Lucy's look for this chapter ≈
CHAPTER XXXIII
❝ I bet you suck at interiors.❞
Sightseeing was fun. But the actual fun began when they entered the club at night.
The blaring music nearly tore their eardrums as they stepped into 'L'Amore Club', crossing the threshold, from the busy street of early night.
The club was flooded with people, their voices nearly audible over the loud music as they drank, cheered, and enjoyed themselves to the most.
"Is it fantastic or is it too fantastic?" grinned Jamie, almost yelling over the loud music.
"Too fantastic." Lucy grinned back, her voice equally loud in order to make herself heard. "What about you, Bonnie, you like this place?"
"It's good." shrugged Bonnie, smiling. "I think we all like it."
Lucy was happy that Bonnie had finally decided to loosen up and enjoy their trip, throwing aside all her worries for a while.
"Well, then let's hit the dance floor!" said Lucy brightly, cheering loudly as the three of them joined on the dance floor.
The music was fast paced, energetic and encaptivating and the atmosphere at the dance floor was far from dull. Their feets tapped in rhythm, limbs moving in random dance steps as the crowd surrounding them whooped excitedly as the song changed, the DJ playing a remix of a local song whose lyrics the tourists might not understand, but still somehow found it in themselves to just sway with the beat.
Lucy could definitely say that dancing is bliss, especially when you get to play the matchmaker. Lucy had pushed the soon-to-be-expected-couple travelling with her a little close to each other, throwing a subtle wink to Bonnie to which the latter had just shaken her head, although a smile had creeped up its way to her face. And deciding to give them some time together, had discreetly sneaked out of the dance floor with an excuse to get some drinks.
Well, this was what led Lucy to where she was right now : standing by the side of the bar, a glass of whiskey swirling in her hand as she watched the pair with a smile on her face.
She mouthed the words 'I'm fine' to Bonnie after she had asked 'What happened?' with a small gesture of her head from her place at the dance floor.
Bonnie had soon motioned for her to join them with a small movement of her hand, although Lucy had waved it off with a simple thumbs up in her direction and mouthing the words 'You enjoy'.
The Bennett Witch had just shaken head, passing her a smile as she went back to the dancing, finally agreeing to what Lucy had been trying to do the whole day.
Lucy turned around to the bartender whose name she had found out was 'Bella', wordlessly placing the empty glass in front of her as she pulled out her phone to text Stefan.
We've reached. Sorry, forgot to message earlier. ━ Lucy
"Thank you." she nodded at Bella with a small smile, accepting the re-filled glass, which this time was filled with tequila.
"So, it's been just a day since you've been here." began Bella conversationally as Lucy lowered her phone, upturning it.
"Yeah, pretty much just a day." she shrugged. "What about you? How long you've been working here?"
"Just a few months now. I've worked here and there. Never quite stay at a place for long."
"Quite a habit you've picked up." mused Lucy as her phone chimed with a message and she turned it, viewing it discreetly.
Stefan ━ You reached now? Did the plane break in between or something?
Nah, reached almost twenty hours ago. But forgot to tell. ━ Lucy
Stefan ━ Seriously?
Lucy could even imagine him shaking his head at her antics.
"Um, I'll be back." said Lucy as Bella nodded at her understandably.
She ventured past the crowd, which had doubled in between their short time span in this club, her shoulders hitting slightly past the too-busy-to-notice clubbers, until she hit one particularly hard.
"Oh god!" a feminine voice had hissed in pain, holding her shoulder as Lucy's hand instinctively went to her own.
"The hell, what's wrong with you?" the woman before her nearly yelled out in frustration, directing the words to her even though she was not looking at her.
"What's wrong with 'you'?"
"What's wrong with me?" the woman gaped at her. "Look where you're going."
"You are the one who should look where you're going!"
"I'm just standing here! I was not even moving."
"Then maybe you were standing at the wrong place."
"Woah, woah, woah!" an all too familiar voice interrupted them. "What's wrong? Who are you fighting with?"
"This person-" began the woman before Lucy, directly looking at the person who had approached them from behind Lucy; however she was cutted off by a loud 'Bloody hell!' from Lucy when she had turned and had finally seen who was the person interrupting their so-called fight.
"Lucy!" the man exclaimed pleasantly as the unknown woman gaped at their interaction. "What are you doing here?"
