Wow what an amazing response! You guys totally rock. Thanks to everyone who liked, commented, favorited and followed! Your comments have made me put this up much faster than I anticipated! So here's to the next chapter to The Choices We Make…
Elena
Elena Gilbert truly believed that some people were put into one's life to test you. To test your grit and your determination. Or as her grandmother would like to say 'To test your mettle."
Elena also believed that there was someone in everyone's life that could be termed as your natural born enemy.
Othello had Iago, The Montague's had the Capulet's. Even Superman had Lex Luthor.
And for her that person was Katherine Pierce.
Beautiful, confident, strong willed Katherine Pierce who believed that Elena stole her best friend as well as her boyfriend.
Beautiful, confident, strong willed Katherine Pierce who hated Elena on sight because people commented that even though they looked alike, Elena was the antithesis of everything Katherine ever was.
Beautiful, confident, strong willed Katherine Pierce who was super intimidating and insanely beautiful that Elena honestly couldn't see what those same people were talking about.
Elena could not, for the life of her, see what they saw. Katherine was taller, curvier, forever dressed in Vivian Westwood, Stella McCartney or Alexander McQueen. And that's just to name a few designer's Katherine draped on her body. Others Elena couldn't even pronounce their names.
Katherine's hair was darker than hers, more black than brown. Her skin the color of warm toffee, which was a shade darker than her own lightly tanned skin. Even her eyes were different. A light shade of amber whereas Elena's were just plain old brown.
Katherine was borderline arrogant, Elena considered herself semi-confident. Actually she probably had more doubts than not, but it seemed that Katherine never had a moment of doubt.
Katherine harboured a genius level I.Q whereas Elena scraped through high-school with a B average.
Katherine was the only child of a billionaire that had more money than Mark Zuckerberg whereas Elena came from a middle-class family consisting of a mother who liked to poke her nose in her daughter's business a bit too much, a father who worked a management job at a consultancy firm and a younger brother who tended to like the taste of pot more than he actually should.
But the thing that separated them the most though was that Katherine was a class A bitch, a mantle she took on proudly daring anybody to try and snatch it from her. Elena refused to be mean to anyone who wasn't mean to her first.
And unfortunately for Elena, Katherine had been a bitch to her since the first hello.
She remembered when Bonnie had introduced them. The way that Katherine had the ability to make her feel as if she were crud at the bottom of her Christian Louboutin shoes. Marring the signature red underside making Elena wish she were anywhere else but in Katherine's presence. She later found out that's how Katherine made everyone feel.
Elena couldn't fathom why Bonnie Bennett and Katherine Pierce were friends. Bonnie was sweet, funny and honestly one of the nicest people Elena ever met. Everyone knew her, and everyone liked her.
It was hard not to. They had met in college at their Cultural Diversity Class.
She had been sitting at the back in their first semester, trying to keep up with whatever the lecturer was talking about when she felt someone slip in the seat beside her, arguing quietly with her companion.
"I'm not discussing this with you, Beks."
"Oh c'mon Bonnie. Enquiring minds wants to know." A girl with a decidedly British accent pleaded. "Just a ball park estimate."
"No."
"Spoil sport!" the British girl complained.
Glancing over, Elena saw a beautiful blonde girl do a double take, dark brown eyes drifting over her face.
"Woah. Freaky."
Frowning slightly Elena stared at the blonde before her gaze dropped to the girl at her side.
Both women were beautiful. The blonde, model-like, with sleek bright blonde hair, dark brown eyes, peaches and cream colored skin.
The other girl had sienna colored skin, dark green eyes and a wealth of thick black hair.
"Sorry." The darker girl had whispered.
Elena ventured a smile that the darker girl returned.
"No problem."
"Did we miss much?" she asked her, indicating to the tall albeit very cute lecturer who commanded centre stage.
"Not really." Elena whispered back, smiling, a bit freaked out that the blonde continued to stare at her. It was creepy. "Although I'm not paying that much attention so if you did, I wouldn't be able to tell you."
Chuckling the darker girl held out her hand.
"Bonnie Bennett, the slightly creepy blonde here is Rebekah Mikaelson –" Mikaelson? As in the Mikaelson University that they were attending, Mikaelson? Woah.
The word 'creepy' seemed to knock the blonde out of her stupor.
"Bonnie!" flicking her in the arm the blonde held out her hand. "Sorry you just look like someone we know." Rebekah paused, shaking her head as she ran her gaze over Elena again. "Like really look like someone we know." Rebekah told her, shaking her hand.
