Who: Caroline and Elena What: Shopping! When: Early April, before Care became a vampire Where: The mall Ratings/Warnings: Low/none Status: Complete
It had been a few weeks since her mom died and Caroline was actually okay. More okay than she thought she would be. When Liz first passed the pain had been too much. It was practically unbearable. But then the day after the funeral she woke up and she just felt fine. Like Tyler said she would. Yes she missed her mom but that overwhelming pain wasn’t there anymore.
Caroline was getting on with her life. Back to work. Hanging out with her friends and Tyler like normal. No more bursting into tears. She was back to her usual bubbly self. Today that was shopping with Elena.
“So,” Caroline said as she walked into the mall with her best friend. “I am running out of dresses for work.” The events she meant. Not the days in the office. Of course Caroline attended every event she planned making sure everything ran smooth. And she had to look the part. “I totally need more. Like a hundred more.” If only she had that kind of money.
** Elena wasn’t entirely sure that this wild swing in temperament was a good thing. Caroline had been through so much over the past few months and had been so close to her mom that the devastation she’d experienced before and at the funeral were expected.
But now...It wasn’t even as though she were pretending. Elena was certain she would have realized if Caroline were merely putting on a brave face. No, this was something different than Caroline’s normal type A personality.
“How many dresses do you already have?” Elena questioned. “I’m sure you can repeat an outfit once or twice. Or change the accessories?” Somehow she doubted either were an ideal solution for her friend.
** Caroline let out a dramatic gasp. “You can never have too many dresses!” She told her friend. Of course she had had to repeat a dress on occasion. She had at least one event a week. Sometimes more. Often more. It was impossible to keep up. Clothing wise that was. She was more than capable of keeping up with all her responsibilities. “I have to look the part,” she reminded her friend.
But this shopping trip wasn’t all about her. She was more than willing to help Elena find some new outfits, or accessories, or shoes, or whatever she needed too. “What are you looking for?” she asked her friend.
** “I know you do,” Elena nodded. “But you also can’t run up your personal debt too much while building your business into the premier event planning company.” She nudged her friend lightly, grinning over at her. “So while I’m sure you’ll be. Wearing Alexander McQueen or Versace in no time…just know your limits.” Caroline aimed for the stars. Elena tended to be a tad more practical.
“Well I need something cute for my rare day off. I’m in a bit of a style rut.”
** “That’s what I have you here for! Someone’s got to keep me grounded!” she teased. Elena was good at though. Reminding Caroline of reality. That she couldn’t max out her credit card on clothes. But of course that wasn’t the only reason she wanted to spend time with her best friend.
“Oh! Are you thinking like a casual dress? Or a skirt and a cute top?” Though with Elena it might end up being jeans and a cute top.
** “I can definitely do that,” Elena laughed. “But remember that when I steer you away from the really expensive shoes.”
“I am open to suggestions.” Though, as with anything concerning Caroline, one did have to be careful in what one agreed to. “As long as it’s somewhat practical. Comfortable. And no fringe, please.” Not that Elena couldn’t put together an outfit, mind, just more that Caroline had very strong opinions about what would or would not suit her friend.
**
“I’ll do my best!” Caroline teased right back. On both fronts too. Remembering Elena was supposed to be helping her not over spend and also trying to keep Elena’s tastes in mind when picking out an outfit for her. “No fringe,” she agreed. “But how about floral?” though that was a bit more Caroline’s style.
** “Can we say it depends on the floral?” Elena wasn’t exactly the girliest of girls, after all. She rarely wore pink or skirts or dresses unless the occasion called for it. She could walk in heels but she didn’t spend hours accessorizing her ensembles either.
“I won’t rule it out but I’m not blindly accepting it, either.”
** “Yes,” Caroline agreed smiling widely. “We can definitely say that.” She wouldn’t want to make Elena wear anything too out of her comfort zone after all. Pushing her friend a little bit was okay, but too much? That was just being a bad friend.
“So,” Caroline said as she began pulling dresses for herself. “What’s been going on with you lately?” With Liz’s passing everything had been about her and her mom for so long. Caroline wanted to catch up on her friends lives too.
** Elena grinned back, perusing the racks in search of something that fit the bill. “Not much has changed,” she answered, focused on the clothing. “Classes and coursework take up most of my time. Checking in on Jer, hanging out with you…”. Even if her brother was engaged now, Elena would perennially play the part of the older sister.
“Not like I got out to bars and find hot one-night stands…”. She glanced over at Caroline, winking teasingly. “So no boys for you to interrogate.”
** “I don’t know how you do it,” Caroline commented. “I definitely couldn’t handle med school.” Caroline didn’t exactly fit the ‘popular girl’ stereotype. She had always been a pretty good student. Her organizational skills and perfectionism were partly to blame for that. But med school was a whole other story.
“Maybe you should. At least go to a club.” One night stands didn’t exactly seem like Elena’s thing. Hell they weren’t even Caroline’s thing. Making out with a random guy? Sure. But her last ‘one night stand’ had turned into a relationship. A crappy one, but still a relationship. But that was beside the point. Elena didn’t have to have a one night stand. But she did deserve a night of fun.
** “You can handle anything you put your mind to.” That much was obvious, especially after everything she had been through with her mom. “And you get used to everything. It’s not so completely overwhelming. Don’t remind me I said that when I’m a third year resident.” Elena grinned over at her friend. Because that would be overwhelming.
“It’s finding the time to do that that’s an issue. I’m okay. I’ll find a guy eventually.”
** “Oh, I’ll definitely remind you.” Not in like a rude way. In a way to prove to her friend she could do it. That she would get used to her responsibilities. It wouldn’t always be too overwhelming.
“I’m not saying you have to find a guy,” Caroline replied. “But you do deserve a night out at the very least.”
** “Easier said than done with my schedule,” Elena answered. “But I will try. As long as you go out, too.” No use going by herself, after all. And with Caroline at least they would both be distracted from things.
“And if I do find a guy, I’ll need you to give me the go or no-go signal.” She was teasing. Mostly.
** “That’s settled then. Next weekend. We are going out.” Caroline gave her friend a triumphant smile. There was no way she was about to let Elena argue her way out of it. When Caroline set her mind to something, it happened. She was a very determined woman.
** It really wasn’t any use arguing with Caroline. Elena had known her long enough to realize that much, at least. “Next weekend,” she agreed, tolerantly.
“I guess that means I should try to find something good to wear. I can’t remember the last time we went out.”