"So we were thinking..."
The way Elena trails off causes me to look up from my battered library copy of The Tempest and at the girl sitting across from me. My sister bites her lip, glancing between Bonnie, who's next to me pretending to be overly engrossed in her criminology notes, and Caroline, who gives Elena a discreet nod.
"What?" I ask, slowly placing my bookmark in the pages and shut the book.
"Just putting it out there that this was Caroline's idea," Bonnie mutters, raising her eyebrows at the stack of notes in her hands. Caroline shoots her an exasperated look.
"Really, Bonnie?"
"What, I mean, it's not like Elena and I would have ever thought of doing something this–"
"If you say stupid, I will throw a very dramatic fit right here in the library, Bon," Caroline warns, raising her index figure in the air.
Uh, oh. My eyes dart between the two girls leveling each other with a look, Bonnie's wary and Caroline's slitted. Do I even want to know what this is about?
Probably not but curiosity and Caroline's struggle with withholding information will shove the answer in my face one way or another.
"Can someone fill me in?" Caution coats my tone and I wait for someone to tell me what's going on.
Not surprisingly, the blonde is the first to speak up, leaning toward me across the table with her palms pressing down on the wooden surface.
"It's nothing bad, really. Basically, here's what I wanna do: you were stuck during the prison world during Christmas. All of us were too bummed to properly celebrate without you–I mean, I spent it with my mom, but everyone else wasn't in the mood when I suggested holding a Friends-Mas at my place. And that sucked but I get it because well, how can we even have a Friends-Mas with one very important friend stuck in some sort of trippy witchy demension?"
I nod slowly, still not understanding what the proposal is and how any of this brought on Bonnie's evident reluctance. "Yeah. So...what are you saying?"
Her composed expression soon gives way to a radiant grin. "I wanna have a belated holiday party this weekend, with all of us, Stefan, Damon, and you know, the whole crew. It'll make up for the lack of festivities when you were...still gone."
"A party?" I repeat uncertainly, my mind replaying scenes from my welcome-back rave when Jay had me cornered against the wall.
She tilts her head, scrunching her face up in thought. "Honestly, I guess it's more of a dinner. Don't worry, it's low-key, totally your thing. Just close friends will be attending."
Bonnie clears her throat and Caroline huffs, shooting her another look.
"That sounds fun," I smile, genuinely meaning the statement. Having all my friends together for a cozy celebration of my favorite holiday doesn't sound so bad; it sounds great, actually. But I know I'm still missing a key detail to this dinner, if Bonnie's clear lack of excitement and Elena's blatant silence is anything to go by.
"Except..." Elena cuts in, glancing at Caroline.
"Except...what?" I raise an eyebrow, looking at the blonde who's toying with her manicured nails.
"Oh, nothing," Bonnie waves a hand dismissively, reaching over to snatch a paper from Caroline's side of the desk, ignoring her "hey!", and hands it to me. "Just take a look at this interesting guest list."
I eye them curiously before scanning the paper in my hands, a list in Caroline's neat handwriting.
Me
Charlotte
Bonnie
Elena
Damon
Stefan
Matt
Tyler
Jeremy
Alaric
Jo
Liv
Kai
I have to read the last line a few times over, my eyes widening and darting between the three girls.
"Wait–Kai? You're inviting him?"
The knowing, raised-brows look Caroline is subtly sending in my direction furthers my suspicion that catching Kai in my dorm last week led to her decision to include him. But while I like Kai and his company, certain attendants of this dinner party don't share the same sentiment. It'll just be awkward–and that's the best case scenario. The worst cases involve unpleasant images strikingly similar to my nightmare from a few weeks ago, in which the witch I care about gets his heart ripped out of his chest by one of my friends.
"Told you it wasn't a good idea, Care," Bonnie says with a sense of triumph in her tone, waving her pencil at the frowning blonde.
Elena decides to jump in. "Look, Char, we just thought that, well, with everything that's happened recently, a little get together would be nice. And Christmas is your favorite holiday," she offers a warm smile, "but if you don't want Kai there, we can just–"
"No," I say; too quickly, judging by the alarmed looks on their faces. Clearing my throat, I try again, "I mean, I don't mind if Kai's there. But are you sure that's a good idea? You know, him and Damon, in the same room?"
My sister purses her lips, clearly considering this obstacle but nonetheless she shakes her head. "I'll take care of Damon. He's not going to try anything."
"But what if Kai does?" Bonnie pipes up, her voice of reason being an ever-present component of practically any conversation. In this particular matter, however, I don't deem it necessary since I know Kai and I'm sure if I talk it over with him, he'll be willing to be on his best behavior. Hopefully.
Well, as best as it can be, when it's Kai Parker we're talking about; a man who clearly gets a kick out of provoking a certain hostile, raven-haired vampire. And his brother, but I'm not concerned about Stefan maintaining a calm demeanor. Calm is his default setting and he's admirably good at keeping his cool.
Kai annoying Damon and other dinner guests, well, that's inevitable. But that's as far as he will go if unprovoked. Truthfully, he doesn't deserve to be the constant recipient of dislike and wariness, as if he's just another Klaus Mikaelson or Silas waltzing into Mystic Falls with ill intentions. I wish I can just get it through everyone's heads that he doesn't go everywhere with violence on his mind.
"You know, Bonnie," I turn to her, "he's capable of being civil."
She presses her mouth into a thin line. "Sure, until someone takes the last bread roll and he incendias them."
"That's a little over the top," I furrow my eyebrows. "Why can't you give him a chance?"
"Why are you?" Bonnie turns her body completely in my direction, raising an eyebrow. "Look, Char, I'm sorry, but I really am failing to understand why you always defend him."
Before I can figure out a response, Caroline sighs and speaks up. "Guys, can't we all just be excited for this? Everyone together for a belated Christmas celebration, I mean, come on. It's a regular old Friends-Mas, really. Just, you know, with Kai. Right, Elena?" She looks to the brunette pleadingly.
"I'm not all that thrilled about inviting Kai either, Bon," Elena begins, but catching Caroline's glare, she adds, "but it'll be...fun!"
The lack of conviction in her false attempt at the cheery statement does little to reassure Bonnie, or me.
Involuntarily, my mind returns to the night of the rave, when Damon had Kai in a chokehold against the wall.
Ugh. Leave it to me to like a guy that can't even hang out with my friends and I without the fear lingering within me that he might not make it through the night.
Did I just refer to Kai Parker as the guy I like?
