"Elena!" Stefan yelled barging into her bedroom startling her as she was putting on make-up.
"You ever heard of knocking?" She turned to him to be surprised that he only had a towel wrapped around his waist and dripping wet.
"This is the fourth morning in a row that I've had to take a cold shower. Do you think you could have some decency to spare me a little bit of hot water since you won't use your parent's bathroom."
"I have been using their bathroom. The hot water hasn't been working since like Monday." Elena was confused as to why he was still using that bathroom anyways.
"Are you being serious right now?" Elena nodded. "Unbelievable." He shook his head. "The hot water heater in there must be out."
"Fix it." Elena began going about getting ready.
"I don't have the money right now I'm sure after you bought everything in the grocery store."
"Oh don't give me that crap we all know you're loaded."
"Not the point." He said.
"Can you like get dressed?" Elena was doing the best she could not to stare at him.
"Does me being half-naked and soaking wet make you uncomfortable?" Stefan smiled playfully walking closer to her.
"You being in the same room as me makes me uncomfortable." She told him trying to walk past him but Stefan stepped in front of her. "Move."
"If I remember correctly you used to couldn't keep your hands off of me after our showers."
Elena closed her eyes trying to get rid of the images flashing through her mind. "Used to." She opened her eyes looking straight into his.
"I have a few minutes to spare if you want to revisit the past." He grinned.
"I'm not interested in my past." Elena shook her head.
"Your loss." He said turning to walk away but before he exited the room he dropped his towel giving Elena a view of his glorious backside.
She was in deep trouble if he kept this act up because there was only so much temptation she could take from him. Stefan Salvatore had used his body on more than one occasion to get what he wanted from her. She was going to need to really work on her self control if she wanted to be a good girlfriend to Matt from here on and out. Quickly grabbing her things she headed out of the house.
"Why are you so flustered this morning?" Bonnie asked. Elena had been a little on edge all morning.
"Nothing." Elena said trying to block out the picture of Stefan's backside that was flashing through her mind every other second.
Bonnie looked around making sure no one in the classroom was paying them any attention. The teacher had stepped out to take a phone call.
"Is this about Stefan?" Bonnie asked. "What happened with the marriage thing?"
Elena groaned at the thought of her marriage. "Can we not talk about it?"
"Elena I thought you said you were going to take care of it?" Bonnie couldn't believe Elena was still married to Stefan.
"Yeah well I was!" She raised her voice making a few other students turn to look at her. "Sorry." She mumbled. "I'm sorry Bonnie I didn't mean to snap."
Bonnie was really starting to worry about her friend. "Elena what is going on?"
"I'm living with Stefan." Elena decided to just come clean about it. She couldn't hide it anymore from her best friend.
"What?" Bonnie wasn't sure that she heard her right.
"I'll explain everything after school on the way to the game." Elena promised. "He is just driving me insane. I don't know what to do anymore."
"How long have you been living together and where at?"
"Like three weeks now. We are staying out at the lake house so feel free to drop by any time that you want and save me from my misery."
"I'm so sorry you are having to go through this."
"It hasn't been completely terrible. I mean at first we barely spoke to each other. But it seems as of this week he thinks we are on speaking terms."
"Is that such a bad thing? I mean the two of you talking?"
"Bonnie he showed me his ass this morning."
Bonnie's eyes went wide as a smile spread across her face earning a disapproving look from Elena. "I bet it was a fine ass though."
Elena laughed shaking her head. "He's playing mind games and it's not funny."
"Seems to me like you're gonna have your hands full."
It was later that night after everyone had returned from the game. The boys had lost which Elena knew was going to ruin a few people's plans but thankfully Matt wasn't the type of guy who got too angry about a loss. Tyler was fuming after exiting the locker room as he told a few guys that the party was cancelled. She felt bad for him because she knew his dad was probably going to give him a hard time tonight when he got home and she could understand what it felt like disappointing your parents.
"So no party then for us?" Elena smiled at Matt giving him a hug. "You played a good game tonight."
Matt smiled leaning down to kiss her. "Thanks but we lost."
"You still played good."
"So what do you want to do tonight now that we don't have the party to go to?" Matt began walking towards his truck.
"I don't know." She shrugged trying to think of something for them to do. "It's already so late I don't know what we could do."
"You think your parents would care if I came over for a movie?" Matt asked with hope. "I feel like I haven't spent any time with you lately."
