The Lockwood mansion rose before them at the end of a long, manicured driveway, an imposing silhouette against the night sky. It was ablaze with light. Golden glow poured from every tall window, and strings of delicate white bulbs were woven through the trees and along the grand porch, making the entire estate look like it was sparkling. The sound of music and the distant murmur of a crowd drifted through the cool evening air. Cars lined the driveway, and valets in crisp uniforms moved quickly between them.
Leo brought the car to a smooth stop behind a sleek sedan. He stepped out, the gravel crunching softly under his shoes. He took a moment to straighten the line of his black coat, a small, habitual gesture. Caroline emerged from the passenger side, the sapphire blue of her dress catching the ambient light beautifully.
Leo started walking across the gravel driveway toward the wide, well-lit steps that led up to the mansion's huge front doors. He had only taken a few steps when Caroline's voice, bright and clear, cut through the night air behind him.
"Leo, wait up!"
He stopped and turned around. Caroline was standing by the passenger door of the car, but she was already moving. She closed the gap between them in a few quick, confident strides, the skirt of her blue dress swaying slightly.
Without pausing for a greeting, she reached out for his left arm. Her hands were smooth and deliberate. She slid her right hand through the crook of his elbow, then wrapped her fingers firmly around his forearm, tucking his arm securely against her side. The gesture was neat and efficient. It was partly friendly, but it also felt like she was claiming her territory, locking him into place beside her. Now, they were clearly a pair. She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling under the party lights strung in the trees. Her expression was one of excited anticipation, mixed with a clear sense of victory, as if getting him here and linked to her arm was a mission she had successfully completed.
"There," she said, her voice dropping to a cheerful, conspiratorial whisper meant only for him. She gave his arm a little squeeze. "Now we can make a proper entrance. We'll walk in together. It looks so much better. Ready?"
Leo felt the constant, light pressure of her hand holding his arm. It was a firm grip, not painful, but insistent. He had already said yes to being her date for this whole evening. Arguing about something as small as walking in arm-in-arm seemed pointless and would only cause a useless discussion. It was easier, and faster, to just go along with it. He met her expectant gaze and gave one single, slight nod of his head. It was a minimal, silent signal. Fine. Let's go.
Satisfied, Caroline's smile gained an extra watt of brightness. She immediately adjusted her posture, standing up perfectly straight and lifting her chin to just the right angle. Then, together, they walked up the broad stone steps and through the towering front doors.
The inside of the Lockwood mansion was even more impressive than the outside. They stepped into a massive, two-story foyer with a gleaming marble floor. Straight ahead, wide archways opened up into the main event: a breathtaking ballroom.
The ballroom was huge. The ceiling seemed to stretch up forever. Hanging from the very center was an enormous crystal chandelier, covered in hundreds of glittering pieces that scattered the light into tiny rainbows across the room. The floor beneath it was made of polished dark wood, shining under the glow.
The room was full of people. A low, steady hum of dozens of conversations filled the air, a constant background noise of laughter and talking. Over in one corner, a small group of musicians—a string quartet—played a soft, classical melody that wove through the chatter.
Around the edges of the open dance floor, small round tables were set up, each covered with a crisp white linen cloth. Most people weren't sitting, though. They stood in elegant, shifting clusters, holding delicate glasses of champagne or wine. The women wore sparkling dresses and the men wore dark suits. The air itself smelled like a mix of things: the sweet perfume of flower arrangements on every table, the sharp scent of expensive cologne and perfume from the guests, and the warm, savory smell of fancy appetizers—canapés—being carried by passing waiters.
Caroline's hand on Leo's arm tightened just enough to guide him, not out of nervousness, but with the firm direction of a pilot steering a plane. Her eyes quickly swept across the ballroom, taking in every group. It was like she was reading a map only she could see, instantly spotting the most important people—the town council members near the fireplace, the big-money donors by the piano, the old founding families clustered together.
