so high school | tvd soulmates

17 | playing kidnappers

Caroline smiled, actually appreciating the sentiment. It was creepy but incredibly sweet. Something only Elena would've come up with. So, as Elena started putting candles on the cake, Caroline started a speech.

"Okay. Here lies Caroline Forbes..."

"Cheerleader, Miss Mystic Falls, third-grade hopscotch champion," Elena listed.

"Friend, daughter, overachiever," Bonnie added.

"Mean girl, sometimes, no offense," Matt said, making them laugh.

Caroline just smiled. "Ah, none taken."

"And the ray of sunshine that keeps this friend group going," Clementine said, earning a thankful look from Caroline.

"She was seventeen, and she had a really good life. So rest in peace, so that she can move forward," Elena said, holding the cake in front of Caroline. "That's what you really need. What we all really need. Amen, or cheers or whatever. Bonnie?"

Bonnie lit the candles without even moving a muscle. "Bitchin'," Clem laughed.

"Nice! Okay, make a wish," Elena instructed.

After Caroline blew out the candles, they all split the cake and passed around the tequila, Clementine opting for a soda.

"When's Tyler getting here?" Clem asked Caroline, who was already texting her boyfriend.

"Soon," she smiled before passing the drink to Elena.

Elena smiled teasingly. "Exactly like when we were kids."

"Without Jeremy," Bonnie muttered, which made the atmosphere tense. Elena glanced at her, a frown on her face. "Sorry, I know it's Caroline's birthday, funeral or whatever but, I just feel it's really wrong that you compelled Jeremy to leave town."

"I already had this talk with Clemmy. I'm doing it to protect him, Bonnie. I want to give him a chance to have a quiet normal life," she explained.

"He should be able to choose how he wants to live it. You're taking his choices away," she snapped.

"Bonnie, you can't tell him," she said, realizing where Bonnie was going with this.

"Why? Are you gonna compel me not to?" she retorted.

"You know, you guys are ruining a perfect funeral," Matt said, trying to ease the tension.

Bonnie shook her head and moved to leave. "I'm sorry. I'm just gonna go sleep it off or something. Happy birthday."

"Awesome," Clementine breathed out, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Because she agreed with Bonnie but didn't want to make things worse.

And it wasn't long before Tyler arrived. "Sorry, I didn't mean to crash the party."

"More the merrier," Matt said even though he felt a bit tense. He didn't agree with Tyler choosing to become a hybrid. And it didn't help that he wasn't over Caroline.

"Actually, can I talk to you for a sec? It's kind of important," Tyler said, speaking to Caroline.

She smiled and nodded, leaving the crypt hand in hand with Tyler. Then Elena and Clem both looked at Matt.

"Are you okay?" Elena asked.

In response, he grabbed the tequila and took a big swig. "Yeah, I want her to be happy, you know? It's what I want for all of you guys in the middle of this crazy life you got stuck living."

"Is that how you see it? That we're stuck?" Elena asked sadly.

"I'd say it's attached itself to you all pretty tight, yeah," he muttered, looking at his sister who had already died more times than he could count.