Crying Lightning
Disclaimer: I don't anything or anyone from the vampire diaries.
"Hey! HEY! Damon!"
Great.
I turn around and force a fake smile as my Dad walks quickly towards me, a thunderous look on his face. He grabs a hold of my arm and pulls me through the parking lot away from my friends.
"What are you doing?" I shout at him annoyed as I try to pull my arm out of his grasp but he won't budge.
"What am I doing?!" Giuseppe tries not to raise his voice, very aware that there are still some people around after the school parking lot after the game. He pulls me towards his car and pretty much forces me against it, both of his hands gripping each of my arms in a firm hard grasp and I'm not going to lie, it fucking hurts. "What the hell do you think you're playing at boy?!"
"I don't know what you're talking about." I reply stubbornly and attempt to push him back but he pushes me back against his car with more force, holding me still and unable to move.
"I've just been chatting to the Mikealson's when suddenly they get a phone call from the Sheriff saying that their house has been broken into and trashed!"
"Oh, now that is so unfortunate," I smirk a little with a shrug "I hope you locked our doors before you left."
"Don't play dumb with me boy! Do you really think I'm that stupid? You never come to see your brother play football yet the one time you pretend to show an interest the Mikealson's house just happens to be broken into?" he hisses furiously at me and his grip tightens even more if that were possible "I don't believe in coincidences."
"Well you should, Giuseppe, because the entire town saw me here tonight, supporting my baby bro like a good big brother and believe it or not, not even I can be in two places at once." The smirk has left my lips as the pain on each of my arms is getting worse and I can tell it will bruise in the morning.
Giuseppe shakes his head and looks around to see that the lot is pretty much empty and pulls me from the car before slamming my back against it with too much force. I gasp in pain and again try to escape his grasp but I can't.
"You just remember that one word from me to the Sheriff and you're back to being locked up in a cold prison cell, except this time it will be longer than a day!" he says threateningly "You're still on probation, and in case you have forgotten, whatever I say goes or you end up back inside! Now the skipping school thing? That's going to stop. Hanging around with your old gang? Also going to stop. Breaking into people's houses and trashing it? It's going to fucking stop!"
"Dad?"
I look up to see Stefan, followed by Elena, hesitantly walking towards us and Giuseppe immediately lets me go and takes a big step back.
I readjust my leather jacket and shake my arms out a little trying to adjust to the pain and stand up straight away from the car.
"What's going on here?" Stefan glances between us confused and I look at Elena who looks a little nervous…worried, but nervous.
"Nothing son." Giuseppe forces a smile and walks towards my brother "Good game by the way, I'm proud of you." He pats Stefan on the back and I watch my brother smile at the gesture, whatever he saw or may or may not have overheard long forgotten.
I roll my eyes and start walking away because I am so done with all of this.
"Damon!" Giuseppe shouts after me "Get in the car, now. I mean it!"
I freeze and turn back around and see that Giuseppe is back to his angry self but he is trying to control it, probably because Elena is here and he still has a reputation to protect.
I glance at Elena who is biting on her bottom lip and then at Stefan who is looking as confused and clueless as ever.
"I have plans." I attempt to argue, to not storm away because believe it or not my Dad does have power over me. I hate it, but that's the way it is at the moment unfortunately.
"I don't care," He says forcefully "Car. Now." I don't move and Giuseppe takes another step towards me "Damon, if you don't get in that car in the next 10 seconds I'm going to call the Sheriff and you'll be locked up before you can even blink!"
"Locked up?" Stefan interrupts "Why? What's he done? Has this got something to do with the Mikaelson house being trashed tonight? I heard some of the boys talking about it."
"Your brother can't seem to stay out of trouble."
I decide to go for a different tactic. I just hope she doesn't hate me for it. "Go on then, call the sheriff, she can't do anything, can't prove anything and besides my alibi is standing right there." I point to Elena whose eyes immediately widen.
