Still Around
Chapter 10: Your Life and Mine — Part 2
A/N: For everyone who helps me put together any and all aspects of this story. I am forever in debt.
Also, I'm going to throw out a little freebie here! Reviewer number 30 gets to have a special guest role in an upcoming chapter, so please, please, PLEASE review!
I can see from across the room, there's a tear in the storied eye.
I was leavin' but I'm coming back, since your heart's in beat with mine.
That mark didn't do you right, when you left in your best friend's ride,
With the face of an angel, girl, you deserve to be treated more than right.
. . .
'Cause it's alright, there's nothing to stop us.
If it feels right, then everything's fine for just one night.
Then you'll go back to your life, and I'll go back to mine.
-Your Life and Mine lyrics by Just Surrender
Stefan's POV
It might have been the first time that she snuck out to see me, but it definitely wouldn't be the last. Our secret outings continued frequently in the following weeks. We didn't always just go for a drive, sometimes we would find a quiet corner at our new favorite coffee shop, or even pay a visit to a club. But tonight was certainly the first time that I was attempting to sneak her into my room.
"Why do I feel like we're gonna get caught?" She giggled as I led her through the back of the house.
"Shh." I whispered, my finger in front of my lips. "You better not jinx it."
"I'm not the one with the heavy steps." She pointed out.
I grimaced as I stepped on yet another creaky floorboard. "Shut up."
"Alyssa," I heard Damon call up the stairs. I quickly pushed Sara onto the wall in the shadows, just in case he saw.
"They're home?" She hissed, her eyes wide with worry. "I thought you said they wouldn't be home."
"They're not supposed to be home." I muttered. I took her quickly past the hallway and up the back stairs. "My room is on the other side of the house. Theoretically, they shouldn't hear anything."
Theoretically.
"You've been here how long and you still haven't unpacked everything?" She pointed at the last few boxes that remained in the corner of the hallway.
"Apparently five months is too short of a time to get everything out of boxes." I commented. I had stopped noticing the boxes a while ago. "And here we are." I gestured toward the door at the end of the hall.
She looked at me, as if asking for permission to open the door. I turned the knob and pushed open the door to let her in.
She took a step into the dark room, as I flipped on the light. When she didn't say anything, I began to worry. But then, I saw the smile on her angelic face.
"It's so you." She grinned widely and then moved to approach the bookcase against the far wall.
I hung my jacket in the closet as she continued to explore. "I love this book!" I poked my head out of the closet. She held my battered copy of Catcher in the Rye in her hand. "And this one too!" She pulled To Kill a Mockingbird from the shelf. "You have good taste in literature."
"Thank you." I gave her a half smile.
She then began to analyze the rest of the room before finally coming to rest, perching herself on the edge of my bed. "I approve." She nodded.
"Good. I was so worried that you wouldn't approve." I joked as I sat beside her.
She cocked an eyebrow at me and I cupped her face in my hand. Before long we were well into a full on make-out session.
Earlier that day—Sara's POV
"Come on," Griffin nudged my arm. "I owe you. Let's go."
I hesitated for a second. He had suggested that we go on a "date." His hot and cold behavior had continued for another two weeks and it was absolutely infuriating.
"You don't owe me anything, Griff." I shook my head, shooting down his offer and returning to that month's issue of Vogue.
"Sure I do." He slid across the couch to wrap his arms around me. "I've been kind of an ass lately. I'm sorry; let me make it up to you."
"Good. You can admit it to yourself." I didn't look up.
"Alright, alright!" He held his hands up in surrender. "I've been a major ass; I admit it. I'm sorry, okay?"
When I ignored him, he began to squeeze me tighter. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please don't ignore me. You know I need lots of attention." He buried his face into my neck.
"Ay, como hodes." I pushed him away. "Alright, I forgive you." He began to come right back at me, but I stopped him. "For now." I pointed my finger at his nose in warning.
"Where do you want to go?" He caressed my cheek with his thumb.
"I don't care." I set aside the magazine with a shrug. "You pick."
Just as I replied however, my phone began to ring. It was my father.
"Hi papi," I answered. Griffin began to make googly eyes and funny faces at me in an attempt to make me laugh. I shoved him away playfully.
"Hola reina," He greeted me. "Are you busy right now?"
"No, I'm not." I shook my head, momentarily forgetting that he couldn't see me. "Que paso?"
