Chapter Seven
The silence following his confession felt as if it were pushing and pulling. His eyes searched down something only known to them. His answer had been this one simple word but it felt like a thousand – such, that he could not bring his face up to meet hers. He feared what he would see in her eyes - pity, he thought.
Thoughts, thoughts, thoughts – nothing but them. No actions. Why couldn't he just face her? He spiritually criticized himself but still did nothing physically. So soft she made him, he found himself admitting.
"Stef – "
Such warmth her voice gave to his name. One that was so unfortunately interrupted by a knock and Caroline's sudden figure in the doorstep.
"Hey, you two!" she cheerfully saluted. "Oh, sorry! Am I interrupting, um, something?" she quickly added seeing their faces turning to hers – both so intimidated she could've sworn the actual air above them was blushing.
"No, no, no! Nothing important, Care! No-no! Nothing!" Stefan's voice was continuously rambling.
Caroline noticed how Elena's face was now desperately searching Stefan's - his was avoiding hers. Her heart dropped when she felt the pain Elena's features were holding. She could so clearly distinguish the hurt Elena was feeling, trying to catch a glimpse of Stefan but him pulling away. His words had burnt her.
"Yeah – clearly, nothing!" She ached so much. Yet she faintly smiled to Caroline and asked: "So, what's up, Caroline?"
"Oh, I just wanted to go grab some coffee at The Grill and thought I could use some company. All the shopping by myself was kind of exhausting. But – no problem – I'll just grab one to go." She rapidly added the last sentence.
But Elena's voice quickly covered hers: "There's no problem. Actually, I could use some fresh air."
"Yeah, I think I'm going to pass, Care. I – um – have some things to take care of." Stefan's voice uncomfortably followed Elena's.
"The hell with these two! Children!" Caroline thought to herself. She then quickly added: "Oh, no, you don't! You are so definitely coming! Remember how we lost our childhood as best cousins? Yeah – we're not wasting any more time."
Stefan thought of one way or two to not have to go but he knew he had no chance when Caroline's mind settled for an idea.
Yes, only the two of them at a table, in the corner of The Grill.
"Perfect!" Caroline mentally congratulated herself.
They could do absolutely nothing to escape talking – Stefan most definitely had no place to run away to. He simply had to make it up to Elena – the stubborn and childish one he had been. He had hurt her. She liked Elena; she seemed too nice to be hurting. Besides she could clearly see the sparks flying all over the place between those two. There was just something about them she felt happy about. Maybe she was being her usual cheerful optimist but she had to, at least try, get them together.
That fake message she received from Zach, desperately needing her attendance at the house, had been brilliant.
She smiled brightly, puffed her perfectly shaped blonde loops and joyfully sat herself on the pale pink rocking chair in the garden, at the back of the mansion, holding her newly begun Jane Austen novel.
Stefan was focusing on Elena's beautifully placed features. Even though they seemed to want to escape him – she had been starring through the window outside a while now.
He knew he had to apologize – just say something to her. He nervously cleared his voice.
"I'm sorry, Elena! I was a jerk, I know." He almost whispered the last words. His tone was so honestly low that it made Elena slowly turn her face towards him. She was rigidly serious, though.
"You're right! A huge asshole! I'm one big, f-ing son of a b – "
Elena's unexpected burst of laughter interrupted him. He suddenly felt himself smiling at this new sight of her.
"You honestly suck at apologies! 'F-ing', really? You suck!"
Yet she was laughing.
"Well, I am a gentleman, you know? Couldn't just use such strong language with a beautiful girl like you!"
She felt herself slightly blush. She just couldn't stay mad with him, could she?
"But the 'asshole' part was ok. Unlike the 'f-ing', I mean, the difference."
She was mocking him – and he loved it. He widely yet softly laughed.
"I'm sorry. It was so stupid of me. I felt silly with what I had just admitted to you and…I don't know, Elena. I pictured you'd feel pity with the fool I was being. It doesn't even make sense saying it out loud."
He lowered his sight as he confessed.
"I'm actually feeling like a fool right now." He sadly smiled.
Suddenly, he felt Elena's hands covering both sides of his face. She lifted his look and now her eyes were so decisively looking into his.
"Hey!" – her voice was heavenly soft, he felt – "Stefan! You are a fool, but for the wrong reasons. It's so silly you'd even think I would pity you. Even sillier is the fact that you'd call yourself a fool for feeling." – her eyes were now overflowing in a watery glossiness – "I'd be the biggest of fools for feeling everything I feel right now."
Her voice quietly broke with the last sentence. But she then quickly reassuringly smiled and added: "And – I forgive you! We're a work in progress, remember?"
Stefan felt confidence filling his entire body. She was beautifully perfect, he thought.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go make a call to Caroline who thinks she was perfectly subtle with leaving the two of us alone. Actually – she was and I have to thank her." Stefan brightly added and went outside.
Elena gently shook her head with laughter. They could definitely be what they once were.
An unexpected voice disturbed her.