Oh, who am I kidding? You don't kiss your just-friends on a routine basis. Whatever he and I are, friends doesn't make the cut for a proper label. But labels are overrated, anyway.
Before I can dwell on the thought any longer, Caroline is talking again.
"The thing is, Kai saved my mom. Well," she bites her lip, staring down at the table, "bought her...some more time, I guess, but still, he helped her. And I have yet to properly thank him for that. This dinner is the perfect way to do that, so he's coming, whether anyone likes it or not."
Bonnie sighs, nodding her assent and Elena shrugs, doodling a flower in her notebook. The unspoken agreement to let Kai's attendance at the dinner slide lifts Caroline's spirits and allows me to feel somewhat relieved.
I study the list again and another name catches my eye, bringing my gaze back up to Caroline, who's in the middle of a conversation with Elena.
"Liv's invited, too?" I ask and she stops talking, her head swiveling in my direction.
"Duh," she laughs. "Liv's your best friend."
Chewing on my bottom lip, I let my eyes fall to the list again, remembering the way Liv slammed the door in my face when I'd last seen her. I'd texted her a few times since then, little things like hey or how are you but each message was blatantly ignored.
"We...we sort of had a little misunderstanding the other week," I sigh. "I don't know if she'll want to come. Especially if Kai's there."
"Bummer," Caroline mumbles, while Elena leans forward, concern in her gaze.
"You guys will figure things out, I know it," she tells me. "Are you okay?"
I shrug, offering her a smile that I hope is reassuring. "Yeah. It'll all blow over, I guess. She's just grieving."
My sister pats my hand in a comforting gesture, nodding.
Caroline soon launches into an enthusiastic explanation of the upcoming Christmas dinner, which I absentmindedly acknowledge with nods and hums, my mind in other places.
"...and Char?"
Blinking, I focus on her. "Hm?"
"You'll invite Kai for me, right? I would, but I don't have his number or anything."
"Oh, yeah," I nod. "Sure."
That's if he can manage to pull himself away from the apartment for a few hours.
Since we visited Jo together a few days ago and he received his twin's magic, Kai has immersed himself in the task of foraging ancient Gemini texts and grimoires with the purpose of unlinking my life to his father's. Yesterday, I lounged next to him on the couch, watching his eyes flit across the pages opened in front of him.
"Kai," I sighed, "take a break, please."
"Can't," he deadpanned, flipping to another page.
Determined to get his focus away from Gemini texts, I moved closer to him, gently placing a hand on the side of his cheek and turning his head. His blue eyes bore into mine, the crease between his brows steadily becoming an ever-present feature on the warlock's face.
"Charlie," he said firmly. "I need–"
"A break," I finished for him, reaching with my free hand to shut the old book without taking my eyes off him. "You're stressing yourself out."
His mouth pressed together into a tight line and his eyes fell shut momentarily. "This happened because of me. I'll be damned if I don't fix what I caused."
I softly stroked the side of his face, causing his eyes to peel open again. Leaning in, I pressed a kiss to his lips, then pulled back a bit to cast a long glance over his dark pupils and downturned mouth.
"The only person to blame here is your father," I whispered. "And look at me, Kai," I gestured to myself, "I'm fine."
He snorted. "For now. But Joshua has made a few enemies for himself throughout his life. You never know what could happen, one day someone could go after him and you could just–" his voice broke and he turned his head away sharply, clearing his throat.
That was a possibility that has definitely crossed my mind, but I was doing my best to think on the positive side of things. Kai, however, wasn't interested in sugarcoating the risk that I'm living with as long as my life is connected to his father's; not that I expected him to be.
"Kai," I murmured, frowning as he still refused to look at me. His jaw was clenched as his eyes stayed glued to the books laid out on the coffee table, but his mind was in a another, darker place.
I shifted closer to him, kissing the side of his neck and trailing my lips up to his cheek, while gently playing with the hairs at the nape of his neck. With each delicate kiss I left on his skin, the tension in his muscles appeared to loosen and he let out an exhale. Suddenly, his head turned and he caught my lips with his, his hands finding my waist and glided up and down my hips.
"Damn it, Charlie," Kai sighed into my mouth, pulling me on top of him as he sank down onto the other side of the couch.
Once I broke the kiss, he grumbled but I darted kisses all over his face in an attempt to alleviate the remaining tension. My hands went to his sides, tickling him. He laughed loudly, his body shaking beneath mine with the rumbling sound. The noise spread a grin across my lips and after placing a chaste kiss on his mouth, I studied his expression.
A slightly dazed, happy smile resided on his face as he stared up at me, tucking a stray curl behind my ear. The content silence dragged on for a bit until Kai's strong arms snaked around my back, pulling me down to lay on top of him. I rested the side of my cheek against his shoulder, idly tracing my fingers over his stubble and he hums.
"I won't let him hurt you again," he broke the silence with the statement, his jaw locking.
"I know," I said, using my hand lingering on his chin to turn his head my way, "and I promise, your father isn't going to hurt you anymore, either. I know I'm a human, not a supernatural of any kind but I'll still do everything I can to protect you from him, or from anyone else that means to hurt you. Okay?"
There was a warm fondness in his blue eyes as they flickered over my face. He snuggled me closer into him, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and buried his face into my neck. I could feel him smiling against my skin when he answered.
"My hero," he chuckles, kissing my jaw.
"Hel-looo," Caroline waves a hand in front of my face. "Earth to Charlotte, are you listening?"
"What?" I say abruptly, her voice yanking me out of the memory replaying in my head. "I'm listening."
She looks at me skeptically, pursing her lips. "Right. Anyway, so for the food, Bonnie can bring her apple pie–"
"Grams' recipe," Bonnie pipes up, smiling fondly.
"And I'll order most of the stuff, of course, I mean I could cook but why do that when I can just hire caterers, right?"
I snicker. "More like you can't cook."
"Excuse you," she points her pencil at me, narrowing her eyes, "I'm perfectly capable of whipping up a tasty Christmas feast myself, I'm just saving time."
Elena arches a brow at her. "Need I remind you of our sophomore year bake-off?"
Bonnie bursts out laughing and Caroline rolls her eyes. "Your stove's wiring was just all out of wack, okay, that was so not my fault!"
They bicker on like that for a while until Bonnie checks her phone's lock screen and sighs.
"I'll see you guys later, I gotta go take an exam," she groans, standing up and gathering her things.
We wish her good luck and she sends us a grateful smile, hurrying out of the library.
"And I have to get to the hospital," Elena says apologetically, slipping her notebook in her bag. "Text me the details for the dinner. I'll help in any way I can. See you later, guys."
