CHAPTER 14 - UNA FOTOGRAFÍA
Rounding the corner, Elena came face to face with an extremely infuriated Aimee. As usual, Amber and Dana stood directly behind her, their lips curled and their arms crossed prissily.
"Morning…" Elena greeted awkwardly, ducking her head in an attempt to skirt the trio.
The girls put their hands on their hips then moved to block Elena's way. Aimee looked her up and down then made a guttural sound of disgust. "You're the worst."
"You're so full of yourself, walking around campus like you're Damon's girl," Dana snarled with a flip of her hair.
Amber took a step towards Elena and narrowed her eyes venomously. "I can't believe it, that you're deceiving him like that."
Shrugging off their words, Elena linked her hands behind her back to keep them from balling into fists. "Look, girls, you're clogging up the halls with the stench of the utter filth that's spewing out of your mouths so, if you'd excuse me, I'd like to make it to class sometime this year." Elena rolled her eyes and turned on her heel, feeling pretty proud of her self-restraint, just to be yanked back viciously by her hair.
"Come with us, you little slut."
"Ow!" Elena yelped as Aimee dragged her off by her tresses. 'Oh, screw the high road!' she thought, screaming obscenities and thrashing to get free from her grip. They reached all the way until the arch of the open banquet hall doors before Elena got to shove Aimee away with a livid "WHAT THE HELL?!"
"Oh, just stop with the whole innocent act! Look for yourself!" Aimee screamed, pointing towards the middle of the room.
The students in the crowd shot Elena looks of contempt as they stepped aside, clearing a path. Every single person she made eye contact with turned their eyes away in sheer disgust. Elena was confounded. She hadn't been tyrannized like this since before Damon revoked her red notice; in fact, no one had gotten a red notice in weeks. Nonetheless, she kept her head up and her shoulders back. She felt stronger walking across the banquet hall this time around, knowing she'd made it through this whole ordeal before, knowing that, no matter what, she would never let them break her spirit.
Yet, unavoidably, Elena still felt that fleeting, heart-stopping dread when she reached the dead-center of the lavish foyer. For on the low platform, where The Archetypes' four eccentric chairs should've been, was a small table. And on the cloth that was draped over the table, written in elegant script, were the words:
"For your pleasure, at your leisure."
With a deep breath and a stroke of sheer will, Elena reached out and, in one swift motion, yanked the cloth right off the table. A handful of glossy photographs, only a few among the countless others, fell from the table and drifted slowly to Elena's feet. The banquet hall erupted in a frenzy of gasps, whispers and malicious giggles. Stunned, shaken, and shamed beyond belief, Elena could only stare at the array of prints, strewn across the surface. There were probably hundreds of copies of just one single shot: It was her, Elena, lying on a fancy bed, sound asleep. Her hair was tousled and the strap of her dress hung precariously off her shoulder. And lying beside her was a half-naked man, his arm wrapped around her sleeping figure lewdly.
"I-I…" Elena spun around, clutching her stomach. The tears were pricking her eyes and she felt like she was going to be sick.
Dana grabbed a handful of photos and flung them towards Elena's hunched figure. "You really are such a little slut," she spat viciously.
Elena shook her head, "I-It's not true." Her heart was thumping so hard, she could feel it in her throat.
"Oh, please! You weren't only deceiving Damon, you were deceiving everyone at The Falls! Just goes to show, Gilbert… once a low-life, always a low-life." Aimee scoffed, grabbing a fistful of Elena's hair once more. "Be prepared to drop-out."
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!" Damon's voice reverberated throughout the whole banquet hall in a tone that made everyone's blood run cold.
He was outraged, and that was an understatement. Solely from his stance, the look on his face and the fire in his eyes after he drank in the whole scene, students were tripping over one another to get out of his way. Though he walked determinedly towards Aimee, his every step, vehement, Damon's line of vision was glued to Elena, who he'd never, before that moment, seen so… disheartened.
Honest-to-God, just seeing her in that state made Damon's heart hurt; it made his chest feel way too tight. He admonished himself inwardly for being such a sap but he was already fighting the urge to wrap his arms around her. His look of heart-wrenching concern quickly transformed into one of pure wrath as he shifted his glare towards Aimee. His voice came out in a low, menacing growl. "Don't think you can get away with this. I will personally make your life a living he-."
Before he could even take a step in Elena's direction, Aimee held the photograph up to Damon's face with a resolute "Just look at this."
