Chapter 7
Elena sighed as she watched the rain slide gently down her windshield as she headed to work for the first time in what felt like ages. It had been, in fact, only four days since her wine induced self shaming display with one Damon Salvatore. She had to face him sometime and might as well do it sooner rather than later. She stepped on the gas and made the mandatory right turn towards her own personal hell.
Pulling into the parking garage and her assigned parking spot, Elena shut off her car and shuffled her already neatly organized folders. Trying to draw out the time between exiting her car and facing agonizing embarrassment, she decided to pick up the small, almost non-existent pieces of dirt on the floor of her passenger side. Sighing for the millionth time that morning Elena decided she was being foolish and sat up. Jumping at the sight of someone standing next to her window, Elena placed her hand to her heart in exaggerated fright.
"Caroline Forbes, don't scare me like that ever again." She sternly admonished her best friend as she got out of her car.
"Sorry there babes but I didn't think it would scare you that badly. You ok?" Caroline asked looking at Elena's more than obvious dark circles and pale skin. Nothing got passed the hawk eyes of her best friend.
"Yea, fine, just had a sleepless night is all." Elena shrugged, hoping it looked casual enough to get the Spanish Inquisition off her back.
"Well I'm glad you're back at work because Damon has been the boss from hell." Caroline began listing off all the 'terrible' and 'horrible' things that said devil had done and said, and 'oh my god he made Mary cry'.
Elena smiled. The good thing about Caroline was she very rarely had to actually contribute to a conversation. A few well placed hmmm's and ahuh's and No she didn't's! and Care took care of the rest.
"Elena." Caroline began.
"Hmm." She answered still in her own world.
"Elena, Damon replaced you, and he moved you. Down to reception, with me." Caroline's worried smile was the thing that brought her back.
"Replaced me? With who?" Elena asked as she whirled towards her friend.
"Elena now don't get upset..."
"Dammit Care who is she?" Elena demanded.
Caroline's look of pity made Elena's blood run cold.
"No."
"Yes Elena... He replaced you with Katherine."
Damon's coffee was hot and black just the way he liked it as he sat down to the pile of paper work he had left there the night before. He grabbed his pen and started signing on the x's. A few signature's in and Damon heard a crash come from the outer office.
"Where is he?!" He heard an irate voice demand.
"Who?" His new personal assistant answered.
"Damon, you back stabbing harlot." He knew the voice behind the harsh words. So Elena had returned to work.
Setting his pen down Damon stood and headed for the rage fueled female.
"Excuse me Elena but seeing as MR. Salvatore is currently busy I'll have to ask you to kindly lower your voice and I'll see about penciling you in... sometime next year." He stopped at the venom coming from his new PA.
"Take it and shove it Katherine! You can have Stefan but don't you FUCKING DARE mess with my father's firm you spoiled selfish cow!" Damon had heard enough. Opening the door connecting the offices, he stepped out and cleared his throat.
Elena turned towards him with cold and hate filled eyes.
"How dare you." She spat at him.
"How dare I what?" He asked politely with disinterest.
"How dare you replace me, and with HER of all people!" She all but screamed at him.
"I didn't replace you, I merely made a personal decision that you and I were not compatible to work together any longer." He said eloquently but emotionlessly.
"You coward!" She said.
"Coward? Who was it that ran away and hid for four days feigning sickness rather than facing their fears? Who was it? It certainly wasn't me." He said showing the first emotion the entire conversation. And he was angry. How dare she call him a coward? She was the one who had run away from their, what ever it was, and hadn't returned for four fucking days.
"How dare you hire HER!" Elena cried out.
"I do believe I have every right to hire whom ever I please as my Personal Assistant Miss Gilbert." He reverted to his politely emotionless voice.
"I can't believe this." Elena chocked out. "First my fiancee then my job, do you have no boundaries Katherine?"
"It's not my fault you can't keep a man's attention Elena. Or a job." Katherine smirked.
Elena's eyes read murder as she stepped closer to her ex best friend.
"Listen very closely Katherine, I will pay you back ten fold for everything you have ever done to me. You may have won the battle, but I will win this war." Elena turned on her heel and headed for the door.
"As for you MR. Salvatore, I here by give you my two weeks notice." She walked through the open door and was gone.
"I cant believe I just quit!" Elena said holding her head in her hands as she sat at the reception desk crying.
"Elena there are plenty of other jobs out there, tomorrow we will get out there and start job hunting. You needed a new job anyways." Caroline was possibly the best friend out there.
Elena laughed.
"I did, didn't I?" She said wiping her tears.
"You know the mystic grill is looking for a new bartender, and just think you could also look for a new guy." Caroline wiggled her eyebrows at her suggestively.
"No offense Care but I don't really want to think about boys right now." Elena sighed. She needed another vacation.
Damon slammed his fist on his desk. Dammit she had quit!
At least now she won't be there to tempt you every time you come in or out of the building his inner voice consoled.
He didn't want no temptation. He wanted her temptation,every damned minute of every damned day. Damon put his face in his hands. What was he supposed to do? She was in his very soul. She had taken his heart before he had even realized it was in danger of being taken.
He was so screwed.
