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Before You Were Mine- Chapter Ten
-Elena-
His nose scrunches up in disgust as I spit into my napkin. "What did I just eat?" I ask him, seeing Stefan cover his mouth with his hand, shaking his head and laughing.
"Sushi. I think." He chuckles, leaning his weight against his elbow some more as I smile at him. The wind is calm tonight and the humidity is kicking in for the usually warm fall season that we're having.
"I hate raw food, seafood, sushi. Makes me feel like I'm eating them alive." I point out, tossing my crumpled up napkin into a small white grocery bag beside me as he continues to laugh.
"Sorry, if I had known that, I wouldn't have ordered it for us." He states, clearing his throat and becoming serious. We've been sitting out here for hours, talking about anything and everything. Laughing and just being blissfully happy together. That's until I see his face and the change of subject makes me a little uncomfortable.
"What's the best memory you have of your father?" He asks me suddenly, causing me to freeze in place. I haven't thought about dad in a while, to be honest it's been a few weeks. He is always in the back of my mind though. I guess it's because I'm worried that he's looking down at his little girl and shaking his head at the mistakes I've made, like moving in with my mother once again.
"When I was 6 years old. My dad took my brother and I to this little lake house in Virginia that he inherited from his parents. My mother eventually sold bit and took the money. But, he taught us both how to fish there. It was just the three of us, laughing and having a good old time. We both fell asleep when he built a bonfire and I remember him reading us a bedtime story almost every night up at the house." I've got tears in my eyes as I talk about him. It's too painful even now. However, talking with Stefan about my dad is somewhat comforting.
I sniffle a little, blowing my nose with an extra napkin in front of me before I ask. "What about you? What's your favorite memory of your parents?"
He pauses for a minute, smiling widely as he remembers, his own eyes a little glazed over. "My parents bought me and my brother this dog. A little scraggily 1 year old Golden Retriever named Lucky." He says, looking down at his hands . "Well, Damon and I took him on a walk one morning with my dad. Lucky got loose from the leash and took off. We searched for hours in my dad's truck, crying about how we needed to find him."
"So, did you. Find, the dog?" I ask, watching as he inhales sharply.
"Nope. We never did. Damon and I were devastated. Never had another pet before. But, I love dogs. Always wanted another one." He adds in, looking up at me as I feel a small rain drop fall against my bare arm, rubbing it away with my hands.
"We should go, before it starts raining even harder." Stefan recommends, getting up to his feet as he extends out his hand to me, his smile never once fading away.
"I want to stay, just for a bit more. Tell me more about your family." I comment. Stefan runs his hands through his hair, closing his eyes tightly and exhaling. I can see the pain on his face without even asking him what's wrong.
"Maybe another time. Look, I don't really remember much else. Elena, it was a long time ago and I was just a little kid when they died. I don't really like talking about it." He says, brushing it off and extending out his hand to me once more, tilting his head to the side.
"Okay. So, we won't talk about it then." I quickly reassure him, taking his hand as he pulls me to my feet and I stumble forward, crashing into him again. A nervous laugh leaves my lips as he brushes a strand of my hair back behind my ears and caresses my cheek with the soft touch of his fingers.
"I'm a klutz."I smile at him, taking a step back when he takes a step forward. My eyes close, unintentionally as his finger slips underneath my chin and my eyes look down at the space between us. We're so close, I can feel his heart beating against my own and I'm sure he's fairly amused by how close my chest it to his.
"So am I." He remarks with a smile, his thumb grazing my already heated skin when he leans forward and watches me close my eyes. His breath smells like mints, spearmint gum or something like that. Because, the closer he gets to me, the more nervous I am as we breath each other's air. I feel his other hand wrap around my backside, pulling me closer as the rain drops begin to increase and just when our lips are about to touch...
It happens.
The ringing from Stefan's work cell phone goes off and he opens his eyes, staring at me. His hand still placed on the middle of my back. "Sorry." He mumbles under his breath as I heave out a deep exhale. It was a close call between us, a very close call.
