Splitting Our Odds Into Evens

Drunk In-Love

The gang sat in stifling silence, the symphony of cursing and car horns filling their ears as New Orleans traffic erupted around them. They had been trapped in the same spot for what felt like an eternity, the awkwardness pivoting in the air like a heavy fog. Hayley gripped the steering wheel tightly, her frustration evident in her furrowed brow, while Caroline sat beside her, her fingers tapping nervously on her thigh. In the backseat, Bonnie lay peacefully, her head resting on Kol's chest, utterly oblivious to the tension in the car.

Breaking the uncomfortable silence, Kol mustered the courage to speak up. "So, care to enlighten me on what exactly caused this unfortunate turn of events?" he asked, gesturing to unconscious Bonnie.

Caroline's eyes darted to Hayley, silently pleading for her to take the lead. Hayley looked at Caroline and shrugged. With a sigh, Caroline reluctantly conceded. "We may have...well, we kind of shamed Bonnie for breaking up with you."

Kol's eyebrows shot up in shock, his gaze shifting between the two women. "And pray tell, what did you say to her?"

Caroline's shoulders slumped, a weariness settling over her. "We may have insinuated that she would never find someone as good as you and that she had made a terrible mistake," she admitted, her voice laced with regret.

Hayley's grip on the steering wheel tightened as another car cut in front of them, eliciting a chorus of honks from her. "Hey, watch it!" she exclaimed.

Kol's eyes narrowed, a mixture of frustration and disappointment on his face. "Wow, very mature of you both."

Hayley heaved a weary sigh, her eyes still focused on the road ahead. "Look, Kol. I'm not saying what we did was right, but you're always on my case about not supporting you, so we thought we were doing the right thing by being honest with Bonnie. A true friend tells the truth, even if it's hard to hear."

Kol's frustration boiled over as he snapped at Hayley, "There's a difference between being honest and harsh, Hayley. Our breakup is none of your business."

"Yeah, well, you guys made it my business!" Hayley said. "When you two first broke up, you came crying to me, saying that I should talk to Bonnie."

"Oh, so you're using that against me?" Kol scoffed, shaking his head.

"No, I-" Before Hayley could say anything else, Bonnie let out a loud snore, causing everyone to laugh. The tension in the car momentarily lifted as they shared a lighthearted moment.

"Lesson learned, don't let her leave when she's an emotional wreck," Caroline chuckled, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Don't bark up the wrong tree. If anything, you two should be mad at me," Kol muttered.

Caroline and Hayley exchanged confused glances. "What? Why?" Caroline asked, her curiosity piqued.

Kol sighed deeply, shrugging. "I don't know. I mean, I fought for Bonnie, but I should've fought harder," he said.

Hayley sucked her teeth. She hated that Kol always put himself down just because of his past. "Stop being so hard on yourself, Kol. Seriously," she said.

Caroline chimed in, "Yeah, it's annoying, even for me. You're a good guy, Kol. Just...own it." She turned in her seat to look at Kol, who was moving a strand of hair out of Bonnie's face, and she smiled. "I still have hope for you two, you know?"

Kol's gaze remained fixed on Bonnie, his love for her shining through his words. "I still have hope for us, too," he replied.

***

Hayley, Bonnie, Kol, and Caroline finally arrived back at the house, exhaustion evident on their faces. Hayley entered, visibly drained, while Kol carried Bonnie, still peacefully asleep in his arms, followed by Caroline. Elijah, Klaus, and Damon, seated on the couch, looked up, their expressions filled with puzzlement.