Love Sucks | The Vampire Diaries

The Grill

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

        "Whoa," Elena's eyes widened as she saw her sister walk down the stairs, "Where are you going?" she asked, eyeing Annabelle's outfit.
        "Party at the Grill," Annabelle sighed as she shrugged on the thin sweater, not bothering to look up as she tried to make sure that she wouldn't fall off the stairs given her tall wedges and fast pace. Once she reached the bottom of the stairs, she turned around, her back facing Elena, and grabbed her purse from the table beside the wall.
        "I thought you wanted to stay in tonight," Elena said, a confused look on her face.
        "I did," Annabelle responded, "But I can't because we both know that Caroline will kill me if I don't go," she said.
        "What time are you gonna be back?"
        "I don't know, probably..." Annabelle cut herself off as she turned around, only to see Stefan standing right beside her sister, patiently listening to their conversation, "Oh... Um... did I interrupt something?" she asked hesitantly, mentally slapping herself. If she did interrupt something, she already knew that Elena will give her hell for it later.
        "No," Stefan smiled at her kindly, "I was just leaving," he said, and Annabelle nodded a bit hesitantly, giving him a small smile and quickly shooting Elena an apologetic look as soon as Stefan's back was turned toward them, "Hey," Stefan suddenly spoke up, turning around, his eyes on Elena. "Do you need a ride to the Grill tonight?"
        "Are you going to Caroline's party?" Elena asked, chuckling as she eyed him.
        "Lexi's dragging me," Stefan shrugged with a smile, "And... it's my birthday,"
        "Really?" Annabelle asked in surprise, and Stefan smiled, chuckling lightly.
        "Wow, um... happy birthday, then," Elena snapped out of her surprise, stepping forward to stand closer to Stefan.
        "Thank you," Stefan murmured with a smile, giving her a nod.
        "Actually, I, um... I think I'm gonna stay in tonight," Elena said, and Stefan's smile noticeably faltered as he nodded and forced himself to give her a small smile.
        "Okay," he whispered, and Annabelle couldn't help but look at him in sympathy, "Well, have a, have a goodnight," he said, giving them a nod as he started taking steps backwards slowly.
        "Actually," Annabelle spoke up before he could leave, and he and Elena turned to look at her, "I wouldn't mind a ride. Pressing the gas pedal isn't exactly the easiest thing to do in these," she said, gesturing to her shoes, and Stefan got a look of understanding on his face as he chuckled.
        "Come on," he smiled, jerking his head towards the car that was parked outside the house.
        "Thanks," Annabelle smiled, before walking past him.
        "Goodnight," Stefan gave Elena a small smile, before following Annabelle and opening the car doors for her like a true gentleman, before rounding the car and getting in the driver's seat after Annabelle thanked him with a smile. Guys like that were really hard to find these days.
        As the two drove away, Elena followed them with her gaze as she looked through the front door she left ajar. Even though she truly didn't feel up to going to a party, she couldn't help but feel jealous. Annabelle was going there with Stefan, she was driving in Stefan's car, the two obviously were getting along very well... Elena sighed, closing the door. She really needed to get rid of her petty jealousy before some problems developed between her and her sister because of it. Family problems were the last thing she needed.

