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They pulled out of the parking lot and Stefan started the drive towards their houses. He turned on the radio, "February Stars" started playing. She loved the Foo Fighters. She couldn't help but start to cry, usually, she only broke down after bouts with her father but half the time she held it in. Stefan looked over at her, "Caroline, are you okay?" he sounded worried and instantly pulled over. They were a minute from her house. She instantly started wiping under her eyes, "I'm okay, god I'm so sorry I really shouldn't be crying right now I don't even know why I am." He went to put his hand on her shoulder and she jumped a bit. Then she really couldn't hold back and just started sobbing. Stefan stared at her with genuine concern and sadness. What he feared most about her seemed to be true.
He turned down the radio, "Hey," he whispered and she looked over at him. "I'm sorry it's just what Tyler said was awful and I just… I can't… I'm not" she started to ramble. Stefan reached over and hugged her, completely engulfing her in his strong embrace. "Hey," he started to make shushing noises, "It's okay you don't need to be sorry. Please don't be sorry." One of his hands gently ran through her hair to instinctively calm her. They pulled apart and she looked up at him, her beautiful eyes glistening with tears. He glided his thumb gently under both of her eyes then got her a napkin. They broke apart and she wiped her face and gently blew her nose, "I'm sorry Stefan I know you want nothing to do with me and probably hate me and this isn't how you want to be spending your Friday night with some sobbing girl in your passenger seat." She looked over at him, nose slightly red but still the most radiant creature he'd ever seen.
He furrowed his brow, "I don't hate you Caroline… I couldn't…you're so…" he shook his head while looking down at his feet but his body was still turned to hers. "I hate myself… I feel like such a horrible person… for the way I feel about you. The way I let you make me feel like it's eating me up inside." They made eye contact and didn't break it for what seemed like a lifetime. "You're a good man Stefan, I know you are." He painfully shut his eyes. She didn't want to go home but she didn't want to push her luck.
She put her hand on his face and he let himself sink into her touch. "I can't," he scratched out and opened his eyes. She didn't believe him. He couldn't even say that he wanted to, even if he felt it so deeply. She let her arm fall, "You're plaguing my mind, Caroline. I can't escape you no matter how hard I try and it's just making me loathe myself even more." She couldn't believe what she was hearing, she didn't think he felt like this. "Stefan I… feel the same way it's excruciating. Doesn't that mean something? Maybe it's okay?" He just threw his head back. She watched as his Adam's apple bobbed up and down and if he was trying to force some emotion down his throat.
He looked over at her, "It isn't okay Caroline. I'm older than you and in a position of authority over you… it can become easily manipulating." Caroline shook her head, "I don't think about that when I think of you. What made me feel this way about you was just me and you being together. I feel this way because of who you are as a person, not just because…" she trailed off and became angry. "How dare you think I'm this dumb little submissive girl who's just infatuated with the taboo of it all!" She scoffed and shook her head. "I didn't say that! And I didn't mean to imply it, it's just… this is making me feel like a bad person and that's all on me. I think you're wonderful and wise beyond your years. It's not like that." She instantly calmed down, she couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth.
"I don't know what to do. I know what I should do and what I want to do," he stated looking forward then meeting her gaze. Holy shit what's happening Caroline thought to herself. Caroline looked around, they were still pulled off to the side of the road. Stefan cleared his throat, "We should get going…" "I don't want to go home," she quickly replied and met with his gorgeous green eyes. A strange emotion flashed across his face, he was wary. "I don't…" she cut him off, "Can we just pull into your driveway? Maybe sit and talk and I can smoke a much-needed cigarette." He laughed a bit and pulled onto the main road making the short drive to his house. "You know I have to tell you that you shouldn't smoke," he smiled and she felt herself melting into his seat. She softly giggled, "It's a once and a while thing I promise." They pulled into his driveway and Stefan let out this sigh, seeming content but conflicted with the whole situation.
"I don't want to smoke in your car…" Stefan just shook his head, "It's fine really, plus it's too cold out anyway." She just smiled and nodded, proceeded to light her cigarette than just looked at him, "I can't believe what I'm doing right now," she giggled a bit. He shook his head, "Yeah I'm not sure either." They looked at each other, she took a drag. "I really appreciate you being there for me tonight, I couldn't believe how Tyler was acting or what he said." Stefan didn't know what to say so he just let her continue, "Sure I know what some people think of me and Elena but he's supposed to be my friend." Stefan just raised an eyebrow at her, "Come on everyone talks at the school, even the teachers you must have heard about what they think of us." He just put his hands up and shook his head. "We get our work done and get good grades so most of the teachers don't give us trouble but they for sure gossip." Stefan just laughed.