"Such a long time, Elena! Quite the surprise, huh?"
"Matt!" She barely managed to pronounce.
"Oh, sorry! Seems you're waiting for someone but I think I'll just keep you company in the meantime." he smirked.
"What are you doing here?" Elena asked coldly.
"Why the angry voice, Elena? Relax! I'm just visiting some relatives in Mystic Falls. Coincidence, right? That we both have family here!" Matt smiled untruly. "So, how's life treating you, Elena? Haven't heard a word from you in a long time!"
"Well, I have been busy."
She was trying to keep her answers short so that he would leave. She felt like jumping into millions of questions to find answers to what he did to them yet she wanted him gone, at the same time. She didn't want Stefan to see him. She feared. What exactly, she could not tell. But she wanted Matt gone.
"Matt!" Stefan's voice echoed in her ears.
She felt panic. Something would go wrong, she felt it.
"Stefan! The chances, right? I'm just joining you two here over a coffee, hope there's no problem." Matt maliciously added.
"By all means, join us!" Stefan smirked. He sat at the table, so close he could actually feel Elena's heart racing. So he warmly took her hands into his.
Matt's face suddenly covered itself with displeasure.
Yet Elena was overwhelmed with surprise – the most pleasant of ones. She questionably turned her face to Stefan just to find him softly and purely smiling.
"Thought you two were having some problems in paradise…"Matt added while bitterly taking a sip of his coffee.
"Huh!" – Stefan was looking genuinely confused – "Anyway, great catching up, Matt but Elena and I have to go. Ready, beautiful?"
"Um, yes! Yeah, let's go." Elena was almost speechless. "What the…", she was rambling through her thoughts. She clearly searched every possible explanation for Stefan's behaviour and clearly she was having problems finding even the most simple of answers. She stood up and suddenly, she felt her body lightly being pulled into Stefan's husky embrace. She met his lips in a mix of raw passion and sweet pureness. They moved to the rhythm they seemed to know so well. It lasted short but it made the earth underneath Elena's feet tremble with a range of emotions.
"Yeah, I'm ready, sure, let's go." Elena could not restrain her mouth. She caught a glimpse of Matt and she could have sworn he was about to explode with anger or envy. Both, actually.
Stefan widely smiled and softly laughed at the entanglement of Elena's words. He was blushing her entirely – he could just imagine the most perfect speechless confusion going through her mind.
"So " – Elena suddenly stopped in the middle of the road, as they were approaching the house – "I've been torturing myself all the way here with every single explanation to why you did what you did back there. None found. Zero." She was being such a goof, Stefan smiled to himself. A beautiful silly person. His, actually – and he thought it was time to let her know that.
"Well, I wanted Matt to think we were together. You know, a couple. So he would not have the satisfaction of seeing us not together."
"Oh! So that's what it was – " her voice sounded a little disappointed. Or so it seemed to Stefan.
So he took a leap of faith.
"That's what it is."
"What do you – "
His hands were holding her hopeful gaze, suddenly. His voice immediately broke the space and silence: "I mean, let's truly be a work in progress. Enough with what the past was or what the future will be. Let's just be us – present us. And I fully admit that present me desperately wants to kiss you, right about now."
"What's holding present you back, then?"
Their lips were so softly moving, pressed in pairs of two, it actually sent shivers into thin air.
"A 'yes' so I know I'm not making a fool out of me." Stefan's lips moistened Elena's.
"What have I just told you about this foolishness of yours?"
They were splendidly teasing each other. Her gorgeously shaped lip curve was all he badly craved. His intensely sweet scented inhale, exhale rhythm felt too desirable to her.
"You said – "
"I said if you were a fool for feeling, I'd be the biggest of fools."
The non-existent space their lips shared was covered in pure glisten. It became unbearable.
"So – "Stefan keenly whispered.
"So - yes!"
Elena's words rolled inside his mouth. Both pairs of eyes closed, their bodies only tasting the beauty that their lips' movements were.
Hello, lovely people! Quite the late update, again, I know! BUT, I do think it was worth it! YES, some positively good Stefan and Elena *hearts*. Painful moments during the show right now so I'm not keeping them in my story as well. Compensate, right? I just want to say I simply LOVED that last part between the two of them. It felt so intense to write the tension. Hope all of you feel it and love it as well! And I do hope you like the update*crossing fingers*
Also, truly wanting to thank so, so much my loyal readers that constantly review every update. You are amazing and I thank you the most! And yes, every question or critique you have on your mind, I will certainly always answer it!
Yet, I do hope to get some more reviews. I'll go on a strike, otherwise. Joking! With one person who'd read my story and I'd still write it because I enjoy it too much. I just would love to read more opinions, ideas, suggestions. Really much!
"TVDfiction": I actually did "borrow" a tiny part of the idea you shared, telling me what you'd like to see happen. Worked it a little but hope you like the outcome;))
Sooo, best of loves until next chapter! And please, do hit me with reviews, I'm not crazy for liking them. It's natural;))
Alex