Letters to My Ex-Jerk
Chapter 16- Back Home
"So you dated Caroline?" I asked, as I pulled up the seat next to Damon's. We were in the café waiting for our flight. Andie had dragged Stefan off to go shopping. Actually, first she'd tried to drag Damon but after she'd given up hope trying to convince him, she, after taking my consent, took Stefan with her instead.
"Yes, so what?" Damon's eyes didn't leave the cheese sandwich he was eating. I took a bite of his muffin, and he didn't even bat an eyelid.
"You never told me," I replied, and his dazzling blue eyes met mine for a second, looking bored and kind of confused at the same time.
"I didn't think it was important," He murmured.
"Tell me about what happened. Why did you break up?" I asked, curiously, as I nibbled on the muffin. He snatched it from me and took a big bite before handing it back to me.
I rolled my eyes at his actions and he groaned. "Do I have to?" He demanded, running a hand through his gorgeous soft black hair that I'd loved running my hand through when we were dating. I longed for that time. I'd lost my chance.
"Yes," I replied, putting my muffin down and looking at him expectantly.
He nodded, before he looked up to his right for a second, as if recalling what had happened."Yeah, it was senior year high school. She was head cheerleader; I was captain of the basketball team. We'd been friends forever so everyone expected us to give dating a try. We did but it lasted only a few months. It would have lasted less if it was my choice," He muttered, turning back to his food. He was such a boy.
"That's mean," I smacked him lightly.
"She was one of my best friends but me breaking up with her wrecked our friendship. It's ruined until today because of it," Damon continued as if I hadn't spoken.
"You're annoying when you ignore what I say," I commented, running a hand through wavy chocolate brown locks.
Damon looked up and met my muddy green eyes with his spectacular light blue ones. He didn't say anything and I was about to ask him what the heck he was doing when he said:
"You're cute all the time,"
Then he leaned towards me and swiftly covered his lips with my own, sending a spasm of emotions thundering through my body. I kissed him back without hesitation, giving in to my body's needs. My body needed Damon. I needed Damon. I loved Damon.
I pulled back a second later, remembering that I was dating Stefan and he was too nice for me to cheat on him. Damon was looking at me with a dazed look in his eyes that suddenly turned to smugness.
"What was that for?" I demanded, dumbfounded as I looked at his happy expression.
"I wanted to try something," Damon replied, before his eyes flitted to his watch and he hopped up.
"Is it time?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Yes, we need to get going. Our flight is boarding in 5," He informed me as he left some money on the table, pulled my hand and started walking me towards the stores so we could tell Stefan and Andie that we had to go board our flight. I felt so guilty about the kiss but it was amazing. I wouldn't regret kissing Damon in a million years. That in itself was a crime.
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"I think it might be better if I sit next to Bonnie because of us being old friends and all that," Damon suggested, as we approached our seats on the airplane.
Stefan scowled at him, "You've been sitting with her in Subway for like an hour while I was shopping," He snapped. Thankfully, Andie was out of earshot, trying to convince an air stewardess to let her take on 3 handbags instead of one.
"Well, she's your girlfriend. You have all the time in the world to hang out with her," Damon replied, an annoyed look on his face as he eyed his brother.
"Oh shut up. I know you'll be there annoying me every step of the way," Stefan replied. And on they went. I watched them like I was watching a ping pong match my head going from side to side. I was starting to get dizzy and every time I'd try to get a word in, either brother would snap at me to stay out of it, even though it was about me.
"Hey guys, what's up?" Andie asked, 10 minutes later when we were still standing in front of the seats.
"I'm sitting next to you," I took this as an opportunity to end their current feud. I knew neither of them would forgive me but I was sick of their bickering as if I wasn't even there. I took a surprised Andie's hand and pulled her onto the seat next to mine. She hauled her handbags into the compartment above the seats and slammed it shut.
