YOU THINK I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR HER?

Rebekah was convinced Clementine was the oddest person she'd ever met. Because as soon as everyone had gotten back from Denver, she arrived at the mansion with Kol and immediately began poking and prodding Rebekah while asking questions only she'd know the answer to.

What snacks did they have at their first sleepover? When did Matt kiss her for the first time? How many times did she sleep with Damon the night of the ball?

When Rebekah inevitably proved that she was, in fact, herself, Clementine sighed a big sigh of relief before explaining that she'd gotten a vision of Esther taking possession of Rebekah's body. But it seemed she was changing her plans — which was both good and bad.

And Alaric was leaving town with Jenna to keep everyone and himself safe while he continued to take the herbs Bonnie provided him to keep his evil other side tamed.

Now, all that mattered was the seventies dance. Except it wasn't the seventies anymore — Rebekah still hijacked it, this time with Klaus' help, and turned it into a twenties dance.

Clementine was walking along with Caroline, Rebekah, and Elena into the gym, ready to be put to work as the finishing touches were put on the gym. And while Caroline and Rebekah were both holding a clipboard to boss people around, Elena was holding Clem's hand, a happy smile on her face, ready to flaunt around and declare Clementine as hers.

Elena had been stressing about both Alaric and Jenna leaving just when Jeremy had returned home. It seemed her family couldn't stick together.

"So, Alaric is trying to pull himself together. Why is that a bad thing?" Caroline asked.

"I just... I wish there was something I could do," Elena mumbled while picking up a chandelier, subsequently letting go of Clem's hand. Then she looked at Caroline. "Where do you want me to hang this thing?"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Ask Rebekah where she wants the monstrosity."

"Rude much?" Rebekah asked while grabbing the chandelier and passing it to a random student walking by.

Before Caroline could retort, she spotted Matt and Jeremy hanging up stars on the ceiling. "What are you doing? You can't just hang them! They're supposed to trickle down."

Matt scoffed and hit Jeremy on the shoulder. "Trickle, duh!"

"I'll go help," Clem offered, knowing they'd get Caroline's approval faster that way.

As she left them alone, Caroline grinned at the sight of Jeremy and Matt messing around. "Look at them all bromancy," she said. "Tyler's gonna be jealous he's missing it."

"Yeah, I asked Matt to help Jeremy readjust. He got him his old job back at the Grill," Elena explained.

"That was so sweet of him," Rebekah said, not taking her soft gaze off of Matt.

Elena nodded in agreement. "Jeremy has got a lot on his mind. The whole thing with Alaric has got him really stressed out."

"You sure it has nothing to do with stressing about you and Clem now that you're actually dating?"

"Yes, I do recall something about Jeremy being quite smitten with Clementine," Rebekah added while grabbing a feather boa and wrapping it around Elena's neck. But then she frowned and tossed it aside, not liking the color on her.

"Jer and Clem are..." Elena trailed off and looked at the two, seeing how Jeremy was holding a star above Clem's head, making her jump to try and reach it while he laughed at her. "They're Clem and Jer. And eventually, I have to have the awkward big sister talk where I tell him he's allowed to date my girlfriend if he wants to."

"God, that girl's love life is complicated," Rebekah muttered, also watching Clementine. "So, are you bringing her to the dance? I do hope so, as my brothers are too annoying and I don't want them there tonight."

"I am," Elena said, beaming brightly. Her cheeks were red as she looked at the ground. "But Kol did annoy me into splitting half the dances with her on the trip back. It's the only way I could get him to stop whining."

"I don't know him well," Caroline said, "but I feel like he whines and complains a lot."

"Does he ever," Rebekah grumbled.

☽︎

A big smile was on Clementine's face as she adjusted her headband while looking in the mirror. Rebekah had given her a light pink dress that was embroidered with real crystals that she'd actually worn throughout the twenties.

Enzo came up behind her, a smirk on his face as he looked her up and down, thinking she looked beautiful. He carefully brushed her curled hair off her shoulder and leant down, brushing his lips along her jugular.

"You look far too radiant to let leave the house, Angel," he murmured, kissing her skin lightly.

"Elena has me for the night, Baby Girl."

He smirked and she nearly swooned at the sight. "She's welcome to join us for the night."

Clem just laughed and elbowed him in the gut, getting him to back up a little bit. He chuckled and moved to sit on her bed — their bed, at this point, if he was being honest.

She continued to get ready only to be interrupted five minutes later by her brother. He was dressed for the dance as well, a cast around his broken hand because he still refused vampire blood. But he had a nervous look on his face.

"Hey, Clemmy, can we talk?" he asked.

"Of course, Matty."

When both she and Enzo looked at him expectantly, Matt awkwardly glanced at Enzo. "Alone."

"Right," he realized, sliding off the bed. "I'll be my room."

It left the twins alone, and Clem replaced Enzo on the edge of her bed, patting the spot next to her so that Matt would sit down. "What's up? Aren't you supposed to be picking up Bekah?"

"I'm leaving in a minute," he said before sighing, avoiding eye contact. "Look, you and Elena... just don't hurt her."

Clem peered at her brother, a little hurt that he'd ever think she'd hurt Elena. "What? You think I'm not good enough for your ex?" she asked in a joking tone. But her laugh died out when she saw Matt's jaw tense. "You think I'm not good enough for her?"

"I think she deserves someone that's not been locked up half her life," he mumbled.

Clem scoffed and slid off the bed, wanting distance between them. "You're the reason I was locked up, you ass. I'm not crazy, Matt."

