~*Six*~

Money For Nothing, Guilt For Free

"Katherine, Katherine!"

Too many freaking people. How did Katherine get used to this? Or any celebrity?

"Please, Katherine, is it true about you and Damon Salvatore?"

Elena froze at this question in particular. She had been up all night thinking about how to respond to this question. She couldn't confirm, because Katherine would have a fit. And besides, she wasn't anything with Damon but co-stars. Sure, he was attractive and all, but Caroline was pretty hellbent on keeping her away from him.

"Seriously?" Elena heard Caroline whine behind her. "Come on, people, move it!"

Elena had to laugh as she watched Caroline bulldoze her way through the sea of photographers. Suddenly, Elena felt a sharp grip on her hand.

"Get out of my way!" Caroline growled to a specific photographer, and Elena felt pity when he fell backwards against his competitors, and was rudely shoved to the back.

Suddenly, all of the noise became muffled as Elena heard a car door slam. Opposite her in the velvet infested limo was Caroline, her eyes narrowed.

"What?" Elena shrugged.

Best to get this over with now before they were in the public eye once again.

"Well, let's see," Caroline clipped, "You told me to my face that nothing was going on between you and Damon, and yet, I wake up with a dozen calls from People and Star asking me to confirm the 'blossoming' relationship between the two of you." Caroline snapped. "Does that answer your question?"

Elena shook her head. "Caroline, I didn't lie to you," she said. "Nothing is going on between him and I, Last night was just a simple dinner to make amends."

"Well, what dod you expect when you went out him to dinner with him the first place?" Caroline questioned, her voice oozing pride.

"Not this," Elena sighed. How could she have been so ignorant?

Because she was just a regular seventeen-year-old from Mystic Falls, the kind of town that people would simply pass by on a road trip.

"Well, I'm shocked," Caroline snapped. "You're Katherine Pierce. Anyone and everyone eats up your life like cake."

"Look, I made a mistake, I get it," Elena interrupted, her voice rising in sync with her temper, "Can we please just forget this?"

Caroline's scoff pounded in Elena's mind as she glanced out of the window, vaguely wondering how Caroline had became Katherine's story was sure to be intriguing.

It was quarter to seven. Katherine stood in front of Elena's body-length mirror, evaluating her appearance. She wore a plain yellow sundress, her hair designed in loose curls, and her shoes coffee-colored gladiators. She had to appear casual, but not too casual. If she had appeared as anything more, surely word would get back to Barbie, and she's have her head. And though Katherine may have not been the most selfless flower in the garden, she still had a heart and didn't want to abandon Elena to her trouble.

"Elena, why is there a red car outside with a very attractive man parked out front?"

Shoot. She had neglected to mention her dinner with Stefan to the aunt.

"Guy? Elena, get down here!"

...And Mr. Gilbert.

"Coming," Katherine replied as she fetched her clutch from Elena's bed.

In record time, she was on the landing, Jenna and Elena's father's eyes pierced on her.

"I'm going out with Stefan Salvatore to run lines for the play,"

Jenna's green eyes nearly popped out. Suddenly, she blinked.

"Wait," she scoffed. "Rewind. Did you just say 'rehearse for the play'?"

And she had forgotten to mention that as well.

Whoops.

"You're in the play?" Elena's father asked. "Why didn't we know this?"

Honk, honk.

"Look, I'm sorry I haven't gotten around to telling you guys yet, but Stefan's waiting, and I can't bail on him." Katherine said as she reached for the front door. "I'll be back soon,"

Before either of the two adults could object, Katherine darted out of the house and toward Stefan's car.

As Katherine approached his car, she caught sight of Stefan climbing out of the driver's seat. He wore a plain blue V-neck tee, black jeans and matching hiking boots. Katherine felt her cheeks heating as she observed him. He didn't deserve a girl like Barbie.

"May I say that you look beautiful?" he smiled, and Katherine felt her skin redden even further, if possible.

"You may," she grinned back. "And may I say that you don't look so bad yourself?"

Stefan chuckled lightly as he walked around to the passenger door and opened it. "You may,"

Katherine giggled as she climbed into the passenger seat. "Thank you, kind sir," she smiled up at Stefan.

"My lady, you are indeed welcome," he replied. "Let's go get some food,"

Once the limo pulled in front of the studio lot, Elena didn't hesitate to hop out of the back. She had been suffocating from the tension that ran between her and Caroline. Elena vaguely heard Caroline exit the car just as she reached the entrance. As she made her way to the film lot, Elena wondered if Caroline was still behind her. But she was too prideful to glance backward.

As Elena entered the studio, she she saw a tall and sandy-haired man approach her. He looked as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders with his baggy eyes and tousled hair.

"Are you alright?" Elena asked, sincerely curious. The poor man looked as if he had been through the ringer for Pete's she didn't know him, but the least she could do was ask if he was alright.

"Do you have any idea what I've been through this morning?" he asked, a hint of anger in his voice, and Elena suddenly swallowed.