"This is Stefan." I hear him answer, shaking his head and laughing. He glances down at his bare feet, looking back at me as I remember that our shoes are still where we had been sitting just a little while ago.
"Yeah, I'll be there soon." He states quietly, hanging up his cell phone and clearing his throat.
"That was my buddy, Matt. My boss wants to speak with me. I guess he's still there doing some late night paperwork and he's been trying to get a hold of me all day. He's pretty pissed off." He explains, running his hand through his hair, licking his bottom lip before looking up at me.
"Elena.." His voice trails off as my voice cracks when I reply with a simple. "Yeah?"
"About earlier-." I cut him off, shrugging my shoulders. "We got caught up in a moment, it happens. And, it won't happen again."
Stefan lets out a small laugh. "Yeah, it won't." He replies, shaking his head as he leans down to grab his boots and the blankets. Stefan watches me put our empty cartons of food in a white grocery bag, tying the bag tightly.
"I'm just going to drive you home, okay?" He asks me as I lock my eyes on to him, nodding.
"Okay." I comment, walking beside him in silence as his arm brushes up against mine while we walk straight to the truck. And, I start to feel it. That electricity between us, that push and pull in the pit of my stomach that I've been ignoring for weeks now.
"So, is your mom going to be home tonight?" He asks in a worried tone as I shrug my shoulders back. I haven't seen her in a few days and the thought of being home alone tonight sounds perfect. I can write quietly in my journal...I can write about him.
"She might be. But, I'll be fine." I comment, watching as he nods, quickly fixing his eyes back on to me.
"If you need anything, Elena. Anything at all tonight or any other night. Don't be afraid to call me." He says with a sweet and sincere tone as I smile back at him, softly replying. "I will. I promise."
The days go by quickly and I can't stop myself from thinking about him. Even at work, I seem too distracted.
"You sad that he hasn't been in here for a few days? Your fire fighter lover boy?" Luke jokes, rushing past me with a plate of hot pancakes as I lean against the counter, turning my back around and sighing out a breath. Luke eyes me as I crumple up my apron. "I'm going on a break." I announce, grabbing my purse without him even questioning me.
"Alright, be back in 15!" He reminds me as I nod, exhaling deeply and taking out my journal as I step out of the diner, taking a seat near a bench that's near the busy street. I put my headphones in my ears as I listen to Kelly Clarkson's "Since You've Been Gone". The music blares when I open up my journal, making a crease in the paper before starting to add a few more sentences into it from the entry that I had wrote last night. My hands stop after a while the moment a bundle of six red roses falls down on to the table beside me and I glance up to see Stefan standing on the other side with a beaming grin. "Hi." He says sweetly.
He watches me take my head phones out, not even wanting to hide my smile or my giddy expression at how happy I am to see him standing there, right in front of me.
"What's this for?" I ask, pointing to the flowers on my right side. He's wearing a track suit, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he exhales and takes a seat beside me, the strong sun beating down on the both of us and causing warmth to fill my body.
"I forgot to buy you flowers last time that we were together. So, I was in the neighborhood at a park with the guys, doing a training exercise and I thought I'd stop by to surprise you with these. I know it's not much. But, the vender I bought them from, said they were fresh." He informs me, leaning forward to look at what I'm writing. I watch him frown when I quickly shut the journal and place my arms over it, looking back up at him.
"You are just full of surprises, aren't you?" I ask, that goofy grin still never leaning my face.
He nods. "Yeah, I am. Pretty lucky I caught you while you were sitting out here though. I would have been embarrassed walking in to the diner with just 6 roses in hand." He tells me before getting up again, unlocking his truck that's parked on the curb. I get up too, walking over to him as he out stretches his arms, like he wants to hug me.
"To be honest, I've missed ya." He tells me with an truthful tone, watching as I step forward, into his embrace without even thinking as I feel him exhale deeply once my head rests against his shoulder.
