Stefan gripped the fabric of Elena's dress tightly. The red cloth in between his fingers made him feel that much more dominant, letting every man in the room know whose she was. Elena stared out and behind Stefan across the room, completely oblivious to the man who stood watching her from a distance. Her chestnut hair swayed from side to side to side, softly grazing her open back each time.
"You look beautiful," Stefan said softly.
"So do you", she replied.
"I look beautiful?" Stephan asked pulling his upper body away from hers and placing his hands on either side of her hips, grinning.
"You look beautiful, Stefan. You are the beauty that lights up this room," she said smiling and staring deeply into his blue eyes.
"That's where you're wrong," he whispered.
Elena's eyebrows scrunched downward towards her nose in confusion as Stefan quickly spun her around and dipped her, her right leg bending slightly as the left stuck straight out into the air revealing her red devil heels. Stefan brought his right hand up and slowly ran his fingers down her tan slender leg before pulling her back up and bringing her chest hard against his. Elena giggled and buried her face into his neck as the couple continued to dance. A few seconds later she pulled away and cupped his neck with her hands.
"I need a drink," she smiled.
"I don't", Stefan chuckled.
Elena rolled her eyes, flashing him her bright smile before kissing him on the cheek and walking off toward the drinks table. She grabbed a red solo cup with her left hand and the punch spoon with her right. Suddenly someone nearby screamed and it startled her, punch pouring all over her white Lily-Of-The-Valley corsage. She winced as she noticed it was only Caroline, stumbling over a random guy she probably compelled to take her as his date. The dance had only been going on for about twenty minutes and she was already tipsy.
"Well that's Caroline for you," Elena said softly.
Caroline shifted her eyes to Elena quickly, startling her again. She gasped and mouthed, "Sorry" as she placed a paper towel atop her wet corsage. Caroline smiled and then went back to her act. Elena quenched her thirst and returned back to her date.
"What took you so long," Stefan smiled down into her eyes.
"I was gone for five minutes," she giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled away slowly, bringing his hand up to sweep her bangs from her eyes gently.
"I love you Elena" he cooed.
"And I love you, Stefan".
Stefan wrapped his hand around her hair tightly and pulled it back, jerking her head violently.
"I see you've been practicing," he spat.
"Am I getting better Stefan?" she giggled and moaned softly.
"You know I love it when you pull my hair."
"When will you give it a rest, Katherine?" he asked calmly, letting go of her hair not wanting to make a scene.
"Let what go? How badly you want me?" she winked.
"You wish," he raised his eyebrows and dropped them quickly as he stopped dancing.
"You wish too, Stefan. Don't deny it."
Stefan sighed, flashing Katherine a look of annoyance, straightened out his tux jacket, and walked away.
"See you around, Kat," he spoke quickly as he headed across the room.
He walked up to a dark-haired man and tapped him on the shoulder and as the man turned around slowly his jet black eyebrows rose slowly as he half-grinned to Stefan.
"What is it brother?"
"Damon, you'll never guess who decided to show up."
"Hmm. Let me guess. It's a lame dance with a bunch of lame teens listening to lame music and drinking lame punch, I'm going to go with Conniving Katherine?" he said fully grinning now.
"I heard that, dick!" Katherine said as she approached the two men from behind.
"Glad to know your hearing is well Kit-kat," Damon said sarcastically as he reached into his tux pocket, pulling out a flask and taking a quick swig of it.
She rolled her eyes.
"Shouldn't you be kissing Claus's ass?" Damon asked.
"Shouldn't you be staring at Elena, wishing she were here with you and not Stefan?" Katherine retaliated, flashing a fake smile.
"I don't have time for this, I need to find Elena," Stefan said as he disappeared quickly, leaving the two alone.
"How about you, feel like dancing with the one woman you'd do anything for?" Katherine asked, batting her eyelashes sarcastically.
"Funny. You look just like her, yet you aren't," Damon flashed an equivalent fake smile to the one Katherine had just given him and disappeared as well.
"Dicks", Catherine mumbled and she too disappeared.
The power went out and the music shut off…
A combination of screams and gasps filled the dark room as the screeching sound of a microphone forced everyone almost to their knees.
"Everyone, do not panic! The power will be back on in just a few minutes," said Alaric, the eleventh grade history teacher and coincidentally also the host of the night's dance. A few moments later the lights came back on and everyone stood looking confused. Alaric scanned the room quickly as his eyes rested on Stefan who was in the corner of the room pressing a few buttons on the gym's power box. Alaric nodded to Stefan who nodded in return. A few moments later the music came back on and Alaric made his way over to the "good" brother.
"Have you seen Elena?" Stefan asked.
"I just saw her with y…Katherine, huh?" He finished.
Stefan nodded.
"This won't end well, will it?" Alaric asked heading toward the exit door.
"Not at all," Stefan agreed as he placed his hand on the back of Ric's shoulder and followed him out the door. The two made their way to Ric's office which was unlocked.
"What the hell?"
"What's wrong Alaric?" Stefan asked confused.
"I always lock this door, that's what's wrong," Alaric responded as he headed over to the closet ironically inside of his closet. He flung open the doors and looked around, no weapons or ammo had been taken.
"Someone's been in here," he gritted his teeth and grabbed a small gun, tucking it away inside his tux.
"Who do you think it may have been?" Stefan asked, not surprised by the night's turn of events.
"Whoever it was, they knew what they were looking for. But…what was it?" Alaric asked as he pulled open the top drawer of his desk and noticed right away that his journal had been taken. He slammed the drawer shut and cocked his gun.
"You in?" he asked Stefan, obviously furious.
"Aren't I always?" he flashed his fangs momentarily as the two flew through the school's entrance and out into the cold night. A teacher approached the two quickly.
"Alaric, where do you think you're going? You can't leave the kids by themselves!" she screamed, out of breath.
"Can you cover for me for a few minutes until I get back?" Alaric asked the woman softly.
"Sure…okay…but hurry up! Where on Earth are you even going?"
Alaric cut his eyes to the woman as she hushed and turned toward the door.
"They don't pay me enough for this," she spat as she stomped toward the school doors. Right as she placed her hand onto the metal door handle, a forceful blow knocked her out cold from behind.
"Sorry darling," a voice with a strange accent said false apologetically.