Rolling her eyes at her friend, Bonnie leaned towards Elena.
"Don't worry. She's had her shots, she's pretty harmless, and despite what it sounded like she wasn't trying to hit on you."
"Bonnie!" the half-hearted slap the blonde delivered to Bonnie had Elena's feeling a small pang of jealousy at their closeness. She didn't really have that type of friendship. With anyone.
"But in saying that, you do look like a friend we have."
"Ah, she's your friend, she's my – acquaintance? Annoyance?" Rebekah corrected.
Shaking her head at the blonde, Bonnie smiled at Elena.
"Sorry, Elena Gilbert." Elena introduced shaking Bonnie's hand.
"Miss Bennett and Miss Mikaelson. Can you please tell me what I just said." The hottie in the front of the class interrupted the trio's conversation, causing Rebekah's eyes to narrow and glare at him.
"You were talking about the study of the Pacific cultures, sir." Bonnie interrupted smoothly, elbowing her blonde companion. "The similarity they all seem to share but the vast differences that is between them. You also mentioned the schedule in which we will be learning them. The Solomon Islands who share similar aspects to those of Fijian origin will be the first point of call." Bonnie finished smiling sweetly at the lecturer who stared at the small brunette, face emotionless but eyes alight with hidden laughter.
"Very good, Miss Bennett. Maybe next time you and Miss Mikaelson will be on time to my class." With that he turned back to the rest of the class, going over the timetable of their year.
"Maybe next time I'll shove a stake so far up your arse you'll be tasting wood." Rebekah sneered, glaring moodily at man in front.
"Stop it." Bonnie hissed. "You decided to take this class with me, if you can't get on with your brother as your lecturer then leave."
"He's a fucking tosser!" Rebekah complained. "Maybe next time you and Miss Mikaelson will be on time to my class" she mocked her voice lowering and sound very much like her brother's. "Tosser!"
Rolling her eyes at her friend, Bonnie turned to Elena.
"Save me now." She moaned, causing Elena to burst out into laughter.
From that day on Elena found herself a small group of friends that she would honestly say she was closer to than those she grew up with.
If Bonnie was sweet, and nice, Katherine was acrid and mocking. She barely tolerated anyone that wasn't named Bonnie or Stefan. Everyone also knew Katherine. Although unlike Bonnie, everyone didn't like Katherine.
And it was like she didn't even care. If you hated her, then you hated her. Katherine Pierce refused to waste her time of people who meant less than nothing to her.
And since the first time Bonnie had introduce them; Katherine had made sure that Elena felt as if she was less than nothing.
By this time Elena had met all of Bonnie's close friends, each one having the same reaction as Rebekah. The staring, the stunned shock and then the comments. It had made Elena feel uncomfortable, especially after seeing Stefan's reaction.
She had yet to meet the elusive Katherine Pierce, and from what Caroline and Rebekah told her she wouldn't want to meet Katherine.
Katherine had been in Australia during that time for her father and the night after she got back Bonnie and the gang were going out to celebrate. Bonnie had invited her to come out with them.
"We're all just going to Club Dark." Bonnie had told her. "Rebekah's older brother Klaus owns it –"
"How many brothers does she have?" Elena had asked, confused. She had met Elijah, and the youngest brother Kol who was two cans short of a six-pack.
Bonnie's face turned thoughtful.
"There's Elijah the eldest who you know. Finn's next, kinda the recluse of the family. He's a professor with the whole alphabet after his name and he's at the Smithsonian studying dead cultures. Klaus owns the nightclub and a string of similar ones both here in the States and in England. Kol who again you've met. He just parties." Bonnie shrugged. "I'm pretty sure he has a job, I just don't know what it is, Beks who still trying to find herself and her calling. They did have another brother, Henrick, but he died when we all were young in Afghanistan. Casualty of war." Sadness flickered across Bonnie's face before she turned back to Elena. "So, come with?"
Elena had agreed. She loved hanging out with Bonnie and her friends.
Rebekah was sarcastic with a very dry wit, Caroline was bossy and absolutely loved fashion, Matt was sweet and funny. Tyler was hot but temperamental. And then there was Stefan. Gorgeous, hot, funny, gorgeous. When Elena first met him she was sure that someone had sucked the oxygen right out of the room.
You saw it, on those corny romantic movies Caroline loved to watch so much. Boy meets girl and everything and everyone fades into the background. The sounds, the people. Everything. And when they touched you could almost see the sparks coming from where their hands met, causing both of them to jump slightly and stare at their connected hands.