Elena knew she couldn't stop a tear from falling when she saw the pure, unconcealed hurt on Damon's face. He simply stood there for a couple seconds in utter dismay, like he'd just been hit with a ton of bricks. His jaw was clenched but his eyes were glazed over, as if the burning intensity that was there only moments ago was now completely extinguished.
"It's not true, Damon," Elena pleaded softly.
Damon wanted to let out a dry, bitter laugh. Who was he kidding? Elena wasn't his. How many times did he need to be reminded of that tiny, little fact? Just the image of her in bed with some sleazy guy made his blood boil. But he had no right to be angry, to be jealous. He didn't have a claim on her. She wasn't his. He was a glutton for pain, a true masochist. So he put his walls up and plastered on his signature mask of arrogant indifference… It was either that, or he'd simply fall to pieces. There's only so much hurt a man can take after all.
He wouldn't look her in the eye and that hurt Elena more than she'd ever admit.
His voice was void of any emotion. "What is this, Elena?"
"I have no idea! I think I'm being framed by someone, by someone who has something against me," she said, barely louder than a whisper.
He slowly drew his eyes up to meet hers, the feeling of betrayal etched in the icy blue. His expression was stone-cold and Elena couldn't take it. She reached her hand out, only for him to take a step back instinctively.
"Believe me," she said, the tears welling up in her eyes and threatening to spill over.
Without a single word, Damon dropped his gaze from hers then turned away, staggering slightly as he walked aimlessly out the banquet hall doors.
And as Damon wordlessly and reluctantly dropped his hands and rounded the corner, walking out of Elena's line of sight; she could only watch him leave, the ghost of his touch cradling her face. Her thoughts were racing to keep up with the ceaseless beating of her heart as she was left standing in the hallway, lost, confused and feeling above all… alone.
And as the crowd broke into a fit of clapping and cheering, Elena was left standing alone at the center, overwhelmed by regret and her heart, a fault line from breaking.
Even Katherine, who had seen the entire scene pan out, slowly joined in the applause as well.
All of a sudden, Elena found herself being shoved every which way. The room was spinning and all she could make out were navy blue blazers whichever way she looked. It was bad but Elena took all the kicks and punches. She took them all. Because she knew that even if Damon wouldn't show it, she'd wounded him badly. She was neck-deep in the guilt of always hurting him.
The rain fell harder, beating down on him, but he remained still. She could make out his figure leaning on the clock tower, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his leather jacket. His head was bent down in complete and utter defeat, and his eyes were glued to the ground. He stood there, a broken man.
She couldn't deny it any longer. It seemed like she always did wrong by him. Around Damon, she was always too defensive, too guarded, too skeptical, too stubborn. So Elena braved every swing and every hit, because, in a way, she truly felt like she deserved it.
With a busted lip, scraped knees and a multitude of bruises, Elena was bordering consciousness as the students of The Falls dispersed. She sat up with a groan and struggled to catch her breath.
Elena looked up and was surprised to see Katherine a few feet away from her, nervously wringing her hands with an empathetic look on her face. She scurried towards Elena and knelt beside her.
"Kat…" Elena breathed weakly, "You've... finally come back to school."
"Oh, don't worry about me… Are you okay?"
Elena gave a strong nod and, despite the stinging pain, pushed herself to her feet. "These... little scratches are no big deal…"
Katherine held Elena by the elbow, eying her as if she would come crumbling down any second. Elena leaned into the support of her friend then let out the sigh she'd been suppressing.
"What's up with him? That look he gave me… I mean, why- why couldn't he trust me?"
Katherine let go of Elena and began playing with her hands once more. "'Lena, maybe… maybe we should go see Damon. We can talk to him, make him understand…" She placed her hand firmly on Elena's shoulder. "We have to convince him that- that you're not the kind of girl who'd ever do something like that!"
Elena rubbed her sore arm, bit her lip then, to Katherine's satisfaction, nodded once more.
Alaric held up a copy of Elena's promiscuous photo then cocked his head. "This is quite something…"
Tyler gave out a whistle and agreed. "Yeah, it is…"
"No, you doof, what's interesting…" Ric flung the photo back onto the mahogany, got up and began pacing the carpeted floors of Damon's den. "…what's interesting is that absolutely unsatisfied look on Elena's face…"
"Ohh, I get what you mean!" Tyler said grabbing the print and squinting. "No girl ever has this expression after, y'know, doing the nasty…"
Ric put both hands on the backrest of Tyler's chair and drew his brows together in deep thought. "Something's just off about this whole thing..." He glanced over at Damon, who was standing in front of a window with a stoic expression on his face, one hand in his pocket and the other wrapped around a glass of Scotch.
