Chapter Four
"Hello? Any sign of our runaway girl?" Stefan's voice came through the line as he finally answered on the fifth ring. Elena was calling him, not me.
"No, Caroline, Kenzie and I combed the border of Mystic Falls three times already. No sign of Sarah," my twin informed. I swatted a branch away from my face. We were in the woods, leaving them. We did our search. Now I wanted lunch.
"She's not on any of the roads, which means she's probably in Mystic Falls."
"This is bad, Stefan. Her compulsion went away as soon as she crossed the border. She knows that Kenzie, Caroline and I are vampires."
"Listen, I gotta go. I'll, uh, talk to you later," Stefan responded nonchalantly. Elena gasped as he hung up but I ditched her side when I saw him on his motorcycle up the street.
"Where do you think you're going?" I asked, snatching his keys in a flash while hiding them by crossing my arms.
Stefan smiled at me, chuckling softly. He was so damn cute. "Uh, I'm going home," he told me.
Elena then flashed to my side, "Georgia is not your home, Stefan. It's an escape, a hiding place. This is your home." Then she pointed to the Welcome to Mystic Falls Sign.
"No, it was my home. But, I can no longer enter its borders, which I've explained multiple times to your sister. Therefore I have a new home, one I'd like to share with her," Stefan told Elena all while his eyes bored into mine. "You look good, Kenz." Then he gave me a slow once over.
I smirked a little. I did look good. I was wearing a white tank top, tucked in high waisted black shorts that had little white daisies all over, a pair of short black combat boots, and a long-ish tan jacket that belonged to Elena because she forces me to wear one saying it was chilly out today and I would be suspicious if we weren't cold. Cue eye roll. Anyways. My legs were on view and my push up bra was doing me wonders today.
Elena cleared our throat, forcing Stefan to stop eye raping me. "So, you're just going to throw in the towel and go back to your fake new life?" Elena asked him.
"Look, my fake new life ended when Enzo decided to kill a not so fake Ivy. So, I am going to go home, finish Damon's car, pack up and then I'll be here to convince Kenzie to start over with me," Stefan said and I rolled my eyes.
"Start over? By pretending like your life here never existed?" I asked him. "Where we met. Where my family resides? I can't just forget everyone."
"You'd be surprised how easy it is to forget the past, Kenzie. But no one said you had to forget your friends and family. We can visit them—"
"I'm not buying it. You lost your brother. There's no way that you're just fine and ready to start over in a new city with my sister who you're on the rocks with," Elena said.
Stefan sighs, reaching down to start his motorcycle he was sitting on. I smirked, holding up the keys. He rolled his eyes playfully, reaching out to grab them. But he surprised me by catching my wrist and tugging me around so I stood to the side of his motorcycle. "You both don't have to worry. It's not like I haven't done this before, I have a system. Let me prove to you that it works. That we can be happy with normal lives," he said, holding me by my hip and rubbing soft circles with his thumb.
"Fine," I agreed. "But if I don't buy it, which I probably won't, I will keep harrassing you until you come home. And, I'm talking about, like, Enzo-sized harassment!" I joked.
"Deal," he said.
"Have fun," Elena grinned. Stefan handed me a helmet while I handed over the keys. I climbed on behind him, tugging the helmet over my head. My heart was racing now. I moved closer to him, getting ready to ride. My thighs rested around his and my arms hugged his waist. My whole body pressed against his hard, tones back. I resisted from resting my head on his body. "You guys look so cute and cozy," Elena smirked at me.
"Goodbye!" I sang.
Stefan laughed, revving the engine. "Bye, Elena," he said and she waved as we took off. Guess it's too late to ask where we're going.
***
He took me back to Atlanta. To his job. We were in a separate garage where his red Porsche was along with a car hidden by a sheet thingy. "So, after taxes, and Social Security, and health insurance, I'm left with 206 dollars and three cents to spend for the week. Do you wanna get drunk?" Stefan asked, turning around from his work station to face me. He held up his paycheck and gave me an easy closed lipped smile.
"Stefan, health insurance?" I asked.
He nodded, "Yeah. Point is to start over. Pretend to be as human as possible."