Stefan had been the main reason why Elena had agreed to meet them at the club. Because Elena needed to see Stefan again.
So they all met up at the Club. Rebekah's older incredibly hot brother allowing them access to the VIP area. Elena had never been VIP anywhere. And to be one at the hottest clubs in the city, mind blowing.
Bonnie had shown up with her date, Stefan's older brother Damon, who was insanely gorgeous, even more so than Stefan, but ignored everyone that wasn't named Bonnie.
Rebekah came with her man of the moment, a guy called Aiden Waite, extremely pale but also very hot, who couldn't keep his hands nor his lips off his date.
Caroline came alone, probably hoping to catch the attention of Rebekah's older brother Klaus in an extremely short, bright red mini-dress. And she seemed to be succeeding.
Matt and Tyler came stag, both wanting to mingle with anything that was hot and in a skirt.
Stefan came alone as well causing Elena's pulse to race. Only to have her heart stop beating when she had arrived to find a beautiful brunette practically on Stefan's lap.
"Elena!" Bonnie greeted warmly, detangling herself from the possessive arms of Stefan's older brother.
"Hey everyone." Elena greeted shyly, her eyes going back to Stefan who smiled at her warmly.
"Elena!" everyone who knew her greeted back.
"Come I want you to meet someone. This is Damon, my boyfriend and Stefan's older brother."
"Your boyfriend is sufficient description enough, Judgey." The man interrupted smoothly, barely sparing Elena a glance. "Let's leave the whole Stefan's older brother thing out, hmm?" he murmured burying his face in her neck.
Rolling her eyes at her boyfriend, Bonnie turned to the brunette at Stefan's side.
"And this is Katherine Pierce." Bonnie had said, smiling at Elena. "Katy, Elena Gilbert."
Elena smiled at the other woman holding out her hand, ignoring the possessive hand she had on Stefan's arm.
"Nice to meet you Katherine." Elena greeted politely.
Katherine stared down at her offered hand, as if it were disease ridden. Cold light brown eyes glaring into hers.
"I'm sure it is." Katherine had replied smoothly, causing a frown to mar Elena's brow. "Sweetie, you shouldn't frown. Those wrinkles will only get more prominent if you do." She said sweetly waving airily to Elena's forehead.
"Katy." Bonnie warned, shooting her a 'be nice' look. "Stop."
Huffing, Katherine shot Elena a thin smile.
"I'm only teasing, darling. You'll do – fine." She waved her hand, the look on her face saying otherwise.
Elena had remembered Bonnie shaking her head and looking at Katherine pointedly.
Katherine had laughed it off commenting something about doppelgangers needing to stay in their own little hideaways. Elena didn't even know what the hell a doppelganger was, and from the sneer on Katherine's face she didn't want to know what one was.
Elena had been shocked. She had never met anyone with so much animosity in them. It was like it was a part of her soul.
She had also ever met anyone who had so much hate in her. She hated everything. The food, the weather, the way people dressed.
That night had been both extremely uncomfortable and amazing all at the same time.
Uncomfortable because she had to suffer through the death glares from Katherine who tried to exclude Elena from everything. Uncomfortable because of the undeniable tension between Stefan and Katherine. The latter trying to draw the former onto the dance floor numerous times. And also the tension between Stefan and Damon when, Stefan sick of Katherine's obvious ploys, grabbed Bonnie's hand and dragged her to the dance floor.
If looks could kill Stefan would be dead. Damon who barely talked to anyone had stood, intending on storming to the dance floor and grabbing his girlfriend back only to have Katherine grab his hand and drag him back into his seat, hissing something at him in Italian – at least Elena thought it was Italian – that had the older man's jaw clenching and glaring at the couple in question.
The night was also amazing because after Bonnie and Stefan got off the dance floor, Stefan had asked her to dance and she barely remembered the rest of the night. The bliss of being in his arms muddling her thoughts and scrambling her brain.
But Elena would always remember the night she met Katherine Pierce, because that was the night that Stefan had asked her on her first date.
And from that night on, Elena knew that she was so far gone over Stefan Salvatore that she was sure she'd never find her way back.
"What the hell are you doing here, Katherine?" Stefan snapped, drawing her attention back to the present. "This is for employees and family only."
"Well since I'm the mother of the only Salvatore grandchild I get an automatic invite." She smirked eyeing Stefan with barely leashed hunger, those brightly painted lips curving into a seductive smile.
