Rylie was nervous as she had ever been. Why she accepted the invite, she didn't know. She wished she could call and cancel. But, one, his family was throwing the party. And two, he sent her the most beautiful black dress that was sitting in front of her.
By the time she arrived back to the Boarding House after work there was a huge white box on her king size bed. On top were a pink bow and a note. The blonde looked at the package for a while before attempting to go near it. She walked around it like it was going to grow legs and run after her. When she finally decided that it wasn't going to morph into any type of creature she opened the note
Rylie- Please accept this dress as a gift as my sincerest apology.
I will retrieve you at 8:00PM. Be ready.
-Klaus
Looking at her clock she saw she had a few hours before Klaus would be there to pick her up. But before she could get ready, she needed a drink. Turning her back on the overpriced garment, she knew it must have cost a pretty penny, Rylie made her way to the study for a drink before taking a shower.
The study was quiet when she first entered. Stefan was in his room getting ready for the same party. And God only knows where Damon was. And she really didn't care right now. The silence was golden. She poured herself the amber liquid and took a sip. It was strong; she hoped it made her feel the same.
She kept replaying the acceptance in her head. Why did she agree? Rylie hadn't been on a date in years. He wouldn't allow her to sneeze without permission. Maybe that was why she felt so nervous about a date with the British guy. Or it could be because he bought her the dress she would be wearing.
"Stop over thinking this Rylie. It just one night." She said out loud to herself.
"If you have to over think then maybe you shouldn't have told him yes." She heard from behind her. She jumped at the sound of Damon's voice. "Cancel." He said looking right into her eyes.
"Why?" she said back.
"I know Klaus, ok? He isn't as sweet as his accent makes him out to be."
"The dress upstairs says different."
"The dress is a pawn for you to say yes, and it worked." He shot back.
"Well, it would be rude to cancel after such a nice gift."
"Then don't cancel and I'll take you if you want to go so bad. I got a tux lying around here somewhere."
"If you wanted to take me Damon, you should have said so at the grill before. Not after I already accepted a date. You sound jealous if you ask me."
"Well, good thing I didn't ask you. If you want to go with him then go. But when he breaks your little blonde heart, I don't want to hear about it." He turned around and walked away.
Rylie was still mad about how Damon was acting when she returned back to her room. Damon's door was closed when she passed by on her way up. She wanted to take the whiskey she was holding and throw it at his door and keep going. But she decided it was better to keep the alcohol. She would need it as the night went on.
When she entered her room her phone was ringing. She rushed over and grabbed it. The caller ID said it was Caroline. I bet she heard about my date, she thought to herself. She sighed before answering.
"Hey Care."
"One word for you: Klaus"
"Ok?" she said sitting down. "What about him?"
"You're going to his party with him? Seriously?" she questioned.
"Care, you are starting to sound like Damon. Who by the way also asked me to go with him." She said scrunching her face. Rylie was still confused by that.
"Yeah, because Damon knows what a dick Klaus can be. And you still said yes to him. If Damon doesn't want you going with him, don't you think that's a sign?"
Rylie had thought about that. But wanted to meet other people around town. Klaus had said he had just gotten back into town. What was so wrong about her wanting to meet people outside of her circle of friends?
"I want to meet more people in town. Besides he said he's a founding family member, aren't you too? I thought you all hung out together?"
"Yeah, the ones who actually care about this town and each other. Klaus is always about himself. He makes everyone else a pawn in his life."
There was that word again, 'pawn'. Damon had said it earlier with the dress. Maybe going to this party with him was a bad idea. But he was so cute, and so nice to the blonde. Maybe there was a soft side to him, she thought. She hadn't gone to a party like this in years. One where you had to dress up and to have a date. The last dance she had like that was prom. And that was ages ago.
"How about this? You're going with Tyler I'm assuming." The older blonde said.
"Yes of course. We are founding family members. We have no choice."
"Then you two can keep an eye on me. If I feel uncomfortable then I will flag you down and you can take me home. I know Stefan and Elena are going too. They can do the same. I already said yes to him and he sent me such a nice dress I can't cancel now." Rylie heard the younger blonde thinking about this. And finally she heard a sigh.
"Fine. But if I see something I don't like I'm pulling you away before any wave. I don't trust him Ry, and you shouldn't either."
