THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS AND FOLLOW AND FAVORITE ALERTS ! IT'S INSPIRING. I WILL BE UPDATING EVERY DAY OR EVERY OTHER DAY NOW THAT I HAVE MY COMPUTER BACK. HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY THIS CHAPTER, IT'S DEDICATED TO ALL THE FOLLOWERS OF IT WASN'T JUST ME!
"Jump Lena! Jump!"
Elena looked down from her position in the tree. Caroline was laughing at her from the water. They were all hanging out at the Tyler Lockwood's waterhole. Sunday was the only day Elena took a break so she decided to spend it with her friends. Katherine and Stefan were sitting on the back on his pick-up truck whispering to one another. Caroline was shouting at her from the water. Tyler was sitting on a rock egging her on. Unfortunately Matt was here also. The only plus side was that his annoying booty-call Rose was keeping him company. Elena hated Rose by default. Elena would never deny the girl was pretty with her killer green eyes, long legs and pouty lips. Despite her punk rock short cut she was still TV pretty. Amy Bradley was around too, probably hoping to catch Stefan without Katherine attached to his face. Elena was grateful Tyler's uncle, Mason Lockwood, was not to be found. He had call Jeremy three times asking to take Elena out this summer. Seriously, was this the effin 1800s? Did she need permission and a chaperone?
"No!" Elena shouted back.
"Get in the water Lena!" Tyler shouted laughing.
Elena could not help but laugh. She and Tyler had been friends their whole lives. Tyler was football captain and he played running back. He was tall like every guy in Mystic Falls seemed to be. He was muscled but not too muscled. He had dark hair and sweet mocha chocolate eyes. He was hot; there was no way to deny it. Elena would never go there however because Caroline had always had a thing for him.
"Fine!" She shouted in reply.
Elena screamed a piercing squeal before jumping off the branch and swinging on the rope. She felt herself being propelled downward then she tore through the surface of the water. She laughed, swimming underneath the water. She came up after a while.
"Lena, do not do that! We all don't have gills. It makes me think you drowned!" Caroline exclaimed.
"I like being like a fish." Elena countered smiling.
"So what happened at the party last week? I saw Damon carrying you to his car like some kind of sacrifice for the gods." Caroline said making her laugh.
"I may have gotten drunk and called him an asshole."
Caroline started laughing as the two bobbed in the water.
"You are a hilarious angry drunk. What happened to your resolve to not drink?"
"Care! It just happened. What happened with you at the party?"
Caroline couldn't help the smile that erupted upon her face.
"So I take it Sarah wasn't as good as she looks!" Katherine said from her spot on the grass.
Caroline gasps and splashes water toward Katherine who laughs.
"Hey Care. That's good for you. You know … we could just take care of Sarah." Katherine offered.
Caroline laughs but Elena has a look of disbelief on her face.
"Or she could just tell Tyler she wants them to be official." Elena exclaimed loudly.
"Elena you might want to stop yelling. Tyler just heard your every word." Katherine says with a scheming smile.
The girls all look Tyler who has a giant smile on his face talking to Matt who is shaking his head.
"Thanks Elena!" Caroline exclaims sending a huge wave of water towards Elena's face.
Elena splutters and spits the water from her mouth. Caroline is getting out the water so Elena swims toward her with haste and pulls her back down into the water. Caroline emerges from underneath the water's surface with a look of incredulity.
"You're welcome." Elena says getting out of the water.
Katherine starts to laugh with pleasure. Matt approaches Elena smiling.
"Hey Elena." Matt says with a coy smile.
"Hey Matt."
"So I was wondering if you wanted to go out some time this week."
Elena gives a skeptical look.
"Didn't you come here with Rose?"
Elena emphasized Rose with a sound of repulsion. It was like she enjoyed screwing Elena's leftovers even if Elena wasn't done with her plate.
"She rode out here with me. It's not like she's my girlfriend." Matt says.
Elena has to stop herself from laughing. Matt did not even wait two weeks until he jumped into bed with Rose. Damon found out and stopped sleeping with her according to Katherine. Matt started with Andie not too soon after he slept with Rose. It amazes Elena how the two do not know they are both screwing Matt. The rest of the town is aware. Matt really needed to rethink his tactic of trying to get her back.
"Seriously? Matt I broke up with you not to long ago. I don't think you were mourning our relationship while you were sleeping with Rose." Elena replied with loathing in her every word.
"Elena you couldn't seriously expect me to sit around waiting for you. I do want us to be together though."
"Right, that's exactly why you brought your most recent mistress where you knew I would be."
Matt sighs with annoyance. Elena could care less though. Seriously, who did he think he was?
"Look, I appreciate the offer. It's still no though."
Elena walked away as fast as she could to Stefan's van. Stefan had an all-knowing smile on his face as she sat down.
"What did Matt want?"
