never the one ;

[slayerbarbie]

( &. damon )

He didn’t want to be here at the bonfire. It wasn’t a part of his plan. Damon had already begun to establish himself within the community, becoming a trusted member while there were those who doubted the few new citizens who rarely came out during the daytime. He was supposed to be behind the scenes, doing as he pleased and watching the little puppets dance on their strings while Stefan got blamed for destroying what he was trying to protect. 

But Elena Gilbert had put a wrench in that plan by deciding it was in her best interest to drunkenly jump into the water, causing everything to be temporarily put on hold. 

He noticed the blonde before she had him, and Damon fought a grimace when she zeroed in on him, no doubt going to charge him to investigate. 

Wasn’t this the blonde who was weirdly fascinated with his younger brother? Well, wasn’t she certainly on a purposed mission, and Damon had to fight a scowl when she got closer, instead giving her a smirk before his eyebrows lifted, at her unexpected snark. 

“Little young to be drinking, aren’t you?” He nodded to the empty red solo cup in her hand. 

   The blonde merely shrugs, crystal orbs flickering from the male before her to the cup between her fingers. Truth be told, Caroline had been slipping alcohol for her and her friends since the ripe age of fourteen; now at seventeen, it hardly seemed like a big deal, even if she was the daughter of the -- quite literal -- party police.     “Touché, Mystery Guy,” she retorts, absent mindedly swirling the amber liquid within her cup. Lips pursed, she tilted her head, cerulean hues boring into his. He had the look; the same mischievous glint that the younger Salvatore held in his emerald eyes, only there seemed to be another force present here -- something dark. Something malicious.       It doesn’t stop her from curling glossed lips, a manicured finger twirling a golden tendril. “You must be Damon. Am I right? Your brother told me a lot about you,” lie. Giving a name didn’t exactly translate to open book. “Is he here tonight? I haven’t seen him.”

[slayerbarbie]

( &. lexi )

      “Cheers,” she mimicked, a forced smile on her lips. It was alright, but she needed fun.

    “So. Did you find your friend yet?”

[slayerbarbie]

( &. elena )

Elena couldn’t help but smile. Caroline had the effect on everyone, her smile and presence was so radiant you couldn’t help but smile in response. “Everything is perfect, Care. You did a great job. But bonfire yet.” The brunette said as she raised her red plastic cup in honor of her friend’s hard work.

    Had she been searching for validation? Probably. She easily returned the brunette’s smile, raising her nearly empty cup. “Well, I don’t mean to brag, but. In that case, cheers to me.” The blonde polishes off her beer before tossing her cup, an act that would only cause her more work later. She was, after all, the one who’d organized this town’s clean-up campaign. “You having fun, then? I so told you.”

[slayerbarbie]

      Everything was going as planned -- not that she expected any less. After all, she’d single-handedly planned the bonfire, hadn’t she? Still, the smile she adorned didn’t quite reach her crystal hues. This was supposed to make her feel better; this was supposed to throw her back into the natural orbit of her life, yet her laughs felt forced and her thoughts seemed elsewhere. The red solo cup dangling from manicured fingers was light -- too light. A sigh escapes parted lips, feet treading lightly  on the forest floor as she sets off in search of a refill.       However, she never reaches the keg. Instead, she finds something much better: a leather clad mystery man with unfamiliar, though strikingly handsome, features. Unfamiliar faces weren’t something Caroline was accustomed to. Having been born and raised in Mystic Falls, Caroline knew almost everyone within the county limits; unfamiliar faces meant she wasn’t living up to her reputation as welcoming committee extraordinaire. Could this be the brother Stefan Salvatore briefly mentioned? Only one way to find out.

      “Little old to be at a high school bonfire, aren’t you?”

[slayerbarbie]

     “ ---- Cheers. Is this the funnest or what?”

[enigmaticwrites]

[orig.]