"Every reporter and magazine invented has been calling and calling, wanting to schedule you and Damon for an interview. Ever since that story of the two of you from last night blew into the news, everyone wants to know every detail on Kathmon."

"What?" Elena frowned. She had heard each and every word of the man's story, but all was wiped after the last word.

"Your couple name. Like Bragelina, or TomKat. Ever since the magazine cover with Cosmopolitan and the dinner date-"

"No, it wasn't a date-"

"Well, according to every tabloid and web source, it was," he sighed. "Which is why we've got to nail this scene today. Your fans are counting on the two of you, especially now."

"What scene?" Elena frowned.

"Your and Damon's kiss." The man said as if it he had simply been discussing the weather. "Who else?"

Oh, god.

Elena couldn't help the warm and fuzzy stir in the lower pit of her stomach.

"But-"

She couldn't possibly get through this and not have feelings for him. A kiss, whether in front of a camera or just under the stars, a kiss was a kiss.

"No time," the man shook his head. "Get to makeup. We're starting in half an hour."

As she watched the man walk away, she caught sight of Damon in the corner talking to some woman. He looked calmer than a clam.

Too calm, in fact.

She wasn't ready for this. She had thought that if there was a kiss in this movie, then surely Katherine would've already filmed it.

But she was wrong.

And she hated it.

By the end of the day, she would have officially been kissed by the man who she wasn't supposed to fall for.

And she hated that, too.

Elena sat alone in the break room, studying her lines for the kissing scene, her leg vibrating underneath the table. She had to nail this. Katherine wouldn't let her live it down if she screwed this up, And she didn't really like the idea of kissing Damon repeatedly if she messed up. She couldn't give any indication that she was slightly attracted to Damon. Caroline would surely notice, as would Damon, and she did not need that.

"Ric's ready,"

Crap.

Elena looked up to see Damon standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest, and she tried not to gaze at his well defined muscles.

When she was about to ask who Ric was, she was hit in the face with the obvious.

The director. The sandy-haired, overwhelmed man she had met earlier that morning.

"Alright." Elena nodded, closing the script nervously, her hands beginning to shake. She didn't know whether she was more nervous about the possibility of messing up the scene, or having to kiss Damon.

"Keep driving,"

"Get out!" Katherine cried, impersonating a frightened girl

"Everything's all right!" Stefan recited.

"l'll call a cop!" Katherine threatened.

"Just a few blocks-"

"Don't hurt me!" Katherine cried.

"l'm not a criminal." Stefan insisted.

"Stop," Katherine called.

"Why?" Stefan asked audibly as he sat across from Katherine. "We were doing great.".

"I can't hear you at all," Katherine shouted.

"What do you mean?" Stefan responded loudly.

"See?" Katherine shouted. "It's noisier than the red carpet in here,"

"The red carpet?" Stefan asked. "You've been?"

Crap.

"Er, no," she said quickly. "I can only guess,"

"Well, I suppose that's an accurate simile,"

"Metaphor," Katherine corrected.

"Actually, I think it's simile." Stefan hollered..

"Simile is using 'like' or 'as'," She said. "I didn't use either,"

"Well, you're smart," Stefan assessed.

"I try," Katherine said. She really did. She was no Elena. Well internally, at least.

"Well, do you want to take this to go?" Stefan asked, pointing to the half-eaten food on the table in front of them.

"You're right," he nodded. "It's a jungle in here,"

"Alright," Katherine agreed as she stood up.

"Let's blow this popsicle stand," he said.

Katherine couldn't help it as she burst out in a fit of laughter.

"What did you just say?" she giggled.

"You heard me," he said.

"You're hilarious," Katherine scoffed.

"I try," Stefan shrugged, and Katherine turned on her heal to look at him.

"Well done," she smirked.

"Katherine," Ric said as Elena and Damon approached the set.

"Ready?" he asked.

Despite her complete desire to deny, she nodded.

"I am,"

"Then let's get into place," Ric said excitedly. "We need to nail this. Then again, maybe it might not be so hard for you two."

Elena's mouth fell open in shock.

"Action!"

Crap. She wasn't ready.

But she had to be.

Act for your life!

(Elizabeth is at the edge of a cliff considering jumping. Jason runs up to her and calls to her desperately)

Jason:What the hell do you think you're doing?

(Elizabeth turns around slowly through the storm, then turns back)

Elizabeth: You were almost killed the other night! (She begins to cry) And do you know who's fault it was? Mine! I didn't do what Reynolds said and returned the money-

Jason: Hey! (approaches Elizabeth angrily and turns her around to face him) Don't you think like that! You're not dying to save my life.

Elizabeth: Don't you see? It's the only way. I brought you into this. This is my fight. Not yours.

Jason: (Shakes his head) It sure as hell is my fight.

Nothing could have prepared her properly for what happened next. Within a second, she felt Damon's hands grip her face as their lips met. At the sudden touch, Elena moaned, and the kiss deepened.

