Chapter 10:
The whole day at school Elena had been thinking of ways to bring up the conversation with Damon. There were different scenarios in her mind, all of them ended in another disaster between them.
Usually she knew what to expect from Damon but this was so unexpected. He had been hiding this for months, constantly complaining about how he hated the council and football, every second at the theatre, he would make sure people knew how much he hated it.
So why would he do it for her?
'To get close to her.'
That's what Alaric said.
But was that it? Or did he want to keep her out of trouble.
Elena's heart, that was otherwise stone and cold would skip a beat at the thought. She didn't want to think that he was a good person at all. It made everything easier for her when it was contrary to this heart-warming thought.
She was scared to ask, what if she confronts him and he says something that ruins it. She could actually hear him denying it in the most brutal way possible. And Elena was aware that it would help her get back to hating him but she didn't mind this feeling at the moment.
To know he protected her without taking any credit for it felt weirdly nice.
"Hmm she day dreams while looking at Mr. Gibson." Caroline's voice snapped her out of it.
"Day dream?" she frowned and then looked back at the front of the class where the physics substitute teacher was teaching about relativity.
"Yeah, I mean i understand, he's kind of in shape." Caroline winked. Elena made a disgusted face, "Okay now! No i am not day dreaming about that."
"You were totally day dreaming! You had that 'in my head I am in Hawaii on my honeymoon' face." Caroline said leaning into aggressively whisper.
"I zone out like that all the time, you don't have to be cool about it, but you could do better than Mr. Gibson." She elbowed Elena when she noticed the brunette was now taking her missed notes.
"Oh so who do you zone out about?" Elena asked to change the subject as she wrote down her notes.
"About- my b-boyfriend." Her voice got slightly squeaky at the end as if she was forcing a lie out, "You know, my boyfriend who loves me and is loyal to me. Who doesn't deserve to be in any sort of way- cheated on."
Elena's brows raised as she realized that Caroline was getting panicked. Just then the bell rang and everyone began leaving, Elena huffed seeing Caroline still sitting there.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"About what? That I am a horrible person who fantasises about another guy while she has the man of her dreams." She looked up at Elena, who sat down on her desk, "I guess- So tell me, are we going to fight over Mr. Gibson now or is this another guy?"
Caroline chuckled at Elena's joke, a bit relaxed now that she was not being judged.
"Stefan and I, we are very good friends. And we've been spending so much time together. Sometimes, when we are hanging out, I feel like there's this thing between us. Like we've been pretending to be friends. It feels as if we both know that- there's something more yet we both don't do anything about it.
She palmed her head, "Then I am with Tyler and my heart is free, I can love him, I don't have to be a coward about it. Because he's not a coward, he'll say it so easily how he loves me, how he can see us be together for the rest of our lives. How can I let that go for something so uncertain?"
Elena sighed, she felt like she understood what the blonde meant, in her eyes she was a coward for constantly finding flaws in Damon, for trying to start a never ending fight, but wasn't he a coward too? For never telling her what he did for her. Because that would mean admitting to his feelings, and to him that was defeat.
"Care, no matter what I say, your heart is going to want what it wants and sometimes that's not safe. So you have to decide whether that's worth it." She hugged Caroline, "What would you do?"
"I'd hide. I would probably do something stupid and eventually I'd have to face it." She pulled away and smiled, "Let's go, this therapy session will continue in cheer practice."
...
...
..
"What is wrong with you?" Bonnie asked Elena as she was quietly working in the council office. Her friend had been trying to get her involved in plotting against Rebekah but Elena was ignoring it. As long as she didn't have the guts to confront Damon, she wasn't going to pick more battles with him.
"Nothing, i am working. Ever since Elijah's gone, they have given me some extra responsibilities." She said as she finished arranging some files.
"Yes by they you mean Damon and Rebekah, so why don't we at least spit in their next round of coffee? Aaron's getting it, we should block him near the door." She rubbed her hands mischievously but Elena held her by her skirt.
"Hey! No that's disgusting."
"but she made me form a plan for the green earth weekend." Bonnie whined.
"And?"
"There is no green earth weekend, god we were definitely hung over last year." She sat down with a pout, "I miss Elijah so much, I'd say the words 'period cramp' and he would do all my work."
"We deserve this, don't we?" Elena said shaking her head.
They both sat straight as Damon walked to their corner, interrupting them, "I see two council members and both of them are not working."
"And I see one coffee-less president." Aaron said running in to the council room and handing Damon his cup.
"Ladies, learn." He gestured towards Aaron before patting his shoulder, "Good job Aaron, now here's my football locker key- I need it arranged and spotless so go do your thing."
"Okay president. " he said taking the key and leaving.
Bonnie hissed, "You're such a douchebag. I hope Aaron spit in your coffee."
Damon scrunched his face, shuddering with the image.
"Gilbert, i need to talk to you. My desk." He gestured.
Elena simply nodded.
No reaction, no rolling eyes, no muttering or cursing him. Huh. Damon was officially intrigued.
