7:00 came around fast before Elena realized she had to be at the bar soon. She called her driver that had her bags and luggage in it to pick her up at a small store. She checked into the hotel she was staying at until her apartment was ready. When she got there and put her bags in her room, it was 7:20 so she had to get going.
Her driver dropped her off at the same time Caroline and Tyler were coming out of his car. "Aren't you special? You get a chauffer," Tyler said.
"I don't have a car yet," She smirked at him. "Is this place still the same as when we followed our parents in here every Saturday night?" She laughed.
"Not at all. It's completely new and renovated." Caroline told her seriously. Elena looked at her surprised.
"I didn't think the owners ever were into getting it more modern. I thought they were going to keep it…" She trailed off. "Old school I guess?" She finished.
"I didn't either, but we came here for my 21st and that's when we saw it all redone." Elena got sad when Caroline said this. She was sad because all of them were together and she wasn't. Ever since they knew what they could do when they were 21 (drink) they have planned they would all celebrate their own together. But, that didn't happen.
She nodded, and walked inside, following Tyler and Caroline. "I guess we're the first one's here." Tyler said, looking around and not seeing any of there friends. "Let's get this table before it get's more crowded." He suggested, sliding into a booth against the wall. Elena slid in next to Caroline after him.
"They have food here, right?" Caroline asked.
"Yeah, do you guys want something?" Tyler asked.
"No, I ate. I'm good." Elena told them. It was true though, she ate at one of her favorite little café's from when she was younger. "You guys can get something." She said.
"Yeah, I'm just going to get chips for the table. I know that's your weakness." Tyler said towards Elena. She smiled and looked at the drink menu to see what she wanted. As she was looking down at it, someone was standing at the table looking down at her. She looked up to see her other childhood friend.
"Matty!" She exclaimed sliding out of the booth quickly to hug him. He was in a suit too. "What the hell, did you all become business men or something?" Elena asked them.
"Pretty much, yeah." Matt answered. Elena laughed and hugged him again. They both sat down, Elena sliding in next to Caroline again and Matt sitting on one of the chairs on the other side of the booth. "How are you?" He asked Elena.
"I'm good." Elena nodded, answering him and smiling for the hundredth time that day.
"I guess you followed through with being a fashion designer." He noticed.
"Yeah," Elena sighed. "Oh, wait, just saying, this is not just a visit." Elena told all of them. "I'm living here now. There are going to be stores of my clothes across the country, but my main one is opening in a few days here." She watched their eyes light up with excitement. "Yeah, I mean I'll to do once a year or so check-in's with the other stores, but I'll be living here. My apartment is being set up and stuff so I can move in soon." She explained to them without her smile leaving her face.
"Where are you staying? With your parents?" Caroline asked her.
"No, I'm staying at a hotel. I have to go see my parents soon though. I was thinking tomorrow. Depends on when I have to be at the store." She said. "And the store building will also be an office building for my actual fashion company, so there will be a lot of work." She sighed. "But I run it all so it's okay," She laughed.
"Wow, that sound familiar. Where have you heard words like that before?" Tyler asked Matt and Caroline.
"Stefan," They both said.
"Stefan? Why?" She asked.
"He's the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world, Elena. He's going to be cocky." Caroline exclaimed.
"He never seemed like the kind of guy to be that way. He was always so nice and selfless." She said lowly.
"He still is. I mean he's the sweetest guy, but you know, like you, he's running a business now and that makes him a little happy so he shows it. Just like you just did." Caroline explained to her.
They all stayed quiet for a minute before Elena broke the silence. "Well, I'm going to get a drink." She told them, getting up to go to the bar. After she ordered, she heard a familiar voice from the door. She turned to see the other Salvatore. Damon. She loved Damon, but like in a brother, sister way. They were just as close as Stefan and Elena were, but Elena had real feelings for Stefan.
"Little Elena Gilbert!" He exclaimed, opening his arms wide.
