𝟕𝟗

a/n: Cher's outfit for the first day is on the left and the next day is on the right!

☆═━ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄━═☆

Charlotte had her laptop on in the living room and she turned on the second movie for Cars. She had been eating up all the Disney movies Angelina and Serena mentioned to her, that, Pixar, and pretty much anything that came her way. So far, Tangled was still her favorite and on top of the list.

She liked Rapunzel's story, it reminded her of herself. Sure she didn't have magical hair but vampirism could make up for that. Rapunzel spent eighteen years in the tower but Charlotte spent 145 years in the tomb. Then again, Charlotte was immortal but Rapunzel wasn't.

Rapunzel's kind heart also reminded her of herself when she rambled that her favorite movie was Tangled in the kitchen and in front of Damon, he called her cute and moved on with his day.

"We're gonna lose her, Damon," Stefan claimed as he and Damon walked into the living room, continuing their conversation. Charlotte rolled her eyes and pulled out her earbuds.

The brunette managed to tune out most of their conversation up until Damon mentioned how not dealing with your humanity was one of vampirism's greatest perks, she looked up, commenting, "I bet having to deal with an off the rails Elena Gilbert counts as a perk, too, huh."

"She is perfectly fine, no one is off the rails."

"She doesn't feel anything and she doesn't care about anyone," Charlotte reminded him, pursing her lips together, "I think you should recheck your definition of perfectly fine."

Damon sighed, claiming, "She needs time. It's only been a couple of days."

"She burned down her family home with her brother's dead body still inside," Stefan pointed out to his brother.

Charlotte nodded, adding, "Oh, and good job trying to let the fact that she is now a homeless and brotherless orphan who is still sired to you."

"You are edgy."

She chuckled, shaking her head, "Me? No, I am perfectly fine. That's exactly what perfectly fine looks like."

He folded his arms together, telling them, "Okay, worst case scenario; I'll invoke the sire bond and tell her to turn it back on."

"Oh and get her to be worse than she already was, mentally," Charlotte stated, pursing her lips together, "Your ideas keep getting better and better."

"Fine, we'll show her a good time."

Stefan and Charlotte exchanged a look before turning back to Damon, "I know it's controversial, you two, but people actually like to have fun."

"You think I wasn't having fun with my humanity off?" Charlotte scoffed out, "I was seeing all those new cities, no one was on vervain, nothing was off-limits, whenever Lina got too much Klaus would tell her to get off my back," She got up, shrugging her shoulders, "I was having lots and lots of fun and I wanted more. More without having to feel guilty about it."

"Elena is not you, Charlotte."

"I guess there is only one way to find out," Charlotte gave him a faint smile, "I am not rooting for you, though and now if you will excuse me, I have a movie to get back to."

✵ ✵ ✵

Charlotte folded her clothes into her closet as someone knocked on her door, "Come in."

Angelina stepped in, closely followed by Lina, "We come bearing gifts."

She raised her eyebrows as the Gilbert vampire explained, "We never actually got to give you our gifts, you know. And I am an excellent gift-giver."

Charlotte chuckled, sitting down on her bed, "You guys shouldn't have, really. It's not that big of a deal."

"It's not every day you turn 163, of course, it's a big deal, Char," Angie pointed out, "Let me start with my gift. Being the first I get you in...forever," The brunette nodded, letting her start, "I didn't go overboard so don't worry. Now, I wanted to buy you a plane to tell you that you need to go places and see this whole big world like I have...then I realized that if I got you a plane, you would keep it around forever and never actually go anywhere, I mean...I use mine all the time but you—"

She cut her off, gaping, "You know how to drive a plane?"

Angelina exhaled, shaking her head as she exchanged a look with Paulina, "Now, this is what I am talking about. Too much worrying and not nearly enough fun. I told myself this girl probably doesn't even have her own money for all I know."

Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, "I will, eventually. I will go to college, graduate, work, and have my own money."

Lina rolled her eyes, "That's the lamest thing I have ever heard."

The Bernard sighed, "Okay, let's get to it. What did you get me, Angie?"

