I don't own the vampire diaries or any of the characters.
Ps: great thanks for my lovely beta reader Stephanie022799.
Chapter 4:
Forget the dress I wore in the founder day. I look stunning. I never thought 19th century dresses could be that beautiful.
I bet it is really expensive and I still can't get used to the corset, but damn it all.
I don't care that I can't breathe. I am in love with that purple dress. The bodice is lined with purple satin fabric, fully boned in the appropriate places. It closes at the center back with ribbon lacing. The bodice front and back have a silver deep center point. The purple neckline is V-styled in the front and rounded in the back. The waistline is also V-styled in the front and rounded in the back.
The open butterfly styled sleeves that reach half my upper arms are trimmed with black lace. The purple fully lined skirt is constructed with pieces, which have been tightly shirred and trimmed with black velvet ribbon and silver metallic braid.
My hair is lightly curled and pulled by pins over my head in a beautiful pile. A few strikes of hair fall curly free framing my face. The jewelry is breathtaking. Silver drop shape earrings and a necklace with a drop shape locket that falls through my collar bone.
I smile one last time to myself in the mirror.
Yes, I can do that. I will walk around down there and I will not let them know that I was raised in a different era.
Oh my gosh, I can't. I will freak them all out. They may think that I am ill or something. Or worse , crazy. I could mess up with Bonnie, but what about John or Damon or Stefan, who is supposed to be my fiancé.
I glance down in the ring in my right hand. It is beautiful and I love Stefan. I don't want to mess that up. I have never been so nervous.
A knock on the door cuts my thoughts.
"Come in." I say.
Bonnie walks in slowly. I had told her to give me a few minutes alone after she dressed me up.
"Yes, Bonnie?"
"The party is about to start, miss. And Mr. Gilbert has asked about you."
"Oh." time to face the music. " I will be there in a minute."
"Alright, miss." she starts to leave but I call out her name.
"Bonnie?"
She turns to face me again. "How do I look?" I ask her, needing my best friend all of the sudden.
"You look very beautiful." She smiles widely at me. Her eyes hold so much warmth."Mr. Salvatore won't be able to take his eyes of you." she adds
Which Salvatore, Bonnie? I ask mentally.
"Thank you." she nods and turns to leave again.
I look back at the mirror and I wish I was wearing my lucky blue shirt. Tonight I need all of the luck in the world.
The ball room is so crowded. It looks like a custom party with all the 19th century gowns. Once I began walking down the stairs, all eyes turn toward me. I have never had so much attention directed to me except in the Miss Mystic Falls, and I hated it. I was nervous and scared for Stefan. Thank god Damon was there and he stepped in. I have no idea what I would have done without him. With the thought of Damon I spot him in the crowd. He has the same look in his face he had in the Miss Mystic Falls pageant which makes me feel like I am the only woman in the world. No, like I am his whole world.
What the hell? I shouldn't be thinking like that.
Our gazes lock for a minute and he smirks at me.
Some things just never change.
He looks good in his navy –all-19th- century suit and bright blue eyes, of course. I mean when doesn't he? It is good to see him in other colors than black. Why doesn't he wear blue more often? It makes him look….
Stop it. For god's sake what is wrong with me?
Stefan. Where is Stefan?
I find him standing beside Damon smiling sweetly at me with the same love and adoration look he has in his eyes every time he looks at me. I smile back at him, seems like human Stefan is as in love with me as Vampire Stefan.
Once I reach the bottom of the stairs, john takes my hand gently and I stand beside him while he begins his speech.
"Ladies and gentlemen. I am honored today to be hosting that party of my lovely beautiful girl. My god blesses her soul and gives her health and happiness as long as she may live." The whole crowd says their Amen. "Sadly for me, that will probably be the last birthday I will be able to host for her. Because next year she will be in the care of her loving husband Mr. Stefan Salvatore"
I meet Stefan's eyes and we smile widely at each other. And then my eyes meet Damon's and my smile falls immediately. His eyes held the most intense combination of hurt, fear and hope. The first two I may understand. I now know that human Damon has feelings for me, but why the hope? I am going to marry his brother soon. What kind of hope can this situation hold for him? He stares at me expectantly at me. I can't take that look because I don't understand it. I turn my face from him and put my best fake smile in my face while john continues his speech.
Finally, john releases my hand and once I walk through the room, I am met first with no one but the Salvatores.
"Happy birthday, Elena" Stefan begins while he takes my hand in his and kisses the back of it. It feels weird for him to do it. we have been together for almost a year and it is the first time he does that. " you look most beautiful tonight" he adds once he releases my hand.