I held my own hand bag up and slid past her, allowing her to take the window seat. She plugged in her iPod and started to sing along. I opened the compartment and tried to heave my bag in, but I couldn't reach and besides, I didn't have the strength to force the bag in when 3 of Andie's were already taking up most of the space.
I gave up after a few feeble tries, leaning against the seat. Damon and Stefan immediately came to my aid, fighting over my handbag. It would have been funny if I wasn't so sick and tired of what they were doing. At the end, Damon was the one who slid the bag in, closing the compartment behind him. He winked at me before he forced Stefan into the window seat and then slid into the chair behind mine.
"Welcome to American Express. Please switch off all cell-phones and fasten all your seatbelts because we are about to take off. The team of American Express wishes you an enjoyable and comfortable trip to your destination," The voice through the speakers clearly belonged to a squeaky air hostess, and I settled in my seat, fastening the seatbelt. I was about to switch off my phone when I received a text message.
I can't stop thinking about our kiss ;)
I rolled my eyes, knowing it was from Damon. I deleted it quickly and typed back one of my own:
Shut up! Look, what happens in Subway stays in Subway, okay?
I sent the message quickly and waited for a reply which came in a few seconds:
You want me. You want me. You loved the kiss.
I deleted his arrogant reply, and switched my cell phone off just as the air hostess came to yell at Damon for keeping his cell phone on. I resisted the urge to act like a four year old and stick my tongue out at him and point, laughing my head off at Damon like I used to do when I was a kid; instead, I turned to Andie who was watching me with a speculating look.
"What?" I asked her, feeling a little self conscious.
"You are so hard to figure out. Sometimes you're all fun and nice and other times you're more serious and stuff," She replied, unplugging her iPod and watching me.
"Hmm, yeah. It depends on who I'm with," I replied, shooting her a tiny smile as I tried to be nice to the girl who'd gotten me the free trip to see my father and best friend.
"I figured that. So you know, I was looking through this fashion magazine while you guys were fighting over the compartment thing and I found this dress that would really match your skin tone," She informed me, waving a magazine in my face. She prodded her finger on a lime green flowing dress that reached a little below the knees. I had to admit, I could see myself in it.
"It's pretty; I like it," I told her, looking at the dress, just as the airplane took off.
"Good. Do you know what would look great with it?" She asked, running a hand through her honey colored hair which she had made pin straight for the trip.
"Those golden and green flip flops!" Both of us announced in unison, laughing as we pointed at the picture of the flip flops.
"Great minds think alike," Andie noted, as she plugged one side of her iPod in, "Do you want to listen?"
"Sure," I took the headphone she offered me, "What are you listening to?"
"Taylor Swift," Andie replied, smiling at me.
I smiled back, "Awesome. That girl always knows what to say," I replied, feeling that Andie wasn't really as bad as I'd perceived her to be. She was merely misunderstood. And at that moment, I felt I'd truly gained a friend.
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"CARAMEL CRÈME!" I heard her excited squeal before I saw her running towards me, all dark brown hair that was almost black flying behind her and brown eyes sparkling against her caramel colored skin.
I dragged my bag along with me and fell into her arms. "Fudge Muffin!" We hugged for a few seconds, before Sarah pulled back and looked at me.
"You look hot!" She exclaimed, eyeing my outfit and then touching my hair. She was dressed in a white jeans miniskirt, a light pink and white camouflage camisole with a scooping neckline and some pink sandals. Her long dark brown hair was as straight and flowing down her back as it had always been and her brown eyes glimmered with the mischief they always did against fudge colored skin.
"You don't look so bad yourself," I replied, just as Damon, Stefan and Andie arrived to stand with us.
Sarah winked at me, before walking to stand in front of Damon. "Why hello there! You must be the asshole," She sang, in the bold tone of voice she always used while talking to males. It was the reason she'd been dating since she was the tender age of 11 years old yet I hadn't acquired a boyfriend until I was 13.
Damon looked slightly bewildered but then he smirked. "Hello Sarah," He replied, knowing her name from the in depth descriptions I'd given him of her when he'd asked about my best childhood friend back when we were dating.
