CHAPTER TWO|| DINNER

"How did you know all of that?" Aelia gushed as she and Stefan walked to their Next class, the miller girl still in shock over Stefan knowing every single date Tanner had thrown at him, not to mention that he didn't hesitate answering a single one. 

"years and years of crossword puzzles" Stefan smiled as he adjusted the bag on his shoulder, He'd had to lean down slightly in order to hear Aelia's voice which made her realise the slight height difference between the two. 

"It's a loner thing"  Stefan joked referring to how Aelia had called him a loner earlier on in the day. Aelia chuckled looking up at the Salvatore and shaking her head before asking: "Do you have gym next?" 

"I do" Stefan nodded mirroring the smile plastered on Aelia's face as the two started walking across the school to head into the musty high school changing rooms. 

****

"Seems like Stefan's taken a liking to you" Elena giggled as she walked beside Aelia heading g out onto the field where most of the guys were playing football, Aelia chuckled as she watched Tanner shout at Tyler who looked beyond angry. 

"I wouldn't say that, We're friends-- Oh yeah I invited him to yours for dinner" Elena only Giggled at Aelia's words taking in how both statements the girl had made heavily contradicted each other. 

"Just friends huh?" Elena smiled shaking her head before adding:  "That's fine I asked Carson to invite him too so"

The two girls made their way to where all the cheerleaders were practising, Aelia's eyes having fallen on Stefan who sat Alone on the bleachers beside his brother Carson, Both of them seemed to be having a tense conversation, Aelia shook her head reminding herself of why she was back at school and followed Elena's actions, Stretching, practising flexibility. 

"Oh my god! You both actually came" Bonnie exclaimed upon seeing the two girls prepping for cheer,  A surprised smile growing on Bonnie's cheeks As she began stretching beside Aelia and Elena. 

"I was sick Bonnie not incapable" Aelia chuckled as she leaned forward sitting on the floor and reaching for her toes while Elena did the same thing beside her. 

" Bonnie you're coming to dinner tonight" Elena announced giving Bonnie No room for negotiation before adding: "With Me, Carson, Aelia and Stefan"

Bonnie's face fell to one of disbelief, Her dislike for the Salvatore brothers seemed to be growing with every second that passed, Bonnie's eyes darting to Aelia as if asking the girl to help her out of it yet Aelia just shook her head. 

"You have to give them a chance" Elena urged hoping Bonnie would at least try and get to know Carson, A boy who was growing to mean something to Elena, Aelia nodded as she shifted starting the next stretch while Bonnie shook her  head; "Tonights no good"

"Bonnie Come on, it's just dinner. Stefan is lovely, And Carson seems it" Aelia helped Elena rather than Bonnie which only caused a heavy sigh to escape Bonnie's lips as she frantically shook her head: "But Caroline, Have either of you heard from her?"

"Don't change the subject, Bonnie Bennett. You're going to be there" Elena stated as she followed Aelia starting the next stretch before her eyes flickered between the two girls and she added: "And we're gonna see how Aelia and Stefan are 'just friends'"

"We are! We literally just met" Aelia laughed shaking her head while twisting her hips causing Elena to chuckle and shoot Aelia a disapproving look making Aelia shrug: "Okay, Okay. He's hot. Like really hot. But I don't date"

"In your whole high school career you had a fling with Jay and that's it. Come on Lia" Elena urged for the girl to branch out and explore just a little bit, But Aelia just shrugged... She couldn't, relationships are too personal, and she couldn't have people asking too many questions.

"Bonnie you're coming so you can save me from this" Aelia laughed off Elena's words trying not to let herself ponder for too long while Bonnie sighed tilting her head back and  gave up fighting on the subject; "Fine I'll go"

"Seriously though Bonnie where is Caroline" Aelia asked having noticed the blonde hadn't called, texted or even shown up to school-- and maybe it was just Aelia being paranoid but not turning up to school usually meant something bad, at least to her. 

