Elena awoke to a knock at the door. She sat up on the couch, pushing her hair out of her eyes and standing, still clothed in her clothes from the day before. She approached the door with caution, afraid it might be Stefan. She looked through the peep hole to find no one on the other side of the door. She opened door, curious to know if anyone was out of the peep hole's view. She stepped out onto the welcome mat, kicking a box. She knelt down, picking up the box and walking back inside, kicking the door shut behind her. She walked back into the living room, setting the box down on the coffee table and slipping the top off of the box, inside embedded in lilac tissue paper lay a freshly tailored cream colored Cinderella dress. She gasped as she picked up the note that was resting on top. 'Dearest Elena, wear this dress tonight so everyone can see just how beautiful you are. Meet me in the garden of the Lockwood residence once the clock strikes midnight, I'll be waiting'
She held the fabric between her thumb and forefinger, she had forgot tonight was the masquerade ball! Well now she had something to wear; now she just needed to figure out how she would be doing her hair and how to get rid of these bruises. She didn't want to scare her secret admirer away just yet.
After about two hours getting a shower and getting dressed, Elena stood in front of her floor length mirror and smiled. Pleased with her reflection, she checked her arms and neck for any bruises or welts. She gladly noted that she had covered them fully. Her hair was in a half up-half down style. Little ringlets dangled from where they were bobby pinned. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as she walked down the stairs nervously afraid that she would bump into Stefan on the way over or whilst she was there for that matter.
She grabbed her purse and pinned the corsage over her left breast. She walked out onto the porch and down the stairs, over to her car. She pulled up in front of the Lockwood home moments later, climbing out of her car and stepping out onto the pavement. She walked steadily on her heels as she reached the front door as Tyler greeted her, "Hey Elena, where's Stefan?" She stuttered, "Uh, he couldn't make it. Had some things to take care of." He nodded, looking at her skeptically before stepping to the side, "Well come on in, have fun." "Thanks." She walked past him, letting out a sigh before stepping into the dining room for a drink. It was only eight so she had a little while to go before finally getting to meet her admirer. Everyone was wearing masquerade masks, but she could recognize people here and there.
"Elena." She turned to see Matt standing in front of her in a tux and a plum colored mask covering his eyes. His blonde hair combed back and his jaw cleanly shaven. "Hey, Matt." She held her glass that was filled to the brim with whiskey in her hand tightly. He looked to the drink, "I didn't know you drank." She looked down at the glass and back up into his baby blues, "I don't." "Then why?" she gulped and chuckled nervously as she saw a familiar person approach them, "Matt, you should go." Matt turned to look behind him to find Stefan standing there in a tux and a scarlet mask just covering his eyes and the bridge of his nose. "Stefan, hey."
Stefan stood there, his jaw clenched as he looked between the two of them. "I see." He began angrily. Matt's brows furrowed, "I'm sorry?" Elena tried again, "Matt, just go." "What's going on here?" he asked, directing it at Stefan. Stefan chuckled, "No need to be the hero here Matt." "What are you talking about?" Elena slammed back her glass, gulping the alcohol in one gulp and said, "Leave him alone Stefan." "Or what Elena, you know what I'm capable of and little girl like you can't do anything to stop me." She flinched at his words, he was referring to the night he beat her. "Is there a problem here?" it was Tyler. Stefan turned to look at the young werewolf, "No not really." "Good because I don't want a fight to ruin this high." His eyes were bloodshot as he walked away after grabbing a bottle of scotch.
"I think we should take this outside don't you Elena? Wouldn't want to cause a scene do we?" "No we don't." Matt wasn't going to walk away though, "What needs to be taken outside exactly?" Stefan ground his teeth together, grabbing Matt's neck and glaring daggers into his eyes, "Walk away and forget that Elena and I were ever here, understood?" Matt began to choke as he struggled out a, "Yes." Stefan dropped him back onto his feet as he grabbed a hold of Elena's elbow, dragging her out into the garden. White lights twinkled from the bushes as people began heading back inside. Stefan pushed Elena away from him slightly, "How many times do I have to tell you Elena? You are mine." "I am not property Stefan and especially not yours." "That's what you think." "Do you really want to do this here?" She asked as he clicked his tongue, "You thought you could go behind my back is that it?" "No." "It was nice of Matt to get you that pretty little corsage. Too bad he can't protect you very much." "Leave me alone."
Stefan began to chuckle like a mad man, "You're the one that has brought us to this. Now considering you're on vervain I'm just going to have to force you." "To do what?" "Well hitting you didn't do very much now did it? Now I'm going to have to step it up a notch." He took a step towards her. She finally got what he was implying. "No." He grinned, "Oh yes." He grabbed her waist, pulling her behind the bushes and pulled her dress up over her hips. "Is this what you want you fucking slut?" he ripped off her panties. He kissed her lips roughly as he unbuckled his pants. "No, no get off of me!" he just laughed, he laughed and laughed as she tried to squirm out of his arms. He gripped her legs hard, pinning them to the ground as he pushed into her. She screamed and screamed and he used her body. "You like to scream? Here I'll scream with you." He screamed as she began to cry.
Suddenly he was ripped off of her as she heard a struggle. "Who the fuck are you?" and then a gasp. Somebody hit the ground with a thump. Someone stood over her, giving her a hand. They pulled her up as she met piercing blue eyes. He had raven colored hair and a chiseled jaw. He helped her push her dress back down. She still had her mask on as he pulled it away from her face and removing a few twigs from her hair. "You must be Elena, I'm Damon. I've been sending you letters?" She smiled weakly as he sighed, "Let's go get you cleaned up." She looked to the ground just in time to see Stefan's hardened grey face before Damon whisked her away.