moving on - damon salvatore [1]

SIX

***

"You what?"

"Shhh!" Caroline shushes her friend, her eyes frantic. "I don't want anyone to know, be quiet."

"I'm sorry." Bonnie says, her eyes wide. "It's just shocking. I mean, you and Damon...kissed."

"We didn't kiss." Caroline gives her friend a pointed look as she walks over to the bathroom and opens the tap for the bathtub.

"He kissed me. And I have no idea why."

"Well..." Bonnie looks uncomfortable, like she's unsure of what to say. "How was it? Did you kiss him back?"

"What? No of course not!" Caroline let's out an offended scoff as she looks to her friend. "I slapped him and ran home. You know me Bon."

Bonnie looks unsure. "If you say so. But we know the type of person he is, Care. All he cares about is Elena, don't fall in his trap."

Caroline nods to Bonnie with a smile and grabs a towel, making way to the bathroom to start her bath. As she shuts the doors she lets out a heavy sigh she hadn't realized she was holding in. She'd been burned too many times before. The first time being Damon himself. She knew better than to fall for his charms. So why did she feel so disappointed?

***

Damon was still lying down at the bottom of the town bridge, staring at the stars. Or he was, up until a few hours ago. The sun had almost set now, and there weren't any stars in sight.

He was going to leave soon, he was. But his mind was still foggy. Did he actually try and kiss Caroline? What the hell was wrong with him?

He sighed, sitting up and brushing his fingers through his hair. He already knew the answer. Elena. It was always Elena. Everything about that woman infuriated him. She was so god damn complicated, yet so mesmerizing.

They'd connected last night, right? He wasn't crazy, they actually bonded at the party, with the dancing, the blood sharing, the almost kissing. It felt like they had a moment, and something real had happened. But then stupid old Bonnie had to come and ruin it all, like usual. He was surprised it was Bonnie and not Caroline for once.

Maybe it was the fact that Caroline had gotten dumped by her boyfriend and was just a pile of pathetic right now, but he could sadly relate. That's why he kissed her, to try and get rid of that feeling. But it hadn't worked, at least not for him. But maybe...it did for her.

Damon was still deep in thought when a car drove by him, breaking him from his trance. "You alright there?" The speaker was a wide smiling man, who looked to be in his mid thirties or so. In the passenger seat beside him was a woman, who looked to be about the same age as him, wearing a friendly, but cautious smile. They looked like an average suburban married couple, and judging by their horrendous burgundy minivan, they probably were. They also looked...delicious, Damon thought as he got up and took a step closer to them. Absolutely delicious.

***

"Stefan, please? Don't be like that, talk to me."

"What do you want me to say, Caroline?" Stefan scoffed, looking away from his friend. "You brought my girlfriend to a drunken rager with my brother, where she grinded on him and fed on blood. Oh, and I guess my invitation got lost in the mail."

Caroline sighed, looking away in shame.

"Seriously, what do you want me to say? I mean I would expect this behavior from Damon, but you? You're supposed to be the responsible one here."

"I know Stefan, okay?" Caroline snapped, a heavy sigh on her lips. "I know."

Stefan looked at her for a moment, unsure whether to shut the door in her face or let her inside. Something clearly seemed to be bothering her.
With a sigh he opened the door wider, and stepped to the side, allowing her in.

"Thanks." Caroline breathed as she walked in.

"Talk." Stefan commanded pointing to the couch in the living room. "And your excuse better be good."

After several minutes of explaining, Stefan was looking at Caroline, a pained expression on his face. Then he did something unexpected. He pulled her in for a hug. It kind of surprised Caroline. Stefan seemed so uneasy with physical contact, well besides with his girlfriend. Him and Caroline had been friends for years, but the only time she recalled them hugging was when she was having a panic attack in an amusement park bathroom, after accidentally killing someone.

"Tyler's dumb. You deserve better." He whispered into her hair, and Caroline felt herself crumble. Was she really that obvious? Her face scrunched up into a sad frown as the tears started cascading down her cheeks, and she let herself go in his arms.

She didn't break down, not to her mom, not to her best friends, not even to Tyler. She didn't know why she did here, with Stefan. "It's okay." He murmured softly, rubbing her back. After several minutes Caroline stopped crying.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, her cheeks an embarrassed red color.

"Don't be sorry." Stefan smiled, brushing some hair out of her face. "We're friends." Caroline nodded and sat up from the couch, getting ready to leave.

"Stefan?" She asked, a question forming in her mind. She spit it out before she could change her mind.

"Do you think people are capable of change?" He quirked an eyebrow, a curious expression on his face.

"People who have done bad things, terrible things. Can they still be saved?"

"You're not a terrible person Caroline." Stefan smiled in reply.

"I wasn't talking about me." Caroline softly spoke.
Stefan's expression turned somber, and he ducked his head down, looking away from her.

Well, that answered her question. People couldn't change, which meant Damon couldn't be saved.
So she had to stop whatever experiment she was playing with him, it was never going to lead anywhere. She had to stop.

***

End of chapter. I know it's short but I kind of hit writers block and didn't know what to write, sorry!

Hope you enjoyed anyways! Please comment and vote! And if you like this story you can check out my other ones in the meantime. I have two very different stories on my profile you can check out! :)