Chapter Two- I hope you guys like it! Whoever you are...anyone? haha
"Aren't Katie and Stefan SO cute together!"
"How did Katie ever land herself such a looker?"
"What about his brother though, what's his name? Damon? He too is one sexy guy."
"Katie is one lucky girl to find herself with those two on either arm…"
Voices swirled around Katie. It seemed everywhere she went one of her uncles was hugging her, one of her aunts was kissing her, and one of her cousins was gushing over Stefan and Damon. Yes, she knew both brothers were good looking. Yes, she couldn't believe she was with someone as amazing as Stefan. And yes, she knew she was damn lucky to have Stefan in her life. The questions and murmurs around her never ceased to end.
While her Aunt Lynn was gushing about her daughter's piano recital, Katie snuck a peek around. The backyard looked lovely with their pond sparkling with life and the pool's water glistening blue. A table was set up right in the center with plates of food on top; from the classic hot dogs and hamburgers to pasta dishes commemorating her Italian heritage, it all looked so delicious. Guests mingled here and there, talking and chatting about their kids, pets, and homes. Katie saw Stefan chatting lightly by the food, his plate noticeably absent only to her, talking to her Grandma Janet. Being deaf in one ear, her grandmother had no clue who Stefan was but kept babbling on about how "life was so much better before that goddamn television took over."
Laughing to herself she kept looking around until she saw Damon. He was sitting down eating…a hotdog? A giggle bubbled up inside of her and she mouthed, "What are you doing?" Knowing that he could hear her regardless of the distance, he chuckled, casually got up, and walked past her, saying in a low whisper so that only Katie could hear, "Your mother did say there would be plenty of food." He kept walking until he caught the eye of her cousin, and nonchalantly made his way over to her.
Katie's mind had to be directed back to her aunt, but when she looked again she noticed that Damon, with one arm around her cousin, his other hand twirling a lock of her hair (which happened to be very close to her neck), was whispering to her, most likely some provocative pick up line. And of course who could resist Damon's charm? Her cousin smiled and looked away, feinting embarrassment but obviously pleased by his attention to her. A feeling of someone squeezing her heart suddenly came over Katie, mixed with a low churn of anger from deep within.
Jesus we aren't even here twenty minutes and he is literally preying on my cousin? He can't control himself for like one day? Come ON already and right in front of me too? Damon just…
"Katie…Katie dear!"
Snapping her head back Katie looked at her Aunt Lynn who was clearly annoyed by the fact she would DARE space out while in her presence. "I was just saying how my darling little Sam made regional's when the oddest look came over your face! I could have sworn you looked like you wanted to rip out my throat!"
"You should look at Damon, I'm sure you'll see that same look on his face for a different reason…" Katie mumbled to herself.
"What was that deary?" Aunt Lynn asked in confusion.
"Oh nothing, nothing. I just remembered I left my ah, lip balm in my gown in my room, and my lips are just so chapped, and so um I'll be right back."
Imitating a smile Katie moved past relatives until she was on her deck. She caught Stefan's eye hoping he would get the hint to come upstairs with her, but her Grandma Janet was still jabbering, yet now on "the nuisance of some mindless concept called 'rap'". He shrugged very lightly at Katie, both knowing that he would come up when he could. Sighing she made her way into the house alone, climbing up the stairs to her bedroom, the only one on the second floor.
Walking over old stuffed animals and dirty clothes, Katie sat back on her bed and stared up at her sky blue ceiling. Almost like Damon's eyes. But his are softer in a way, with maybe a hint of gray in them? Well I guess it could be debated that they…
Laughter from outside broke her thought and she snapped back up. What the hell Katie? Get a grip of yourself!
She walked over to her floor length mirror and absentmindedly grabbed a hold of her hairbrush to pull it through her hair. Her brown hair which normally was somewhere between wavy and straight, but it was curly today, and her dark blue eyes seemed to almost pop with the color of her purple v-neck shirt. It flowed down to her hips where it met a simple black skirt that shimmered down to a little above her knees. Never being a size zero, yet never overweight, Katie was a mix of curves that made her look much older than eighteen even though she was only five foot three. Looking into the mirror she took account of herself, never very satisfied by her appearance but at least pleased she didn't look too disheveled for the day. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
Just make it through the summer. Then you can be with Stefan next year away at college. Just the two of us together always. No one else. HE will be here still, or traveling somewhere else. And why do I have to even see him that much this summer? I can make up excuses to not go to their house. Stefan can come here or we can meet somewhere. It can work out! No, it WILL work out!
Her eyes still closed she took a deep breathe to relax herself. When she opened her eyes a minute later there was Damon standing behind her, his reflection smirking back in the mirror.
"What the-" Katie almost screamed, jumping back four feet causing her to almost fall into him. You would think by now I would be used to that!
Snapping back around to face him she tried, and barely succeeded, to regain her composure by saying, "You know, creeping up behind someone in a mirror is like the most cliché move the killers make in horror movies."
"Oh but who says I am here to kill you?" Damon smiled, his teeth almost shining in reply.
"Yet…" she mumbled, glaring at him. "So…what are you doing in my room?"
