Two years had come and gone quickly. The bar had been packed every single night since the grand opening, and it was going tremendously. Actually, it was going far better than Matt had even predicted. It was a local hot spot now. There were the "regulars" who visited nearly every night, but now you could count on seeing new faces from around the country almost daily. As business boomed, Matt had met the ever growing demands with newer upgrades. Now, they had a live band that played every Friday night from eight to close and they were starting to make a name for themselves as well. Elena finally got to move into her studio above the bar, and she was enjoying the new found privacy, but as much as she hated to admit it, she was also starting to miss being with Matt. With the bar getting crazy busy lately, he had been up to his eyeballs in paperwork and booze, but mostly paperwork. He still tried to take her out every now and then, but their friendship was turning into something more, but she wasn't sure exactly what new form it was taking on. Sure, she loved being with him, but she didn't love him. She loved the how nice he was, and the attention he gave her, and most of all, she loved his protectiveness over her.
Her life was smoothing out into a steady rhythm. She had even called up Caroline a few times to ease her fears on Elena's once depressing life. She told her about Los Angeles, and the bar, and Matt. Caroline promised to come out and enjoy a few nights with her soon, but that wasn't likely to happen with Stefan down her throat all of the time. Elena was very out of the loop when it came to the people in her old life, but oddly she was okay with that now. With each passing day in California, her old life was slowly deteriorating away. The past needed to stay in the past. What once was boring, depressing Elena, was now this new newly transformed social, and slightly wild, butterfly. Her new look finalized the transformation. Now, red streaks peeked out from her long brown locks, and tattoos trailed down her lean, toned arms. Nobody from Mystic Falls would recognize this new persona.
Elena studied herself in the full length mirror in her bathroom. Her look was always defined by her mood, and tonight she was feeling confident and fearless. She donned a red tank top tight leather jacket over her dark wash skinny jeans and black knee high boots. Her hair was loosely curled and hung down to the middle of her back. She wasn't just hot, she looked sexy and she knew it. Heads turned when she made her way downstairs to the bar. Guys whistled at her playfully, but she ignored them for the time being. She wasn't nearly drunk enough to start her games yet. She stationed herself behind the bar and took her first few drink orders. For now it was pretty slow, but it was a Friday night, and that meant by nightfall the turnout would be massive.
The band started filing in around seven that night. The party was full on by ten. It didn't take long when there was booze, music, and beautiful women packed into one area. Elena excused herself from the bar after a few too many shots and left it to Matt to take over. She hadn't actually partied hard since the grand opening night, but tonight she was planning on giving that a run for the money. Already buzzing she shook off her jacket, threw it on the closest bar stool and made her way to the dance floor. She rocked and grinded back against the crowd as the music flowed through her. Shot after shot was handed to her, and she threw her head back and took each one like a pro. She fell further and further into her haze. One man in particular had caught her eye. He was dancing with another brunette on the outskirts, near the pool tables. His jet black hair was ruffled and messy, his face had a slightly scruffy five o'clock shawdow, and he was dressed in all black.
Elena downed another shot of liquid courage and pushed her way over to him. She walked straight up to him and hooked her finger in the collar of his shirt. She pulled him towards her and danced closely as the song's bass dropped. Sweat beaded down her neck as their bodies grinded together. His hands grabbed her hips and he spun her around to face him. His hair was damp and starting to clump together in a cute way, but it was his ice blue eyes that made her melt entirely. He snaked his arm around to the small of her back and pulled her up against his chest. He kissed her roughly, full of lust. Fireworks exploded inside of her, she wanted more. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hoisted herself up, wrapping her legs around his waist playfully. His hands moved to her butt, holding her in place. The brunette that had been with him earlier was now long gone, possibly pouting at the bar and bitching about Elena, but that was just part of the game. Somebody always had to lose.
"I know this is crazy, but let's go upstairs. Come on. We will have fun," Elena slurred as she broke away from his lips. She moved to his neck, kissing and nipping at it sensually. He pulled back from her and set her back down on the floor.
"God Elena, you don't know how bad I want to do that, but I can't. I really can't," he grumbled. Elena looked into his eyes, and silently begged him.
"Oh stop that, you've always known how to get your way with me, but not this time. This time I can't. It's already gone too far. I've gotta go," he pulled away from her and walked towards the exit. The small brunette hopped off her bar stool and chased after him, yelling obscenities at him the entire way out the door.
"Oh shit," Elena cursed herself silently. Her world spun wildly, and not just from the alcohol. The buzz she had nursed a while ago was completely gone. She had traveled thousands of miles to get away from him, and now he showed up here and blindsided her on her own turf. All of the feelings she had left behind in Mystic Falls had come rushing back o her. She promptly ran upstairs to her apartment, locked the door, and threw up the entire contents of her stomach in the toilet. The universe was determined to screw her over, and this was it. She ran from her problems, only to have them follow her.