[THE DINNER PARTY]

die with memories, not dreams.

JENNA WOULD BE THE DEATH of Juliette Gilbert. She had asked her about Elijah exactly 40 times that morning. She had asked while Juliette was making coffee, getting changed, brushing her teeth, and when she was doing her makeup. Anything Juliette was doing, Jenna was there trying to get details.

At first, she allowed herself to indulge in the teenage girl gossip, telling Jenna everything she could. But after a while, she grew tired of it. It was just a reminder of what she did, which was a very bad thing.

Yes, she liked it. Juliette loved kissing Elijah, it just felt so right and needed after so long. But now, after she'd had some time to think about it, Jenna had witnessed her kissing the enemy.

The guy her friends were planning to kill. The guy her friends hate.

Juliette was never one to care about what others think, she was a free-spirited soul who did whatever she wanted. But she did care deeply about her friends, and what they thought of her. They would hate her if they found out.

Sure, they haven't been the best of friends, excluding Caroline, like the time Juliette and Elena were both kidnapped by Anna and her boyfriend. Stefan and Damon came to get Elena, forgetting Juliette. But that was okay... right?

Juliette loved her friends no matter what, so that's why she was trying to convince herself to stop kissing Elijah. Despite the fact, it felt so good and right. She needed to stay loyal.

The blonde sighed as she grabbed her scarf, wrapping it loosely around her neck. Today, she and Jenna were giving Elijah a tour through the Mystic Falls property lines. Juliette didn't want to go—considering the fact that she was supposed to be avoiding him as she couldn't seem to control herself around him—but Jenna was forcing her.

Juliette grabbed her jacket before walking down the stairs, suppressing a yawn as Jeremy passed her. "Hey, Jer." She mumbled as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

Jeremy turned around, "Would you care if Bonnie and I started going out?" He asked, randomly. He had a worried look on his face as Juliette just stared at him. He slowly began walking away, thinking that Juliette didn't approve.

"No, I would not care." She stated, a huge grin on her face as she watched Jeremy turn back around, a smile crawling onto his lips.

"Really?" He asked again.

"Yes, you both deserve each other and you look cute together already." Juliette smiled, she was over the moon that Jeremy went to her to talk about something like this, usually he dealt with it himself. "Just don't hurt her or I will kill you." She pointed her finger at him, a serious look on her face as she did so.

Jeremy laughed, shaking his head as he held his hands up, defensively. "I won't, Juliette." He gave her one last grin before making his way up the stairs.

Juliette walked into the kitchen, a big grin on her face as she saw Jenna putting maps and other pieces of paper into her bag. Please don't ask about Elijah.

"Hey, are you ready to go?" The strawberry blonde asked as she turned around, rubbing her hands together as she looked Juliette up and down. "Oh, I wonder who you are dressing up all nice for?" She giggled as she watched the blonde pour coffee into a travel cup.

Juliette sighed as she placed the jug down, pressing her lips together into a thin line as she glanced at Jenna. "We are not going to mention what happened with Elijah once today," She stated, narrowing her eyes at her aunt. "Especially, if we are going to spend all day with him, got it?"

Jenna, with a massive smirk on her face, raised her hands as she chuckled. "Right, no talking about the steamy, sexy kiss you shared with Elijah, on our porch." She remarked, suppressing the urge to giggle.

This was going to be a long day.

✧✧✧✧

"THE OLD FELL PROPERTY actually starts just beyond that fence," Jenna stated as she held a map in her hand, Elijah walked next to her, playing with a stick in his hands as Juliette was next to him.

This tour was incredibly boring.

The blonde tugged her jacket closer to her as the cold air nipped at her skin. Looking over to Elijah as he spoke. "Ah, the Fells. One of the Founding Families." his voice was laced with sarcasm.

Juliette tilted her head as she narrowed her eyes at the vampire while they came to a stop. "Why do you say it like that?" She questioned, leaning toward Elijah as his intense gaze landed on her.

Memories of their kiss filled her mind as she stared into his eyes, her legs felt like jelly beneath her as she looked away, waiting for him to answer.

"My research showed me that this area was actually settled almost two full centuries earlier." Elijah began, plastering a smile on his face. "It was a migration of townsfolk from the northeast, it was Salam to be exact."

"Massachusetts? As in the witch trials?" Jenna asked, engaged.

Elijah nodded, looking between the two women. "Which means the ever-lauded founding families... didn't actually found anything."

"Shocker," Juliette mumbled, brushing a strand of hair from out of her mouth, the wind seeming to be picking up.

"Well, I bet it was the men who made a big deal about being founders back in 1860," Jenna added, folding up the map. "Men are very territorial."

"Yes, they are."

Juliette let a small laugh, raising an eyebrow as she spotted Alaric walking towards them. She looked toward Jenna who looked slightly annoyed. "Elijah, this is my friend, Alaric Saltzman."

Juliette made a mental note to ask what was up with them.

"Yeah, I got your message about walking Elijah here through the old property lines. I thought I would tag along, you know being a history buff and all." He replied, staring at Elijah. "Where to next?"

Elijah replied, not tearing his eyes off Ric, "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."

Juliette scoffed as she looked between Elijah and Alaric.

Jenna glanced at Elijah, "Well, I only brought the surveys. I got that list in the car, just give me a second." She said, before making her way off toward her car.

Juliette quickly decided she wasn't going to stay between the two men acting like alpha males. "I'm going to go help Jenna," she said, eager to escape the tension between the vampire and Alaric.

