Party from Hell

1

Elena's POV

I knocked on the large wooden door three times, the sound echoing slightly. After waiting for a long minute, I knocked again. No answer. I sighed and opened the door, the tiny creak seeming loud in the silence. I couldn't hear anyone in the house, but this was the last place I could think of to find anyone. Everyone, and I mean everyone, hadn't been answering their phones all day.

"Damon?" I called into the seemingly empty house. "Stefan?"

No answer. With a frown, I pulled out my phone and pressed to speed dial Damon's number. The tinkling sound of his ringtone sounded from the next room for half a second before it cut off. I was instantly on alert, confused but wary.

"Damon?" I asked again. "What's going on?" I slowly walked down the steps into the huge living room.

"SURPRISE!" Multiple people yelled, and loud bangs sounded through the room as what looked like party poppers were pulled. I jumped, and then my eyes focused. Everyone - Damon, Stefan, Bonnie, Careoline, Jeremy, Alaric, Enzo, Matt, and Tyler - were crowded around the room, Bonnie and Caroline holding empty party poppers.

"What the heck is this?" I asked, looking around. Careoline sighed at me.

"It's your one year anniversary of becoming a vampire!" She stuck a hand on her hip. "Don't tell me you forgot?" Her tone was almost threatening. I squirmed silently.

"Chill out Care." Bonnie grinned and stepped out from behind the couch to hug me. "Happy re-birthday Elena."

"Thanks Bonnie." I smiled against her hair. Caroline flashed across the room with vampire speed and hugged us both. We all clung together for a minute before we were interrupted by Damon.

"Well, as much as I'd love to stand here and watch you three hug for ages..." He trailed off, and I heard the clink of glass as he poured himself bourbon. We broke apart and Caroline rolled her eyes at him.

"Elena." She smiled at me. "We have exactly seventeen minutes until everyone arrives. You..."

"Everyone?" I cut her off to question.

"Yes. We invited everyone our age from Whitmore to come to your 'birthday." She grinned and carried on talking. I gave up trying to get a word in. "Me and Bonnie are taking you upstairs and you are going to cooperate." She partnered this with a warning glare. "While everyone else takes care of setting up. Got it?"

"Yes Ma'am." I said seriously, but I couldn't help smiling. Caroline rolled her eyes.

"Bonnie, take her upstairs." She began. "Stefan, lights please. Matt, Tyler, Jeremy, furniture rearrangement according to these diagrams." She handed them a few pieces of paper. "Alaric, drinks are in boxes out the back. Damon, food boxes are labelled in the downstairs fridge. Set them out on this table." Damon rolled his eyes but didn't dare contradict her. "Enzo, set up the music." She waited for a beat of silence. "Go!" She prompted.

Everyone started moving, too scared to fight her. Bonnie and I went upstairs after Caroline promised to be there in a moment. We went into the spare room, which Caroline had obviously set up as a sort of dressing room for the day. I chuckled as Bonnie closed the door.

"All this for a party?" I joked, running my hand over the racks of dresses.

"It's Caroline." Was all Bonnie needed as an explanation. "Now sit. I have orders to follow." I rolled my eyes and sat down in front of the mirror. Bonnie started gently brushing my hair out into straight waves, and by the time she was done, Caroline had opened the door.

"Hey." She smiled, studying me. "Your makeup looks great, so I won't mess with it."

"I'm not even wearing any." I said. Caroline shrugged.

"Slight wave in her hair Bonnie." She ordered over her shoulder as she started picking out dresses and holding them out to me to visualise. "Elena, stand up."

I stood, and Bonnie worked around my hair, putting gentle waves into it with a curler while Caroline held dress after dress up in front of my body. When Bonnie was done, she helped Caroline, both of them whispering to each other as I stood there.

"I can't decide." Caroline eventually exclaimed, holding up two dresses. A white one that was knee length, with a fabric of lacy flowers, and a black tight one that was shorter, a strap over the chest, showing a line of skin, and two connecting the shoulder straps to the actual dress. "Elena?"

"Black." I decided for her. "It is a college party after all." Caroline winked and Bonnie took the white dress to hang it back on the rack.

"Get into it, and I'll get someone to bring up the matching shoes." She handed the dress to me. I barely had time to nod before she was out of the door, talking very quickly to Bonnie as they left. I laughed and shook my head, closing the door before pulling my shirt and jeans over my head.

Sliding the tight dress over my head, I turned to the mirror again as it slipped into place. It was very tight, clearly showing every angle of my body. I frowned slightly, wondering if it was too revealing.

"You look beautiful." Damon's voice came from the doorway. I turned to see him leaning against the door frame, shoes dangling from his hand. He shrugged off the door and came towards me, handing me the shoes.

"Thanks." I bent down and pulled them on. My hair fell into my eyes as I straightened up and Damon gently ran his fingers through it, putting it back into place. I looked up into his eyes, not moving. I couldn't control it, my eyes flickered down to his lips. Damon smirked.

"I got you something." He said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a little black box, just larger than one that would hold a ring. "Here." He pressed it into my hand. I held his gaze for another moment before I looked down to open it.

Inside, on the end of a delicate silver chain, was a little diamond, the shape of a teardrop. It sparkled in the light as I picked it up. I held it closer to my eyes, in awe of how beautiful it was. After gazing at it for a long time, I looked at Damon.

"Do you like it?" He whispered.

"I love it." I breathed. "Damon....thank you." Damon smiled.

"Allow me." He held out a hand.

I lowered the necklace into it and turned to face the mirror again. Damon brushed my hair over my left shoulder and slowly clipped the necklace around my neck. The diamond nestled perfectly against my chest. Damon's hands rested on my shoulders as I looked into his eyes through the mirror.