Chapter 12: There Goes The Neighborhood

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Lia walked up to the Donovan household and knocked on the door. She had gotten used to not having to knock since Matt had informed her of where the spare key was so that she could come over whenever she had wanted to, but ever since his mom had come back to town, she thought it would be better if she had started knocking.

"Yeah, come in!" She heard her boyfriend scream from inside the house so she turned the knob and opened the door.

"Hi, Mrs. Donovan." Lia greeted his mother first as Matt stood up from his seat and made his way over to her, pulling the girl into a side hug. "Hey."

"Hi, Amalia." The boy's mother smiled at her quickly before walking out of the room.

"Alright, well, we're gonna be late, so let's just get going." Matt grabbed his stuff so that they could head to school.

"Sounds good." Lia grinned at her boyfriend.

✰✰✰

"Hey, Matt?" Lia spoke up as they walked through the hallway with one another. "Quick question-- Does your mom like me?"

"Of course she likes you." Matt assured the girl. "She's just being protective because she doesn't want someone else to break my heart."

"Are you sure? Because I'm kind of getting the leave my son the hell alone vibe whenever she's around." Lia couldn't help but be bothered by the thought that her boyfriend's mom didn't like her.

"Stop worrying. She likes you. And even if she didn't, it wouldn't change anything." Matt assured the brunette, making her smile. "Okay?"

"Okay." She nodded as she grabbed onto his hand. "So what do you want to do tonight?"

"We could watch a movie at my place." Matt suggested, but Lia shook her head.

"We always watch movies. Let's spice things up." Lia didn't want to just sit around and watch another movie with Matt.

"Okay, you figure something out then. I'm good with anything." He was willing to do whatever she wanted to do. "I'm gonna go to class. Bye."

"Bye." She watched him walk away and couldn't help but be a little disappointed that he didn't kiss her before parting, but she decided to let it go.

✰✰✰

"Hey." Lia walked up to Stefan and Elena at their lockers. "So, uh, I may have a proposition."

"What's up?" Elena asked her shorter friend, curious as to what she had to say.

"So... Would you guys be against maybe going on a double date tonight? Maybe just dinner or a movie or something. I don't know." Lia wasn't exactly sure how to say it, worried that they wouldn't be up for it.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Elena asked her friend. She clearly didn't think it was such a good idea herself.

"Look, Matt is always complaining that I spend too much time with all of you and don't include him on anything. And there's also the fact that it's a little awkward between you, him, and me. You know, maybe this is the solution to that and it won't be so weird anymore." Lia explained to the girl why she thought it could be good.

"I think that sounds like a great idea." Stefan agreed to do it as long as Elena was okay with it.

"You do?" Elena cocked her eyebrow at Stefan, surprised that he was wanting to go on the double date.

"Yeah. A nice evening out with friends. Sounds fun, as in fun." Stefan responded to Elena.

"A double date it is." Elena finally agreed to the plan.

"Alright. So I will see you later then." Lia smiled at the couple before walking away from them.

✰✰✰

"We're going on a double date with Stefan and Elena?" Matt asked his girlfriend after she had explained everything to him.

"Yes. Please be cooperative. It could be fun." She was hoping that he wouldn't complain or ask her if they could try to get out of it.

"Fine." Matt didn't say much else about it. "So, uh, where is this double date?"

"The grill." She answered his question. "You ready?"

"I guess." He shrugged.

✰✰✰

"So, Matt, do you like working here?" Elena broke the awkwardness that was filled between the four of them, deciding to ask a simple question about the Donovan's new job.

"It's not that bad. Wait staff is pretty good and they can't keep a bartender to save their lives. I actually put my mom up for a job." Matt informed each of them of what he thought about his job at the Grill and Lia couldn't help but feel guilty for not asking him that exact question in the past.

"How has that been? Having Kelly back?" Elena asked yet another question, finding it odd that his mom was back. But it was even more so for Lia, who had briefly met her in and out of their household.

"You know, same old Kelly. She's trying, sort of." Matt wasn't impressed by his mother's effort one bit, seeing as she had never been one to put her kids before herself.

"Kelly and my mom were best friends growing up. That's how Matt and I first met, we shared a crib together." Elena looked over at her boyfriend to tell her all about her history with her ex-boyfriend.

