𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐒 - [𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦]

𝟐𝟏

chapter twenty one.

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"IS THIS THEIR WAY OF BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER?" Harper asked sarcastically as she walked beside Caroline and Elena through the new public park in Mystic Falls. The mayor had insisted the community all come together to clean it up and get it ready for opening day.

Harper hadn't wanted to go, but, since her father was friends with both the mayor and the sheriff, both her and her brother had been required to be there.

"Yeah, well, my mom seems to think it's great. She won't stop trying to be around me, when I'm desperately trying to avoid her." Caroline explained, setting down a bucket of paint once they got to the wooden structure that needed a paint job.

"Did you guys fight?" Elena asked, who Harper had noticed had been a bit off ever since her supposed break-up with Stefan. Harper didn't fully believe they had broken up; she thought maybe it was just one of those fights that lasted a few days, then they would be back to normal.

"Yeah, I was a bitch. Which is par for the course with us." Caroline replied, dipping a brush in the paint and beginning to touch-up the pole. "So, how are things with you and Stefan? Anything?" She asked, glancing over at Elena, who was crouched on the ground beside Harper, painting the other pole.

"No, not since the fight. He's been pushing me away because he thinks that Katherine might get jealous enough to hurt me. I just don't know how to change his mind." Elena explained, causing Harper to scoff slightly.

"Well, he's not wrong. She's kind of psychotic." Harper commented, earning a look from Elena.

"I know that, and I also know that he's just trying to protect me, but it feels like giving up. And, I just..." Elena trailed off as Caroline crouched down beside them, looking at Elena sympathetically.

"Just what?" Caroline asked, urging her to go on.

"I just thought that we were stronger than that." Elena replied, causing Caroline to nod slightly, standing up to get some more paint.

"Uh-oh, longing looks are being exchanged." Caroline piped up after a few moments, causing Harper to glance over to Elena, whose eyes were trained on Stefan.

"I'm gonna go talk to him." Elena concluded, standing up from her spot next to the pole.

"No, Elena, I think it's a bad idea..." Caroline trailed off, but she was too late, as Elena was already walking over to where Stefan was.

"Just let them figure this out. We don't really have a say in their relationship." Harper spoke once Elena was gone, looking at Caroline as she stood from the ground.