She walks around the table, squeezing my upper arm as she maneuvers past me. I watch my sister go before turning back to Caroline, who's biting down on her bottom lip to control her grin.
My eyes flick from left to right in confusion. "Uh, Care? You okay?"
"Aren't you excited!" She practically squeals, resulting in angry shhh's from students in nearby tables.
Clearing her throat, she moves closer to me, the volume in her high-pitched voice dropping considerably, but the smile doesn't leave her face.
"I just can't wait to have everyone together again," she sighs happily and I nod in agreement, my lip curving up. "And I know you can't wait to see a certain someone."
I make a nonchalant psh sound, staring down at my notes instead of her. But she's definitely not wrong; there's an unbridled anticipation that rises in my stomach, similar to a schoolgirl waiting for her date to arrive and pick her up, whenever I know I'm going to see Kai.
I never thought that someone with as much darkness as Kai Parker could ever make me feel such an innocent type of excitement and joy, but here I am, trying to hide a smile at the mere thought of him.
"Don't even lie, you're a bad liar," Caroline points out, "so, have you guys been hanging out?"
That's one way of putting it.
"Yeah, we have," I admit and she beams.
"He's nice to you, right? Ooh, is he a secret romantic? Did you guys go on your first–"
"Oh, my God, Care, we're not dating." My cheeks flush and I avert my eyes from hers again, afraid of what mine might reveal.
"So, not dating, just the occasional make out session," she nods to herself and my head shoots up, eyes widening in shock.
"W-what, we're–we're not–"
"Save it, Char," she laughs. "I may have heard a little more than I let on that day I caught him in your dorm."
I recall the moment as soon as she mentions it: Kai kissing me on my bed, just before Caroline showed up. Of course, she heard that. What kind of idiot was I to assume she hadn't, with her supernatural hearing abilities?
Gnawing on my bottom lip, I eye her carefully, not knowing what to expect. Caroline has, undoubtedly, been the most supportive when it comes to my "friendship" with the man majority of my friends seem to despise. But her knowing that my bond with the witch goes deeper than meets the eye unsettles me. There's only so much even my nonjudgmental friend will condone, what if she–
"You know I love you, right?"
The softly spoken statement takes me off guard. Not exactly how I expected this conversation to start out.
I half-smile at her. "Yeah, Care, of course."
"Then, why didn't feel like you could tell me what was going on with you two?"
No anger is present in her tone or expression, just curiosity and...hurt.
"I don't know, Caroline, I just..." I sigh, my shoulders slumping with the breath. "I wasn't sure how well that would go over, not just with you, but with everyone. And how can I explain what's going on, when I'm still trying to understand it myself?"
A look of thoughtfulness crosses her features and she nods slowly. "Are you guys friends?"
I bite my lip. "We are...we are friends but it's..."
"Complicated?" She offers.
Complicated. A word used repeatedly for those who just didn't know what the definitive label for a relationship between a certain two people could be. And it's the perfect placeholder, until I can sort everything out for myself. For now, Kai and I are just complicated.
"Exactly."
A chuckle slips from her lips. "Oh, trust me, I get how that is. I've had my fair share of confusing relationships."
She grabs my hands suddenly, yanking me closer and I gasp at her inhuman strength. "Geez, Care!"
"Sorry," she says quickly, "but okay, I have to know. Did you guys...?" Her eyebrows wiggle suggestively.
My face burns and I look away, the gesture being all she needs to get an answer to her question.
"Oh. My. God."
"Shhh!" A girl hisses from a table next to us and Caroline sends her a death glare, causing the student to quickly shrink away and return to her homework.
"Back up, when did this happen?" She questions, squeezing my hands and practically bounces up and down in her seat. Her enthusiasm is contagious and I can't help but laugh quietly.
"The first time?" I blurt out, causing her eyes to grow to the size of saucers.
"You did it more than once?" Her hands leave mine and fly to her mouth, like she's physically trying to contain another squeal. "Okay, tell me about the first then."
I shrug, feeling bashful with her unwavering focus on my words. "It...it was our last day in the prison world. We agreed to do it one time, just to get it out of our systems. Well, I was delusional and acted like that'd be the only time but Kai...he was awfully confident that it was gonna happen again."
"And it did," she grins, "but before we get into that, how was it? I mean, he went, what, like two decades without sex?"
"Eighteen years," I correct her.
"Wow. That had to be pretty amazing, actually. He was probably like a lion getting freed from its cage. A total animal in bed, after being alone for so long," she fans her face with one hand and I cover my face in embarrassment, chortling.
"Caroline!"
Another chorus of shhhh's sound and she snickers, stuffing her books in her bag.
"The library probably isn't the best place to discuss this," she gets up and I follow suit, putting The Tempest away, "come on."
As we aimlessly walk around the campus grounds, I tell Caroline about Kai. It feels good, to be able to finally confide in someone and not have to keep every single Kai-related thought to myself. And it makes it seem all the more normal; like I'm merely telling a friend about a cute boy from one of my classes and not about the dangerous, alluring witch that has consumed my thoughts and feelings lately.
The open minded way in which Caroline approaches the topic makes me appreciate her even more. She doesn't for one second let any sort of judgment leak into her tone as she asks me questions about the witch, and for that I'm grateful.
I even tell her about Kai and I traveling to Portland, but choose to leave out the heavy detail of my harsh run-in with Joshua Parker.
"So when you said you were going to South Carolina with a friend..."
"I really went to Portland, and that friend was Kai," I explain, feeling surprisingly at ease with revealing the information. Cautiously, I peek sideways to gauge her reaction, wondering if she's mad about the secrets I've been keeping. But instead, she looks thoughtful.
"Huh," she says, surprised. Then a smirk starts playing on her lips and she side-eyes me.
"So that guy you had hot shower sex with," she teases and I blanch, averting my gaze from hers. "Kevin, right?"
My lack of response suffices as confirmation to her suspicions and Caroline lets out a gleeful laugh, tugging at my arm.
"Oh, my gosh! You and Kai had shower sex!"
The exclamation earns a few strange looks from passing college students and I inwardly groan, shooting the blonde a look.
"Would you keep it down!"
"Sorry," she gushes. "I'm getting a serious kick out of this. Since my sex life has been overall uneventful, hearing about yours is the next best thing! And I mean, wow, I never pegged you as someone who goes for the bad boy."
"He's a good person, Caroline," I insist. "I've gotten to know him better and he's...he's not who everyone thinks he is."
