DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from The Vampire Diaries.

Authors Note: I am so sorry this took so long to come out. I've been busy with many personal things so I couldn't find much time to write this chapter. I know this chapter is short but I really wanted to get something out to you guys. The next chapter I plan to be a long one so be prepared!

Elena's POV

I woke up and I felt strong arms wrapped around my waist. I had my head resting softly against Damon's chiseled chest. I looked up at him and admired how amazing he looked. His eyes flickered open and he looked straight at me.

"Oh sorry, we must have fallen asleep." he said unwrapping his arms from my waist and I immediately missed his touch. I sat up on the couch so I was facing him and grabbed my phone to check the time.

"It's fine, I'm just glad I got some sort of sleep." I admitted. If it wasn't for Damon I would've been awake all night with guilt about what happened with Stefan.

"What time is it?" he asked.

"Oh shit, it's 6." I replied as I picked up my phone.

It was Friday morning which meant school. I would have to face Stefan and my friends which I'm not sure if I'm ready to. Stefan would've told someone by now and I guess the whole school hates me for breaking up with the perfect boyfriend.

"How are you feeling?" Damon asked sincerely.

"I'm okay, it's just….everyone is going to hate me." I groaned.

"I don't hate you." He stated.

"You don't count." I said as I rolled my eyes.

"Nobody can hate you forever, you know that right?"

"Yeah I guess." I admitted.

"Okay, I was going to ask this last night but Stefan came and it got all messed up….. My father is hosting a founders ball tonight and he is insisting on me going to make us look like a happy family and well you know how much I hate my Father. So I was thinking we could go together? As friends of course. You can distract me from wanting to rip my father's head off." He asked and I could hear nerves in his voice.

"Hmm I'm not sure anyone can stop you from that but sure, I'd love to." I smiled.

"Great so I'll pick you up at 7?"

"Perfect…. I better go home and get ready for school I guess." I said walking to the door awkwardly. God how does he do this to me? It's like I've known him my whole life one second and then the next he makes me feel so shy and nervous.

"Okay then I'll see you at school?" He replied and opened his door.

"Indeed you will Salvatore." I said as I walked out the door.

As I walked home I smiled thinking about Damon escorting me to the founder's ball tonight. The last time I was at an event like that was when my parents were alive. Damon and I have something special that we I can't deny and even if we never cross the romantic line I'm still glad that I have him as a friend.

It was a short walk to my house and I knew Jenna would be angry with me because I never called to tell her where I was last night. I opened my front door and braced myself for Jenna's rage.

"Elena? Is that you?" She said and I heard the anger in her voice.

"Yeah Jenna, It's me." I replied nervously.

She walked through the kitchen door to face me by the stairs.

"Where were you last night? And don't make up some lie about staying with Caroline or Bonnie because I already called them." She questioned sternly.

Knowing I was cornered I knew there was no point in lying. "I stayed at Damon's." I gulped nervously.

"Damon Salvatore? Again Elena? God what happened to Stefan?" She snapped.

"We broke up last night." I mumbled.

"The same night you slept in his brother's home?"

"Yes Jenna, God why doesn't anyone believe that we are just friends?" I yelled.

"Elena, we can talk about this later, go and get ready for school." She sighed.

"Okay but just so you know Damon and I are friends okay?" I said.

"Fine just please be careful." She stated and I nodded my head. I began to walk upstairs to my room when she stopped me. "Oh and don't forget we have the founders ball tonight so make sure you have a dress."

"Yeah I will, but Damon is going to bring me there." I blurted.

"As your date?" she questioned.

"No we're going as friends, I already told you this."

"Okay, okay fine, go get ready before you're late." She said as I walked up the stairs and began to get ready for a long day at school.

Just as I finished applying my makeup Caroline rang me to say that she and Bonnie were walking to school and they would stop by on the way. I heard the doorbell ring so I ran down the stairs to open the door.

"Bye Jenna!" I screamed before opening the door and walking out.

I was greeted with a happy Bonnie and an angry Caroline.

"Hey girls." I said as I shut the door behind me.

It looked as if Bonnie was going to send me a cheery reply but Caroline cut in before she could.

"Did you and Stefan break up last night?" Caroline bluntly said.