He sat on his chair, behind the desk, "So earlier I talked to Elijah, he's doing okay, I told him that you asked about him."
"Oh."
"Uh-huh, he says thanks and that as soon as he's taking less painkillers, he will text you." Damon's tone a bit bitter at the end, he didn't even have Elena's number.
She was surprised that he passed her message after the screaming match with Rebekah but it was not like he didn't surprise her enough already.
"I also gave him the good news that the school is holding our business expo. Hopefully Elijah will be able to attend on a wheelchair, the details of that are still up in the air but Elijah said that there's no one but you who could help me manage this event." He expected Elena to be snarky as now was the perfect opportunity to tell him to go to hell.
Instead she took a seat in front of him. "Okay, so we should get more students involved. They can present their projects too. I can make a brochure and we can print 20 or 30 of those and give them to the groups that I find are more suitable for this event. Our project limit for this expo will be 15 so each group gets the right amount of time and it will give us the opportunity to screen the projects before the expo."
Her participation in the matter confounded him, he had anticipated a more 'eye for eye' response from her but she wanted to help.
"Uh- good. You should definitely do that. Wait- excuse me. You're being serious?" he narrowed his blue eyes on her.
She shrugged acting oblivious, "Yeah. I think that would engage the students."
"No, I am talking about this." He circled his hand in air to highlight that he was talking about her.
Elena frowned, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You, I am talking about you. You're acting weird." He leaned a bit over the table, "This is about Rebekah, isn't it?"
"I am just trying to help you, President." She said calmly but that seemed to freak him out more.
"You didn't call me President Dipshit or Asshole. Wow, either you are a clone or I am in a parallel universe where you don't hate my guts."
"Damon, I am not mad about Rebekah, I have no reason to be. Elijah is in the hospital and understandably she was emotional. And if you think she can handle the council next week, then I trust your judgement." She said it with a blank face.
Elena didn't know what to say to him. It was slightly amusing to watch him out of his wits but it was without her intention.
"Huh, so you trust my judgement." He didn't move his gaze from hers as he opened a drawer and pulled out a file, "Have you read the new article? I left a sample on your desk." This was his best bet to test his theory, Elena usually had countless criticisms, some of them were even good but mostly she would be petty because she wasn't the paper writer.
"I did. It was engaging and I've marked my favourite parts for you. But if I had to say one thing about it, it would be that it lacked bravery."
He quirked a brow up.
Elena played with her pencil, not breaking eye contact with him, "At certain points, it felt like you were circling a point, not saying it because maybe the point was too brutally true and no matter who you are Damon, some things are just difficult to admit."
He scoffed, "The opinion piece was about school curriculum." Still puzzled what the hell she was talking about.
She shrugged, "Well. I better go get started on expo promotions."
He was left completely confused. What just happened? Damon was aware that Elena Gilbert was a dilemma in her own. She never made any move without thinking. Yesterday she had been fire and today it was all gone. There must be a reason and he was determined to crack this tough case.
He had just gotten back to work when he got this eerie feeling like he was being watched.
His eyes snapped towards Elena and Bonnie's corner and sure enough, Elena was looking at him. When he caught her staring, she turned away towards her pile of files, embarrassed and pretending everything was normal as she massaged her neck with her hand.
What was this upside down world?
The door to the office creaked and Stefan walked in, panting like he had ran a mile, "Damon, i need your car."
"What? Why?"
"Caroline wants us to hang out and she was the one who suggested we go to the town water spring. I know you don't owe me anything but please give me the car its 20 miles from here."
"Well too bad you crashed yours."
"This is important to me. I like her, I really do. I want to show her that I am serious this time and if I tell her to take her car, that's just like shooting myself in the leg." His voice was getting louder with frustration and his request was turning into a demand.
Damon noticed that almost everyone was now looking at them, Stefan didn't care that eight council members knew that he was going after Caroline Forbes, who already had a boyfriend.
Even Elena was looking at Stefan, but the expression on her face didn't say, 'Back off from my best friend.'
It was as if she admired him.
Stefan rambled, "Look, you might think of this as crap but Caroline is the only one in this place who thinks I am not some junkie freak with no future. When we both were volunteering, she showed me how much she believed in me. And if we could be something-"
Damon cringed taking out his keys and tossing it to him, "Fine. Can you stop begging for my blessings now?"
He saw Elena relax and smile in approval as Stefan caught the keys.
"Yes totally. Sorry about the walk home." He said getting out of there in a flash.
"What walk? Where is the motorcycle? Damn it Stefan." Damon yelled.
...
..
Elena and Bonnie had just stepped out of school when Matt joined them from the basketball grounds where him and his friends were playing.
"Hey you girls have a ride home?" he said while he was wiping sweat off his forehead.
Bonnie nodded, "Yeah, i am going to drop Elena home. How have you been Matt?"
"I am doing well." He said then signalled at Bonnie to help him with her brunette friend. Everything was going unnoticed to Elena because she was still in her own world.