Her face softens and she wraps an arm around my shoulders. "Listen, you don't have to try to convince me that he's good or anything. Because if Charlotte Gilbert is giving him the time of day, there has to be some light in all that darkness. I trust your judgment."
Caroline's words warm my heart and I wind an arm around her back, leaning my head on her shoulder.
"Thank you, Care. You have no idea how much of a relief it is to hear that."
"Hey, no problem. Just make sure you tell him he's invited to Friends-Mas, okay? Saturday at five."
I chuckle. "Sure."
"Great." She snakes her free arm around me, hugging tightly before releasing me. "I have class in a few minutes so I better run. Bye!" She starts walking backwards, waving. "Love you!"
A laugh bubbles out of my throat and I wave back, my spirits significantly heightened with the sunny route our Kai-talk went down.
During my walk to the campus coffee shop, I spot a familiar mane of blonde hair in my peripheral and swiftly turn my head. Liv is walking a few feet away from me, a tired sluggishness to her gait. Her hair is thrown into a haphazard bun and I notice the way her shoulders are slumped down slightly. The rumpled sight of her can easily be mistaken as any normal college student who just didn't get enough sleep the night before, but I know better. It's not a lack of sleep that's got her like this; it's Luke.
Before I can overthink my actions, I hurry over to her, clutching the strap of my bag.
"Liv, hey."
She gives me a quick once over, nodding. "Oh. Hey, Charlotte."
I match her relatively slow pace as she continues to make her way through campus, not saying anything else to me.
Hesitating for a moment, I ask, "How've you been?"
"Shitty," she replies bluntly.
I sigh. "Liv, can you please talk to me? I'm sorry that I offended you, you know I wasn't trying to hurt you, it just...it was a misunderstanding."
She glances at me, pursing her lips. "You defended Kai."
"I was just saying that it's no one's fault that Luke...died," I tell her, trying to keep my tone soft. "Not even Kai's, as much as you want to blame him. If you and Luke had merged and you lost, would you want him to live his life thinking that he killed you? That your death was his fault?"
Silence falls between us and I can tell by her furrowed eyebrows and refusal to meet my gaze that she's considering my words and knows they're valid. If the roles had been switched, she wouldn't blame her demise on Luke, the same way he wouldn't want her to blame his on herself if she would've won. Because the merge is merely a brutal play of the spirits at work and each witch is at their mercy. Any deaths that result is a tragic occurrence, but it's unfortunately the Gemini version of nature taking its course.
Finally, Liv exhales, lowering her head. "I guess I see your point. And honestly?" She looks at me, her expression less guarded than before. "I'm madder at Luke than anyone else. He just–he just had to march in there and play the hero, when he could've still been alive, with–" her voice cracks and she turns her head, furiously swiping the back of her palm across her eyes, "with me."
"He's still here, technically," I offer, trying to comfort her, "didn't you once tell me that the merge is like...two souls binding together?"
She lets out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, that's what my dad always said. He loved to sugarcoat the whole event. But the reality is, Luke is dead. He's...gone. And anyway, Luke being one with Kai? Not so much reassuring as it is frightening."
I'm careful with choosing my words around Liv when it comes to Kai because one thing is for sure: she won't welcome the relationship between him and I with open arms the way Caroline had.
Deciding that the best way to go for a response is avoiding Kai's name completely, I say, "I don't know if that's true, the whole idea that he's gone completely."
"I do," she shrugs, her shoulders tensing. "Well, I don't know, really. But I mean...it's hard to believe that he's, you know, 'watching over me.' As far as I know, the only thing left of my brother in this world is his magic, that's the one thing the merge guarantees to keep. But as for his soul," a tear slips down her cheek, "I...I don't know."
Sadness dims her usually bright blue eyes and I frown, halting my steps, and grab her hand so she stops too. She turns to me, avoiding my stare.
"I'm always here for you," I tell her, "no matter what."
Liv raises her head, giving me an appreciative smile before embracing me.
"I'm sorry," she whispers. "I was such a bitch, you didn't deserve that."
A smile tugs at my lips as I relish the feeling of hugging my best friend again. "It's okay, Liv. People say things they don't mean when they're upset. I'm not gonna hold it against you."
We stay like that for a few moments, in the middle of the campus center, until she eventually pulls away.
"I have to get to my shift at the bar," she says, "but I'll call you later?"
"Yeah," I nod, smiling. "Hey, before you go; Caroline is having a Christmas dinner on Saturday."
"Christmas?" Liv raises her eyebrows. "It's the beginning of February."
I chuckle. "Kind of a belated celebration. And you're invited."
"Sounds okay. I'll see if I can make it. Bye, Char."
•••
Kai stares at the red sweater in his hands, horrified.
"There is no way I'm wearing this."
"Please," I beg, "Caroline's dinner is tomorrow and she strongly emphasized the clothing requirements."
"If any of you show up in attire other than a Christmas sweater, I won't hesitate to kick you out!" She had said.
He groans, discarding the sweater I bought him onto his couch while tilting his head at me. "Why am I even invited? To give Damon a better shot at staging my death as an accident? I can see it now: local witch dies at age 22; Christmas tree mysteriously fell on top of him."
I roll my eyes, though his exaggerated scenario isn't too far off of my own concerns that Damon will try to start something with Kai.
"Caroline figured I'd want you to come, I guess," I shrug, "and she wants to properly thank you for saving Liz."
Kai smirks, sauntering toward me. "Do you want me to come?"
I look up at him, letting a smile form on my lips. "Yeah. I do."
"Hmm," His smirk grows, his hands gripping my waist and pulling me closer, "I guess I can clear my schedule for you. But I'm not wearing that damn sweater."
"Come on, Kai, please wear it?" I caress his cheeks, pulling his face down for a kiss. "Please, please, please, please–" I continue to plead between kisses and he chuckles slightly.
"Shut up," he mumbles against my mouth, "not wearing it."
Pretending to be defeated, I break the kiss and start to move out of his hold. "Fine. Then I better get back to the dorms."
Growling lowly, Kai yanks me flush against him, gripping the backs of my thighs and lifting me up. A surprised gasp falls from my lips and my legs wrap around his waist instinctively.
"You're not going anywhere," he says lowly, trailing his lips over my jaw as he slowly walks us backward a few steps. I laugh when he drops onto the couch, his arms snaking around my back while I straddle his lap.
"Wear it," I insist, kissing along his neck, "you'll look cute."
His chest rumbles with laughter. "I don't do cute."
"Fine," I lean back, hooking my fingers around the fabric of his zip-up and tug him closer. "You'll look hot."
