𝟏• 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐂 | 𝐓𝐕𝐃 ✓

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

"THIS IS A COMPLETE—" Gasping in surprise, Aurelia shot out of bed at the voice booming through the entire house, eyes wide in a doe-like look. "—AND UTTER DISASTER!" As soon as she began to recognize the voice as that of a certain eccentric blonde, her tensed shoulders relaxed as she began to let herself rest once again.

And as soon as she shut her eyes— "Look, we're not sure of anything we've found out about." A loud groan emitted from her lips at the sound of Stefan Salvatore's voice, realizing she'd have to explain to the pair her no-show at the Miss Mystic Falls Gala the day before. What she dreaded, more, however, was having to explain to Stefan why she was acting so weirdly with Klaus when the man had interrupted their little picnic.

"YET!" Caroline constant screeches were filled with worry and panic, enough to raise Aurelia's curiosity and concern over the mysterious subject of the pair's conversation out in the living room. "Elena is—" And Aurelia once again covered her ears at the mention of the annoying subject. "I can't believe this; it's so freaking—OW!"

In a flush, the sheets were flung off and the door left ajar as Aurelia found herself just a foot away from Caroline, fingers grasping the younger's upper arm to prevent her from falling over from whatever clumsy action she had committed. "Careful." The mumble was not without the hoarse and deep morning voice that indicated she just woke up.

"I—I didn't know you were home this whole time?" Caroline's statement came out more a question than she had intended, resulting in a look of utter despair passing Aurelia's expression. "You missed the Pageant yesterday..." And then came the guilt. "I was worried; why do you keep disappearing?"

"Sorry." The elder cleared her throat, letting a glance of hers hit Stefan's to check for any expression of acknowledgement. "Lotta things took place yesterday. Schedule was emotionally packed. Didn't wanna see Elena's face—that was most of it."

"Care to explain the odd behavior with Klaus, then?" Stefan was immune to the resulting death stare Aurelia shot at him when he brought the seemingly sore subject. "What? It was suspicious—and we were both worried about your whereabouts."

"Sis, you promised." A small pout was made clear on Caroline's lips, simply throwing Aurelia further into a pit of remorse. It hurt her pride, really—she had broken affairs and hurt families to no extent for years without feeling any guilt—why was a mere no-show at a stupid event overruling it?

Ah, yes, because Caroline wanted her to be there so bad.

Aurelia just wanted to bury her face in her palms and beg her sister for forgiveness, anything to wipe away that horrible and dark expression on her sister's face. It hurt to look at. "Was it really Elena?" The knife in the woman's heart just went further in at the question. Her little lie would've made Caroline think that she cared about the stupid doppelganger too much to prioritize her own sister over it.

"No! It wasn't—I would never have stood you up for that bitc—" Aurelia laughed nervously, unsurprised at her crumble in demeanor (not embarrassed though, she was proud of how much she loved Caroline). "I didn't want to worry you, hah—Klaus and I had a little dispute, and I just needed a self-care day."

"Aurelia needing a self-care day? It must've been bad." Stefan's comment nearly came off as sarcastic, but was quickly clarified when he spoke again. "Are you okay? Why didn't you tell us?"

"Okay, what about me—" She gestured to herself. "Screams, "I spill everything I feel and am an open book, yay!"?" Stefan's unimpressed stare made her roll her eyes. "Whatever, I'm okay now—at least until I heard Elena's name come up, like, as soon as I woke up."