The blondes hung up not long after. When Rylie finally had her friend off the phone she looked at the time. She had 3 hours to get ready. She started with a shower. She shaved her legs and underarms carefully. She washed her hair and body. After wrapping a towel around her when she was done she stepped out and walked into her room. There on the bed was the awesome dress. It was a black mini dress with a low 'v' neck. Around the waist was a beige ribbon going into a flower on the right side. As soon as she saw the color of the flower she knew what shoes to wear with it. The ones she had bought during her girls shopping day with Caroline. The beige ones with the black bottoms. She had also purchased that day a clutch of the same color and a few accessories to go with them. They weren't able to find an outfit to go with the shoes like her blonde friend had promised. So Klaus giving her this dress was heaven sent. If she had to leave on a spur of the moment thing, this was coming with her.
After drooling over the dress some more she started on her hair. Blow drying it out and heating up the curling iron. Her hair was long so it would take her a while. She sectioned her hair out and started on it. She wished she had her mom here to do it. Stephanie Carter loved doing Rylie's hair for her important events. It gave them the mother/daughter time that they loved. They would talk about everything while Stephanie curled. But this time she was on her own. And after about half way through her arm felt like it was going to fall off. She took a break and started on her make up. She applied everything with care. Not wanting to screw it up or have to redo anything. When her arm felt rested she went back to finish her hair. The curls always stayed with or without hair spray. But to make sure it did stay she added it for comfort. Before dressing she looked at herself in the mirror. Her smoky eye makeup came out great. But there was something missing to the hair. She played with it until she could see what it was. And then she figured it out. It needed to be pinned back on both sided of her face. After locating some bobby pins in her bathroom and pinning a few strands away from her face she thought it looked pretty good. Especially for not doing her hair like this in a while, let alone by herself. Looking at the clock she had a few minutes left to spare before Klaus would be picking her up. She put the dress on for the first time. And it was comfortable. And it actually fit. How the Brit knew her size, she didn't know. She put on a sparkled cuff bracelet and matching stud earrings. Finally she put on her favorite new shoes. Rylie looked at herself in the mirror. She gasped when she saw herself. She had never looked like this in her whole adult life. She looked way older then she actually was. And she couldn't believe it.
Rylie didn't want to take her eyes off her image, but she caught the time in the mirror. 7:58. Klaus would be here any minute. She grabbed her new clutch put her phone her paperwork and some money into it. She glanced at the mirror once more with her bag in her hand and nodded.
Rylie started down the stairs and walked into the main entrance of the Boarding House. Her nerves were shot. Klaus would be here soon. As much as she wanted another drink she knew there would be drinking at the party. Going there drunk wouldn't do her any good.
"Are you really going through with this?" she heard from the living room. She saw Damon sitting there with a drink in his hand. The chair he was in was larger than him, but somehow he made it look smaller. "You know you can cancel."
"It's too late now Damon. I'm dressed and ready to go. And Klaus will be here any minute to pick me up. But you're dressed too. So I take it you're going as well?"
Damon had on a tux and Rylie thought he looked really good in it.
I'm a founding family member, I have to go. You don't"
"Are you still mad I said I didn't want to go with you?"
"No. I'm just mad you're going. You don't know who this guy is."
"Like I know you?" Rylie rebutted.
"You've known me longer. Plus you live with me. You know more about me then this guy."
This was true Rylie knew. But Damon never really showed any interest in getting to know her. Why was he so concerned now? Before she could really think about it there was a knock on the door, she turned around and went to it. Before she opened it she took a deep breath. Rylie turned the handle and opened the large wooden door. Behind it was Klaus he looked dashing with his tuxedo on.
"You look absolutely stunning love. I knew the dress would fit like a glove. Are you ready?" he asked holding out his arm.
"Klaus." Damon said. "Play nice." The raven head said getting up.
"Always do." Klaus replied.
Damon snorted, "Yeah. Sure."
Rylie said goodbye to Damon and hooked her arm threw the originals arm. Outside was a town car with a man standing at the open door. Rylie was not expecting something so much it wasn't a limo but it might as well have been. The man helped her in and Klaus followed. The blonde's heart was racing. She wanted to go home and forget that she had said that she would go to the party at all. Or at least said she would go with Damon like he offered. But she knew deep down she needed to get out with other people besides the people she always hung out with. Maybe Klaus was a good guy. She would only find out by getting to know him. And if Damon was right about the Brit she would not hear the end of it.
"Are you alright? I think I can hear your thoughts over here." She heard from her left. Rylie looked over and Klaus was waiting for her to speak.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you. You look very handsome in that tux Klaus." The original smiled at the corner of his mouth.
"Thank you love. I'm sure you will have fun at the party. My little sister will be there. I think you two will really kick it off nicely together."
"Is anyone from town coming?" She knew that most of her friends would be there.
"Well, yes. I'm a founding family member myself. So most of them will be there as well as the mayor. I'm sure your friends with his daughter, Bonnie. Since you live with the Salvatore's."