"Your mom and I are swamped with things to do for the new restaurant; I was hoping that you could go down to Mundial today and see how the visiting chef is holding up. I'd go over there myself but I have some business calls to make for this one." I could hear him rustling around with paperwork most likely on his desk.
"Sure, Daddy." I agreed to help. "No problem. Is there anything else you need help with?"
"Just tell him that I'll be in sometime this week to visit him personally. I'm just a little short handed right now with the new restaurant and the show and things. He'll understand. Oh, and he's from Brazil, so pay close attention. I know you have trouble with different accents." He teased me.
"It was one time!" I shot back. "But alright. Es todo?"
"Yeah, that's it." There was a crashing sound in the background. "I really should leave this all to your mother. She's better at it than I am. Okay, I'll let you go. Gracias mami, love you."
"Love you, too. Bye, Daddy." I hung up.
"So what's the plan?" Griffin stretched on the couch.
"Apparently we'll be dining at Mundial tonight." I got up from my seat beside him. "He wants me to go see how the visiting chef is doing."
"Alright, I'm down for some steak." He nodded, also standing up. "Let's go."
"Uh-uh." I stopped him. "Dressed like this. I don't think so." I gestured to our more than casual attire of yoga pants and a tank top and adidas sweats and t-shirt.
"Eh, dress codes are for everyone else." He shrugged. "You're practically the owner; they won't say anything to us."
"I'm not going to meet the head chef in yoga pants, Griff." I rolled my eyes as I turned and headed for the bathroom.
"Alright, alright, I'll dress a bit more decently." He ran after me into the bathroom.
I turned on the water in the shower and hung a towel on the warming rack.
"Care for some company?" He wiggled his eyebrows at me. I pursed my lips in thought for just a moment.
Our intimate life had been…strange lately. I could honestly say that even I was distant sometimes.
"Sure," I nodded finally. "Why not?"
After the shower, if that's what you want to call it, I slipped on a grey, one strap dress with a ruffled skirt. I was going through the jewelry box that I kept at Griffin's in search of some sort of a statement piece. When I didn't find anything to my liking, I settled on a pair of simple solitaire stud earrings. I closed the little drawers in frustration and began to put on the earrings.
"Still shoe-less, I see." I met Griffin's gaze in the mirror. I glanced down at my bare feet.
"I'll grab a pair of shoes right now." I said as I put the backing of my second earring on.
"Why don't you try these on for size?" He pulled a tan shoe box out from behind his back.
I didn't even have to look at the label on the lid to know exactly what kind of shoes they were.
"Griff!" I half shrieked as I took the box from him. "You didn't."
"Open it; see if I picked the right ones." He gave me a smile.
I lifted the lid to find a beautiful pair of light pink Louboutin peep-toe pumps with a rhinestone studded light grey heel in the red bag. I was positive that I was drooling as I slipped one onto my right foot. It fit like a glove. He took the other shoe and put it on my other foot.
"Did I pick the right ones?" His blue eyes met mine earnestly.
"They're perfect, Griffy." I kissed him. "Thank you."
"I know that they don't fully make up for my ass-hole behavior, but I was hoping they'd make up for something."
"You are ninety percent forgiven." I grinned at him.
"It's always that tricky ten percent." He winked at me before pulling me up from the bed to stand with him.
"Indeed." I giggled as we Eskimo kissed.
"Perhaps this," He presented me with a square blue box, a white bow tied around it. "Will do the trick?"
"More presents?" I raised my eyebrows. "I'm starting to think that you might be in more trouble than I previously thought."
I untied the bow and removed the top from the Tiffany & Co. box to find a lovely pair of pearl and diamond earrings.
"My, my, Griffy," I shook my head in amusement. "You really do spoil me a bit too much sometimes."
"Last time I checked, it was okay to spoil my girl." He nuzzled my neck.
"Only if it's going to continue."
"Ah, you never know." He laughed. "I might still have a few other tricks up my sleeve."
We finished dressing and made the drive into Santa Monica. When we arrived at Mundial, memories of its opening flooded into my mind.
It was the first restaurant opening of my father's that I had witnessed. I was fourteen at the time, and it had all been so surreal. All of these adults whose names I didn't know, faces I didn't recognize kept telling me that I would have to run it all one day. In all honesty, the thought of it completely terrified me. Now that I was older, I understood how everything worked, that I really would take it all over one day. I no longer feared it, though it was all still very intimidating. The feeling of power and ownership, however, I would never tire of.
