CHAPTER IV ―

BOY LIKES GIRL, GIRL LIKES BOY!

𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐀𝐒 𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐃 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓, 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘."Hey," the dark-haired girl mumbled against her boyfriend's lips, hesitantly pulling back. "Did you hear that?"

A look of confusion formed on her boyfriend's face, before a chuckle escaped his lips. "Hear what?" She rolled her eyes.

"I heard thunder."

"There's no thunder."

Outside the tent, a dense fog crept silently on the forest floor, the chirping of crickets slowly dying down as the fog began to surround.

       "Are you sure?" She insisted. "Because if it rains, we won't be able to see the comet."

        Her boyfriend chuckled, shaking his head as he pressed a soft kiss against her lips. "Listen, it's not going to rain..." he grinned at her. "I... got you a little something. It's back in the car. Don't move, alright?"

        A smile overtook the girl's worried expression and she nodded. "Stay dry," she teased as she watched him get up, unzipping the tent.

        "It's not gonna rain," he told her before leaving the tent, zipping it up before he left to keep the insects out.

        The woman laid on the blanket in the tent for a few minutes, frowning when she hears a dripping noise on the tent. A triumphant smile crawled across her features. "I told you!" She called out, getting up and unzipping the tent. "I knew it! I told you it was gonna rain!" She called, stepping out of the tent with a frown as she looked around, before hearing the drip again.

        Turning around, a scream echoed throughout the woods as she saw her boyfriend hanging dead in one of the trees above their tent, blood dripping down as his eyes looked at her, although he showed no signs of life. Acting on pure instinct, the girl shot off into the woods back towards the road where their car was parked.

        Her heart was pumping loudly in her ears as she ran, afraid for her life. A sense of relief rested on her shoulders as she neared her car, running towards it and tugging on the driver's door, a pitiful whimper of terror escaping her lips when she realizes that it's locked. "No, no, no!" She whimpered in fear. "Please! No! Open!"

        Suddenly, the car beeps open and the girl looked around nervously and confused... how had the car unlock itself? Before she could open the door, a figure drops down from the trees and a scream of terror echos throughout the forest as her throat is ripped open and her body falls to the ground - dead.

...

𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓, 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋 𝐈𝐓. 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐃𝐍'𝐓 𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐖𝐇𝐘, 𝐎𝐑 𝐇𝐎𝐖... 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋, 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍, 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐒𝐇𝐄'𝐃 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐃𝐌𝐈𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐃. It was because of Stefan, Brooke knew it. He'd visited her late in the evening, apologizing profusely for leaving her there and for the late visit, even though she'd claimed it was okay, and the two had talked all night outside, sitting on the porch swing... it felt good. To talk to someone real for the first time in a long time.

        Grabbing her red satchel bag that matched the navy blue and red floral skirt she had on, Brooke did another check of her outfit in her body-length mirror that hung on her closet door, swiping some lipgloss on before she deemed herself good to go.

        Opening her bedroom door, Brooke frowned as she saw her mother dressed up and fooling around with her hair in the mirror that hung in the hallway. "I cannot figure this out," Jenna groaned, annoyed with her hair before she noticed her daughter standing in the hallway. She grinned. "Do I look adult? As in respectfully parental?"

        Brooke cocked her head to the side as she took in her mother's outfit, pursing her lips as her eyes looked her up and down. "You should really put on some lipstick." Jenna chuckled.

        "I know that, but I'm going to Jeremy's parent-teacher conference." Jenna tugged her hair up. "Up or down?"

        "Hmmm... sexy stewardess."

        Jenna let her hair down.

        "Boozy housewife," Brooke teased, earning a playful glare from her mom.

        "Up it is." Jenna mused, eyeing her daughter as she pulled her hair up. "Something's different about you," her eyes narrowed on her daughter as she finished doing her hair, before she grinned. "It's a boy!"

        Brooke scoffed, rolling her eyes. "No, it's not."

        "Uh, first stage of liking a boy - denial!" Jenna sang, teasing her daughter. "Who is he?! Is he someone I know? Is he someone I should know?!"

        Brooke laughed, shaking her head as she stepped down the stairs. "I'm not saying a word." Jenna groaned.

        "Oh, c'mon! I'm not that old."

        "Still not saying a word!" Brooke called. And before her mother could pressure her anymore, the front door to the Gilbert residence closed shut, leaving Jenna confused.

        "Maybe I should ask Elena..." Jenna mumbled to herself as she walked off into her bedroom to finish getting ready.

...

