you and me, forever.

10. Tension

"I don't know, the start was a little more than just weird. Let's not forget the cuddling i keep catching you guys doing."

"We both needed a friend more than anything. I think he realized that so my attempts at diverting the relationship from flirty to friendly finally landed." Katie says as the girls head towards the dressing rooms, "as for the cuddling, friends cuddle, it happens..."

"Anyways, how is Tyler?" She asks Caroline.

"Honestly I don't know. He says he has never felt better, but now he is acting weird and-ugh I don't know," she sighs.

"It's gonna be okay, Care. You both will get through this, I see how much he loves you and you love him. I think things will work itself out," Katie smiles, trying to comfort her sister as she comes out of the dressing room to show off one of her potential dresses.

"Katie that is beautiful you have to get it!!" Caroline gushes. She looked at herself in the mirror and couldn't help but feel special in the dress. It was simple but elegant. It was a sleek, shimmery black dress. It went right down to her ankles, with a slit going just above her knee. The top had a cowl neck, and thin black straps that ran down to her lower back, leaving most of it open.

"It definitely isn't masquerade but I mean you were never one to fit the theme," Caroline says.

"Yeah I don't wear old timey costume dresses with big skirts, but this is elegant enough I think it will do," Katie smiles, doing a spin in her new dress.

After she got changed, her phone started buzzing.

Damon: what are you up to?

She smiled and quickly responded.

Katie: out shopping with Caroline but about to head home, why?

She went to go pay for the dress and after they finished checking out, they got into the car. Caroline had driven, so Katie got comfortable in the passengers seat when her phone buzzed once again.

"Who is that?" Caroline asks.

"Damon"

"Of course it is," she sighs, clearly still not believing that they were just friends.

Damon: just wanted to see you ;)
Damon: tell Caroline to drive over, Katherine just got here with Michael.

She rolled her eyes at the winky face, knowing Damon will always be flirty, but she couldn't help but get butterflies at the text, like she was a young girl again and had a crush on a boy in her class.

"Katherine's at the Salvatore house, they said to come now,"

•••

Getting out of the car parked outside the boarding house, they noticed all of the cars outside, and knew the whole gang was inside. As they open the door to go inside, they saw everyone gathered in the living room, already devising a plan.

Katie was awestruck at the exact resemblance Elena and Katherine shared. She knew they were identical, but something about seeing them together in person still shocked her.

"The masquerade ball. It's in a few days, we can corner him there?" Damon suggests to the group, his attention immediately shifting to Katie, seeing that she and Caroline had arrived. She could see the happiness in his eyes, and she gave him a small smile in return.

"Yeah, we tell Klaus we have Michael in exchange for Stefan and my freedom-" Katherine says turning to whatever Damon was now fixated on.