At that exact moment, Elena and Katherine came busting into the Salvatore den.
"You have a couple of guests, Mr. Salvatore," Alfred mused in a knowing tone, giving Damon a curt nod before stepping out of the den and closing the door behind him.
Elena took three quick steps towards Tyler, snatched the photograph out of his hands and shoved it into her messenger bag, crumpling it in the process.
Tyler raised his hands in mock surrender and mouthed "Touchy…" to Alaric.
Elena blew the hair out of her face, exchanged a look with Katherine, then stood awkwardly, a few paces behind Damon. She had no clue how to begin saying what she so badly needed to say.
But Damon turned his head towards her before she'd even uttered a single word. He looked her up and down and downed the contents of his glass. 'Limp. Bruises. Busted lip. Bandages.' He felt the familiar mix of guilt, pity and concern stirring in his stomach. He even made a move to fix her carelessly wrapped wrist but then thought better of it.
"Damon, I-" she began tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I didn't do anything with that guy. You have to trust me."
There was a soft crunching sound as Damon's grip on the glass tightened. "Cold, hard, photographic evidence isn't easy to refute, sweetheart," he said dryly. He tilted his head towards her and the lack of emotion in his eyes honestly scared her a little. "Tell me what I should believe, Elena."
Ric and Tyler kept their gazes on the mahogany table in front of them in silence, trying hard to tune out the conversation behind them, while Katherine stood meekly in the corner, averting her eyes from the pair's intense exchange.
Letting her shoulders go slack in frustration, Elena let her bag slip from her shoulder and fall to the ground with a thud. "I don't understand where those photos came from either!"
"You went to a hotel with him, Elena!" Damon boomed, taking a step towards her, daring her to prove him wrong.
"It- It wasn't if I was there or not! It's complicated… Before I realized I was there-" she stuttered, "Wait, that's not what I meant to say. I mean… in other words…"
"Dam- Mr. Salvatore…" Katherine cut in, her head bowed. "Please believe Elena." She looked up at Damon innocently and batted her eyelashes. "I mean, it's a fact that 'Lena and that guy were in a hotel room alone together; these photos are proof of it. But… I'm sure there's a really good reason!" Her tone was way too sickly sweet, even to Elena.
"BE QUIET!" Damon roared, his eyes flaring. "Who do you think you're talking to?!"
"Hey! You don't have to take it out on Katherine!" Elena fired back at him, her anger boiling at Damon's sudden autocratic outburst.
"Elena, it's okay!" Katherine cried.
"Wha- I beg your pardon?!"
"I know Damon's hurt too! I just… I just want you two to make up…"
Damon looked at Elena carefully. His voice came out cold, low and excruciatingly honest. "I feel like you betrayed me."
Elena looked at him in disbelief and then everything came rushing out. "Unbelievable! I already told you a million and one times that it wasn't true! And what do you mean I betrayed you, Damon?! I'm not even going out with you! So what gives you the right to say things like that?!"
Elena regretted what she'd said the very second she'd said it. Her words stung him like a slap on the face. He was aware of the fact that she wasn't his, but just hearing her say it out loud… Damon clenched his jaw and fixed his gaze on the wall behind her, as if he were looking right through Elena. She hung her head, ashamed of her low blow and stepped closer to him, her hand gently grabbing the fabric of his polo shirt. "Look, I'm sorr-"
"Don't, Elena... You can't assume it'll all be fine and dandy just 'cause it's you who's asking. You're right; I'm nothing to you. Seems like you just wasted your time coming here then." He pulled away from her grasp, grabbed his jacket, and made his way towards the back of the den, well out of her sight.
Elena looked around the room, her cheeks turning bright red. She was fuming. "FINE! God, you are so immature! There's absolutely no reason I should have to explain myself. MY SINCEREST APOLOGIES FOR COMING HERE, MASTER SALVATORE."
Elena stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her. And Katherine, after nodding shyly at Alaric and Tyler, followed quickly after her friend.
"Hold on, you dropped..." Tyler called out, picking up a piece of cloth from the carpet, "…your handkerchief." He muttered, knowing Katherine was well out of the premises by now. 'Hell, she's probably halfway to China by now…' he thought.