"For us to get back together. What else is new?" Elena told her best friend with a slight laugh.
"Who brings the girl they're currently screwing to hang out with the girl they want to get back together with?"
Stefan and Elena laughed at the irony of the situation.
"Matt." The two said in unison starting to laugh again.
Amy Bradley approaches the two and Elena turns her head like she cannot see anything.
"Hey Stefan." Amy purred to him.
"Hey Amy." Stefan said with a nice tone.
"So you know the carnival is next week, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me."
Elena felt Stefan stiffen. He could never be a mean person and come right out to say no, Elena knew that. However, if he was going to stay with Katherine she knew he was going to have to learn. Stefan looked like a deer in headlights on an expressway. Elena tried to contain her giggle.
"Umm …"
"Amy, he's dating Katherine." Elena pointed out.
Amy just smiled at Elena like she did not have a care in the world.
"Okay … it's not like I asked him to start a relationship." Amy pointed out.
Elena raised her hands in mock surrender. If the girl wanted to sign her own death warrant, she could.
"So about the carnival?" Amy asked turning back to Stefan.
Elena's smile spread across her face.
"Oh we'll see you at the carnival Amy. Is there something you needed?" a voice asked from beside Stefan's truck.
The three teens turned to see a seething Katherine who was smiling despite her obvious anger. Elena knew that Kat wasn't stupid. Stefan would never cheat on her; he could never be that dumb.
"No I just-"
"You were just leaving." Katherine spoke waving her hand in a dismissal.
Elena's laughter did escape her mouth this time. She covered her mouth in an attempt to hide it. It was useless. An embarrassed Amy stalked off while Katherine rounded towards Elena and Stefan.
"Kat, she asked me-"
Elena's doubled over in laughter at Stefan's show of just how scared of Katherine he was.
"Stef relax. Kat knows you would never cheat on her. Your little act of just how much she can frighten you is a dead giveaway."
Katherine just smiled up at Stefan whose face was turning back to its creamy color from the red.
"Relax babe. I trust you."
Katherine grabbed Stefan's neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Elena rolled her eyes, hopping off the back of the truck. She sees Tyler whispering into Caroline's ear as she leans on one of the nearby trees.
"Elena!" A too familiar voice yelled
"Shit." Elena mumbled pulling out her phone to pretend to text someone.
Mason stepped in front of Elena smiling. Elena forced a smile on her face as she looked up.
"Hey Mason." Elena strained out between clenched teeth with a phony smile.
"Hey. Did Jer tell you I called?" Mason questioned with his lady killer smile.
"No. I guess it slipped him mind. He's got work and Klaus this week he's basically doing a balancing act." Elena lied with ease.
"Oh. I just wanted to know if we could go out sometime doing the week."
Elena thanked God this was one of the times she did not actually have to ditch the guy. He was nice enough. He just was too nice for her.
"I actually am pretty busy doing the week. I work in the morning then practice until late. I'm keeping up with my training schedule for the scout."
Everyone in town knew about Elena being a possible candidate for the Olympic spot. Mason was more likely to believe the truth than a lie when it involved her diving.
"Oh. What about on the weekend? I'm free next weekend."
'Would he ever just give it up?' Elena thought trying to resist the urge to suck in a breath and roll her eyes.
"I could check. Sundays are usually my only free day. That's after Jer drags me to mass. Sometimes I get Saturdays off but it's up to Jer. I work all Saturday at Hypnotic."
"I'll give him a call and see if he'll let you off."
Elena internally cursed at herself for using her work schedule. There was no way Jer wouldn't let her take the night off. He had been shoving Mason down her throat for almost three years.
"Alright." Elena smiled sweetly.
She turned her head around to see Katherine smirking her way with an amused expression.
"Well, I promised Jer I would help him with Klaus. I'll see you around." Elena told him.
Mason pulled her into a hug and smiled down at her. Elena returned it with an annoyance then walked back to Katherine and Stefan.
"Do I hear wedding bells?" Katherine teased.
"Funny." Elena said opening the passenger door to the truck.
Elena sat at the kitchen table with Klaus in her lap smiling as he drew a picture of his favorite character Oscar the Grouch. He had the Oscar the Grouch backpack, pajamas, shampoo, toothpaste, bed set, pillows, notebooks, pencils, and shirts. Elena never figured out how he choose the character, she just assumed it was because green was his favorite color.
"Auntie Lena, why does Mommy and Daddy not get along?" Niklaus asked with genuine interest.
Elena could not help but smile at the picture of innocence. To Klaus, family should all love one another and be together.
"Well buddy, sometimes grown-ups have issues that they need answers to."
"It's not because of me?" Klaus asked turning to Elena with eyes full of innocence.
"No buddy. Don't let anyone tell you that either. Your mommy and daddy love you more than anything in the world. They just know how to be around each other anymore. They're trying to work through it for you though. If they don't, Auntie Lena will make sure you'll always be happy. Okay?"
