"FUCKING I DON-" The slur of profanities from the streets below grew fainter, mere background noise now.
You'd imagine it would alert your average sleeping person, breathing soundly and quietly in the windows up above; but after a certain period of time, everyone acclimatizes. Much like growing accustomed to heat from having lived in a deathly cold part of the world - expats in Spain, for one.
These night time disturbances were now the equivalent of the howling of wolves on a hillside by a moonlit forest, seagulls and the lapping of the ocean - though they're much more pleasurable to sirens, piss-heads and early morning traffic, however.
Elena was already awake, so it made no real difference.
She made her way to the window, in only her underwear, unfazed by her exposed body and anyone looking in, ever the exhibitionist.
The glass began to steam from her exerts of breath, shrouding New York in a form of mist other than exhaust fumes.
Tucking a lock of chestnut hair behind her ear, she peered out at the staggering people in the street, too tired to be amused.
To think, she must have looked like that to a few bystanders on more than one occasion The very thought made her shrink back into the room after closing the Venetian blinds, desiring seclusion hiding from the shame. She could only laugh it away with a shake of her head.
Elena had been legal for not even a year yet, newly qualified and graduated from NYU, courtesy of her aunt Jenna's opulent fortune.
Life wasn't always spent in the big apple, however, she was actually born and raised in a small town, ever the cliche.
The death of Elena's parents came as an unfair reality check, it stripped her not only of a mother and father figure, but her entire life in the aftermath, naturally. Of course it still plagues her mind every tedious day that goes by, but Elena liked to consider herself recovered, even if it were a lie. The new leaf in a apple large enough to get lost in certainly helped, not to mention the generosity of her mother's sister - who became her guardian when she was seventeen.
It all led to her transformation into the cool and collected character she was today - it went well with her piercing eyes and sleek hair; she radiated life experience, that of someone twenty years her elder. That doesn't mean she wasn't left with the nagging question of what woman she'd be had her parents survived, and raised her back home, as was planned for seventeen years. To dwell on such things was a road no one should travel down, and she was aware of this all too well.
On that particular line of thought, reminded of home, it brought back the anxiety she'd previously been battling with all day.
The next morning she'd be on a flight back to her childhood abode, visiting those she'd left behind; and more importantly, facing her parents death head on - it should be a crime to not have visited their resting place since their departure from the world.
Aunt Jenna was positive about the trip home, and wouldn't stop with the profuse apologies about not venturing with her.
An important lady such as herself seldom had the time for personal leisure in the midst of a booming business - it hardly bothered either party.
Jenna loved what she did, and Elena loved the solitude - for more than just quiet reading. Just because you're still grieving over tremendous loss, doesn't necessarily mean you can't permit yourself some occasional happiness and a little partying on the side.
Sooner than anticipated, the morning rolled around, bathing the room in a warm glow, bouncing from the oak of the filtering-esque blinds.
The limp body rolled over under the sheets, groaning petulantly, flailing an arm out to silence the daily nuisance - but to no avail.
Her alarm clock wailed on, demanding compliance. Elena begrudgingly obliged, but not without a few aimless words of aggression in its direction.
She bathed, dressed and ate as was the norm, devoid of any real thoughts as she meticulously repeated her daily ritual.
The only real difference was the haste made in order to be on time to the airport; not that she even wanted to be, with second thoughts and doubts wounding her determination by the minute.
Hours down the line, she was actually sat in her allocated seat on the plane, and not in her local coffee shop arm chair, thanking herself for worrying to the extent that she'd chosen to stay home. Instead, she was left cursing the very ground she walked on - which was entirely irrational, considering she was thousands of feet up in the air.
Putting her wages to good use, Elena bought herself a measure of Jack on ice for the road ahead - again, she's not even anywhere near a road.
She coiled her fingers tentatively round the crystal after a hefty swig, still agitated.
That was, until, she caught the eye of another passenger across from her.
It was a pair of eyes anyone would want the attention of - smoky grey, somewhat polite, somewhat suggestive, with a rest of him to match.
To say the least, it brought about a smile to her Benefit coated lips. If Elena weren't so sick to her stomach, she'd have seriously been considering joining the mile high club. The sensible moron opted for a cat nap, but failed miserably, and settled for dejectedly staring out the window, pensively wallowing.
It dragged up memories she didn't mind going over; in fact, they even gave her a warm feeling. Home wouldn't be so bad, she was even excited, her small grin made that evident; it was the prospect of seeing her old house and her parents resting place that taunted her.
Settling into the leather, her mind oh so willingly wandered down memory lane, right down someone's street. Stefan Salvatore's, to be precise.
When her life was pristine and innocent, there was a time when she was blissfully happy with someone. That someone was a gorgeous, green-eyed boy at Mystic Falls high with her, someone who guided her through her teenage years with ease. They were teenage sweethearts, the envy of their classmates, the pinnacle of a childhood couple - though they'd only taken the step from friends to lovers when they were sixteen. Those memories were some Elena was most fond of - lazy summer days down by the lake, back at the boarding house, on her front porch and even cheering from the bleachers as he ran the football down the field for Mystic Falls. He was perfect - they were perfect.
It was picturesque, but somehow, she knew their reunion wouldn't be.
Though keen to see him, she was more than a little nervous. When Elena had gotten the news of her parents death, she'd gone into a bear-like hibernation, refusing to acknowledge the world, let alone her concerned boyfriend. She'd let her aunt cart her away as quick as humanly possible, unable to utter a goodbye to Stefan, her friends, teachers - and she lived to regret that, even if everyone understood and held no resentment towards her for it.
Now was the time to set things right, and re-kindle old flames.
Please review! I really appreciate everyone telling me what they thought so I can improve it and make sure you'll all enjoy what's to come by helping me shape the story! The whole thing is my original idea - I've just worked your beloved characters into it.
I WILL BE UPDATING REGULARLY. Yep, that's right.
More juicy things to come I promise you. Damon included. ;}
-A xoxo