:THEM:

He wanted to take her out. They haven't been on a date in a while and since it was Friday and the evening weather was nice, he told her to dress in something pretty so he could show her a good time. She smiled and got lost in the closet while Stefan called in a little favor that he decided to cash in.

Stefan whistled. "Damn, girl."

"Shut up." Bonnie giggled rolling her eyes.

Stefan walked up to her circling his hands around her waist and she circled her arms around his neck leaning up to kiss him.

"Where are we going?"

"I'll give you a hint, it's something that you've always wanted to do but I was too stubborn to."

"Bungee jumping?"

"No. Hell no."

She chuckled. "Are we going dancing?" She sang.

Stefan smiled and she took that as a yes, glad that he finally was taking her out for a little moving of the hips.

Once Stefan got dressed, they headed out into a small club downtown. Bonnie has personally never been there before and she wondered how Stefan even knew of such a place. They walked past the small line like they were VIPs.

"Stefan, my man."

"Carlson,"

The men shook hands in some handshake and Bonnie just looked up at Stefan as they were lead into the club. Jazz music boomed through the hallway and someone took Bonnie coat and Stefan twirled her onto the dance floor.

The place was almost packed with people but there was still enough space to move comfortably.

"How did you know about this place?"

"My buddy owns the joint so I called in a little favor."

Bonnie smiled and rested her head on his shoulder moving along to the music. As the song ended, Bonnie lifted her head and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"Buy me a drink?"

"I'll be back." He parted with a kiss.

Bonnie watched him walk away swaying slightly to the music then all movements stopped with Evan came to view.

"Evan," she smiled nervously, "what are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same. I thought Stefan hated dancing?"

"He doesn't hate it, he just rather do something else."

Evan nodded. "Can I ask you something? Why have you been ignoring me?"

Bonnie hadn't had the chance to talk to him about the whole ban thing mainly because she was banned from seeing him.

"Yeah, I meant to talk to you about that…maybe we could meet up tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll text you."

Bonnie smiled and nodded and was thankful that his friends called him over just in time when she saw Stefan making his way back.

"Miss me?"

"That depends on your definition of "miss"." Bonnie took a sip of her drink.

Stefan chuckled and moved his hand to her exposed back walking her to the seating area. He slid in next to her in a booth having her back hit the wall.

"I have something to give you."

"Is it a diamond?"

Stefan smiled loving that she was thinking about marriage too. He removed the drink from her hand placing it on the table then pulled out a box. Bonnie smiled and took the box from his hand.

"I want to open it for you." Stefan took the box back.

"Why?"

"It's more special."

Bonnie chuckled and watched as he opened it and turned it towards her. Her eyes went wide and she gasped causing Stefan to smile taking the 10K Diamond Infinity Pendant necklace in white gold out of the box.

"Baby," Bonnie frowned, "I don't know what to say."

Stefan chuckled and kissed her pouting face and clasped the necklace around her neck.

"I love it, thank you so much."

"You're welcome, beautiful." He leaned in.

"First dancing now gifts," Bonnie said pulling away, "are you trying to get in my pants?"

They smiled. "I just love you, that's all."

"And because you love me would you agree with me meeting Evan for lunch tomorrow? I've been ignoring him lately and I just want him to know why."

He sighed tilting his head back. He was a little annoyed that Evan seemed to always pop up. It seemed like recently they couldn't go a day without his name showing up and he was sick of it.

"Stef-"

"Alright, fine. But seriously after this, I'm done talking about him, Bonnie."

"I know and I'm sorry for ruining the moment but I didn't want to go behind your back."

"Enough about him," Stefan ran his fingers down her hair and leaned in to kiss her then pulled away to hug her.

"I love you too." She held him back.

"I'm sorry for being such a prick lately." Stefan apologized still hugging her.

"You have your reasons, I can handle it."

"You deserve better than me. I'm breaking up with you."

"You can't break up with me because I ban you from doing so."

Stefan laughed and moved his head to kiss the side of her neck. "You're gonna pay me back for that necklace, right?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we'll figure out a monthly plan."

"Good, I could use the cash."

Bonnie smiled and squeezed his body while he moved his hand along her exposed back.

"I love us." She said after a while.

"I love us too."

Stefan pulled away from the hug and kissed her lips then pulled her to the dance floor for one more dance.


Stefan knew that he gave her the OK to meet with Evan, but he didn't want her to go, especially when they spent the morning in bed. He woke up early to make her breakfast and they enjoyed it together in bed just being lazy after the long night they had. When she announced that she had to get ready, he wrapped her in his arms and rested his head beside hers.

"Baby, don't leave me."

Bonnie chuckled. "I'm coming back."

"What am I supposed to with you gone?"

"Clean the house, iron your church clothes for tomorrow," Bonnie listed off, "you'll figure out something."