"I know Bonnie. I met her dad once. And it was brief. He was with Liz."
"Those two are always together. Liz is a founding family member as well."
"There are a lot of founding families isn't there?" Rylie asked and Klaus just chuckled.
"There's a few." He responded. "So, Rylie where you from?"
"Allentown, Pennsylvania."
"What made you come here of all places?"
What would she say? No one knew the real reason but her. Caroline tired so did Stefan but she wouldn't give it up.
"A new start." Was all she said.
Meanwhile, Damon was at the Boarding House pacing. Stefan had left to pick up Elena. And would be back soon to get him. They would all go and watch the original. None of them trusted him with her. Klaus always had pawns. And they had a feeling that's what he was using Rylie as.
He should have made the blonde go with him or at least drive her there. That way Klaus wouldn't bite her or revel the vampires in the town. That would be bad since she drank vervain and they would have to lock her up in the basement until it was out of her system and compel her to forget. Caroline didn't want her compelled at all for anything. But the raven head never made that promise.
Since finding out that Rylie was born in Mystic Falls he has helped to find out who she really was. But he too was having issues. There was someone stopping them on the computer to look up who her birth parents were. Stefan planned on going down to city hall to compel someone as soon as the Klaus stuff was done. But right now finding out who she really was was on the back burner. He had to make sure the British ass wasn't using her as a pawn.
Where the hell is my brother, he thought. With Rylie gone Damon had time to think. And he didn't like that. He went to the bar and made a whiskey. He drank it in one shot. He needed to be drunk for this party. But he knew he couldn't be. With the original family in the neighborhood his daily binges would have to calm down. Now especially with Rylie all goo-goo eyes for the hybrid.
Why did he care who she liked? You know why, he heard his self-conscience say. Ok he admits it; she's a good looking girl. She's smart, funny, and knows where to go with the raven head. And he admits the second he saw her come into the entry way tonight his breath caught. She looked absolutely gorgeous. But he wouldn't tell that to anyone. Rylie especially. But just because he thought all those things doesn't mean he likes her, does it? There was also things about this girl that was annoying. She wouldn't buy a car, she was always looking over her shoulder, and she was always working. What did she need to pay for if Stefan said she could live her rent free? What was she saving up for?
Before he could really think about it the front door opened. He didn't hear Stefan's red sports car pull into the drive way. Damon turned around and saw his little brother in his tux and his girlfriend. Elena looks nice, he thought. The brunette was wearing a long blue thin gown with silver accents. She had her pinned up with curls falling down around her face.
"Did she leave?" Elena asked.
"Yeah, the knight in shining fangs picked her up a little while ago." Damon replied making one last drink for the road.
"Thanks for staying her to make sure he didn't do something when he picked her up." Stefan said.
"Well, someone had to do the dirty work. Can we go and get this stupid party over with?" the older asked has he downed his drink.
The three vampires walked out of the Boarding House and got into the car. Stefan helped Elena as always. Damon rolled his eyes at his brother's chivalry. But realized that he would do the same if it was the other way around. That was one thing they had in common as being children from the nineteenth century. After everyone was in they made their way to the Mikaelson Mansion.
"Do we know how many originals would be here this time?" Stefan asked as they were getting out.
"As far as I know its Klaus and Rebekah. Kol is where ever in the world. And Elijah is most likely doing some type of noble thing somewhere." Damon joked. "But of course those three go everywhere together. Rebekah and Elijah follow Klaus around like a lost puppy on a rainy day." Damon said to the couple over his shoulder. He turned around and saw Klaus and Rylie at the door. His joking smile turned serious. He even has her playing host with him, he snarled to himself. He had to get her away from the guy.
"Ah, the lovely Elena and the Salvatore brothers. So nice of you to be come." Klaus welcomed them. Elena and Rylie hugged.
"Yeah, well, being a founding family member sucks sometimes. We have to go to these stupid things wearing these uncomfortable things." Damon said. He then looked at Rylie. "I forgot to mention before. You look really nice." He saw the blush come up on her cheeks.
"Thank you Damon. You look nice too." she meant it Damon saw.
"Well, see you all in there. Please enjoy yourselves." Klaus said before saying hello to the next people walking up. Damon eyed the hybrid before entering the house.
Rylie knew from the looks on her friends that they hated that she came with Klaus. And right now she was wishing she didn't feel like the outsider and was inside with them. She said she would go with the host, which meant being outside with him greeting people she didn't know and some that she did. She knew some by name because of working at the Grill and some she didn't bother to know because they didn't bother to give until they saw her on the arm of Klaus. She kept her smile on her face and bared with it. She was hoping the night would go a little faster so she could see her friends. She needed Caroline to get her home. She was regretting coming here. She was starting to feel uneasy. But she knew it wasn't because of standing next to Klaus or saying hello to people she didn't know.