"I don't know I'll try her again" Bonnie shifted reaching for her phone a look of worry consuming her features as she held her phone to her ear waiting-- hoping for an answer. Aelia and Elena both sat in front of Bonnie waiting yet loud radio-like music invaded their ears pulling their attention away from Bonnie as an old car pulled up in the parking lot beside the field-- convertible with the roof down and Caroline sat in the passenger side while a smug looking man with dark hair sat beside her. 

"Oh my god" Bonnie hummed her voice as if the sight had worried her further, Elena's wide eyes on Caroline as she leant across the seats in the car to kiss the dark-haired driver. 

"That must be the mystery guy from the grill" Bonnie announced while Aelia sat scrutinising the scene before her, Caroline had missed school to hang out with some mystery guy who was clearly older, a few years older...

"That's not a mystery guy. That's Damon Salvatore" Aelia's lips fell slightly open at Elena's words. Aelia's head Jerking toward Elena: "Salvatore??"

"Yep. Carson and Stefan's older brother" Both Bonnie and Aelia shared a surprised look  as Elena stood up, Both girls in shock as they stood up confused watching Caroline approach them her body language had shifted, a scarf wrapped around her neck as she spoke, her voice laced with sass: "I got the other brother, hope you girls don't mind"

"Sorry I'm late girls, I was busy. now let's start with the double pike hurdler" Caroline walked straight past, Aelia, Elena and Bonnie to announce her presence to the whole cheer squad, Aelia's brows snapped together in confusion at Caroline's odd behaviour the three girls looked at each other in disbelief.

"One, Two, Three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Again" Caroline ordered over and over again her voice becoming all too repetitive as Aelia struggled to keep up with the routine. Elena sent her confused glances every so often as both girls had missed the first few cheer sessions they were equally as lost. 

"Elena sweetie. Why don't you just observe today?" Caroline suggested making both Elena and Aelia stop in disbelief, Caroline's words having come across a lot colder than both girls had expected. Elena sighed walking through the girl's still practising while  Caroline repeated the routine. Aelia shrugged not seeing the point in continuing if she was struggling just as much as Elena and followed her best friend to the back so she could just observe. 

"That was weird right?" Aelia asked she came to a halt beside Eelna watching the rest of the girls do the cheer routine, Elena turned to look at Aelia and nodded. Both of their eyes returned to Caroline who stood in front ordering the rest of the girls around. 

Aelia sighed her eyes falling from Caroline in a state of boredom, Aelia's eyes traced the rest of the field, People running track, The football team... The football team, Aelia's eyes instantly fell on a boy running onto the field now wearing Football gear. Stefan Salvatore. A weak smile cracked the dull expression on Aelia's face as she watched Stefan join the boys playing football. 

"Are you drooling over Stefan?" Elena joked as she noticed Aelia watching the boy on the field while his brother still sat on the bleachers, Aelia tore her eyes from Stefan a soft blush dampening her cheeks.

"No, I just didn't think he'd actually ask to play" Aelia countered as she watched the boys start playing, A soft chuckle escaped Elena's lips as Stefan rushed across the field scoring a touchdown and showing up Jay, Matt and Tyler. 

*****

"Last night- I was watching TV and the commercials come on and I was like I bet it's that phone commercial and sure enough- I was right" Bonnie gushed trying to Explain her witch-mojo to Elena and Aelia as they prepped the  Gilbert house for guests, Setting the Table, Sorting out the food. 

"Oh come on that commercial is on a constant loop" Elena gushed handing Bonnie some of the take-out they'd ordered for the group, while Aelia set the table preparing for Caron and STfean's arrival. 

"Okay-Okay how about this? Today I'm obsessed with numbers, three numbers I keep seeing 8, 14 and  22. how weird is that?" Bonnie announced hoping someone would agree and this time, Aelia did: "Yeah that's pretty weird"

"Maybe we should play the lottery" Elena joked not taking Bonnie's concerns seriously in the slightest while they began plating up food before adding: "Have you spoken to your grams?"

"she's just gonna say I'm a witch" Bonnie sighed, and somehow her words intrigued Aelia As if she felt entitled to find out more. Aelia walked back over to  Elena and Bonnie as the Bennett girl continued: "I don't wanna be a witch, Do you wanna  be a witch?"

