New Year's Eve 2024

10:30 PM

Elena dramatically rolled her eyes at her friend Caroline as her friend downed yet another vodka shot. Elena didn't know what had been troubling Caroline lately, but something was definitely up. The difficulty was that she had been a vault with her emotions recently, and anytime Elena or Bonnie asked what was going on, Caroline would shrug it off and tell them they were imagining things.

Bonnie sat on the chair next to Elena and sipped her drink. She looked at their friend across the room and said, "Do you think she's going to make it to midnight?"

"I'm betting she'll pass out before that, even with the alcohol tolerance she's built up lately," Elena replied sadly. "Any luck yesterday?"

"No," Bonnie said, shaking her head. "She gave me the same story she's been telling us all along. Work is 'stressful,' but she's fine." Her expression showed that she believed it was a lie.

Elena frowned as they watched Caroline laughing at something Enzo had said. She was now talking with Stefan, Enzo, and Damon. "Her dress…" She shook her head. Caroline's dress was revealing, but then again, she always dressed like that. Still, something about what her friend was wearing hit an odd cord in her, and she couldn't figure out why. "Nevermind. I worry that she's blocking us out of her life right now. We've been friends forever, and I don't know why she won't tell us what's wrong."

Bonnie grimaced at the concern in Elena's voice. She had her suspicions, but they were all based on vague clues, and without something even a bit more tangible, she wasn't planning on saying anything —not yet, at least. She set her glass down and said, "Do you trust me?"

"Absolutely! You know I trust you and Caroline with my life," Elena said emphatically. She looked Bonnie in the eyes and saw sadness there. "What's wrong?"

Bonnie forced a smile. "Let me dig into what's going on with Caroline. I promise to tell you when I know something for sure."

Elena knit her brow and asked, "Bonnie, what's going on?" She knew her friend too well to be tricked by her fake smile. It was how she knew something was up with Caroline, too.

"Noth-" Bonnie cut herself off. She couldn't make herself lie and say nothing. Instead, she said, "Don't press, please. Just let it go for now."

"Now you have me worried!"

Not knowing if Elena was wrong to be worried, Bonnie said, "Just enjoy the night. It's New Year's Eve, and we're having a party."

"Okaaayy…." Elena said, trying to force the dread out of her response.

11:30 PM

Elena couldn't help the worry that overwhelmed her after talking to Bonnie. At that moment, she had stepped out of the place to get some air to try to clear her head of her anxiety and the alcohol. Until tonight, the biggest thing keeping any suspicion at bay was Bonnie. Before tonight, the fact that her best friend hadn't mentioned having any of her own worries made Elena feel like she had to be jumping at shadows.

Now, that didn't seem to be the case anymore. It appeared that Bonnie was trying to shield her from something. The truth was that she usually trusted Bonnie and Caroline with her life, but lately, she hasn't felt like she could trust Caroline with her husband.

Standing outside the restaurant that she and Stefan had booked for their New Year's Eve party, she rubbed her arms to fight the chill in the air. She had always suspected that Caroline had a bit of a thing for Stefan, but she believed Stefan would never cheat on her. They had always been happy, and until recently, he had always rushed home to her.

Any woman knows that when their husband's habits suddenly change, they should be at least curious as to why, and when his boss ran into her at the grill months ago when he praised Stefan for putting in so much extra work on the new project, that had settled her worries at the time. Now she couldn't fight the feeling that maybe some of the overtime he was working wasn't real.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she tipped her head up to look at the night sky. She hated that she was beginning to suspect two of the three closest people to her in her life. She felt awful for her doubt and suspicion but struggled to fight it off.

Elena shivered as she sniffled and heard the door open around the corner. She hid in the shadows, not wanting to explain to any of her party guests why she was outside alone and crying.

She froze as she stood in the shadows and watched a very drunk Caroline walk out the door, followed by Stefan. He said, "Don't leave yet! It's not midnight."

Caroline spun a bit to look at him and asked, "Why? It's not like you even want me here!"

"You know I do! Elena will be looking for you to celebrate the New Year with."

Elena let out a quiet sigh of relief that he was concerned for her, and that was why he had followed Caroline outside. She heard him add, "Plus, you're too drunk to make it home safely. We'll take you home tonight." A small smile found its way to her lips after that.

"You don't w-want me here!" Caroline objected, flailing her arms.

"Of course I do!"

"Bullshit!" Caroline screamed.

"Elena will want-"

"No!" She yelled, pointing an unsteady finger at him. "It's always about Elana! What about me?"

"Caroline," he said in a threatening tone. "Think about where we are!"

"Right. We're at her party. The one where you'll kiss your wife at midnight because you have the picture-perfect marriage."

"What else can I do?" He asked desperately.

"Fuck me in secret apparently!" Caroline screamed at him. "You're great at that!"

Elena covered her mouth quickly to hide the gasp that escaped. Luckily, Croline's screaming held Stefan's attention.

She watched, and Caroline began to cry. She then heard her say, "Your such a fucking liar. You string me along and then go home to that woman. You've promised to leave her, and yet you haven't done anything!"

"But work-"

Cutting him off, Caroline said, "Your boss can't really care if you leave your wife!"

"Elena was the one who got me that job!"

Caroline stomped her foot as she said, "Right. Perfect, Elena, all of her friends, and all her connections. It must be so nice to be her!"

Elena disagreed sharply with Caroline. She thought it was horrible being in her own shoes right now. The pointed sting of betrayal left her trembling in shock.

She watched as Stefan pulled Caroline into his arms and held her close. "I'm looking for a new job. You know that."

"Look harder," she grumbled. "Somewhere far away from here. I don't want to ever look at her again. I'm tired of her always getting what I want."

"You have me," Stefan replied. Elena found she agreed with one of his statements. What was Caroline complaining about when she managed to steal Elena's husband?

Caroline replied, "Do I? It's not like you haven't changed your mind before!" Elena heard Caroline crying, and then she heard, "You chose to propose to her over me, or did you forget?"

"Caroline, I love you. I wish I could go back and marry you back then. I chose wrong, and I've regretted it all these years. It's why I kept coming back to you repeatedly through the years. It's why I promise we'll be kissing in Time Square next New Year's Eve."

She sniffled and looked up at him. "Tell her tonight," she demanded.

Stefan shook his head and said, "Caroline, you know I can't do that. Give me time. Please."

Caroline shoved him away hard and stepped back. "You said that before, but I'm not stupid! I remember what happened. Three weeks later you told me it was over and you would propose to Elena! I stayed quiet about it then! I won't now, you jackass!" Again, Elena agreed with Caroline on that point; Stefan was most definitely a jackass.

She watched him chase Caroline into the party, and Elena pivoted on the ball of her foot, turned in the opposite direction, and started walking. She was most definitely not going to spend her time watching drunk Caroline screaming about her affair. She didn't want to watch the coming show, and Elena knew she would probably hear about it in detail later.

She pulled out her phone and texted Bonnie, "I know," before slipping it back into her pocket. Elena figured that would be enough to satisfy her only best friend about why she had left.

Elena took another step and never noticed two things: one, that she had stepped into the street, and two, that a drunk driver was speeding down the road, trying to return from a beer run before midnight.

She died instantly.