"thank you, Stefan" I smile shyly at him. "You look good, too"
"hello, Elena" and just like always my name rolls through his tongue Damon takes my hand and plant his lips on the back of my hand giving it an open mouth kiss the tip of his tongue touch my skin and I resist the urge to pull away after the shiver that run through my spine.
He looks up at me, his eyes is dancing with amusement. The bastard knows what he does to me. I almost pull my hand from his but he drops it first and thank god he did.
I glance nervously at Stefan and he is thankfully oblivious to my exchange with Damon.
"Happy Birthday" Damon's velvet voice pulls me back to him. His smirk widens once he notice my tension.
The same jackass.
"thank you" I glare at him and it only adds to his amusement.
"I already signed for the first set so, shall we dance?" Stefan expands his hand to me.
"Of course" my voice is more chipper and sweeter. More for Damon benefit, even if I hate to admit it. I place my hand in Stefan's and he pulls to toward the dance floor. I glance back quickly at Damon to see my victory but his face is impassive and it unnerves me that I can't read his mind.
"good news. The flowers you asked for will be delivered from South Carolina on the wedding day." Stefan starts while we dance.
"that is really sweet from you, Stefan"
"I will do anything to make you happy, Elena. You know that" he tells me seriously with an all-Stefan-like frown.
"I know" I whisper to him.
Human Stefan is sweeter, more chipper and dare I say a little boring. But most of all he was guilt free. His eyes don't have that permanent darkness and sadness I always see in them.
That Stefan hasn't killed and doesn't even think he is capable of.
That is Stefan with no shame, no self-loathing. That Stefan doesn't hate his existence, doesn't want to be dead but not undead.
I don't even know if there is any left in him that I can recognize anymore.
I see Damon in the crowd. He is standing with a drink in his hand, watching me like a hawk. I don't know what he is thinking but I can see how dark his face is from that distance. His eyes are the darkest shades of blue staring intensely into mine like if he stares harder he can pull me toward him. I look away from him because it gets too much.
Who am I kidding? With Damon. It always gets too much.
I turn my attention back to Stefan and we spend the rest of the dance talking about the wedding or just enjoying each other company. More truthful, it is him who is talking most of the time. I prefer to keep silent and absorb as much as I can of information about my life here. According to Stefan I haven't set my wedding date yet. He sounded a little annoyed that I kept delaying my decision.
I finish the dance and as soon as I leave the dance floor. I see a very familiar face.
"Elena Gilbert" Caroline chipper voice and sweet smile greet me" you look amazing. Olivia did a good job with that dress." She eyes me up to down with typical Caroline style.
She pulls me into a sudden tight hug and I am immediately surrounded by Caroline's bright area.
"Happy birthday, Darling" she finally releases me "I saw you dancing with Stefan, you look so prefect together. I can't believe you are getting marry soon"
"Caroline" i really want to roll my eyes. Caroline is Caroline." It is so good to see" and it is true. "also I am surprised you weren't in the setting for the party" I smirk at her.
"seriously?" she rises her eyebrows at me " weren't that you who said 'you have to be so busy and exhausted planning my wedding. I don't want to tire you so I will take care of it that year'" she quotes with a voice that is supposed to be mine but it is far away from it.
"that doesn't mean I thought you will be able to resist and stay away" I laugh.
"I was quiet busy" she winks at me. And I give her a question look. "I will tell you later. Now, come with me" she pulls my hand in hers and we head toward a different room.
"what are we doing here?" I ask her as soon as we enter the room.
"my two favorite parts about the party" she replies with a Caroline wicked smile that I am so familiar with. " one" she goes for a small closet and open it. she comes back with a bottle of what looks like wine and two glasses. Of course, Caroline.
She pours a glass for each of us. And I test that red wine and Damn it, it tests freaking good.
"that is good" I say with appreciation.
"sure it is" she smirks at me.
"so what is the second thing ?" I want to know.
"your presents of course" she answers like it is so obvious that I have to be stupid to not know.
She points to a table I haven't noticed in the room. The table is full with boxes and baskets. That is gonna be fun.
After I finish opening the presents with Caroline we head back to the main room. I hace had forget about the Salvatore father but it seems like he is out of town in a business trip as I found a gift of him with an apologized card.
"you know who is the only one that haven't got you a present?" Caroline asks suddenly like she has just discovered a treasure map or the reason of gravity or both.
"who?" I ask back but kept walking not really interested.
"Damon Salvatore" she says.
"he doesn't have to get me anything Caroline" I reply in a bored tone. I am already not the one for present.