"Ah, okay. So, no vampire privileges, no baggage, nothing from our old lives whatsoever, huh?" I asked, leaning against his red car and hitting my hand on the roof. "What's this?"
"You got me there. Damon isn't around calling it granny-mobile, so..." he trailed off.
"Damon and his nicknames," I laughed. "Um, so your system for moving on requires both burning bridges and a dead-end job?"
"We haven't even gotten to the fun part," he said, heading for the door. I followed him out and he pulled down the garage door.
"Paying your utilities?" I mocked.
"No. Deciding who you wanna be for the next thirty years. You wanna be an astronaut? You wanna be an Olympic athlete? You wanna skip med school? Boom, you're a doctor! Go ahead, challenge me. I'll show you how it's done."
I chuckled, "Alright, Let see what you got."
"Okay," he said. Then he took me by the hand. I raised a brow but didn't say anything nor did I pull away. This felt good. Right.
***
"Caroline's laying low at the dorm. Elena is at home with Mav. No sign of Sarah yet, which means she's either hiding out, or she's planning her Nightly News exclusive to out all three of us," I sighed, locking my phone after reading all my texts. Including the one from Ric that said Jeremy came to his place wasted at 4AM. My little brother apparently searched for Sarah in the Salvatore's liquor cabinets. Surprise, Sarah wasn't there. Now Jer has alcohol poisoning and was at the college hospital.
"Well, if she does out you, then you start your life over somewhere else. Free of all the supernatural drama. With me," Stefan said, pulling me back to our conversation and away from my worried thoughts.
"Possibly with you," I warned.
"Fine. But are you ready to see the system in action?"
I grabbed a shot of the table, taking it quickly. "I'm ready," I said.
"Alright," he smirked, reaching into his pocket for something and then standing up.
"What are you doing?" I asked him, narrowing my eyes. Was he about make a scene? Ugh. Don't embarrass me, Stefan. The bar was pretty full. I hated people staring at me.
Stefan then came more around to my side of the booth and dropped down on knee. Then he held up my engagement ring. My mouth dropped open and I was quick to cover it with my hands. No, he didn't. I can't believe him. Is he serious? Was this real?
"Kenzie Williams..." he trailed off, raising his voice and attracting attention from everyone in the place.
This wasn't real. "Stefan Cooper, what are you doing?" I asked, playing along and throwing a hand over my heart dramatically.
"We've known each other for a very long time now. And, you've always been my best friend. I have always loved you. And, I wanna spend the rest of my life with you. Will you—?" He was ready to ask, still speaking loudly. And it started to feel to real.
So I interrupted him, hoping to ruin things. "Wait! You're not just proposing to me because I'm pregnant, are you?" I questioned, keeping my voice loud too. Stefan's eyes widened before he started to crack a smile. He was amused. Damn it.
"No. No, I-I'm proposing to you because you are my rock, okay? You have stood by my side through the multiple rehabs, the jail time, the bull-fighting injury..." he trailed off and I covered my smiling face as I hid back a laugh. Who knew he could be so dramatic? That was my playful Stefanator. "I mean, you have brought me back from the edge! And, sweetheart, this baby is the best thing that ever happened to us. Will you marry me?"
I stared at him for a moment, real tears coming to my eyes. "Yes," I agreed. I stood up and hugged him while the people in the bar started clapping. Stefan then slid the ring onto my left ring finger.
"See that? New identities, new lives... It's easy," he whispered in my ear. When he pulled away, our faces were close. One of his arms around my waist. My lips parted in want. His hand came up and filled my cheek before finally pulling me in for a long anticipated kiss.
I moaned immediately on contact. I needed this. I've been wanting his. I slid my hands around his neck, one slipping to tug on his soft locks. I missed him like crazy. I missed this. His hands roaming my body, the minty taste on his lips, and the way my body heated up with desire the moment his tongue slid into my mouth. I was such a little whore for this man. I always wanted him. Of course I was sexually frustrated. Could he be more attractive?
The crowd cheering louder behind us, made me pull away first. "Thank you all so much!" Stefan smiled, waving at the crowd. I backed away from him. Was any of that real? That kiss? Or was it all just for show? It felt real. But that's because I've been wanting it. I wanted him back.