[slayerbarbie]

( &. alaric )

“Speaking of, what’s the deal with this bonfire?” Oh, God. Now he was about to crush her spirit. Not only did he get to hear about his students’ social lives, he was morally obligated to judge them. This unnatural mixed social group thing just got better and better. “I hate to be the party police, but… a bunch of unsupervised teenagers in the woods at night? No way that can go wrong.”

     And just like that, the girl who always had something to say became quiet. Oh, she was used to this -- her mother was the sheriff, after all. Thankfully, she’s had years of practice thwarting authority figures; a category that even Mr. Saltzman fell under despite his marginally cool hangout spot. “You don’t have to tell me about the party police. My mom? She’s the one carrying a badge and a gun. Which is exactly why I’ll be pleading the fifth in response to your bonfire question.”

[soulthunder]

[slayerbarbie]

( &. bonnie )

Picturing it, Bonnie couldn’t help but let that soft laugh escape her lips. Partying way into their 80′s would be a miracle. “We’ll be still be hot” A smirk upon her face, Bonnie closed her eye as she winked at Caroline. “Okay, but we need to get Elena there. She’s been looking-” Pausing, Bonnie tried to think of the right word “-exhausted” A worried sigh came from her.

    “Duh. Hot Grandma’s, you and me,” playfully, she nudges the brunette with her elbow. Caroline could feel the remnants of this horrible summer slipping away, her life falling back into place – where she wanted it to be, where it was supposed to be. She was back, doing what she loved best with the people she loved the most. “A non-issue already. She agreed to go already, but we have to make sure she has fun. No moping at The Falls allowed.”

[slayerbarbie]

     “I saw that.”

[sterolinedipity]

[slayerbarbie]

Drunk Stefan is a douche

[slayerbarbie]

( &. bonnie )

Seeing the pout, Bonnie knew what was coming. Her eyes reverted away from Caroline. Bonnie knew that it was only a matter of time before Caroline got her way. “I don’t know. How many more parties can I get dragged to?” The crinkle in her forehead was starting to show as her eyebrow raised into an arch. “Ditching? I wouldn’t take it that far..” Her voice drowned on, her hands clasping her arms as she crossed them. “You know what I’m like, I’ll stand there with a drink and watch”

    “Sorry, Bon’. I’ll be dragging you to parties until we’re wearing matching muumuu’s in our nursing home.” She offers the girl a smile, shoulders rising and falling swiftly. “If that’s your idea of fun, go for it. As long as you’re there.”

[slayerbarbie]

( &. stefan )

“Still you.” A short laugh left his lips and he cocked his head at her. “But saying I’m big news – that’s one way to give a guy a big head. – And can you? Like I said, I hardly know you, I feel like I need to keep the mystery alive.”

   “----And bigger isn’t better?” The melodic sounds of a giggle pass her glossed lips, hands on her hips as she tilts her head. “Professional secret keeper, seventeen years running. Mystery is so passe, Stefan.”

[slayerbarbie]

( &. jenna )

“I’m only – sure, yeah. So, uh, how’s junior year going for you so far?”

    “Painfully boring. A few animal attacks and it’s like everyone’s forgotten how to have fun. Nothing the spirit squad’s bonfire can’t fix, though.” Her demeanor shifts, slender fingers sweeping a golden tendril behind pierced ears. “How are things? Are they good? I saw Elena yesterday and she’s totally bailing on the spirit squad this year.”

[slayerbarbie]

( &. bonnie )

“I’m sorry, Care. This whole Bonfire party has me on edge-” Taking in a deep breath, her eyes glanced towards her friend “What was you saying again? I’ll listen this time, pinky promise”

  “You’re still going, right? I mean, you can’t not go!” Crystal orbs widen, lips forming a pout. Oh, no. She certainly wasn’t above giving puppy dog eyes to get what she wanted. “– Oh, not much. Just talking about how my best friend was thinking of ditching me on only the most important night ever.”

[alysonbrookess-blog]

Okay, what is with the blockage? Just jump his bones already.

[slayerbarbie]

( &. jenna )

“I don’t, but I’m sure you do. Good to see you, too, Caroline.”

    “All too well, unfortunately. God, it must be so great to be older and not have to care about your figure.”