"Um but I have to meet up with a friend and I'll get very late if I drop her home first so you can do it." Bonnie suggested, getting the hint.
That snapped Elena out of her thoughts, she looked at her friend with wide eyes, "Bon! You can't leave me here."
"I'll be late. And i have to meet-"
"Who? Who is this person you suddenly have to meet?" Elena asked, not believing her excuse. She knew her friend was trying at match-making but she hated it.
"Enzo. I have to meet him and I'll tell you all about it later." She said quickly hugging her and getting out of there. Elena scowled at her then she looked at her ex-boyfriend.
Elena gave Matt an awkward smile. "You don't have to drop me home."
"But i want to, come on Elena, we are becoming friends." He said leaning more closer than an actual friend would.
Elena was about 90 percent sure that Matt wasn't stalking Damon so she saw no purpose in talking to Matt anymore. But they did become good friends.
She huffed, "Okay if its not a problem then lead the way, besides I do want to see the car that your dad gave you for your birthday."
He laughed, "Oh its so sweet and I got some awesome seats, you'll want to get a pillow and sleep in there."
"You've made the sale, stop talking it up." She said following him to the parking lot of the school.
...
..
Bonnie was about to open the door to her Toyota when Damon's sudden appearance scared the life out of her, "Urgh that drawing of a penis was already on the report." She said trying to get in her car but he stood in her way, "I couldn't care less about that."
Then he looked into the distance and shook his head, "No actually i will make you do that report tomorrow. But i am here to ask about Gilbert."
"What about her?"
"Why was she acting so different? Did i take it too far with the Rebekah thing?" he asked generally acting very unaffected but Bonnie still gave him a judgemental look.
"Uh yes you and your girlfriend berating someone as hardworking as Elena is a tad bit too far." She hissed.
"So that's it? She's mad at me?" he asked her.
Bonnie frowned, unable to say yes, "I don't know, she wasn't mad at you or her. It was weird. As if you finally crushed the fight in her."
Damon bit his lip, Bonnie could tell he was confused and slightly worried. "Is she back with Donovan?" he asked.
Bonnie chuckled, "You're so pathetic."
They got interrupted by Jeremy. Bonnie had been ignoring him all day and he finally found her. She cursed.
"Bon, I've been looking all over for you. What are you doing here with-" his voice trailed off as he gestured towards Damon with his eyes.
"Can't a president chat with his executive finance director for no reason." Damon said with a fake laugh, then pointed towards her with his finger. "No more penis drawings on the reports, we clear, Bennett?"
She pressed her tongue against her cheek, "Got it."
As soon as he went away, Jeremy excitedly faced her, "So about what happened the other night."
"Jeremy." She sighed.
He cupped her face, "Bonnie, you can't say you didn't feel it. We kissed and i saw it in your eyes, you liked it."
She tried to push away from him but he wouldn't let go. "Jer, I was drunk."
"You told everyone I was your boyfriend. I know you don't want Elena and your friends at school to bug you but trust me-"
She pushed him harshly, "No! Jer. I don't like you okay! I like Enzo. And he's with another girl so I pretended that you were my boyfriend so he'd get jealous."
She had never seen the lights die in someone eyes like that. His brown eyes were hit by a fatal wave of hurt and betrayal. Because he knew he had been used.
"What? You like that guy. But we-" he seemed to be out of words, "So it was all an act."
Her tone softened, "I am sorry Jer. I've been in love with him ever since I remember, I don't even know what it was like before. I know what i did is wrong but-"
Jeremy backed a step as a single tear rolled down his cheek. He couldn't come to terms with the fact that someone as pure and real like Bonnie would do this to him. How could she choose someone who didn't even know her worth? Who was with someone else?
"Don't say you're sorry after you went out of your way to break my heart." He sounded like he was in pain. "It's like I don't even know you."
He left her there, walking with angry steps to get as far away as he could from her.
...
..
Elena and Matt were walking to his parking spot. He was telling her about a party he had been to last weekend. Being friends with Tyler Lockwood did mean big parties with all kind of designer drugs, girls from far away towns and expensive drinks that no kid at the party paid for. Elena had been to three of those parties and decided they weren't for them.
She was listening to him but then she spotted Damon. He was talking to Mason a bit outside the school boundary. Elena looked around to see if there was anyone suspicious around. It had become a routine of her to look for that person whenever she saw Damon outside.
Her eyes stopped on a familiar figure. Dressed in all black and standing near a bench in the front yard.
She squinted her eyes to get a better look but it was a far too away from her. Matt opened the door to his car for her but Elena was too freaked out to ignore the 'stalker'.
"Matt, I think I left my planner inside. Wait here." She said hurriedly and ran without hearing him respond but she did hear him call after her.
Elena quickly crossed the boundary of the parking lot. She would catch this guy today. Her eyes were locked on his back, she was running right in his direction.