"Hi, welcome to California," She told Stefan, offering him her Hollywood smile.
He smiled back as kindly as he always did, "Thanks," He replied.
Sarah's eyes rested on Andie and then widened. "Oh my god, you're Andie Starr. You used to go to UCLA with me," She said, and Andie looked a little embarrassed.
"Yes, I moved to the NYC," Andie mumbled, her eyes begging Sarah of something.
"You're the one who was kicked out because you had the lowest grades the university has ever seen." Sarah exclaimed, causing a few onlookers to shoot her an annoyed look because of her loud voice.
Andie looked uncomfortable as she stared at the ground, so I intervened to help my new friend. "That's enough, Ara. Um, so where's dad?" I asked.
"He's waiting by the door so he can help you guys carry your luggage and stuff," She informed me, as she took me by the hand and started dragging me towards the door. Her arm then slipped around my waist and I hugged her again, realizing how much I missed her. I pulled my bag along with me and the rest of them followed, Damon winking at me when no one was looking.
My cheeks burned as I remembered our kiss and Sarah noticed. "Why are you blushing, Caramel Crème?" She asked, in a whisper.
"I'll tell you later," I replied, in a cheerful tone so that Stefan and Andie wouldn't get what was going on. Damon was chuckling his head off, noting my embarrassment.
We arrived at the door, and I noticed Dad's bald head by it. His green eyes lit up as he saw me, and I moved my bag so that Sarah was pulling it and handed her my handbag before jumping into his arms. He hugged me tightly, a few tears making their way out of his eyes.
"I missed you," I sang, taking in his familiar smell. He smelled of the beach and of the pine trees in our garden. He smelled of home.
"I missed you more, Bon Bon," Dad replied, as he held me close.
I pulled back and started making introductions. "Dad, this is Damon," I pointed to Damon whose smirk turned into a respectable smile. He shook my dad's hand steadily and nodded at him. "His brother, Stefan," I said, pointing to Stefan who looked more than a little nervous.
"And your boyfriend," Dad gave me a knowing look. I shot him a bewildered look and he gestured to Sarah who grinned at me. I rolled my eyes at her but couldn't help but smile at her behavior. "And this is Andie, my new friend," I pointed to Andie who was typing something into her blackberry. She looked up at me as I called her name.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," She replied, shaking his hand and offering a sweet smile.
"Great, so are you kids coming back to our ol' house?" Dad asked, his arm still around my waist. I leaned into his side, feeling as happy as I always did when I was around him.
"Um, we will go to our hotel to get settled in, but we'll be sure to come visit you," I said, before anyone else could answer.
Dad nodded, "I'll be waiting for you guys," He smiled, "How about a ride to the hotel?"
"That would be awesome… er, sir," Andie replied.
"Call me Sean," Dad replied, looking amused at her behavior. He took my bags and some of Andie's and then we started towards the car, Damon and Stefan taking the rest of the load with them. We stuffed the luggage in the car and Dad drove us to the hotel we were staying in; The Seaside Inn, a cute little hotel that I'd been to a couple of times as a kid to grab dinner in the hotel restaurant and stuff.
"I'll come and help you get settled in," Sarah suggested, as she slid beside me in the car. Stefan slipped in after her and then Damon. Andie got in the front next to my dad. We were pretty squashed but I was too psyched that I was back in California to care.
Sarah slipped her arm around Stefan's shoulder. "You'd better take care of Caramel Crème, bro," She warned him, and Stefan nodded, smiling a little at me.
"I will, I promise,"
I was the only one who saw Damon scowl and stare out of the window.
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"Where should I put this?" Sarah held up one of my swimming suits with an approving look on her face.
"2nd drawer," I called, as I stuffed the last of my underwear into their drawer. We had finished unpacking my bags so that everything was in the wardrobe all tidied away.
