(1) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Seventy-Four

Cassandra flicks her hair over her shoulder as she leaves the toilets at the back of the Grill only to find Damon waiting for her. She doesn't want to do this and she doesn't want to do it here.

"You look like you're having fun" Damon comments, Cassandra curls her lip a little and shakes her head. She tries to ignore him, wanting to just go back to her table. That's how much she wants to get away from him. She is wanting to get back to Tyler. "Did you get my flowers?" He asks her, she tilts her head. "Purple hyacinths are for apologies, I think" He frowns a little and shrugs. "To say sorry"

"You really think some flowers are going to make up for what you said? For what you did?" She counters and goes to walk away. He puts his arm out to stop her.

"Oh come on" He argues. "How long are you going to stay mad at me?" He asks, she folds her arms over her chest and leans back slightly.

"As long as I want" She answers. "I was your friend, Damon, I stood up for you when no one else did, trusted you, helped you....even when they told me not to, that you were just....bad and that I was making a mistake" She reminds him. "And this is what I get? This is how the universe repays me for being nice to you?" She shakes her head. "It's not worth it" She whispers. "I can't..." She swallows a little and looks away from him, her lip quivering. She takes a deep breath to calm herself down. "Just leave me alone," She tells him and then brushes past him, his eyes following her as she goes.

.......

Cassandra sits back at her table and glances across to the bar as Damon returns to Kelly and Jenna, his jaw ticking away. Tyler raises an eyebrow at Cassandra, noting that she is now somehow more upset than when she left the table. He leans forward a little and touches her hand on the table.

"You okay?" He asks her, she pulls her hand back and makes a face, looking away from him. "Cas...."

"Shut up" She stops him. "Just stop talking" She runs her fingers through her hair and closes her eyes.

"Look, we were friends before..." He pauses slightly. "Just because we broke up doesn't mean I don't care" He argues. She opens her eyes and turns a look on him.

"Care" She repeats and gives him a look.

"I made a mistake," He tells her. "And I am sorry" She shakes her head and slumps in her seat. She takes a deep breath and glances at Elena who gives her a look back. She rolls her eyes back at Elena who then turns to Matt.

"So, Matt, How do you like working here?" Elena asks Matt.

"It's not that bad. Wait staff is pretty good and they can't keep a bartender to save their lives" Matt answers. "I actually put my mom up for a job"

"How has that been? Having Kelly back?" She counters, Matt shrugs.

"You know, same old Kelly. She's trying, sort of" Matt answers, Elena turns to Stefan.

"Kelly and my mom were best friends growing up. That's how Matt and I first met, we shared a crib together" Elena offers, Cassandra clears her throat. "And Cassie, obviously" Elena adds.

"You're kidding?" Stefan asks.

"No, we have known each other our whole lives" Matt admits, Elena and Matt look at each other. Caroline sighs. Everyone turns their heads and watch Damon, Kelly and Jenna drinking together.

"You got to be freaking kidding me" Cassandra complains under her breath, Stefan glances at her and then shares a concerned look with Elena. Cassandra clenches her jaw. Can this day get any worse? This month even.

..............

Cassandra leans against a table as she watches Tyler, Stefan and Matt playing pool. She folds her arms over her chest and glances at Caroline and Elena who are watching Damon, Kelly and Jenna drinking at the bar.

"At least they're having fun" Caroline points out.

"They're drunk." Elena counters. Cassandra clenches her jaw. She refuses to look over at them. Refuses to look over at Damon. But she does. She caves. She turns slightly and looks over. Catching Damon's eye. He waves his fingers at her and she turns away. Stupid choice really. She shouldn't have turned around.

"Remember when the twins' parents busted us here after the homecoming?" Matt asks Caroline who laughs.

"Oh my god yes!" She agrees, Stefan raises an eyebrow at them.

"Well, we were wasted; it was the first time I ever got drunk. I blame Tyler" Elena explains. Tyler gives her a look.

"Hey" He defends. "That night it was all Matt" He argues and points at his friend who looks surprised by the blame before he shrugs in agreement.

"Her parents got seated at the next booth" Matt adds.

"And Matt had Cassie pretend that she was choking so we could get away" Elena explains, Tyler and Cassandra share a look, because it was actually a good night. They had all had fun. She doesn't remember ever laughing so much.

"Except that her dad was a doctor so he jumped up to save her" Tyler points out.

"And I ran, slipped on the wet floor and bit it in front of everyone," Cassandra adds. "It was awesome" She comments sarcastically as Tyler smirks a little. "Do you remember that?" Cassandra asks Tyler. "3 stitches, a hangover for days and I was grounded from seeing you for a week" Tyler smiles and nods. Matt and Elena look at each other and laugh together. Cassandra rolls her eyes and shakes her head at them.

"I'm gonna go to the restroom. Elena?" Caroline asks and gives Elena a look before they both walk away. Cassandra lets out a breath and glances at Tyler. She has a feeling she might be about to make a mistake here. She feels like she might forgive him. Not to date him. She doesn't want to go back to that. But she's not really all that angry at him anymore. Of course, her anger has just been replaced, it's not on Tyler anymore because it's on Damon. But despite how against this night she was, it's not terrible. So maybe she could be friends with him again. Maybe.