I'm so surprised at how fast this story is moving, yet still being a bit of a slow burn.
Though things will be picking up soon! ;)
Hope you guys like!
April rolled her eyes as Tyler continued to obsess about the end of the football season.
If he wasn't such good friends with Christian, she wouldn't even bother acknowledging him or his overly "I'm a jock" attitude.
She couldn't stand people who thought they were better than everyone else.
"So, Chris is supposed to meet us out here, right?" she asked, her arms crossing as she leaned against Tyler's car.
"That's what he said," Tyler nodded, turning back to Kol, "But seriously man, that last throw would have landed us in State if Harper would have caught it! I can't believe he fumbled that again!"
"Yup, really tragic," Kol droned, winking at April.
He hated the sport just as much as she did.
"Really, though," Tyler pressed, "You and Chris can both catch better than that guy. I have no idea why Coach moved him up to Varsity."
"A mystery that dumbfounds us all," April assured him, standing straight as Chris came into view.
Kol spotted him as well, and took it as an excuse to end Tyler's rant, "Bout time, Salvatore."
Chris walked over, and through an arm around April's shoulder, "Sorry, fucking Garner man, he made me stay after to explain my "lack of dedication" in his class."
"Mr. Garner is an ass who gets pleasure from making his students lives inconvenient," Tyler offered.
"Doesn't matter," Chris shrugged, looking down at April, "You're here…I'm guessing that means your Dad said yes?"
She nodded, "Yep, but I have to be home by nine. It's technically still a school night."
"That's fine," Chris agreed, looking back at his friends, "So are we going or what?"
Tyler nodded, hopping in the driver's seat.
Kol raised a brow, "So I'm guessing that I actually get the front seat today? Because you know, you could still sit up there, I'll hang out in back and keep April company."
He wiggled his brows, as Christian rolled his eyes, and she laughed, "As if."
"One day you're gonna regret not giving me the time of day, Miss. Young, and when that day comes, I'll have moved on, and you'll just have to live in lonely misery."
She chuckled, rolling her eyes, "Sure Kol, considered me warned."
Chris opened the back door, "I'd like to actually get home before dark, so Kol, if you're through flirting with my girl, can we get going?"
"So moody," he complained, but opened the passenger's door, "But you make a point."
"Thanks," Chris offered, "Now shut up and get it."
Kol did just that, and April slid into the back seat, Chris sitting next to her, pulling the door shut.
"You all good?" Tyler asked.
"Yep," Chris answered, settling against the seat, "Just drive."
April leaned into his shoulder, and he smiled down at her.
After a moment she asked, "So…what's for dinner?"
He smirked, "I didn't ask, but I assume it depends on who's in charge of it."
"Meaning?" she asked.
"Well, if Mom makes it, expect something simple…But apparently Damon learned how to cook from my grandmother."
She laughed, "I guess that's one perk of being Italian."
"Oh, come on," Kol shot from the passenger's seat, "You're technically only Italian if you're from Italy."
"The Salvatore's originated from Italy," Chris explained, "Before they moved to the America's and joined the group of families that founded our town."
"Yeah and you're all the darlings of the town because of it…we get it," Kol groaned.
Tyler shook his head, "Hey, not all of us are pedestaled that high."
"No?" April inquired, "Because your mother isn't head of the town's council or anything."
He shrugged, "Just because our parents are all into this high and mighty founding family stuff doesn't mean that the rest of us are."
"Like we have a choice," Chris reminded him, "We're just as doomed to suffer the same uptightness as our ancestors."
"Especially you," Kol shot, "You know, having them on both sides. Gilbert and Salvatore."
"But his dad got out," Tyler reminded him.
"Yeah, but he came back, doesn't count," Kol added, just as they pulled up to Chris's house.
"Enough, guys," he commanded, "Seriously. Find something better to talk about than my life, alright?"
They nodded, finally quiet, and April had it in her to feel a little bad for them.
They didn't understand his sensitivity toward the subject.
"Come on," she insisted, reaching over him to open the door, "We're here."
He nodded, "Yeah, let's go. Thanks for the ride, Ty."
"No problem," he answered, "See you guys tomorrow."
