Capital Letters

twenty

Nathan sat in the cafeteria, staring into space as Caroline and Bonnie talked about the upcoming float. It was clear that Bonnie didn't want to be anywhere near Nathan. But her Grams did say that she could trust him before she died. So there was a part that wanted to believe her grams. But she still didn't know.

"Let's reference last year's Miss Mystic Float. This is what they did last year," Caroline says, turning her laptop to Bonnie, "And it's exactly what we don't want to do."

"Ew," Bonnie says.

Caroline nods in agreement. "Yeah."

"Okay. So, what are we doing?" Bonnie asks.

Caroline perks up, "Southern classic elegance."

Nathan lets out a groan, wanting to do anything other than talk about this float. Caroline talked his ear off about it last night. It was all they were talking about. Caroline glared at her boyfriend.

"You know what? You can sit there and shut up, please, thank you," She rolled her eyes before turning to Bonnie.

"Nate, come with me, we need to talk," Alaric voice called out to him.

Nathan jumped up from the table, turning to Alaric, "Absolutely we do," He picks up his jacket and places a kiss on Caroline's cheek. "I'll see you later. Bye, bonbon, thank you for enduring me for as long as you did."

Caroline lightly pushed him away. He chuckled as he walked off with Alaric. He shrugged on his jacket as Alaric got Elena and Stefan too. He brought them into their classroom and explained to them that Isobel paid him a visit.

Once inside a classroom, Nathan's attention was drawn to Damon and Aria, who had just entered, fashionably late. Damon's excuse, delivered with his usual wit, drew an amused smirk from Nathan. The tension in the room, however, was palpable.

"I saw Isobel last night," Alaric began, instantly capturing their attention.

"Isobel's here? In town?" Elena questioned anxiously, her concern evident.

Damon wasted no time in inquiring further. "Did you ask about Uncle John? Are they working together?"

"No," Alaric replied, frustrating Damon with his lack of inquiry.

"Didn't ask?" Damon pressed.

Alaric's sigh revealed his frustration with their persistent questioning. "No, I didn't ask."

"What about the invention?" Aria chimed in, eager to grasp the situation.

Again, Alaric's response was less than informative. "Didn't ask."

Damon couldn't contain his frustration. "Does she know about the tomb vampires?"

"I don't know," Alaric admitted, leaving the group dissatisfied with the dearth of information.

"Did words completely escape you?" Damon taunted.

Alaric rolls his eyes, "I was a little too distracted by my dead vampire wife to ask any questions."

"Well, what does she want?" Aria wonders, she was caught up in all the drama but this was new to her.

"She wants to see me, Aria," Elena answers, she had been sitting silently at the desk until that question.

"Alaric is supposed to arrange a meeting," Stefan spoke up, "We don't know why or what she wants."

Damon's eyes were only on Elena, "You don't have to see her if you don't want to."

And Elena's eyes were on Damon. Nathan pursed his lips, looking between the two, "I don't really have a choice."

"She threatened to go on a killing spree," Ric adds.