Chapter 4

Sorry it's been so long. School – what can you do?

In the vast now white wood kitchen I found Bonnie and Caroline surrounded by piles of bridal magazines at the pale blue table.

"Well don't you look all clean and fresh?" Bonnie smiled at me.

"So, what can I do to help?"

Caroline practically leapt out of her chair and flew at me, "well, the caterers are coming in a few minutes so that we can choose the flavours and design for the wedding cake which Stefan has abandoned me with at the last minute so I will be needing your opinion." She turned to give Bonnie the eye, "Both of you."

"Fine, fine." Bonnie muttered, flipping through a few more pages.

"Oh and Beck's will be joining us after that and we are going bridesmaid dress shopping!"

Great. Before a small look of desperation could cross my face, Caroline whipped back around to look at me. I beamed. "Fantastic. I can't wait!"

ﻫﻬ

"Okay, what about this one?" I held up a pastel yellow satin dress that was cut off at the knees with a small ruffle around the hem.

"Love the colour, but that ruffle? No, I hate it. God, where is Bex?" Caroline was on the verge of pulling out her hair when Rebekah waltzed into the bridal shop.

"Well, I hope we haven't all started without me."

"Bex! Where the hell have you been? We were supposed to meet here an hour ago!"

"I'm sorry, but you will forgive me when you see this!" From a small, material lilac bag she produced a small scrap of material. "Look at it!" She held the white silk material between her fingers.

"Oh wow." I heard Bonnie sigh behind me.

"And it has lilac lace trimmings! And look at the little diamantes! Oh Bex, you're forgiven, it beautiful! What do you think 'Lena?"

I admired the lacy garter before Rebekah placed it back inside the small bag.

"Elena!" Exclaimed Rebekah. "I haven't seen you in a while." And to my surprise she walked towards me and placed her arms gently around me, pulling me into a hug. She leant back and examined my face. "You are looking very good."

"Thanks, you look great too." She beamed back at me.

"Okay, enough reunion! We need dresses!" Caroline yanked us both back towards the dress rack.

We carried on flicking through the dresses, holding up the ones we though Care might like. "This?" asked Bonnie, holding up a floor length strapless pale blue dress.

"Oh wow. That is pretty."

"Ooh la la, look at this one." Rebekah had pulled a short, Venetian red dress from the rack.

"Um, Bex, that's a bit red."

"Doesn't hurt to look."

"I don't really want to look like sex on a stick, Bex." muttered Bonnie. I could barely cover my snort.

Four hours and five bridal shops later we still hadn't found the perfect dress yet. Caroline was on the verge of tears in the last shop. "What am I going to do? I still have to find my own wedding dress, how can I do that if I can't find the bridesmaid dresses! And what if they don't match the flowers! God, this is going to be a disaster!"

I sank down on the futon next to her and pulled her into a hug, "Care, it will be okay we're going to find the dresses! It's alright!"

"Caroline!" I heard someone shout from the other side of the shop. "I found it!" Both of us jumped up and sprinted to Bonnie who held a hanger between her fingers. The dress was a dark purple chiffon, knee-length, strapless dress. A dark purple satin ribbon cinched around the waist, tied in a bow to the side. ( . )

"Oh wow." A huge breath escaped Caroline's lips. "It's so beautiful! And elegant! I love it!" She flung her arms around Bonne but hastily pulled back. "I don't want to crumple it." Caroline quickly swiped away a tear that had escaped.

The neat elderly sales lady in a white suit stepped forward from the counter. "Well then, let's get you girls fitted."

…..

By the time we got back to the Boarding House it was already well past seven o'clock and darkness had surrounded the house. Light shone from all of the windows and through the kitchen window we could see Stefan, Matt and Jeremy sitting around the kitchen table encircling many open boxes of Chinese takeaway.

"I hoped you kept some for us," smirked Rebekah as we walked into the kitchen. Caroline and Bonnie put the bags in the ground floor guestroom which overlooked the rose garden and was now doubling as a dressing room for the bridal party as well as 'home base' as Bonnie called it.

We all sat around the table, sharing stories about Caroline's little breakdown, without revealing too much about the dresses. Poor Caroline, but Stefan leant over and gave her a big smooch on the mouth and she brightened up immediately. It felt like being a part of a family again, all of us sitting around the table, catching up, little arguments and teasing one another.

We made plans for tomorrow as I was going to go and visit Alaric with Jeremy and we had a cake tasting session tomorrow as well which the boys were eager to join.

…..

Later that night I had just had a shower and changed into my pyjama shorts and a strappy burgundy tank when I heard a banging noise down the hall. Still towel drying my hair I opened the door and saw Stefan carrying Caroline down the passage, the sight made me smile. They looked so happy. As they disappeared I heard a deep cough behind me. Turning around I noticed someone leaning against the doorframe opposite my room.

"Damon."

"Why, hello Elena. You always did look good in your pyjamas."