Chris nodded, shutting the door after April stepped out.
As they watched his friend's drive away, she placed an arm around his waist.
"You okay?"
He looked down at her, "Yeah…why?"
She shrugged, "You just seem a little wound up."
He gave her a small smile, "I'm fine…"
His eyes flickered up toward the house, and she could see the uncertainty flash in them.
"You're nervous," she outed him.
He shook his head, "I'm not. Tonight is just dinner."
"Yeah right," she shot, "Because me meeting your dad is no big deal whatsoever."
"He's not-"
"Chris," she stopped him, "Don't. Don't pretend like this isn't important to you, please."
His gaze held hers for a moment, then he sighed, "I'm freaking the hell out."
She nodded, "I know. But it'll be fine, you'll see."
He nodded, "I hope so."
She leaned up on her tipped-toes, to place a kiss on his lips, "It will…besides, I'm really excited."
He smiled, "Yeah?"
She nodded, "Definitely. I've always been curious about where you get your attitude from. It's definitely not from your mom, she's too sweet."
He chuckled, "Well, then I guess we should go inside."
Again, she nodded, and he took her hand.
Chris pulled her toward the house, and she realized that she was a little nervous herself.
He really wanted this thing with Damon to work out, she could tell, meaning that it was important that Damon like her…seeing as she spent most of her time with Chris.
As they stepped inside, they heard voices coming from the kitchen.
"You have to stir it slowly, darlin, that's the only way it'll-"
"I am stirring it slowly. Seriously, any slower and it's gonna burn."
"It is not going to burn. Here, switch me."
Chris, still holding her hand, led her toward them.
"Mom?" he announced, as they came into the kitchen, stopping in the door way.
Elena, who was standing near the stove with a hand on her hip, looked over, "Oh, hey baby, I didn't know you were home…April," she greeted with a smile.
April smiled back, just as the man next to her, who had been stirring whatever was in the pot on the stove top, turned as well.
She had to blink a few times.
"April, huh?" He raised an eyebrow, smirking.
She glanced up at Chris, then back at his father, offering him a smile, "The one and only."
He sat the spoon he held to the side and walked over, offering her a hand, "Damon Salvatore. It's nice to meet you."
She nodded, shaking his hand, "Ditto. Though the intro isn't really necessary. It's pretty clear who you are."
He chuckled a little, "I take it you listen to my music?"
She shrugged, "Sometimes, but that's not what I meant."
"No?" he inquired.
"You are clearly related to Chris," she noted, "The resemblance is hard to miss."
"Touché," he offered, before looking at Christian, "You like Mexican food?"
Chris nodded and April laughed, "He likes any food."
"Not pickles," Chris reminded her, and Damon's eye brow rose.
"You have to have gotten that from your mother."
"Hey," Elena defended, "Don't pick on him for that. Pickles are disgusting."
Damon only smirked, before looking back toward the stove, "Well, there's no pickles on tonight's menu. So you're both safe."
April smiled a little, not missing the way Elena's eyes lingered as Damon turned back toward the stove.
Tonight was going to be interesting.
Damon checked the food, making sure the enchiladas were finishing up now that he'd added his four cheese sauce.
Everything seemed to be moving on schedule, so he shut the oven and decided to give it a few more minutes.
April and Chris were sitting next to each other, at the island, and Elena was engaged in a conversation with them about their upcoming essay focusing on the town's history, while working on mixing the guacamole, to go with the chips.
"I'm so jealous of you guys!" April was saying, "You and Tyler both have a head start because of all your family heritage stuff, and us normal folk gotta dig through the publications that the libraries kept. And that's really interesting, let me tell you."
Chris smirked, "I told you that you could borrow mine, babe. We can set up a study date this weekend or something."
Damon didn't miss the blush on April's cheek, and his body tensed.
Chris was looking at April the same way he'd looked at Elena when they were that age, and he knew exactly what they'd been doing during their own study sessions, back then.
Idly, he wondered if Elena had ever had that talk with Chris, and decided to ask her later, once they were alone.
Because if his gut feeling was right, he needed to make sure Christian knew the risks of his actions.