That same color on Elena would make Elena looked washed out. Either that or a high classed hooker. That color on Katherine made her look like a hotter version of Nina Dobrev. Bitch.
"Yeah and how did that come about again?" Stefan mocked her. "Oh wait! That's right, you fucked your best friends boyfriend."
Something flashed across Katherine's face that Elena could've sworn was remorse before it disappeared making Elena question if she even saw it.
"Yes, well, Bonnie is slowly forgiving me for that – indiscretion."
"So that's what we're calling it now days?" Stefan barked, laughing. "Indiscretion. Such in inadequate word for something that broke your best friend's heart." Stefan shot her a mocking look. "Indiscretion."
Katherine's lips tightened briefly before they stretched into a hard smile.
"You're looking – adequate Erica." Katherine said sweetly, light amber eyes raking over the dress Elena wore. "Second hand?"
Elena gritted her teeth at the insult.
"Actually new. Caroline took me shopping." Elena replied abruptly, ignoring the sneer on the other woman's face.
"Ah yes, dear old Caroline. Explains the dress." Katherine nodded regally. "You do know that color yellow does not go well with your skin. What was Caroline thinking?" Katherine mocked.
"Stop being a bitch, Katherine." Stefan snapped.
"But I do it so well, Stefan." Katherine purred. "Just like another thing I do so well. Do you remember Stefan?" she took a step towards him, hands sliding up the lapels of his suit, subtly elbowing Elena out of the way. "Do you remember Cabo?" she asked him huskily. "The private pool? Or Aspen and the hot tub?"
Elena's heart dipped. They looked so good together. Katherine's tall, curvy figure against his tall lean length. Almost like the perfect couple. Taking a step back, Elena fought against the feeling of inadequacy she felt always around this one woman.
"I also remember getting a call from my best friend." Stefan said darkly, fingers hard around her wrists as he dragged them from around his shoulders and dropped them. "I remember her crying as she told me she caught you in bed with her boyfriend." Hard green eyes glared down at Katherine making Elena shiver slightly. "I remember comforting my best friend as her heart literally broke when you and her boyfriend announced that you were pregnant with her boyfriend's baby. That I do remember Katherine. Vividly."
Katherine paused in front of him, amber eyes turning dark.
"Don't you think I regret everything I did?" Katherine bit out furiously, poking him in the chest with a well manicured finger. "Don't you think that every night I go to bed and regret that I hurt the one person in this world that actually gave a fuck about me?" eyes bright with unshed tears Katherine took a step into Stefan who continued to glare down at her. "Because I do Stefan. Every. Fucking. Day. I go to sleep at night after putting my son to sleep and regret the events that lead to his conception." By now Elena had a feeling both Stefan and Katherine had totally forgotten about her presence. Instead they were too caught up in their past.
"I look at my son every fucking day and even though a part of me regrets the way he was conceived I refuse to regret him. I won't let him feel what I went through –"okay now Elena knew they had forgotten her presence because she was pretty sure that was something Katherine would never let someone like her know about. "– but I do regret the way I made my best friend feel. I do regret sleeping with Damon. I thought he was you!"
"I call bullshit on that one," Stefan sneered. "Because Bonnie found you in his bed, on top of him."
"I was drunk –"
"You don't get drunk Katherine!" he bit out through gritted teeth, and Elena saw people shoot them looks. Bonnie who had been on the other side of the room must have picked something up, because she started making her way towards them. "You being drunk means you having no control. That's no something Katherine Pierce allows."
Katherine took a step back her face impassive.
"Even someone like me has a break in their control, Stefan." She told him quietly, so different from the Katherine Elena normally knew that she made Elena blink.
"Everything okay here?" Bonnie asked smoothly, deliberately stepping between Katherine and Stefan.
"Peachy." Katherine sneered, before avoiding Bonnie's pointed look. "I was just commenting on Erica's dress." She indicated to Elena a look an intense distaste on her face. "It's really – yellow."
Rolling her eyes at Katherine, Bonnie threaded her arm through the other woman's.
"Her name is Elena, which you very well know. Stop being a bitch, Katy."
Katherine paused, stunned eyes going to Bonnie who stared at her pointedly. Confused at the look on the other woman's face, Elena shot Stefan a look.
He looked mad. But this time at Bonnie.
"Bon –"
"Katherine, my dear." A smooth honeyed voice interrupted whatever Stefan was about to say and Elena turned to watch as the Salvatore Matriarch made her way towards them.
"Sofia." Katherine greeted, her eyes going back to Bonnie.
