Fall

Chapter 80: Shall I Stay

Things calmed down a bit, after that. Tyler was at my door, begging for my forgiveness. "You just stood there and watched as people tried to kill me, Ty. Not really something I can easily forgive." I had slammed the door in his face, puppy dog eyes trained on me. When my mom asked about my injuries, Elena covered for me and told her that I had tried out for cheerleading again, only to fall off of the pyramid.

It doesn't really explain all of my injuries, like the obvious hand prints around my neck. But I cover those easily with makeup and scarves. Caroline spent the next night at my house, the two of us holding on to each other tightly in my bed. Both of us afraid of losing the other, like we almost did the previous night. 

In the morning, she asked if she could join me in doing the last bit of cleaning for the bookstore. Turn The Page was finally almost ready to reopen, under my new ownership. It's strange, really strange, but I don't let myself dwell on it for too long. "Give me some work to do. Anything. Just, let me clean something." She begs me as we walk through the now fixed door. 

As long as Caroline had something to fix, something to tidy, she was able to work through the things in her mind. We're similar that way. "Sure, can you go through the store again and make sure there's no blood or glass left? I'm pretty sure I cleaned up all of it, but you've got the superior eyesight." I shrug, glossing over the briefly sympathetic look Care gives me because of whose blood she'd be cleaning up. 

"Aye aye, Captain!" She salutes me with a forced smile before moving around the store, eyes narrowing and widening as she takes it in. 

The bell to the door rings, and I half expect little Freya to come barreling towards me with her tail wagging. "And where would you have me, Captain?" I turn at the teasing voice and can't help the smile on my face at the warm brown eyes, the man I'd just kissed last night, and how he's dashed any melancholic thoughts away. 

"You came!" It's early days and I'm not sure if it's something he likes but I rush forward and fling my arms around him anyway, despite the way my muscles ache. Despite the way he stiffens slightly before slouching into it, arms wrapping around my waist. 

He chuckles softly, looking down at me from where my hands are interlocked behind his neck. "I did say that I would, I gave you my word." I half expect him to say 'my Lady' or something like that, something old fashioned to match how much he's become my knight in shining armor. But instead he ends statement by lowering his face closer to mine, noses brushing, "my Darling." 

It elicits the same response from me, perhaps even a greater one, because I can't help but blush and smile widely. It hurts my cheeks from the action, and I wonder for a moment how little I've been smiling recently for my face to be so unused to the movement. 

Someone clears their throat and I freeze at the reminder that Caroline is here too. I slowly disengage myself from Elijah and see my best friend watching the two of us with a strange look on her face. I can't quite decipher it. "I don't think you two have met. Elijah, this is Caroline, my best friend." I indicate to her with an open palm, hand out, and she comes forward to see the man that came to clean and fix things in a fancy suit. 

"A pleasure." Elijah says, extending his hand to shake hers. 

Caroline's blue eyes dart between the two of us. "And you're Kara's boyfriend now, right?" 

I could kill her. 

We just kissed two nights ago! We've only been on two dates, one of which was totally ruined by werewolves. I feel nerves and dread and worry build in my stomach. If he says no, if he laughs, I don't know how I'll recover. 

"Well, that depends on the lovely Kara. Though I would like nothing more." 

I could kiss him. I really could. The only thing stopping me is the smile on Caroline's lips, the audience in front of us. Instead I cough and fix my best friend with a look. "Anyways, I think we all have stuff to do, don't we? Launch day is tomorrow and I want this place perfect. Man your battle stations!" I turn on the ball of my foot and move to the back, cheeks burning.