Elena watched as Klaus processed everything she said. A smile broke out across his face and his chubby cheeks spread up. He hugged Elena's neck in a tight grip.
"I love you Auntie Lena."
"I love you too." Elena told him trying not to cry.
Anna and Jeremy must have argued in front of Klaus. Anna had come by this morning but Elena was asleep. When she woke, Klaus was curled up against her. She noticed the tear treks on his face but figured he had a nightmare in the middle of the night. The back door opened and Damon walked into the kitchen.
"Hey Niklaus."
"Hey Uncle D. Did you fix your bike?" Klaus asked with attentiveness.
Damon had the sexiest machine on two wheels that Elena had ever seen. It was pure silver, tight like ice. Damon kept it in great shape. It was a Suzuki GSX-R600. If there was one reason to date Damon besides his looks and wealth, it was that damn bike.
"Yes I did chubster." Damon said ruffling his hair.
"Uncle D, we talked about this. Not my hair." Klaus said looking up with a very severe expression.
Elena and Damon both let out howls of laughter. Klaus acted like he was Elena's age sometimes.
"Hey Nik. Go up to my room and get my phone please." Elena requested.
"Alright Auntie Lena. I'll be back."
Niklaus hopped down from her lap and trotted out of the kitchen. Elena giggled watching him walk away. Damon shook his head in humor. Elena turned back to him with very serious eyes.
"Hey I need to know something and I need a favor."
"Okay." Damon said, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
"Were you here this morning?"
Damon smiled, nodding his head yes.
"Did Anna and Jeremy argue?"
The smile slid from Damon's face and he nodded yes with a grave expression.
"Anna's yelling woke Klaus up. He was crying telling them to stop yelling. They didn't even notice he had come into the den until I spotted him and broke them up. I made Anna leave but Klaus had already run off. I made Jeremy go take a walk so he could calm down. I found Nik in your room falling asleep so I left him there."
Elena sighed and shook her head in annoyance.
"This is exactly why Katherine hates her. So did Jer ever come back? He wasn't in when I came down to make breakfast."
"He went to Bonnie's." Damon informed her.
This time it was Elena's time for a grave expression. Katherine and Bonnie weren't friends anymore due to the fact that Bonnie was messing around with Jeremy when Anna was pregnant. While Kat wasn't an Anna fan, she felt like Bonnie had no right to tear their family apart. Caroline and Elena stopped talking to Bonnie because she lied and snuck around with Jeremy instead of coming clean. There was a huge blow-up the summer before sophomore year. None of the girls had talked since. Bonnie and Jeremy were still together, unfortunate for both Anna and Bonnie. Yeah, Bonnie had the whole mocha glowing skin, long caramel curls, pretty brown eyes and legs for miles thing going on. That didn't stop Jer from living with Anna in the house for six months or sleeping with her. Anna got cheated on as well until she left. At least one was smart enough to know Jeremy would continue to mess around. Elena knew for fact that Jeremy was being faithful to Bonnie now and wouldn't leave her for anyone, especially his crazy son's mother. Anna was trouble on wheels. The only good thing she ever did was produce Niklaus.
"Wow. Well at least Klaus doesn't seem to be upset anymore."
The sounds of little feet grew closer and Klaus ran into the kitchen. He handed Elena her phone and climbed back into her lap, all with a big smile.
"And what about the favor?" Damon asked.
"Oh. Could you make sure I need to work next Saturday? Tell Jer you need me to help you out. I know you're running Hypnotic that night."
Damon narrowed his eyes at the weird request. Elena was sure he never had someone ask to make sure they worked unless they needed money. Elena had money, so he knew it wasn't the case.
"Umm sure. Can I ask why?"
Elena handed Klaus his crayons as she smiled at Damon.
"Oh yeah. Mason is trying to take me out. I need an excuse to get me out of it. I stupidly told him that I would need Jer's permission to get off work. Jer will agree, he thinks we're made for each other." Elena complained.
Damon smiled trying to contain his laughter.
"So not funny." Elena hissed.
"Sorry. Jer has made it seem like you guys are practically engaged."
"Mason would love that. No, I'm not into Mr. Med. I prefer my men with a little grease." Elena said instantly regretting it.
Damon's smile grew a ten-fold after her comment.
"So can you do me that favor?" Elena asked looking up at his cobalt blue eyes.
Their eyes locked one another in and they both smiled.
"Yea. Just be prepared to work. And I might even let you have some alcohol."
Elena laughed and nodded her head.
"Sounds like a plan. Can't wait."
The two continued to look at one another until Klaus laughed.
"Can I work and get alcohol too?" Klaus asked coloring his picture.
Damon and Elena started to laugh. Elena tickled Klaus as he just giggled.