The Mystic Grill's lunchtime chatter hummed in the background as Aiken sat beside Bonnie, cutely twirling a strand of her hair between his fingers.
"Is your mother okay with you bringing Damon?" Bonnie asked Caroline, her tone casual, but her eyes curious. Aiken was half-listening, still playing with Bonnie's hair like it was a personal stress ball.
"And why should I even tell her?" Caroline replied, tilting her head as she adjusted the scarf wrapped snugly around her neck.
"Because he's an older boy—attractive and dangerous," Bonnie said, leaning forward slightly.
Caroline's lips curled into a smirk. "Older, attractive, and dangerous? What is this? The witches' gossip forum on Twitter?"
"Stop it, Caroline—" Bonnie began, her voice sharpening, when Aiken's hand drifted down to her stomach.
"What are you doing?" she snapped, turning toward him.
"Just touching the place where my future kids will come to life."
Bonnie's cheeks flushed crimson. "Aiken!"
Pft!
A man at the table behind them nearly choked, spraying his drink as he tried not to laugh.
"Just calm down, okay?"
"Okay..." Bonnie muttered, still red.
Aiken turned toward Caroline, his voice suddenly cold. "Next time you say something like that, I'll cut your tongue off."
"Aiken!" Bonnie hissed. "What are you saying?!"
Oops… guess killing all those vampires in Chicago rubbed off on me a little, Aiken thought.
Caroline raised an eyebrow, smiling almost challengingly. "You're gonna cut my tongue off? You sure?"
"What? You think I won't?" he shot back, locking eyes with her.
They stared each other down in silent defiance until Bonnie slammed her hand on the table. "Stop it. Both of you!"
"Tch." Aiken clicked his tongue, then leaned forward and dropped his head onto Bonnie's chest like it was a pillow.
"Aiken!" Bonnie protested, pushing at his shoulders.
"Shhh... it's cozy here," he murmured, refusing to move.
Bonnie could only sigh.
"And you say Damon's dangerous," Caroline said smugly. "Look at your boyfriend."
Another sigh from Bonnie.
...
Aiken stood before the grand iron gates of the Lockwood Mansion. The sprawling estate loomed behind—a massive, elegant Southern mansion with white-pillared facades framed by magnolia trees and manicured lawns. The entrance exuded old-world charm and quiet authority, casting long morning shadows across the courtyard.
Aiken watched Bonnie approach, her expression soft as she took in the mansion's elegance.
"You're... stunning," he murmured, draping an arm around her waist. He leaned in, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss.
"Well… you're not bad yourself," Bonnie replied with a playful smile, the contrast between his tailored suit and her glowing simplicity a beautiful spectacle.
A few female students nearby—many who normally avoided him because of his cold reputation—paused, glancing over. Aiken brushed back a strand of Bonnie's hair, gazing into her eyes.
"I want you to look like this on our wedding day," he said softly, promise and warmth in his voice.
Blushing, Bonnie tapped his chest lightly. "Stop it, Aiken."
He paused, then gracefully backed away with a small, respectful nod.
Just then, Elizabeth emerged from behind a column. Her presence had a quiet, composed elegance.
"She's the friend I mentioned," Aiken said, then turned to properly introduce them. "Bonnie, this is Elizabeth."
Elizabeth put up a genuine smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Bonnie. Aiken's spoken about you often."
'She's a girl... His friend staying over is a woman...' Bonnie's heartbeat skipped—seeing Elizabeth's warm smile and steady gaze was unnerving. She hesitated, swayed by her feelings, then managed to say:
"T-the pleasure is all mine…"
Bonnie instantly hooked her arm through Aiken's and tugged him toward the Lockwood Manor.
"Come on, Aiken. Now that there's not much of a line," she said quickly, pulling him closer to her.
Elizabeth followed a few paces behind, taking in the sight of the elegant manor.
"Aiken…" Bonnie's voice dropped to a whisper as she squeezed his arm a little tighter than necessary. "Why didn't you tell me your friend staying over was a woman?"
"Well…" Aiken kept his voice low. "I didn't think it was important."
"You didn't think it was—" Bonnie stopped herself mid-sentence, her tone cooling, though her grip stayed firm. "It is important. Any girl would lose her mind if a gorgeous woman was living under the same roof as her boyfriend."
She hesitated, then asked, "Is she your father's girlfriend?"
Aiken's face twisted with genuine distaste. "I hope for her sake she's not."
Bonnie froze. "Aiken…" She pinched his bicep sharply. "So you're saying she's your friend? And she came to stay because of you?"
Aiken let out a quiet sigh. "Look, Bonnie… I saved her from a really terrible situation. She's been… let's just say, isolated her whole life. She has suffered unimaginable things… she's never had a chance to truly live. She got attached to me. I know you might be worried, but there's no reason to—"
His words were cut off when Bonnie suddenly pressed her lips to his.
"I never thought my future husband was a hero," she murmured, resting her head against his shoulder.
Aiken gave a small, flustered smile. "Don't steal my lines like that."
They stepped inside the grand foyer of the Lockwood Manor, the chandeliers casting warm light over the crowd.
"Hey, Bonnie." Richard Lockwood, Tyler's father, greeted her immediately with a broad smile. "You just keep getting more and more beautiful." His tone was friendly.
Everyone liked Bonnie, no exception. Elena even gave her the nickname 'the impossible-to-dislike girl'.
Then his gaze shifted to Aiken. "You must be the lucky guy." He extended a hand. "Richard Lockwood."
"Aiken Hill," Aiken replied, shaking his hand firmly.
"Have fun, you two," Richard said warmly.
"Thanks," Bonnie answered, before pulling Aiken deeper into the lively gathering.
To be continued...
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How was this chapter? Liked it?
Also, I am having some crazy ideas to make Aiken stronger, I just fear I am exaggerating a little...