Ric stood up and smoothed down his polo. "That's really too bad," he sighed, "I thought they made a pretty nice couple."
Tyler ran his fingertips along the handkerchief's pink lace border before stuffing it into his breast pocket. "Meh, it's better off this way. At least she made it a hundred percent clear that she has zero percent interest in going out with him."
"Hmm, maybe."
Meanwhile, Damon sat silently in a corner, listening to his friends' words with glassy eyes and a heavy heart.
Elena had to fold her legs in just to fit her entire body into the tiny bathtub of Aunt Jenna's apartment. She rested her elbow on the edge of the tub and cradled her head, unable to cleanse her mind of the day's events. She shook her head then twisted her hair into a neat bun.
"What the hell…" she murmured to herself.
It took Damon three smooth steps to stand before her. He looked down at her, his eyes brimming with emotion and his voice thick. "Elena, what you feel matters." He gently took her face between his hands and gave her a sad smile. "Believe me. If you're seriously in love with Stefan, he'll end up falling for you too. It's inevitable."
'You're her, the 100% perfect girl,' Damon thought, 'Sadly, Stefan realized that first.'
"You, Elena, are the only girl I approve of.
"Don't say things like that if you're not going to have the decency to trust me!" Elena said, frustrated, splashing the bath water and accidentally soaking the gashes on her arm in the soapy liquid. "Ow!" She groaned. 'This just isn't my day…'
Once again, Damon found himself sitting on the particular leather wing-back chair that Elena had been sitting in when he'd had her gussied up and looking red-carpet-ready. 'God, she was beautiful.'
He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. With a groan, he dragged a hand across his face. On the table before him was the outfit Alfred had pre-prepared, and draped across the glass was a brand new scarf. It was a gift from one of Giuseppe's business associates. 'A gift given with the sole intention of buttering up the heir to the Salvatore Worldwide Financial Group.' It was cream, 100% cashmere and it must have cost thousands of dollars, yet Damon threw it on the ground because all it did was remind him that there was something better.
It was only then he noticed the worn wool around his neck. He tugged on the scarf until it pooled into his hands. He looked down at it for a few seconds, ran the striped, red fabric through his fingers, then shifted his expectant gaze towards Elena, who shyly avoided eye contact.
He took a step closer to her and wordlessly extended the hand that held the soft wool.
"Yeah, that's mine…" Elena said, awkwardly taking the scarf.
The tips of their fingers brushed each other for the tiniest moment and when Elena looked up into his eyes, they held inexplicable amounts of gratitude.
"You feeling chilly?" Aunt Jenna asked, raising a brow at her niece who chose to wear a long-sleeved shirt and thick, flannel pajama bottoms on a particularly warm night.
"Huh? …Oh yeah! It's real cold tonight," Elena brushed off, carrying the plates to the sink.
Jenna reached out and felt Elena's forehead with the back of her hand. "You're not sick, are you?"
Elena immediately brought her arms to her sides. She shook her head and forced a smile. She could not let Jenna see the cuts and bruises. 'God knows what that woman would do…'
Jeremy plopped down at the dinner table with an old, beat-up Polaroid camera. "Check this old guy out!" he said excitedly, blowing away a layer of dust.
"Woah, where'd you get that from, Jer?"
"I found it looking through one of dad's old boxes!" Jeremy smiled softly. He turned the machine over a couple of times in his hands with a pensive expression before his face completely lit up. "I'm pretty sure I got it to work! Let's take a photo of the three of us together, huh!"
Jenna and Elena exchanged a look and giggled at the boy's enthusiasm as he placed the camera on a stack of books and hurried over to his aunt and sister. The trio smiled for a good five seconds before Elena slapped her forehead. "Uhhh, guys… who's gonna take the photo?…" They all burst out into fits of laughter before Elena stood up and said, "Oh, I'll take it."
The camera flashed the exact moment Elena was struck with an epiphany. She instantly shoved the camera into Jeremy's hands then made a beeline for her room, letting the print float slowly to the floor and leaving a very baffled pair in the kitchen.
Jenna picked the photo up, smiled and scratched her head. "Hmm, wonder what that was about… She's acting strange, isn't she?"
Jeremy chuckled, still tinkering with the camera. "Psssh, you're preaching to the choir, sister…"
"Har har. Dishes. Now."