"Well, we're done," Sarah sounded happy as she jumped down onto my and Stefan's bed. Andie had booked 2 rooms and since she was extremely enthusiastic to room with Damon, I was rooming with Stefan. Not that I wanted to room with Damon, but it annoyed me how attached to him she was acting.
"Whoohoo, have you seen Stefan?" I asked, looking around the room. He'd been unpacking his stuff too but he'd finished because he'd apparently brought half the amount of clothes I'd brought.
"Um, I think he's in the bathroom taking a shower," Sarah winked at me and I just rolled my eyes and listened. Sure enough there was the sound of running water.
"Well, we need to catch up so how about I head back with you," I suggested.
"Yes! Mom will be so pleased and so will the twins," She spoke about her little sister and brother who were twins. Sarah's dad had passed away when she was young, before I'd even met her.
"Okay, so I'll tell Stefan and get dressed and meet you down in the lobby in 5?" I suggested, smiling at her.
She smiled back, "Sure!" She cried, before running out of the room, closing the door behind her.
I quickly dressed in a purple and white minidress and some white flip flops, ran a brush through my hair and applied some natural make-up before I knocked on the door of the bathroom.
"One second," Stefan called, and I waited patiently by the door loading my purse with my cell phone, some make-up and my wallet. Stefan came out in Billabong board shorts and a gray tee-shirt. His hair was wet from the shower.
"Bonnie, you look beautiful. What's up?" He asked, coming over and wrapping his arms around me. I hugged him closely, smiling.
"Nothing much. Look I'm heading out with Sarah to catch up. I'll be back at night, I think," I informed him, and Stefan nodded.
"I like your friend," He noted, as I pulled back.
"Good, cause I'd kill you if you didn't," I teased, before grabbing my purse.
I kissed him briefly on the lips and he pulled me closer, making the kiss last longer. All through the kiss though, I couldn't stop thinking of Damon and our sensational kiss. Stefan's kiss was nothing compared to it.
"See you later," I sang, already wallowing in guilt as I made my way out of the door. I hurried down to the lobby to meet my friend, feeling happy that we were going to catch up. Maybe she could give me an honest opinion about what to do with Stefan and Damon and the dilemma I was in. Sarah Abuallail had always been a good problem solver.
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Sarah's little bungalow was the same as I'd always remembered it. Everything was decked out in feminine colors of pink, purple and yellow even though Jacob her little brother was now 7 years of age and should have had some sort of say in the décor. Her little sister Ella had him wrapped around her little finger though.
Ella, who had always been my favorite twin, jumped into my arms the second I passed through the door. I hugged her close to me, her long dark hair that was tied in a braid reminding me of Sarah when she was that age. The only difference between the twins and Sarah's appearance was that the twins had blue eyes which stood out against their caramel colored skin.
"Ella, how have you been?" I asked, placing her back on her feet.
"I'm great but Jacob's as annoying as usual, you know," She rolled her eyes and gestured towards her brother's room from which I could hear some sort of game music.
"I'll go get Mom and Jacob," Sarah suggested, leaving me with Ella as she hopped into the back rooms.
"So why don't you come visit more often?" Ella complained, yanking my hand and pulling me over to sit on the couch with her. She was watching Hannah Montana on Disney channel and I had to bite my lip to stop me from rolling my eyes.
"I'm in New York. It's a long way and all that," I explained to her.
"I want to go to New York. Will you take me, Bonnie?" Ella exclaimed, her blue eyes lighting up with hope.
"Sure, tell your mom and I'll take you," I replied, and she threw her arms around me once again.
"Thank you, thank you!"
"Bonnie, dear, how are you?" Sarah's mom, Nancy, exclaimed as she came in followed by Sarah and Jacob who was playing on his Gameboy. His eyes were glued to the tiny screen and nothing on earth could tear them away from it.
"I'm great, what about you?" I asked, jumping up and accepting the one armed hug Nancy offered me.
"I'm okay…. Tired with all the work and such but hanging on there. Jacob's a pain in the butt," She gestured towards her son but her eyes were filled with love for him.