He smirks, sliding his hands underneath my shirt and up my back. "I look hot, period. But a reindeer sweater? Not sure if that'll up my sex appeal."
I laugh, imagining Kai, who practically oozes sensuality at any given moment, clad in a hideous, bright Christmas sweater. But if there's anyone who can pull it off, it's him, no doubt. Truth be told, he can show up in a burlap sack and still look like some sort of god.
"Come on, wearing ugly sweaters is crucial to getting in the Christmas spirit. If it's any consolation, I'll be wearing one too."
Scrunching his face up like he's weighing his options, he tilts his head left and right, the movement reminding me of clockwork.
"I could use some more persuading," he teases, pulling the sleeve of my shirt down slightly to expose my shoulder and skims the revealed skin with his lips.
"Christmas is my favorite holiday, you know," I tell him and he hums.
"Yeah?"
"Mhm. It sucked missing out on it this year, since we were too busy trying to get out of 1994."
He stiffens, lifting his head, and clears his throat. I frown when he turns his head away from mine, noticing the taut muscles in his jaw.
"Kai? Hey," I cup his face in my hands, making him meet my eyes, "what's wrong? Did I say something?"
Blue eyes bore into mine, an emotion I can't decipher swimming in their depths. Then he clears his throat again and plasters on a halfhearted smile, shaking his head.
But I know he's withholding whatever just ran through his mind and I don't want to let it go so easily. I open my mouth to ask him for the truth, but he makes quick work of maneuvering the conversation back to a lighter topic.
"So, where's this dinner happening?"
"Stefan and Damon's house."
He snorts. "The prison world has made me pretty sick of that place. But I do have to admit," a smirk tugs at his lips as he squeezes my hips, "I have some pretty fond memories in that house."
Flashes of the various moments Kai and I shared in the boarding house, from him comforting me after my nightmares to the first time I kissed him all the way to our eventful last morning, swirl in my mind. Though I was eager to escape the prison world and have no desire to return, it's not like every memory from that place was negative.
After all, it's where I met Kai.
Who knew that first day in the prison world, where I held nothing but resentment toward the man, would lead us to where we are now?
"What're you thinking about?"
I'm pulled out of the memories replaying in my head to face Kai's questioning stare.
"You," I answer honestly. His eyebrows raise slightly and an adorable, lopsided grin curves his lip.
I reach for the sweater he tossed onto the arm of the couch, dangling it in front of his face with a hopeful smile. "It'll make the celebration a whole lot better if you wear this."
He groans. "I'd rather kiss Damon under the mistletoe than wear that thing."
"Caroline will not let you set foot inside the boarding house if you aren't dressed in proper Christmas wear, trust me on that."
"We can always have our own Christmas party here," his tone lowers to a seductive purr, bringing his mouth to my ear, "what do you say, Charlie? I'll even be your present. You can wrap me up, unwrap me, have me any way you like. I'm at your service."
I swallow thickly, feeling my body ignite with his provocative suggestion. The temptation is nearly enough to have me comply and abandon the Christmas dinner plans, just to be alone with Kai with our own little celebration.
When he starts to nibble my earlobe, it becomes next to impossible to ignore the inappropriate thoughts simmering on the surface and my frustration grows.
The sweater slips from my fingertips and I tug him back by the nape of his neck, my lips fervently finding his. A low groan is elicited from his throat, vibrating against my mouth, and allows me the opportunity to explore his mouth with my tongue. Sliding his hands out from underneath my shirt, he tangles one in my curls and deepens the kiss, tantalizing every nerve ending in my body with rolls of his tongue.
I detach my lips from his, moving down to his neck instead. Kai tightens his hold on my hair, moaning when I suck a spot of skin into my mouth, before soothing the area with a swipe of my tongue.
"Are you reconsidering wearing that sweater?" I whisper with a smile, kissing his throat.
He chuckles lowly. "Oh, you do not fight fair."
I hum, amused, as I slowly pull down the zipper of his hoodie. Feeling his eyes burning into me, I keep my gaze focused on his black tee shirt and play with the hem, chewing on my bottom lip.
"If you wear it to the dinner," I fight a smile, glancing up at his dark stare while simultaneously pulling his shirt up, "I'll make it worth your while."
My hips rock into him for emphasis and he grunts, pulling me forward urgently to capture my lips with his.
"I'll wear the damn reindeer sweater."
•••
"Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock..."
Caroline gracefully twirls around the main room, while clutching a box of ornaments to her chest. Her harmonious voice sings along loudly to the Christmas tune playing from the radio. Somehow, she managed to get us all into the holiday spirit even in the first week of February.
Elena grabs my hand, her other one reaching for Bonnie's, and the three of us playfully kick our legs up in sync while belting out the lyrics to Jingle Bell Rock. Stefan helps Caroline with hanging up more garland, while occasionally throwing a glance in our direction and smiling.
When the song wraps up, Elena bows dramatically, pulling Bonnie and I down along with her to mimic the action.
"Bravo," Damon claps with a smirk, sidling up to Elena. "My girl sure can move."
She rolls her eyes, grinning while playfully shoving his shoulder.
"Okay!" Caroline exclaims cheerfully. "The last of the decorations are up. We can eat once everyone gets here."
One thing about Caroline Forbes: she does not mess around when it comes to planning any sort of social event, whether it be a rave or a mere gathering with a select few close friends.
In just a few hours, the main room and kitchen of the Salvatore boarding house was transformed into a picturesque holiday setting. Twinkling, colorful lights stretched along the walls, along with strands of garland. An enormous Noble Fir tree is stood near the fireplace, with lights wound around its leaves and the box of ornaments deposited on the floor next to it–Caroline insisted that we all put up the ornaments together later on, since it's a favored tradition.
Mistletoe is sporadically placed throughout the space, an addition that my sister pushed for ("Come on, we have to have mistletoe. Who has a Christmas party without it?"). So far, I'd only gotten caught under one of them with Bonnie, who laughed and pecked my cheek to appease Caroline's unwavering rule–"if two people are under the mistletoe, they have to kiss!"
Everyone is sporting some sort of Christmas-themed sweater; mine is a white snowman piece with puffy cotton decorating the snowman's body and buttons for its eyes. I completed the outfit with dark jeans, brown boots and a knit magenta beanie. Elena even got Damon to put on a dark green Christmas tree sweater that he complained about relentlessly.
The entire house is engulfed in holiday spirit and sharing it with my family makes it all the more special.
Eventually, Jeremy arrives with armfuls of wrapped gifts and Stefan helps him set them down with the others, under the tree.
