Kenzie Gilbert: The Tormented Twin (6)

6: The Hospital Fundraiser

Chapter Six

I smiled politely as I moved before Jo could collide with me as she was leaving the room I was trying to enter. "Morning... uh... Kenzie?" She said.

"Yup, I'm Kenzie. I have the blonde ends," I said.

"Haha. Yeah, took me a moment to piece that together. Sorry," she apologized and I shrugged.

"Ric still in there?"

"Yeah, with a friend," she said. I furrowed my eyebrows but she didn't say more. She walked off instead so I moved to enter the hospital room.

"Damon?" I gasped at the tall, dark, and handsome man standing over Ric who was laying in the hospital bed.

"Kitten," he grinned, spinning around to face me. He opened his arms up wide and I went running. I hugged him tightly with my arms around his neck. His muscular ones wrapped around my waist and he lifted me up from the ground for a second or two.

"You're really back," I breathed into his neck.

"Mhm. And you don't know how many times I imagined hugging you again. My little badass in training," he chuckled, putting me down and letting me go.

"You imagined our reunion like that? What if I didn't miss you?" I teased.

"As if," he scoffed. "You adore me."

"Ehh," I shrugged. Then I moved to Ric's side to hug him carefully. "Glad you're alive."

"Me too," he chuckled.

"Well, when can you leave?" I asked.

"Jo is filling out the paperwork so I can go as soon as possible. She wants me to go as her date tonight to some hospital fundraiser."

"Crap," I mumbled. "I forgot about that. It's mandatory I go. Well... I don't need a date do I?"

"Why would you be going?" Damon asked, scrunching you his nose in confusion.

"Elena forced me to join the internship with her," I explained.

"So Elena's going?" He smirked.

"She has to."

"I'll be your date, kitten."

"No," Ric and I both said. "Bad idea, Damon," Ric added, shaking his head.

"What? Kenzie and I are best friends. Partners in crime. I filled in for Stef at Mystic Court, I can fill in tonight at a silly fundraiser," Damon smiled mischievously.

"It's not a fill in if Stefan was never invited," I pointed out.

"You can't show up stag."

"Why not?" Ric and I both chorused.

"I don't know... but I'm going. Unless you plan on asking another guy?" Damon questioned.

"I'm not asking Stefan," I stated, crossing my arms. This better not be his attempt to try to force us back together. Stefan needed to try harder. Kiss me already or ask me out. Make a real effort. His words didn't match his actions. I'll do anything to make you forgive me, but I'm staying in Atlanta. Like what?

"You could ask Enzo," Ric suggested. Damon and I both turned to him with incredulous looks. "What? If it means Damon not going, do it."

"Why would she go with Enzo?" Damon scoffed.

"Oh, buddy, you don't know? That's her new partner in crime," Ric smirked.

"Uh, no," Damon said, crossing his arms and looking at me. Then he shook his head. "No. He hurt you—"