Disclaimer: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.


Author's note: Again, a super-short chapter. What can I say; sometimes not a lot happens in a day…


TWELVE NIGHTS

~ EIGHT ~


Monday.

Elena was just getting out of class when she found Kat waiting for her. Oh, great.

"Hi Jer!" Kat exclaimed as she spotted Elena.

"Oh, uh… hi Kat. How've you been?"

"Oh, I had a great time with your sister this weekend. Too bad you got sick. Are you better now?"

"Yeah, it was just one of those 48-hour bugs, you know. Elena said she had a good time, too."

"I'm glad. I really hope she'll decide to enroll."

"I'm sure she will."

"So… do you have any more classes today?"

"No, but I was thinking I would head to the library."

"Well, do you wanna go out for coffee?"

"Um… I really should study…"

"Oh. Well… your loss I guess. I'll just have to ask Damon to join me," Kat shrugged, turning away.

"Wait- Damon? I thought you weren't into him," Elena said.

If Kat hadn't had her back turned, Elena would have been able to see the triumphant grin that spread across Kat's face as she realized her plan was working. Jeremy was jealous! Well, Kat was half right. Elena was jealous, but not for the reason Kat thought.

"You could join us if you like," Kat said, turning around, trying to keep her facial expression neutral, as if it really didn't matter to her what Elena decided.

"Um… no, that's ok," Elena mumbled. She really didn't need to see Kat fall all over Damon. "I actually feel a headache coming on, so I might just go home and crash."

She used the headache excuse? Really? Elena felt like such a girl – which would have been fine if she wasn't impersonating her brother. Either way, Kat didn't push, for which Elena was incredibly grateful.


Elena was also grateful to find her dorm room empty when she got back. She really did have a headache now, she realized and pulled the curtains closed. She took an aspirin and crept under the covers, fully clothed, and drifted off.

When Elena came to, it was completely dark. She looked at the alarm clock and realized it was time for bed. She dragged herself out of bed, brushed her teeth and changed her clothes.

She had almost fallen asleep again when she heard the lock in the door turn. Groggily, she sat up, trying to make sense of what was going on. She didn't have time to wonder for long, though, because the door opened and in stumbled Damon and Kat, locked in what looked like a passionate embrace. Oh, no. She had to say something, let them know they weren't alone. She settled for a fake cough.

The two immediately stopped what they were doing and Damon flicked the light switch. Elena squinted against the sudden brightness. When her eyes adjusted, she could see the anger in Damon's eyes. His hair was mussed and he looked like he had just been interrupted in the middle of a heated argument. Or, you know, something else.

"Didn't know you'd be in, Jer," he said between clenched teeth.

Well, that wasn't really her fault, was it? Elena had told Kat she wasn't feeling well. Kat would have known she'd be home.

"Oh, too bad," Kat pouted. "Oh, well, some other time, then," she smiled sweetly, gave Damon a peck on the cheek and headed out the door.

Damon stared at her in disbelief. "But what about your place? You don't have a roommate."

"Um… no… but… um… one of my old high school friends is staying over," Kat lied.

"For how long?"

"Oh, I don't know exactly. But we'll talk, ok? Bye!" she said in a chipper voice and in a hurry to get out of there.

"Sorry, man," Elena said as the door closed behind Kat. "If I had known…"

"Don't worry about it," Damon mumbled. "It's not like she was all that eager to begin with."

"Well, it seems like she's really into you now," Elena remarked.

"Yeah, well… I can't figure her out. Out minute she's hot, the next she's cold. It's like… she doesn't want to be with me unless there are other people around."

"Well, she seemed to be willing to be alone with you tonight," Elena shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess… whatever. I'm tired. Goodnight, Jer."

"Goodnight."


"I think it worked!" Kat exclaimed as soon as Lucy picked up the phone.

"What worked?"

"Making Jeremy jealous. You should have seen his face when Damon and I came into their room."

"You went home with Damon? What if Jeremy hadn't been there?"

"Oh, I knew he was going to be home. He said earlier that he wasn't feeling well and that he would go straight to bed."

"What did Damon say?"

"Oh, he wanted us to go back to my room, so I had to make up some story about an old friend visiting."

"Oh, you're so bad," Lucy giggled.

"I know, right?" Kat replied enthusiastically, but then added a bit remorseful, "I feel kind of bad for Damon, though."

"Ugh! Forget him. He deserves everything he's got coming. You know my friend Andie, right? Well, she said…"

After hanging up the phone with Lucy, Kat's regrets were all washed away. Yes, Damon Salvatore was a player. It was only fair that he be played.