"M-m-miss Vallejo," Jacque, the maître de whose real name was just 'Jack,' greeted me nervously. "What are you doing here? N-n-not that you're not welcome here, of course not; this is your restaurant after all." He tugged at his tie as though it had suddenly become far too tight.
"Hello, Jacque," I sighed, already beginning to feel exasperated by the frantic man. "Nice to see you again, a table for two, yes?"
"Y-yes, Miss Vallejo. I'll see to it right away." He bowed at me as though I was royalty. "B-but I warn you, and please forgive me, this is our busiest time of the day." He ran around in a slight state of panic, nearly tripping over a large potted plant near the entrance to the dining area.
"M-mr. Roberts," He excused himself as he ran past Griffin. "My apologies."
"This guy really needs to lay off the caffeine." Griffin chuckled quietly.
"He might have a heart attack if I demand a table immediately." I nodded in agreement.
Griffin wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me to one of the plush black couches in the waiting area. The sleek white, black, and gold décor of the foyer never failed to make me feel refreshed and put me in a partying mood. No sooner had I settled into Griffin's arms, when I had to pull away to deal with Jacque who once more came stumbling our way. This time he had a tray with two wine glasses that I feared he would spill.
"My sincerest apologies, M-m-miss Vallejo, but we are completely full right now. I understand that it is unacceptable to ask of the owner's family to wait, but my hands are completely tied. I will put you in as soon as a table clears. P-please accept these glasses of wine from…" I cut him off with my hand and then Griffin took the glasses from the tray.
"It's fine Jacque," I kept my hand up to keep him quiet. "We can wait. We didn't have a reservation; it isn't fair to those who did make one." I made a point of looking at the people who had just entered. "Please take them first."
"B-but," He stuttered out before I silenced him with a glare. "Y-yes, M-miss Vallejo."
"He is the one downside to coming here." I sighed as I took a sip from the glass that Griffin offered me. "Mmm, French?"
He took another sip, before agreeing with me. "Yeah, definitely French."
A few more people entered and others left in the following thirty minutes. When Jacque was busy handling something in the kitchen, I stepped forward to handle a few groups that had entered.
"Hello," I greeted them with a smile. "Welcome to Mundial, your name please?"
There were mostly parties of twos with reservations.
"You make a very sexy maître de," Griffin wrapped his arms around me as I leaned against the podium.
"I should tell Daddy to hire me instead." I laughed. "I'll quit my day job, how does that sound?"
We laughed to each other as a few other groups came in. I was distractedly looking at the list, when…
"Sara?" His voice turned my blood ice cold and then blazing hot. I looked up to find Stefan with his arm around a very pretty girl in an eggplant colored bandage dress that hugged every curve like a second skin.
"S-stefan?" It was my turn to stutter now.
"Oh, you have a friend that works here?" The woman on his arm turned to look right at me. She was stunning and I could feel my heart sinking. "Good, maybe she can get us in without reservations?"
"I…" I couldn't even form a full sentence.
"Goodness!" Jacque shrieked as he approached the podium. "Miss Vallejo most certainly does not work here; she has neither need nor reason to work here when her father owns this restaurant." Jacque replied indignantly for me. For once, I actually liked him. "Nor," –he continued—"can she get you in without reservations. You will have to wait like everyone else."
She blinked and raised her eyebrows in surprise at him.
"Miss Vallejo, Mr. Roberts, your table is ready." He turned his nose up and then proceeded to attempt to lead us to our table.
"Jacque," Griffin called after him. "Actually, why don't we make that a table for four, if that's alright with you two," He gestured to Stefan and the woman.
She sniffed, "We're actually waiting on a friend, this is a business dinner."
"Table for five?" He offered once more.
I tried my best to smile on the outside, but on the inside I was screaming. What was he doing?
"Why not?" Stefan shrugged slightly dejectedly. "It's way faster than waiting for own table.
She let out a small huff. "Griffin Roberts," Griffin offered her his hand. At this, her eyebrows perked up once more.
"Griffin Roberts, as in the Griffin Roberts, of Columbia Records?" She was suddenly very interested.
Griffin grimaced slightly. "I did work with them for a while."
"Katherine Pierce," She took his hand now. "Charmed, I'm sure."
"Indeed." Griffin's eyes flicked over to me for just a split second. I glared daggers at him from behind Stefan.