"I missed you too." I reply with a voice that's just above a whisper, wrapping my arms around his waistline and feeling his hands run up and over my chilled arms. We stay like that for a while before Stefan kisses the top of my head and I take a step back, cheeks red and heated from being so close to him again.
"So, are you still coming to the charity thing?" He asks me as I nod. "Yeah, of course I am."
Stefan locks his eyes on to me. "Good, because I want you there. Just, make sure to wear something not too skimpy." He jokes as I huff out a breath.
"Don't worry, I'm not that type of girl." I turn back around towards the building, hearing him tell me that he needs to get back to work.
"Be safe." I comment over my shoulder, seeing him lock his eyes on to me. "I always am. I'll see you on Saturday." He reminds me, watching me walking back to the diner.
"I'll see you then." I reply, smiling as I bring the roses up to my nose and inhale deeply, the feeling of joy rushes through me and it feels like the smile I had when I saw him is plastered permanently across my lips as I push open the door to the diner and walk back inside, thankful that Luke and Rosie are too busy with a group of customers to even ask me why I'm so happy.
-Stefan-
"Move a little to the left and flex your biceps." Matt instructs, sighing out a breath and pursing his lips together. We've been trying to take our own pictures for the calendar spread with his camera and he's clearly unpleased by my unwillingness to take my shirt off.
"Just take the damn thing off." Damon shouts, walking into the locker rooms as he watches me lean my hand up against one of the locker doors.
"Hey baby. Take it off, Salvatore. Take it all off!" Tyler cat calls me in between his loud and obnoxious whistling, walking up to us with a white plain shirt around his neck, this gleaming look is in his eyes as he sits down on a bench just a little ways away, lifting up his phone and snapping a picture of his bare chest.
"Are you sexting your wife?" Damon asks in a not too surprised tone, clutching his stomach as he lets out a loud laugh. We all freeze in place as we hear a heavy set of boots approach the locker rooms and Patrick makes an appearance too. His eyes are wide, he's glancing down at the floor, not looking at any of us.
"Will you four put your damn shirts back on, act like the respectful men you are and go outside to help out with that car wash we organized?" He orders, watching as we all begin to file out of the locker bays. He stops me though, with his hand being firmly placed on my shoulder.
"Not you. I need to talk to you." He says with a gruff voice, making me take a step back, forcing me to sit down on the edge of one of the benches in the room.
"What's going on, boss?" I question, fidgeting nervously in my seat. Patrick must sense it as he rubs his face with his hands, leaning one of his hands against a closed locker door.
"Do you take this job, seriously?" He asks me as my eyes shift up from my glance I have on my hands that are in my lap and on to his eyes, nodding. Of course, I take this job seriously. It's the only thing that I ever wanted.
"Yes." My reply is quick and sharp as he pats me on the shoulder, inhaling deeply.
"Good. Because my daughter is claiming that you haven't been taking it too seriously and have been goofing off too much while you're here, in an attempt to make her jealous. She says you've been flirting with the other staff." He pauses, shaking his head. " Listen to me, Stefan. I don't care if the two of you aren't together anymore. I just wish you'd be more respectful and consider that Makayla really loved you and that she's still healing from you breaking things off with her."
Patrick pivots on the soles of his boots, turning away from me and sighing. "Just make sure to remember that when you see her today." He says with a firm tone. And, with that he leaves the room.
I sit there for a while, leaning my back flatly against the bench, hitting the back of my head gently against the wood of it. "God damn ex girlfriend!" I curse under my breath, feeling my cell phone rattling in my pocket, taking it out and reading the text message that I just received.
Where are you? I'm not wearing anything skimpy. But, I can't say the same for your ex-girlfriend, Makayla. She keeps asking your brother if you're here. Remind me to accidently splash her with the water hose. ;)
I smile and laugh out loud at Elena's words, pushing myself up just in time to hear her shrieking voice filling the room. "Stefan? Are you in here?"
"FUCK!" I mumble out, getting up and trying to hide behind the other side of the locker room bay.