Elena felt the guilt flood her. She hadn't talked to her parents in three weeks and she had been distant from Matt as well. "My parents are kind of mad at me right now."
"For what?" He laughed tossing his bag in the back of his truck before leaning against the side and grabbing Elena by the waist pulling her close to him.
"I lied to them about something and now they are upset."
"I'm sure my mom went out tonight so my place is free." He suggested.
"That actually sounds like a great idea." Elena smiled at him. She didn't have to worry about a curfew anymore so she figured she might as well take advantage of the situation. Matt leaned down and kissed her happy that she was agreeing to spend time with him.
Stefan finally came out of the locker room he was the last one to be leaving. He was really upset about how the game turned out. Lexi was sitting on the railing waiting patiently for him like she does after every game.
"Took you long enough." She said hopping down.
"Sorry I had to shower and I was watching some film from the game. I completely spaced." He wrapped his arm around her pulling her close to him. "You interested in a couple rounds of pool at the Grill?"
"You interested in getting your ass kicked?" Lexi teased him making Stefan laugh. He was thankful he had someone like her in his life. He needed a constant.
"You have got to be kidding me." Stefan groaned as they both looked at the golden couple in a heated lip lock.
"I'm sorry I didn't know they were still out here." Lexi didn't think anyone was still in the parking lot. Stefan and her were always the last to leave and Matt and Elena were the first.
"Isn't adultery grounds for an annulment?" Stefan asked as they walked to his car that was ironically parked by Matt's truck.
"Google it." Lexi laughed feeling bad for her friend having to see his wife kissing her boyfriend. They really were a dysfunctional group of friends.
Elena pulled away from Matt when she heard someone approaching. Looking over her shoulder she saw Stefan's angry glare and Lexi's apologetic look.
"Hey good game tonight Stefan." Matt told him honestly. Stefan really did play a good game the team just didn't pull through.
Stefan was going to ignore him until he felt Lexi's elbow jab into his ribs. "Thanks."
"What's his problem?" Matt asked once Stefan and Lexi drove away.
"Stefan hates to lose you know that." Elena wasn't sure what the attitude was about with Matt. Stefan was usually very civil with Matt no matter how angry he was with Elena. "Now about that movie?" Matt grinned as he helped her get to her car before they left.
Stefan had successfully avoided Elena all weekend. She had not come home Friday night after the game for some reason that had really rubbed him the wrong way. He knew he wasn't supposed to be feeling jealousy because she wasn't even his girlfriend. It made him even more resentful to be feeling jealous. He needed a way to get under her skin like she was him. He was tired of feeling anything towards her knowing that she would always choose Matt. Stefan decided to start planning a way to get back at Elena.
Elena had finally decided to come home after spending all weekend with Matt. It was refreshing to be back on track with Matt. She felt like her life was almost normal when she was with him but there was a nagging voice in the back of her head reminding her that she was a liar. Matt seemed satisfied with their time together so Elena was happy. She felt better than she had in weeks. Maybe a weekend with her boyfriend was just what she needed.
The next morning Elena woke up in better spirits. She was ready to embrace the day after a weekend of no Stefan. Happily she got up to take her shower and began yet another week of school. Walking towards the master bathroom she heard the shower already going. It was strange to her because Stefan always woke up at least 30 minutes after her which gave her time to take a shower in peace. There was no special reason as to why he should be up this early anyways. Frustrated that they only had one bathroom she went ahead and went to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. Hopefully he would be out soon or else it would throw off her whole morning routine and she would be late. After waiting patiently 30 minutes on him she was growing annoyed with how long it was taking him.
"Stefan!" Elena knocked on the bathroom door. "You've been in there forever now!"
Stefan was sitting on the counter in the bathroom with the shower running. He had watched it fade from hot to cold with a satisfied smile. Elena would have no hot water this morning and by looking at the time she wouldn't even have time to barely shower if she decided to take a cold one. It was day one of torturing Elena and he knew how much she hated cold showers. There was nothing that would set her off more. Looking down at his watch he saw that the time was 7:00 and with living as far away from the school as they did they would need to leave within the next 20 minutes to make it on time.
"Stefan, seriously come on now!" Elena yelled banging on the door harder. "I'm going to be late if you don't come out now!"