"I...," Angelina mocked a drum roll, smiling from ear to ear, "Bought you an Airline!" Charlotte's lips parted, not processing what the blonde was saying as she continued, "And renamed it, Charlotte Flies. Okay, it sounds silly but you can change it whenever you like."

Lina tsk'd, "Now that definitely trumps out any gift I could have thought of."

Charlotte was still wrapping her head around what the Forbes girl said as she asked, "What am I supposed to do with an Airline? I am like...17, is that even legal?"

"Honey, as a vampire, nothing is illegal," Angelina chuckled, shaking her head, "Now, now, any profits the Airline makes, since it will be working as usual, will be directly deposited into your bank account."

"I don't even have a bank account."

"I figured as much so I made you one, finished all the long details—"

Lina interjected, correcting, "Compelled away all the long details."

Angie rolled her eyes, "Yeah, same thing," She handed Charlotte a few papers, stating, "These have your bank account's number. And here is a credit card, it's easier to carry around."

"I have an Airline to my name? I have never had anything to my name..."

"I know, it's a bit of a small gift but I didn't have enough time to come up—"

"Small gift?" Charlotte screeched out, jumping up suddenly, "This is the best thing anyone has ever gotten me, Angie! This is huge!"

Lina raised her hand, commenting, "Hello, me and last year's camera are crying in the corner, feeling very left out and unappreciated."

She laughed, reaching out for Lina's hand to squeeze it in reassurance, "I don't mean that but like...Airline! Has anyone ever gotten you an Airline?"

The Gilbert shrugged her shoulders, "No, but it's making me look forward to my birthday's gift now," She had a faint smile on her face before shaking her head, "Anyways, my turn."

"I will be honest, my gift was a bit of a last minute thing. My original gift is still present though and I might have stolen an idea or two but that doesn't matter," Lina pulled out a keychain, hanging from it was a small Eiffel tower along with a few other souvenirs, "This one is actually from Paris."

Charlotte smiled, taking it, "Thanks, I love it. It's so pretty."

"Aren't you gonna check what the key is for?"

Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows together, only then noticing the key, "What is it for?"

Paulina folded her arms together, smirking, "Downstairs, in front of the house."

She had an excited grin on her face as she ran past the two and downstairs. Running out of the house, she stopped to see a motorcycle parked outside, "You are kidding, you have to be..."

The brunette walked around it, noticing the purple helmet on the seat just as Paulina and Angie walked outside, "So...what do you think?"

"I think I don't know how to drive this but I will anyway!" Charlotte answered, calling out. She pulled the helmet off her sit and put it on her head, brushing her hair out of her face before sitting down, each leg on one side. She put the key into the ignition, noticing one of the souvenirs was a little bigger than the others. It was a heart. She opened it up to find a picture, a smile took over her lips as she looked up at Lina.

The Gilbert shrugged her shoulders, "I might have not bought an Airline but something tells me I am winning."

Charlotte smiled back down at the picture, it was one she took long ago with Cassie. She had no clue where Lina got her hands on it but she appreciated it. She clasped the heart closed and turned the key.

✵ ✵ ✵

"So that's the plan? You're gonna take her back to school?"

Charlotte nodded, folding her arms over her chest, "Yes, I have thought it over and I think with me and Stefan in school, it will work."

Damon gave her a look as Stefan added, "Well, the fun route didn't exactly pay off, did it?"

"I don't know," Damon smirked, shrugging nonchalantly, "Got a free meal out of it."

"Look, do you think I want to go to school and be a babysitter? I don't, I have a cheerleading competition. This stuff is important to me and it's good for my college application," Charlotte claimed, exhaling sharply, "The only reason I am doing this is so you could go and find the cure, which is the only thing that could get us out of this mess."

Caroline entered the room in a pink bathrobe, "Not that anyone asked me, but I think taking her back to school is a great idea."

The three of them turned to her as Damon questioned, "Why are you here?"

"Uh, blame it on your fancy water filters," Caroline sighed, reminding them, "Your house has the only vervain-free showers in town."

"Oh, yeah. The mayor put vervain in the water supply," He remembered, clicking his tongue, "So many people to kill."

The Forbes nodded, stating, "Yeah, my mom says it's about to get worse," She smiled, hinting, "So she could use a little help."