Brooke sat at her normal desk, doodling in her notebook as she only half paid attention to Mr. Tanner drone on and on about the Comet coming later tonight. "Originally discovered nearly 5 centuries ago, it hasn't been over Mystic Falls in over 145 years. Now, the comet will be its brightest right after dusk during tomorrow's celebration...."

Across the room, Stefan Salvatore started fondly at the strawberry haired girl, his enhanced sight letting him see just a little of what she was drawing over and over, which seemed to be a tomb of sorts. He frowned. Why would Brooke be drawing a tomb?

Feeling someone watching her, Brooke glanced around the room, her green eyes resting on Stefan. She gave him a small smile with a little wave, before she turned around in her chair, just as the bell rung.

"Good afternoon," Stefan grinned as he caught up to the Sommers girl.

Brooke smiled at Stefan. "You seem to be in a good mood," she gestured to the large grin on his face.

"Hmm," Stefan hummed. "It just feels different today, y'know?"

Brooke nodded, pushing back a curly tendril of hair shyly. "Yeah, I had that same feeling today."

"Oh!" Stefan brought out a book from his bag. "I brought this for you."

Brooke smiled, taking the book from his hand, reading the cover. ""Wuthering Heights" by Ellis Bell." She hummed. "I still can't believe she didn't use her real name."

"All the Bronte sister's use pseudonyms. It was the time. Female writers weren't very accepted then," Stefan explained.

"And I'm so grateful times have changed, or we wouldn't have our amazing female writers of today's time." Stefan nodded in agreement.

"Exactly."

...

        "I'm confused," Caroline spoke as she walked through the crowded hallways of Mystic Falls High School with Bonnie and Brooke by her side. She looked towards the Bennett girl with a frown. "Are you psychic or clairvoyant?"

Brooke rolled her eyes, mused at her two friends. "She's psychic, Care." Brooke mumbled, winking at Bonnie.

Bonnie chuckled at her two friends, before turning towards Caroline and beginning to explain. "Technically, Grams says I'm a witch. My ancestors were from Salem and all that." Bonnie shook her head. "Grams tried to explain it all, but she was a little tipsy from her third drink, so I kinda tuned out. Crazy family, yes. Witches? I don't think so."

"Yeah, well, feel free to conjure the number of that guy from last night," Caroline pleaded.

Brooke stopped walking, turning her attention from her fellow peers to Caroline. "Hold up. Who's the hottie? And why am I only hearing about this now?" Brooke demanded, narrowing her eyes on the blonde.

Caroline winced at the slight glare she got from her friend. "Uh, he was just some extremely hot guy from the Grille last night," she explained, flushing slightly. "I didn't get his number, so it doesn't matter."

"Excuse me?!" Brooke looked at Caroline with wide eyes, shaking her head. "Since when does Caroline Forbes ever pass on a hot guy?!"

Caroline shrugged. "I don't know. I was drunk."

Brooke and Bonnie looked at each other with raised eyebrows, before they both burst into a fit of laughter. Anyone that knew Caroline Forbes knew that nothing would stop the blonde from flirting with every hot guy that walked past her!

Caroline rolled her eyes at her two friends. "Thanks for laughing," she mumbled, before she made her way out of Mystic Falls High School with the two amused girls following.

...

Outside of the Mystic Grille sat four girls as they enjoyed the warm weather that graced the small town they lived in. "Well, I was talking to Grams, and she said the comet is a sign of impending doom. The last time it passed over Mystic Falls, there was lots of death. So much blood and carnage, it created a bed of paranormal activity," Bonnie explained another drunken rambles her Grams had told her the other night.

Caroline smirked as she looked at Bonnie. "Yeah, and then you poured your Grams another shot and she told you about aliens." She turned towards Brooke and questioned, "so then what?"

Brooke shook her head. "So, then nothing."

        "You and Stefan talked all night?" Caroline raised her eyebrows in surprise. This was so not the Brooke she knew! "There was no sloppy first kiss or touchy-feely of any kind?!"

        "Nada," Brooke responded. "We didn't go there."

        Elena hummed in agreement. "Trust me, I think Jenna was about ready to come give them the awkward sex talk on the porch with how much she kept spying on them. If they did anything, we'd all know."

        Caroline stared at Brooke like she'd grown to heads. "Not even a handshake?" When Brooke shook her head, Caroline snapped in shock. "Alright, Brooke, we're your friends! You're supposed to share the smut!"

        "We just talked for hours," Brooke tried to explain to Caroline. "It felt good, Care."

