✓ 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄, 𝘬. 𝘮𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘰𝘯

𝙨𝙞𝙭𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙞𝙭𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣—"𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙤𝙡𝙙"

———

𝙎𝙊, 𝘼𝙁𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝘾𝙇𝘼𝙍𝘼'𝙎 𝙀𝙈𝘽𝘼𝙍𝙍𝘼𝙎𝙎𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝘼𝘾𝘾𝙄𝘿𝙀𝙉𝙏, she headed home with Tyler. He ordered her to stay in bed until the dance later that night, even though her wound had healed just fine because of Caroline's generous donation of blood. She knew there was no fighting him on this, so she obeyed, peeling off her black jacket — leaving her in a blue tank top — as she laid down in her bed.

Somehow in the mix, she had fallen asleep gently. Hours passed, Tyler leaving his twin, not disturbing her, while he headed out to hang out with Jeremy and Matt. He figured if she hadn't woken up before the dance, he'd spam text and call her until she answered.

Clara let out a deep breath, slightly awake and she turned from laying on her side to move more comfortably to lay on her stomach. She felt hot, even in her tank top, and so she tugged on the blankets a bit to only cover her lower half. She smacked her lips softly, and opened her eyes for merely a second before she was jerked awake.

"Kol! What the hell dude!"

She hadn't even noticed the presence beside her, and she had no idea how long he had been there. He was wearing his usual dark jeans, a black v-neck, and he still had his shoes on. He was laying on his back, his hands tucked behind his head, and he had a large smirk played out on his lips.

"Careful darling, you've got a little bit of drool there," Kol teases, his smirk only growing bigger. He raises his finger to touch the bottom of his lips, mimicking where Clara apparently had 'drool.'

"Get the hell out," Clara groans, grabbing the pillow she was using and plops it on top of her head, covering her face and ears. "I'm trying to sleep."

"You have a tattoo?"

Immediately, Clara rose from her spot and used the blanket to cover her chest, moving her back away so he couldn't see. No one quite knew, except for Tyler, that Clara had a tattoo — not even her mom. It was hard to describe, but it consisted of leaves, a moon, and some lines. She got it awhile back after Tyler dared her to get one, after they both had too much to drink. So, they ventured out to Grove Hills, forged her mother's signature, and got it.

"It's quite beautiful," Kol speaks up through the awkward silence, and he didn't have a joking tone but more like a soft, meaning one.

"Thanks," Clara clipped, and she got up from her bed. "Don't tell anyone or I swear—"

"—Why did you get it?"

Clara knew the question was going to pop up, because Kol is extremely noisy. Clara moved where she knew on her side, and raised her hand where she tucked it under her head. She places her other hand on her pillow, and she traces the outline of the flowers sewn in it while she thinks of a way to say it.

"Uh, long story," Clara blinks a few times, and she lets out a deeper sigh. "I was drunk. A dare. I think you know the rest of the story.

"Can I see it?"

"If this is some lame ass excuse for me to take my shirt off, I swear—"

"—I just want to see the whole thing, love," Kol interrupts, a sly smirk appearing on his face. As Clara narrowed her blue eyes at the boy, while raising one eyebrow, he looks at her with sudden emotion, like he was confirming he had pure intentions.