"What?" Stefan looks at his girlfriend confused.
"My alibi," I repeat coldly "You know, that person who can prove you weren't at a certain place…at a certain time."
"I know what an alibi is, Damon." Stefan snaps at me annoyed "Why are you bringing Elena into this? Back off. She was cheerleading in front of the entire town tonight, how the hell can she be your alibi? Stop trying to mess with my life!"
Elena doesn't say anything to back me up and I realise it's because she doesn't want her boyfriend to know that she snuck off with his brother during the game.
Understandable, I guess.
Giuseppe sighs loudly deciding that he's had enough "You want to play this game with me, Damon? Then fine. I hope you like prison food!" He pulls out his cell phone and starts to dial in a number and I clasp my knuckles tightly by my side.
"Wait! Wait!" I look surprised to see that it's Elena who speaks and she takes a small step forward nervously "You don't need to call the sheriff, Mr Salvatore." She glances at me hesitantly before continuing "Damon's telling the truth, he was with me tonight."
I send her a grateful smile and she returns it meekly but it falls when she sees the look on Stefan's face.
"Elena? What are you talking about? You were cheerleading tonight, how could you have been with Damon?"
"I snuck off from the girls to talk to him," she cringes slightly as she realises how bad it sounds before turning to my Dad who does not look happy. "Bonnie Bennett can back me up too. If you want to still call the sheriff then go ahead but I will tell Mrs Forbes myself that Damon was with me." She says the last sentence firmly and I can't help but feel impressed that someone, Elena especially, is standing up to my father, for me!
"No need, Miss Gilbert." My father frowns looking rather annoyed but trying not to show it before turning to face both me and Stefan. "I want you both home by midnight." He warns before getting into his car without another word and driving away.
I guess we're done here. I turn to walk away but someone else grabs my arm and it hurts immediately. I swing around and push Stefan off of me and he falls straight onto the ground because I use too much force.
"Damon!" Elena gasps and attempts to help her boyfriend up but Stefan has pride and refuses.
"Don't touch me, Stefan!" I hiss down at him angrily "I mean it!"
Stefan jumps straight to his feet and goes towards me but Elena grabs on his arm tugging him back. "Stay away from my girlfriend; I don't know what game you're playing, Damon, but you leave her the hell out of it!"
Why does everything have to be a game to him?
I'm sick of everyone always assuming the worst of me! Why can't Elena and I just be friends without everyone thinking I have an ulterior motive?
When I don't say anything Stefan takes it as a sign of me backing down and steps closer to me "I mean it, stay away from her and stay away from me!" he takes a hold of Elena's hand and pulls her away from me and she goes without question.
I frown, wondering if she is starting to believe that I am just using her for something and I immediately start to doubt everything that has happened between us.
But then she turns her head around and sends me an apologetic look and I realise that of course she knows that I'm not playing with her, but at the end of the day, she's always going to side with Stefan, isn't she?
Her boyfriend.
I nod my head at her in acknowledgement and she smiles slightly before turning back around and following Stefan to his car, both of them getting in and speeding off.
I sigh and look around the dark empty car park and realise that I'm alone.
I laugh bitterly and shake my head.
Of course I am.
Stefan drives us straight to the location of the after party without saying a word. I try to speak to him, to explain that Damon is just my friend and that he isn't playing any sort of game but every time I bring up the subject of his brother he shuts me down and says he doesn't want to talk about him.
I sigh as we pull up outside one of the football player's houses to see the party is in full swing and Stefan climbs out of his car without saying a word.
"Great." I mutter to myself as he walks into the house without me. I know his relationship with his brother isn't good but this is ridiculous.
I walk into the house alone and I'm hit with loud music and the smell of alcohol is strong. I walk straight to the kitchen knowing that I'm going to need a drink or ten if I'm going to survive the night. I find Matt on the way and he gives me a hug before leading me through the crowds of drunken teenagers.