*In Stefan's Car*

        "I'm sorry for the trouble," Annabelle apologized as she looked over at Stefan, who glanced at her.
        "Don't worry about it," he smiled, and Annabelle returned it before her gaze turned a bit more serious.
        "So this girl, Lexi..." she started, and Stefan glanced at her from the corner of his eye, "Is she a friend of yours?" she asked, and Stefan chuckled.
        "Yes. A very old friend," he said, before turning his head to look at her briefly, a smile on his face. "She's 350 years old,"
        "You mean she's a...?" Annabelle trailed off, still not feeling very comfortable with saying the actual word.
        "Yes," Stefan smiled. "And she's my oldest friend. She visits me only once a year now, but there was a time when we spent years together,"
        "Which decade?" Annabelle asked, a smile of interest painted on her face, and Stefan couldn't help but smile at the fact that she didn't eye him wearily.
        "Multiple ones. But the 80's were definitely our top one,"
        "Bon Jovi fan much?" Annabelle asked teasingly.
        "Yes, actually," Stefan said, his smile growing as Annabelle's eyes widened.
        "Really?"
        "Yes,"
        "Huh," Annabelle eyed the vampire, "I think I like you even more now,"she said, and Stefan looked at her with a confused glint in his eyes as he drove into the Grill's parking lot.
        "You like Bon Jovi?" he asked, and Annabelle chuckled.
        "Is it really that hard to believe?" she asked, before holding up her hand as they unbuckled their seat belts, "Actually, never mind, don't answer that," she said, and Stefan chuckled before getting out of the car as Annabelle made sure that her phone didn't fall out of her purse. Once she ensured that it was still there, she turned around in her seat, about to open the door, only to look up as the door opened by none other than Stefan Salvatore.
        "Here," he smiled, offering her his hand, and Annabelle smiled at him gratefully as she grasped his hand, slowly getting out of the car, struggling the tiniest bit in the tall wedges and tight mini skirt.
        "Thank you," she breathed out with a grateful smile, and Stefan smiled as he closed the door and made sure to lock the car.
        "I want to apologize, by the way," Stefan suddenly spoke up as they began to walk towards the Grill's entrance, and Annabelle looked at him in confusion.
        "For what?"
        "You might not be able to have much free time tonight," he said, and chuckled, looking down at his feet bashfully as Annabelle's brows furrowed. "I told Lexi a lot about you and Elena. Given that you're coming, she probably won't leave you alone,"
        "Ah, got you," Annabelle chuckled, and Stefan followed before quickening his pace to hold the door open for her, "Thank you," she smiled, and proceeded to walk into the Grill, before stopping as she remembered something, "Oh, by the way! Happy birthday," she smiled, and Stefan gave her a nod and a smile before following her into the Grill, "Whoa," Annabelle murmured as she eyed the party in front of them. She always knew that Caroline had a gift for organizing things like that, but to see The Grill filled with so many people dancing and drinking like they would at a nightclub was not a very common sight.
        "Matt!" Stefan suddenly called from beside Annabelle, and she turned to look at him, only to see his gaze trained on the familiar blond, "Just hear me out? Please?" Stefan pleaded as he walked over to the quarterback, and Annabelle followed, deciding to help him in case Matt still wanted nothing to do with the vampire. It wasn't Stefan's fault that Vicki 'disappeared'. He was only protecting Annabelle from her. If anything, it was Annabelle's fault. But more than that, it was Damon's fault. Matt was just blaming the wrong Salvatore, "I was just trying to help Vicki. I went through something similar... once," Stefan said, and Annabelle could see that Matt was slowly giving in, "I'm really sorry," the vampire said sincerely.
        "Don't be," Matt shook his head. "It's not the first time she's run off. Turns out Vicki's just like her mother. I can't count on either of them," he said, and Annabelle frowned in sympathy, "Thanks for trying," Matt said, giving Stefan a nod, before shifting his gaze onto Annabelle, "Have a good time," he forced a smile, before disappearing in the crowd.
        "You know it's not your fault, right?" Annabelle spoke up, not even bothering to look at Stefan, knowing exactly what she'd see in his eyes. Guilt.
        Before Stefan could answer, a familiar beautiful blonde walked over to them, a drink in her hand.
        "You made it!" she exclaimed, a grin on her dark lips.
        "You didn't exactly give me a choice," Stefan joked, his good mood returning, and Lexi rolled her eyes with a smile before looking at Annabelle.
        "And this is the famous Annabelle?" she asked, and Annabelle raised her eyebrows.
        "Famous, huh?" she looked at Stefan, and Lexi laughed at her best friend's expression.
        "I like you," she pointed her finger at Annabelle, to which the blue-eyed girl laughed.
        "Was it a bad idea to introduce you two?" Stefan asked, eyeing the girls.
        "You didn't introduce us, we introduced ourselves," Lexi said, and Annabelle had to stifle a laugh as Stefan rolled his eyes. "Now come on! To the dance floor we go,"