Chapter 20

An: So I decided to post another chapter this week – just because you guys are so amazing

The sounds of 2- stroke engines vibrated throughout the enclosed go – kart circuit. Two go karts were screeching around the track, completely careless as the two drivers were dead set on winning. One of the karts came at an alarming speed around a corner and in the process was able to overtake the other driver as they passed through the checkered flag.

The winner of the race came speeding into the pit, while the other followed closely behind. Caroline pulled the helmet off her head with a victorious smug expression on her face. She had wanted to compete at a more grand scale, she was thinking along the lines of street racing but Stefan – being the ever cautious insisted that it would be more appropriate if they did something on a more miniscule scale. Frankly she was relieved that they had gone with his plan, because she was sure Stefan would have crushed her in any other competition. He was good – although she would never admit it too him. She had luck on her side, but she still won. That was the most important thing to her at the moment.

So instead she lowered her helmet to the side of her hip and walked over towards him, looking like an astronaut that was going to be launched into a rocket. However, the only thing that would reach the skies was Caroline over triumphant ego.

"In your face. I told you I could beat you." She grinned.

"You cheated. You cut me off on the last corner. So no. You did not win." He frowned, although secretly he was impressed with her driving skills. Turns out she wasn't a disaster in the driving department.

Stefan pulled himself out of the kart and tossed his helmet to the side as they made their way towards the exit.

"Ugh. Denial does not suit you! You look like a dog that just lost his balls." Caroline crudely snickered.

"Fine you won. But you just caught me on an off day." He sighed. He wasn't a sore loser by nature but he knew that Caroline would be relentless with her win.

"So I can drive your car?" She smiled, too sweetly as the pair came to a stop. She couldn't help irking him just a tad.

"No." He huffed walking away from Caroline, who was currently giggling her head off. So much so, that she looked like one of those bobble head dolls.

"Well what's my prize then?" She asked, following him.

"I don't know. What do you want?" He shrugged

"How about you answer my one and only question?"

Stefan froze in his tracks. Would she ask about what happened that night? The night that she had drunkenly kissed him and he had soberly returned said kisses?

"What's that?" He asked nervously.

"What's your cars name?" She smirked.

"Do you seriously expect me to answer that?" He asked before walking off again, secretly relieved that it had not been the question he expected.

"I won. So either it's that or you have to go to a strip club and strip for me and a few eager woman. Then I'll send a pic to Damon. I'm sure he would love it." She teased from behind him.

Stefan groaned.

"Marilyn." Stefan called out from behind him as he made his way towards the girl in question.

"Marilyn? As in Marilyn Monroe?" She jogged up beside him. He could hear the amusement in her voice.

"Yes. I liked her." He opened the car door, trying in vain to avoid the conversation.

"Hmm. A blonde hey?" She laughed, moving towards the passenger side.

"It's not about the hair. Although she did have good hair." He turned the key in the ignition.

"True. Ok then." She pulled her seatbelt on, effectively ending the topic of conversation.

Stefan glanced at her puzzled.

"That's it? No more questions?" He asked shocked.

"Nope. I like the name." She turned to him and smiled.

"You're one strange girl." He chuckled.

"You're one weirdo." She quipped back.

Stefan laughed and pulled out of the parking lot and into the streets of New York. He had the next destination in mind and he was positive that Caroline was going to love it.

Meanwhile at the grill, Elena was spilling her guts to Peyton. Unaware that the other woman across from her was recording their conversation. No doubt trying to gain insight into the workings of Elena's mind and of course to gather some salacious juicy gossip.

So far Elena had confessed nearly everything to Peyton. Minus the vampire side of things. She had found an unusual comfort in getting everything off her chest. She was beyond caring if it made her weak, she just wanted someone to listen to her side.

"Is it wrong to be in love with two guys?" Elena asked.

"I believe love can be multiple. But you only have one true love." Peyton answered.

"One true love? That put's thing into perspective I guess, although it does sound like something out of a cliché fairy story." Elena frowned.

"It's not hard to figure out and it's not a cliché. It's true and it's real. There is a person you can live with and then there is the one that you can't live without." Peyton answered truthfully.

"Have you ever found someone like that?" Elena asked as she drank her chocolate milkshake with a dazed look on her face.

"I thought I did. Turns out I wasn't his one. How can you argue with that? You can't win someone's affections." She answered with a frown on her face. Why the hell was she thinking about Damon? Especially right now, when she was trying to dig up dirt to ruin him. She couldn't show weakness. Not now. Especially not now.

"Were still young. Maybe were not supposed to find someone when were so young." Elena replied, completely oblivious to Peyton's reaction.

"Do you think Stefan is the one?" Peyton asked. She needed to focus on Elena. Not on herself.

"No." she answered immediately. "He should have been the one. But my gut tells me he's not – but I still love him and I think I would want to spend the rest of my life with him if I never found the one."

'Typical', Peyton thought snidely. She was simply stringing Stefan along just in case things didn't go her way. How could she do that? Especially to Stefan? Stefan was decent and he had an innocent way of thinking about things. Particularly with love. Katherine had done irreparable damage to both the Salvatore brothers and she couldn't have been bothered. And now it turned out that Elena was following in her doppelgangers footsteps.

"So you're saying Damon's not the one?"

"No. He's not. I'm not entirely sure what Damon is to me." Elena answered.

Peyton could have squealed in delight. Elena had confessed it. Damon was nothing but a speed bump in her so called precious world. However Peyton's joy was short lived when a voice spoke out behind her.

"Peyton? Elena?" Damon asked as he took in the scene before him.

"What's going on here?"