It's my insecurity
It's not you it's me
I'm my worst enemy
It's my insecurity
Just wanna be perfect in your eyes

Nikki Flores - Insecure

Chapter 26: Insecure

I drove back to my house one hour before midnight since today was Friday and Mystic Falls Charity Ball tomorrow at the Lockwood's, my parents patisserie was packed. And like it or not I had to help.

I haven't talked to Damon. When he got to the Grill, Bonnie and I snuck out carefully and soundlessly. He tried to call me and tried to talk to me, but I dodged his phone calls and I told him that I'm pretty busy, which it was not exactly a lie, so I didn't do anything wrong.

Then we talked about my feelings here, of course I'm hurt.

It was just yesterday he told me he would never leave me, then Caroline and Bonnie convinced me the same. But still, with the evidence in front of me, I couldn't deny that it struck my heart like a lightning.

Maybe I was overreacting, or maybe it was just a friendly kiss. But her face, her face when my fiancé kissed her, that was my face when Damon kissed me. All lit up with happiness and a bright smile on her face.

"Elena, open up!"

I blinked repeatedly before I realized the familiar voice that I could recognize anywhere banging a my front door.

I know I had to face him so, ready or not here I come.

"What?" I opened the door.

He let out a relieved sigh, "I thought you were passed out or something inside. I've been knocking for ten minutes," he walked past me and I closed the door, facing him, "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm great. A little tired, but great" I forced a tight smile then went to the kitchen for a glass of cold water.

Damon followed me , "Want to try that again?"

I gulped slightly and put the glass on the counter, "What? I'm fine, Damon. Don't worry"

I walked up to him to gathered him in my arms and I felt a sting from my eyes, and a single tear rolled down my face. This was the guy who said that he would never leave me but he was with another woman at lunch time.

He held me close, and I rubbed my face on his chest to wipe my tears, "Believe me now?"

"Hmmm" he kissed my lips softly, "Have you eaten dinner yet?"

"No, not really hungry. Why are you here? I thought you'd be tired after... a day with your aunt and Elisa" I said slowly, trying to find something that hint he cheated in his eyes. Surprisingly, I found none. That was a good sign, right?

"I was at the boarding house, then I got bored alone without Stefan to mock so I came here" he casually said as he led me into the living room, sat down on a couch and pulled me down on his lap. I couldn't help but curled on his lap and placed my face to his neck, and kissed it gently.

"So, I'm your second choice?" I teased, immediately forgot about what I saw earlier with him and Elisa.

"You'll never be my second choice, 'Lena. I will always choose you, remember?"

I nodded, smiling sweetly before the thought of him leaving me with Elisa came to my mind again.

"What's wrong?" he frowned, as if he could sense my moods changed. "And don't say you're fine. We don't lie to each other, Elena"

"It's just..." I sighed heavily, "I saw you, with Elisa today when you two were walking to the Grill. You looked mighty cozy then. And then you kissed her cheek, and – and..."

I felt my eyes filled with hot tears as I fought so hard for it not to roll down my face again, but the tears won. It rolled down my face and Damon's gaze softening, he realized what's wrong with me.

He smiled, "You're afraid that I would leave you? That I would choose her over you?"

I sniffled and nodded.

His smile widened, "'Lena, baby, I told you that I'll stick with you, right? That I would never leave no matter what," I locked my big glistening brown eyes with his baby blue ones, "I love you. And this kind of love doesn't just go away easily, Elena. I wouldn't trade you with any woman in the world, I would have choose you in a heartbeat and never let you leave" he kissed the tip of my nose before he wiped my tears away.

"Really?" I asked hoarsely and sniffled.

"Of course, sweetheart," he kissed my forehead then both of my cheeks, my nose, my chin, before his lips landed on my lips and I responded softly, "I love you, Elena"

"I love you too," I gave him a small smile, "I'm sorry I ever doubted you, Damon"

"It's fine, I know you're scared . If I were you I'd probably feel the same thing. Sometimes I think we are going to fast, with me proposed to you, or in this case you proposed to me. We even haven't reached our first year anniversary" he caressed my damp cheek and I leaned into his touch. "But every single time I see your face, I couldn't help but feel engaged to you is the best thing I've ever done. Then when we got married, it's the best thing we've ever done"

"Why you have to go and say those things that make me loves you even more?" I cooed and grinned widely.

He smirked, "I am that awesome, right?"

"And he's back, ladies and gentlemen" I rolled my eyes, sniffled once again before I kissed his cheek.

"It's almost midnight, why don't we go to sleep and I tell you the rest tomorrow?" he carried me upstairs and I let out a girly giggle.