"Elena. Hey." June, a girl from her physics class stopped her. "I spread the word about the expo and guess what- so many students are interested in this opportunity. I think the screening process-"
Elena stopped her, trying to keep her eyes on the stalker but suddenly there were so many people in her way, as if strategically set by the stalker.
"June, that's great. I'll call you okay? I need to get something done." She said rushing after the stalker but once she passed the sudden crowd- he was gone.
Elena palmed her head, frustrated.
She tried to look at Damon from the spot near the bench and sure enough, she could see him perfectly.
Was he still following Damon or was he gone completely for today?
Elena wore her bag on her shoulder and walked up the stairs to check. Damon shook hands with Mason and began walking. He was probably going home.
Perfect time for a stalker to show up as Damon didn't have a car. She began walking with a good amount of distance between them
How ironic, now she felt like a stalker.
Elena laughed inwardly at herself, hoping town square would come into view soon because if this man was dangerous, and not 'Matt dangerous' then they could get hurt.
Just when she was thinking up ways to defend herself, she noticed that Damon was not there anymore.
He vanished like the stalker had.
"No." She murmured increasing her pace, whilst scanning the whole area. "Damon?" She called for him.
Elena ran a few meters ahead where she had seen him last and faced the woods on the right side of the road, an ominous feeling grasping her.
"Damon!" she called again.
Before she could shout once more, someone tugged at her bag, turning her around. A scream left her mouth and she was ready to scratch the attacker's face off but then she saw Damon standing there. He looked pleased to scare the life out of her.
"Ahh! Damon! Really?" She still yelled at him.
"Scaredy cat."
"You are such an asshole." She wanted to slap him for this. But she also felt relieved that he was okay. Her mind was an amalgam of anger and gratefulness that he wasn't hurt. She let out a sigh and nearly jumped hugging him.
Now he was the one that was taken by surprise. What in the actual hell was wrong with Elena today. Even her heart was beating so loud against him that now he felt awful for scaring her.
"You're okay, Elena. Relax." He said brushing her hair with his hand.
She nodded. Then slowly parted from him, a bit embarrassed for hugging him, "Uhm."
"Care to explain why you were following me and why have you been acting so weird?" He said cocking his head to a side.
So she followed him one day and he noticed, but he didn't notice a guy who has been following him for weeks now.
She ran a hand through her hair, "Do you feel like you're being followed?"
His blue eyes narrowed down on her, "Yeah, you were following me. Wait is this some project you're doing for that social science club of yours? Am I the experiment monkey?"
So he knew nothing about it.
"No- no. I wasn't following you, i was going home."
"Then why did you call out my name?"
"Because-" she didn't have a reason, "I need to get home, and thanks for reminding me of my psychology project."
"Wait. Where are you going?" he stopped her, "If you're going to walk home, walk with me." He offered.
Though it seemed innocent, Elena knew he was aiming at something there. But maybe she could bring up Mr. Saltzman and confront him.
"Okay."
Elena Gilbert was definitely hiding something and he wanted to know what.
They started walking home, She was the first one to talk after three long minutes of silence, "So you must be nervous about the quiz."
"I am fine. It's a stupid competition." He shrugged.
"It's a highly prestigious competition. You should be honoured to participate." She said with her chin up. He chuckled, "Okay, I am honoured to spend my days and nights preparing for a competition which doesn't even have a cool trophy. The least they could do was make it gold."
Elena rolled her eyes, "I can actually picture you selling your trophy. Anyway, if you hate it so much, you could have gotten out of it. There are plenty of people who would gladly take the spot."
"Trust me, I tried. Mr. Saltzman is not a man to negotiate with." He tutted.
"Yeah, he is determined to make you the President of America." Elena muttered.
"He's not a bad guy despite him wanting to play god in my life." He found himself defending Alaric, "Sure he handed me some priority positions but he made sure i work for it. I used to think he wanted to torture me but then he was so supportive of that expo thing. For the first time in so many years, i feel like i can be something or someone that i wished to be.
She was amazed at the way he was talking to her so openly. Though Elena didn't like Mr. Saltzman, she was glad that Damon seemed to look up to him, but she knew he would never admit that.
"You really want that expo to work."
"Why wouldn't I want it to work? It is something that would be entirely mine, no help from Mr. Giuseppe Salvatore." He said making a camera out of his one hand as if looking into the future.
"I know investors will pick Elijah's project. We can develop a company if we work hard enough." He said confidently.
Elena smiled at his enthusiasm, "So you and Elijah are partners."
He squeezed his one eye shut as if cringing, "Strictly professional business partners."
She shook her head at his antics, their hands were brushing against each other at their sides. Elena bit her lip, letting her fingers linger a bit longer on the back of his hand.
Without looking down between them, he laced their fingers together. Holding her hand, a bit unsure at first but then he squeezed it firmly. For god sakes, he went down on his girl and holding her hand was making his heart beat rush. Truly pathetic.
Elena gulped at the action. They didn't speak about it and she didn't want to because then they would have to stop pretending and let go.
This was a difficult game.