"I don't think you're a hundred percent sane either," Matt admitted, shaking his head. She liked burning things, she didn't care how many people their vampire friends killed, she was going to free a psychopath that may or may not exist. "And you know it. You think so too, or you wouldn't still be taking your antipsychotics."

"Well, if I'm fucked in the head, it's because of you. Because the one person that was always supposed to be there for me turned his back on me when we were eleven," she said, her eyes watering. "You ripped my entire life away from me, and I dared to fucking forgive you! So, you don't get to judge me just because you're jealous Elena isn't in love with you."

"I don't want to fight—"

"What did you think was gonna happen?" she asked, raising her voice. "Just - just get out! Get out of my room. I'm not gonna let you ruin my first date with Elena, my girlfriend — not yours."

Matt sucked on his teeth before blowing air through his nose. He nodded and quickly left the room, leaving Clementine alone with tears in her eyes. She sniffed and quickly turned to her vanity mirror. She grabbed a tissue and wiped under her eyes before fixing her makeup — she didn't want to waste tears on something so stupid.

Thankfully, Matt was gone when Elena arrived to pick up Clementine. All thoughts of Matt disappeared when she opened the door and saw Elena through the screen door. She looked perfect in her twenties attire.

"Hi," Elena said shyly as Clem clearly admired her. Then she bit her lip and did the same. "You look... wow."

"And you look so pretty," Clem told her.

"You're both gorgeous," Enzo said, coming from the living room. He had a camera in hand. "I've been instructed by Caroline to take pictures or she'll stake me."

☽︎

The dance was in full swing in the gym as everyone danced around to the music. Caroline sought out Clem and Elena immediately, cooing at their intertwined hands.

"You guys look so perfect together!" she squealed. "I can't believe this is finally happening."

It seemed Clementine and Elena were a beacon, because soon, nearly everyone was coming up to them — Jeremy, Kol, Rebekah, Klaus, all of whom looked fantastic in their twenties attire. Matt was there too but he stayed by the drink table, knowing his sister didn't want him near.

"Please tell me Enzo took pictures," Rebekah said, of the same mind as Caroline.

Clem rolled her eyes playfully "Of course. He's far too scared of Care Bear."

"Good," Caroline said with a smirk. "Now, go dance and look all coupley so that I get jealous of Tyler still being gone."

"Ah, about that, love," Klaus said with a small, mischievous smile on his lips that Clem thought was adorable. "I've got a surprise for you."

Caroline tilted her head and then followed Klaus's gaze as he looked to the entrance. All of them — well, not Kol because he didn't know him — were surprised to see Tyler waltzing in wearing a crisp suit, a wide grin on his face.

"Oh my God!" Caroline exclaimed, rushing up to him and hugging him tightly. "What are you doing here?"

"Figured out how to break the sire bond," he explained.

"Yes," Klaus said. "Sounds like a rather agonizing process if you ask me."

"What did you have to do?" Jeremy asked him curiously.

Tyler cringed, thinking of going through the transformation over and over again. "I don't really want to get into it right now. I just want to take my girl to the dance floor."

"Yes, please," Caroline said, practically on cloud nine.

"I'm so happy for them," Elena said as Caroline dragged Tyler off.

"Well, you two should follow after them," Kol said, nodding toward the dancing students. "I was told the first five dances are Elena's, but Clementine is free game after that."

Elena rolled her eyes playfully. "I'll be sure to take my time on those five dances."

"I hope they're the shortest songs in the world," Kol told her. Then he smiled. "Though you both look lovely tonight. Like a perfect pair."

"Thank you, Kol," Clem said softly. Then she tightened her hold on Elena's hand. "C'mon. Damon promised to compel the DJ to play a slow song once we got here and he's been waiting in the corner this whole time."

Damon took that as a signal, and soon, a slow song was playing. Clementine pulled Elena to the dance floor, wrapping her arms around the taller girl's neck while Elena hugged her waist.

"Since when do you plot with Damon?" Elena asked, raising an eyebrow.

Clementine shrugged a bit. "He's not the worst, I guess. He's been... better as of late. Less disgusting."

"I've noticed. I think he's trying," Elena said.

"And I have to give him credit for trying," she said. "But enough Damon talk. Tonight if all about you, my beautiful, angelic girlfriend."

Warmth rushed to Elena's cheeks. "I like when you call me that. Your girlfriend."

Clem smiled and pulled her a little closer. "Get used to it, babe. You're stuck with me now."

"I like the sound of that."

☽︎

After the fifth song ended, before Kol could swoop in and steal Clementine away, Elena dragged her out of the gym and into the hallway. Clem let her lead the way with a smile on her face until they ended up in Alaric's classroom.

"And why are we here? You know I hate learning," Clem said, leaning back against Alaric's desk.

"I'm not here to go over our homework," Elena said, standing in front of her.

Elena then carefully tucked a strand of curled hair behind Clementine's ear before leaning in and kissing her softly. Clem smiled into the kiss and held her waist gently, keeping her close.

It started gentle, but soon, Clem swiped her tongue across Elena's lips, who parted them. And much to Clem's surprise, Elena took over the kiss, deepening it and exploring every inch of her mouth. She hummed happily while sliding her hands down Elena's waist, fingertips brushing the hem of her dress.

"I don't think this is school appropriate behavior," a voice said, interrupting them. Elena and Clem pulled back in shock, only to look at the new arrival with wide, scared eyes.

Because there was Esther in all her glory and she looked ready to kill.