Chapter 1 - I'm not so tough

A/N: Seeing as the Prologue as well as the first chapter are both pretty short chapters, I figured I might as well immediately upload Chapter 1 as well. Also, it doesn't seem like I completely got the hang of the Doc Manager just yet, so the paragraphing might just be way off. If it is, I do apologize and I hope to figure it all out soon, so I can edit the chapters. Thanks for your patience.

R/R Please!

Enjoy!

I own nothing. Song is "I'm not so tough" by Ilse de Lange.

Elena P.O.V.

When I got to the boarding house earlier today, I could notice something was up with Stefan, he was being slightly jittery and nervous, but he didn't want to talk about it. Or well.. He did one better, he actually denied it. Even though it was so obvious that something was bothering him. So I kept pushing and pushing.

~ You imagine I don't care

You see walls that just aren't there

You think I'm too strong to let you in

Well that's just not fair ~

"Why won't you tell me what's wrong?" I asked him. He sighed before answering. "It's nothing. It's not important."

I think at that time I actually growled a little in the back of my throat. How dare he say that whatever is on his mind isn't important. Whenever something is bothering me, I tell him. Or he bugs me long enough until I tell him. And now he's acting like I don't even care about what's bothering him.

I brushed my hands through my hair and started pacing around, before coming to a standstill and just looking at him, realization hitting me, there would probably only be one subject he would refrain from talking to me about.

"Is it Katherine?" I asked him, not sure if I even wanted to know the answer.

~ I know that you've been hurt before

Well so have I, what can you do?

That doesn't mean you close the door

So stop blaming me, I don't blame you ~

Stefan nodded and sighed. "It's just that.. She really hurt me, Elena. And sometimes when you look at me, or the fire in your eyes.. The way you look at him.. It just.." Stefan trailed off.

"Okay, so let me get this straight.. You're blaming me for what she did to you? Are you kidding me?"

I looked at him wide-eyed and held my head in my hands, my fingers entwined in my hair, as I just shook my head and actually let out a slight chuckle out of sheer amazement.

At that same moment, my eyes started to well up and tears started to make their way down my cheeks. I had tried so hard to not be like her, I didn't understand, why would he say such things? I just broke down and cried.

~ I'm not so tough, I call your bluff

And let you see the side of me

That wants you here and cries real tears

And needs someone to love ~

He knelt down beside me and put his arm around my shoulder, trying to shush me and muttering that he was sorry. I shrugged his arm away from me and stood up, shaking my head violently.

"Just.. Just leave me be. I need some time to think. This is just.. This is.." Stefan cut me off.

"Just stay here, we should talk about this.. There's probably something we could do.. Just.. Don't leave, Elena.. Please.." He begged.

"I.. I have to leave for now. I need to think." I simply stated again, before walking to the front door of the boarding house.

~ I'm not some ghost from your past

The one who tore your heart and left

I'm not her, it's not my fault

You're holding on to that ~