        Caroline couldn't comprehend what she was hearing as she continued to complain. "Okay, what is it with the blockage?! Just jump his bones already!" Caroline shook her head. "You're the one who taught me how! Okay?! It's easy. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy — sex!"

        Brooke rolled her eyes, shrugging. "Trying to outsmart the teacher, Care?"

        It goes quiet for a few minutes as Caroline has given up on trying to get Brooke to get the message, the group of girls going back to folding pamphlets of tonight's comet, and not another minute goes by before Brooke jumps to her feet. Elena looked over at her cousin. "Where are you going?"

        Brooke grabbed her bag from the back of her chair, before she turned back to the three girls. "Caroline's right. I'm Brooklyn Miranda Sommers and I don't sit around waiting! I came up with the method and I'm going to stick to it."

        The three girls cheered in unison, giggling at Brooke as she smirked and bounded off towards her car. They made sure she was far enough away before talking amongst themselves.

         "She's gonna talk herself out of it," Elena mused, watching at her cousin got into her car.

        Caroline nodded, folding another pamphlet. "Big time."

...

        The Salvatore Boarding House sat on the edge of Mystic Falls, Virginia, for as long as Brooke could remember. And as Brooke sat in the driveway, staring up at it through her car windows, she sighed. It had never been this intimidating before, a slight shiver of nervousness ran through her body as she got out of her car and began to walk towards the front door, her heartbeat slightly picking up.

         The Sommers girl couldn't quite put her finger on what was so creepy about the Boarding House, whether it was the daunting, dark colors of the house's surroundings, or the fact that the house appeared to be quite literally straight out of a horror movie... whatever it was, it made her feel quite uncomfortable.

        Swallowing down the lump in her throat, Brooke shakily raised a hand to knock on the front door, taking a step back as she waited for someone to open the door. She stood there awkwardly for a few moments, her green eyes watching the front door as she waited for someone to appear, a small sigh soon falling from her lips. The creepiness of her surroundings and the fact that no one was coming to the door anytime soon, caused her to turn on her heel, presuming that the members of the Salvatore family had left, before the door opened with a creepy creek.

        Brooke turned back towards the open front door, frowning. She internally debated if she should enter or not, before she went against her better judgement and went inside anyways...

        Slowly creeping in, Brooke jumped slightly as the door shut behind her and she suddenly felt like she was in one of her own horror dreams. Shivering at the uneasiness running through her body, Brooke stood there awkwardly for a second before she called out, "Stefan?" Brooke waited for a response, before beginning to slowly walk further into the Salvatore house. "Stefan?" She tried again.

        Glancing back and forth through the hallway, Brooke frowned. Where was everyone? And why was it so damn creepy in this house?! "You must be Brooke" A voice behind her caused Brooke to jump, turning around with a gasp.

        She was met with a very charming stranger, his blue eyes boring into her. "Uh," Brooke swallowed. "I'm sorry for barging in. The door was..." she glanced around him, but then realized it was closed after she came in. "Open."

        The stranger smirked. "I'm Damon, Stefan's older brother." He introduced himself.

        Brooke frowned. "I didn't know Stefan had a brother?"

        "Well," Damon shrugged with a wider smirk. "Stefan's not one to brag." He held his arm out as he exclaimed, "Please, come! I'm sure Stefan will be along any second."

        Brooke followed Damon as he walked her out of the foyer, her eyes shone amazement as she saw the living room. "This is your living room?" It was like three of her living room all put together to make one.

        "Living room, parlor, Sotheby's Auction," Damon listed, pursing his lips. "It's a little kitschy for my taste," he added. Damon turned around, his eyes scanning the Sommers girl's face. "I can see why my brother's so smitten," he spoke, waiting before Brooke's eyes settled on him. "For awhile there, I didn't think he'd gotten over the last one. Nearly destroyed him."

        Brooke narrowed her eyes. "The last one?" She questioned, tensely. Brooke didn't like to get played... what girl did?

        Damon hummed. "Yeah. Katherine, his girlfriend." When Brooke didn't say anything, he concluded. "Oh. You two haven't had the awkward ex talk, have you?"

        Brooke shook her head, pursing her lips. "Nope."

        "Oops." Damon muttered. "Well, I'm sure it'll come up now!" He exclaimed, looking down as he began to voice his thoughts. "Or maybe he didn't want to tell you because he didn't want you to think he was on the rebound. We all know how those relationships end."

        Brooke narrowed her eyes. "You way that like every relationship is doomed to end."