"Jason will be very intrigued," Katherine smiled as she moved back to Stefan's arm.
"What is it that's going to intrigue me?" A man spoke from behind me.
He wasn't tall per se; maybe about five-ten, with a slightly muscular build, but he had an air of arrogance about him. His dark grey suit and black shirt complimented his carmel complexion well and his smile would be enough to cause thousands of fan girls to throw themselves at his feet. It was his light blue eyes, however, that were his most strikingly handsome feature.
"Jason Knight," He extended his hand to Griffin.
"Griffin Roberts," Griffin introduced himself and I took a step closer to him once more.
"Intriguing indeed." Mr. Knight nodded. "Hello, Stefan, Katherine," He shook hands with Stefan and embraced Katherine, giving her European kisses on her cheeks.
I glared at Griffin, my heart felt as though it would pound right out of my mouth.
"And this fine specimen is?" I could feel his gaze sizing me up. It disgusted me.
I felt Stefan move only very slightly to my left to stand just a little bit more defensively.
"This is my fiancée," Griffin pulled me closer to him.
"A Miss Vallejo, if I'm not mistaken." Griffin had no need to finish. Knight finished for him.
I couldn't look him in the eye as I took his extended hand. I was surprised by his ice cold touch.
"My apologies," He took his hand back. "My hands tend to have poor circulation."
I nodded, not wanting to start a conversation.
"Shall we?" Griffin gestured towards Jacque who smiled nervously.
"I-I'm sorry Miss Vallejo, but the only table that can seat you all right now is that booth in the corner," He waved his arm towards a large booth at the corner opposite of the window.
"That will be just fine, Jacque. Thank you." I didn't have the clarity of mind at the moment to argue for a different table.
"B-but in the corner, M-miss Vallejo?" He wrung his hands together, his wiry brown-blonde hair seeming to stand on the edge of his scalp.
"Yes, Jacque, it will have to do." I waved him off.
"Y-yes, Miss Vallejo." He nodded obediently. "I forgot to mention, that you look particularly stunning tonight, Miss Vallejo."
"Thank you, Jacque, that will be all for now." I took the menus from his hands and shooed him away.
"What are you doing?" I hissed quietly at Griffin through my forced smile.
"I thought you wanted to try to be nicer to the Salvatores." He whispered back.
"Not that nice." I grumbled.
"He's right you know," Knight commented as Katherine slid into the booth, followed by Stefan. "You look even more beautiful than you do on stage."
I didn't need his flattery. There was something sketchy about this man, and I most certainly didn't like it.
"I would absolutely die for your shoes," Katherine whispered to me as I moved across the booth to sit beside her.
"Oh?" I looked down at my feet, momentarily forgetting which shoes I was wearing. "Thank you."
Okay, what was it with these people and all of their compliments. I felt as though they were fishing for something, I just wasn't sure what it was yet.
A server came by promptly and took our orders. I was grateful when he returned with the glass of champagne that I had ordered.
Knight might have shown up for a business meeting with Stefan and Katherine, but he had certainly directed his attention at Griffin. As Knight and Griffin conversed about business, the industry, and lord knows what else, and Katherine tapped away on her blackberry, Stefan caught my eye. He gave me a 'what are you gonna do?' look. I gave him a slight shrug as I took another sip of champagne.
When the soup course arrived, their chatter stopped momentarily.
"Mmm," Knight took in another spoonful of the chicken tortilla soup. "Send my compliments to your Father. This is just so easy on the palate."
"Hmm," I nodded, not wanting to engage in a conversation.
"Now tell me, how is it that he did it?" He continued anyway.
"Perseverance." I hoped that if I replied in one word, he would stop.
"But however did he manage to do it, build such an empire." He was going to continue, fine. "I've been trying to build up my own label and there are times when I just want to give up. It's successes like these that keep me on track."
"It was difficult, yes. But he never gives up, to this day, he never gives up."
"Ah yes, that is in your nature, isn't it? The whole, si se puede deal." His tone had just the slightest hint of a challenge.
"I'm sorry?" I furrowed my eyebrows. "I don't understand."
"Well it must have been very difficult to start it all from the ground up. He must have had some sort of help on the side, if you know what I mean. How many success stories, like this one, do you hear about someone of your background that are entirely honest? How many actually achieve the American dream?" There was a definite challenge in his tone now.
My spoon clattered onto the plate and my head snapped up to look him straight in the eye.
"Excuse me?" I locked eyes with him.