"No one better be in here. Because, I'm coming in. Stefan? Where are you?" She shouts out louder, as I hear her flip flops hit the ground and she walks down the locker bay where I'm trying to hide from her. "It's now or never." I softly whisper, running my hand over my face before stepping out from behind my failed hiding spot.
"Makayla." I comment flatly, watching her face light up like a little kid at a candy store.
"There you are! Oh my god, I am so glad that I found you." She says, batting her long dark brown mascara covered eye lashes at me. I puff out my chest, trying really hard not to roll my eyes at how hard she's trying and how pathetic she sounds.
"What's going on?" I ask her, trying to play it cool.
She takes a step forward, running her hand over my chest. I'm biting the inside of my cheek, watching her hand slip off it as she stops her hands just above my belt buckle. "Oh, nothing. That brunette girl that is pinning over you looks like she's deseperate outside in her t-shirt and cropped pants."
"So what? Not everyone is as revealing as you." I point with a harsh tone. My voice not hiding the fact that I'm quickly coming to Elena's defense.
Makayla scoffs, turning her back towards me and shaking her head. "You like her, don't you!" She shouts loudly, making me close my eyes and inhale through my nose.
I like her. I do and it's pissing me off that Makayla is trying to be a rude to Elena.
"It's none of your business if I do or I don't. That's my business." I pause, pushing past her and out of the room, stopping near the door. "And, the next time you go and bitch and complain about me to your father. You should remember that whatever happened between us, is our private life and that we're over. I don't want you back, Makayla. To be honest, I'd like it if you found a new place to work so that I can work here in peace. Without being harassed by you."
"There you are!" Elena smiles, her lips forming a small frown as she sees the stress that Makayla caused me, riddling my face.
"She got to you first, didn't she?" Caroline says, tapping me on the shoulder and rolling her eyes, throwing a glare in my ex-girlfriend's direction.
"Yeah, she did. Listen-." Caroline cuts me off, waving Bonnie and Damon over.
"What are you doing?" I ask, giving her a confused look.
"Oh, nothing. Just going to have a little fun with our annoyance of the week." She explains, smiling at me and wrapping her arms around me. "How about you and Elena go stand over near the grill and make sure that Matt and my husband aren't making us burnt hamburgers." Caroline suggests as Elena nods her head in that direction, looping her arm around mine as she smiles back at Caroline and Bonnie.
"Wait." She says, backing away from me for a minute and taking out her phone, taking her shirt off and revealing her light blue stripped bikini top. My heart's pounding hard against my chest, my mind stops thinking for a minute as she tosses her shirt back behind her on a chair.
God, she's gorgeous.
"Ugh, it's too hot out here. Sorry." She says, glancing down at her white shorts that are accenting the curves of her hips. I inhale sharply. I have no idea what the hell Makayla was talking about because Elena looks really...I don't even know, Hot? Nice? Yeah, she looks nice.
Elena sighs out breath, looping her arm around mine again as we walk towards a large oak tree that has a bench underneath it, the shade covering the open space as I take a seat and she does too, right beside me.
"I'm sorry it took so long for me to walk out here." I comment, watching as she locks her eyes on to me, looking back at the car that Caroline, Bonnie and Makayla are washing. I can hear in the distance as Caroline shouts. "Oppsie, I'm sorry, did I just get your eyeball. I was aiming for your chest." When the green garden hose in her hands slips out of them and squirts Makayla in the face.
"Ugh. You bitch!" She shouts, shaking her hands off from the excess water and wiping her face with her hands, dropping the soapy filled yellow sponge in her hands. "I'm done with all of you! Have fun doing this stupid event alone." She screams in an overly dramatic tone that makes a few people turn around, watching her run back into the fire house.
"She's over dramatic." Elena observes, making me laugh.
"You have no idea." I comment quietly, hearing footsteps coming towards us as Damon walks over, casually crossing his arms over his bare chest.