"So according to Elena, Sarah's still M.I.A," I said before checking my phone for messages from Enzo. I texted him three times today. No response. "And Enzo is missing. No ones seen him. He won't respond to my texts."
"Probably out killing some other poor girl," Stefan shrugged it off. I rolled my eyes, grabbing a beer off the table. But Stefan snatched it away. "Nope! Pregnant, remember?"
"Dumbest lie I've ever told. Can I just take that one back?" I asked.
"No, but you'll have to reinvent yourself in thirty years. If you don't, people will start asking why you're not getting any older."
I frowned then, confused, "But, when I first met you, you said you'd been away from Mystic Falls for fifteen years. What made you come back ahead of schedule?"
"You said it yourself: I met you," he stated. My heart nearly skipped a beat. This was all becoming to real. And I was so ready to just take him home and make love to him. Home being his house twenty minutes from here. Only because it was closest, not because I wanted this twisted fairytale life. "You know, since 1864, I have been a carpenter, an ambulance driver, migrant worker, high school student..."
"So, then why auto mechanic for 200 bucks a week?"
"No reason other than I like cars."
"Yeah, but still, it must be hard, right? All that change without a constant in your life—"
"I had Damon."
"And now you're throwing in the towel on saving him. So without a constant. You're ready to just stay on the move—"
"I have no choice, Kenzie. In fifteen, twenty years I'd have to leave Mystic Falls anyways."
"Twenty years allows me to watch Jeremy finish high school and college. I could graduate with my friends. I'd see my nephew become an adult," I retorted.
He sighed, "I want the constant in my life to be you."
"Then you should've thought about that before you ruined everything," I quipped, pulling off the engagement ring. Then I slid it over to him. "I don't like this game. It's not real. Us, back together, isn't real. Now excuse me, I saw a Starbucks across the street. And I want a coffee desperately."
Then I stood up from the table while he looked at me shocked. I left the bar, ignoring curious glances. And across the street, fetched my grande white mocha latte, iced.
I tried calling Enzo to kill time. Got no answer. I checked in with Elena who couldn't talk long because Mav woke up crying from his nap. I spoke to Jeremy who was going home to rest up now that he was a little more sober.
Well, I guess I should go see Stefan. Or I can just find my own way home now and leave him here. No. That would be wrong. We should talk. Properly for once. I'll give him a chance.
As I was approaching the bar I heard a loud crash. Then the sound of Stefan laughing. But it sounded bitter. "You're freaking enjoying this? You sick freak!" Someone snapped.
I flashed inside to see a man standing over Stefan who was on the ground, blood trailing down his face. Oh, my god. I grabbed the guy roughly by his chin, compelling him, "Go home, clean up, and forget this ever happened. Now!"
I let him go and scurried out of the bar. I turned to Stefan who was pulling himself up onto his knees. He was staring at me with a guilty expression. What else is new? "What the hell are you doing?" I asked him angrily, helping him to his feet.
"Nothing," he lied.
"What happened with that guy?"
"Nothing," he repeated.
There goes giving him a chance. He was seriously unbelievable. And not in a good way. "Is this part of your system? Letting somebody kick your ass? What, so you can feel something?" I scoffed.
"Just leave it alone, Kenz," he said.
"Are you dismissing me?" I scoffed. "Okay, Stef. I'm out of here. You should stay. Or pack up and find another city. But I do not want or need you back at home. So don't bother showing up."
***
I was just getting to Elena's apartment. I filled her in on my long drive home. Yeah, I stole a car to get back. I was walking up the four flights of stairs to her apartment, her voice echoing in the stairwell. She must be close to the door or she was yelling. "No one's forgetting him," I heard her say. "What are you talking about?" She continued. "I don't believe anything that you're saying. Why would I do that?"
Who was the talking to? "Wow. Oh, God, what? No. No. Stefan, how can I possibly love Damon?" She questioned as I reached her door, pulling out my keys to let myself in. She knew I was on the way.
