AN: This ones a little shorter than the rest but I got everything out that I wanted. Thanks you again for reviews, favorites, and follows! Please review if you read this! It's motivation! Enjoy!
Chapter 7
Laylas POV
I'm so comfortable that I don't want to even open my eyes. I try to nuzzle my head further into this comfortable pillow but realize whatever it is I'm rubbing my head on is far to hard and warm to be a pillow. I crack an eye open and realize my face is snuggled into someone's chest. Oh Jesus. Both Damon and I are on our sides facing each other. His chin is resting on my head and his arm is draped over me. He actually has a pretty tight hold on me. I can tell he's still sleeping from his shallow ever breaths. I pull back as much as his tight hold allows me and get a good look at his beautiful face. He can't possibly be real.
"It's rude to stare." I jump slightly at his unexpected voice and he smirks with his eyes still closed.
"It's also rude to squeeze me to death." He chuckles and his piercing eyes flutter open. His eyes are so ridiculously blue this close up.
He gazes at me in a cautious almost analyzing way. He must be pleased by what he sees because he goes back to seeming lighthearted as usual.
"This is the second time you've slept in my bed and you still haven't put out. I have to say I'm pretty disappointed." I slap him on the chest and roll away from him. He too lies on his back.
"You act all detached and witty all the time yet you still come to my rescue when I breakdown. Why?" He visibly stiffens. He doesn't look at me at all.
"Saving damsels in distress is my forte, haven't you heard?" He sounds like he's trying to play it off but there's a tinge of bitterness in his voice.
"Fine, don't tell me why. But I think it's only fair you tell me something personal since you know so much about me." This time he does look at me, he's staring at me like I'm crazy. "Don't be a dick. You get to pry into my life but I can't ask anything about yours?" He goes back to looking at the ceiling. It takes him a moment to speak.
"I've only loved two women my entire life…and they both chose my brother over me. " It's the most serious I've ever heard him. I want to ask a million questions. You were in love with Elena? Are you still in love with her? I know that if I ask him he'll just change the subject, he's too closed off; he might have a sturdier wall up than I do. Instead I opt for humor, which is what he seems more comfortable with.
"If it makes you feel any better I've only ever loved one person and he was so horrible I had to kill him." It's twisted humor because it's true and not at all funny but it does the trick. His lips tug up at the corners.
Damon stands up and stretches. He's in only a pair of Calvin Kline silk boxer briefs. My eyes are probably bulging out of my head.
"Want me to take you home?" My heart drops and I feel shitty all over again. He must notice because concern etches his face for a moment.
"I don't want to go back there. I'll get a hotel room until I figure something out." He takes a seat on the edge of the bed and looks at me pointedly.
"Why?" I cover my eyes with my arm, I can avoid his intense gaze this way. It's easier to talk.
"One of the only poignant things my mother ever said to me was that she didn't understand why the world didn't stop spinning when my father died. She said it didn't seem right that the grass should stay green and the sky blue when he died. Everything should have stopped when he was gone. That's how it feels now that my grandparents are dead. They were the only people that ever loved me. It didn't hit me until yesterday. I don't belong there, no one does except them. I'd burn the damn thing to the ground if I could get away with it. I'd set fire to it with everything that I own in there. Maybe then I'd be forced to move forward with my life rather than being paralyzed by the past." I don't cry this time, I refuse to.
"Then let's go see what my dear brother and Elena are up to. Maybe we can get breakfast or something." I uncover my eyes and nod my head in agreement.
I do let Damon take me home to shower quickly and change my clothes. We meet Stefan and Elena at her house a half hour later.
Stefan is glaring at his brother and I have no idea why. "Were you feeling sick again yesterday? You left the Lockwood's so quickly I was worried." Elena truly is a nice person.
"Yea, sorry about that. It hit me out of no where." Stefan is surprisingly making French toast and bacon.
Caroline came over right before the food is done, Elena invited her.
"I have to go to a council meeting; I'll be back in a couple hours. Need me to take you to your car?" Damon has an odd glint in his eye. That kind of look you get when you've just thought of a great idea, its odd.
"Why don't you stay here and hang out for a while Layla." I smile and accept Elena's offer.
We all move into the living room after Damon leaves.
"So are you and Damon a thing now?" I can tell Caroline's trying to cover her disapproval.
"Nope, just friends. He's been really nice to me since I've been here." They all look at me in surprise.
"Damon doesn't usually 'do' friendship. It's kind of creepy." I laugh at the blonde girl and she and Elena both join in.