"Yes we did Care and I was going to tell you. Anyways how would you know?" I questioned as we began to walk to school.

"Well I was with Tyler and Stefan called him all upset and Tyler had to leave."

"Yeah well I was at Damon's apartment and Stefan barged in and started screaming and we broke up." I stated.

"Is that where you stayed last night? Damon's apartment? Alone with him?" She eyed me carefully and continued. "God Elena you barely broke up with him and you're saying at his brother's apartment."

"How many times do I have to tell people we are friends that's it." I shouted.

"You two clearly have something more going on…... Look Elena I'm not annoyed at you it just feels like you're lying about things, I just want to know these things before other people. I sucked having to find out through someone else." Caroline said sadly which made me feel guilty.

"Elena we both love you and will support whatever decision you make." Bonnie finally spoke up.

"Okay, I'm sorry and I need to be more honest with you guys about things. I just wish you guys could see the side of Damon I see….. Anyways I thought I should let you guys know Damon asked me to go to the founders ball with him." I said barely containing my excitement.

"Ooooh great! You can come with us!" Caroline squeaked.

"I'm not sure if Damon's that type of guy, plus we're going as friends."

"Well so are Bonnie and Matt so it's perfect."

"Don't you think it will be awkward to be with Tyler in front of Matt" Bonnie questioned.

"No Matt and I are friends now so it will be perfectly fine. Elena can we meet at your house?" Caroline asked.

"I'll have to run it by Jenna but I think It'll be fine." I smiled.

"Ahh! This is going to be amazing!" Caroline squealed as we walked up the steps of our school.

We walked through the main door of the school and I felt my heart pound loudly in my chest. I felt as if everyone was looking at me because I had broken the perfect boy's heart. I could hear Caroline and Bonnie talking about their dresses but it felt like everything was silent. I reached my locker and Caroline and Bonnie were still chatting as they waited for me to finish getting my books. I felt a light tap on my shoulder which made me jump slightly. I turned around to see Stefan standing in front of me.

"Hey, um can we talk?" He asked awkwardly.

"Um yeah sure." I replied.

"Okay um we'll see you later Elena." Bonnie said quickly before grabbing Caroline's hand and walking away.

"Look I'm really sorry about last night, I shouldn't have screamed at you….. I know you and Damon are only friends but ….I just don't trust him."

"Yeah Stefan but if you trusted me, there would be nothing to worry about."

"I know Elena. He's just bad and I don't want him to influence you."

"Why do you think he's so bad? He's been nothing but good to me and you know it." I argued.

"Why are you trying to defend him don't you see he's never going to change?" he spat and I felt the tears welling up in my eyes.

"I'm going to defend him because he's my friend Stefan." I cried.

"Are you serious right now?" he shouted and I felt people staring.

I saw in the corner of my eye Damon running towards us.

"Woah Stefan, stop shouting, need I remind you where you are?" Damon said trying to calm Stefan down.

"Just leave me the fuck alone!" he screamed and stormed off.

Damon looked up at me to see that I was crying so he quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me outside of the school. He walked me to a stranded place behind the school where he quickly pulled me into him.

"Hey, hey shh shh shh." he said rubbing circles on my back as I cried heavier into his chest.

"He hates me Damon." I cried.

"No he doesn't, don't say that. I don't think anyone could hate you. He's just hurt but he'll get over it, don't you worry okay?" he said sincerely before pulling me away from him so I could look into his perfect blue eyes. He cupped his hands around my face and we stared deeply at each other.

"Thank you for being here for me." I mumbled.

"No, thank you for putting up with me." He replied with a smirk.

He pulled me back into a tight hug where I felt safe. Once I had finally calmed down he spoke up.

"Okay, so how are you feeling about going back in there?" he questioned.

"I'm okay, we better go before we're late to class." I smiled.

"Okay then, c'mon." he said and we walked right back into the school.

Damon's POV

After a very long morning of boring classes it was finally lunch. I walked outside over to my spot behind the bike shed and saw the usual people sitting, eating and smoking. I also saw Katherine sitting beside Vicki chatting to some guy.

"Well, well, well, look who it is." Kol said happily as he patted the grass next to him.

I took the seat beside Kol and looked over at Katherine who had a scowl on her face.

"Here, you want some?" Klaus said leaning over to hand me a blunt.