"I'd like that very much"

The next day, I spent some girl time with Bonnie at the mall. Since Mystic Falls only had one big and equipped mall, and I knew the mall inside and out, we chose to go to the Millie's for dresses and shoes first.

"So, about yesterday... have you told Damon?" Bonnie asked carefully as I rummaging through the display racks.

I stopped my movements, "Actually, we have. It went pretty well, he told me that it was just a friendly kiss on the cheek"

Damon told me earlier this morning after we ate our breakfast that, at first he hated Elisa for ruining his love life with me. But mostly, he hated his aunt. And thank God, she'd already gone back to where she was supposed to be. I was prefer hell, but she gone back to Italy. What a shame.

Elisa told him that she didn't know about Damon's and I's engagement, and she apologized straight away for her... sudden arrival here in Mystic Falls.

Then I thought, if Aunt Rosa had already gone back to Italy, why didn't Elisa going back with her? Yeah, we're getting there people, be patient with this story.

Then, she said she was one of the famous event organizers back in Italy and she would love to help for our wedding. Well, I thought that's a little strange. Considering that even Damon and I haven't talked about our wedding, we wanted to enjoy our new status as fiancé first.

But Damon couldn't say no after she showed him her works in Italy. she showed him when she was arranging a birthday for one of the famous actress , even the funeral for Elisa's grandparents were visited by more than a thousand people because she had connections.

I, however, would love to say no to her. But Damon told me that she was the best event organizer and she would willingly to stay a little longer to prepare for our wedding. It could take months, but she didn't care. She said she needed a break from her career in Italy for a while. I stayed positive, of course, not thinking about her other reason to stay here was for stealing my fiancé away.

So, I said yes. I have agreed that I would let Elisa planning our wedding.

As for the kiss on the cheek, it was a friendly kiss that Damon gave to her because she would do it with no charge. She said because Damon was a friend, so she would do it for free. Of course, I didn't believe that one hundred percent.

"So, no more assumed things before you know the truth?" Bonnie teased.

I smile shyly before I let my eyes focus on another dresses rack.

"Hey, what do you think?"

I showed her the navy dress that I've been admiring. It was strapless evening dress with a free-flowing high-low skirt and rhinestone-studded waistband.

"Amazing!" she squealed as she walked toward me. "You should try it on"

I nodded, "Have you found anything?"

"This one," she showed me a white sleeveless maxi dress that probably stopped at her feet, "What do you think?"

"It suits you. Let's go changing" I wiggled my eyebrows.

"You turned into Damon with those eyebrows" she muttered and I laughed.

We decided to buy the dresses and I would wear my black five inches evening pumps. Bonnie found a cute pair of pink rose heels with rhinestone so she could wear it tonight.

Damon hasn't called. I believe the café was busy since it's the weekend.

After dropped Bonnie off her house, I went to the boarding house. It was almost 4 p.m, maybe Damon's already home.

I stepped inside the huge Victorian house, "Salvatores?" I called out.

I walked into the living room, stood in front of the fireplace when I heard clink clink clink walking closer to me. I turned around to find the woman I've despised since the first second I landed my eyes on, but I'd willing to play nice since she would helping me with the wedding.

"Elisa" I greeted with a smile.

"Hey, I heard someone so I thought I'd come to check it out" she smiled back showing off her pearly white teeth.

"Is Damon here?"

"No, he left after lunch. He made a tasty sandwich, did you know that?" she laughed softly, "Of course you know that, he'd probably made you hundreds of sandwiches"

My heart sunk. He had lunch with her here?

"So he was home?" I asked quietly, looked down at the wooden floor.

"Yes, he thought Stefan's home but he's away for his laywer thing so we had lunch together instead," she paused after examining my face expression, "You okay with that, right?"

"Sure, of course" I forced a small smile which she returned it with a relieved sigh.

"I thought you were going to be jealous over a lunch," she grinned, "And we talked about the wedding. Would you prefer a summer, fall, or maybe winter wedding?"

They talked about the wedding without the bride? Okay, now that's weird.

"Umm... what do you suggest?"

"Fall is going to be romantic" she suggested, taking out her small notebook from her back pocket.

"But then we just have at least three to four months to prepare. And my bestfriend, is having her own wedding sometimes this month" I explained.

"We could always do the winter wedding. Just imagine it, you'll look beautiful in white with snow falling down," she closed her eyes as if she was imagining, "It'll look wonderful" she opened her eyes.

"Uh... let's talk about it later," I said uncomfortably, "I should go get ready for the Mystic Falls Charity Ball at the Lockwood's. You'll come, right?"

Please say no, please say no, please say no.

"I would love to, but I didn't bring any of my evening dresses" she said with a sad smile.

