Trading Places

Chapter 9

"What are you doing here?" Elena asked holding onto her keys as Damon leaned against his car examining her with those eyes of his.

"I figured you would need someone to rescue you from a date that was as dry as sandpaper."

"How would you know how my date went?"

"Call it a hutch."

"Well you were right. Happy now?"

"No. I'm not. I was actually hoping that he would prove me wrong."

"Why is that?"

"Because you seem like the type of girl that deserves the happy ending."

"There's no such thing as happy endings. Life isn't a Disney movie you know."

"I guess you're right about that, but you do deserve a guy that can treat you right."

"Are you offering to be that guy?"

"Maybe. Come on, let's get out of here."

"And where would we be going?"

"That's a surprise. Are you coming or what?"

"Lead the way."

"You know when you said we'd be going somewhere I didn't expect for you to take me to a baseball field." She said stepping onto it as Damon looked around to make sure that they were alone.

"Why not? It's a good place as any to hang out."

"How so?"

"Would it surprise you to know I have a baseball bat in my trunk?"

"Depends. What are you planning on doing with it?"

"Thought I'd hit some balls."

"I take it you're a real ball buster." She joked as he shook his head.

"You in or what?"

"Don't have to ask me twice." She smiled grabbing the bat from him as he moved towards the machine that would pitch the balls.

"You ready?" he shouted before she nodded the go ahead.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She answered before Damon pitched the ball to her and she swung missing it completely. Dammit.

"Don't worry, you'll hit it eventually. Just try to relax." He shouted pitching another one that she got a piece of.

"Damn, this is harder than it looks."

"Give it another shot. Watch your positioning while trying to hit the ball." He instructed as she took his advice and watched the ball as it came at her and she actually hit it making it go further than she thought it would.

"Wow. Good job, not bad for a first timer. With a little more practice and you'll be hitting home runs in no time."

"Looking forward to it." She smiled

"Want to try another couple of rounds?" he asked as her smile grew.

"Of course." She answered as he pitched one more and she spent the night feeling more alive than she had in a while.

"So, what made you interested in baseball?" she asked as they were walking the streets later on.

"It was my father's idea. He wanted me to be immersed in as many sports as possible."

"Doesn't that ever annoy you?"

"Sure, it does, but what else can I do? I only have a year left of this bullshit and then I can do whatever the fuck I want."

"Why wait? Why not tell your dad how you feel?"

"You haven't met my father." He said as her stomach rumbled reminding her that she never ate at dinner.

"There's a hot dog stand up here if you're hungry."

"Thank God because I'm feeling famished."

"In that case let's go get some." He smiled as they ordered their hot dogs.

"So, what did you end up getting?"

"I got a couple of chili cheese dog cups. What about you?"

"I got the cheese stuffed dog."

"I'll let you taste mine if you let me taste yours."

"Sounds like a plan."

Taking a bite of his food, Elena laughed when some dripped on her chin and she laughed. She could be so messy sometimes.

"So not sexy." She laughed as he reached out to her and wiped the smudge off her chin as she looked into those beautiful blue eyes. Now those were sexy.

"Sorry, you just had something on your chin."

"Thanks for helping me get it off." She smiled holding up hers so he could take a bite of it.

"That's really good."

"Aren't you glad you tried it?"

"Of course, I love trying new things." He smiled as a thought popped into her mind.

"Have you ever ridden a skateboard?"

"Why did I let you convince me to do this?" Damon asked as the skateboard wobbled underneath him while Elena stood by his side to make sure he didn't fall.

"Because you like trying new things, remember? Besides it's not that bad, you just have to work on your balance. "

"I guess we both have things we can teach each other."

"Yeah, that we do." She smiled losing concentration for half a second before the skateboard slid out from underneath Damon causing him to collapse on top of her.

"Ouch." They both said in unison as their laughter filed the air before silence followed and he put a strand of hair behind her ear, his mouth moving closer where it was mere inches from her own before something or someone she should say interrupted them.

"Elena? Damon? What are you two doing here?" Katherine asked as Damon helped Elena up and she brushed herself off.

"Hey Kat, I was just teaching Damon here how to skateboard, it obviously didn't go so well." She laughed hoping to break some of the tension.

"I can see that what I want to know is why you're out here with Damon when you should be on your date with Stefan." Katherine replied crossing both her arms thinking that it would intimidate Elena.

"Oh yeah that. I decided that I wasn't into him, so I cut that date short and decided to hang out with Damon here. Sorry to disappoint, but maybe yours and Caroline's plan to change me isn't exactly working out as planned. "

"Well you're the one who wants to deal with the fallout when I tell her tomorrow."

"God Katherine, do you have to be such a snitch?" Elena hissed.

"When it comes to you fucking over a good friend of mine when she's going out of her way to help you? Yeah. I do."

"Oh, fuck you and your pretentious attitude Kat. What's next you're going to help her spread her ass cheeks before you blow kisses up her butt?"

"You're out of line and it's getting late. Say goodnight to Damon and get your ass inside." Katherine spat charging up the stairs and slamming the door making Elena resent her even more for ruining her time with Damon as she said her goodbyes and went back inside.