"Teaching my dog how to bark." said Lucy, folding her arms over her chest, as she rolled her eyes. "What will I do in a club? Dance and enjoy, duh."
"Of course." Kol rolled his eyes. "But I meant 'here' aka Italy."
"Learning new terms, aren't you?" she mused as the un-introduced woman jumped into the conversation.
"Wait, what- you two know each other?"
"Well, yeah. This is Lucy Wright. And Lucy, this is Zoey Hughes." Kol introduced the two ladies as their previous fight just dissipated.
"Sorry about earlier. I wasn't looking where I was going." Zoey quickly apologised.
"Oh, no. 'I' was not looking where I was going."
"No, actually it's my fault."
"Seriously, I'm saying I was not looking where I was going."
"-Ladies!" exclaimed Kol, stopping a conversation that seemed to be soon turning into an argument. "Let's set that aside and talk like normal people."
"Sure." shrugged Zoey, a tight lipped smile on her face.
"I'm Zoey. Like Kol just told. I don't know this place much, just touring. So, yeah..." she shrugged awkwardly.
"I'm also a tourist. Came just this morning. By the way, how do you guys know each other?"
"Well, lovely Zoey here," began Kol, pulling the woman in question close by the waist as the pair smiled at each other, "met me when I was quite lost, too mesmerised by this city. It's been weeks and we've been too good since then. Right, darling?"
"Of course." she smiled, giving him a peck on the lips.
"You sure she ain't compelled?" asked Lucy casually.
"Compelled?" Zoey's brows furrowed in confusion.
"I mean, compelled by your charm." shrugged Lucy as Zoey laughed softly.
"Of course not. It's completely mutual." assured Kol, an amused look on his face.
"Well, then that's good. Perfectly fine."
"Did you mention how you two know each other?" asked Zoey looking at her and then back at her boyfriend.
"No, I didn't."
"We were in the same extra-course class in college," said Kol. "We were kinda part of a friend group. We weren't close but yeah, it's good catching up to the past sometimes."
"Oh, it's nice meeting you then, Lucy."
"Yeah, same here. Let's all get some drinks, what do you say?"
"Yeah, sure, why not."
◇◇◆◇◆◇◇
"So from what I gather, you're a travel blogger?" said Lucy casually, taking a sip from her soda can.
They had been conversing, getting to know each other, as they occupied a lone sofa in a corner of the club.
"Um, not exactly. It's temporary. I graduated recently and decided to travel a little before getting a job. I mean, I won't even have time to breathe after I join."
"What do you specialise in?"
"Interiors. It's my passion."
"That's brilliant- Kol don't you think that little thing in your hand is becoming way too addictive?"
Kol looked up from where he was absorbed in his phone, exploring the 'phone settings', when he heard his name in a conversation.
"I heard my name. Did I do something?" he asked sceptically, his eyes flickering between the two women accompanying him.
"Well, yeah, you did a huge crime." Lucy pursed her lips jokingly as Zoey stifled a laugh.
"What-?" his brows furrowed, hands finally leaving the addictive device.
"Well, yeah. You ain't supposed to use that thing when in a club or particularly when you're talking to someone."
"Fine." he huffed, pocketing his phone, although his face held the look of a kid from whom his candy had been snatched away. "So, tell me what you guys wanna talk about."
"Oh, let's talk about what you're thinking about ahead, now that you've passed college." said Lucy, resting her chin on palm as her eyebrow shot up with pre-amusement regarding what Kol's answer will be.
"Uh..." he hesitated for a moment before a smirk appeared on his face. "I'll join my dear lovely Zoey in whatever she does."
"That's cute. But you sure...?" asked Zoey, amusement dripping from her tone as Kol merely shrugged.
"I bet you suck at interiors." Lucy commented.
"Maybe." he shrugged carelessly. "But I might do well in hospitality."
"Uh-huh." Lucy snorted.
"Then get us a drink then. Let's see how well you do." Lucy said smugly, holding up her empty glass as Kol's expression flattened at her offer.
"Hospitality doesn't mean that you've to be a waiter." he deadpanned.
"It's okay." Zoey laughed, standing up and taking the empty glasses. "I'll get a refill."
"See, manners." tutted Lucy giving Zoey space to exit the seating area as Kol merely stuck his tongue out at her.