"Well, your crazy ex-girlfriend just left. Sounds like for good or at least until she gets over the fact that Caroline just embarrassed her in front of all of us. So, we need the two of you for this next car." He explains, pointing to Elena and I.
She looks over at me with a smile. I catch her staring at my chest as she points to the shirt, a flirty gaze in her brown eyes. "You should take that off. You know, don't want it to get wet or dirty."
I shake my head, biting down on my lower lip as I playfully point to her white shorts. "And, are you going to keep those on or take them off? You know, it should be a fair trade. I take my shirt off, you take your shorts off." I tell her with a flirtatious glance.
Elena laughs, getting up and undoing the button to her shorts. "Fine, there are children here, Stefan. But, if you insist." She tells me, unzipping them and sliding them down her tan skinned legs. I hold my breath, I swear I do as she slips out of them and folds them on the table, looking over at her really fast before she catches me staring at her blue and white stripped binki bottoms that fit her perfectly.
Elena sits down on the bench, crossing her legs and grinning at me. I watch as she leans into me with a smirk when she says in an encouraging tone. "Now you. Come on, take it off."
I inhale sharply, getting up and crossing my arms over my chest as I grab the hem of my t-shirt and slide it off my upper body. Her mouth gapes open as I toss the shirt on the bench in front of us, the same way she did with her shorts.
"Better?" I ask her, watching her face redden.
"Much better." She comments with a shy smile, grabbing a hold of my arm and pulling me with her towards the awaiting car that's parked in the parking lot.
-Damon-
"Are they dating?" I ask, leaning into Bonnie and whispering it into her ear as she looks up at me and places her hand against my cheek, the thin fabric of her pink shirt hugging her stomach as she takes a ice cold water bottle off of the table.
"Who?" She asks, opening it up and taking a sip as I place my hands against her head, turning it just slightly to get a better view of Elena and Stefan who are scrubbing at a light blue colored Volvo sedan. Laughing and bumping into each other.
"Not that I know of." Bonnie says with a shrug of her shoulders.
My lips purse together as I take a seat beside her, continuing to watch them.
"He likes her though, you know. I can tell he does." I blurt out, hearing Matt scoff at my words when he joins us at the table, placing a paper plate with a freshly made hamburger on it.
"Stefan likes every girl that looks like that." He states, licking his lips and clearly checking Elena out.
"No he doesn't." Bonnie retorts, placing her elbows on to the table that the three of us are all sitting at.
"Yes, he does. Look at her. She's giving him the time of day and he's soaking it up for all it's worth. Even if they are dating, I highly doubt it's anything serious." Matt replies, continuing to eat as Bonnie and I turn back to watching them, turning away and acting like we weren't when we see Elena run up towards the table, Stefan following just a few feet behind her.
Elena smiles at us all. "Well that was fun." She laughs, looking back at her as Stefan appears behind her, picking up his camera from a bag beside Bonnie and I.
"I want to take a picture to remember this." He says with a beaming smile, turning it towards Elena as I laugh when she shoves her hands in front of her face.
"No, not one of me. I'm sweating and all gross. My makeup is melting off." She complains, trying to hide behind Bonnie.
"Come on, just one. You don't look that bad. Actually, you look." Stefan pauses and before he can finish his thought, Matt interrupts him.
"You look beautiful." Matt tells her with a grin.
Elena turns towards him, giggling out a little laugh. "Thanks." She says, taking a seat beside me and patting the small empty space near her so that Stefan can take a sit down. I watch as he smiles at her, pointing the camera at her face again when she finally gives him a sweet smile just in time for him to take a picture, telling her that he wants it as a reminder of her.
"I'm starving." She blurts out as Stefan looks around the table, noticing that there aren't any more paper plates.
"Um, let me go get some plates and we can go get some food." He tells her, getting up as I watch her gently place her hand on to his arm, shaking her head.
"Tell me where they are and I'll go." She retorts.