Suddenly, the whole world around them seemed to disappear. She was lost. Lost in Damon. His presence lit an unexpected fire within her, and she wasn't about to tame it. Only he could do that. But he didn't seem about to want to tame it either. Damon's hands suddenly fell to her waist, and Elena gasped, and Damon took full advantage of the opportunity.

And she didn't mind one bit.

In fact, she wanted more.

More of him.

Of Damon.

"Cut!"

Suddenly, Damon pulled away as a muffled sound echoed in her mind. She didn't want that to happen. She wanted with every bone in her body to pull him back to her.

Elena was so disappointed that she hadn't registered the volume of her heavy breathing, and it was when Damon's thumb brushed over her cheek that she was made awate.

As she looked up into striking blue eyes, she could've sworn that what was reflected in them was exactly what she felt.

And just then, Elena had realized that what she had told Caroline just that morning was now a complete lie.

"Do you believe that there are other galaxies out there?"

Stefan's voice registered in Katherine's mind, and she looked over at him as she took a sip of her coffee.

She began to consider his question. She didn't really know much about the solar system or astronomy. But she did believe in the crazy stuff.

"Maybe," She nodded, meeting Stefan's eyes, which reflected the starry night within them. "I've never really known about space. But I'm always open to possibilities."

"So am I," Stefan agreed, and Katherine smiled warmly as they continued to glance at each other.

"You know Rebekah's going to find out about tonight," Katherine said, breaking contact as she looked at her fingers.

"Ah, let her," he shrugged. "She's not the CIA."

Katherine squealed with laughter. "Can I ask you something?" she wondered, suddenly serious.

"Of course," he nodded.

"Why are you even with her when you don't seem to be happy when you talk about her?"

Stefan sighed. "Rebekah and I knew each other growing up. She helped me through a rough patch in my life, and we grew close. Suddenly one day, she confessed that she was interested in me, and I was so perplexed that I just offered to go out with her. Over the years, though, she became very controlling and paranoid. I guess, honestly, I am still with her because I feel...I feel as if I owe her, you know?"

Katherine nodded. "It makes sense."

"You know, you're a lot different that I expected," he said suddenly, and Katherine blinked.

"How so?"

"Everyone- don't take this the wrong way- but everyone was always really annoyed by how snooty and perfect you seemed. Perfect grades, perfect family, perfect house-"

"No one's life is perfect, Stefan," Katherine sighed. "Not even mine. One's perception differs one's intent. I don't mean to come off that way. But sometimes, the only way to survive is to not care about what people think of you and to block it all out, the bad things."

"Yeah," Stefan said, looking down. "Hey, i don't know about you, but I'm getting bitten alive out here." he grunted. "Why don't we get back inside?"

Katherine couldn't agree more.

She would've complained about the bugs for the last ten minutes, but now, after what Stefan said, she didn't want to.

"I'm all for," she said. With Stefan's aid, Katherine stood up from the grass.

Out of the blue, She trupped on her own foot, and was fearing the moment she would hit the ground.

But she didn't.

Instead, she looked up into hazel eyes attached to a face not two inches from hers.

She wanted so bad to close the distance between them.

But she didn't have to.

Stefan did it for her.

It was soft. Softer than she would've thought, yet perfect. She wouldn't have wanted rough and passionate with him. She wanted this, this simplicity. This ordinary.

Because she wasn't ordinary.

She was Katherine Pierce, and it was only a matter of time before she would have to accept that fact again.

But for now, she let herself be consumed by Stefan.

"Elena,"

Katherine heard a low voice as she closed the front door. It was nearly eleven, and she was surely in trouble.

As she glanced up, Jenna walked into the room, her arms crossed in what Katherine assumed was annoyance.

"You're lucky your dad's not home from his meeting yet," she said. "Go to bed. Before I don't have the chance to save you."

"Thank you," Katherine said as hse walked past Jenna and up the stairs.

"Hey,"

Katherine, mid-step, turned back to glance down at Jenna.

"Goodnight," Jenna smiled, and Karherine watched the redhead wander back into the living room.

As Katherine settled into Elena's bed, she heard a loud ping beside her, and when she glanced at her phone, she froze.

Bonnie B: Thanks so much for coming tonight, Elena! Oh, wait. You didn't. Thanks for standing me up on my big night.

Crap!

She had completely forgotten about Bonnie's Open Mic Night at the Grill!

How could she have-?

Stefan.

Katherine tossed the phone onto the bed beside her, trying to shake off the guilt that she knew she was feeling for not showing up Elena's best friend. She wanted to say that she wanted to take back her chance, but after her night with Stefan, she didn't want to say it.

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(THEME SONG) I Want You To Want Me ~KSM

Soundtrack that inspired/mentioned in this chapter:

Paparazzi ~ Lady Gaga

The Light ~ The Album Leaf

Things We Lost In The Fire ~ Bastille

Ordinary Day ~ Vanessa Carlton

Animal ~ Ke$ha