We'll Always Have Summer | Stefan Salvatore

Chapter Four

1993 — Mystic Falls, Virginia

   She had kissed before, but none of those kisses felt as warm and as tingly as the simple kiss Stefan Salvatore had given her when he dropped her off at home. For the rest of the day, she had kept her lips to her fingers and her mind somewhere far away. The kiss was still in her mind, lingering, replaying over and over again. And then she wished she could turn back time and do it differently. Kiss him back. Maybe, say something instead of just standing there and being surprised. But, how couldn't she be surprised? She hadn't exactly expected Stefan to suddenly press his lips against hers.

   Florence's bedroom was painted a soft yellow macaroon colour that was neither too bright or too dim. Her brothers had painted it that colour days before she was born, a sort of present for the late-born Gilbert that was a sudden surprise to everyone. When she was eight, her brothers painted small beige coloured trees all over the walls. They thought it could be a great surprise for when she got back to school, and it was. She had loved the trees so much that she began to imagine a big forest in her room and jumped on the bed while her brothers laughed.

   When she was eleven, and she was sad, she drew a small bunny the jumped from branch to branch. The bunny was inspired by the small doll Grayson had given her when she was only a few days old, a stuffed toy he had bought with the money he had saved over the summer. She had carried that doll everywhere when she was younger. Now, that stuffed doll rested on the top ahelf of her bookshelf.

   When she was fourteen, the walls began to get covered with posters of TV shows, boys, and band posters. Now, her walls were covered in a big poster of Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Zach Morris from Saved by the Bell and a rather large poster of a sultry looking Leonardo DiCaprio, and a rather handsome Johnny Depp with long hair.

   Her bookshelf was covered with books and knick knacks she had gotten over the years. The books were an array from children's book, photography books, and those she had gotten over the years in small shops so she could stop the boredom of whatever trip they were on. She had read a few of them, but the majority of them were unread or drawn in.

   To the corner by the window was a seat covered in numerous pillows and a fuzzy blanket. Her bed was in the centre of the room, with brightly white covers that were washed once a week. Her dresser had numerous things on top: perfumes, a hairbrush, jewellery, an old strawberry jam jar that had money inside, several scented candles, and a glass vase with fresh gardenias and jasmines. Her mother loved to decorate the house with fresh flowers, a fresh smell in every single corner of the Gilbert home.

   Her bedside table, white like every other piece of furniture in her room, had a turntable her brother had bought some time in 80's and had no use for it now. There was a small basket of vinyl underneath her bed with all the albums she had bought throughout the years. The current one that was playing was one of the many Duke Ellington albums that Grayson had given to her.

   Out of both of her brothers, she was closest to Grayson, the eldest.

   "Florence!" her mother yelled from downstairs. "Come down here, please!"

   Florence closed the magazine she was reading and stood up from the floor. As she made her way downstairs, she heard several voices. Her mother's and two others that she recognised. By the front door stood Zach Salvatore, Gail, and behind them Stefan. Zach and Gail spoke to her mother, both with big grins on their lips.

   "There you are," Mrs. Gilbert said as she laid her hands on her waist. "Zach and Gail are here for dinner."

   "For dinner?" Florence questioned, raising a brow. "Um, okay, I guess."