Elijah watched Juliette's retreating figure with a smile, glad that she wasn't doing what she was doing last time, distancing herself away from him.

It was nearly time for him to tell her everything and he couldn't wait for that day.

He smiled as she turned around, a small smirk on her lips before she turned back around and reached the car where Jenna was searching through her car.

"So what's up with you and history buff over there?" Juliette asked as she leaned up against the red car, crossing her arms over her chest as Jenna looked over to her, an exasperated look on her face.

"I don't know, everything was going so well and then," She stopped for a moment as she opened up and piece of paper, "John said something that's making me question everything. I feel like Ric is hiding something from me."

Oh yeah, his dead wife isn't actually dead, she's a psychotic vampire. Oh and also! the supernatural exists and you're surrounded by it all the time!!

Juliette rolled her eyes, "Of course John said something." She grimaced, shaking her head as she thought back to her ugly uncle, what could he gain from exposing everything to Jenna?

"Look Jen, I'm sure John is just trying to mess with you. Alaric's probably not hiding something from you. He's a good guy." The blonde comforted, giving Jenna a small smile as she noticed Elijah and Alaric had now walked towards them.

"Where to next, ladies?"

✧✧✧✧

    ALARIC DECIDED TO LEAVE after a couple of hours, so it was just Jenna, Juliette and Elijah once again. They were now just finishing up and Jenna left Elijah and Juliette alone to go do something in her car.

Juliette bounced between her heels and toes as she waited for Jenna to come back, she could feel Elijah's gaze on her but she didn't dare look at him, instead, she kept her eyes trained on a tree swaying in the wind.

"You look gorgeous today, Juli." He spoke, and Juliette immediately wanted to look at him and jump on top of him and kiss him, but she liked to believe that she had some self-control.

She pressed her lips into a thin line, suppressing the urge to smile and giggle at his words. "Thank you, Elijah." She replied, her voice calm and firm as if she wasn't ready to pounce on top of him.

Juliette eyes dart around the woods, looking anywhere but Elijah. Her heart thumped against her chest, almost as if it was going to pound out of it. Her entire face was flushed as she could still feel his gaze on her.

She was about to tell him to stop staring at her when Jenna came over to them, saying that they should go to the Mystic Grill for a drink. Juliette has never walked to the car quicker.

The three arrived at the restaurant, Jenna and Elijah walking ahead as Juliette strayed behind them, trying to teach herself how to breathe again. She didn't know why she was acting like this, Elijah and she kissed yesterday and she hadn't once stopped thinking about him.

He fills her mind 24/7.

Everything he did made her want to be closer to him: the way he smiled at her, the way he looked at her. He could do nothing and she would still be drawn to him.

He's the enemy.

You can't be feeling this way.

Juliette repeated that in her mind over and over again, trying to convince herself, that this crush was stupid and it was just a phase. She would get over herself in a couple of days.

Right?

"Hey guys." The blonde heard Jenna speak as she began to walk over to Damon, Andie and Alaric who were sitting down at a table. Elijah turns to Juliette as he waits for her to catch up.

Damon smiles at the three, a bitter smirk directed at Elijah. "So I hear you three had quite a meeting of historical minds today." He remarked as he shared a look with Alaric and Andie.

Juliette narrowed her eyes at the vampire, noticing the sly look he sent the two he was sitting with. She instantly knew he was planning something.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Jenna responded, smiling as she looked towards Juliette. "Though, I don't think Juliette had a good time."

"The insects were literally ganging up on me, Jen I swear," Juliette replied with wide eyes, remembering the battle she actually had to fight against the insects in the woods.

She heard Elijah chuckle next to her, quickly, she jabbed him with her elbow, causing him to smile down at Juliette as she herself started to laugh too.

Damon furrowed his brows at the interaction.

"Well, as much as I'd like to continue this, I've got papers to grade." The history teacher placed money on the table before standing up, jealousy laced in his voice as Juliette noticed Jenna rolling her eyes at her boyfriend.

"No, you know what? We should continue this, let's have a dinner party." Andie suggested.

Yeah, he is definitely planning something.

"Ooh, my girl. Full of good ideas." Damon flirted, wrapping his arm around the news reporter's shoulders. "I'll be happy to host, say tonight, maybe?" The vampire looked between the group, avoiding Juliette's intense gaze.

"It's good for me, Jenna?" Andie looked at the strawberry blonde.

But before she could answer, Alaric spoke, "I don't know if tonight works..." he glared at Damon before looking at Jenna, who rolled her eyes once again.

"Yeah, I'm free."

Everyone's eyes settle on Elijah's. "It'd be a pleasure." He spoke, his voice firm as he started suspiciously at Damon. "What about you Juliette?" Elijah asked, looking away from the Salvatore to the blonde.

"Free food? yes please." Juliette instantly replied. But then she felt someone tap her shoulder, she turned around and saw her manager, internally, Juliette cringed.

"I'm gonna need you to work tonight." Was all he said before walking off.

Juliette sighed before turning back to the group, "I guess not then." She mumbled, rolling her eyes as her manager sat at one of the tables in his phone.

"Go speak to him, I'm sure he will find someone else," Jenna said, practically shoving Juliette in his direction.

I think I'd rather be at work than this stupid dinner party.

✧✧✧✧

Pookies I am so sorry I haven't updated in like a week, I've tried to write but the words were just not wording so I apologise.

Pls ignore how bad this chapter is, please and thank you 🙏

I had a BBQ today for my dad's birthday and it was so slay.

Anyway, I hope to see you in the next chapter!

Byeeee

3/08/24