"You're kidding." Stefan was just as enlightened by that piece of information as Elena appeared to be.

"No, we've known each other our whole lives." Elena quite literally wasn't sure if she had ever spent a day in her life without knowing Matt Donovan.

Just as their conversation fell silent once again, they all heard loud laughter coming from the bar area, stealing their attention. And just as they all looked over, they found Damon drinking with none other than Jenna Sommers and Kelly Donovan.

"Well, that's an interesting trio." Lia commented, finding it odd that the three of them were all spending time with one another.

"You got to be kidding me."

✰✰✰

The group had moved away from the booth once they all finished their dinner, finding themselves at the pool table to enjoy a game and carry on with the rest of their double date.

"They seem to be having fun." Lia looked back over at Damon, Jenna, and Kelly, who were all still doing the exact same thing they were before.

"They're drunk." Elena laughed, noticing just how under the influence of alcohol their supposed caretakers (plus Damon) seemed to be.

"Remember when Elena's parents busted us here after homecoming?" Matt reminded the three of them that had been there for it of a memory they all held onto dearly.

"Oh, my god. I forgot about that." Lia brought her hands to her mouth as a laugh escaped her lips, getting flashbacks from that night.

"Well, we were wasted; it was the first time I ever got drunk. I blame Matt." Elena carried on with the memory, reminiscing on just how bad it really was.

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

"And Matt had me pretend that I was choking so we could get away." Elena added.

"Except that her dad was a doctor so he jumped up to save her." Matt included.

"And I ran, slipped on the wet floor and bit it in front of everyone. Do you remember that? 3 stitches, a hangover for days and I was grounded from seeing this one," Elena motioned to the only blonde of the group, "for a week."

✰✰✰

Matt and Lia sat inside of his car as they prepared to drive away from the Grill and head to the Salvatore Boarding House, where Stefan and Elena had invited them. As Matt pulled up the directions that Lia easily could have given him, she refrained from saying anything so he wouldn't wonder why she knew exactly where to go.

"Is everything okay?" He gripped onto her hand, but she didn't move a muscle. And that alone was enough for him to come to the conclusion that something was off with her.

"Yeah. Why?" She removed her hand from his and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You just seem quieter than usual." He informed her that he had noticed her lack of communication with him.

"I'm fine." She lied.

"Lia..." He trailed off, refusing to believe a word she said to him.

She sighed and uncrossed her arms from her chest, finally allowing him to understand what was going through her mind. "Look, you and Elena have a past. And I'm completely okay with that. I mean, you can't just ignore it. But are you still in love with her?"

"Lia, I like you. Okay?" Matt assured her that he was over Elena and that he wanted to be with her, bringing a smile on her face.

"Okay." She leaned across the consul and planted a kiss on his cheek sweetly. "Let's go."

✰✰✰

"Amalia." Elena rushed after her friend. It wasn't that Amalia was upset with any of them or the reminder of Elena and Matt's old relationship, but it was that she wasn't able to get out of her own head and believe that Matt didn't still have feelings for the Gilbert.

"You don't have to follow me, Elena. I know exactly how this looks." Amalia was perfectly aware that she seemed the psycho, crazy-jealous girlfriend, regardless that she wasn't any of those things.

"Yeah, you're acting ridiculous." Elena spoke the words that Amalia refused to, causing Lia to turn around to face her best friend, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I know. But I can't help it. I can't trust him, Elena. Do you know how awful that makes me feel?" Amalia had every reason to trust Matt Donovan, but still, she couldn't bring herself to do it. "He's been nothing but good to me, and I still can't trust him."

"Yes, you can." Elena assured the shorter girl that if she just tried to, she would be able to trust him.

"Can't you see that I'm trying?" Lia knew Elena had good intentions, but all their conversation was doing was frustrating her more.

Before Elena could get another word out, the garage door opened, and Stefan and Matt drove outside in Stefan's now fixed Porsche, ending the girls' conversation completely.

"You know what? Why don't you guys go ahead and take it for a spin?" Stefan suggested that Matt and Lia test drive the car. Stefan looked over at Lia, meeting her eyes and noticing the silent thank you she mouthed.

