Stefan was not an easy guy to read and that was something that he was aware of. He often kept his feelings in and would only admit to them if someone asked.
That is, until he fell for Caroline Forbes and then it was painfully obvious.
It all started back when everyone was having a movie night. Bonnie, Elena, Liam, Damon, Caroline and Stefan, were all sprawled out on the couches and chairs in the boarding house. It was Stefan and Caroline's weekly movie night and everyone had decided to join, which lead to them all watching The Notebook.
Damon and Liam had complained, of course, but Stefan made them shut up because he knew that Caroline needed this. Matt had broken up with her two days ago, so Stefan had decided to invite the whole group over to help cheer her up. She didn't talk about it, but he knew that she was sad and he wanted to help as much as he could.
Although, he was confused.
He didn't understand how someone could hurt Caroline. She was incredible, and stunning, and intelligent, and a complete ray of sunshine. Stefan couldn't comprehend how someone could purposely deny themselves the light that she gives them.
However, he had recently accepted that every guy who broke Caroline's heart was an idiot because no one in their right minds would hurt her. Even now when he looked at his best friend beside him, to see her mouthing the words, she still looked stunning.
As he gazed he began to spot the faint sprinkle of freckles that covered the end of her nose. It was such a small feature and yet he didn't know how he hadn't noticed it before. His eyebrows furrowed, as he noticed other small things, such as, the small flecks of green in her eyes, the way her nose slightly turned up at the end and the smoothness of her cheekbones.
The movie was soon forgotten because Stefan was so wrapped up in his observations of his best friend. After all, he had always known that she was beautiful, but now he really saw it, only people were wrong. Caroline wasn't beautiful.
She was exquisite, gorgeous, magnificent, stunning, superb. Caroline Forbes was all of those words and more.
Simply, she was perfect.
And Stefan was terrified because that was when the butterflies started. Panic started to spread throughout his body, as goosebumps started sprouting where Caroline's arm touched Stefan's. His heart started to race when a small yawn left her mouth and she carefully laid her head on his shoulder.
What if?
No. There was no way that Stefan could fall for his best friend.
After all, she's Caroline and he's Stefan, best friends since they were six. But then Elena looked at him, from under Damon's arm and became confused at his look of panic.
"I have to go to the bathroom," he announced, quickly.
Caroline's head was practically thrown off of his shoulder, as he strode up to his bathroom. Cold water was thrown on his face, after he managed to calm down his breathing.
"You've fallen for her haven't you?" Elena asked from the door.
Stefan rolled his eyes, a habit he picked up from his blonde friend, and turned to Elena. "No I haven't, that's ridiculous."
"Then why were you staring at her and why have you looked like you wanted to punch Matt whenever he opens his mouth the last few days?" the brunette challenged.
"Because he doesn't deserve someone that amazing. Stupid Matt doesn't deserve to lead someone that indescribable on and then drop her like it's nothing, for someone who is much less," Stefan argued.
"So what? Do you think that you could do better?"
"Yea, maybe I do," he tried and failed to sound cocky.
Elena patted his chest, in comfort. "Yea, you totally haven't fallen for her."
After that, the whole group gradually found out, while Stefan tried to organize his feelings and often times, control them. Perhaps he was good at hiding most feelings, but his affection for Caroline Forbes, seemed to be an exception.
Although he couldn't help it, he was enamoured.
However, sometimes that becomes a problem, such as, this moment. It was a week after Caroline got drunk and the group had decided to go for dinner at The Grille. For a while it was good, with everyone laughing and talking, all while Stefan could watch Caroline.
This had quickly become one of his favorite past times. He enjoyed seeing her face light up when she talked about something that she loved, which included plans, romantic movies and puppies. Stefan also liked watching her when she was concentrated, as her eyebrows would furrow and her tongue would stick out of her mouth.
Stefan considered himself an expert at reading Caroline Forbes, which meant that he noticed that she wore her flirty smile. He couldn't really understand why, until he saw that the new kid Enzo, kept staring at her.
Without warning his hands clenched into fists and the whole conversation became white noise, as he tried to control his anger. His vision blurred without his permission and his stomach churned, making him feel like he was going to throw up.
"Seems like Enzo has taken an interest in you," Bonnie commented, making him see red.
Through the fizzing in his ears he could hear Caroline let out a small laugh. He knew that laugh because it was the sound that escaped her when they were fourteen and Tyler had kissed her on the cheek.
"I don't know what you're talking about," the blonde answered, smirking.
"Clearly you're into guys with accents," Damon said under his breath, knowing that everyone could hear him.
Their small argument drowned out, when Stefan force himself to focus on the table. He wouldn't allow himself to look up because he knew that if he did he would see that stupid British face or pity filled looks from his friends.
"Stefan are you okay?" Caroline asked, innocently.
The smile on his face was forced and he could tell that his friends knew that, but the important thing was that Caroline didn't know. She couldn't know.
"Yea I'm fine,"
"You sure?" Stefan nodded his head, automatically. "Okay, then what do you think about Enzo?"
The words were out of his mouth before Stefan could stop himself. "Don't you think it's a little soon to hop into bed with another British prick?"
The smile on Caroline's face dropped instantly and regret immediately flooded through Stefan's body. Suddenly it seemed that there was no air left in the restaurant and the young Salvatore could no longer stand to see her hurt face. Without warning he stood up and walked out to the street, after he cooled off he would talk to her, he just needed a break.
But he hadn't walked that far before Elena was in front of him.
"What the hell was that?" she asked, indignantly.
"He doesn't deserve her," Stefan spat at her, as if that explained everything.
"Well you don't either if you keep acting like a jealous boyfriend!" Stefan just rolled his eyes, as he tried to walk past her, before he was stopped again. "What's wrong with him?"
"He doesn't know her!" Stefan yelled.
"Why the hell does that matter?"
"Because I do!" he screamed, making his words echo on the deserted street. "I understand why he's interested in her, everyone is. I understand how he's enchanted by her golden halo and bright blue eyes, but he still doesn't know her," Stefan's voice had dropped by this point, as he let everything out.
"He doesn't know that when she feels bad she will apologize and rant about it constantly. He doesn't know that when you buy her something, she won't pay you back, but she will surprise you with something later. He doesn't know that she'll never say that she's cold, but if you give her a coat she will always be grateful. He doesn't know that you can cheer her up with ice cream and a romantic movie, but you never get her mint chocolate chip or make her watch The Fault In Our Stars."
"Stefan-" Elena started, her eyes drifting to something behind him.
Stefan however took no notice. He started and he was going to finish it.
"And the one thing that he'll never know is that she just wants to be loved. Caroline Forbes will repeatedly fall for the bad guy and always end up getting hurt. She just needs someone to choose her and show her off because she deserves that! She deserves someone that holds her hand in public because they know that she's too good for them."
"So what exactly are you saying?" Elena asked, for the final push that he needed.
Stefan shook his head, a small smile appearing on his face. "I'm saying what everyone already knew. I am in love with Caroline Forbes and I couldn't be more in love with her if I tried."
A small gasp from behind Stefan made him turn his head to come face-to-face with the one and only Caroline Forbes, who looked like she just saw a ghost.