"I-I think what he's trying to say, love," Griffin tried to cut in.
"Oh, I know exactly what trying to say." I silenced Griffin. "He's implying that because my family is of Mexican-American heritage, my father wasn't entirely able to create all of this on his own. He is implying that my father used less than moral practices to get here. He is insinuating that my parents are, for lack of a better word, illegal." The burning rage of a thousand suns ran through my blood. "Aren't you, Mr. Knight?" I spat.
"S-Sara," Stefan's voice quietly tried to calm.
"For your information, Mr. Kight," I continued. "My parents are citizens of the United States, college educated, and contrary to your belief, are not involved in any illegal practices. So sorry to have disappointed you."
No one at the table said a word and they avoided making eye contact. Knight looked away, a smirk on his face. My hands itched to slap it right off of his face.
I pushed Griffin out of the booth, and a look of terror crossed Knight's face for just a second.
"Good, fear me." I smirked now. "Because I'm done with you." With that I marched across the room, straight to the window-side bar.
The bar tender raised his eye brows at me, but I didn't care how many people had heard what happened at the table.
"Get me something," I waved my hand, signaling him to get me a drink. "Anything, I don't care what it is."
He stared at me for another second, whether in fear or awe, I didn't know, but I wasn't in the mood to deal with it.
"Now!" I snapped impatiently.
He nodded and hurried began to mix things together. I watched from a barstool as Knight made a hasty getaway, but not before leaving my fiancée with his business card. I obviously hadn't scared him off enough.
When I returned to the table, glass in hand, no one said a word. The next course was pleasantly uneventful, aside from the occasional comment on the food.
The sound of Griffin's cell going off interrupted the quiet. He stepped out to take the call, leaving me with Stefan and Katherine.
"The quail is very delicate," She took small bites of the bird.
"Mine was a little gamey for my taste." I pushed my bird around with my fork.
"Venison is good." Stefan added.
"Sorry, love," Griffin reappeared. "I know tonight was supposed to be kind of special, but I really have to go. There's been some sort of system crash and they need me." He gave me one of his puppy looks. "I'm so sorry. I can leave you the car, and I'll take a cab."
"No, no, you take the car. I can take a cab." I shook my head. I was slightly disappointed.
"Are you sure?" He looked a little worried.
"Yeah, it's fine, don't worry about it." I continued to shake my head.
"Alright, I'm sorry, love. I'll make it up to you; I promise." He gave a quick peck on the lips, and said his goodbye with apologies to Stefan and Katherine before leaving.
And now there were three. I can't say that it hurt so much to see him physically leave as it did to have him bail on me once more. I didn't know how much longer I would willingly be able to put up with it. I could only handle so much of his abandonment and absence before I would really start to crack.
I was thankful for the support that Stefan had provided me in the past few weeks. He was my rock, my savior. It was indescribably strange and difficult to have to watch him with another woman, even if he had made it clear to me that he had no plans to continue their relationship romantically. She apparently had other plans.
The next course was awkward, to say the least. I was most definitely a third wheel as Katherine snuggled up to Stefan.
I hoped for a second that if I shut my eyes, she would stop. She didn't. She only became more affectionate, stroking his cheek, giggling giddily, and running her hand up and down his arm.
I had to order another glass of champagne to distract myself. I quickly downed that one, and snapped my fingers for another one.
"Excuse me," I snapped at the waiter and held up my glass which was promptly replaced with another one.
My silent pleas for it to end must have been heard, when her phone rang. Stefan let her out so that she could take the call.
We were completely silent in her absence, our eye contact creating a form of communication.
"Well forgive me for following the trend, but I too must leave. My presence is required immediately in Hong Kong, so I have to go catch the next flight." Katherine smiled apologetically. "I'm so sorry, Stefan. We'll just have to reschedule."
"Don't worry about it." Stefan nodded.
"I really am sorry." She pouted at him. "Sorry, hon." She then proceeded to pull him into a very long kiss.
I grimaced and began to chug down my third glass of champagne while trying to avoid looking at them.
"It was so nice meeting you." She smiled at me before leaving. There was something behind her smile, but I didn't have time to study it before she was gone.
"How was that?" I looked directly at Stefan.
He clucked his tongue. "It was…weird."
"Good." I put down the glass of champagne and slid over to sit right beside him.
"Well it only took us a little under an hour and a half to get rid of all of them." He pulled me closer with his arm.
