Out of Love
This one tape. It held one of the most memorable day of her life. It captured her friends and family celebrating with her while she was in a state of pure bliss. Everything was perfect from the start to end. No one could ever question her happiness one that holy day.
But now, as she held it on her hand it made her weep and look back with a heavy heart. She would have never found it, until the day she was leaving and packing up memories that symbolized the end of an era and gave her a sense of closure.
She was moving away from her home. Chicago had been great but was too small for her. Growing up, college, and her first job had all taken place here and she will always love it but she needed more. New York City was going to be her new home. She'd been offered a job, after months of applying, to one of the most prestigious public relations company. Two weeks from now she would be packed, out of her apartment and starting her new job.
During the packing process, she had found many things like her charm bracelet from her dad he had given to her when she graduated, an old pair of slippers and this video that haunted her dreams. Her hand moved to put it in the box; however, her brain told her different. It was a debate: cry and rehash the heartbreaking past or put it in the box and build up her walls again.
Her hand won.
She was not going to be the scared girl anymore. The looks she got when people recognized her made her uncomfortable and second guess choices. They would stare and whisper things like, "Yeah, it was her call and she just ignored It." or "She's a heartless bitch". That was the worst thing to come from her choice. The fallout. People she barely knew or even talked to judged her when they should have just worried about their own lives.
Now she was twenty-eight and already dealt with enough shit to last a lifetime. Dreams of her were given up and the most romance she ever got was when she turned on Ed Sheeran's album. Music was the only thing that kept her together during rough times. Nights she would cry to Birdy or Sleeping at Last songs then wake up with a smile and tell everyone she is fine.
So how did she get here?
At nineteen she met a boy. Just like any romantic comedy and fall head over heels in love. He accepted her baggage of a dead mother, a brother trying to make it into the NFL, and an almost famous author of a father. He knew all her habits and her past. For instance that she was popular in high school until her first boyfriend cheated on her, so she had a hard time trusting people. Also, she loves with all her heart and when she opens up she always put you first and is the type of person to drop what she's doing to help a friend in need.
After the deed was done, she went cold. Her heart closed. Life for Elena Gilbert consisted of her job, her dog and her therapist. Now was a chance to start over. Be the bright bubbly girl she once was once upon a time.
LABEL: MOVIES &CDs
Everything was out and the moving truck was ready to go. She hopped into the truck with her father ready to just drive. What else better to do than sleep, she thought. Darkness crept up on her and she was fast asleep.
Poke. Poke. Poke.
Grayson, her father, was trying to wake her.
"Elena, Elennnnnaaaa, it's time to get up and your turn to drive. Sorry sweetie, but I'm older.
She snickered, "Thanks dad," while rolling her eyes. They were officially halfway through the drive.
"Great, now I have to drive in the dark until the sun comes which should be in about…" Looking over she saw her dad was already comfy and snoring. Now all there to do was think and burn some highway.
Three hours later, she was in the middle of Pennsylvania. All her songs had been played or skipped. Her mind started to wonder. She kept thinking about her life and all the happy mundane events.
Birthdays.
Holidays.
Graduations.
But only two were not happy. Those were her Wedding Day and the day ink became her enemy and friend. The day she got divorced. A few pen strokes meant she was no longer married. She always thought her wedding day was the best day of her live until the day she got divorced. What was once a happy day was now a mistake, well at least according to her father.
Grayson always liked him, but the day he started keeping secrets and texting someone in the middle of the night, was the day he wasn't happy who his daughter had married.
So who may you ask caused all this damage? It was simple. The love of Elena Gilbert's life or used to be.
Damon Salvatore.
He was smooth, handsome, confident to say the least, guarded, and was once the husband of Elena Gilbert. Damon was now a successful investment banker. He is rough around the edges, has a couple of tats, and is or was obsessed with corrupting Elena.
One thing that never changed in their relationship was the sex. Bedrooms, showers, couches, cars, her office, his office, a cafe on Michigan Avenue, once on an airplane, a janitor's closet in college. They could never get enough of each other, and even once after the divorce they couldn't get enough.
She hadn't heard from him in two and a half years. However, through the grapevine she heard he was out in Portland doing God knows what with God knows who.
They could be civil or at least she thought so.
It's not like he kicked her out or asked for her ring back, even though she forced him to take it and later that day she found it in an envelope in her mailbox with no return address and a note that said "Here, we had a good run. See ya around Gilbert".
That was the last time she heard from him. Elena pestered his brother Stefan for details about his whereabouts twice. Stefan just gave her a look of sorrow and left.
The Salvatore brothers were secretly close but were always bantering with one another. Stefan was half of his Best man at their wedding. That position was split with Stefan and Alaric Saltzman. Alaric owned a bar downtown and was the one to introduce Damon to Elena.
They were still close and before she left he told her he was one phone call away. She viewed him as a cool uncle.
All this reflecting back to the past made her driving go by quick that she barely noticed she was about to be in Manhattan. Due to her salary increase with the job offer, she could afford a studio apartment in her favorite neighborhood. SoHo.
Pulling the moving truck over to the side, she got out, stretched her sore legs and took a deep breathe. She was finally where she wanted to be. She was Free. She was living her dream or about to start it.
"New city, new me." Out of the corner of her eye she saw her dad standing there with a big grin on his face. She questioned him, "What are you smiling at?"
He blew out his breath, "You, and I can see how much you want to be here. Well it's finally the time you be happy, maybe even meet someone new because even Jeremy has a serious girlfriend."
Rolling her eyes, "Hey don't bring Jer into this. They have been dating since, what, middle school? And I think I'll hold off for a bit and just focus on my new job, I hear my boss is a bitch. I mean what kind of a name is Katherine Pierce?"
He grabbed her shoulders and looked her eyes and said, "Hey, don't forget you are Elena freaking Gilbert, you can charm a snake and actually did…" He said about to start ranting.
"Daddddddd!" Elena groaned.
"I'm just saying you'll charm her and maybe you can be friends." In a cheery tone he said.
Going to open the truck she breathed, "Guess we'll just have to see then."
They grabbed a few boxes and she followed her dad up the stairs, but paused and took a breath.
"This is gonna be good," and walked up and inside her new apartment and into her new life.