"Just a second!" He had no intentions of coming out for a little while longer. Making Elena late was his number one goal for the day. "I'm doing my hair." He laughed.
"Stefan Salvatore!" Elena beat on the door in frustration.
"Okay okay." Stefan turned the shower off and went to open the door to have Elena push him back into the door as she walked in.
"Get out." She yelled at him and Stefan just nodded with a smile as he shut the door.
He laughed all the way to school that morning while sipping his coffee. Stefan was all smiles as he entered first period.
"What's with you today?" Tyler asked when Stefan took his regular seat beside him towards the back of class.
"Just woke up on the right side of bed." Stefan laughed.
"Hey we having the annual Halloween party at your house still?"
Stefan tensed up at the mention of his house. He no longer had his own house. "I'll have to check with Damon. He got pretty upset after last years party."
Tyler laughed and nodded his head. "Yeah I think my mom would have killed me if would have broken a window like that."
"Damon loves his antiques." The bell rang and class began. The teacher called roll and there was no Elena in sight. Caroline and Bonnie looked around confused because Elena was always on time to school.
"Gilbert skipping school." Tyler told Stefan with a surprised look.
"Who would of thought." They joked.
About 15 minutes into class Elena was rushing into the room. She startled everyone from taking notes. She was not a happy camper at all. Elena's hair was in a messy bun because there was no way she was taking a cold shower. She barely had time to get ready at all so she was wearing no make up. By the time she was able to get dressed and get her things together she barely had enough time to get to school and to top things off she couldn't find her car keys. It seemed to her that Stefan had gone out of his way to misplace them for her. Elena sent Stefan the meanest look she had reserved for him. Stefan smirked and gave her a wave.
"Nice of you to join us." The teacher said trying to get his class focused again.
"Sorry." Elena apologized.
After class Stefan was walking down the hall when Elena came up behind him to grabbed his arm turning him around to face her.
"What the hell was that this morning? You purposely made me late."
Stefan looked around to see that some students were watching them. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play stupid with me Stefan. It wasn't funny. Don't do it again."
"Careful Elena people are watching." He told her as Elena looked around to see students staring. She let go of his arm taking a step back.
"You're making things harder than they have to be."
"Isn't that what I'm good at, pissing you off?"
"Whatever Stefan." She said walking away from him.
"What was that about?" Lexi asked coming up to Stefan.
"That was the aftermath of a cold shower this morning." Stefan smiled.
"You are a jerk." Lexi pointed out to him but deep down she wanted to laugh. Elena was not a happy person if she had to take a cold shower. It had been that way since they were kids.
"She's in for a long ride if she thinks a cold shower is the worst thing that could happen." Stefan began walking to their second class.
"Stefan don't push her."
"Who's side are you on here?"
"There is no side to be on. Don't do that to me." Lexi warned him.
"She deserves what she gets." Lexi rolled her eyes at him as she followed him into their next class. Elena thankfully wasn't in this class with them.
"So what's with the mood this morning?" Bonnie asked Elena as they walked to class.
"Stefan."
"What did he do this time? I thought you stayed out of the house all weekend?"
"I did, but apparently he is dead set on making my life miserable. Our hot water heater went out so we only have one shower right now and he used all the hot water this morning and left me no time to take a shower to wait for it to build back up. Then to make matters worse I couldn't find my car keys this morning either."
"Wow he really is trying to set you off." Bonnie couldn't believe Stefan was acting this way.
"If he's not careful then I'll start returning the favor."
"Now that I'd love to see." Bonnie smiled.
Third period came and Ric had to do a double take at Elena. He wouldn't say that she looked bad but he wasn't used to this appearance of her at school. She usually always dressed up.
"Problem Ric?" Elena asked letting him know that he probably shouldn't answer that question.
"No problem." Ric shook his head as Stefan began laughing.
"Shut it." Elena snapped at him.
"Make me."
"Easy you two." Ric said looking around the class making sure no one was paying them attention. They still had a few minutes before the bell. "I take it things aren't going well."
"Hot water heater broke and someone won't fix it." Elena glared at Stefan.
"I'm not the fix it man dear." Stefan winked at her.
"I can come take a look at it." Ric offered. "Jenna has been meaning to stop by anyways."
"That would be great."
"Oh Ric come on I'll fix it. Elena needs these cold showers though to cool her off when I get her all worked up."
Elena threw her book at him that Stefan couldn't dodge.