Oh no! Stefan! Why would he tell her that?! I rushed inside the apartment. Stefan's voice coming through the speaker on her phone. "Believe me, I asked myself that for a very long time. And eventually I saw it. Damon inspired you. He pushed you to own the darkest parts of yourself. And you made him feel human. You loved Damon for the same reasons that I love Damon. Because in spite of every single thing that he did, we couldn't live without him. And now, you don't have to, but I do. So, I'm gonna do it my way. You do it yours."
I was too late. Elena looked at me confused and shocked. I sighed. "Goodbye," Stefan said before hanging up the call. Elena plopped down on her couch before finally looking up at me.
"Is it true? Did I have Alaric compel me to forget Damon?" She asked me. Voice shaky. She was about to cry.
"Yes," I answered, rushing to her side. "You did. You erased all the good things about Damon because you were so sad, and you couldn't control your emotions and that sadness turned to hunger. You were dangerous, eating on people."
"Did I love him?"
"I don't know," I said. "I guess so. Yeah. Probably."
"And he loved me?"
"I think so."
"Well..."
"Alaric said you wrote a message for yourself just in case someone messed up and broke the news to you. Maybe you should go see him."
***
"Hey, Jer. What's up?" I asked while, tickling Maverick's belly. The one year old giggled loudly, kicking his feet at me.
"Kenz, I found Sarah," he said.
"What? Where?"
"At Stefan's and Damon's. Her father is Zach Salvatore," he told me and I gasped.
"What? No way," I stated.
"Yes, way," he chuckled. "She found a picture of Zach and some woman. Then she pulled out another picture of the same lady. Her mother. She said she had that picture since the day she was born—"
"Or she found two pictures of the same woman in Stefan's house," I snorted. "I don't believe her."
"Why not?"
"Why is she even in town, Jeremy? Does she already know she's a Salvatore? Or is it some crazy coincidence in a supernatural world where there is no such thing as a coincidence?"
"Just listen," he sighed. "Her mom was a Jane Doe. She was a six months pregnant when her body was dumped at the hospital, dead but body was warm or something. A doctor did an emergency C-section and Sarah survived. She said she lived three months in an incubator. And she didn't know who her dad was until she found the picture of her mom with Zach."
"Maybe Zach was just a friend," I shrugged, pulling Maverick up on my lap. "Uncle Jer is being played."
"Really, Kenzie?" He grumbled. "Does that sound like a made up story?"
"Kind of. I think the love of my life would've mentioned if he had other family out there. But according to Stefan he and Damon were the last living relatives."
"Maybe Stefan didn't know Zach had a kid."
"Why would Zach Salvatore, a nice man, who welcomed his home to strangers give up his own daughter right after his baby mama dies?"
"I don't know."
"It doesn't add up, Jer. Don't trust her."
"Can you at least try to ask Stefan to meet her?"
"For what? She's lying."
"Please," he begged.
"He's in Georgia."
"Oh," he said.
"Mhm. Goodbye," I said, hanging up. Then I put my phone down so I could stand Maverick up on his wobbly legs. One of his little feet on each of my thighs while I supported him by holding him up at his chubby waist. "Hi, handsome," I cooed. "We got some investigative work to do. Someone is pretending to be a Salvatore. And we have to keep liars away from young Uncle Jeremy. Don't we?"
Maverick just smiled, babbling nonsense while his hands reached to smack my face. Ow. "You're lucky you're cute, kid," I commented before standing up and putting him on my hip. "Your mommy said to give you a bath. So let's do that and then I'll feed you again and then it's bedtime."
"Yaaaa! Ba da da, laaa," he mumbled around his fist in his mouth. I rolled my eyes. He really was awfully cute. I can't believe Stefan wanted one of these though. With me. A baby? We could adopt one that talks though, right? "Diiii. Blah, bum, yaaa yaaa."
"It's okay buddy, you'll be able to tell me what you mean soon," I said, fixing a curl on his head.
***
Back to school. Here I was in class with Elena while Ric was writing on the board. "Homecoming," he read after the word was written all huge. "All right. By a show of hands, who knows the supernatural origin of tonight's homecoming party?" He asked and of course no one raised their hand because no one knew the answer. "A civil war soldier Nathan Whitmore, horribly disfigured throughout countless battles, somehow survived them all just so he could get home to the woman he loved, and when he finally got home to his farm, he found her in bed with his brother, and did what any sane man would do... He murdered his brother in cold blood and then chased the love of his life out into the cornfields. But the legend goes that Lady Whitmore is out on this night every year dressed in white, covered in her lover's blood, running through the cornfields, screaming for her life...And the moral of the story is? Do not fall in love, especially with your brother's girl... All right, kids. You have a fun night tonight. Be safe," he finished after giving Elena and I pointed looks during his story.
