually asked to come in to help me more after asking if there was anyone that he could notice about me being in there alone. I told him there wasn't and that it was okay for him to come inside. I turn around and act surprised to see it was him and he's genuinely surprised that it's me. He hugs me immediately and I tell him a how I didn't get a role that I really wanted and he says all the right things to make me feel better and I tried to kiss him but someone walked in and shortly he leaves. To this day I don't know if he would've let me kiss him or not.
I didn't talk to him for weeks until he had the flu and I called and asked how he was doing. Before that we had actually bumped into each other on a walk but that was only a two-second exchange since he had to go to a meeting. I asked how he was feeling and told him that I wish I was there for him so that I can make him feel a lot better and he told me that he has Emerald for that. It sparked anger within me so I told him how happy I am that they figured things out especially since Goldfish and Emerald slept together. It was a lie, at least I think it is. There was one moment during the Halloween party where they were missing for maybe ten minutes. We were all by each other's side throughout the night basically and while Mister and I were in a group of people, the two were nowhere around.
"That's so not fair," Bonnie stopped reading.
"What?"
"She basically just accused me of sleeping with Mason to the entire world when it's not true."
"I—"
"You shouldn't throw accusations out like that,"
"Do you remember what happened?"
"I mean no but I even told her that day that I'm sure I just confused it with me dancing sexually which we did all night."
"I still don't see why you went to visit Mason,"
"Because I remembered us locking eyes on the dance floor and I wanted to make sure that he didn't take that as 'hey, I wish I was grinding my ass on you instead'. Especially since he texted me the next morning."
"But Elena is right about you both disappearing. I don't see Mason taking advantage of you like that, but maybe you danced sexually with him."
She thought. "Maybe,"
"Maybe we should ask Mason."
"Do you think that's a good idea, I mean if it's true, how would you feel?"
"Honestly not that bad. I mean I guess it also depends on the severity of it."
She sighed. "I kind of just want to move on from it, Stefan. You can find out if you want to but I don't care to know. If it wasn't for this book, it would be the furthest thing from my mind—our minds right now."
"Okay,"
Bonnie sighed then continued.
After that, Mister had hung up on me and that was the last time that I had made any contact with them for months. Then the shooting happened. The moment he recognized me, I saw the pain within Emerald's eyes. I almost felt bad for her but at the moment all I wanted to do was get my man back so I dusted it off. A week later she calls me and invites me over to Thanksgiving. It was really strange but I shortly realized the reason why I was so suddenly invited was because Mister wanted me there. I took it as a sign that things were not going so well over there and my suspicion proved to be right. I didn't speak to Goldfish or Emerald that whole day only Mister and he barely spoke to them either because we were speaking to each other.
But you know the story. All was well, I'm thinking that Goldfish is making his move and that the two are happy together, but then he calls Mister's phone and I answer and pass along the message, which a part of me hates that I did because that night I had got my heart broken.
None of them try to reach out to me and I don't bother to reach out to them. Not right away at least. Goldfish summons me and shows me that Mister had done an interview and the trailer hinted that he would be talking about me which is understandable. He said that nothing wrong or bad was said about me and I believed him so I didn't watch. That night, Emerald, Mister, and I posed together on the carpet. The camera flashes were never so rapid, everyone wanted to capture it and we let them.
"That's all she wrote," Bonnie closed the book.
"I mean we may have to address things but all-in-all, I think it was OK."
"I'm just going to say that Emerald did not fuck Goldfish and leave it at that. For all of our sakes and Caroline's."
"I forgot to ask but were you or are you pissed that Mason told her without you?"
"I wasn't pissed, I was a little shocked, especially since we were all there but as long as she knows, I'm good."
He nodded then took the book from her hand and threw it away. "Come lay down with me,"
Bonnie stood and followed after him into their bedroom.
…
Mason rubbed his eyes before reaching for his phone and answered it without looking. "Hello?"
"I need the truth,"
"What?" He pulled the phone away from him and it confirms his suspicion about it being Stefan. "Truth about what?"
"The Halloween party. Did you fuck her?"