Stefan and Charlotte turned to look at the older Salvatore as he shrugged, "Fine, I'll go after the psychotic doppelgänger. Stefan, you wanna go talk to the Sheriff?" His brother nodded, making him finish, "Char and Blondie, take her to school."

Charlotte rubbed her hands together, nodding to herself before Elena spoke up, "Sounds like fun."

Elena had emerged from her shower, completely naked. Charlotte coughed out, her eyes widening before shaking her head and squeezing her eyes shut while Caroline turned to check whether Stefan was checking out the doppelganger or not, giving herself a mental note to update Charlotte later.

"What the hell, Elena?"

"What? It's nothing they haven't seen before," She wrapped a towel around her body, covering herself up.

Caroline nudged the petite brunette when Elena was decent so she could open her eyes. The Gilbert shrugged her shoulders, "And as for the, uh, going to school idea...I've got nothing better to do."

Stefan cleared his throat and looked over at Damon, motioning toward Elena with his head. Damon walked towards Elena, "Elena, it would make me very happy if you went to school today. And studied hard—you know, get involved in whatever activities, and please, for me, no matter what, don't eat anyone," He finished, checking, "Okay?"

✵ ✵ ✵

Students were milling about the school grounds. Inside, Caroline and Charlotte walked into the hallway as the blonde claimed, "He definitely wasn't looking."

Charlotte rolled her eyes, clutching a few notebooks, "Caroline, for the last time, he is a free single man, he can look at whomever he wants to look at."

"Not after he claims his undying love to you!" Caroline cut in, shaking her head as Charlotte snorted out, "Don't laugh, I am serious. You guys are legit now."

She pursed her lips together, "We are no such thing."

"You will see," Caroline said, looking across the hall to find Elena crumpling up a flyer before throwing it in the nearest trashcan, "Don't you just wanna...hug her?"

Without looking at the Gilbert, she answered, "Pretty sure, she won't react well to that,"

"Yeah...you are right."

Charlotte sighed just as Matt approached them, "Hey, Matt."

"Hey," He greeted them, a hint of a smile on his lips before he asked, "Have you seen Bonnie?"

Charlotte shook her head just as Caroline answered, "Yeah, I called her last night. She's fine. She's just a little drained from, you know, everything."

Matt nodded to himself, "Can't really blame her."

"Yeah."

"I have an idea," Elena suddenly approached them, holding up a flyer, "Can you get me my old spot back on the cheerleading squad?"

The Bernard furrowed her eyebrows together, "But Elena, you hate cheerleading."

"I did, but now I think it would be really fun to jump around and toss people up in the air," She said as Charlotte's smile fell, turning to Caroline who shrugged her shoulders. Elena added, "It's not like the routines are that hard."

"I...think that would make Damon really happy," Caroline forced a smile onto her lips, nodding.

✵ ✵ ✵

Charlotte put on her cheer uniform and walked into the gym, turning to Caroline, "I don't think I can explain how much I love this uniform."

The blonde chuckled just as Charlotte smiled, turning to find Elena observing the crowds, "The uniform looks amazing!"

Elena twirled to show off her uniform just as Caroline told them, "We are totally gonna kick Grove Hills' ass."

"Yeah. Should be fun."

Charlotte sighed, telling Caroline, "Fair note, I have missed a couple of practices so I will just hang around in the back."

"But in the routine, they throw you in the air and you always did the landing so well! C'mon, Char," She held both of her hands, practically begging, "We will stretch and go over the moves quickly. Don't worry."

The Bernard huffed out, "Fine but if I end up failing miserably, that's on you," Caroline just smiled before Charlotte addressed Elena, "Hey, we will go stretch, join us...whenever you want."

Elena didn't give out much of a reply as Charlotte pursed her lips together, murmuring, "Ow-kay."

Caroline gave the brunette a quick overview of the routine and assured her that there was nothing to stress over as Charlotte sighed, spotting Lina in the crowd with popcorn. She waved her way, letting her know she could join them downstairs.

"Hello," Lina greeted enthusiastically, "It is such a crowd here."

Caroline nodded, looking around her, "Yeah, it's bigger than last year."