"Yeah sure." I replied as I took it from his hand and started smoking it.

"Are you going to that ball tonight?" Kol asked me.

"Yeah I am, are you guys?" I questioned motioning towards the Mikaelson brothers sitting beside me.

"Yeah Enzo has a big deal going on and needs people to help, you in?" Klaus asked.

"Nah man I have family obligations. If my Dad finds out I'm working at his ball he'll cut off my cash flow."

"Well I don't want to be the one who has to tell Enzo his right hand man can't help out this time." Finn spoke up.

"Oh would you shut up." I said punching his arm and taking another hit of the joint.

"Awh look who it is, little Elena Gilbert." I heard Katherine say.

I quickly looked over and saw Elena standing shyly, looking at me.

"Shut the fuck up Kat." I cursed and walked over to Elena. When I reached her I grabbed her hand and pulled her away from staring eyes.

"Wait, please tell me that's a different Katherine…." she trails.

"I wish I could say no." I said and I wasn't lying.

"Are you two seeing each other again?" she stuttered.

"What? No way. I'd never go back there… not in a million years….. are you jealous Elena Gilbert?" I asked stepping closer to push her against the wall.

"No.. what? Why would I be jealous?" she babbled nervously and I could hear her breathing quicken. I put my hands on the wall behind her and stared deeper into her eyes.

"Because, I think that you are jealous that we have a lot of history." I said as I moved closer to her lips. I was obviously feeling the full effects of the joint that I had smoked or I wouldn't have this much confidence right now. Especially because this was school after all. Her friends could be around hell Stefan could be around here somewhere but I didn't care. I wanted what I want.

"Elena, is that you?" I heard a male voice interrupt us so I quickly moved out of Elena's way.

"Jeremey? What are you doing here?" Elena said walking over towards her brother.

"I could ask you the same thing, was I disturbing something?" he said looking over at me.

"No Jeremey, stop trying to change the subject. Are you high?" she said using her fingers to widen his eyes.

"Elena will you just fuck off? I'm going to my friends now okay?" he snapped.

"No you won't kiddo." I said walking towards them. "They're bad news, so beat it."

"What are you gonna do if I don't huh?" he said stepping towards me. "You're not gonna touch a hair on my body because Elena has you wrapped around her little finger."

"Jeremey just stop okay? If you know what's good for you, you'll stop hanging around with those people." she said. I knew that she didn't like my lifestyle choice but if she didn't want to be my friend she could have just said it to me and I would have left her alone, but saying it like that made me feel guilty.

"Fine, I'll see you at home." he finally gave in and walked away.

"Elena I'm not forcing you to be my friend you know." I simply stated.

"What are you talking about Damon" she asked confused.

"I'm talking about what you just said to your brother." I looked at her as I saw the realisation cross her face.

"No Damon I didn't mean you, you're different."

"How am I different Elena? I'm the same as everyone there maybe even worse. I am bad elena, I am bad for you so why wouldn't you have run away as far as humanly possible? I don't fucking deserve your friendship…... I think we need to stop being friends or whatever this is. It needs to end."

"No Damon, you are different to everyone else there because, you may do bad things, hell you may do the worst thing ever…. but you are different to every single person in there because, you're the most caring, fun, honest, happy, funny, confident, compassionate person I have ever known, so if anyone here doesn't deserve this friendship, it's me." She said. That was the most confident I had ever seen Elena and it took me back a bit.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, I'm a shitty person for doing that to you."

"Oh would you shut up, where's my cocky Salvatore gone huh?" she said and jokingly punched my arm.

"Awe look at this, going from fighting to joking, how cute." Katherine said walking towards a wall where she leaned against it.

"Great, we have a crazy ex on the loose." I said rolling my eyes and I saw Elena tense beside me.

"We haven't officially met yet." Katherine said walking towards Elena. "I'm Katherine, Damon's ex girlfriend, though I'm sure you already knew that." she said and laughed.

"Oh yes I did and I also know a lot of stories that don't make you look so good in my books so I'd rather not waste my breath on a shameless and jealous ex girlfriend." She smiled and I let out a dry laugh.

"Ahh I see why you like her, she's feisty. It's very cute how you think I'm jealous of you but you have no idea what I'm capable of." She laughed and strutted off into the distance.