Don't play the hero and offer her your dress, Gilbert.

But my mouth thought the opposite.

"I got dresses back at the house," Stupid Elena! "You want to come and check it out? Maybe one of my dresses will fit you"

"Really?" her eyes widened as if she couldn't believe me.

"Yeah, sure"

"Okay, I'm just going to grab my purse, then" she walked upstairs.

She stopped and turned her head at me, "Oh, and I'm sorry if my sudden arrival affects your relationship with Damon. I know that now you're a good person and that you guys deserves each other" she gave me a soft smile before she continue to walk upstairs.

Why'd you have to make it so hard to hate you, Elisa?

"Here we are. Make yourself at home" I let her in before her eyes wandered around my small living room.

"You have such a beautiful house. Small, but I can feel the warmth in here" she smiled, sitting down at my couch.

"Would you like anything to drink?"

"No, thanks. I'm good"

"Well, then. Let's find you a dress" I grinned forcefully before she followed me upstairs to my room.

"The closet is here..." I turned right to showed her my closet but stopped when she picked up something from my nightstand.

"I guess this belongs to Damon" she giggled, showing me Damon's black boxer that sometimes in last night lost in the trail of our clothes.

My cheeks reddened, that stranger just picked up my fiancé's boxer.

I flew in front of her and snatched it. I went to one of his drawers in my room and keep it safely in there.

"I'm sorry, I... haven't cleaned this room" I startled.

She chuckled, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude"

I nodded curtly, "Come on, I'll sow you my dresses"

After half an hour finding the right dress for Elisa, I went to take a shower while she watched the TV downstairs.

I let myself lost in the heat of the water to calm my nerves before I heard knocking on my door.

"Elena, do you mind if I take a shower too?"

"No, I don't. Be out in five" I yelled.

"Okay"

I huffed, this shower supposed to be a way to forget all the drama in my life with Elisa in it.

But... I couldn't help but thinking that she was so nice. Her smile glowed, her eyes twinkled, and her hair was perfect. And it was so hard to hate a person that have been so nice to us. Trust me, I know. I spoke from experience.

I wrapped my robe and stepped out of the shower.

"Thanks, I won't be long" she winked before she disappear in the bathroom.

I wore my Victoria's Secret red lingerie, that I did know Damon loved so much, before I put on my dress. I dried my hair and put a light make-up on.

When Elisa was out of the bathroom she wore her dress then helped me with my hair. She offered herself to do my hair.

See, now. You see now why it was so hard to hate the person you were supposed to hate with everything in you?

She cross-braided my hair from up to the middle of my heir and let the tip of my hair flows naturally.

"You look beautiful, Elena. No wonder Damon loves you so much" she smiled, admiring her hard work on my hair.

"Thanks," I smile, "I have butterfly hair pin somewhere, maybe you can use it"

I looked for my butterfly hair pin as Elisa worked on her make-up, "Found it!"

I stopped at my track, she looked stunning. With her pink lipstick and soft pink blush.

"Here you go" I handed her the pin and she took it before she wore it on her left side of her head.

I heard the bell dinged, it must be Damon.

"Come on, it must be Damon" I said, expecting her to follow me.

"Wait! I didn't bring my shoes" she said sheepishly.

I sighed, went to my closet to bring her my beige high heels. "I'm a size 7,5. But I hope it fits"

She tried it on, "It is! Thank you so much"

"Now come on"

She followed me downstairs this time. I found Damon stood in the living room.

"Hey" I greeted.

His jaw dropped. Literally.

"You look... word can't even describe you right now" he smiled before he closed the distance and touched his lips to mine in a very slow, soft kiss.

"You look handsome" I winked.

"Hey, Dam"

"Oh, hi Lis"

Okay, since when did that happen? Calling each other with short name?

"I didn't know you were here" Damon gave her a small smile as he interlocked our hands. At least, he was making a point that he was taken. By me.

"Elena lend me her dress and shoes for the charity. I thought I could use some small town charity ball" she laughed.

Damon smiled at me, "Ready, ladies?"

I nodded, giving him my best smile of the night.

So, here it is :) I hope I'm not making you waiting too long.

We can see now that Elena started to accepted Elisa, but still feel a bit insecure. Well, who doesn't right? To have your fiance be friends with one of the most gorgeous girl?

Next chapter, is the ball that we've been waiting for! So, stick with me to find out.

As always, I did typos and mistakes in my grammar. I'm sorry for that.

Oh, oh, I just want to tell you that I have officially no longer high school girl. I graduated! Yay!

And last, THANK YOU for your reviews last chapter. You guys blown me away! I hope this chapter is worth every second of the wait. See you next chapter!