"no, he does. It is rude not to bring a present to a birthday party you are attending. Of course, nothing is too rude for Damon not to do" she says in typical Caroline bitchy style.
"okay, first Damon is just my fiancé's brother. he doesn't have to get me a present. Secondly, why are you being so hateful toward him?" I ask really tired of Caroline's never ending attack against Damon. I get that he hurt her in my world but he made up for and why on the earth am I the only one who could see that Damon had changed? And what could he have done to Caroline here so she would hate him that much?
"for first, you the one who kept repeating Damon is my friend as a prayer for the past few months, not me." Caroline begins with her hands on her hips. " for second, you know why I don't like Damon. His reputation is not the best one meaning he is a royal playboy. And you being around him is no good for you, neither for your reputation."
"and you only judge him because of the rumors? " so it is meant for Caroline to hate Damon no matter where or what. " Caroline you know better not to listen to that gossip"
"like they say, I couldn't all be lies." She says in a end-of-discussion tone " forget about Damon. Tell me, did Stefan get us the flowers we asked for?"
"yes he did" I reply while we finally get to the ball room. I search the room for familiar faces. And my eyes fall on Damon talking to some guy. He looks so comfortable, that guy must be a close friend.
"isn't he the sweetest?" I hear Caroline voice but I don't take my eyes off Damon. I can't, it is so rare to see him like that, open, comfortable and happy. Actually happy, he should smile more often. It is so cruel from him to the world not to smile like that all the time. He turns suddenly like he felt my eyes on him and our gaze meets. He gives me a beautiful real smile. I don't ever remember seeing him smile like that. Always the smirk, the flirty smile or the sarcastic smile, but this, true, honest smile, is beautiful. Like I said it is cruel from him.
"yes, he is" I answer to Caroline meaning a completely different person than who she means.
After that Caroline suggests we go check our dance cards since the next dance is in few minutes. And we go, my card is almost full, understable. I am the birthday party after all. Caroline keeps whining that she has to dance with Taylor Lockwood. So, Taylor and Matte are present too. I have Matte, Taylor and Damon for the last set, of course.
I am not panicking or anything, no big deal. It is just a dance. With Damon.
A dance with Damon.
I danced with all my suitors and the last dance time has come. My eyes are searching for Damon in the crowd and I can't find him. Instead, I see Stefan, he looks tense and uncomfortable. I look closer and I can see who is talking to. Damon, he is tense too, and I hate seeing him like that. I prefer the way I saw him just two hours ago. I walk toward them and as I get closer the scene gets clearer. They are urging.
Some things really never change. At least they are not staking each other. I roll my eyes.
Once I reach them I couldn't her what they were talking about because they stopped talking when she saw me. But they didn't stop glaring at each other. If looks could kill.
"is there something wrong?" I ask, my voice is a little too harsh. Like I am their mother who caught them fighting. How ironic!
"nothing ,sweetheart" Stefan is the one to answer. He steps beside me and put his arm around my waist possessively. He gives me a light kiss on my check and I look at Damon. His eyes are in fire but his face is still impassive just like it has been since I cut their talk.
"we were just having a heated conversation" Stefan explains and i look at him with worry.
"But no worries, darling." He looks back at Damon. " I think Damon now understand how wrong he is, aren't you,brother?" he gives Damon what seems like a knowing look but I know better.
It is full of threats and suddenly Vampire Stefan is back, with the dark eyes, dark voice. I almost shiver at his tone but it doesn't seem to affect Damon at all.
Suddenly Damon's impassive face break to a smirk I know too well. "oh, will never get it, will you?" he says in a light voice while he steps closer to stand foot to foot with Stefan, Which brings him closer to me as well. The closer I ever get all night. Being that close to Damon is never good.
And now I know that has nothing to do with him being a vampire. It is him, whenever he gets so close to me, the adrenalin start flowing throw my veins. My breath hatch and I get all nervous all of the sudden. It is not fear, not anymore. It is something I can't put a name on.
"I am never wrong" Damon's voice breaks my truce. His face is suddenly serious. He cocks his head to the side, typical Damon move. All of the sudden, he turns toward me looking me in the eyes for the first time since I saw them fighting.
"either way we will have to save this lovely conversation to another time, brother" he expand his hand to me. " I have to dance with the birthday girl" his eyes never leaving mine.
I give Stefan one last look before I take Damon's hand and he pulls me to the dance floor.
Here you go. Finally Delena is making an appearance. How was that?
The next chapter will be all Delena including the dance and others special moment. Some angst is gooooooood. Our heroine is about to break down and you know HOW Elena break down. It is never good.
The more reviews ,the happier I will be, the sooner the updates. Tell me what you think