We both got up to leave, stopping in the way out to speak to Ric. "For the record, Kenzie fell for my man at the time," Elena smirked at him while bumping his hip.
"And Damon wanted her once she got him," Ric quipped.
"No. He wanted Katherine. Then he wanted Elena. He used me. And that's how he fell for me," I stated.
"You and Elena, both his brother's girl," Ric smirked.
"Whatever," I scoffed.
"Damon may be gone, but I can still find pleasure in judging his life choices. Speaking of which, Elena, have you changed your mind about me compelling you to forget about him yet?" He asked.
"Why do you say, 'yet,' as if I'm gonna wake up one day and realize that my life is over if I don't have the traumatic memories of loving a serial killer?" She questioned back.
"Had to ask," he said.
"You know, maybe you're right. Maybe I am making a huge mistake, or maybe I got a very valuable piece of advice from myself about how to be happy and I intend on taking it."
"Subject change: are we going to see you at the party tonight?" I asked him.
"You know, I'm waiting on the mixer for thirty-something vampires just back from the dead. Less of a crowd," Ric said, grimacing.
"Come on, Ric. You are like one hoodie and 3 missed haircuts away from becoming Professor Shane," Elena teased.
"I am perfectly content staying at home, letting my hair grow out," he told us.
"You're hiding. You're becoming a self-loathing vampire hermit. Tell you what. You've been given the chance to start over. Take it. Be happy."
"I am happy... ish."
"Exactly. So we'll see you at 8:00 but not in that t-shirt. You've worn it twice this week," I chimed in and Elena giggled. Then the two of us left his classroom. "Ew, nerd alert," I commented as Liam was walking in our direction.
"There you are, good. Are you going out tonight?" Elena asked, jumping to his side and turning to walk the way he was.
"On the Friday of homecoming weekend? No. I'm studying."
"Sarcasm. What an unexpected response. I think you should come to the corn maze with me," she said and that was the last I heard as I walked away from the two losers.
I needed to go figure out what to wear. Hmm. Elena is asking Liam. Maybe I should get a date. Or I can go with Caroline and Tyler. But that would mean making up with Caroline and I don't know if I want to do that yet. Maybe I can go with Ty—
I sighed as my phone buzzed. Here we go. Drama. I checked to see it was a text from Caroline. Huh. Speak of the devil. "Stefan is in town. He dumped his dead realtor in my lap. Enzo turned Ivy. And Stefan wants me to babysit. Help!" It read.
"What the hell? What is Stefan doing?" I typed back.
"Getting Luke to make her a daylight ring."
"Ugh. Where are you?"
"My dorm."
"I'm on the way," I told her. I then took a right down the hall. Time to go babysit a vampire. It took me about ten minutes to get Caroline and Bonnie's dorm room. That's because I stopped to get a smoothie in the lobby of our dorm building.
"...just like I'd rather have friends who didn't ignore me for months and then use me when they need help," I heard Caroline grumbled as I was approaching her door.
"Whoa. Just realized why Stefan brought me here to learn control. Just do yourself a favor. Unwind. Just admit you have a thing for him," another female voice came. Ivy.
"Excuse me?" Caroline snapped while I decided to eavesdrop instead of enter the room.
"I saw the way you were looking at him today."
"Oh, you know—My relationship with Stefan is strictly... c-complicated. Okay, aren't you supposed to be practicing your vamping or something?"
"Done. See? I'm fine, you already put your number into my phone as my emergency vampire contact. I know I burn in the sun, we covered compulsion and snatch, eat, erase," Ivy said. "Look, it's getting dark. Let's go party. You can teach me how to eat someone without killing them."
"Stefan will be here very soon, and then you can do whatever you want with him."
I sighed, letting myself in. "Can we at least play a board game or do something non-vampire related?" Ivy asked.