"Jer!" I call out happily, embracing him.
"Char!" My brother mimics my voice and I roll my eyes, slapping the side of his head. He laughs, letting out an "owww" before moving on to hug Elena, then Bonnie, soon attacked in a hug by Caroline.
Matt arrives next, followed by Alaric and Jo, then Tyler and Liv.
So, they're definitely a thing now, I think to myself when I observe the way Liv's fingers are intertwined wth Tyler's. It makes me happy to see that the two of them have each other. He's been there for her since Luke's death; they're a good pair.
I perch myself on the arm of one of the couches, subtly throwing a glance at the front door every now and then, waiting for the last guest to arrive.
Nerves begin to twist my stomach as I survey the various faces occupying the room, most of which don't have many good sentiments toward Kai. This gathering can either get awkward, at the very best, or violent, perhaps even deadly. I pray for awkward.
"Hi."
The soft voice, I realize when I look away from the door, is Jo's. A halfhearted smile characterizes her features as she regards me with hesitant blue eyes. I notice how much she resembles her brother.
"Oh, hey, Jo." I offer a smile, remembering, with discomfort, the circumstances behind our last meeting.
"I never got to ask you, how are you doing? You know, after being stuck in my brother's prison world for two months...I just wanted to make sure you're adjusting alright."
"Well past the adjustment stage and on my way to becoming a functioning member of society again," I tell her with a joking edge to my tone and she nods.
"Good, that's good. Can I ask you something else?"
I hesitate, wary of the question that's on her mind.
"Um, sure."
She folds her arms across her torso, averting her gaze from mine momentarily. Her obvious reluctance to continue only heightens my own wariness and I wait for what feels like quite some time until she looks up at me again.
"Is there something going on with you and Kai?"
The polite smile plastered to my lips falters with the weight of her unexpected question. But I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. After Kai and I showed up together to her apartment last week, queries were bound to arise. I'm sure they've been simmering in her mind since the occurrence and she has probably drawn conclusions of her own. Maybe they're not too far off from the truth. But I'm still taking small steps with telling everyone the truth. So far, Caroline is the only person who has the most understanding of the depth of Kai and I's relationship.
"A lot happened in the prison world and we're just...closer now. We're friends," I tell her, going for the semi-truth.
Jo furrows her eyebrows. "Oh. Friends. Well, that's...I sure didn't expect that. For you two to have bonded, I mean."
I shrug. "You and me both."
She sighs, leaning closer, and lightly grabs my hand. I look down then back up at her in confusion.
"A word of advice?" Jo says lowly, for only me to hear. "Be careful. Before he got sent away, Kai didn't really keep anyone close. He didn't do friendships, or anything beyond that. So whatever's happening with you two, I suggest you tread carefully. There was a time, of course, when we actually had a decent relationship, but it just..." a look of sorrow takes over her features, "things just changed. He changed. My brother is a sociopath, Charlotte. He isn't the type of person who can give you the kind of friendship you want."
If only she could witness her twin in his softer moments, which have become rather frequent ever since the merge with Luke. It would amaze her to see the person he has become; someone who isn't planning to kill his entire coven, but heal it instead. Someone goodhearted, underneath the dark exterior he wears like a shield.
"I think former sociopath is a more accurate description."
Jo raises an eyebrow, the gesture making her look even more like her twin. "Pardon?"
I sigh, hopping down from the arm of the couch, Jo letting go of my hand in the process. "He's different than what you remember him being like, Jo. You're right, he has changed, but not in the way you're trying to warn me about. The merge shifted something in him. He feels. He..."
I stop myself, nearly mentioning the night I found him mid-breakdown in his apartment, shortly after he merged. It's too personal to throw out there, even to his sister, so I refrain from continuing the thought.
"I'm just saying, he deserves the benefit of the doubt."
The doorbell cuts our conversation short and I apologize to Jo, who barely responds as she appears to be deep in thought over my words about her twin, before walking away.
"I'll get it," I call over my shoulder to stop Caroline who's about to head for the door. She nods, resuming her conversation with Stefan.
There's only one person left on the guest list who hasn't arrived yet, coincidentally the face I've been eager to see, maybe the most of all. I try not to run toward the hallway, approaching the door with casual steps and pull it open.
A grin immediately splits across my face when familiar blue eyes lock with mine. Kai, sporting his usual dazzling smile, is adorned in the red sweater I got him to wear, white reindeer patterns decorating the front. The slight stubble over his upper lip and chin is at odds with the youthful aura emphasized by his attire. It's almost infuriating how good he looks even in such ridiculous clothing.
"Well don't you look adorable," he says in a low, lilting tone.
Heat warms my cheeks at the compliment. "So do you."
He looks down at his sweater, as if just remembering that he's wearing it, and visibly winces. "Adorable isn't the word I'd use. More like, idiotic," he rolls his eyes, scratching at his stubble.
I laugh, shaking my head. "Thanks for coming. I was starting to wonder if you bailed."
"And miss out on the food?" Kai looks appalled. "You know me better than that."
"Seriously, it means a lot to me," I tell him sincerely, "I know this isn't exactly your scene."
He grabs my hand gently, slowly lifting it to his mouth. "As long as you're here, it's not so bad," he winks, kissing my knuckles. The gesture sets off a flurry of butterflies in the pit of my stomach.
He drops my hand and starts to lower his head towards me, his eyes closing. When I realize he's about to kiss me, I lean in, our lips about to meet–wait.
"Kai," I quickly take a step back and he frowns at me, "not here."
"Right," he remarks flatly, eyes drifting to look past me, "wouldn't want one of your besties finding out that we're–"
I clamp my hand over his mouth, scowling. "Shhh."
Amusement twinkles in his blue eyes and I feel something wet on my palm. I gasp, quickly retracting my hand from his mouth. He laughs and I roll my eyes, grabbing his wrist and yank him inside, cutting off his laughter.
"I love it when you're rough with me," Kai whispers in my ear as I close the door. I chew on my bottom lip, attempting to get a grip on my hormonal urges induced by the alluring man's presence hovering behind me. Then, in a split second, there's a growl and a crash, causing me to whirl around in panic.
Damon's fists tightly grip the fabric of Kai's red sweater, holding him against the wall.
"Hey!" I shout, hurrying toward the pair. "Damon, what the hell?"
"We've got to stop meeting like this," Kai chuckles.
"Crashing parties a hobby of yours?" The vampire questions coldly, not even sparing me a glance.
Kai flashes a casual, yet menacing, grin. "It's somewhere on the list. Right under staking vampires who don't know the meaning of personal space."