"You've been wearing vervain haven't you?" I lift an eyebrow and hold up my vervain bracelet for Stefan to inspect.
"Just making sure my brother hasn't compelled you into doing something. It would explain why he's suddenly taken an interest in you, no offense. But like Caroline said, Damon doesn't exactly make friends often."
"Yea, he has an…interesting personality, probably hard for most people to get past. Seems like the kind of guy that probably pushes people away."
"That's Damon alright." Elena seems to agree with Stefan's and Caroline's view on Damon. I guess that makes me lucky?
"Lets stop talking about the egotistical man whore. You should definitely join Elena, Bonnie, and me for a sleepover this weekend!" A sleepover at my age? I mean I'm only twenty two but still. It actually sounds kind of fun though. I hadn't had real friends in a long time.
"That sounds great." Elena and Caroline both smile and I cant help but smile too.
Two hours pass quickly with my new friends. We all laugh and talk about our interests and random things. Caroline and I are in a conversation about planning a shopping trip when Elena's shocked voice make us stop.
"Oh my God. Layla, that's your house!" I follow Elena's eyes to the muted television. She turns the volume back on. She's right it is my house…or what's left of it, which isn't much. It's collapsed and charred. The news woman goes on to say that the fire department wasn't able to respond fast enough because of complications with the fire trucks. I gape at the TV in silence and shock.
"I'm so sorry Layla. Are you ok?" Caroline gives me a concerned hug.
I'm in tears again. Not because I'm sad. On the contrary I'm kind of happy.
Damon walks in the house a moment later. I'm up and wrapping my arms around his middle in an instant. He doesn't respond right away. He hugs back quickly then takes a step back.
"Liz told me what happened. She got called over to your house halfway through the meeting. Apparently the wiring was really old." I wish I could say everything that I'm thinking to him right now but I know I can't.
"Why don't you stay with us until you get everything figured out? We have plenty of extra rooms." I turn to face Stefan, kind of surprised by his kind offer.
Damon lets out an exasperated sigh beside me. "When are you going to stop taking in strays Stefan?" I know he's not really annoyed; he's just putting up his usual front.
"Her house just burned down Damon! We have a spare room too Layla, you're absolutely welcome here." Elena glares at Damon before taking my hands in hers. Like I said she's truly a kind hearted girl.
Damon pulls me away from Elena and starts leading me out of the house.
"C'mon lets go get you settled in. I'm sure you're upset and want to get some rest or something. You can share my room if you'd like." He wiggles his eyebrows at me and its hard to stifle a laugh.
"You are so insensitive Damon!" Caroline yells as we walk out the door, Damon looks back and blows her a kiss.
Damon takes me to Wal Mart without a word and lets me pick up some essentials. I still had almost all of my inheritance from my grandparents which was a rather large sum of money. I was the only grandchild they had; my mother was their only daughter. I was planning on getting a job soon.
When we arrive at his house he lets me pick a room. I choose a large one down the hall from him. It has an attached bathroom.
I join him in the kitchen and he makes spaghetti without a word said. I guess both he and his brother were good cooks. Being alive for as long as they have probably allows to time to learn a lot of things.
We don't really talk until we both clear our plates.
"I'm sure Barbie will go clothes shopping with you if you ask. I'm warning you now you'll be stuck in one store for hours, I dated the girl, and I had to compel her to get her to leave." I giggle and roll my eyes.
Damon's back is turned, doing the dishes while I sit at the island behind him. Might as well get out what I'm dying to say.
"As completely and utterly fucked up as this might sound, what you did is probably the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me Damon." He stops scrubbing for a second but then goes right back to it.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." I knew he'd say something like that. I hop off my stool and come up behind him. I again wrap my arms around him. He just continues doing dishes even though I feel the muscles in his back tense against my cheek. I pull away quickly, not wanting to make him too uncomfortable.
"You're a good friend, maybe the best friend I've ever had. And I haven't even known you for that long." He turns off the sink and dries his hands on a nearby towel before he turns to me.
"You're obviously insane, as if that wasn't already established." My eyes roll. I flick him in the ribs before turning around to go to my new room. I look over my shoulder as I'm walking away.
"Not many guys would burn down a house for a girl. I thought vampires were supposed to be scary, you're kind of a softie." I feel his glare on my back as I dash up the stairs feeling happier than I had in a long while. I really am fucked up…but I think he is too, and for some reason I'm completely ok with that.