"Where's Stefan?" he asks curiously as he pours some beer from a keg and hands me the plastic cup. I shrug while taking a large gulp and Matt chuckles softly "Oh? You two fighting?"
I roll my eyes before finishing off my drink and motioning for Matt to hand me another one. "He's being an idiot."
"Care to explain?" he asks he pours himself a drink for himself.
I sigh and finish off my second cup before slamming it against the counter in frustration "He has a problem with me being friends with his brother."
"Who? Damon?"
"No, Giuseppe!" I snap and I watch as Matt grins "Sorry," I sigh apologetic "He's just infuriating."
"I guess I can see why he might be worried," Matt offers and I immediately send him a glare "Whoa Gilbert, hear me out. Look, everyone knows that Damon has a pretty poor reputation in this town, and granted, some of it might not be true but most of it is, he's done some pretty bad things from what I've seen and heard. I think Stefan has every right to be worried" Not helping Matt. "However," he continues and I glance back up at him "You're your own person, Elena, and you can be friends with whoever you like and I know you, pretty well I like to think, so if you can see something good in Damon that maybe everyone else can't then I'd trust you with that. You're a pretty good judge of character."
I smile at his words and wrap my arms around him in a quick hug "Thanks Matt," I look up at him gratefully "You always know how to make me feel better."
"At least I'm good for something." He shrugs with a smile before wrapping his arm around my shoulder in a friendly gesture "Now come on, how about we stop hiding in the kitchen and join the rest of the party?"
A few drinks later and I'm a little drunk, I'm having a good time though with Matt and Bonnie and our friends. Stefan is still avoiding me but I'm past caring. If he wants to go in a mood over something so petty then that is his problem.
"Hey Bon, where's Caroline?" I ask loudly over the deafening music noticing that my other best friend has been AWOL for at least an hour.
Bonnie shrugs not knowing and I walk through the crowds to go and find her and when I push through and leave the den and into the hallway I freeze.
I've found my best friend.
Except she's not alone, no, she's got her arms wrapped around Damon's shoulders and is pulling him down for a kiss which he gladly reciprocates.
I stand frozen with wide eyes, not expecting this and not expecting the sickening feeling that is currently in my stomach because of it.
I feel tears start to sting in my eyes and I don't even know why. It's not like they are doing anything wrong, they're both single, right?
I shake my head and snap out of my trance and walk away trying to forget about what I just saw.
I normally hate these parties, their always full of stupid drunken idiot jocks and annoying cheerleaders as well as the rest of the 'popular' kids of Mystic Falls High but I needed to go somewhere that wasn't home and Tyler text me to tell me to come to address because there's freeze beer.
I can't say no to free booze.
I push my way through the crowd, trying to hide from that Caroline girl who keeps trying to jump me every chance she gets. Sure, she's hot and is actually a good kisser, but I'm just not in the mood to hook up with anyone tonight.
I smile when I see Elena standing with some friends and immediately walk towards her and wrap my arm around her shoulder from behind, stretching across her collarbone so my hand is resting on her other shoulder as I pull back her against me.
Ok, I may be a little drunk.
"Fancy seeing you here beautiful!" I grin as Elena tries to get out of my grasp but I don't let her.
"Damon. Damon!" she spills her drink a little as I pull her back even further but eventually she breaks loose and turns around to face me looking very annoyed. "Really?" she looks down at her soaked t-shirt "Look what you've done!"
I shrug innocently and go to wipe away the drips that are on her bare skin at the top of her shirt but she swots my hand away.
"Geez what crawled up your ass and died Gilbert?" She doesn't answer me; instead she concentrates on wiping off the stale beer off her skin. "Elena?" No reply. "Elena? Elena? Elena? ELENA?"
"What?!" she snaps and looks extremely pissed off.
"Oh so you can hear me?"
"I'm choosing to ignore you, Damon." She tells me stubbornly without looking directly at me.