Lina offered the two popcorn but Caroline shook her head while Charlotte said she would have some later, "So, tell me you have got an exciting routine? I wanna see some fun. Kick their ass."

"You sound like such a mom," Charlotte chuckled, commenting.

The Gilbert vampire claimed, "Can't disagree, I would make a great mom."

Elena walked up to them with a blue ribbon tied around her ponytail, stating, "Such a sad fantasy, you would drown your kids."

Lina smirked, replying, "Someone is still salty," She grabbed some popcorn in her hands, saying, "Don't worry, I don't drown everyone related to me. Just you."

Caroline rolled her eyes at the two, turning to Elena, "Hey, where were you? We're going on any minute."

She shrugged, huffing out, "I'm here, aren't I?"

"What's with the ribbon?" Charlotte questioned, adding, "It's not our colors."

Elena simply gave them a cute sly smile, twirling her ponytail before walking away. Lina looked ahead of her to find a girl, clutching a scarf around her neck, "Uh-oh, someone has been a bad vampire."

Charlotte's eyes widened, following Elena with Caroline hot on her trails. She grabbed Elena's arm, "What the hell was that?"

"What is your problem?" Elena turned to face her, pulling her arm back.

"Feeding on the competition?" She whispered out, shaking her head, "We don't do that!"

Elena furrowed her eyebrows together, claiming, "You don't do that. I'll do whatever I want."

Charlotte had a scowl on her face as she shook her head but before she could speak up, Stefan approached them, asking, "Everything all right?"

"Yeah," She shrugged, stepping back, "As soon as she backs off and minds her business, everything will be fine."

Elena walked off to warm up with the other Mystic Falls cheerleaders while Charlotte pursed her lips together, asking as soon as she realized Lina was standing beside her, "Was I such a pain in the ass, too?"

"Oh, no, no," Lina shook her head, sighing, "You were much worse, honey," Charlotte turned to her. The brunette shrugged her shoulders, "You wanted the truth, no?"

✵ ✵ ✵

In the gym, the announcer said, "Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for your very own Lady Timberwolves." Charlotte watched Caroline reluctantly stand in front of Elena. She stood in the middle of the group as the girls got in their position and the crowd cheered them on.

Caroline called out, "Ready!"

The team starts their routine, singing as they did their moves, "L-O-L, O-M-G, you're looking at Mystic Falls Varsity! B-E-A-T, beat those Cats!" Three girls, including Elena and Caroline, tossed Charlotte into the air, but when she came down, Elena backed away. Caroline tried to hold her friend from hitting her head but she panicked and Charlotte fell straight to the ground.

Charlotte looked up at Elena who tilted her head, she didn't need to say any words for Charlotte to know that was intentional. The crowd gasped in shock while the rest of the team rushed over to Charlotte. Elena was daring Charlotte to react but she shook her head, pretending to be in pain as her teammates pulled her off the floor.

Lina left the stands and walked up to Charlotte as they helped her sit on a bench, "Oh, let me be honest with you, she doesn't like you much with her humanity off."

Charlotte looked up at her, arching an eyebrow, "You think?"

"I mean...it makes sense," She shrugged, pursing her lips together, "You were a bitch to me because you knew I could bring you back. However, sweet as candy to Klaus."

"I am the last person who can bring her back," Charlotte claimed, moving off the bench before Lina pushed her back, "Ouch?"

"Stay down a little, they will get suspicious," She warned before sitting down beside her, "You are going to have a rough month, Char and I find that hilarious, to be honest."

The Bernard rolled her eyes, "Just start gloating."

"Oh, I have. Yesterday, mini party and all."

✵ ✵ ✵

Charlotte changed back into her dress and took a cab back to the Boarding House. She stopped outside to see people walking inside with kegs and speakers. The brunette's eyes widened, moving ahead of them and inside. She spotted Stefan and Elena and walked up to the two, "Who are all those people and what are they doing here?"

Elena sighed, "You are back already...," She shook her head, moving past Charlotte who folded her arms together.

"This is starting to get on my nerves," She stated, turning to look at Elena who had already moved along. Stefan's lips parted, about to speak before she raised a hand, "No, don't tell me it's because I can help her feel emotions again or any of that nonsense."

