𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 | 𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐄

𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

CHAPTER FIFTEEN | THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

ONCE ELENA HAD INFORMED EVELYN THAT CAROLINE HAD FLIPPED HER SWITCH AND DISAPPEARED, SHE, STEFAN, AND ELENA HEADED TO FIND HER. Whilst Evelyn was assisting Elena in checking the Whitmore Campus, Stefan headed back to Caroline's house for yet another look. But, it was clear that wherever the Forbes vampire was, she didn't want to be found.

"When I say this dorm room looks like she's never even attended classes here, I mean it," Evelyn explained to Stefan, who was on the receiving end of the phone, whilst Elena went through Caroline's drawers which were all empty. "What about her house?"

"Totally empty. Caroline took everything but the damn doors off their hinges." A heavy and exasperated sigh left the Salvatore vampire's lips.

"So, what? She just flips her humanity switch, came back to the dorm, took all of her clothes—" Elena opened yet another drawer to notice the thank-you notes had also disappeared. "And thank-you notes, and just left town? That makes no sense."

"This coming from the girl who burned her house down. Oh, and the girl who left a roadmap of bodies up and down Virginia." Stefan scolded the brunettes with a scoff.

"Do you think she's trying to cut off all ties to her past?" The doppelganger almost whispered toward the phone.

"I certainly don't think she's having a yard sale, Elena." Stefan snapped.

"Uh, excuse you, don't get mad at us. We weren't the ones that did this, Stefan." Evelyn's voice was a little harsher as she earned an appreciative smile from Elena. "Look, we'll check around campus, hopefully, someone will have seen her. Just call us with updates." The brunette vampire ended the call and slid her phone back into her pocket. "Hey, so, I've got something to tell you, it's about—" As the door swung open, both sets of eyes fell to the girl at the door. "Bonnie."

"Oh, my God." Elena froze at the sight of her best friend, who was finally back from the Prison World. "Bonnie? How are you—"

"—Alive?" A small chuckle left the Bennett witch's lips. "You'd think I'd be used to this part by now." She hurried over to Elena and pulled her into her embrace, whilst Evelyn smiled at the exchange.

"It's so good to have you back, Bon." A small chuckle escaped Evelyn's lips as the Bennett girl peeled herself from Elena's hold and headed straight over to her dresser full of clothes.

"My not-flannel blouse. My not-flannel t-shirts. And, oh! I really missed my not-flannel V-necks."

Elena pulled a bottle of champagne out from the small mini-fridge in the corner of the room and attempted to pop the top off. "Suck it, 1994! "So, I bought this bottle of champagne the same day that Evelyn and Damon thought they were gonna rescue you, but obviously, they didn't. So, we couldn't drink it." The doppelganger poured out one glass and handed it to Bonnie whilst she did the same for herself and Evelyn. "So, this is to you. You were stuck there all by yourself while we were back here, living our lives. And, this is the worst toast, ever."