"I'll be by sometime this week." Ric shook his head at the two. They were clearly insane. "Elena until then try not to kill him."
"I'll try but I'm not making any promises."
Stefan laughed as he handed Ric her book to give back to her.
It wasn't until Thursday afternoon that Ric and Jenna were able to stop by. Elena was so grateful because Stefan had done everything possible to make sure she ran out of hot water every morning.
"Jenna he is driving me insane." Elena complained as she sat in the kitchen watching Jenna prepare dinner.
"I'm sorry sweetie." Jenna took a sip of her glass of wine. "He's trying to get a reaction out of you and you are letting him."
"It's impossible not to let him."
"Elena have you tried being nice to him?"
"Is nice not speaking to him?" Jenna gave her a look. "No I guess not."
"You two were fine in New York what happened?"
"I remembered that we can't go back to the way we were. New York was just a fantasy."
Jenna decided to drop the subject because she knew there was no use in trying to fix the two. She could only sit back and watch. "Try talking to him."
"There is no talking to Stefan. He's an ass."
"A fine ass." Jenna teased making Elena smile.
"What is it with everyone and Stefan's ass?"
"What about my ass?" Stefan asked coming into the kitchen. He was wearing shorts and no shirt and was a bit sweaty letting Elena know he had probably stayed late after football practice to lift weights with Tyler.
"Nothing." Jenna smiled greeting him. "I hope you don't mind me stealing your kitchen for the night."
Stefan shook his head kissing her cheek. "I don't mind at all. As long as it's not Elena because she'd burn the house down."
Jenna laughed at his comment but stopped when she saw Elena's face.
"So I've got some bad news." Ric said joining them.
"Please no." Elena begged.
"You're going to have to buy a new one." Ric told them.
"Looks like we are sharing the shower still." Stefan said to Elena.
"No you have to buy a new one." Elena said to him.
"You have the money to buy one?"
"That's not fair and you know it Stefan."
"Sorry." He shrugged. "I'm going to go clean up."
Elena frowned when she realized her life would be miserable until Stefan decided to buy a new hot water heater. She didn't know how many more days she could go with fighting him for the bathroom. This morning she had to wake up almost two hours later just to beat him to the shower.
"He'll buy one." Jenna said trying to make her feel better. "He'll come around."
"Oh no he is having too much fun torturing me."
"I'll talk to him." Jenna promised.
Stefan came back down and joined everyone at the table enjoying the delicious meal Jenna had prepared.
"I've missed your cooking." Elena said taking a bite of her food.
"Thank you." Jenna was proud to have mastered the cooking skills Stefan had taught her over the years.
"Stefan have you talked to Damon lately?" Ric casually brought up.
Stefan stopped eating at the mention of his brother's name. "No I haven't since he kicked me out."
"You should go see him sometime. He misses you."
"I'm sure Katherine is keeping him plenty company."
"He's your brother."
"Who betrayed me."
"It's not like you have the best track record." Elena said.
"Not tonight Elena." Stefan said letting her know he wouldn't get into it with Jenna and Ric around.
"Your mom told me she hasn't heard from you either Elena." Jenna said.
"That's because I'm not speaking to them."
"How long do you think you two can go on ignoring your family?" Ric really wanted to know how much longer they were going to act this way. It was getting old and Damon had been a pain to be around since the night Stefan moved out.
"I guess when they start acting like family." Elena shrugged.
"They aren't trying to hurt you by this." Jenna said.
"But they did." Elena quietly said. "This is misery."
Stefan felt guilty knowing how miserable Elena was deep down by living with him. He was almost so guilty that he was going to stop making her miserable but he wasn't that guilty.
After dinner Ric and Jenna stuck around for a while longer to help clean up. Jenna helped Elena with some homework while Stefan and Ric caught a game on TV. Over the weekend Elena spent a lot of time with Lexi and Bonnie. Lexi had reminded Elena of a way to get money to ger her hot water heater. So without much thought on Monday morning Elena went to the bank and opened up a joint checking account with Stefan. She got weird looks from the banker. Elena recognized the girl as someone who went to high school with Katherine. She knew that the girl and Katherine never saw eye to eye so Elena told her that it would be in her best interest not to breathe a word of this to anyone. It was nice having a bitch for a sister sometime. Now all she had to do was wait for that pretty little card to arrive in the mail.