When her porch came to view, she felt slightly disappointed.
"Well, that's me."
He walked her up to the porch, she turned to face him, reluctantly letting his hand go.
"So, are you going to tell me what's been going on today?" Damon asked, he couldn't let this thing ruin his peace of mind all night. He had to know.
"Damon, i know." She murmured.
"Know what?"
"Mr. Saltzman told me that he threatened you. I'd be expelled if it weren't for you." She pursed her lips, pulling at her sleeve.
He went completely blank. Damon didn't expect Mr. Saltzman to tell Elena that. Firstly, it wasn't his business to do so.
But now Damon didn't know what the girl standing in front of him was thinking.
Would that change anything? She would think he was some lovesick fool for her. Would he be one of the boys on her leash that would do anything she required of him.
"I don't want to fight. Because the more I do that, the more I realise that I am finding reasons to escape my feelings. Aren't you tired of it? You hid this from me for months because you don't want to admit that you feel something. Maybe you were afraid." She stepped closer, looking into his eyes.
He seemed speechless as she reached her hand forward to cup his face, "But you didn't have to be."
"Elena, you-"
"Don't deny it, Damon. I don't want to hear it because i won't believe it." She raised on her tip-toes. Her forehead pressed against his, she whispered, "Thank you for that." And then she kissed him.
Sweet, innocent, soft lips enveloped his. It was nothing like all the other times. Her guard wasn't up, neither was her kiss tainted in lust. It was chaste, clean and beautiful. He could kiss her forever, take all cruel curveballs life throws at him if she would kiss him like this for it.
Like a revelation, it hit him. He was falling for her. The jealousy, the chase, the challenges, the obsession was all strong symptoms that lead up to this disaster.
He felt like a fraud. Even as he kissed her back, the feeling that he didn't deserve it filled him. Elena moaned against his mouth, sucking on his lower lip and then parting to look at him, for any sign
She was smiling as if she proved it to him. And hell she did, he knew he was falling for her- she had never left his mind since the day he met her. But even as she smiled as if she had won, he knew Elena didn't care about winning this time.
"So?" she asked.
And now he was blank again, but like a lifesaver, her front door opened.
Elena stepped back and turned around to face the door instantly, where her father was standing, "Sweetie, what are you doing out there? You'll catch a cold."
"Dad, you're home." She sounded less excited.
"Yes. I have a conference in Richmond so- and you've invited Damon over." He said looking at Damon, who seemed in low spirits.
He immediately switched to a more social friendly demeanour. If Giuseppe taught him anything it was faking smiles and working the room. Though it was all fabricated and carefully constructed.
"I was walking her home. Mostly for my benefit, she knows more about the tech quiz than the people who make it." he shook hands with Grayson. Her father didn't intimidate him in the slightest, but why act like the 'bad for his daughter' bad boy type when he could use his charm and keep his access to Elena easy.
"That's my little book worm there. She's got all of her brains from her dad, unfortunately none of it was left for Jeremy." Grayson said tucking Elena under his arm. "So Damon, what colleges are on your priority list."
She squirmed out of his reach, dragging her father inside, "Dad, stop. You're embarrassing me. Damon, I'll see you tomorrow." She said a bit harshly.
Elena shut the door and huffed as her Dad shrugged, "Can't I enquire your boyfriend now?"
"He's not my boyfriend. You can't just probe him with questions like you did with Matt." Elena said throwing her bag on the couch.
"I just want to know his intentions with my daughter." Grayson sighed.
Elena groaned, "Intentions? Okay, he was walking me home, not asking for my hand in marriage."
Her father messed the hair on the top of her head, "And do you want him too?"
"Urghh I am going upstairs." Elena got her books and went towards the stairs to go to her room while her dad shook his head.
...
..
.
Stefan and Caroline had hung out many times for the past few months now, and to him this definitely felt like a date. Just the location of mystic falls springs around them was enough indication. Plus, Caroline had went home and gotten a picnic basket. He didn't even know people had picnics for dates anymore. Though her enthusiasm about it was endearing to him.
He didn't even know when he got so invested in Caroline. It was probably because he couldn't have her. But after this date- would it be the same?
"I always want to come here after a tough day, the sound of the water is so therapeutic." She commented looking at the scenery that was a few feet from them.
"Hm, it's not that far, I can come with you often." He offered. She nodded, "Yeah, but we have to be home soon. It's going to get so cold."
"No kidding. The park is deserted already." He said popping a few grapes into his mouth, "I like this- being here with you." He confessed, "Well other than the ants attempting to crawl up my jeans, this is a really nice place. Would you believe me if I told you I've never been here before?"
"But you've been here two years now." She asked astonished while she picked a sandwich for herself.
"I know. Guess I just didn't even think about it. I was too busy partying." He admitted, "Even though its been a few months, I don't even remember myself anymore. I was so mad at my dad for bringing us here. When we lived in Calabasas, we were closed to my grandparents, and whenever our dad would make our life miserable, we would just stay with them. But here- well they are thousands of miles away. And I thought that maybe if I acted the way I acted he'd care and take us back but he didn't care neither did he notice."