"Damon!" She said excitedly and hugged him. "How are you?" She asked. She let go and noticed he was in a suit as well.
"I'm good." He answered. "I just got off work when Ty texted me to come here. I had no idea you were the surprise he told me about." He said happily.
"It's me," She smiled. She looked behind him to see the girl she could never forget, especially after their last face-to-face conversation. "Katherine," She sighed. Damon moved out of the way and walked away quietly, not wanting to be in the middle. Katherine hadn't changed. She still had the same dark curly hair, sassy attitude, and sparkling hazel eyes.
Katherine crossed her arms over her chest as if she was uncomfortable. "You came back." She said stiffly, showing no emotion at all.
Elena laughed lightly. "Yeah, I did." She said with a small smile.
Katherine nodded, wiggling her lips, trying to decide if she would hug Elena or walk past her and stay mad at her, even after eight years. Elena was taken by surprise when Katherine's arms flew around her neck, tightly hugging her. "You came back," She repeated, but this time happily and sounding like she was going to cry. Elena put her arms around Katherine's waist and hugged her back.
"I'm sorry, Kat." Elena said into her shoulder.
Katherine broke off quickly. "Shut up," She said sternly. "You do not have to be sorry. That should be me apologizing. I was a bitch." She told her.
"No, Kat, you had every right to be mad at me." Elena tried to tell her.
Katherine shrugged. "Maybe your right," She started. "But I didn't have the right to take it out on you when you were leaving." She said. "Best friends forever, right?" She asked.
Elena smiled as tears welled up in her eyes. "Right." She nodded and hugged Katherine again. After all of that, Elena got her drink that had been waiting on the counter and went back over to the table with Katherine. Elena slid in next to Caroline again and Katherine went next to her.
"Okay, so two more people, we are waiting for?" Elena asked everyone. They all looked at each other before telling Elena.
"Bonnie's in London." Matt told her.
"What? Why? Did she move there?" She asked quickly.
"No, she's on vacation." Katherine assured. "But, she said if she likes it, she might move there with her boyfriend." She said sadly.
"Oh," Elena sighed. "Well, who couldn't love London?" She asked sadly. They all stayed quiet. "I guess just one more than." She said, her eyes looking everywhere but at everyone's eyes staring at her.
Soon enough, the last person they were waiting for, walked through the door, buttoning his suit jacket professionally. Elena slid out of the booth and stood next to it so he would see her. "Hey, didn't I bump into you today?" He asked her. Elena smirked at him not recognizing her.
Damon looked up at both of them. "You really don't recognize her brother?" He asked him. Stefan shook his head.
Elena kept smiling, knowing the perfect way he could remember her. "Steffy I need to measure you for my new skirt!" She exclaimed in the best kid voice she could do. Stefan's eyes lit up and surprise washed over his face.
"Elena!" He said loudly.
"It's me," She laughed. Stefan quickly put his arms around her waist tightly. She hooked her arms around his neck and hugged back. "I missed you." She whispered while taking in his scent. She remembered it from eight years ago, and a few hours ago. She didn't know how she didn't recognize it when they bumped into each other.
"I missed you too." He whispered back to her. They sat down and everyone started talking. Elena explained again that she was staying here and about her store and all that. They didn't realize it was 10:45 already after talking and catching up.
"I should go, I have to be up early to go to the store." Elena told everyone.
"Where are you staying?" Stefan asked.
"The international hotel," She told him.
"You shouldn't be in a hotel." Stefan argued.
"Stefan, it's a five-star hotel, I think I'll be okay," She laughed.
Stefan shook his head. "I have plenty extra rooms at mine. Just stay with me." He suggested. Damon and Tyler couldn't hold in their laughter. Stefan turned his head towards them. "What?" He asked.
"You want something." Tyler laughed.
"Yeah, something," Damon repeated. Katherine and Caroline both hit each of them. Elena's cheeks turned bright red at what they were saying.
