p style="text-align: center;"span style="text-decoration: underline;"strongChapter 2/strong/span/p
p style="text-align: center;"emStefan's POV/em/p
p style="text-align: center;"Could my life get any worse? Seriously? /p
p style="text-align: center;"I've been struggling with the fact that Elena left me for my brother for way too long and I decided that today I was going to end it. I had the chance to experience that love that everybody talks about, even if it was temporary, what else could I live for now? /p
p style="text-align: center;"It beings to pour outside. I decide that seeing as I love the rain, I'll head into Mystic Grill and watch it pour to calm my nerves. Crazy, right? A vampire has to sit in a restaurant and watch rain fall to calm down because he's going to off himself - never needing rain to calm himself down when he's about to end someone else's life./p
p style="text-align: center;"I walk into Mystic Grill and hear the waitstaff talking in the kitchen. /p
p style="text-align: center;""She's been out there for over two hours and all she's ordered is a scotch. We really need to clear that table, we're losing business. It's pretty clear that her date isn't going to show up." /p
p style="text-align: center;"I look over at my favorite table, all the way on the left, where the window is. I see the girl that they must be talking about, sitting alone, staring out the window, empty glass that I am assuming was filled with scotch moments before. One of the waitresses walks out of the back and starts going towards her table, so I decide to make my move. /p
p style="text-align: center;"I slide down in the seat across from her and say, "Sorry I'm late baby, the traffic was crazy in the city, I got here as soon as I could." /p
p style="text-align: center;"She looks up, a look of curiosity on her face. /p
p style="text-align: center;"I whisper to her, "My name is Stefan, go with it. And whoever left you here sitting alone is a douchebag."/p
p style="text-align: center;"She smiles and looks at the waitress, "I assured you he would show up. He's rarely ever late, but when he is, he's got a good excuse. If you'd like to come back in a moment, I'm sure we will be ready to order."/p
p style="text-align: center;"The waitress purses her lips, nods, and walks back towards the kitchen./p
p style="text-align: center;"The girl looks back at me, "Thank you for doing that. You didn't have to. I was just about to leave and-"/p
p style="text-align: center;"I decide I don't need her explanation./p
p style="text-align: center;""Don't mention it. I wouldn't leave you sitting here alone. Besides, you're at my favorite table and I could use the company. Although, it may benefit the both of us if I know your name... and why you've been sitting here alone for over two hours."/p
p style="text-align: center;"She bites her lip and looks away briefly, "My name is Erika, and I was waiting on my boyfriend. He wasn't responding to calls or texts but he was tweeting about some party that he was at... He wasn't going to come. He's done with me. I didn't mean to gush at you like that. We've been together for almost five years and I just didn't expect it to end this way."/p
p style="text-align: center;"I place my hand on top of hers and feel chills throughout my entire body almost instantly. I have never felt anything like this before, what the hell is going on? /p
p style="text-align: center;""I'm sorry that you had to go through that. I can't believe people can be such dicks sometimes. I would love to buy you dinner if you're feeling up for it. Like I said, I could use the company anyhow, and it seems as though you could as well." /p
p style="text-align: center;"She gives me a small smile, and places her hands on her lap. /p
p style="text-align: center;""That would be lovely." /p
p style="text-align: center;"We sit at the table and talk for hours until the staff comes over to our table and tells us that they are closing and, "you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here."/p
p style="text-align: center;"I look at her, feeling my stomach drop, knowing that tonight has to come to an end. /p
p style="text-align: center;"She stands up quickly, apologizes to the staff, puts her jean jacket on, and smiles at me. /p
p style="text-align: center;""Thank you so much for tonight. I needed that."/p
p style="text-align: center;"And with that, she walks out the door. /p
p style="text-align: center;"I didn't even get to tell her I appreciated that, I didn't get to ask for her number, I couldn't even ask to see her again. She was gone. /p
p style="text-align: center;"I pay for our meals and go home. Erika is on my mind all night long. I can't stop thinking about her hazel eyes with those beautiful specks of gold, or the way her nose crinkles up when she laughs, or even the way that she can't say a word moving her hands./p
