To Be Or Not To Be » Stefan Salvatore

Chapter 2 - The Edge of Forever

Adjusting to this new reality was harder than she had expected, which was why Skye felt nothing but relief when she was finally excused to find her room.

The parlor had been suffocating—thick with tension, anger, and too many emotions she wasn't ready to face. Here, alone, she could try to piece together her thoughts without interruption.

The room she had been given was spacious, its walls a pristine white, adorned with heavy velvet curtains. A grand queen-sized bed sat in the center, accompanied by a dresser, two nightstands, and a large wardrobe.

Inside the wardrobe, she found an array of clothing—everything from casual t-shirts and jeans to elegant summer dresses and skirts. All in her exact size, as if she had been expected.

Niklaus had truly meant for this to be their home.

At first, she had frowned at the unfamiliar styles, reaching for her sister in confusion. The garments were strange, vastly different from the ones she remembered. Rebekah had explained each piece in a distracted but amused tone, happily indulging Skye's curiosity.

They had tried to tell her about all she had missed, but it had only made her head ache. Very little information had stuck.

Still, she had changed into something more modern, heeding Rebekah's advice to dress warmly—though she hadn't been told why.

The jeans felt odd but not uncomfortable. She had paired them with a knitted sweater, its fabric soft against her skin, and a set of black lace-up boots Rebekah had insisted she wear.

Yet even dressed like this, she felt like an imposter in someone else's world.

After running a brush through her hair, she made her way to Rebekah's room. Her sister had told her to come find her once she was ready, promising they would do something together.

She had nearly made it without distraction, but the house—so different from any she remembered—kept stealing her attention. Her fingers skimmed the edges of sleek modern furniture, her eyes lingering on framed paintings lining the walls.

One painting in particular caught her eye—white horses galloping across a vast field. She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the approaching footsteps.

"Hey there, little sister," came Kol's voice, startling her.

Skye jumped, turning sharply. "Don't scare me like that, Kol!" she scolded, pressing a hand to her racing heart.

Her brother only smirked, leaning lazily against the wall. He, too, had changed into modern clothing—dark blue pants that were slightly too loose and a casual brown shirt.

"Where are you off to?" he asked her in a sing-song voice.

She sighed, already knowing where this was going.

"I'm going to see Bekah. She wanted to spend some time with me," she explained, her voice patient—like she was speaking to a child.

Kol pouted. "I thought we could spend some time together. We haven't seen each other in ages."

"I also haven't seen Bekah in ages."

"For you, it was just yesterday," he pointed out.

"Yes, but for her, it's been more than nine hundred years."

"Same here."

A small, frustrated noise left her lips.

"What if we spend time together tomorrow? Or is tomorrow the day of the ball?" she asked, brows furrowing.

Almost everything their mother had said was a blur—she had been too overwhelmed to take it all in.

"That's tomorrow," Kol confirmed.