la casa di Salvatore | 01 | c. forbes

[ 14 ]

Chapter Fourteen
July 8th, 2009
continued
07/08/09

While Sheila did her business somewhere, Athena sat with the teenagers who continued on as normal—maybe with a bit of awkward tension now that Athena was there. The redhead didn't pay them much mind, sitting beside Caroline while she did some research and staying out of their conversations.

Caroline would break off from the group to talk quietly with Athena for a couple of minutes at a time, the two whispering and smiling at each other. Caroline's cheeks would heat up.

It had Bonnie, Elena, and Tyler looking at each other with suspicious gazes whenever it happened.

Caroline leaned into Athena's side a bit, her face turned away from the other three so they couldn't tell what she was saying. The red creeping up Athena's neck though gave them an idea of what Caroline was saying.

Elena glanced away from her friend, trying to figure out what she was up to and how she and Athena got so buddy-buddy again. Their relationship had always confused Elena if only because she thought Caroline was straight.

Now though, she could just see that both women were entranced with each other. Their bitchiness toward one another is more playful than it is spiteful.

It was kind of cute.

If Athena hadn't made her friend cry so many times since she's gotten here.

Elena frowned a bit when she saw a familiar blonde head of hair entering The Grill. "Uh-oh. M-Word comin' this way," Elena said as she quickly looked away and Matt turned toward their table.

Tyler leaned forward a bit to look, narrowing his eyes when he saw Matt. Caroline pulled back from Athena, looking confused before her eyes landed on her ex-boyfriend. She paled a bit, her hands nervously picking at her cuticles.

"Hey," Athena muttered, confused by the sudden change in body language from the four teenagers, "what's going on?" She asked them, raising an eyebrow. Her hands grasped Caroline's, gently pulling them apart. Tyler's eyes flicked down to their hands, smirking a little.

"Bad news," Tyler muttered, nodding toward the boy coming toward them. He and Matt hadn't had the best friendship since Matt and Caroline broke up. Mostly because Matt still thinks that he and Caroline hooked up.

Athena turned her head, brows furrowing at the blonde coming toward them. He was nice-looking and had handsome blue eyes. Not as blue as Damon's, but blue.

Matt stopped at the edge of their table, shooting the other three a smile before focusing on Caroline who tensed a bit. Athena squeezed the blonde's hands gently, sensing her discomfort. "Hey," Matt said.

The four teenagers said nothing back to him. Bonnie and Elena glared at the unwelcome intrusion, Caroline's words ringing through their heads.

Athena glanced between all of them before turning to the blonde. "Hello," she said, holding her hand out, "I'm Athena Salvatore. Who are you?"

Matt shook her hand, his eyes lingering on Caroline's anxious fingers that played with Athena's hand. "I'm Matt Donovan."

"My ex," Caroline added, swallowing a bit nervously when Athena turned to look at her. The redhead doesn't look angry at all, just confused.

She leaned around Caroline a bit, meeting Tyler's eyes. "I thought you were the ex?" She asked, brows furrowed.

Tyler blinked a bit. "I'm the first one," he explained.

Athena nodded slowly, humming. She leaned back, looking at the other two girls who were still glaring at Matt. "Clearly," Athena drawled as she looked at Matt who was frowning a bit, "we don't like you."