"Why?" I ask genuinely confused and take a step closer, realising that she doesn't seem in the mood to be teased anymore "Have I done something to upset you?" I ask quietly, wondering if she can even hear me over the loud music but when she eventually looks at me I can see the guilt in her eyes.
"No," she sighs and runs her hand through her hair "Sorry, it's been a long day, I'm just being grumpy."
I'm not entirely sure if she is being completely honest but I accept her explanation and go to speak but a flash of blonde in the corner of my eye quickly distracts me and I immediately pull Elena in front of me and duck down a little hiding behind her.
"Damon?" she tries to turn around but I hold her still "What the hell are you doing?"
"Ssh" I place my hands on Elena's hips keeping her in place "She'll hear you!"
"Who? What are you talking about?" she asks but I watch as she looks up and a look of realization crosses her features. "Oh." I hear the amusement in her voice and she turns around to face me and pushes me backwards into the crowd and away from her friend "You're hiding from Caroline?" she smirks.
"I'm not…hiding." I try to defend myself but she doesn't budge "Ok fine" I sigh "I may be hiding a little."
"Why? I saw you with her earlier…it seemed like you liked her." She says and there is something about her tone that makes me feel uncomfortable.
I also don't like the fact that she saw me with Caroline, it bothers me but I can't figure out why.
"I mean, don't get me wrong, she's a nice girl and all and she is hot." Elena scowls a little "What? She's not as pretty as you, obviously," I roll my eyes a little and I see the smile cross Elena's lips and that makes me happy. I'm very much aware that I would never have said that to her face if I didn't have eight cups of beer down me. "But I don't like her."
"So instead of being a man and telling her this to her face, you're choosing to hide behind me instead?" she raises her eyebrows at me and I shrug.
"Yeah, pretty much." I smirk and Elena reaches her arm out and punches me, really hard! "Oy! What the hell is that for?!" I rub it in pain, my arm still hurting from where Giuseppe gripped them earlier.
"She's my best friend!" she tries to look mad but I can tell she's not. "And stop being a wimp, I didn't hit you that hard!" she says when she notices me rubbing my arm still.
I immediately let my arm go and shrug before grabbing another beer from some random kid who walks by. "Hey!" he shouts at me annoyed but all it takes is one glare from me and he walks away without another word.
"You want a drink, Elena?"
"Are you going to steal it from some other innocent passer-by?"
"Do you want me too?"
She rolls her eyes and grabs my hand, pulling me through the crowd and into the kitchen. "I'd like you to make me one legitimately thanks" she smirks at me and I laugh a little before nodding my head and go to pour her some more beer from the keg before I stop myself. "What? You don't know how to use a keg?" she asks amused "I thought I was supposed to be the boring innocent one in this friendship."
I scoff and roll my eyes "Don't be so stupid, Elena." I wave her off. Of course I know how to use a keg. "How about we go find a real drink?" I ask her with a smirk and she grins back at me.
"Sounds good to me Salvatore!"
I roam around the kitchen looking through different cupboards when eventually I find the one I am looking for. "Ha! It's always the top shelf in the corner." I smirk and pull out an expensive bottle of bourbon. "You like?" I turn to face Elena with a grin and she smiles while walking towards me and taking the bottle from my hands.
"My dad used to drink this, it's expensive." She admires the bottle a little before unscrewing the cap and taking a chug, cringing a little as it burns down her sensitive throat and I smirk realising she probably isn't used to drinking anything this strong straight up.
"The good stuff always is." I smile as I take the bottle back from her and take a large swig without even flinching and I feel a little…giddy, that Elena actually looks impressed by this.
What is wrong with me? I used to be so cool.
I watch as she downs more of the bottle and sways on her feet a little before passing me it back. "Come on!" Elena smiles widely at me and locks her hand in mine and pulls me out of the kitchen, one hand clutched in hers and the other holding the expensive bottle of bourbon tightly.