I need a drink, she thought to herself.
There was a small break between people entering the house. She let the smile fall and looked into the packed house. The feeling wasn't going away. No matter how many hellos she said, no matter how much she smiled. That feeling was still there.
"Are you alright, love?" Klaus asked. She turned to him and gave him a small smile.
"Yeah, I am starting to get a little thirsty. I am going to run inside and get a glass of wine. Do you want anything?" she asked.
"Tonight you are not a bar tender. I will get someone to get it for you." And just like that he was waving down a waiter with a tray full of wine. She was hoping to get away from the door even for a few short minutes. But before she had a second to blink he had a glass of wine in her hand. "There. Better?"
"Thanks." She whispered. She took a sip and took a deep breath.
"Ahh, my sister is here." Klaus said. Rylie turned to look at him and he had a huge smile on his face. The blonde could see how much he loved her. "Little sister."
"Niklaus." She said giving him a small kiss on the cheek. "Who is this?" she asked looking at the younger blonde.
"This dear sister is my friend Rylie. Rylie this is Rebekah my little sister."
"It's so nice to meet you." Rylie said putting her hand out. Rebekah looked at her then her hand and finally shook back. He said he thought we would hit it off, Rylie thought.
"I'll see you in there brother. But I'm leaving tonight. I only came to see my brothers for the night."
"Bekah." He said to the blonde.
"Don't 'Bekah' me, Nik. Not after what you did to me last time." The little sister said and walked away. Rylie could tell there was some tension in that relationship and it made her uncomfortable.
"Well, should we go in? I'm sure there is not many more people coming." Klaus said to the younger blonde. Rylie only nodded.
The house was packed. The two had to squeeze through the crowd. Rylie saw all the people she welcomed in earlier. They nodded and smiled to her. She did the same back. But words were not said. At least not to her. Everyone wanted sometime with Klaus though. They were talking politics and art. She never got into them. If someone talked music and cheerleading, well, she could hold a long conversation on that. She looked around and every so often she would look like she was interested in the conversation her date was having. But honestly she wanted to fall asleep hearing about the upcoming elections.
"Nik," she heard from behind her. Klaus and Rylie both looked. "May I steel your date? I need some woman help." Klaus' sister was behind them. She had a smile on her face. Rylie looked at Klaus hoping he would say no. She didn't know who she was. She didn't know Klaus either but she knew him at least a few hours longer.
"Of course little sister. But do bring her back."
"I will." Rebekah put her arm through Rylie's and led her away from her brother. When they were far enough away Rebekah spoke. "I saw you bored out of your mind listening to them talk. And believe me, I have been there. So consider this your saving grace."
"Thank you." Rylie smiled. "I don't know who can talk more about politics. I don't follow it."
"Neither do I. After a few elections it's just a pissing contest on who looks better in a suit." Rebekah had ordered a drink at the bar they stopped at. Then turned back to the younger. "So, word has it you're new in town. How do you like it?" No one has ever asked how she liked it, only what brought her to Mystic Falls.
"I like it. I've made friends here. I plan on staying."
"Mystic Falls is full of mysterious things."
"Yeah, like what?"
"Well…" Rebekah started. But Rylie felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw blue orbs. Damon.
"Rylie, can I ask for a dance please." The younger blonde blushed and nodded her head. She excused herself from Rebekah and put her hand into Damon's. He ushered her to the dance floor. He put his arms around her waist and she put hers around his neck. "I don't trust this family. For your sake steer clear of them."
"Why? I mean, they seem nice to me."
"Rylie, who do you trust?" he asked looking into her eyes. He was being serious. Damon was never this serious with anyone.
"No one." She whispered.
"Not even Stefan or Caroline. Or me?"
"Damon, I can't talk about any of this. I don't trust anyone no matter how much I care for them."
"Then why are you staying here?"
"Please, let's just enjoy the dance."
"I'm giving you fair warning Rylie. Don't trust them. If you don't trust anyone, at least trust what I'm saying to you." Damon meant everything he said. She saw it in his eyes. And she knew deep down to trust him. But how could she after the life she had just to get here?
AN: So sorry about such a long delay! It has been MONTHS since I posted. And please don't think it's not that I don't want to. But I have been very ill and working a lot. I hate to make excuses but it is the truth.
Please tell me in a review what you think of the story so far. I love reviews and comments. I want your opinion on what should happen. Or what you would like to see happen. It matters to me!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!