"Sounds pretty cool to me" Aelia chuckled as she watched Elena pour the takeaway pasta into a nice bowl as if trying to pass it off as homemade making both Aelia and Bonnie chuckle. 

"Putting it into a nice bowl isn't going to fall anyone" Aelia chuckled as she leant against the countertop before adding: "A for effort though"

"Okay, Serving spoons where are the serving spoons" Elena laughed off Aelia's joke as she turned around trying to find where the serving spoons were in her own kitchen, Yet before she could even  think Bonnie spoke up: "Middle drawer on your left"

Elena looked up at Bonnie nervously before opening the drawer, Elena's face install fell as she looked at the contents inside the drawer, Her hand pulling out three serving spoons. Elena chuckled nervously as she looked between her two best friends: "Okay so you've been in this kitchen a thousand times." 

"yeah cause that's totally it" Bonnie countered before the doorbell rang pulling the girl's attention away from Bonnie's peculiar abilities, Identical smiles grew on both Elena and Aelia's faces as they walked to the door. 

*******

Aelia sat between Stefan and Bonnie, Across from Elena and Carson. It was silent, Awkwardly silent. Aelia carefully prodded the pasta in her plate with a fork hoping someone would break the uncomfortable silence that made her skin crawl. But no one did so she broke the silence herself.

"Did Tanner give you a hard time today?" Aelia asked turning her head toward Stefan while Bonnie just sat disengaged beside her, Stefan Perked up with a lopsided smile at the question. 

"Well he let me on the team, so I must have done something right." Stefan smiled his eyes strongly connected with Aelia's as she chuckled softly. Oh, he'd definitely done something right. Aelia smiled as she turned her head toward Carson in an attempt to make everyone feel included: "How come you didn't try out?"

"I'm more of a basketball man myself. I normally leave the football to Stefan" Carson responded his eyes Falling on Elena midway through his sentence, A soft blush exploded across Elena's cheeks at just the eye contact from Carson. 

The silence quickly returned causing Both Aelia and Elena to look at each other urging each other to make more conversation hoping either one of them could come up with something better to create a real conversation. 

"Uh- Bonnie why don't you tell Stefan and Carson about your family?" Elena suggested hoping there was something to come of her suggestion, Aelia's eyes Fell on Bonnie as she sighed leaning back in her chair slightly. 

"divorced. No mom. I live with my dad" Bonnie stated bluntly looking between the two Salvatore brothers, Both Carson and Stefan were slightly taken aback by the response while Elena shook her head correcting her friend: "No, About the witches..."

"Bonnie's family has a lineage of Witches. It's really cool" Elena corrects supuring conversation. Both Stefan and Carson's heads shot toward Elena intrigued, Wanting to hear more yet Bonnie only brushed it off: "Cool isn't really the word I'd use"

"Well it's certainly interesting" Stefan Announced trying to somewhat save the conversation  while Aelia awkwardly looked back down at her plate a wave of second-hand embarrassment washing over her at the cloud of pure awkwardness that lingered over the table.

"Yeah- I'm not as well versed on history as Stefan but I do know there's history of  Celtic druids that migrated here in the 1800s" Carson added joining in on the conversation to liven up the Table a little bit making Aelia's head twist back toward Stefan making eye contact with him. 

"My family came here by way of Salem" Bonnie Corrected Carson, Stefan's brows furrowing as his attention turned back to Bonnie and with a cocked brow he asked: "Really? Salem Witches?"

"Yeah," Bonnie nodded, Both Carson and Stefan sharing a look that Aelia couldn't quite figure out before Stefan added: "I think that's pretty cool. Salem witches are heroic examples of individualism and nonconformity"

"Yeah, they are" Bonnie smiled. Elena's plan seemed to be working, Bonnie seemed to be warming up to Stefan just a little bit, But that was still progress. Just as Aelia was about to join in on the conversation and ask Stefan a question the doorbell rang again... More visitors?