Breathe Me

by ES Salvatore

Pop sensation Elena Gilbert has agreed to move across the country with her father for the summer, only expecting to spend two weeks in the southern sun. But, when a new neighbor makes an appearance in her life, baring a connection she can't ignore, she begins to question everything, including the life she chose to live. But what happens when you test fate? You lose everything.

1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own nothing; simply my own ideas.

Prologue

The soft waves broke silently around my toes buried deep down into the warm sand, hiding my feet from the world above. A seagull squawked overhead, diving down into the deep blue inlet to snag a fish for dinner as the blood red sun hung dangerously low to the water. I could hear the chatter going on inside the house from my position on the beach where I spent my favorite summer. I closed my eyes and allowed the memories to swarm back, succumbing myself to the darkness they brought along with them. I could smell the smoke from the handful of bonfires our families shared, hear the sound of his guitar while his fingers strummed mercilessly across the chords, feel his calloused hands around my waist, pulling me into deeper water, taste the cheery popsicle on his lips, and I could see his face, but it was too much for me from there. I slowly built my walls back up, knowing that if I looked at his face for too long; I'd break into a million pieces and I would never give him that satisfaction.

I couldn't help but shift my gaze up to the estate across the inlet where I'd spent a majority of my nights. A fresh coat of paint had been added to the home, as well as new shutters to adorn the windows. I couldn't help the tug I'd felt when I first came to Wilmington to spend the summer with my father, trying to pull me back across the short patch of water separating the two homes. I was drawn to that place; for obvious reasons. But, I can't go back there. The girl I was and the girl I am now are two different people on two different spectrums.

"Elena, honey, why are you outside?" My step mom's calm, collected voice asked and I could feel the tension rolling off her body in waves when she noticed what I was looking at. Her voice shifted into that of concern, "You need to come inside. Mr. Shane is waiting on you to sign the paperwork and I'm afraid the cameras are going to show up soon." I could only stand, with my feet rooted into the sand and my eyes connected firmly with the top window on the far left. I felt a cool hand on my bare shoulder just as the words that shook my entire core escaped from her lips, "He came back for you, 'Lena."

And then my heart shattered.