Caroline bit her lip as Stefan added, "I didn't even realise when my plan turned into me. I knew I was wasting it all and I was fine with it."
"I am so sorry, Stefan." She murmured.
"Oh don't be, Argh I probably sound like such a cry-baby." He huffed. She shook her head, "No, its really fine. I want to know about you."
"Is this an interview? Am I gonna be on sissy boy magazine." He tried to play it off as a joke, completely closing the door on being vulnerable.
She rolled her eyes, "Emotions don't make people weak."
"Oh you girls always say that and then find yourself the tough wrestler types." He scrunched his nose.
She raised a brow, "Tyler is so not the wannabe macho type."
"He's not? He plays football and his group of friends are call themselves 'Lone wolves'. How are they a pack and still 'lone'? Aren't you embarrassed to be dating this guy?", He laughed.
"At least he is leading that pack." Caroline defended him.
"Yeah, a pack of idiots who picked the wrong name and are only good at chugging milkshakes. I am pretty sure I once saw Tyler play with his shoes on the wrong feet." He teased her.
The blonde screeched in frustration and lunged at him. Stefan groaned when he hit the ground hard, as she straddled him. Throwing useless punches at his chest, "Take that back! Take that back."
He got a hold of her wrists, looking up at her, she had paused while trying to catch her breath. Now gazing down at him with a ghost of a smile on her lips.
He just couldn't take it anymore. She should know that he wanted her to be with him. Boys like Tyler were a waste of time. So he lifted his head to kiss her. As soon as their lips touched, Caroline relaxed against him, moulding herself into his body, she moaned kissing him back. He let her wrists go, cupping her face as she opened her mouth for him.
But then the realisation struck her. Stefan wasn't her boyfriend. This was cruel to Tyler.
She pushed against him till their lips parted and got off of him. How could she sabotage her perfect relationship?
"Caroline?" Stefan sat up, reaching to touch her shoulder because now she was sitting with her back to him.
"Oh my god- how could I do this?" She palmed her face.
"It's okay." He wanted to comfort her because she was tensing up, almost shivering.
She turned back, looking angry, "It's not okay, Stefan. This is not okay. I have a boyfriend. Who loves me. And for me to throw that away so easily is not okay."
He pursed his lips, she was mad at him? When she was the one who brought him here and kissed him back, "So you're blaming me?"
"Yes! Because all those months ago- I told you to keep your distance from me. But you don't fucking care. I am not a toy for your amusement."
She got up, "That's what I am to you, now that you don't have enough money for drugs- the next best thing is toying with me. If you really cared about me, you'd not sabotage my relationship with Tyler. We both know he's perfect for me, because he won't have a new addiction every Tuesday or confine me in a fucked label-less relationship." She pushed at his chest for no reason.
"Oh really? So all of this is me. You brought me here of all places? We are not just friends, Caroline and you know it. If I wanted to be strung out, I would be. No shortage of money would stop that. What is broke for me is a fucking lottery for you and that pathetic excuse of a boyfriend that you have. Cause news flash! I am Stefan fucking Salvatore." He snarled.
She was clenching her fists, as if debating to say something or not, "I was wrong about you. And thank god now I know it. Don't worry Stefan, we aren't even friends any more."
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...
Though Alaric had faith in Damon, he had tried to see his potential and drag him out of his destructive state, this was inexcusable. He had seen the video Elena had left him just to see whatever 'proof' she was talking about.
Because of Damon, Elijah was in the hospital. So he had called Damon and asked to see him. Elena was right, this was dangerous, which he claimed initially that Damon couldn't be.
Once Damon walked in his class, Alaric got up his seat, "Damon. Sit down."
He too looked in a very rough mood, like he hadn't slept all night and didn't say anything snarky.
"I have to talk to you about something." Damon grumbled.
Alaric put both his hands on the table between them in a tough way, "I'll go first." He turned his laptop towards Damon and which showed the video of him setting the fire alarm off.
He looked up at Alaric, "Mr. Saltzman-"
"You listen to me, Damon. People's safety is not a damn joke here. Because of you, Elijah Michaelson got severely injured, he could have died."
Damon tried to explain, "This isn't a prank. I did it because if I hadn't Elijah would be in trouble."
"And yet he is." Alaric said through gritted teeth, "Miss Gilbert is right, you can't be trusted with power."
"Elena?" he asked.
"She left this at my desk yesterday and I dismissed her because I trusted you." He sneered, as if trusting him had been the biggest bet he lost.
"Is that when you told her about everything? You didn't have a right to disclose any of it to her." Damon spat.
"Do not speak to me this way. You are a student in this school regardless whoever you might be outside of it." He said sternly, "And just because you pulled this stunt at the time of our tech quiz is the only reason I am not getting you suspended."
Damon stood up, "This is absolutely absurd, you can ask Elijah and he will tell you what actually happened."