        Damon's eyes found Brooke's green ones. "What can I say? I'm a fatalist." He smirked. "Hello, Stefan."

        Brooke quickly turned around, her eyes finding Stefan standing in the doorway, his stare hard on the blue-eyed man that stood next to her.

        "Brooke." Stefan spoke, his eyes never leaving Damon. "I didn't know you were coming over."

        "I know," Brooke winced. "I should've called... I just-"

        "Oh, don't be silly!" Damon interrupted. "You're welcome here anytime. Isn't she, Stefan?" But when his brother didn't say anything, his attention shifted to Brooke again. "You know, I have to break out the family photo albums, or maybe the home movies. But..." Damon's eyes glanced over at Stefan with a mischievous grin. "I have to warn you, he wasn't always such a looker!"

        Brooke raised an eyebrow, smirking. "And you were?"

        Damon smirked at the strawberry blonde. "Oh, I like you! You're feisty."

        But before Brooke could remark, Stefan spoke. "Thank you for stopping by, Brooke. Nice to see you." He spoke steadily, but his eyes remanded on Damon.

        Brooke paused for a moment, a slight shock of surprise going through her. "Oh, uh, alright." Looking once more at Stefan, she turned towards Damon. Although she didn't particularly like him, he was the kind of guy that Brooke would've usually went for. "It was nice to meet you, Damon."

        Damon smirked, smoothly grabbing Brooke's hand and pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. "It was nice meeting you too, Brooke."

        With one last smile towards Damon, Brooke turned towards the entrance of the living room, where Stefan was blocking it. She looked at him weirdly. "Stefan?" Brooke called out. "Stefan."

        Finally, after a few long and awkward seconds, Stefan moved off to the side as he continued to stare his brother down. Brooke rolled her eyes, annoyed and slightly hurt by Stefan's cold demeanor. She stomped her way to the front door, anger seeping into her veins. Who in the living hell did Stefan Salvatore think he was?!

...

        "Essentially, he's on the rebound and has raging family issues," Brooke grumbled towards her mother and her cousin, Elena. Once she'd made it home and cooled down a little, Brooke made her way downstairs and grabbed out her favorite tub of ice cream, Superman, beginning to explain her earlier events. "And I honestly thought he was different!"

        Jenna grabbed a spoon from the draw, beginning to dig into the ice cream, too as she sat next to her daughter. "Well, at least it's an ex-girlfriend," she consoled her daughter. "Wait until you date a guy with mommy issues or cheating issues. Or amphetamine issues," Jenna hummed.

        Elena bumped her aunt's shoulder. "You would know, wouldn't you, Aunt Jenna?"

        Before Jenna could retort, she heard the front door open and close, hearing the youngest Gilbert walk into the house. She leapt off the stool, bounding down the hall to the foyer. "Jeremy?" She called, catching the brunette trying to sneak up the stairs quietly. "Jeremy, where were you?!"

         "More stoner stories?" Jeremy questioned as he looked down at his aunt from the stairs. "Look, Jenna, I get it. You were cool." Jeremy raised his thumb as he continued. "And so that's... that's cool."

        As Jeremy dismissed his aunt and tried to walk back up the stairs, Jenna suddenly yelled out in anger. "Oh, no, no, no, no!" Before she threw her spoon at Jeremy's back.

        Brooke quickly shoved another bite of ice cream in her mouth as she tried to hold in her laughter. Jeremy turned towards Jenna and looked at her like she'd gone crazy. "Ow! Why? Why would you do that?!"

        "Listen up!" Jenna yelled. "Quit ditching class or you're grounded. No discussion." She scolded.

        Jeremy smirked at his Aunt. "Parental authority, I like it!" He raised his thumb up one last time. "Sleep tight." He uttered before walking his way up the stairs and to his bedroom.

        Brooke sighed as she watched her mom enter the kitchen again with a shocked expression. She quickly grabbed another spoon that Elena handed her. "Here, this might help." Jenna nodded, taking the spoon and pulling out another bite of ice cream.

        "Yeah," Jenna mumbled, mouth full of ice cream.

        The three girls made their way to the living room, sitting on the couch together with Brooke in the middle so they could eat the ice cream, spending the rest of their night pressed together, eating snacks and watching movies. For Brooke Sommers, this had been a perfect way to end a semi-crappy day...

─ ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧  ─
I updated! And I do plan to get a better updating schedule, or at least update this story a little more constant.... Anyone else excited for the drama going down in the next chapter?? How do you think it'll go? Should Brooke break it off with Stefan? Or something else?? Vote! Comment!