Falling → Stefan Salvatore [2]

Let Her Go

Chapter 53: Let Her Go

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GRIEF; It's such a pesky little thing, always eating away at you no matter how much time has passed. It gets better, sure, but the wound never truly heals. It bruises over, forcing you to deal with it for as long as you may live-- the scars forever painted on your skin. But no matter how scarred you may be, the carousel never stops turning.

"You've all asked what you can do to help. There are five days worth of projects on here. We are going to do them in one. We can break the rules and cut through the red tape. Yeah. I expect my mom to be properly celebrated and buried by the end of the day," Caroline called out to all of her friends as she had assembled all of them into one group sitting in the middle of the Salvatore Boarding House's living room.

"Sure, Car, whatever you need," Matt Donovan was the first to agree to assist her, the rest of them following behind like ducks.

"Elena," Caroline smiled down at her best friend, "You're coming with me."

"Where are we going?" The brunette asked willingly.

"Casket shopping," Caroline answered as she tried her best to remain positive, "Let's move."

✰✰✰

Amalia stood in front of the mirror in Stefan Salvatore's bedroom, running her fingers down the soft material of her black dress. She inhaled a breath as she scanned her appearance with her eyes-- something looked off, but she was having trouble at figuring out what exactly it was that didn't fit. Almost as if there was something she was meant to do, something she wasn't sure of.

"You look," Stefan paused for a moment, staring at the reflection of his girlfriend from inside of the mirror with a smile forming on his face, "beautiful."

"Oh, how you flatter me," she replied with a small laugh before turning around to face him, "You look very dapper yourself,
Mr. Salvatore."

"Hm," he hummed as he watched her walk over to him and wrap her arms around his neck, staring into his eyes as he focused his on her hazel ones.

"I never could resist you in a tux," she admitted before pulling him into her, tightening her grip around him, "Have you talked to Caroline today?"

"I haven't gotten a chance," he answered her question as he pulled away, bringing his arm to his back so that he could interlock their fingers, "have you?"

"No," Amalia paused, questioning whether or not she wanted to say anything more, "She seems okay, right?"

"Her mom died," Stefan deadpanned, reminding her of what had had happened less than twenty four hours prior, "She needs time."