"Bonnie." A loving smile crossed Stefan's mother's face as she accepted the small kiss Bonnie placed on her cheek.
"Mama Sofia." Bonnie greeted. "Looking beautiful as usual. I'm surprised Papa hasn't stolen you away."
"Ok ew!" Stefan snapped, glaring at his best friend.
"Oh stop!" Sofia laughed slapping her son on the arm. "I've come to steal Katherine away. We need to start making plans about the Charity dinner, Katherine and with Glenda Harrington here as well, I thought we could start nutting out the details." The older woman smiled up at Katherine, her face cordial but her eyes daring the younger woman to deny her.
"My pleasure, Sofia." Katherine said smoothly, detangling her arm from Bonnie's.
"Perfect. Ladies, Stefan." Sofia bade farewell drawing Katherine with her.
"Katy," Bonnie stopped the pair, causing Katherine to stare at her with hopeful eyes. "Maybe we could – catch up tomorrow. Me you and Jackson."
Katherine nodded, before blinking. Seemingly gathering her wits together.
"That – that would be great. Call me."
Nodding Bonnie, Elena and Stefan watched them go before Stefan turned on his best friend and flicked her in the arm.
"Ok Ow!" Bonnie snapped, rubbing the abused area.
"You're forgiving her!" he accused. "This is the first time you've called her Katy since the debacle and you're forgiving her!" he raised his voice drawing more attention to them.
"One, lower your voice; you are drawing unwanted attention to yourself. Again." She emphasised, looking around them. "Two, it's either forgive her or act like you. A crazy idiot drawing unwanted attention at his father's get together for employees."
"Dammit Bonnie –"
"I'm tired, Stefan. I've been tired for a long time. It's time to get over it. I have, you need to as well."
Elena stepped up beside Stefan, slipping her hand into his. Jumping slightly Stefan turned, his fingers tightening around hers.
"It's just - I hate her!" Stefan snapped his gaze going from Elena, to Bonnie to the beautiful brunette across the room. "I hate what both her and Damon did to you."
"I know." Bonnie soothed, smiling from Stefan to Elena. "But that was two years ago. I've moved on –" she indicated pointing to Mason who stood not far from them talking with his nephew. As if he could feel their gaze, Mason looked up, sending Bonnie an intimate smile that had Elena look away with embarrassment. There was so much heat in that one look, so much intent in that one smile. Bonnie Bennett was definitely one lucky woman.
But then again so was she. Hugging his arm to her, Elena placed a soothing kiss on Stefan's shoulder, drawing his attention.
"You need to stop letting her get to you like this." Bonnie reprimanded, causing Elena to nod in agreement.
"She just aggravates me so fucking much!"
"I know, but you letting her put you in this mood, gives her all the power, and if there's one thing our Katy loves more than money it's –"
"Power." The both chorused, shooting each other a smile.
"Well power and Jackson." Bonnie finished, shooting them both a smile. "Don't let her get to you, Stefan." She told him, patting his arm and turning to watch as Mason literally stalked towards her, ocean blue-green eyes never leaving her face.
"Oh my gosh you two need to get a room." Stefan complained, deliberately looking away when Mason reached them and kissed her. Actually he devoured here. In front of everyone. "Like now!"
"There are none." Mason growled irritably, once he released Bonnie's mouth. "I've already looked."
Rolling her eyes at both her best friend and her boyfriend, Bonnie shot Elena an amused look.
"Bathroom?" Bonnie asked.
"Bathroom," Elena agreed, laughing as Stefan groaned.
"You're stealing my date, Bennett. You have yours why steal mine."
"Because if mine follows me to the bathroom, we'd most probably embarrass your father at his company do." She said cheekily, shooting a grin at Mason who looked all for that scenario.
"Ok, ew. Again!" Stefan complained.
Laughing Elena kissed him on the cheek.
"Won't be long." She assured him.
"I know." He leaned forward to kiss her hard. "Thank you. For that."
Elena shrugged. She hadn't actually done anything.
"I didn't do –"
"You were there for me. Thanks."
Smiling happily Elena kissed him, causing Bonnie to groan.
"And you complained about us!"
"Shut it Bennett!" Stefan growled, causing both girls to laugh.
Slipping her arm through Bonnie's, Elena walked with her towards the bathroom, unaware of the cold glare that tracked them from the other side of the room.
Yes, Aiden Waite is the same Aiden Waite that's on Being Human the US version. Saw this series online as we don't get it in NZ and totally love the relationship between him and Sally. But my Aiden is human, like everyone else in this story! Hehe… enjoy!