#ltmh

Nadia tried to hit the ball once, but Caroline got in front of her so quick and almost pushed her just to hit it back to him.

So now that was the scene. Lexi and Nadia are few steps back, watching Stefan and Caroline as they kept the game alive. Matt and Alaric are talking about food, and Bonnie and Damon are now arguing instead of flirting.

And Jo is watching from her seat.

Out of nowhere, Stefan sends the ball high, which makes Caroline jumps the highest she can, hitting the ball so hard that it hit his head. Literally. He falls to the ground, and so does she, since her attempt to reach the ball got her into a glorious jump.

Everyone comes out of their bubble now, Bonnie and Nadia rush to Caroline, helping her to sit. While the boy gather around Stefan and Lexi who is now by his side, chuckling as she helps him to sit straightly.

"You okay?" Bonnie asks Caroline.

"Yeah, yeah." She says absently as she stands up and walks to Stefan, peaking her head between the faces that are staring down to him.

She covers her mouth, her cheeks burning with embarrassment, and when he looks at her he laughs. It's short and barely audible but she hears it. And it makes her heart beats a bit faster.

"You okay, tough boy?" Lexi asks as she helps him to stand up.

He nods his head, looking at everyone around them, he raises his eyebrows. Shooting them a look and looking around him as 'the show is over, leave' And so they do, only after Damon bats his shoulder not so gently.

Matt runs into the house, to the kitchen specifically and Nadia follows him. Alaric sits next to Jo, Damon is already splashing Bonnie with water which leads them into fighting in the middle of the water. Which leaves Stefan and Caroline, standing in front of each other while smiling.  

"You really hit him."

Caroline snaps, looks to her right to find Lexi standing almost between them with a smirk. Stefan turns too and smiles.

"I didn't mean to." She defends herself.

"Eh, you did hit him." Lexi titles her head. Which makes Caroline shakes her head and laughs.

"Hey guys." Jo calls them and Stefan turns around when Lexi and Caroline do. "We're starving, you're not planning to eat?"

"Come on, it's kitchen time." Alaric says before he pulls Jo and walks inside. They follow them, leaving Damon and Bonnie in the water.

… …

They sit around the fire that Damon made, everyone holding their own plate of spaghetti and meatballs. They talk, laugh, tell embarrassing stories about each other and laugh. Caroline was now sure that Stefan could read lips, because he understood everything just fine and was laughing as well.

Lexi turns out to be more fun than Caroline thought; she is the one who comes up with stories that never end, some about Damon and some about Stefan. Caroline also figured that Stefan and Lexi were really close. She watches the way she makes him laugh, the way they mess up with each other food. Sometimes Lexi would turn to him, face to face, says something with her lips moving and no voice coming out. And he would nod, or laugh. It was their way of whispering.

After a while, everyone walks in. Bonnie heads to her room to change her clothes because they got water all over them, Damon follows and of course they don't come down any time soon. Nadia and Matt put on some movie and soon enough Alaric and Jo join them.

When Caroline comes out of the kitchen, she looks at everyone, then at the glass door. And she finds him sitting alone next to the fire, with a book in his hand and a bag next to him. She looks back to the group watching TV, no one notices her. So she heads outside, hands playing with the hem of her sweatshirt after zipping it up till the middle.

He looks up when she comes closer, and he smiles, closing the book and putting it aside. Her hand goes up to her hair with a smile, and he motions her to sit, which she does. There's a silence for a while, both staring at the fire. She notices him reaching for his bag, getting something out of it then she looks away again.

Few moments later she finds him handing her a notebook, with 'Hey' written on the first line. She can't help it but chuckle, it's nervous and she feels excitement rushing through her. She takes the notebook and the pen, writes another 'hey' on the next line, then hands it back to him. And his smile is just as big as hers.

She doesn't see what he is writing until he gives it backs to her.

'I'm Stefan.' It says.

She takes it again.

So they say. I'm Caroline :)

I can see your smiley face you know :P

She bursts out laughing then.

I know sign language you know? I mean everyone knows! It's everyone's joke now.

He shakes his head, licking his lips.

I just thought that maybe, mostly, you're still a beginner so I didn't want to put you in a corner.

His teasing eyes make the statement even more mocking.

That is rude.

She says, this time with her hands, in the language he thinks she didn't master yet. And they both chuckle. But their laughter fade away eventually, and they are back to staring at each other. If this was a drinking game, one where they drink every time they stare at each other, they would be both drunk by now.

But she can't help it but enjoy looking into those two green eyes. She can write an essay about the way they shine because of the fire next to them. And she thinks that he may do the same thing for her blue ones.

Then his hands interrupt her thoughts. He seems to think about it, the way his lips curve into thin line, takes a breath, smiles and then 'thank you'.

She understands it. And she loves it.

She just shrugs.

But you don't have to. His hands are slower this time. I can read lips just fine. I'm really good at it actually.

He gives her a questioning look when he finishes, probably wondering if she understood it.

"Well, I'm not good at lips reading." She says with a shrug. "So that could be a problem."