Later, it got dark outside and the party was still in full swing when Caroline walked in, joining the two, "I got here as soon as I could," She looked around, shaking her head, "This is insane."

"Yeah. It won't last," Stefan said, moving past the fray of partiers, "They'll either drink all the booze and get bored, or..."

Charlotte sighed, finishing, "Damon will come home and kill everyone. Truly something to look forward to."

The Forbes girl exhaled sharply, "We can't compel them to leave. The locals are all on vervain from the town water supply."

"Yep."

"So what do we do?"

Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, suggesting, "Just stand here and be miserable?" Caroline shook her head at the brunette, "You don't agree? No? Not even a little bit?"

The blonde shook her head as Stefan took a swig from a bottle of alcohol, "Just keep Elena from butchering Grove Hills' cheerleading squad."

"Great. And where is she?"

Charlotte pointed her out, smiling and raising her eyebrows, "That's the fun part." Caroline followed her gaze to see Elena dancing on a table, bottle in hand and laughing.

Caroline smiled, shaking her head. She turned to them, "I will go find something to drink." Charlotte looked at the blonde, narrowing her eyes. One of Caroline's insatiable habits: Leaving Charlotte with Stefan whenever she can and wherever she can.

Charlotte looked around herself once again before turning to Stefan to find him looking at her. She cleared her throat, suggesting, "You should try something more fun than standing in the corner."

"Like what? Dancing over a table?"

She rolled her eyes smiling nonetheless, "It doesn't have to be that extreme," Charlotte sighed, "Just dance with someone. Let go for a while, it's not like this party is going away any time soon."

He pursed his lips together, stating, "Well, unfortunately, I have this little problem...When I, uh, party too hard, I end up killing people."

Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, murmuring, "I will be on watch, as long as you are for me, too. I have a bit of a similar issue."

Stefan raised an eyebrow, the hint of a smile at the ends of his lips, "Oh, really?"

"Mhm," She nodded, running her tongue over her bottom lip as she looked up at him, "So, what's it gonna be? Sulking in the corner? Or fun?"

He thought it over for a moment before leaning down and hauling the brunette over his shoulders. Charlotte laughed out, "Hey, that is not what I had in mind!."

✵ ✵ ✵

Charlotte shrugged her shoulders along to the beat, trying to keep up with Stefan as she asked, "This is not a dancing competition, is it? Cause I am way behind and you are way more into this than you usually are."

Stefan laughed, shaking his head, "No, it's not a competition."

Elena was still dancing on a table, pouring alcohol into someone's mouth when she spotted Stefan and Charlotte dancing together, the latter laughing out. She saw them enjoying themselves and jumped down from the table to approach them.

"Look who finally joined the party."

Charlotte raised an eyebrow, questioning with a sly smile on her pink lips, "Hmm, you jealous or something?"

"Don't be silly, Charlotte," Elena shook her head, stating, "That would imply emotions, and we've already established those are useless."

"I think you should just loosen up and dance," Charlotte said, smiling suggestively.

"No, you guys look good together. Is it his turn this week? Or did Klaus drop you?" Elena questioned, raising an eyebrow before correcting, "Or is Kol the ex? Sorry, can't keep up with how fast you change them."

Charlotte's smile faltered as the brunette continued, "But by all means, Char, take him out for a spin. He could use it."

She walked away as Charlotte exchanged a look with Stefan before moving away from him. She rubbed the back of her head, suddenly wanting to lock herself back in her room and kick everyone out.

"Mom!"

Charlotte heard Caroline's cry and sprinted to the door followed by Stefan just as the Sheriff assured her daughter, "I'm fine."

Caroline growled out, trying to attack Elena before Charlotte held her back, "Caroline, you need to calm down."

The blonde struggled to get out of Charlotte's hold as she scoffed out, "Calm down? I'm gonna wring her skinny little neck!"

Suddenly Elena vamp-sped out of the house, leaving a cup spinning on the patio outside.

✵ ✵ ✵

The three vampires were walking through the woods, looking for Elena when Caroline called out again, "Elena!"

"Where the hell is she?"