"No. I swear. We were both a little out of it, her more than me I guess seeming as though she can't remember. If I'd known that I probably would've handled things differently but I couldn't tell because I wasn't fully in my right mind either. She was at the punch bowl and I went up to her and we started talking, I told her how beautiful she looked. Next thing I know we're dancing together flirtatiously then the song ended and she went back to you. And I went to Elena. We didn't kiss or fuck just danced." Mason exhaled hearing that Stefan had ended the call then set his phone to the side. He's not sure how this would affect their friendship or even their business relationship. Though he didn't go into the explicit details he told enough of the truth, then realized maybe this was a setup. Maybe Bonnie suddenly remembered and she told him. He's not sure if she would actually tell him about how she had her hand around his penis and grinded against him until he came. No way she would tell him that, he thought. He would text her but he's sure that Stefan is nearby and he doesn't want it to look suspicious so he'll wait.
…
Bonnie woke up from a nap that she didn't even want to take, but agreed because Stefan wanted to—in bed alone and her phone nowhere to be found. Not where she left it on the nightstand, not in her pocket, not anywhere in the room. That only meant that Stefan had it. He admitted to her that he took advantage of her sleeping state to unlock it once to ward off Elena and she's starting to wonder if this whole napping thing was a setup to snoop through her phone. It's a good thing she has nothing to hide or she would be panicking instead, she's upset and annoyed. No matter what, he won't be able to trust her when it comes to Mason. She bets that he even called him and asked about the party. Never should they have read Elena's words, they should've kept far far away and only addressed the rumors that the fans ask them instead. If she had a time machine she would talk herself out of it. Let the past stay in the past and continue on with their happy marriage. A marriage that her husband was now possibly regretting. She was about to get up but saw his shadow coming towards her and she decided to lay back down pretending to still be asleep. She heard her phone being placed back on her nightstand and shortly Stefan held her from behind as if he'd never left in the first place.
Stefan exhaled feeling a little guilty about scrolling through her texts and call log and Instagram and Twitter DM's and email but he's also happy because he found no wrong. After waking up and talking to Mason, his blood was boiling so he hung up before he said something that he could possibly regret. He couldn't sleep after that so he snooped. Looking through her photo albums, contacts, apps, everything.
"1-2-3-1-1-9" Bonnie spoke.
"Huh?"
"That's my phone password. You know, for next time."
He kept quiet.
"I hope you found whatever it was you were looking for."
"I did."
She turned to face him and looked into his eyes. "Trust me next time. I don't know what I did to compel you to look through my phone but I told you the fucking truth. Stop doubting me. Or else this won't last long at all." She watched his eyes a while longer before getting up from bed, grabbing her phone then walked out.
Stefan rolled on his back and exhaled to the ceiling, rubbing his hands over his face before getting up himself. He watched her pulling out things for dinner and walked up to her, holding her from behind. "I trust you. It's Mason, not you. I just wanted to see if he's still making advances at you, that's all. I'm sorry. I won't do it again, I swear."
"We never should've read our chapters, Stefan."
"I know." He turned then lifted her to sit on the counter before stepping between her legs. "I love you. So much. It makes me do stupid things sometimes, so I'll have to work on that because it's unfair to you. I'll think a lot more before I act. Just take a step back from everything and just breathe because I don't want to lose you. Marrying you was the best decision I have ever made and I can't let that go. I won't." He held her face and connected their foreheads before kissing her. "I'll make it up to you," he said, noticing she's still upset.
"I just want you to be happy."
"Hey," he pulled her body into his and held her tightly. "I'm so happy when I'm with you."
"Not all the time,"
"Babe," he held her face to look into her eyes, "I mean of course I get upset, we both do, but at the end of the day, I want you with me by my side, always. I love you so fucking much. No one has ever made me happier. I swear." He watched her eyes.
"Okay,"
"Come here," he closed his eyes as she hugged him and he held her back just as tightly.
…
He smiled slightly as he watched her read over the script to his hopeful new TV show The Woodland over breakfast. He thinks this is the first time he's ever seen her eat cereal now that he thinks about it as the spoon makes a noise as she places it down against the bowl to turn the page. He photographs her quickly with the sound off on his phone then looks back up at her in real life. He can't tell whether she likes it or not, he hopes that she does because that means he's making a good decision in taking on the role and that small ounce of doubt that he's feeling will fade completely, just like that. She ignores her phone after it tells her that she's received a text by the sound of wind chimes and continues reading over the dialogue until there wasn't anymore left. Bonnie looks up and notices that her husband has an anxious look on his face and knows he's awaiting an answer. "It's good,"
"Just good?"
"I mean it's only the pilot, if it were me, I'd give episode two a chance. It's good enough to keep me interested until next week."
He sighs. "Okay,"
"I don't hate it but at the same time, it's not exactly up my alley. I like murders and detective shows, mysteries, supernatural—the genre and the actual TV show and this is not that, I mean unless someone gets murdered at the end of episode two."