They both laugh, and okay she now knows his laugh, can describe it, imitate it. She knows it. First, it's like a chuckle, then he licks his lips in attempt of holding his smile and not letting it take over his face, stupid obviously. And then he looks down, lowering his chin a bit and if you're lucky he will shake his head slightly.

You can teach me.

He looks at her hands, and his smile actually grows bigger, and this time he doesn't try to hide it.

And then he nods.

He does some gesture with his hands, when her eyebrows furrow he gets the pen and writes 'stupid'. She titles her head, pointing at him and saying it with her hands.  And he chuckles again. Then he does another gesture, she doesn't get it. So he writes it on the paper. "Beautiful."

And she laughs again. They continue with the game, he teaches her words, then full sentences and expressions.

And they have their own bubble now, one that even Lexi watching them from the glass door can't get into.

… …

It's after midnight; she is laying on her bed under the window and texting him. It's a cycle of texting, beaming, giggling and rolling on the bed like a kid. It's been almost an hour. They went from basic information like favorite color and favorite book, to actually knowing each other.

He asks her about friends. She says that it's been only Bonnie and Matt for a while. She also mentions Tyler, says something about being old friends but no longer on good terms. He doesn't push or ask more when she changes the subject. Apparently he only has Lexi, and he adds Jo before leaving it like that. He tells her that technically she's his therapist, but after three years of knowing each other. She's more of a friend.

She doesn't hide her surprise that Jo is a therapist, neither the awkwardness of it. Something about therapists - or anyone who knows physiology well enough, always made her uncomfortable. It's just the fact that their job enables them to read you too easily. Everything you do, say or think is so predictable for them and they've probably read books that make the way you struggle with something, so normal and just a medical case.

He tells her that even after three years, he like to think that Jo can't read him that well.

Other than that, he turns out to be a writer. Of course, he tries to make it nothing, describe as if it's just a hobby, even though he finished his studies and got a degree more than a year ago. He also says that he isn't writing anything right now. But, after few attempts of her to get him to talk, he admits that he's working on something, nothing big, nothing organized. Just pieces put together. He has no intention of publishing it; it just makes him feel better.

And she almost changes the subject, asks another question. But, he pulls her back into and reminds her that he doesn't know what she does. She had a Drama major back in school, currently interning under an executive producer on some okay-channel.

They talk some more after that, no more questions and answers. Just words going back and forth in ease.

She falls asleep in the middle of their conversation. And when she wakes up with the phone under her stomach, she hopes he fell asleep, too. Or well, at least figured out that she adores sleep.

… …

Oddly enough, everyone else is still asleep when she walks out of her room. She's sure that at least one out of the three couples is awake in their rooms, but she doesn't really care. She walks downstairs, makes some coffee and sits on the couch after snatching one magazine from the table.

The quiet is nice, and much appreciated after yesterday, and well, before today.

A while later, she hears someone walking into the open kitchen. Which is werid, since she didn't hear anyone walking down the stairs. She turns around in the couch, stretches a bit to see who is it. And it looks like he didn’t notice it, since he's standing with his back, probably making his coffee. Wearing only a white undershirt with his shirt thrown over his shoulder.

She clears her throat, then realizes how dumb it is. So she falls back into her place, putting on her headphones in case he turns around and sees her.

Few moments later, she feels a ball of paper thrown at her head. She looks up and sees him leaning on the kitchen island, fully dressed. And a big grin covering his face.

She smiles back and enjoys the few minutes they have before the place turns into utter chaos.

… …

The day goes on normal, everyone gathering around the kitchen or the couch in front of the television. Damon makes pancakes, plenty of them. Mostly for Bonnie but he shows off by forcing them all to taste them, then admit how tasty they are.

The new love birds, no, birds. Just birds.

The new birds are getting better at hiding the awkwardness and long gazes. Their smiles are lighter, their eyes manage to linger less.

But everyone doesn't seem to be getting better like they are. Everyone still watches, everyone still whispers, everyone still seems to be so entertained by them.

So when he hands her a glass of water, then smiles when their fingers touch before walking back into his chair. She isn't surprised to turn around to see adults acting like children and sharing glances. What she isn't prepared to see, is Damon handing Alaric ten dollars on the table.

She looks between them, then between everyone else. And it's the same weird, annoying silence with subtle smiles and glances.

"Okay, what's going on?" She snaps, her hands flat on the cold island.

No one starts, some look at each other, some busy themselves with nothing in particular.

"Damon." She looks at him with tilted head. He takes his time to swallow the food, even take a sip from his coffee before rubbing his hands together and clearing his throat.

"Ric and I had a bet, he said you two would start shy-touching in less than three days, I said four. I almost won anyway, really." He shrugs, saying it all like a piece of news. Nothing that should matter to her.

She takes a moment to let it sink, how simple he makes it seem. She looks between the rest of them. Everyone looks away with annoying grins.

"You knew about this?" She looks at bonnie.

"I couldn't stop them even if I tried." She widens her eyes with a shrug before taking her plate to the sink.

"Caroline, it's obvious that you two are into each other." Bonnie says as she walks back to the group around the island.