Through gritted teeth, Damon grunts in pain, stumbling back a few steps as his hands fly up to hold the sides of his head. Kai moves away from the wall, cracking his neck while extending his palm toward Damon, grin becoming colder.
"Kai," I step between the two of them, "that's enough, stop hurting him."
He cocks his head, eyeing me, and fortunately I hear Damon's pained noises soon fade to heavy, relieved breaths.
"What's going on?" Caroline walks into the corridor, looking between the three of us, followed by Stefan. Her eyes lock on Kai and she beams. "Great, you're here! We were waiting on you. Now, we can eat."
Oh, Care, I love you, I think to myself, relieved that at least one person here, besides me, doesn't feel the desire to snap Kai's neck upon seeing his face. Something tells me she's going to be my lifeline tonight.
"Yes," He rubs his hands together. "I could eat a damn cow right now."
"I didn't know you were coming," Stefan says, glancing at Kai then at me. Our conversation from the coffee shop plays in my mind, giving me the comfort that Stefan is one less guest that I have to worry about. Thankfully, he won't try to start any trouble with Kai. I trust that he won't, not after what I told him.
"Charlie told me there'd be lots of food," Kai says by way of explanation. Stefan manages a tight smile, nodding.
"Lots of food that you won't be eating," Damon pipes up, walking over to us, "because you're leaving. Now."
"No, he's not," I protest, shooting him a look.
Caroline scoffs. "Damon, don't be rude. He's a guest. And it's Christmas. Would it kill you to stop being such a Scrooge and get in the spirit?"
"First of all, Blondie, it's February, and second, this is my house. I decide who gets to stay," his slitted blue stare slides over to Stefan, "back me up here, brother."
I watch the younger Salvatore carefully, a bit anxious to hear what he'll decide. It's not uncommon for him to be roped into his brother's plans, but then again, he's also a good friend. Knowing that I'm friends with Kai, he'll do what's right. He always does.
"As long as he doesn't cause any trouble, I don't see the problem with Kai staying," Stefan finally replies, resulting in Damon's features morphing into shock and anger. I send a grateful look his way and he merely responds with a minuscule nod.
"How thoughtful of you, Stefan," Kai comments, clapping the vampire's shoulder. I think that's the first time he said his name right. "I'm getting hungry just standing around here and listening to you all argue over me, as flattering as it is, so," he eyes a nonexistent watch on his sleeve, "can we postpone this conference until after I get some mashed potatoes in my system?"
Without waiting for an agreement, he starts to walk away, ducking his head down to Caroline when he passes her and quietly queries, "You do have mashed potatoes, right?"
"Of course."
The two of them turn the corner to the main room, their voices fading away in a conversation about Caroline's food selections for the evening.
Once they're out of sight, Damon speeds in front of me to block my path before I can try to follow after them. I sigh, reluctantly meeting his narrowed eyes.
"Damon, can we just–"
"You know something," he cuts me off, eyes flicking between Stefan and I, "I'm starting to feel like an outsider in my own home lately. You," he focuses on me, "you're all buddy buddy with the new resident psycho for reasons that are beyond me–"
"He's not a–"
"And you," he turns to Stefan, "I can't believe my own brother wouldn't even take my side on this. Are you besties with Kai Parker now too, Stef? You know what, you two," he gestures between his brother and I, "you should start a fan club together. You can braid each other's hair and talk about how amazing the new guy is, since you clearly seem to be eating up every ounce of bullshit that he spouts."
"Damon, relax," Stefan sighs. "It's only a dinner, just a few hours. We'll survive."
"And Kai's not some psycho, okay?" I speak up firmly. "He's not the new evil threatening the town. He's a decent person, which you might see if you'd just try, instead of fighting with him all the time. He's my friend."
He snorts. "A decent person? Your friend? Am I seriously hearing this right now? I know what you're doing, Charlotte. You're trying to see the good in a person who has close to none of it–something that you picked up from your sister. And I'm telling you, Kai is not worth your time or energy."
Once upon a time, I would've believed this, agreed with it. But with the things I've learned about Kai and everything we've gone through over the last few months, I know that Damon's words couldn't be farther from the truth. There's good in Kai. He is worth it.
"You're wrong," I tell him simply.
He blinks, looking at me in utter bewilderment. Before he can add another argument, I continue.
"But you're right about one thing; about Elena and I both trying to see the good in people. And you know what? That's a trait of hers that you should actually cherish. Because without it, Damon, she would've never given you a chance. You've done a lot of bad things, yet she decided that there had to be light in you somewhere. And you proved to be a person worth having in her life. In my life, and in all of our lives."
Damon clenches his jaw and turns his head to the side, eyes tightly shutting. I watch him in concern when he doesn't move for few moments and reach out to gently place my hand on his upper arm. But I hope my words get to him–not in a way that will hurt him, but in a way that'll shed light on the situation between Kai and I.
Letting out a sharp exhale through his nose, he opens his eyes and turns back to me. Much to my surprise, he pulls me in for a hug.
"You're like a little sister to me," he murmurs, "and I have to look out for you. Sorry if I come off as overbearing or unfair, but I'm not sorry for worrying about you."
A smile forms on my lips and I eventually pull back from the embrace to look up at Damon.
His eyes narrow for a moment and he quickly adds, "But don't think this means I'm on good terms with the sociopath now. I'm just saying that I'm letting it go, for tonight."
I shrug, patting his arm. "It's a start."
Stefan, Damon, and I head into the kitchen, where everyone is milling around and chatting amongst themselves. The brothers wander off and I'm almost immediately ambushed by Liv.
"You failed to mention that Kai would be here," she whisper-shouts, throwing a hand behind her. My eyes follow the direction she's pointing in, discovering Kai perched on a stool while picking at a cheese and cracker platter. Caroline is chatting with him, in her usual animated manner of gesturing wildly with her hands, and he's nodding, his lips occasionally forming brief responses in between bites of cheddar.
"It never came up?" I offer, biting my lip nervously.
"How does that not come up?" Liv questions incredulously. "You know what, I think it's best if I just head out. I can't stand to even be in the same room as him."
She tries to move past me but I quickly block her path, raising my hands up in a pleading gesture.
"Liv, please stay. I want you here. Look, you don't even have to interact with him, just pretend he's not there. Better yet, let's pretend it's not even him, it's...it's his evil twin, Tai."
Her lips purse and I observe the way her face takes on the same strained expression it always does when she's trying to hold back a laugh. And she fails, letting a chuckle slip. "Kai is the evil twin."