She raked her hands through his soft hair then convinced him to get up so she could get ready. She hadn't even brushed her teeth yet and it was past one. She took the car and arrived just as Evan was. They shared a hug then took a seat at one of the tables outside and ordered their food.

"How's your day so far?" Evan asked.

"Lazy. Stefan and I spent it in bed watching movies and talking. You?"

"I've been out basically all morning. I had some errands to do."

"Sounds exciting." Bonnie laughed.

"Ha. Ha. Ms. Lazy... Why have you been ignoring me?"

Bonnie chewed on her lip not knowing how this would all play out, luckily the waiter arrived asking if they would like to eat buying her some time. Bonnie knew that things would end badly so she just ordered a water. She ran through the conversation in her head multiple times, and almost every time, Evan would storm off not wanting to be her friend anymore.

"You know I love you," Bonnie opened.

"I love you too."

"But I have some news that you're not going to like." Evan's eyebrows met in the middle of his head and Bonnie took a breath continuing. "You know how Stefan isn't your biggest fan but when you came over for dinner, he seemed to not like you even more…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I asked him if you could come over he said that you had three strikes."

"Three strikes?"

"Yeah like… you see I think Stefan thinks that we were a little more than friends at one point and he's stuck on the idea that you like me more than a friend. He gave you three strikes and you used up all three."

"How?"

"Well the first one was when you guys were talking at the door, I don't exactly remember what you said but he didn't like it. The second was when you placed your hand over mind telling that story and the third was when you kissed me on the cheek and told me that you loved me."

"If I'd known-"

"I know you didn't do it on purpose but the reason that I've been ignoring you lately is that, well… Stefan banned me from you for two months."

Evan burst into laughter, "Oh, Bonnie you're too funny." He wiped away a tear, "No, seriously girl, tell me what's up."

"I'm serious. He feels, for lack of better term, threatened by our relationship and he wants us to back off for a little bit."

"Wow. And you just went along with it?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but I love Stefan and if backing off for a while is what he needs to know that we're just friends then I'll do it."

"Why don't you just break up with him? He obviously doesn't believe that you're telling the truth about us. If he can't trust you then why are you even with him?"

"Because I love him, Evan. I know he trusts that we're friends, but he just thinks that you want something more."

Evan shook his head. "Well, I guess I'll see you in two months."

"Evan-"

"You better hurry home before Stefan comes looking for you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, please, you'll do anything he says and for what? To get banned every time he thinks something is up?"

"I do n-"

"He manipulates you, Bonnie. You know what I bet he even made you choose. What he'd say it's either him or me?" He chuckled. "Why can't you see that he's wrong for you? Man says that he's a Christian but bans your friendships, the fuck outta here."

Bonnie sat there on the verge of tears taking in every word and the sad part was that he was right.

Evan saw the look in her eyes and walked beside her, "You don't have to be with him, you're not obligated to. Pack your things, come stay with me… Think about it."

She watched him get into his car and leave while a thousand things were running in her head. Bonnie got up and headed home feeling herself grow angry every block she passed. She slammed the car door and walked up the stairs roughly wiping a tear from her face. Stefan smiled and sat up as she walked in, but then that smile went away seeing the look on her face.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"I hate you, that's what's wrong!"

"What happened? What did I do?"

"You fuckin' banned my friendship that's what you did. You manipulate me into doing things that I don't want to do, you use my love for you as an advantage and use it to see how high I would jump when you tell me to."

"That's not true."

"Evan thinks so, everyone seems to think so but I was blinded but he brought me to light."

"Who is everyone, if anything he's manipulating you because he wants you, Bonnie."

"Stefan, enough with the jealous bullshit! Evan is a friend, we are friends when will you learn to accept that?! If you don't trust me then-"

"I trust you, Bonnie, it's him I don't trust."

"That's the same thing. I know how to handle myself and until you can accept that, I think we need some time apart."

His body turned cold. "What?"

"We need a break. We spend too much time together I think we need some space."

"Bon-"

"I should go." She turned to leave.

"Bonnie, wait, I'm sorry, I'll lift the ban, I'll do-"

She shook her head, "That's the thing. There shouldn't have been a ban to lift in the first place."

"Bonnie, please don't leave, I love you, I'm sorry. I'll do anything, please. Hey, hey," he grabbed her turning her towards him so they could look into each other's eyes. He caressed the side of her face, "I love you. I'm sorry. Please don't leave me, I'll do anything you ask. I'm sorry, please stay, please. I love you, I love you so much. Please,"

A tear left each eye and she closed them as his thumb wiped them away.

"Come on, let's just, let's just lay together, okay and- and talk this through. Yeah?" He grabbed her hand and took a few steps toward the bed, but she wouldn't move. "Baby, please. I'm so sorry."

She sniffed in. "Goodbye, Stefan."

His eyes widened and it feels like his heart stops as he's watching the woman he loves walk away from him. He would've stopped her but he knew that wouldn't change anything. His heart broke hearing the door close and the engine start.

"Bonnie,"