"And what if someone does?"
"Then sign me up. But I'll support you either way. You'll make a really cute Anthony."
He chuckled. "Run lines with me later?"
"Of course," she stood taking her bowl over to the sink and rinsed it out. She closed her eyes feeling his arms move around her.
"Have you ever eaten cereal in front of me before?"
She chuckled at the randomness of his question. "I don't know, have I?"
"I don't think so."
She turned in his arms.
"What?" He smiles as she just stares.
"Nothing, I just want to study your face," she smiled as he lifted her in his arms and carried her back into their room. He laid her in their bed and they laid on their sides to look at one another. "Can I ask you a question?" Bonnie whispered after a while.
"Anything,"
"Do you ever just kind of… wonder how different things would be if you did one thing differently? Said no to something you originally agreed to. Do you think it would alter your entire world or have such a small impact on the outcome of things?"
"I guess that depends on the nature of whatever I said yes to."
"But it doesn't even have to be that like you took the highway home instead of the city roads or you stopped somewhere first before coming home, took a shortcut,"
"Not really. Have you?"
"Sometimes. Like if I'm out at the store or something and I have everything I went out to get but I decide to look around a little longer then I come home and you're sleeping I always wonder that if I didn't take those extra five, ten minutes to look around maybe you'd be up and helping me with whatever I got and from there the rest of the day would be different. It wouldn't necessarily change my or our lives drastically but it would still be changed."
He watched her eyes. "What are you trying to say?"
"Nothing, I'm just," she exhaled, "wondering if I were the only one to think about life this way,"
"Well, I'm sure you're not the only one,"
"Yeah, I know, I'm just working with the present company, I guess."
"Sorry I don't relate,"
"It's okay, babe, don't apologize." She offered a smile and gently scratched his scalp before kissing him.
He moved his hand to the side of her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb. "You know how much I love you, right?"
She smiled gently. "I know. I love you too."
He met their foreheads. "I leave this weekend to film,"
"It's coming up so fast,"
"Yeah. I'll miss you so much."
"I'll miss you like crazy too."
"Shower with me?"
She nodded, sitting up and wrapped her arms around his neck and he lifted her and carried her into the adjoining bathroom.
…
Bonnie woke up and smiled feeling herself wrapped in his arms with his hand occasionally trailing up and down her back. His head rested on her chest as they laid on their sides. She could hear him murmuring and wasn't sure if he was singing a song or planning out a conversation.
Bonnie decided to exhale and move a little bit, gaining his attention. He smiled meeting their eyes. "Good morning, baby,"
"Good morning," she stretched some then closed her eyes as he kissed her once.
"It's supposed to rain all day which sucks because I wanted us to go out to the park or something to run lines, but we have no choice but to do it here."
"Bummer, okay. Are you hungry?"
"Sure, I can eat,"
She leans in and kisses him five times at a medium pace, and just as he was about to pull her down into him, her five kisses were over and she started towards the kitchen. Stefan followed after her then hugged her from behind. "You can't just kiss me like that and walk away."
She chuckled. "Hubs, I was quickly thinking that since it's a rainy day and you'll be leaving soon we put on face masks and read lines and sip tea and relax and have a peaceful day."
"I love it."
"Yeah?" She turned in his arms and smiled as he nodded. "You'll do a face mask with me too?" She held his face.
"Only if you'll ask nicely,"
"Please, daddy, do face masks with me,"
He met their lips. "Okay," he watched her smile then met their lips again.
…
Bonnie smiled applying the green mask to his skin as his eyes watched her. "Annnnd, we are done." She lifted her eyes to meet his and kissed him once before washing her hands.
They shortly gathered on the couch.
"Come here," he said, taking out his phone.
Bonnie scooted beside him and looked at the camera as he took several shots then opened Instagram to make a boomerang.
"Today is spa slash relaxation day here at the Salvatore household," Stefan announced, recording. "What we doing today, babe?"
"We'll be running lines, sipping tea, maybe watch a movie since I suddenly got the urge to eat popcorn,"
He chuckled. "A movie sounds great, actually. What are you all doing today, let us know," he posted the video after tagging her.
After running lines while sipping their tea is when the popcorn started popping. Stefan searched for a movie and decided on The Intruder just as their snack was finished. Bonnie poured the popcorn in a large bowl then carried it over to him and smiled, sitting on the couch. He sat behind her then pulled her into his body, kissing the top of her head.