"Shut up." Stefan said. He hit Damon's head because he was the only one he could reach. "Let me walk you out then." Stefan suggested. Elena nodded and waved bye to everyone else. "Seriously Elena, stay with me. Doesn't matter how nice the hotel is. It could still have bed bugs." He told her as he held the door open for her.
"Stefan, I already checked into it and my bags are there." She said.
"That's fine. I'll come with you to get them. I'll call my driver. It's fine." He said, taking out his phone. Elena didn't argue anymore because Stefan was just going to keeping insisting. Five minutes later, a car pulled up in front of them and a man came out and opened the door for both of them.
Elena got in first. "Thank you." She said quietly and slipped into the back seat of the car. The driver nodded at her and after Stefan got in, he closed the door and went into the drivers seat. They reached The International Hotel and Elena went up to her room with Stefan to get her bags. "Stefan, you really don't have to do this." She said again as he put her bags in the car.
"Stop, Elena. I just don't think you should be staying in hotel when you have friends with apartments." He told her. "Me, being the only nice one I guess, invited you to stay with me."
Elena laughed. She got in the car again and Stefan's driver started driving to Stefan's place. Elena wondered what his apartment would look like. He's rich, like really rich, so it's probably big. Soon, they were pulling into a garage and before the driver pulled into the spot, she saw SALVATORE printed out on the ground. Her eyebrows raised at the reserved parking spot. Stefan was more important than she thought.
The driver opened Elena's door for her and she thanked him again. Stefan took a few of Elena's bags as the driver took a few more. There was none left for Elena to take and she felt bad. "Stefan, I can carry something." She told him.
"No, I got it. It's okay." He assured. She cocked her head to the side before shaking her head and then prying his fingers off one of the handles of her bag. "What are you doing?" He asked.
Elena held the bag in her hand as they walked in the elevator. "Taking my bag." She told him. "You shouldn't be carrying my bags for me." She said. "You either." She said, turning towards the driver.
"It's my job, Ms." He told her in a deep voice. She stopped arguing and turned away from each of them. Stefan looked over at the driver and smiled at how Elena was acting. The driver couldn't help but smile either because he's never really dealt with people like that. The doors opened and Elena walked out, expecting a hallway but then realizing she was right in a living room.
As soon as she walked in she saw the balcony that overlooked New York City. You could see the twinkling stars that matched the lights of the skyline of New York City. It took her breath away. You could see all of Central Park and the trees and everything. Elena loved it. She wouldn't mind having that at her apartment. Maybe she did, she didn't even see it yet because her mom picked it for her. "You like that?" He asked as he set the bags down.
"Like is an understatement." She said, still facing the view. "May I?" She asked. She wanted to go outside and she didn't know if Stefan wanted that.
"Of course." He said. Elena opened the doors slowly and walked to the edge of the baloney, putting her hands around the bars at the fence. The light breeze of being up so high flew through Elena's long, brown hair. Her jacket flapped open showing the skin that the crop top revealed.
She sighed a content sigh. "I could do this all the time." She said softly. He looked over at her and leaned against the flat top surface of the fence blocking the edge. "It's so quiet and peaceful." Yes, there were cars and horns, but Stefan was up so high that they were distant. And, in a way to Elena, it was soothing.
"It is nice out here." He said quietly, looking out at the view again. They stood in silence for a little while.
"I should get to bed." Elena said after a little while. "I have to be up early." She sighed again and rubbed her head.
"I'll show you your room." He told her. They walked back inside and Stefan grabbed some of her bags and she took some more. "When is you apartment going to be ready?" He asked.
"I think like 3 days." She told him. He nodded and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Well, thank you." She said.
"No problem." He said. "Goodnight, Elena." He smiled.
"Goodnight, Stefan." She said too. She watched him walk out and smiled to herself. If she could control his life, that moment on the balcony would have been the time where he admits that's he's loved her too, and kisses her and sweeps her off her feet. She didn't want to be the one to make the first move because that would just blow up in flames.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