We laugh together and I feel the nerve-wracking weight on my shoulders decreasing with each mirthful shake of my shoulders.
Liv sighs, shaking her head. "Whatever, I'll stay. But I swear, if that bastard tries to come anywhere near me, I will motus him across the room."
With that unpleasant statement being said, she stalks away, soon finding Jo. The two of them huddle together, undoubtedly using their brother as a conversational topic, judging by the way their frowns and eyes keep darting in his direction.
I shake off the sense of unease lingering within me and stride over to Kai and Caroline.
"Hey, Char, everything okay?" Caroline questions and I can feel Kai's scrutiny on the side of my head.
"Yeah. Fine," I nod, plucking a cracker from the platter Kai was devouring and pop it in my mouth.
"You sure?" Kai's deep voice murmurs in my ear, warm breath raising goosebumps on my skin.
Once I swallow the mouthful of cracker bits, I meet his eyes, trying not to be thrown off by the intense amount of concentration in them as he looks at me.
"I'm sure," I tell him, adding a smile to emphasize the statement.
It's not a complete lie. I do feel better after the talk with Damon and Liv agreeing to stay. But my brain loves to play the game of imagining the worst outcomes possible and thinking about them nonstop.
I can only hope and pray that this dinner goes smoothly.
Kai tilts his head, still staring at me. My eyes are locked with his and for a moment, all that occupies my thoughts is the blueness of his irises and him. The slight panicky state of my mind is calmed just by keeping my focus on Kai and no one, nothing else.
Then, as I see his lips parting to speak, a loud clink clink sound directs my attention away from him and over to Caroline. I hadn't even noticed that she moved to stand at the head of the dining room table, raising an empty wine glass in the air. She stops tapping it with the spoon once the chatter in the room has died down and everyone's eyes are on her.
"Okay, everyone, now to commence the part I know we've all been waiting for: the feast! I've set place cards at each seat, so look for the one with your name on it and sit accordingly."
"Place cards?" Kai lowers his voice for only me to hear, arching a brow, as we get down from our stools and head for the table.
"It's Caroline," I shrug, "she kinda has a thing for organization."
"I can see that," he chuckles lowly, searching for his card.
I soon spot Charlotte neatly written on a small white card atop the thick red table cloth, at a spot in the middle. Sliding into my seat, I curiously look at the cards on either side of me. I'm not surprised to find Kai written on the card to my right, and Liv on the one to my left, leaving me as the sole barrier between the two siblings if Liv decides to, say, stab a butter knife into Kai's hand. The thought is unsettling.
"I like the way your friend thinks," Kai smirks when he makes his way over, occupying the seat beside me. His eyes immediately start to hungrily peruse the various plates of food laid out along the table.
The delicious aroma of baked chicken and fresh corn bread wafts through my nostrils and for the first time tonight, my stomach twists with something other than nerves–hunger.
Liv finds her place card, eyeing Kai with evident revulsion as she grudgingly gets into her seat. She harshly gulps down a few sips from her water glass and slams it back down onto the table. I jump slightly, looking at my friend in concern.
"Um, Liv," Caroline raises her index finger. "Please be careful with the utensils!"
"Hey," I whisper to Liv, "remember, it's just one dinner."
She nods rigidly, huffing.
Kai reaches for a chicken leg when a high-pitched voice quickly calls out, "Wait!"
He looks at Caroline with his hand still hovering above the chicken platter and I suppress a grin at the vaguely irritated look on his face. One thing I've learned about Kai Parker: you don't get between him and food, especially when he's hungry. Well, more so than usual, considering his default setting includes a longing for food. It amazes me to see someone with such a huge appetite simultaneously maintaining an impressive physique.
Before I can delve too deep into thoughts of Kai's body, Caroline explains, "We can't eat until I do the the toast."
"Right," he sighs in disappointment, leaning back in his chair.
Sitting directly across from me is my sister, with Damon on her left; of course, facing Kai. To Elena's right is Bonnie and then Stefan, seated next to Caroline. Next to Liv is Tyler and then Matt. I let my gaze wander toward the other end of the table, where Jeremy and Jo are on Damon's right. Alaric is next to Kai and I don't miss the way he keeps side-eyeing the witch with a grimace.
I gnaw at my bottom lip, fiddling with my fingers underneath the table and tapping my foot. Then, I feel one of my hands lifted and encased in a warmer one. I glance at Kai, finding him staring at me with an unreadable expression. His thumb strokes the back of my hand, slowing the fast-paced beating of my heart.
"It'll be fine," he murmurs and I find myself a little surprised that he seems to know exactly what's on my mind. "Breathe."
I do just that, inhaling a deep breath of air through my nose and after a few seconds, release it through my mouth. He nods in approval and I manage a halfhearted smile, comforted by the knowledge that I have Kai, in what's about to be a very interesting dinner, to put it lightly.
"Okay, everyone!" Caroline's voice pulls my focus from Kai, as she lifts her glass again and beams. "I just want to thank you all so much for coming. I know it's closer to Valentine's Day than it is to Christmas, but unfortunately, during this year's actual Christmas, it's safe to say none of us were in the mood for festivities," her eyes slide over to me, softening. "But now, thank God, we're all together again so I wanted to celebrate properly. Here's to family," she raises her glass higher, "I could never be more grateful for the one I have in this room. Love you, guys."
Appreciative smiles and murmurs of assent follow her heartwarming toast as we all raise our glasses, save for Kai, fingers curled around his hesitantly.
"You're part of this toast too, you know," I tell him quietly with a small smile. Kai looks at me and I register a faint look of surprise on his face before it breaks out into a close-lipped grin. Eyes connected with mine, he lifts his glass.
"Hear, hear," he says, tapping the edge of his glass against mine and sets it down.
"Alright, now, you all may eat to your heart's desire," Caroline announces, sitting down at the head of the table.
Everyone starts loading their plates with food, chatter and the sound of utensils hitting plates occupying the previous silence.
Here we go, I think to myself as the dinner officially commences, trying to be calm and positive about the situation. Maybe this won't be so bad.
Or, my brain adds as I catch the subtle scowl on Damon's face as he watches Kai fill his plate, maybe it'll be really, really bad.
Author's Note: Sorry for ending the chapter here but it was way getting wayyyy too long lmao literally 10k+ words so I'll be continuing the dinner in the next chapter (; should be interesting
As always, I hope you all liked this chapter. Thanks for the sweet feedback you guys give me, I seriously appreciate it and it makes writing Consumed all the more fun.
152k reads I'm shook