"Mmm, alone at last." I snuggled into his chest.
"Can we just skip straight to dessert?" He pressed a kiss to my hairline.
"I think," I sat up, "that can be arranged." I waved the waiter over to tell him that we would forego the remaining courses and wished to skip to dessert.
"This is delicious." Stefan took another forkful of the rich chocolate cake.
"Right?" I agreed. "Whenever Dad makes it, it lasts less than a day in our house. It's completely irresistible."
"Your dad actually cooks all this stuff at home?" He was surprised.
"Not all of it," I shook my head. "Some of the dishes here were created specifically for the restaurant. But some of them he does make at home."
"The venison?" He tried.
"Eh, not really. That's just for here. But the pasta is actually a seasonal dish, prepared by the visiting chef." I informed him.
There was soon nothing but crumbs on the plate that had once held our shared piece of chocolate cake.
"Perfect combination." He commented as he swirled his glass of dessert wine in his hand.
"We have to go give our compliments to the chef." I began to pull him out of the booth with me.
"What?" He squawked. "Are you sure?"
"Just kidding," I giggled. "We don't have to, but Daddy does want me to check on the visiting chef, so I guess I have to."
He looked at me with his perfect grey-green eyes in a way that I hadn't experienced before.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing." He tried to hold back a smile.
"Tell me." I begged him, toying with his fingers in my hand.
"It's just, the idea of you ever having to run all of this is…amusing." He laughed.
"Oh? Is it now?" I raised a single eyebrow. "Well, I'll show you, Mr. Salvatore." I pulled him with me to the kitchen to greet the chef.
After our visit to the kitchen, we waited for the valet to bring up his car. When we were inside, he turned to look at me.
"Where to?" He asked, his posture relaxed against the seat.
Memories of our previous activities in the car came back to me. Sports cars were most definitely not good for making out in.
"I don't care." I replied nonchalant.
He leaned across the seat to kiss me, his lips soft and gentle, yet impatient.
"Would you like to come to the house?" He pulled away to make his offer.
"Sure." I pulled him right back.
It was fun to have him sneak me into the house through the back so that Damon wouldn't see, despite the fact that he and Alyssa were supposed to be out of the house.
I panicked when I heard Damon call Alyssa, but we weren't found out. I didn't feel completely safe until we reached his room. I'd had to follow him through halls with still unpacked boxes all the way to the other wing of the house to reach it.
And it was just so…him. From the books that were on his shelves down to the dark blue shade on the walls, it all screamed Stefan. I loved it.
We wasted no time in getting down to, er, business. He was such a great kisser. I took my time in unbuttoning his shirt. When I reached the last button, I had to pause to collect my thoughts.
It was suddenly very apparent that we were not the same people from over a decade ago. Long gone was that innocent boy, replaced by this incredible man.
"Wow," I breathed. Sure, I'd seen well built men. Griffin wasn't too shabby himself, but I wasn't prepared for this. He was very well built, muscles defined and abs chiseled. It was perfection at its finest.
His fingers found the zipper on the side of my dress and nimbly pulled it downward. Soon my dress joined his shirt and later his pants.
"Are we…?" I couldn't finish my sentences; he cut me off with my own lips.
"Your choice." He barely paused.
Did I want to? Hell yes. Should I? Probably not.
He momentarily distracted me as his long fingers ran through my now completely undone hair.
How I desperately wanted him, but somehow, at that point in time, all I could think of was Griffin. How completely devastated he would be if he found out.
"Wait!" I pushed Stefan away.
He was startled, jumping away immediately. "What's wrong?"
"I-I can't." I said quietly. "I don't think we should…y'know. I'm…still engaged."
"Okay…" He managed to reply. The hurt in his eyes was unbearable.
I moved to burrow into his side. "I just don't think it's appropriate…"
"None of this is appropriate."
"Just…" I didn't know what to say or how to say it. "Not until…I break off the engagement."
I had never said the words out loud before now. They were strangely liberating. Griffin and I were getting farther and farther apart. He just wasn't what I needed anymore. He most certainly wasn't what I wanted.
But he was my best friend. And I still loved him, too.
"I'm sorry." I whispered. Whether it was to Stefan or to Griffin, I couldn't decipher.
"You're actually going to break off your engagement?" He was surprised.
"Yeah." I nodded. "I'm willing to do it…for us."
He pulled me closer to him, his arms providing a sense of security around me. We didn't say much else, and I barely recall drifting off.
