9 | Dinner party
"Hey, wake up." Someone shook me awake. My eyes slowly opened and I looked up to see my mother peering down at me.
"What, mom?" I groan. I tired to open my eyes but they still felt heavy with sleep, so I just closed them and waited for her to speak.
"I have a question." She whispers.
"Fire away." I mumble, sleepily.
"Do you want to come with me and give Elijah a little tour around mystic falls?"
"A tour of what, exactly?" I reply confused. There was nothing in mystic falls that anyone could really be interested in. It was a small town with not a lot to do. "What's there to see. . . that's interesting?"
"We have a few historical sites. I wouldn't expect you to know that, though, you barely ever leave the house."
"Rude. But, sure." I sat up and rubbed my eyes. There really wasn't a choice. There was no way I was going to let my mother, a human, go by herself to meet an ancient vampire. Not that a werwolf would do much better again one.
"Ok, we leave in fifteen minutes." She told me and left my room swiftly. I hopped up and didn't bother to shut my door and instead I hurried into the bathroom. I absolutely despise morning showers but I didn't exactly feel clean.
Whilst in the shower I to think back to my dream. I knew I had one, it screwed with me as I couldn't remember what it was. It almost felt like a warning, but I didn't know that warning because I couldn't remember it and oh boy was it getting under my skin.
After a few moments I start to wash my hair, and my and step out. I fold a towel around me and walk over to my closet. I looked at the time and it had only been, incredibly, five minutes.
I dressed myself in an outfit and then quickly blow dried my hair. Once I was done I turned it off and unplugged it and put my phone in my pocket and walked downstairs.
"Ready?" My mom asked me as she got up off the couch and grabbed for her purse.
"Yep." I yawned and walked with her out to her car.
We were five minutes into the drive, almost there. "So. . ." My mom says turning down the music and looking towards me for a minute.
"So. . .?" I copy her words.
"Any special guys in your life?" She asks me and I frown.
"Um, no." I shake my head. Where was this coming from? She never asked about anything relationship-wise, stating her love life was horrible and they all ended in tragedy.
"So. . . what about Damon?" She asks again.
"Oh, god no." I felt revolted. "He's my friend, nothing more. Besides, Andie is his. . . girlfriend." It came out more of a question, but my mother didn't notice my tone.
"Are you sure? You'd be cu-" I cut her off before she could finish her sentence.
"Friends, mom. Friends. And he's like a hundred years older than me." I said. I internally shivered, just the thought of me dating Damon— gross.
"Mmkay." She hummed and took a left.
Slowly, we pulled into a somewhat empty parking lot by the edge of town. There was only around three cars parked and it was because of the shops not far from the parking lot, but we parked closer to where the start of the woods and clearings began.
————
Elijah, my mother, and I were walking deeper into the woods. The spot we came to stand in was beautiful. It was a large clearing, thick trees surrounded us, the green leaves blowing in the wind. "The old fell property actually starts just beyond that fence." My mother raised her hand and pointed in the direction of an old, white, picket fence.
"Ah, the fells. One of the founding families." Elijah said, his tone sounding displeased.
"Why do you say it like that?" My mom asked.
"My research showed me that this area was actually settled almost two full centuries earlier. It was in migration of town folk from the Northeast. It was Salem, to be precise." Elijah replied.
"Massachusetts? As in the witch trials?" My mom asked, curiously. She turned to face him.
"Which means the ever lauded founding families didn't actually find anything."
"Well, I bet it was the men who made a big deal about being founders back in eighteen-sixty. Men are very territorial." My mom said.
"Yes they are." He said. But I didn't see they way Elijah looked back at me, I was more focused on the Alaric Saltzman walking towards us.
"Elijah, this is my friend, Alaric Saltzman." She introduce him as she noticed Alaric walking down.
I laughed, unable to contain it. "She friend zoned you."
Alaric rolled his eyes at me. "Yeah, I got your message about walking Elijah here around through the old property lines. I thought I would tag-along. You know being a history buff and all. Where to next?"
"I'm pretty curious about the freed slave property owners. Some say, you know, the descendants of the slaves are the true keepers of American history." Elijah speaks up, eyeing Alaric.
"Well I only brought one survey. I've got that list in my car just give me a sec'." She spoke, walking off and making her way back to the car.
"Alaric Saltzman. So you're one of those people on Elena's list of loved ones to protect." Elijah stated looking at the history teacher.
"So is Jenna, and Nora." Alaric spoke.
"You don't have to be jealous. I don't really pursue younger women." Alaric's face turned confused. "It's a joke, ric, lighten up."
Shortly after the little talk my mom came walking back down, making her way towards us. She finished up with the tour not too long after. The three of us walked through the doors to the mystic grill.
"Hey." Damon called from the left. Our heads turned and my mom started to walk over.
"Oh, hey guys." My mother smiled.
"So I heard you three had quite a meeting of historical minds today." Damon says.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Jenna replied at Damon's comment.
"Well, as much as I would love to continue this I've got papers to grade." Alaric poorly tried to make an excuse to leave the situation.
"No, you know what? We should continue this. let's have a dinner party." Andie speaks after the poor excuse of the History teacher.
"Oh, my girl, full of good ideas." What Damon said caused me to roll my eyes. "I'll be happy to host, say tonight maybe?" Something was up.
"It's good for me." My mom says.
Damon looks towards me. "I'd rather watch Netflix an-" My mom nudges me. "Sure I'd love to go." I huffed and sat down next to Alaric.
"Wonderful!" Damon says.
Damon looks towards elijah. "It'd be a pleasure." Alaric tried to make another excuse to leave.
"Oh no, If I'm going, your going." I say to Alaric. He just sighs and mumbled;
"Fine."
———
I look through go my closet trying to find a dress to wear for a dinner party. My mom was already at the boarding house but I stayed back to get ready.
After thirty minutes of mindless gazing at my closet, I somehow pulled out a black dress and started at it, after staring and not finding anything wrong with it, I stripped out of my clothes and pulled the black dress on over my body.
It was thin strapped and went to my mid-thighs. It highly complimented my body, and I paired it was a silver necklace that had a Silver 'C' on it, for Caroline, and Caroline had one that had an 'N'.
I left my rings on and added some black heels and when I was all done, I grabbed whatever I needed and walked to my car.
———
I stood outside knocking on the door until Damon answered. "Ah, you look fabulous." Damon said in a sing song voice.
"Never do that again." I said pating him on the shoulder and walked off to the diner table and sitting down.
"You made it." My mom says towards me.
"I kinda had to. You can be super scary when you want to be." I said putting on a fake smile. It was really a smile of boredom but I'm an amazing actress. Note the sarcasm.
After talking for what seemed like forever, everyone was here, except Elijah. Even John, although he just invited himself. Then there was a knock at the door coincidently and Damon went to answer it.
"Good evening." Elijah said politely.
"Thank you for coming. Please, come in." Damon said moving aside so Elijah could step in.
"Just one moment, can I just say that if you have anything less then honorable intentions about how this evening is going to proceed, I suggest you reconsider."
"No, nothing, nothing dishonorable, just getting to know you." Damon said.
"Hmm well, that's good. Because, you know, although Elena and I have this deal. . . if you so much as make a move to cross me I will kill you and everyone in this house, besides dear Nora of course, do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal." Damon said and closed the door when Elijah walked inside.