"Perfect," she murmured to Leo, her voice low and excited. Her smile was brilliant. "The whole community of Mystic Falls is in this room tonight at the same time we came. Just stay with me and follow my lead. This is going to be easy one."
She didn't wait for a reply. With confident steps, she expertly navigated them through the crowd, making a straight line for a group of well-dressed older men and women standing by a large marble fireplace. Before they even reached them, Caroline's expression shifted into one of pure, delighted surprise.
"Mayor Hopkins!" she called out, her voice ringing with friendly warmth. "What an amazing party. And oh my gosh, your wife's necklace! It is absolutely stunning tonight." She delivered the compliment like it was a genuine, spontaneous thought.
The mayor turned, a pleased, slightly proud smile appearing on his face. "Caroline Forbes," he said, his tone welcoming. "Don't you look lovely tonight. That color is wonderful on you." His gaze then naturally drifted to the young man standing silently beside her, his expression turning politely curious.
Without a moment's hesitation, Caroline seamlessly pulled Leo into the circle. "This is Leo," she said, giving his arm a small, encouraging squeeze that meant speak now. "He's new to Mystic Falls. I've just been taking it upon myself to show him around and introduce him to all the best people." She said it as if she were doing a community service, her tone sweet and helpful.
All the eyes in the small group turned to look at Leo. He could feel the weight of their expectation. They were waiting for him to say something charming or interesting. Forcing his face into a polite, neutral expression, Leo gave a slight, courteous nod of his head. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, his voice calm and even.
That was all Caroline needed from him. As soon as the simple greeting was out of his mouth, she smoothly took back control. She didn't leave an awkward silence for anyone to fill.
"Isn't this just the best party?" she said, her voice bright and engaging as she looked back at the mayor and his wife. "The decorations are incredible. I heard the Lockwoods brought in the florist from Richmond." She then glanced at the quartet playing softly in the corner. "And the music is so elegant, just the right tone, don't you think?" She didn't pause for real answers, using the questions just to keep everyone nodding along. "It's just so wonderful to see the whole community together like this. It really feels special."
After a few more minutes of Caroline's easy, bright conversation, she gracefully ended the talk with the mayor's group. She gave a final, charming laugh and then guided Leo away, merging them back into the steady movement of the party crowd.
Almost at once, a waiter stepped near them. He held a silver tray covered with tall, slender glasses of pale, bubbly wine. The waiter paused, offering the tray.
Without breaking her forward momentum or even glancing away from the room, Caroline's hand darted out. She smoothly picked up two glasses by their stems. In one continuous motion, she passed one directly into Leo's hand. Her fingers brushed lightly against his as she pushed the cool, damp glass into his grasp.
Her focus was already ahead of them, locked onto a new cluster of guests standing near a large, polished grand piano. She tightened her grip on his arm and began to steer him in that direction, her steps sure and fast. It was clear she had a plan, a list of people to see, and they were moving right down it.
But Leo didn't move with her. He felt the steady pull on his arm and gently dug in his heels, coming to a firm stop. The constant motion, the chatter, the expectation to smile and nod at strangers was becoming too much. It felt like a low, buzzing pressure against his skin.
He first looked down at the full glass in his hand. He hadn't taken a single sip. He turned slightly and carefully set it down on the edge of a nearby table covered with a white cloth. He didn't want to carry it anymore.
He turned back to face her. The sudden stop made Caroline turn as well, a flicker of surprise breaking through her polished, social expression. Her smile stayed on, but it became a little fixed, a little confused.
Leo kept his voice low, so only she could hear it over the music and talking around them. He aimed for a calm, even tone. He wasn't trying to start an argument. He just needed to say something.
"Caroline," he began, meeting her expectant gaze. "You know everyone here. You know who is important to talk to." He paused, letting the simple truth of that hang between them. All these quick introductions were starting to feel awkward and pointless for him. He didn't know these people or their stories, and the polite, empty words he had to say felt fake.