"Ugh, I couldn't take another minute of your cousin Jamie." He said while flopping dramatically onto the bed.
"You mean Jenny?" Katie said, a smile slowly sneaking onto her face. She slid over to the wall and leaned against it, not wanting to be close to him, yet feeling more than ever drawn to him.
As if he could hear her thoughts, he sat up on the bed cross-legged and smirked. "Of course, I so rather be up here with you."
"Haha." She said, arms crossed looking away.
He picked up a sock that was lying across her pillow and with the tips of his fingers put it in front of him at an arm's distance. His nose pinched he said, "But I do not wanna be in the same room as your dirty socks. Do laundry much?"
Katie laughed as she ran over to grab the sock. "Oh come on! It so doesn't smell at all!" She reached over him to get it but he stood up on the bed out of her reach. "You want it? Come and get it!"
She scrambled up onto her bed and jumped to reach it, but it was just out of grasp. Damon almost flew off the bed laughing. "That's the best you got?"
"Wait, that is SO unfair! I can't help it that your vampire abilities make you faster than me!"
"Hun, even without my powers you would never be able to catch me."
Still standing on her bed, Katie put her hands on her hips and teased, "That's b.s. and you know it! I would be way faster, and I bet stronger too!
His blue eyes sparkling with amusement, Damon was suddenly standing on top of the bed and replied, "Stronger? You sure about that?" He grabbed a hold of her hips and swung her down onto the bed so he was straddled over her.
Katie was laughing so hard tears were openly flowing down her cheeks. As her breathing slowed she looked up at Damon and caught his gaze, and realized he wasn't laughing anymore, but staring down at her, a strange emotion that Katie couldn't place lingering behind his eyes.
She slowly untangled herself from Damon and walked over to her closet, her back facing him now.
"You haven't really been yourself lately Kate."
"What do you mean?" She said quickly, maybe too quickly. Shit.
Moving inhumanly fast, he was in front of her in a split second, his blue eyes boring into hers. "You know what I mean." His voice was soft, softer than Katie ever heard it before. "It wasn't even a month ago when we could laugh and joke like this always. You're, you're my best friend. And now…you're so distant. Why is that Kate?"
"It's just…ya know…finals and well…preparing for college…and…"
"Ah yes, college next fall. You and Stefan, embarking on new adventures halfway across the country!" Damon's voice grew rough, a touch of bitterness lingering on leaving his lips. "And where shall I be? Still in this crappy little town? Doubt it."
"Where will you go?" Katie said, meeting his eyes.
"I don't know. Maybe go somewhere in Europe. See the world…again. British girls just have an exotic taste to them that is so, irresistible." The corners of lips tilted up, but the light didn't meet his eyes.
Ignoring his joke Katie whispered almost involuntary, "I'll miss you next year."
Surprised flicked across his eyes, but his voice was cool, controlled. "It will be different, not seeing you. Hell, I might even miss Stefan. These past two years, a lot has changed. The sight of my brother doesn't repulse me…as much, anymore. And well, I met you. I even started to care about this town. Why? Damn, I don't even know. But it's the closest I have ever felt to being home, really home, in a long time, and a lot of that has to do with you."
A blush crept onto her face, but she didn't dare break his gaze. Katie's heart was beating fast and slow at the same time. The voices that she once heard from outside seemed to pause, as if time itself slowed down. Eyes still locked, blue on blue, Damon's hand brushed back a stray hair from her face. Katie's lips unintentionally parted, her hand reaching for his. His lips lowered to meet hers, both their eyes slowly closing; their lips were four inches apart, three inches, two, one….
"Katie? Are you still up there?" Stefan called, walking up the staircase.
The moment was gone, as if someone shut off a switch. Katie pulled back and started to run her hands through her hair, which now seemed to have frizzed up. Damon just looked at her, a touch of sadness in his eyes until they turned cold. "Up here Stefan. We are both up here."
Stefan walked in, his tie loosely undone, his eyes looking back and forth between his flustered girlfriend and his cocky brother. "Everything…okay up here?"
"Yea, yes!" Katie said brushing past Damon not even looking at him, grabbing onto Stefan's hand. "I came up to take a break and Damon followed me."
"Oh don't be so modest, she literally dragged me up here! Begging and pleading me to come!" Damon said sitting back onto her bed.
Stefan just stared at his brother, knowing that he was joking, shaking his head in very mild amusement. Turning back to Katie he said, "Your mom is looking for you. You were up here for a while and she was getting worried. Also your Grandma was getting worried too, except that she thought you were packing to runaway with an Egyptian prince. How does she come up with this stuff?"
Laughing a high fake laugh Katie just shrugged and started to follow Stefan out of her room down the stairs. But before she left she took a peek behind at Damon who was still sitting on her bed, gazing down at his hands with a thoughtful look on his face. Suddenly he clenched his fists and a look of such pain crossed his face that Katie actually took a step back to hold onto the doorframe. The pain that was visible in his face made her gasp aloud. But before she could call out to him he abruptly stoop up, and not even looking at her once, he walked over to her window and jumped through it. Katie ran over to look out, to see when he went, but he was nowhere to be seen…he was already gone…