As we run through the crowds laughing I realise that I don't think I have ever felt this happy or this free in a long time. I haven't thought of anything but Elena and having fun and I like it.
"Where are we going?!" I shout with a laugh as Elena pulls me through the back door and runs over the grass in the huge backyard, my hand still gripped in hers as I run just a little behind her.
"Everywhere!" she lets go of my hands and twirls around, swinging her arms around with a loud laugh and it makes my heart literally jump.
I don't care that we're both completely wasted. Just from watching her smile and laugh like this makes this night the best night of my life.
I'm almost out of breath from laughing as I take another sip from the bottle and hand it to Elena, watching her do the same but this time she doesn't even flinch as I watch the liquid fall down her throat.
"Well done, I'm impressed." I smirk as I take a step towards her and pat her on the back.
"You like?" she giggles before grabbing my arm again and pulling me further back into yard, the darkness out here blocking us from the world. "Come on, I want to show you something!" she starts running again and I follow her without question.
This back yard is huge and before I know it we reach a small gated fence and my smile widens when I see the empty swimming pool, the only light is from the moon.
"Wanna get in?" I question Elena as she opens the gate and takes off her socks and shoes.
She laughs and shakes her head "No, it's freezing!" she sits on the edge of the pool and dips her feet inside, gasping and shivering a little at first at the temperature before eventually she settles. "Don't just stand there Damon! Come on!" she motions me to repeat her actions and I grin before doing the same.
We sit in silence for a while, passing the bottle of bourbon between us with small grins on our faces and I've never felt this calm.
I look down surprised when Elena leans her head on my shoulder and lets out a relaxed sigh "I like being your friend, Damon." Her voice is so soft.
"I like being your friend too, Elena." I answer back while wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer against me.
"Promise me you'll try and stay out of trouble, I don't want you to go to prison." Her tone changes a little and I gulp slightly.
"I'm not going to prison, Elena." I frown a little at her words. Why would she think that?
"Damon." She sighs and at first I think she's going to pull away from me but she doesn't. "I know that it was you who broke into the Mikaelson house." She tells me calmly.
I stay silent. Not really sure what to say to that because it is the truth and I don't want to lie to her by denying it.
"It's ok," She continues and turns her head a little so her face is pressed against my shoulder and my heart skips a beat when she presses a soft kiss against the fabric of my sweatshirt. "I won't tell anyone. But promise me you won't do anything stupid like that again? I don't want you to get caught and break your probation conditions and end up in jail. Promise me, Damon, please."
I think about her words, knowing that it would be so easy for me to just agree and promise her this without actually meaning it but the words can't leave my mouth unless I know it's the truth.
"I can't promise you that, Elena." I say sadly and she lifts her head up and I turn to look at her and I'm surprised to see that her face looks so… sad.
"Why not?" she asks me so simply but there is sadness to her voice and I can't tell if it's just because of the alcohol or if she is genuinely saddened by my failed promise.
"Because sometimes I do things, stupid things, and I don't know why I do them but I just do." I turn my head away from her but she places both her hands on either side of my face and I gulp looking into her dark eyes.
"Damon," She whispers my name and my stomach is literally doing somersaults right now. "Why don't you ever let people see the good in you?" she is looking at me so intently and as much as I want to, I can't look away.
"Because if people see good, they expect good and I don't want to live up to anyone's expectations." I reply honestly and I surprise myself by the words coming out of mouth. The large amount of alcohol in my system clearly bringing out my vulnerable side without my permission.
Elena sighs and drops her hands and it hurts me that she's disappointed with my answer; however I'm shocked when she stands up and removes her shirt.
What the fuck.
She's stood in just a very small and tight tank top and I can't help but stare.
"What? What are you doing?" I ask with a stutter as she starts to unzip her jeans. What the fuck! I watch with wide eyes as she slowly discards them and throws them to the side where her top is and looks at me with a smirk.
