The Gilbert Twins

Chapter 3: Friday Night Bites Part II

Stefan grew annoyed when he entered the living room of the Salvatore boarding house and saw Damon casually flipping through one of his diaries.

"How were tryouts? Did you make the team?" Damon pretend to be interested. "Very Emerson, the way you reveal you feelings with so many adjectives."

"What are you doing here?"

"I've come to apologize," he said with exaggerated innocence. "My behavior was uncalled for, and if you want to live a happy, fake human life then by all means brother enjoy. I won't stop you."

Stefan did not look amused.

Damon continued. "BTW, which means by the way I couldn't help, but notice when I was being a good boyfriend to Caroline and all, that Elena has a twin. A little twitchy, spitfire Holly, was it? She looked so perky in her little short shorts, no rhythm whatsoever by the way, but I don't mind." He smirked. "I noticed that you didn't mention her by the way. Why keep both of them for yourself? Sharing is caring, brother."

"I didn't know until today," Stefan said tightly. "And I'm warning you, Damon stay away from both the Gilbert girls, if I find out that you hurt one-"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Calm down, white knight I already have my girl, Katherine remember? Oh, I have a date, got to go. Wish me luck."

"You're a witch?" Holly asked as she put down her drink. She looked quizzically at Bonnie. "According to your grandmother? But how witchy? Like Sabrina the teenage witch or Hermione Granger?"

Bonnie made a look of disgust as she placed the pasta in a bowl, while Elena scooped down a salad from one of the containers. The three girls were getting ready for their dinner with Stefan.

"I hope neither, personally I think my grandmother's losing it."

Holly shrugged. "You never know. So do you have any witchy abilities, like things floating in midair?"

"Oh, maybe you can made me a love potion, Bonnie." Elena teased.

"Please, like you need it. Boys follow you around like dogs." Holly rolled her eyes as she looked at the pretty bowls with not so great food. "And putting the food in pretty bowls is not fooling anyone. One of us need to learn how to cook."

"Any volunteers?"

"Well, it's not going to be me," Holly said as she placed the serving spoons in each of the bowls. "Remember when I burnt Mom's toast for her Mother's Day breakfast?"

Elena burst out laughing as the doorbell rang. "The house smelled of burnt toast for hours. Ok, he's here, just be your normal loving selves." She said to Bonnie and Holly. "He's great and you'll love him-I promise. Bonnie, can you help me bring this to the dining room? Holly, grab the drinks please?"

"Be loving, Bonnie," Holly sing song as Bonnie rolled her eyes playfully as she followed Elena to the dining room. Holly opened the refrigerator and stared inside looking for the lemonade. The inside of the refrigerator started shaking, and the pitcher holding the lemonade fell down, breaking and spilling everything. "Crap!" Holly whispered under her breath. Had it been an earthquake? She looked around, but everything seemed in place and no one had notice. Slightly nervous she closed the door and hurried into the dining room to greet Stefan.

There was an awkward silence with only the clicking of silver wear. It was obvious that none of them knew how to start the conversation. Elena threw a hopeful look at Bonnie since she knew that Holly wasn't much for small talk, but Bonnie just look down on her plate.

Elena sighed.

In a pity attempt to help her sister, Holly put down her fork. "So Stefan you said your last name was Salvatore, is your family a founding family as well?"

He nodded as he put down his piece of bread. "Much like the Gilberts. So, Holly what were you doing this summer, if you don't mind my asking."

Holly shrugged. "It's pretty boring, unfortunately." She admitted. "I stayed with family friends in Denver. They're pretty cool, they have some pretty good museums there and I went to a few local plays, overall a pretty boring summer. So did you make the football team? Gave Tanner your big green doe eyes didn't you?"

Stefan smiled. "I wished it was that easy, but he let me in on the team so I must have done something right."

The doorbell rang and Elena scooted out of her chair. "I'll get it," a minute later she said surprised, "Damon . . . Caroline?"

Holly held in a silent groan.

"Surprise!" Caroline squealed holding out a big plate of peach cobbler. "Bonnie mentioned that you invited Stefan to dinner, so I thought what if we tag along? I mean now Damon gets to know Elena better and meet Holly since she just came back from Pasadena."

"Denver." Holly corrected, annoyed as she and the rest of them followed behind her. "And we already had dinner." She said not caring that she sounded rude.

"We know that silly, that's why we brought dessert!" Caroline said as if it should have been obvious. "Damon this is Holly, Holly this is-"

"We already meet," Damon smirked. "Hello, Holly. Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"He can't stay," Stefan said tightly. "Right?"

Holly shook her head. Might as well get this terrible evening over with. "Its fine, come on it."

Damon smirked at Stefan as he came in and looked around the house. "You have a beautiful home, Elena, Holly."

"Thank you." Elena said humbly.

Holly simply said. "I'll get the plates."

"Yummy!" Caroline said as she put down her plate of peach cobbler on the coffee table. "I can't believe Mr. Tanner let you in on the team. Tyler is pissed, but who cares? Go for it."

Damon continued sneakily. "Yes, that's what I always tell him. You have to engaged, get out there. You can't wait for life to come get you."

Caroline nodded eagerly like a highly trained puppy. "Yeah, I mean for example Elena was great today while Holly completely sucked," she trailed off and said quickly. "But it's only because you refused to sign up for summer camp and decided to jet off to Denver in the middle of nowhere. God, I don't know how you are ever going to learn the routines! I don't want our cheerleading team to be a laughing stock."

Holly flushed red.

"I'll work with her," Elena said quickly noticing Holly's face. "Bonnie and I both will, she'll get it."

Caroline murmured. "I guess I can put her in the back, or she can come out with the cheerleaders and not cheer at all."

Damon cleared his throat and said at Holly mockingly. "You don't seem like the cheerleading type, Holly. No offense or anything, but you jumping around with pom poms in the air doesn't exactly bring up a mental picture."

Holly's jaw tightened. It surprised her that Damon could make a simple sentence sound so sexual. "I don't-"

Caroline shrugged. "It's because her parents died, Elena is doing ok, but Holly is just going through this blah, leave-me-alone phase. Trust me she used to be much more fun or at least tolerable," Holly and Elena glared at her. "I say that with complete sensitivity."

"I'm sorry, Holly, Elena I know what it's like to lose someone you care about, right Stefan?"

"Damon, now it's not the time."

"You're right, Stefan." Damon winced. "The last thing I wanted to do was bring up, her."

Holly stood up suddenly, wishing the hot, embarrassed feeling would just leave her cheeks. She just wished that everyone would go home already. It had been her first day back, she was sure that she wasn't ready for the whole cast of Friends to join in. "Everybody done? I'll clear up the plates."

Damon stood up and took Caroline's plate ignoring her look that said I'm not done. He gave her a smile. "I'll help you. Since you've been such a good hostess and all."