Stefan sighed, "Right where she wants to be," He shook his head, realizing, "This is completely calculated. She drew all those people to the house, waited for an opportunity to distract us, and now she's free."

"I can't believe she's doing this," Caroline held her breath, repeating out loud, "I mean, she hurt my mom, guys."

Charlotte squeezed her friend's shoulder, "We will find her and we will fix this. She doesn't know what she is doing," Caroline nodded before Charlotte added, "And if you see her, snap her neck. Don't hesitate."

They split to cover more ground. Charlotte walked through the woods, her heels crushing the leaves under them in her wake. She paused, hearing something before putting more focus on her hearing as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Charlotte vamp-sped towards the sound, finding Elena about to stake Caroline. She pushed the doppelganger into the ground but it didn't take much for Elena to pull herself back up on her feet, "There you are."

"Elena, don't make this harder than it needs to be," Charlotte warned, nearing her, "I am older than you, I am stronger than you, and trust me, after the crappy day I have been having, I won't hesitate."

"I dropped you on your thick head and you are having a crappy day?" She chuckled, shaking her head as Charlotte pursed her lips into a straight line, "And do you honestly think you are stronger than me? I mean...don't overdo it, Stefan is not here to be impressed."

"Look who is speaking," Charlotte replied as the doppelganger rushed her way, trying to knock her into the ground but Charlotte pushed her down, wrapping a hand around her throat, "Don't test me."

"Sure, let's not test Charlotte's poor little emotions or she will crumble and fall, just like everything she touches," Elena coughed out when Charlotte tightened her hold on her throat, "Here's an idea, maybe you should turn it off. Maybe then you will stop making your pain everyone's problem."

She gritted her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut before she snapped Elena's neck.

Charlotte pulled herself together, getting up. She turned to look at Caroline catching her breath, "Are you okay?"

Caroline nodded, looking over at Elena's body, "Yeah...yeah, I will be."

✵ ✵ ✵

Charlotte opened the garage and found her car still in place even after Stefan got back. She pulled her motorcycle out. After taking it for a spin, she parked it there to keep herself from taking it on every single ride and eventually wrecking it.

That was until Charlotte got to her room today and thought to herself, I am a freaking vampire. So what if she got into a little accident? So what if she wrecked the motorcycle and fixed it later on? It wasn't that "you only live once", it was more of how she never realized that she can have plenty of lives. Plenty of clean slates. Plenty of chances and redos.

"Bringing out the mechanic in you?"

Charlotte turned around to find Stefan walking up to her, "Your garage? Yeah, no. I like to work in organized spaces."

"Hmm," He nodded along before asking, "Someone took out my car."

"I did," She said, closing the garage which diminished the little bit of light that was there, it was already past midnight, "I was having a hard time with my car so I just left it there."

"Understandable," Stefan sighed before pointing out, "Charlotte, you can't drive that."

She rolled her eyes, huffing out, "Of course, I can. I am perfectly capable of driving a motorcycle, I wasn't born yesterday."

He chuckled, shaking his head, "I am not trying to ruin it for you but you won't make it two turns out of here." He was right. The last time she took it for a spin, she ran back home after the first turn but she couldn't tell him that.

"It's a motorcycle, how hard can it be?"

"What do you even know about them?"

She folded her arms over her chest, turning to face him, "I know enough."

"You know what model is it? What year was it made? Anything other than its color?" Stefan questioned and she thanked God it was dark enough for him not to spot her petty glare.

"I don't like you, don't ruin my birthday gift for me," Charlotte said, adding, "At least not after you forget about it." She finished and had to stop her palm from slapping over her mouth. What are you saying?

"I didn't forget about it," Stefan shook his head, "I just didn't know how to bring it up with everything that has been happening," He claimed and Charlotte held back any form of positive reaction, "But I did not forget about it."

"Really? What did you get me then?"

"You are going to have to wait and see," He answered, walking past the brunette as she furrowed her eyebrows together and followed him into the foyer.

"You do realize it's been a week, right?" She pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"It's worth the wait."

Charlotte raised both of her eyebrows now that they were both inside, he could clearly see her face as she sighed, "It better not be another Airline. I can't be a billionaire before I am 200 years old."

✵ ✵ ✵