"There must have been someone else there who took the picture!" Elena said breathlessly. She placed her cell phone between her ear and her shoulder as she dug through her messenger bag for the crumpled photo. "Found it! From this angle, this guy couldn't have taken the picture himself. Someone else had to be in that hotel room that night!"
"I'm going to find out who did this." Elena smoothed out the creases and held the photo up to the light. "Kat, you think you can help me out?"
The voice on the other end of the line was fuzzy. 'Bass beats? Is she at a club? '
"Listen, 'Lena… are you doing this whole Nancy Drew charade for Damon's sake?"
"What, I-?"
"Just forget about him! Who cares what he thinks? He didn't even try to sympathize with you one bit." Elena was a bit taken aback by the bitterness that was dripping from Katherine's every word. "Besides, Elena, have you forgotten everything he's put you through?!"
Elena's brows drew together. "You're right, bu-"
"I'm sorry, 'Lena, but if you're doing this for him, then I can't help you out." Then the sickeningly sweet voice filled Elena's ears once more. "But no matter what happens, I'll always be on your side, okay?"
"Okay… Well, I'll call you back soon for an update, okay? Kat? Katherine, you're breaking up…" Elena heard the familiar dial tone and flipped her phone shut. 'Thanks anyway…'
Caroline looked up from the assortment of cupcakes she was arranging and gave Elena a look of concern. "But isn't it dangerous to be looking for the culprit?"
Elena wiped down the counter then wiped her brow with the back of her arm. "I know it is…" The two had been playing detective the entire morning yet they were still badly in need of a good game plan. Elena was about to admit they were at a dead-end before they had even started investigating but the bell above the door rang cheerily and brought them both back to earth and their job.
"Can I help y-" Elena spotted them almost instantly. Two good-looking men in Armani stuck out like sore thumbs in the quaint, little bakery she and Caroline worked at. "Morning, Elena!" Ric and Tyler greeted, sliding casually into a booth. "Morning, Care…" Tyler sang, earning a glare from Caroline.
Elena's eyes grew wide. "What're you guys doing here?"
"Well," Ric started, grabbing a menu, "Tyler just broke up with Maddison… and Arabella… and Lorraine… and he wanted a slice of pie, by virtue of the fact that he's feeling pretty down."
Tyler pouted. "Our love was pure…" Caroline rolled her eyes.
"Honestly, we're here 'cause some twisted jerk spread dirty photos around school and made this one particular girl really sad. So we thought we'd come over here and try to cheer her up." Alaric glanced at Elena from the top of the menu.
Elena crossed her arms and shook her head with a small smile. "So, in other words, you guys have got time to kill?"
"Yup!" Ric and Tyler grinned.
"So we heard you're gonna do some detective work…" Tyler mused. Elena was dumbstruck. "My connections reach far and wide," he gestured.
Caroline scoffed. "Oh please! I sent them texts about half an hour ago. You're gonna need help, Elena..." She leaned in and whispered to her best friend. "…even if it is from these two weirdos."
"You ask, I come… I'm easy like that." Tyler winked at her, causing Caroline to roll her eyes yet again.
"Let us help…" Ric insisted, "Tyler, you stay here with Caroline and work in Elena's place…" He motioned for Elena's apron then threw it at Tyler.
"WHAAAT?"
Before Tyler could refuse, Alaric had dragged him up by the arm and towards the entrance of the bakery. Ric cleared his throat and in his best salesman voice hollered, "Welcome! Welcome! With every twenty-dollar purchase from this here pâtisserie, you will also get a kiss from this here gentleman! Cakes, cupcakes and kisses, everyone!"
Suddenly, a barrage of desperate housewives and heartbroken schoolgirls flocked to the shop, holding up their wallets and squealing at a deafening pitch. Ric pulled Elena out the door, dusted off his corduroy blazer, then ran a hand through his perfectly coiffed hair.
Alaric grinned. "Aw yeah! I always wanted to be a detective!" He turned to face a stupefied Elena with a smirk on his face. "C'mon, Holmes, we're going to clear your name, apprehend a miscreant and solve a mystery today. Let the sleuthing begin."
A/N: Woah, I updated! [insert fireworks here] HAHAHA
Gonna ask you guys to pray for my country, the Philippines! If you've haven't heard yet, we're experiencing extremely devastating rains and floods over here. :-(
On a somewhat lighter note, this story is nearly ending! Wipe off that frown though; there may be a seeequel! ;-)
FOLLOW, FAVORITE, REVIEW! :)