"Let me step back for a few minutes," he continued, his voice still gentle but firm. He made a small, peaceful gesture with his hand toward a quieter space near a large pillar with a potted plant. "I'll be right over there, just watching. I'm not leaving. If you need me for something, just signal. I'll come to you."
Caroline looked at his face for a moment, her bright party smile shifting into something quieter and more thoughtful. She wasn't just listening to his words; she was reading his mood. She could see he was mentally checking out of the crowded room. If she pushed him to follow her now, he would just become more closed off and quiet. A date who looked bored and unhappy would reflect badly on her. It was better for him to stand alone for five minutes than to drag a reluctant partner through the crowd.
"Okay," she said, her voice sweet and understanding. But it was the kind of understanding that came with very clear conditions. As she said it, she reached up and neatly adjusted the lapel of his black coat. Her fingers brushed the fabric smooth in a gesture that was both caring and possessive, a quiet way of saying you are here with me.
"But," she continued, her tone turning practical. She pointed with her eyes to the space right beside the large pillar and the big potted fern. "You stay right here. This is the perfect spot. It's in a good central location. I can see you from almost anywhere, and you won't get stuck in a boring conversation with someone random." She gave him a look that was part playful warning, part serious instruction. "I absolutely do not want to play hide-and-seek in this mansion tonight."
She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice to a more confidential tone. "All I have to do is go over, give a quick, perfect hello to Councilman Miller and his wife.If I don't, my mom will hear about it by tomorrow morning." She straightened up, her efficient smile returning. "It'll be five minutes, maximum. Then I'll come right back to this exact spot, and we can slip away."
Her eyes lit up with a new, more genuine excitement. "The Lockwood house has this whole closed-off historical wing upstairs. I heard there's original diaries and portraits from the founding families just sitting in a library up there. No one's supposed to go up, but the second floor balcony is open tonight. We can get some real quiet, check out the old architecture, and It'll be a million times better than down here."
She raised her eyebrows, waiting for his agreement. "So, deal? You wait here like a perfect date for five minutes for me, and then we go on a our little adventure?"She was already glancing toward the Millers, her body poised to go the moment he agreed.
Leo gave one slow, firm nod. "Deal," he said, his voice low.
That was all Caroline needed. Her face immediately brightened back into its perfect, social smile, as if a switch had been flipped. She gave a little satisfied adjustment to the thin strap of her sapphire-blue dress. Then she lifted her champagne glass and took a quick, decisive sip, like she was fortifying herself for the next task. Without another word, she turned and stepped smoothly back into the moving current of party guests.
Her blue dress made her easy to follow with his eyes. It stood out against the darker suits and dresses around her. She moved with clear purpose, weaving through clusters of people without hesitation, her target still the group near the grand piano. Leo watched the back of her head until she was swallowed by the crowd.
Only then did he let out a long, quiet breath. He hadn't even realized he had been holding it in. The tight feeling that had been sitting across his shoulders and in his jaw began to ease, just a little. It was a small release of pressure.
He turned his body to fully face the room, leaning his back against the solid, cool surface of the stone pillar. The party noise washed over him—the constant hum of dozens of conversations all happening at once, the clink of glasses, the soft music from the quartet. It was all a muffled roar of sound, but from his spot slightly out of the main flow, it felt more like background noise than an assault.
He let his eyes drift across the crowded ballroom.He watched the waiters in black uniforms move silently through the guests, their trays held high. He saw a man in a gray suit throw his head back and laugh a little too hard at something. He noticed a small circle of women holding up their hands, looking at each other's rings and bracelets under the light.
He stood perfectly still, his hands tucked into his pants pockets. The party was even more dull than he had expected. His eyes had been casually searching the room this whole time, but he had not seen a single familiar face from school. He had not seen Elena, or Bonnie, or even that Vampire Stefan Salvatore.
A quiet thought formed in his mind. Did I get here too early? Or, a more specific possibility occurred to him, remembering Caroline's excited whisper. Or are they already up on the second floor, in that closed-off historical wing?
***
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