"No, it's not." She throws her arm in the air out of madness. "Who decided that we were?"

"It's… kinda obvious." Nadia says, looking at everyone while doing so. "Like… very obvious."

Caroline looks at Lexi this time. And she may be the less annoying face among them.

"Listen-" She starts.

"No, you listen. All of you." She points her finger at everyone. "This is starting to get annoying, guys. I mean at first it was funny, but now it's just irritating. We are not some high school kids, this isn't some rumors going around to entertain you. Okay? All these mysterious smiles and looks and bets." She looks between Damon and Alaric. "It's stupid, and childish, but mostly uncomfortable. This isn't some real life show thing. Just… cut it off."

They all look guilty, even Nadia who isn't even related to the whole thing. Damon, however, doesn't break the eye contact. In fact, he holds her gaze while chewing on his food. She drops his gaze with a sigh and walks around the island and into the living room. And she sees him, sitting with his back, head buried in his book, absolutely oblivious to the conversation that was about him. And it makes her shiver for a moment. Then she wraps her arms around herself before walking out of the place and heading to the beach.

… …urrently interning under an excutive producer on some okay-channel. she does.go. that well.

It's a bit after sunset when they all start packing. Getting ready to hit the road and go back to their normal, boring life.

Overall, Caroline wouldn't say that this weekend was terrible. It was good actually, she met new people, most of them are good friend material. If it wasn't for the childish behavior getting her uncomfortable, therefor angry, she would've marked the weekend as a success.

When she heads to the car with a bag on her shoulder and another in her hand, and sees him putting bags into the car, she decides that it was, after all, a success. Yet, she can't help that voice in the back of her head, pushing her to do something, say something. To take control of the situation.

Because it was so random, gazing and smiles and shy-touching. Even after she got everyone to shut their mouths, she still felt the need to put a label on all of this. She didn't like untitled relationships. She didn't enjoy blurred lines and messing around. People in her life always had a name, mother, friend, neighbor, colleague, ex-boyfriend. Everyone had a name, no other options in sight.

So, with a deep breath, and a leap of bravery and just a little bit of confidence, she walks to him. He only notices her when she's next to the car. He puts the last bag then looks up and smiles at her.

Yup, here it is, same smile. Same annoying, untitled, uncalled for smile.

"Hey." She breaths out.

He nods, trying to pull his lips together and hide his smile.

"Look, so uh…" She starts, her hands playing with each other nervously. "We're, I mean I'm…"

She stops to close her eyes momentarily. He can read lips but can he read rambling? So she slows down, gathers her strength and starts again.

"I'm really glad that I came here, I got to meet new people and blind in and I's been only two weeks since I moved into the city so this is great." She chuckles. And he smiles at her enthusiasm and words.

"And I also got to know you." She extends her arm to motion at him, eyeing him up and down. "Which is even greater." She chuckles again. "It's good to have a new friend… I hope I make it to the list with Lexi and Jo." When she finishes, she has hope bursting out of her eyes. Anticipation and worry and maybe a little bit of fear all mangled up together.

She hopes he catches her point.

He doesn't blink, doesn't seem taken back at all. Not surprised. If anything, he looks calm. In a way that bothers her. Like he expected this to happen. Like he knew she'd make this move. That she'd chicken out quickly. Like it was the normal thing for her to take a step back. He expected it, and that… well that makes her blood boil all at once for all the different reasons. His smile starts to fade, but then his lips go wide again in a total fake forced display. And he nods, so easily.

He looks down, and she finds herself searching for something to say.

But his hands cut her, say something that she's sure she's seen at least once in the midst of her online lessons.

Friend.

He moves his lips, and she feels so fragile, like she's been cornered even though he hasn't done anything but make it easier for her really.

He puts his hands in his pockets and starts to take steps back, all while looking down, before turning away fully and walking back into the house.

She can't help the tears that form in her eyes, out of sadness or embarrassment or something unlabeled. She doesn't really know and she doesn't really care.

She turns away from the house, closes her eye and puts her hair away from her face before inhaling what must be her first breath in a minute.

She shakes her head, chuckling before turning around to be greeted by Damon.

"You know? You just made me lose another bet." He says, looking around as he approaches her. She scuffs, crossing her arms against her chest as she listens to whatever he got.

"Rick said this will be over in three weeks." He narrows his eyes. "I said two."

He takes a moment to run his tongue over his teeth, looking her up and down. "Took you less than a week." He chuckles.

And she has to shift in her place, her arms falling next to her body and her eyes now looking at the porch behind him.

"Just keep it this way, blondie." He says, in a serious tone that bothers her even more. "Keep it this way… and we all avoid unnecessary drama." He nods at her before heading back to where he came from.

As she stands still, alone, after one brother being so calm and the other be so aggressive. She doesn't know what bothers her more, that Stefan seemed to be expecting her move, or that Damon dropped that comment, or that weather she likes it or not, it doesn't seem like a game to him, or that she took that move in the first place.

She walks to the car and opens the door. She'll wait for everyone in the car, because honestly? Honestly, she's had enough of this weekend already.