"You're not the only one who doesn't want to have to live up to everyone's expectations, Damon." She tells me with a shrug. "I am so sick of everyone seeing me as the good girl, straight A student Elena Gilbert who never gets into trouble! You're right, it's boring and I'm bored of it." And with that she jumps straight into the pool.
I get splashed, a lot, and I stand up onto the edge of the pool and look down at her flabbergasted. "Elena!" I don't know what to say or do.
She comes up for air and laughs so loudly while she rubs her shoulders "Gah it's freezing!"
"It's October, of course it's freezing!" I fling my arms out in shock before a disbelieved laugh escapes me "You're crazy!"
"I'm just trying to have fun! Come join me?" she swims towards the edge of the pool and I immediately step back.
"Nah uh, no way!"
"What?" she pouts "Why not? I thought you were fun, crazy, spontaneous Damon Salvatore! Was it all just talk?" she challenges me with a smirk and I sigh before giving in.
"Fine!" I huff in annoyance before taking off my sweatshirt so my chest is entirely bare and I swear I think I see Elena lick her lips. "But if I catch pneumonia I'm going to kill you, Gilbert!" I unzip my jeans before stepping out of them and tossing them to the side. I take a deep breath and do a running jump straight into the pool.
I hear Elena squeal while I'm under the water and I realise I've probably just splashed the hell out of her. Good. It serves her right.
The second I come up for air however a wave of water crashes into my face and I splutter as Elena giggles loudly "Oops." She grins innocently at me and I shake my head in disbelief and splash her back. "Hey!"
"Oh did you not like that huh?" I splash some more and she holds her arms out in front of her face.
"Stop! Damon! I mean it!" she splutters out between my splashes and I finally relent. "Ass!"
I smirk with a shrug before letting out a shiver. Jesus it's cold. I watch as Elena swims towards the other side of the pool and leans against the side and I just follow her because it feels like the most natural thing in the world.
She smiles softly at me as I get closer and I can't help but think of how beautiful she looks right now, the light from the moon shining down on her face and making her chocolate brown eyes sparkle.
"Elena." I whisper as I hover right in front of her before placing each arm on either side of her face on the edge of the pool.
"Yeah?" she answers back just as quietly and I'm surprised when her hands land on around my neck, pulling me closer as her fingers play with my hair.
"You're beautiful." I tell her honestly and she just smiles softly and runs a hand down my cheek slowly.
I gulp a little as I get goosebumps and it has nothing to do with how cold it is. I let my hands drop from the wall behind her and place them on her hips as one of Elena's hands falls to my chest, lying flat against my heart.
"Your heart is beating so fast" she whispers while looking down at my chest as she moves her thumb up and down.
Jesus Christ.
I wrap one of my arms around her waist and pull her against me so our foreheads are almost touching "Why do you make me feel like this, Elena?" I mumble quietly while closing my eyes.
"I…I don't know," She stutters, her voice soft and shaky as her fingers continue to play with my hair. "You make me feel so…" she leans her forehead against mine and takes a deep breath.
"Alive?" I finish for her with a swallow as my eyes start to sting. "You make me feel alive. Alive." I repeat a little more firmly and the word shocks me because I realise that I haven't felt like this since the night of the shooting and suddenly everything comes crashing back at once.
She nods against me before dipping her head past mine into a hug and sighs against my neck. I lean my head on her shoulder as she plays with my hair and I run my hand down her back. "It's ok," she whispers into my ear and it's not until a moment later when I realise that I'm crying. My body is shaking against hers as she holds onto me tightly in a firm comforting embrace. "It's ok, I'm here for you." She says soothingly.
"You don't have to hide with me, let it out Damon." She says tenderly as she clings onto me even tighter.
So I do.
Can I just say thank you so so much for all your amazing reviews for the last chapter! It definately made an impact with me and helped me finish this chapter and get it posted tonight :) so thanks again so much! I didn't have time to reply to everyone one by one but I will defo try for the next chapter!
Thanks! :)
