ALIVE | K. SALTZMAN; BOOK ONE

28

"So, Mason," Damon started, taking a seat across from the man in question. "You ever seen the Wolf of Wall Street?" Kalila sighed. And here we go...

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After many, many wolf-themed Pictionary prompts, Kalila escaped to the front porch, swinging back and forth on the swing and trying not to think about the total cringe-fest that the entire evening had been. Damon was sitting on the bench diagonal from her with a permanent scowl on his face ever since Elena and Caroline ditched the barbecue, though she was pretty he wasn't upset about the blonde one leaving.

"Elena still hasn't forgiven you yet?" she asked, kicking her foot out to him, gaining his attention. He just shook his head, eyes trained on the ground. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I haven't forgiven her yet. Yet somehow, I ended up at the adults-only barbecue her aunt put on."

Damon smirked. "You think that you get invited to these things because you're just so mature for your age?"

Kalila cocked an eyebrow at him. "Have you met me?"

"Good point," he sighed, standing up and plopping down on the swing next to her, using his legs to swing both of them. "How's the Stefan front?" She smiled. It was very typical for Damon to not want to talk about his Elena problems, but he also knew that Kalila always wanted to talk about her Stefan problems. She hated to admit it, but Damon had a whole other side to him that she's pretty sure she only got to see because she trusted him when no one else would. Damon Salvatore could be a heartless bastard, but he was a caring friend.

"Haven't talked to him since him and Elena played tongue wrestling against my dad's car." She rolled her eyes at the thought. "And now, I've gone and ruined our friendship because I decided to kiss him. I shouldn't have done that." She frowned as she looked over at Damon.

"You're blind if you can't tell that Stefan likes you."

She laughed, shoving him lightly. "Quit messing with me, Damon."

He held his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm not messing with you, weirdo. I killed you two weeks ago and Stefan still hasn't let it go."

"Um, well..." Kalila trailed off, trying to hide her smirk. "You did commit murder."

"You know, I just feel like if the murder victim is over it, everyone else should be too."

At that, Kalila bust out laughing, doubling over as Damon joined her with a chuckle. She sighed, wiping at her eyes as the episode subsided. "You know, maybe it's just too soon for me and Stefan."

Damon nodded. "Maybe. But be honest, have you ever even stopped to consider that you might have felt this way about him all along and just never acknowledged it?"

She was silent at that, biting her lip as she tried to think back on all the time she spent with Stefan. She had always tried to keep her distance past being friends. But why did she do that? Why did she gravitate towards Damon instead of Stefan, who didn't kill her dad? And why was it so easy for her to be into him if she just started being interested in him? "Oh my God."

"There she is!" Damon chuckled.

Realization dawned on her. "I've liked him the whole time, haven't I?"

"Oh, Stefan, let me give you this precious copy of the Gilbert journal! And Stefan, don't go into the tomb because I'll never see you again! Now I'm going to kill all these tomb vampires because they kidnapped you! And I will spar with you every morning to get over your blood lust! Oh, Stefan, thank you, I love chocolate chip pancakes!"

"Okay!" Kalila exclaimed, silencing him. "I get your damn point."

"Thank you."

It was when Kalila was gearing up to give Damon a swift punch to the face that the front door opened, interrupting her movements. She pouted, Damon wearing a smirk as he gave her a condescending look. They both looked up to see Mason Lockwood standing over them. "Well," Damon started. "To what do I owe this pleasure?

"You two are pretty obvious, you know," Mason said, eyeing the two of them down.

"About?"

"Don't play dumb."

"Okay," Kalila sighed. "But I wasn't the one asking you about your favorite wolf-related movie, so if you're going to kill anyone, I suggest Damon."

"Kalila!" Damon exclaimed, but she could tell by his voice that he was right on board with her messing with Mason.

"Look," Mason said, taking a seat on the bench next to the two of them. "I know that you guys are vampires." Kalila's eyes widened, but she quickly relaxed, thankful that werewolves didn't have enhanced hearing to hear her fast heartbeat. At least, she thought they didn't. "And I think this whole vampires vs. werewolves thing is pretty old. I don't want to fight you."

"Right," Damon agreed, but was definitely still suspicious.

"So can we agree to a truce?"

"Of course." Damon stood up, and shook Mason's hand. Mason smiled at the two of them before heading back inside. Damon sat down next to Kalila with a sigh.

"You still don't trust him, do you?" Kalila asked as he just shook his head. "What was that about thinking I'm a vampire? Do I give off a bloodsucking impression?"

Damon looked over at her, pretending to examine her face. "Yes. You definitely do."

Now with Mason out of sight, Kalila has no problem delivering that punch.