"Finally, a good idea," Caroline said. "Hey, Kenzie."
"Kenzie, Stefan's fiancée, hi," Ivy said. "Wow. You guys are a weird group of friends, huh? You and Stefan are together but Enzo wants you and Caroline wants Stefan. Don't tell me Caroline and Enzo have a thing next," she laughed.
"No! And I do not like Stefan," Caroline lied.
"You do so," I scoffed.
"I don't! He's yours," she said.
"Not what you said at the swim hole party."
"I know and I'm sorry—"
"You told Elena you had feelings for him. She was on the phone with me. I heard you."
"Had. Past tense. Kenzie, he's yours. I wouldn't... Look, it's not going to happen. You both are madly in love with each other. Okay? I know that."
I sighed, "but we're broken up."
"Not for long I'm sure," she said, giving me a slightly reassuring smile. I shrugged. I wasn't sure about that. Things weren't looking good and were steadily getting worse.
"Ugh, I just can't believe Enzo did this," I sighed. "I'm sorry, Ivy—" I stopped speaking as I turned around to an empty room. "Where'd she go?"
"We were distracted!" Caroline gasped. "And it's almost dark out. We have to find her. Let's go."
"She couldn't have gotten far. It's not dark yet. Call Stefan. This is his problem."
***
So Caroline and I didn't find Ivy. And it was officially dark out. The party had been started and I was late according to Elena who was there with Liam, waiting for me to come third wheel I guess.
No word from Enzo still. But here I was going to meet Ric. In his classroom because he wasn't at the party either. "Knock, knock," I said, tapping on the doorframe to his room. He was sitting in the front row of seats with papers on his lap and a bottle of bourbon and more papers on the chair next to him. I raised an eyebrow, "grading on a curve?"
"It was funnier the first time when Stefan said it to me ten minutes ago," Ric smiled uncomfortably. He wasn't pleased. "Thought he was staying in Atlanta."
"Yeah then he came back to kill Enzo. Then he took me to Atlanta and then I left him there. Then he came back to drop off a newbie vampire on Caroline. So I have no clue what the hell he's doing. Why did he come see you?"
"Wanted me to compel Ivy, help her get a fresh start and keep her far away from him."
I scoffed, "he's ridiculous."
"He is. And that's why I told him to get out of my face before I compelled him to be the guy I used to know. One who was honest and would never hurt you... So I'm not sure if he's staying in town or not," he told me.
"Thanks for the heads up," I smiled, sitting on the empty seat next to him. I hugged him, curling into his side. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and kissed the top of my head.
"How are you holding up, really?"
"I don't know," I shrugged. "Helps being mad at him. But I really want to make up with but I don't know how. I don't know how to forgive him for what he did. Or what he's continuing to do. He's making a mess of things."
"Well, forget him. Go to that party."
"Only if you come with me. Elena talked a pretty lady doctor into going," I smirked and he grinned, rolling his eyes.
"Fine. Let's go."
He moved his papers to the side and grabbed his bottle, taking a large sip. Then he handed it to me. I laughed before gulping down the last couple of drops. Liquid courage it is. "Let's go," I said, wrapping an arm around his waist, leading him to the exit before he changed his mind on going. It was time to party.
~Picture: Kenzie with her Starbucks drink on her way back to Stefan in the bar in Atlanta
Now who thought #Stenzie was going to make up? Came kind of close. What do you think? Is Stefan even making a real effort to win her back?
And again we got someone else pointing out Caroline's feelings for Stefan. Is it possible he has feelings for her?
Anyways at least we got a good, sweet moment of Ric and Kenzie. And also, Kenzie with her nephew. Speaking of family, Sarah is claiming to be a Salvatore... the fun never stops, does it?
25 votes? Let's do it! Thanks love bugs 🐞😘
SNEAK PEEK:
"Tease," he breathed out heavily. Then he looked away from me, peeking around the crate. "Clear."
"Let's get in there," I said, placing a hand on his firm thigh and then pushing off on it to stand up. I then wiped my butt off of dirt.
"Why aren't you wearing a bra?" He asked me as I walked away. "Are you trying to kill me?"