p style="text-align: center;"Maybe there is more for me to "live" for, after all.../p
p style="text-align: center;"emStefan's POV/em/p
p style="text-align: center;"Could my life get any worse? Seriously? /p
p style="text-align: center;"I've been struggling with the fact that Elena left me for my brother for way too long and I decided that today I was going to end it. I had the chance to experience that love that everybody talks about, even if it was temporary, what else could I live for now? /p
p style="text-align: center;"It beings to pour outside. I decide that seeing as I love the rain, I'll head into Mystic Grill and watch it pour to calm my nerves. Crazy, right? A vampire has to sit in a restaurant and watch rain fall to calm down because he's going to off himself - never needing rain to calm himself down when he's about to end someone else's life./p
p style="text-align: center;"I walk into Mystic Grill and hear the waitstaff talking in the kitchen. /p
p style="text-align: center;""She's been out there for over two hours and all she's ordered is a scotch. We really need to clear that table, we're losing business. It's pretty clear that her date isn't going to show up." /p
p style="text-align: center;"I look over at my favorite table, all the way on the left, where the window is. I see the girl that they must be talking about, sitting alone, staring out the window, empty glass that I am assuming was filled with scotch moments before. One of the waitresses walks out of the back and starts going towards her table, so I decide to make my move. /p
p style="text-align: center;"I slide down in the seat across from her and say, "Sorry I'm late baby, the traffic was crazy in the city, I got here as soon as I could." /p
p style="text-align: center;"She looks up, a look of curiosity on her face. /p
p style="text-align: center;"I whisper to her, "My name is Stefan, go with it. And whoever left you here sitting alone is a douchebag."/p
p style="text-align: center;"She smiles and looks at the waitress, "I assured you he would show up. He's rarely ever late, but when he is, he's got a good excuse. If you'd like to come back in a moment, I'm sure we will be ready to order."/p
p style="text-align: center;"The waitress purses her lips, nods, and walks back towards the kitchen./p
p style="text-align: center;"The girl looks back at me, "Thank you for doing that. You didn't have to. I was just about to leave and-"/p
p style="text-align: center;"I decide I don't need her explanation./p
p style="text-align: center;""Don't mention it. I wouldn't leave you sitting here alone. Besides, you're at my favorite table and I could use the company. Although, it may benefit the both of us if I know your name... and why you've been sitting here alone for over two hours."/p
p style="text-align: center;"She bites her lip and looks away briefly, "My name is Erika, and I was waiting on my boyfriend. He wasn't responding to calls or texts but he was tweeting about some party that he was at... He wasn't going to come. He's done with me. I didn't mean to gush at you like that. We've been together for almost five years and I just didn't expect it to end this way."/p
p style="text-align: center;"I place my hand on top of hers and feel chills throughout my entire body almost instantly. I have never felt anything like this before, what the hell is going on? /p
p style="text-align: center;""I'm sorry that you had to go through that. I can't believe people can be such dicks sometimes. I would love to buy you dinner if you're feeling up for it. Like I said, I could use the company anyhow, and it seems as though you could as well." /p
p style="text-align: center;"She gives me a small smile, and places her hands on her lap. /p
p style="text-align: center;""That would be lovely." /p
p style="text-align: center;"We sit at the table and talk for hours until the staff comes over to our table and tells us that they are closing and, "you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here."/p
p style="text-align: center;"I look at her, feeling my stomach drop, knowing that tonight has to come to an end. /p
p style="text-align: center;"She stands up quickly, apologizes to the staff, puts her jean jacket on, and smiles at me. /p
p style="text-align: center;""Thank you so much for tonight. I needed that."/p
p style="text-align: center;"And with that, she walks out the door. /p
p style="text-align: center;"I didn't even get to tell her I appreciated that, I didn't get to ask for her number, I couldn't even ask to see her again. She was gone. /p
p style="text-align: center;"I pay for our meals and go home. Erika is on my mind all night long. I can't stop thinking about her hazel eyes with those beautiful specks of gold, or the way her nose crinkles up when she laughs, or even the way that she can't say a word moving her hands./p
p style="text-align: center;"Maybe there is more for me to "live" for, after all.../p