"I am not interested in any of that. And since I don't believe in rewarding delinquent behaviour, you can forget about your event now." He said closing his laptop.
"What? You can't do that. You know how many people we've got in the project? Elijah and I have been working all semester." If anything mattered, or he gave a shit about arranging any event in this school, it had been this expo.
"I can do that and I am doing that. I can't jeopardise my reputation in the teacher's committee for you so I already called the teacher's committee and stopped the process." He sat down in his seat, slightly calm than he had started with.
"Mr. Saltzman, this wasn't our deal."
"We have a new deal now. You do what I tell you to do." His voice was assertive, "You may leave for your classes. I am sure you are busy."
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In all of his wars with Elena, he had never been this enraged with her. Not only did she try to ruin his place in the council with her budget plan but now she had did some actual damage. She knew that his project with Elijah was important to him. So when she said yesterday she said she didn't want to fight anymore she lied. Like a panther, she had just taken back a step to attack when he wasn't ready.
How could he believe her? This was a line even she shouldn't have crossed. Her moves always went a bit too far and this time he wasn't going to let her off the hook about it.
After the football match today, he would let her know what he actually 'felt' about her.
To get him in trouble was one thing but then to act like she felt something for him just for the shock value of her move was a distinct level of sickness.
He knew it was all a ruse. She couldn't look at him with her kind doe eyes, or smile at him in her special angelic way without an agenda. The way she kissed him yesterday, it had been too good to be true.
He had been out of his mind all day. No one had ever screwed with his head so cruelly. That's why he never got too involved with girls.
Though, he detested his father's ideals. Damon was pretty much the same as him when it came to women. His father would call him weak and pathetic for even feeling like this. And he hated that he would have to agree. He had been weak and pathetic.
"Huh, this is surprising." He heard Rebekah enter the council office.
"You're early." She walked closer and put a hand to his cheek, "And scruff- didn't shave today?"
He didn't say anything as she sat on his lap and turned to face him. "What is going on with you?" she said pressing a kiss to his chin then up his jaw. He huffed, "Leave me alone. I am not in the mood."
"Not in the mood for me?" she gasped, a bit offended.
"I-" he started but she kissed him, her hand sneaking down to his jeans. She unzipped him, wrapping her hand around his length.
Fuck this shit.
He pulled away from her, "You really don't get it? Fine- but its not going to be on your terms." He said getting up and putting her down on the table. She smirked as he ripped her panties off, "And it's going to be fast. So shut your mouth and take it."
She gripped his shoulders as he pulled her legs to wrap them around himself, then he removed her hands from himself and bound them above her head. His teeth bit her neck as he thrust inside her, Rebekah gasped. Her nails dug into the back of his hand as he moved relentlessly inside her. Strangled cries left her mouth as she tried her best not to scream due to the rough sex.
This was easy, he thought. This is what is familiar to him- screwing the day lights out of girls that didn't mean shit to him. He didn't have to deal with their bullshit. Or play their games, or chase them because they were easy unlike her. Cruel, cold, evil Elena Gilbert who made a fool out of him.
Just when he was starting to feel like his old self, the council office door opened.
He heard files and books falling and once he looked over his shoulder to see who it was. His heart stopped for a moment.
Elena stood there by the door. A pile of her books and her planners was lying by her feet. Her mouth was open in shock of the scene in front of her.
She gripped the door knob, as he stopped. Rebekah cursed seeing her. Damon pulled out of her not knowing why he felt like he murdered someone when he saw Elena's chocolate brown eyes fill in tears.
"Oh God, this narc is gonna tell on us." Rebekah scoffed.
But Elena didn't even look at her, her eyes were still focused on him as he zipped himself.
She bit her lip as if holding back a cry and then she turned around to run out, leaving her books on the floor.
Damon felt like she set him on fire with the accusatory glare she had, as if he was the one who betrayed her.
No way.
He went after her, leaving Rebekah there.
Elena was already at the end of the corridor. Looking for a place to escape when he caught up with her. She was near the stair case but he blocked her way, "Where are you going this time? The principal's office?" he held her arm
"Don't touch me." She pushed him, "How could you?" her tears were no longer confined by her eyes and had started rolling down her cheeks.
"How could I what? Fuck her? Who the hell are you to tell me what I can and can't do." He said coldly.
She was taken aback at his tone, "I can't believe I trusted you."
Trust, he hated that word.
He chuckled humourlessly, "No Elena, I was the one who trusted you while you were planning to stab me in the back."
"What do you mean?" she said through gritted teeth.
"What do I mean? Don't be so naive. You went behind my back and submitted proof against me to Alaric. Just the thought of me having something or someone on my side was indigestible to you." He said cornering her.
Her back was against the wall, she was still crying inconsolably, once he mentioned Alaric, Elena realised that she did in fact forget the disc on Mr. Saltzman's desk when he had told her about Damon.
But that didn't make it all valid or justified.