Pushing it aside for now, he leaned back against the stove, and focused on the scene before him, and couldn't help but smile.
He could get use to this, the whole family thing.
"How's it coming?" he asked, checking over Elena to see the guacamole she had finished mushing.
"All done," she grinned, looking up at him, and he had to force himself not to pull her to him and take her mouth right there in front of both teens.
But somehow, he managed to just return the smile, while causally sliding a hand across the small of her back, before leaning down to stick his finger in it.
He scooped a little and brought it to his mouth, "Not bad."
She nudged at him, playfully, "Hey! No eating it until it's all done!"
Unable to help himself, he scooped a little more, and quickly swiped it on her nose.
"Damon!" she scolded, laughing, "Stay out of the food! And go check your enchiladas!"
He chuckled, moving to grab the plates he'd sat out, as she wiped the dip off of her face.
He turned, handing them to Chris, "You two want to go set the table?"
Chris nodded, grabbing the plates, as April picked up the forks.
They left the kitchen, heading toward the dining area adjacent to the room.
Taking advantage of their momentary absence, Damon turned to Elena.
"Come here," he whispered.
She blinked at him, but stepped forward, and he smiled, taking her into his arms.
He noticed a little of the guacamole still on her nose, and smirked.
"You missed some."
She raised a brow, her hand coming up to find it, "Where?"
Catching her hand, he leaned down, kissing the bridge of her nose, letting his tongue slide across it, removing the remaining smudge.
"Mmhm," he pulled away, staring into her eyes, "Delicious."
She blushed, and he knew he wouldn't have much more time, so grabbing her face, he placed a hard kiss on her lips.
He pulled back before they were interrupted, and she seemed breathless, "What was that for?"
He smirked, "Just in case I don't get the chance later."
Leaving her with a wink, he moved to check the enchiladas that were finishing in the oven.
Christian finished sitting the last of the plates around the table, and started to walk back toward the kitchen, when April grabbed his arm.
Hesitating he looked back, and she smiled, "Let's give them a minute."
His brows furrowed, "What do you mean?"
She sighed, with a playful roll of her eyes, "Boys…I swear. Can you really not see it?"
He raised a brow, "If you're referring to how they keep looking at each other, the yes, I see it."
She shook her head, "The how isn't important Chris, it's the way they keep looking at each other."
"Ah," he humored her, "Enlighten me then."
She threw a glance toward the kitchen, "They are being all flirty, and it's so obvious that they're into each other! And your mom…she seems really relaxed…like more than I've ever seen her before."
Chris nodded, having noticed that as well.
"I think Damon being here has taken that pressure off of her."
"Exactly!" April noted, "And she's happy, and he's clearly in love with her and if we could just get them-"
"Babe," he chuckled, cutting her off, "I'm sure you're dying to play match maker, but my parents aren't exactly candidates for Extreme Makeover: Family Edition."
"No," she agreed, "They're your parents, and they totally have the hots for each other, so-"
"Oh God," he complained, "Not the mental images I need for the rest of tonight."
"Don't you want them back together?" she mock pouted.
He grinned. She was so damn cute sometimes.
"Of course I do…eventually. But I think that that's something that'll be up to them. I just want my mom happy, and yes, obviously Damon helps with that, but I think it's too soon for them to really know anything."
She stepped forward grabbing his face, "Chris. Love doesn't need time. It just happens. Randomly, passionately, and full force. There's no choice in the matter, and there is nothing anyone can do to change it. You have it or you don't, and I'm telling you, your parents have it!"
He pursed his lips to keep from smiling, "I love you and your over romanticism."
She smirked, "You'd better. Because I chose to love you."
His brow raised, "I thought love wasn't a choice?"
She sized him up for a moment, before narrowing her eyes, "Shut up, Salvatore."
He grinned, kissing her forehead, "Come on. I think we've given them enough time to throw hot glances at each other."
She sighed, but nodded, letting him pull her back into the kitchen.
Okay, so April met Damon!
What did you think?
The stolen kiss?
April's support?
Damon cluing in to what his teenage son might be thinking about his teenage girlfriend ;) ?
I promise the next chapter will be the actual dinner lol.
Review please!?