"Hey!" Jacob cried out, annoyed at his mom who just giggled.
"How long are you staying in Cali?" Nancy asked me, curiously.
"Just a few days. I wanted to stay longer but I have college and stuff," I explained.
"Well, good luck with it all. I hope you come to visit again soon. Come say Hi to Bonnie, Jacob. Do you remember her?" Nancy asked.
"Of course, do you think I have Alzheimer mom?" Jacob complained, causing Sarah and Nancy to laugh and Ella to roll her eyes. "Hello Bonnie," His blue eyes met mine for a second before he ran out of the room.
"Boys and their gameboys," Nancy sighed, sounding tired.
"Yes, okay mom. Bonnie and I are going out to get ice-cream so we'll see ya around," Sarah exclaimed suddenly, taking my hand and dragging me out of the door and away from her family.
They waved at me and I waved back at them, feeling as jealous as I always did when I'd left Sarah's house.
"Urgh, glad that's over," Sarah complained as we started down the boardwalk towards the beach.
"I think your family's lovely," I replied, as she scoffed just as she always did. Sarah didn't know what she was taking for granted.
"Race you to the ice-cream stand?" Sarah asked her eyes lighting up as they always did when we were kids.
"Fine, for old times sake," I was saying as she sprinted off. I took off after her, giggling and trying to catch up with her. I'd always been the slower runner.
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I licked my caramel and vanilla swirly as we walked down the boardwalk together. Sarah was already on her second chocolate and fudge sundae and was munching away like it was the first time she'd eaten since forever. She'd always been that way. A compulsive eater.
"So tell me about the love triangle between you, Stefan and Damon slash jerkass," Sarah pleaded as she swallowed some ice cream.
I sighed, "It's not really a triangle," I clarified, biting my lip.
"Uh but yeah it is. I'm an expert in those kinds of things. So dish it all," Sarah sang, in her fearless voice.
"Uhmmmm fine. Well, I'm not really into Stefan,"
"What? But I like him!" Sarah exclaimed, sounding disappointed. "Why?"
"Well, today in Subway Damon kissed me-,"
"While you were with Stefan? Scandalous!" Sarah burst out, sounding gleeful and excited at the same time.
"Yes, can you shut up and let me finish, Fudge Muffin?" I asked, and Sarah looked sad, but she was only joking. She jutted her lip out and mock-glared at me until I started talking again.
"I can't stop thinking about that kiss. I love Damon, I always have. After we broke up and he dated my friend Elena-,"
"Your roommate?" Sarah's kohl rimmed eyes were wide.
I glared at her, "Yes. No more interruptions please.." She looked sheepish but stuffed some ice-cream in her mouth in an attempt to shut up.
"So then he asked me if I wanted to get back together before I was dating Stefan that is, and I told him no even though I really wanted to. And now when he kissed me this morning, I melted and don't want Stefan. I want Damon!" I concluded, fervently.
Sarah raised an eyebrow, "You don't have a dilemma, Bon Bon. You just stated your own solution," She sang, her brown eyes sparkling with newfound excitement.
"Yes, and what is that?" I demanded, not really seeing her point. She could be super eccentric but she was usually a good problem solver.
"You have to tell Damon exactly how you feel and soon," Sarah concluded, as if it was the most obvious thing ever when in fact, it was the most foolish solution I'd ever heard. I would never do it.
"Give me any other solution,"
A/N: And that concludes chapter 16! I hope you guys all enjoyed it and thanks sooooo much for all the reviews that were left for the last chapter. They all made me super happy!
Ummmm, so what did you think of Sarah? And Damon and Stefan's rivalry? Do you think it was OTT or just fine? DO YOU THINK BONNIE SHOULD REALLY TELL DAMON?
REVIEW with what you think… it's the only way I can make the story the way you guys want it….
Lily xx
Disclaimer: I don't own TVD or Subway. OR California… lol or Taylor Swift….