✰✰✰

After Stefan decided to lend the couple his precious antique sports car, Matt Donovan had fallen in love with it throughout the short span of time they had taken it for a drive around the area. As precious as the moment could have been, the car was filled with complete silence other than the stereo playing the greatest hits from the 90s.

"Did I just pass their driveway?" Matt stopped the car, forgetting that he was supposed to return their car any minute now.

"You know, I think you might've." Lia couldn't help but laugh at how he had lost track complete track of where they were.

"This is an amazing car." Matt changed the subject, admiring everything about the vehicle they were inside of. But Lia didn't respond, causing him to let out a deep sigh. "Did I pass? You know, the whole double date thing was obviously a test to see how I would do around Elena."

"I--" Lia cut herself off. The fact that he had caught on so easily took her by surprise and she wasn't sure what the best thing to say to him was. "I don't know. I want to trust you, but it's hard... I was there for your relationship with Elena. I know how in love with her you were."

"Look, I know I made it pretty clear early on that Elena still means something to me. But tonight wasn't about me and Elena. I was there because I wanted to be with you. And I don't know what this means or what we are, but I do know that you're the only person I want to be in this car with right now. I don't even know if this makes sense, because I'm not really that good at expressing myself." Matt gave Amalia an entire speech about wanting to be with her, bringing a smile to her face as she listened to every word he had to say.

She leaned into him, cupping his cheeks with her hands, and bringing his lips on hers. It didn't take long for both of them to melt into the kiss and completely lose track of time. Lia brought her body closer to him, but the center consul of the car made it harder for her to get as close to him as she would've liked.

She pulled away from him and laughed about perfectly imperfect the moment was. "You passed."

✰✰✰

The pair walked back into the boarding house, expecting to find Stefan and Elena somewhere around the living room area. But that, unfortunately, was nowhere near the case. Instead of finding the other half of their double date, their eyes found Damon Salvatore, who was indulging in none other than all Kelly Donovan had to offer.

"Mom?" Matt spoke up, shock and embarrassment completely clear in his voice.

"Damon?" Lia coughed out the older boy's name, shocked by what she was witnessing. But at the same time, she wasn't shocked at all.

"Oh my god, Matt! Oh my god." Kelly Donovan nearly died of embarrassment at the sight of her son. She grabbed everything she had brought with her and quickly ran out of the house, not saying anything more or anything less.

"I got to..." Matt motioned to the door his mother had just exited from.

"Don't worry about it. I'll call you later." Lia leaned over and kissed his cheek, watching as he set the keys in Stefan's hand before running after his mom.

"I'll take her home."

✰✰✰

Stefan Salvatore pulled up to Amalia Schultz's house after being directed for much longer than it should have taken them to finally get to her house. Amalia unbuckled her seatbelt before looking over at him and smiling at him.

"Am I putting him in danger?" Lia asked Stefan the one question that had been bothering her ever since she found out about who, or rather, what Stefan truly was.

"What do you mean?" Stefan was confused by what Lia meant. She wasn't supernatural and the only connection she had to the supernatural world was through the Salvatore's, so he wasn't sure why she would think Matt would be in any kind of danger because of her.

"With everyone that we're against... Damon, included..." Lia trailed off, unsure of how to word the rest of her question. "Is being with me going to hurt him?"

"No." Stefan promised her, lifting a heavy weight off her shoulders. "Of course not."

"But he's gonna hate me if he finds out." Lia referred to everything that happened with Vicki Donovan... all of the lying she had done to him.

"Yeah." Stefan nodded. "Don't worry about that. Okay?"

"Okay." Lia opened the car door, looking back at Stefan Salvatore one last time. "Thanks for tonight, Salvatore."

"Night, Schultz." He smiled at her, causing her to smile as well. She could sense that he wasn't one to smile on a regular basis, but when he did, it was enough to brighten up a room.

"Hm. He smiles." Lia got out of the car at last, a laugh escaping her lips as she turned around to close the car door, but luckily, the window was down. "Always so broody."

"Oh, shut up."

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So ?! I finally posted a chapter nobody has seen yet ?! That's a first. Anyway, I thought I would incorporate a cute little friendship scene between Stefan and Lia since this IS a Stefan fic. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I know a lot of the writing isn't my best, but it's because pretty much all of season one was written two years ago, so hopefully that explains it. Season 2 will be all my modern day writing, so don't give up on me just yet! :)