Chapter 2

A man with dark raven hair and an amused smirk was looking down at her, an eyebrow raised. She swallowed compulsively and stared at him with wide eyes. He was gorgeous, easily the best-looking man she had ever seen. With his messed up hair and leather jacket he was the epitome of sex.

"And who might you be?" He asked, his voice was friendly but there was an edge of something she couldn't quite identify.

She smiled sheepishly as she climbed out of her hiding place, nervously smoothing down her clothes.

"Elena Gilbert." She said in a small voice, reaching her hand out.

Understanding swept across his face and he took her hand in his, smoothly bringing it to his lips and kissing it lightly. She willed herself not to blush.

"Ah, the daughter of my father's new woman, I believe?"

The expression on his face was pleasant, open and charming but Elena could see beyond the surface. She could see the hardness in his eyes, the way the muscle in his jaw clenched at the mention of his father. She could see the threat this man imposed, the clear warning that he seemed to exude. The rumors were true; he was trouble.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Elena, I'm Damon."

Dangerous or not, he was enthralling.

"May I ask what you were doing sitting in a cupboard?" His lips twitched into a smirk and he looked at her in a way that was making her stomach flip flop crazily. She scolded herself for being so affected by his appearance and forced herself to focus.

She smiled again, slightly stiffly, the awkwardness of their meeting not lost on her.

"I was just…uh…I was…" She stumbled over her words, not quite sure what excuse would be feasible enough to explain why she was sitting but herself in a dark cupboard in his father's library.

He smiled that cold smile again and fixed her with his brilliant eyes.

Damn him for making her squirm like this, she thought angrily. He could just let her go, but it was obvious that he was rather enjoying her discomfort.

"I thought the house was empty. When I heard you I thought it could be a burglar." She lied.

"Ah." He said.

Outwardly he seemed to accept her explanation. But she could see he didn't believe it for a second.

"Well Elena, I don't want to keep you from…whatever it is that you are doing." He said smoothly, before giving her a nod before turning away.

Elena was left standing alone in the large library feeling slightly dazed and extremely humiliated.

Elena watched as Caroline scouted the grill for anyone worth gossiping about. Bonnie rolled her eyes and went to order more milkshakes, leaving Elena alone at the booth. The three friends had arranged this meeting to chat and try to catch up; they had drifted apart since the accident. So far it hadn't been going well, conversation had been awkward and stilted.

Elena sighed and leant back against the seat. She knew she had withdrawn since her father died. But it was easier this way, she preferred not engaging with everyone, keeping to herself. It meant she didn't get hurt so easily.

Caroline danced back over to their table and elegantly folded herself into the seat opposite her.

"So how's living at the Salvatore's?" She giggled, obviously having found no one else gossip worthy.

Elena attempted a smile.

"It's great. My room's really nice." She said half-heartedly.

Caroline looked sympathetic for a moment before a huge grin lit her face.

"Have you met Damon yet?" She asked, making no effort to hide her enthusiasm.

Elena nodded, her thoughts drifting back to the dark haired man she had met that morning.

"Yeah."

Caroline squealed and clutched at the table, staring at Elena, anxiously waiting for more information.

"So…is he like they say he is?" She asked.

Elena shrugged.

"I don't really know…" She mused.

Her friend sighed at her lack of excitement.

"I saw him once you know. We didn't talk or anything but man is he hot!"

Bonnie rejoined them, three milkshakes balanced precariously in her arms.

"What are you guys chatting about?" She asked with a smile, setting the shakes on the table and sitting next to Caroline.

"Damon Salvatore."

Bonnie's face darkened.

"Has he tried anything with you?" She spat, her eyes fixed on Elena.

She quickly shook her head, unused to seeing such anger on her friend's face.

"Oh come on Bon, lighten up." Caroline sighed.

"He's trouble Caroline. I hate that Elena's living with him."

"Don't worry, I don't think he'll be around much." Elena assured them, stirring her strawberry shake distractedly.

"Where does he disappear off to anyway?" Bonnie asked.

Elena shrugged.

"No one knows…" Caroline murmured, her eyes darkening with the excitement of a mystery.

Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"I think he just has business out of town." Elena said.

"Isn't he a bit young to have 'business'?" Bonnie said, her dislike again poorly concealed.

"He's like twenty." Caroline piped up.

Elena let the two bicker, keeping quiet and sipping at her drink. It was interesting to learn more about the man who's house she was living in, but she wasn't sure what was rumor and what was fact. She didn't want to judge him until she had seen his actions for himself. She wondered why he still lived in the boarding house when he was in his twenties, but she didn't voice her question, knowing that her friends would only bombard her with a series of conspiracy theories.

A while later Elena excused herself and left the two girls to their gossip. She slipped out of the grill and was surprised to see that it had gotten dark. She glanced at her watch and groaned at the time. Miranda had been expecting her home an hour ago, they were going to do some big family dinner; she had some fantasy about all of them bonding and becoming some big happy family.

Elena sighed and walked to her car, her thoughts far from her reality.