"I guess Damon and I have just been keeping to ourselves. But I noticed you and Rebekah are close." Caroline smiled, "Oh yeah she's great, like genuinely one of the best people I've ever met. Bonnie too—she's really straightforward and cool even though she pretends to hate Elena and me." Stefan laughed, "What do you think of Miss Pierce?" "You mean the goddamn ice queen? She's a fucking bitch!" Stefan bellowed out laughter, "Yeah she's definitely something else— I think she's been coming onto my brother." Well, that's good to know… Caroline thought. "Speaking of your brother…" She looked at Stefan waiting for him to get the hint but he just cocked his head at her. "What about him?" Caroline didn't know what to do, "Uh… are you and him not close?" Stefan furrowed his brow, "We're like best friends." Caroline took a sip of a water bottle he had in the cup holder not knowing how to proceed. Caroline raised an eyebrow then threw her finished cigarette out the window.
"What's up?" Stefan chuckled and looked at her incredulously. "Um…" Caroline nervously laughed, "I thought you already knew." Now Stefan was intrigued, "Knew what? Something about my brother?" Caroline's jaw clenched, "And my best friend Elena." Stefan's mouth opened slightly and he leaned back, his body facing Caroline. He scoffed, "What are you saying?" Caroline took another nervous sip, "I thought you knew!" Stefan threw his hands up slightly, "About what?!" "Elena and Damon hooking up!" She shouted. Then there was a deafening silence. His jaw dropped, "What?" Caroline just clenched her teeth and nodded. He adjusted himself in his seat and sat straight forward, eyes to the ground. "I think I'm in fucking shock right now," he stated. "I thought you knew, I thought you guys would have talked about it."
He just shook his head, "No he did not inform me he was hooking up with a high schooler." "Elena's already 18!" Caroline said thinking it would make something better but she realized how bad that sounded. Stefan threw his hands in his face, "Oh my fucking god," he let out a deep sigh then looked over to Caroline, "I need a fucking drink and I don't know what the fucks going on anymore so you're welcome to join me for a bit if you'd like, then I can take you home." She didn't know what to say so she just nodded, "I could use a drink too."
They got out of the car, she couldn't help but stare at him as he fumbled with his keys to open the door. What am I doing… Stefan thought to himself. They walked inside and she first looked up at the stairs, Oh my god, his bedrooms up there… She thought. "Is it okay if I use your restroom?" She asked. "Oh yeah let me give you a quick tour, Uh bathrooms right up the hall to your right," They walked up the hall and he pointed right then they proceeded left, "Here's the kitchen and living room, down the hall, is the office and laundry room and upstairs is the rest." She just smiled and nodded, she couldn't believe she was in his fucking house. He nervously laughed, "I'll uh, get our drinks, meet me back in the kitchen?" She nodded and walked away.
Once in the bathroom she splashed some cold water on her face and ran her fingers through her hair. She took off the jersey she was wearing so she was just in her black long sleeve and zip up. Overall she looked super cute in her dark wash bootcut jeans and converse. From her purse, she grabbed deodorant, perfume, and chapstick and applied everything. Then she pulled out her phone, she had a message from Elena, "OMG tell me everything when you can! Tylers an asshole. Prob gonna ditch the party soon to meet up with you know who, I'll text if I go to his place." Caroline checked the time, it was 9:30. Not too late for a Friday. Plus it was the Friday before her dad got home so Caroline's mom didn't care when she got home, plus she thought she was with Elena. All she needed to do was text her if she was sleeping out. She replied to Elena, "I'M AT HIS HOUSE…going better than I expected, we will need to have a full debrief tomorrow! I'll text you when I get home…If I go home."
She exited the bathroom and walked to the kitchen. Stefan was standing at the island with two glasses in front of him. He nervously chuckled when he saw her, "I can't believe you're in my house." She just shrugged. "I also can't believe my brother is having sex with a high schooler…those words feel illegal coming out of my mouth." She walked over to him saying, "They haven't had sex yet! But I think they're going to and maybe soon. But she's 18! So I guess the only bad part is he's her teacher?" She tried to reason but Stefan just gave her a look.
"So I have vodka and rum, which one are you thinking? I might need a shot then a drink," He stated. She laughed then drank him in with her eyes. He was standing leaning back on a counter with his arms crossed, she could see his muscles through his shirt and gulped. "Um well I drank a little before the game so I guess I should stick with vodka?" Stefan arched an eyebrow. "Sprite an okay chaser?" He asked. At this point, he was still reeling from the news of his brother, although it wasn't far from his current situation so he couldn't be too shocked.
He grabbed two shot glasses and poured vodka in each, "So what's this too?" She asked in regard to the shots. Stefan just laughed the sweetest and genuine laugh she's ever heard. "Oh god, let's see…" He looked so goddamn cute trying to think of something. "Okay, I know!" Caroline said proudly, "To fact being stranger than fiction…cause you can't make this shit up." Stefan cocked a crooked smile and they cheered, hit their glasses on the island before slamming them back. Caroline welcomed and shunned the burn, she needed it for her nerves but boy was it ghastly. After taking a couple of sips of Sprite they made their mixed drinks then just looked at each other from across the way. This should be an interesting night.