Bonnie and I turn our heads as Matt wipes his face with a napkin and gets up, waving his hand at her. "I'll show you." He smirks. "Come with me."
-Matt-
"So, you and Stefan. Are you two like an item?" I ask her, trying to scope out her reaction to my question as her hands gently tap against the stainless steel table that she's leaning on.
"We're friends." Elena comments, looking down at her tan colored flip flops and red painted toe nails. She's nervous around me and I ease up a bit as I smile at her.
"That's good. After a disaster of a relationship Stefan had with Makayla, it's good that he has you to be there for him. Everyone needs a friend." I tell her, searching the cabinets in the cafeteria for the plates, glancing back at Elena.
"You know, he was going to marry her. They were pretty serious at one point." I watch her eyebrows raise at me, her voice is small and soft when she speaks. "Really?"
"Yeah. They've been dating since he was 18 years old. Part of me thinks that he stills loves her." I tell her, Elena glances at me with a surprised facial expression, clearly uncomfortable with the way our conversation is going.
"He says, he doesn't." She states. "Love her anymore." She finishes, biting down on her lip and crossing her arms over her chest, tapping her foot nervously against the tiles.
"I'm sure he's just telling you what you want to hear. Elena, if you think that Stefan is this guy who will be faithful to you if you two end up in a relationship. I suggest you look elsewhere. All he cares about is two things, this job and trying to make his ex girlfriend jealous, with someone like you. Because, frankly. You seem like you'd just that easy to use." I tell her, watching her face fall as we both turn around and hear someone clear their throat. My eyes move upward to see Stefan with his arms crossed, a pissed off expression on his face.
"Elena, will you excuse us. Matt and I need to have a word." He says, taking a step towards her as she brushes past him, not even looking at him when he gives her an apologetic look.
The moment Elena leaves, he shoves me up against the cold stainless steel refrigerator door, slamming me against it a bit with his arm pressed upon my chest and his green eyes blazing with fury. "What are you doing! Filling her head with lies about me already?" He shouts angrily.
I chuckle, pushing him off and lowering my gaze to the ground, staring at my boots and letting out another laugh. "I was just telling her the truth. Will you relax."
Stefan's face contorts with irritation as he slams his fist against the table, causing a loud echo. "Makayla and I are done! Don't you get that! We are over and I never want to be with her again. Damn it, Matt! You and your stupid mouth, running around and spreading lies about me. Now, I have to go apologize for your stupid remarks!"
He watches me close my eyes, leaning near where the sink is at as I look up at him after a few minutes of tense silence. "I'm just saving the girl from you breaking her heart. It's better for her to know you're a waste of time now. Before, it gets too serious."
Stefan's teeth are clenched together as he huffs out a breath. "Stay out of it." He warns with a glare.
I let out laugh. "It's not like you care about her. Stefan, she's a replacement for your ex-girlfriend. Why not just end it before feelings get all mixed up and blurred."
He's pissed off as he turns to storm away, pointing to me as he shouts in a loud infuriated way. "You're wrong. I care about her, Matt. I care about Elena. So, I'm trying everything I can to protect her from people who could harm her."
"Like who? Me? You've already claimed her for yourself, Stefan. I'm not touching her." I reply back, seeing him pivot back towards me, deadlocking his eyes with a seething attitude and near death stare in my direction when he exclaims.
"Yes, people like you! Matt, you're a good guy. But, you'd never be good enough for her. Because, you're destructive and that's not what she needs. Plus, for god sakes. She's not a piece of property. She's just a young woman who could use a friend." He tells me as I watch him take the stack of 10 paper plates into his hand, his angry leaving him tense as I lean my back against the counter in the cafeteria all alone with my own thoughts and how I'm going to make Elena realize that Stefan isn't as great as he really seems to be.
A/N: Well, Matt is officially on my shit list. Right along with Makayla!
Anyways, feel free to leave me a review with your thoughts and suggestions as to what you would like to see as the story goes on. :) I love suggestions!
Thanks so much for reading.
-Until Next Time!-