When I awoke, early morning sunlight was streaming through the curtains and Stefan was still fast asleep. At some point during the night he had moved me to cover me with the sheets and comforter. I pulled the blanket tighter around me as I burrowed into the covers. They smelled distinctly of Stefan, a mix of his cologne and soap. I turned so that I could watch him sleep.
"Good morning, beautiful." His voice was still thick from sleep.
"You're supposed to be asleep." I half laughed. What a faker.
"I've been awake for awhile now." He didn't open his eyes, his left arm draped across his forehead.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" I rolled into his side and laid my head on his chest.
"Because you're cute when you sleep." He pressed a kiss to my forehead and put his arm around me.
We lay just like that for a few minutes before being thoroughly awoken.
"Uncle Stefan!" Alyssa's voice carried in from down the hall.
At first I thought it was in my head. He must've not been paying attention.
"Uncle Stefan!" She called again.
This time, we both heard it loud and clear. We jumped apart in a panic.
"Crap." I muttered as we scrambled around trying to figure out what to do.
"Closet," He pointed. I scampered into the closet, throwing him a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He hurriedly pulled them on, the shirt backwards and inside out.
I didn't have time to tell him to fix his shirt…or to grab my left shoe that I had forgotten to grab before hiding in the closet.
"What's up, Lyss?" I watched through the crack in the door as Stefan leaned casually against the doorframe.
"Daddy said if you don't come down to breakfast in the next five minutes, he's going to eat your food." She informed him.
"Uhh…" Stefan glanced over to the closet. "Tell him that's okay. I have other plans."
"Alrighty, your loss." She shrugged and bounced back down the hall, her blonde pigtails flying behind her.
He closed the door and motioned for me to come out quietly.
"Do you think she suspected anything?" I whispered for fear of being heard.
"Nah," He shook his head. "She's eleven."
"She's not as innocent as you think she is." I mumbled, stepping into my dress and pulling it up.
"Oh, I know." He made a slightly disturbed face.
He snuck me out and then drove me back to my apartment, where I insisted that he come up for breakfast.
"I really need to move out." He stood in the middle of my living room, taking it all in.
"That would be a big help." I agreed as I set two plates with breakfast burritos on the table.
"Burritos!" He sat in the chair by the window.
"I know, burritos. How very Mexican of me." I snorted to myself.
"I just remembered! I wanted to show you these!" He pulled out his phone from his pocket.
I sat down across from him and took a bite of my burrito.
He handed me his phone with a picture on the screen, a very old picture.
"Oh my god!" I almost choked. "How did you…" I couldn't finish because I started to laugh.
"I found these about a year ago in the attic. I scanned them to make sure they wouldn't get lost or anything." He grinned, obviously enjoying my amusement. "Scroll through, there's more."
There were pictures of us as kids in his parents' yard, at various school events. Some of which were quite hilarious, particularly one of his face as the scoop of ice cream fell from his cone at Coney Island.
"How old were we? Like five?" I showed him that one.
"Eh...I don't know. All that is kind of hazy now." He shrugged.
"And that, my friend, is a sign that we are aging." I laughed.
"Oh god, Alyssa makes me feel so old sometimes." He shook his head before taking another bite.
"Tell me about it." I rolled my eyes.
I came across another picture from a party some time in middle school. "Oh….I remember this. I remember this really well." I showed it to him.
"Cassie Serbia's birthday party." He shook his head. "Good times."
"Aww, I miss Cassie. Whatever happened to her?" I asked him. She had been one of my best friends.
"I still talk to her sometimes on Facebook. I think she married this much older guy… She's kind of like a trophy wife." He laughed. "It's kinda weird."
I chuckled too. "I can honestly say that it doesn't entirely surprise me."
"She comes to California sometimes, we should go see her next time she's here."
"Yeah, that would be fun." I nodded.
It was so nice, so surreal to be able to just be with Stefan. I never thought that it would happen again. I was willing to drop everything, give up anything just to be with him. It was a dream come true.
If only things were as simple as they appeared to be.
A/N: And that's all for now, folks. Please review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Also, a few more faces to add to characters with additions to the cast list:
Lydia Salvatore (Damon and Stefan's Mother) – Kate Walsh
Zachary Salvatore (Damon and Stefan's Father) – Chris William Martin
Jason Knight – Jesse Williams
Coming next chapter: The original family!