"It was your fault , you are the reason that Elijah fell off the damn window trying to get out of school." She bit out.
"No. You're the reason he fell. You're the reason he was changing the party's budget report and You're the reason I put my own money in it to fix our losses. If we didn't, Elijah would be expelled two months before graduation and all of his work would go down the drain but that's not it. The teacher's committee would launch an investigation on the council and eventually you'd get expelled too. You'd lose everything that is important to you. All your effort- your summers building houses, your holidays working on quizzes and lets not forget the unnecessary volunteering. It would all go to waste." He ranted.
Elena was looking up at him, now feeling like a criminal herself. Because of her, Elijah was hurt.
"I didn't want that, okay? Fuck! But you didn't care about what i wanted. What I worked for- Alaric called off the expo so congratulations Elena, you got what you wanted. I lose, you win." He growled.
She gulped, "I win? How can you possibly think I win when you do that to me." She pointed towards the corridor, referring to the Rebekah incident.
"I didn't do shit to you. You were the one who faked all that yesterday just so you could make a fool out of me."
"I didn't fake anything." She cried, "I meant what I said, you could have asked me! Shouted at me like you are right now, but you chose to feel like the victim. You chose to hurt me!"
she tried to push him but her efforts were in vain, with an exhaustive sigh, she wiped her cheeks with her palm, "I can bet that deep inside you knew that all of this was a mess, and you knew I did mean all of that yesterday. But you didn't want to talk to me. You've made up your mind about never coming to terms with any feelings you have. About this, About us."
"You don't know anything."
She sniffled, "I think I do. You wanted to prove to yourself that I don't matter to you. Even though you are the same guy who goes out of his way to look out for me. Well, you did it Damon- this is the final straw. I've never meant it like I do now when I say this, I hate you."
She sounded like she was about to cry again. Pushing him out of her way. Her eyes though watery was full of fire and loathe for him. "I really hate you, Damon. I don't want to see you, hear your voice or be in the same room as you. So go back- fuck it all out of your messed up head and your stone cold heart." Saying that she ran down the stairs as fast she could. Now aggressively wiping her tears.
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For the first time since he joined the football team, he was not doing good on the field and he couldn't care less. All Damon wanted to do was get out of this suffocating school. Maybe get out of town. There was this immense pressure that he had to drive out of state in four days for that quiz and despite him feeling like he had nothing to lose at this point, he didn't want to further disappoint the teacher who showed faith in him.
He didn't even know he cared but his feet were in proverbial chains, keeping him in this hell hole.
Soon after the utter loss of their game, he saw Alaric, standing in the bleachers. As expected, looking disappointed due to Damon's performance. Damon kept his eyes on the ground as he rushed inside with the rest of the boys.
While everyone was getting shouted at by Coach Tanner, Damon quickly changed into his clothes, feeling like the small town was causing his organs to disintegrate, he didn't just want to escape, he needed to escape.
So he drove home, planning if he could pack a bag and fly to his father's house in California. He needed a break. From the school, from the anger that would fill his every artery and vein when he thought about how he tried to do something on his own, and yet he failed. And most of all he needed a break from Elena.
Her words kept playing in his head over and over. The more he tries with her- the further he ends up pushing her.
And fuck it, now she hated him, he could see this time he had earned that hate. Not like he hadn't intended on it. She was right, he was a hundred percent conscious of it. But if he had wanted to push her away, then why the hell did it hurt so much when it happened?
He shook his head, getting out of the car and storming inside his house.
He went up the stairs, with each step- his shoes would make a louder sound than prior. Elena couldn't hate him as much as he hated himself.
At least that he was sure of.
When he walked inside his bedroom, his pace slowed down seeing Stefan going through his drawers.
"What are you doing?"
Stefan looked over his shoulder, "I am going up town for a party and I taped my credit card to the inside of your drawer."
"You what?"
"I figured I won't use it if its here." He said as if was obvious. Then pulled at something and sure enough he pulled out a black card.
Damon let out a sigh, taking off his jacket, "I thought you weren't doing all that anymore."
"No Damon! Don't- don't fucking parent me today. I've had enough. " he said looking like he would throw a punch if his brother stopped him, "I can't take your judgemental crap today."
"Then don't." Damon said pulling his shirt over his head and taking out a black V-neck. "But I am coming with."
"To babysit me?", He scoffed.
"No, to drink until I can't remember that I live in this hell." He raised a brow as if challenging him.
"Then let's do this." Stefan said throwing his keys at him that were on the bed with his jacket.
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A/N: hey readers! Sorry i didn't post yesterday because i actually fell asleep on my laptop and then when i woke up I watched the new season of 'You'.
So i am going to post as regularly as i can while maintaining my semester and a stupid internship that i didn't even know I'd get.
This chapter was all drama but i hope you liked the sweet DE moments before shit hit the fan, don't worry I'll bring them together one way or another.
Let me know what you think! These chapters aren't easy to write. I always appreciate your feedback and interest in my characters. Review for quick updates ;)
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