"Why you being so complaining today?" exclaimed Kol as soon as Zoey was out of earshot.
"You went to Denver or what?" she asked, ignoring his question blatantly.
He paused for a moment, before simply shrugging in response. "Yeah, I did."
"And......?"
"And nothing."
"Come on, don't tell me she wasn't even there."
"She was."
"Okay." Lucy raised her hands. "Stop with these short, crisp answers. I want the details."
"Fine." he sighed, re-checking if Zoey was out of earshot. "I went to Denver to the address you gave. But she wasn't. Some old man opened the door when I ringed the bell."
"Wait- old man? You mean like really old, in eighties or somethin'?"
"No, no," he shook his head. "In thirties or forties."
"That isn't old. That middle-aged or just turned adult. Like- okay whatever, you carry on with what happened ahead."
"What next, I just left." he shrugged.
"You did not even ask if she lived there or something?"
"Yeah-"
"-Seriously-?"
"-But let me finish."
"Fine, continue."
"I checked in the school you said she teaches. That Gilbert boy also went to that school. Nik asked me to keep an eye on him-"
"Wait- he asked- but why-?"
"As leverage."
"Leverage for what?"
"For the witch."
"When did this happen-? I mean what was goin' on at Mystic Falls." asked Lucy.
"The time my mother linked us all together."
"I was completely ready to unlink everyone. Then why does he need any leverage against Bonnie?"
"I told him you would obviously do it." Kol raised his hands in defence. "But Nik wanted a backup just in case...."
"Seriously?" Lucy scoffed, shaking her head.
"Okay, listen." Kol quickly changed the topic. "Then I checked in the school logs. Her name was there and I found her in the canteen."
"Yeah." she hummed light-heartedly, her face still scrunched up in an annoyed pout regarding the previous topic.
"I thought of talking to her," he sighed. "But, then I noticed her talking to that same old man from before. Hey- you listening?"
"Yeah." she nodded quickly. "What happened in the canteen?"
"She and that old man looked like a couple to me."
"Firstly," she raised a finger to denote one. "That man ain't old. He is thirty to forty years old."
"And secondly," she raised second finger, giving him a look. "You serious? You just assumed and left without talking to her?"
"Yeah..." he sighed.
"Just admit that you're no longer into her." Lucy crossed her arms, giving him a 'don't-you-lie-to-me' look.
"Uh-" he opened his mouth to reply but couldn't quite manage to come up with something.
"That means a yes."
"I.... I don't know." he sighed. "Maybe yes."
"So then it's a yes. It's alright. I'm not her advocate or somethin'. But it's fine. You 'can' lose feelings for someone in a hundred years for god's sake. Chill. But just call her and clear out whatever it is with you guys."
"Fine." he sighed, his 'Kolness' returning back to him.
"And, yeah, Zoey's nice. I like her. I approve." she gave him a mock thumbs up, winking at him as he opened his mouth to say something but stopped seeing that the girl in question had appeared with the drinks in hand.
"Sorry guys. It's really crowded out there." she breathed out, placing the glasses on the table as she made her way to her seat. "Club is filling up as midnight approaches."
"It's okay." they both waved it off.
"Well, hospitality is a nice option but I don't think you might have the patience for that." Zoey shrugged, looking directly at Kol as Lucy smirked to herself, although her eyes fell to her phone's screen as it vibrated with a new message.
Vaishali ━ Hey, Klaus is also in Italy.
So, what? ━ Lucy
Vaishali ━ 'What'? Aren't you guys dating?
Well, not yet. And I'm not here for- ━ Lucy
Her words were left untyped as in a quick movement, the phone was out of her hand.
"Oh, oh, oh. You aren't supposed to use that thing when in a club or particularly when you're talking to someone." said Kol smugly, repeating her words from earlier as he snatched the phone out of her hands, ignoring her protests.
"Let me see...." he muttered to himself as his mouth formed into an 'O' on reading the message from Vaishali.
"Give it back." Lucy snatched the phone back as a smirk slowly crept its way to Kol's face, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"You know what, I might want to make a really quick call."
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A/n:
So, *sigh*. Finally an update.
So sorry, but the exams are keeping me toooo busy that it took soooo long.
Altho, unfortunately, next update will also take more time than usual.
Until then,
Ripahhhhhhhhhh.
Word Count : 2368