Chapter 9:

The screech of tyres, the sound of a car door slamming, the muffled jingling of keys, two voices, one deeper and gruffer than the other, and the words, 'Would you like to come in?' woke me up. The less gruff voice had spoken those words.

Mum.

With baited breath and straining ears, I listened for a response, but I heard absolutely nothing. Did Giuseppe accept her invitation?

It had been a tumultuous week of incessant giggling, multiple phone calls and a handful of 'casual' dates. Not on my behalf, of course, but on mum's. From what I was gathering, they were far from casual and things were developing quickly between them. It was eerily strange to watch them openly flirt with one another from the sidelines, yet they seemed to be withholding from the progressing relationship. I guess I was partially to blame for that; I hadn't exactly been taciturn in my remarks or withheld my judgement from mum about their arrangements. But things were developing quickly between them, much quicker than the string of men that mum had dated in the past. Honestly, it sort of scared me a little.

Damon had been somewhat evasive this past week and I put it all down to the fact that our parents were dating. He must have objected to their arrangements as much as Jeremy and I had, but we reluctantly agreed to give him a chance. For mum's sake.

The perfect opportunity had presented itself in the form of my birthday and mum had fervently pleaded with me to allow Giuseppe and his family to join us for my birthday dinner. I wasn't exactly too pleased with her plans, but I stuck to my calm facade and appeasingly agreed, wanting to end her perpetual beseeching. It was my birthday on Friday, only four days away, and we'd all be going to a restaurant after school then.

Wordlessly, I slipped my legs out from beneath the duvet and tip-toed over Caroline's motionless form on the floor. She was snoring softly into her pillow and was not disturbed by my creeping about, thankfully. Mum had said that we couldn't leave the house, which technically didn't mean that others couldn't come over. Besides, it was just Caroline. Harmless, snoring, Caroline, who's heavy breathing had been one of the reasons I'd woken up in the first place.

The closer I got to the staircase, the more I heard them.

"Would you like something to drink?"

Of course, Giuseppe accepted her offer, I thought spitefully. It was nothing personal against Giuseppe, but, as wretched as it sounded, I didn't want mum to find somebody else. It just didn't feel right.

"Actually, I'd like to try something."

Silence. It was completely silent.

My foot faltered on the next step and I stilled, casting my eyes towards the kitchen. They hadn't caught me, but I had a sneaky suspicion that they were too busy to notice the creak of the floorboards under my bare feet.

"Did you hear that?"

Okay, so maybe I was a tad wrong…

"Oh, it's probably a mouse or something."

Phew!

"Hmm..."

I poked my head around the corner and froze. Mum was pressed up against the counter… with Giuseppe between her legs. They were like rabid animals as they each rolled their tongues against one another. Shit!

They each broke apart from the tight embrace they were in and their lips smacked together as they parted. Did I just say that aloud?

"Elena, uh, hi..." Giuseppe waved his hand at me awkwardly and scratched the back of his head with the other. My gaze travelled to mum as she whipped her shirt back on and fastened the buttons with shaky fingers. She'd taken up residency in front of Giuseppe, obviously trying to cover up his… nakedness.

"Hey, Mr Salvatore."

"What's with all of the racket? Oh, hey Mr Salvatore… Oh my God!" Caroline, initially yawning and stretching and oblivious to the circumstances, threw her hands over her eyes like a protective barrier from the truly horrifying scene before her.

"Caroline…" Giuseppe mumbled in greeting.

He looked helplessly mortified, whereas mum was finding it hard to hide the smirk from her face. I couldn't blame her though. If you got passed all of the humiliating nakedness and awkwardness of the situation, it was somewhat humorous.

Caroline peeked through a gap between her fingers before eventually removing her hand when mum manoeuvred herself to cover Giuseppe's junk from Caroline's view, and then she just sort of stared, which was a whole lot worse.

"See you at work?"

"Yeah." I saluted him hastily with an impish smile on my lips before tugging Caroline back upstairs.


"So, what do you think?"

"I think you're a perpetual teenager." I grinned from behind my journal, attempting to ignore the scathing glare she sent my way.

"Oh, come on, Elena." Mum whined, her eyes pleading with me, "It was just a few dates." She threw her hands up in exasperation and then slapped them against her thighs again, taking a few steps towards my bed so that I was forced to look at her.

Caroline had left early this morning. Apparently, she'd had cheerleading practice or something. I hadn't really paid attention to the details. Mum was dressed in her purple and white flannel bottoms and a violet t-shirt, a pair of fluffy silver slippers adorned her feet and a nightgown of the same shade of purple hung loosely open. She held two mugs of coffee in her hand and she held one out to me; a peace offering.

"Yeah, one date with my boss." I muttered under my breath, snatching the mug from her grasp. It splotched slightly onto my duvet and I halfheartedly swept a hand over the embroidered material before taking a hefty swig and placing it on my nightstand.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"About what?"

"About what you saw, last night." She flushed at the memory and shook her head to clear it.

"No." I sneered, a huff escaping my lips.

She sighed and plonked herself down onto the end of my bed, making it jiggle unsteadily. I cast my journal to one side and looked up at her with tight lips, "Fine, what do you want to talk about?"

After my first day at work, Giuseppe had kindly asked mum to dinner the following night and she'd quickly agreed, much to my dismay. Of course, they hadn't gone to The Grill, that would have been a tad strange, but they'd most probably gone somewhere fancy. The thought made me want to puke.

"About your feelings…" She trailed off. She began swirling the contents of her decaffeinated coffee around her mug, a nervous habit of hers, and just stared blankly at the swirling liquid.

She was obviously anxious and uneasy about the whole situation, but she still took my thoughts into consideration. Even if she really did like Giuseppe, she'd end things with him in an instant if I mentioned anything. I had to give him a chance to prove his worth. I couldn't do this to her and ruin their relationship, as much as I wanted to for dad's sake. But he'd want this for mum. He'd want her to find someone else and be happy, even if it hurt him. Mum deserved some semblance of happiness in her life and I couldn't deny her that and selfishly take that away from her. The worried creases in her forehead and the biting of her lip had my mind set. Clasping her hand gently in my own and caressing the back of it, I smiled encouragingly at her, "Giuseppe's a great guy, mum. In fact, he's probably one of the nicest you've ever dated. I think that you should be spontaneous and do what you want to do and don't worry about me or Jeremy. No matter what your choice is, we'll always love you and accept the way that you live your life. We just want you to make sure your making the right decisions for you, and be happy. That's the most important thing. It's what dad would want."

She finally looked up at me pensively, her eyes brimming with tears. Placing her mug next to mine, she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me to her so that I was cradled like a baby in her lap. She placed a long kiss on the top of my head and then another on my forehead as she rocked me to and fro. "I love you, baby." She whispered hoarsely through her tears.

I smiled at her nurturing ways and placed a small peck on her cheek, "I love you, too, mum."

Muffled by my morning hair, she jived, poking my arm playfully, "I told you he'd have a hot dad."

I spontaneously erupted into fits of laughter. "Way to ruin the mother-daughter bonding session, mum."

"What can I say?" She shrugged, a grin on her lips, "I'm a natural. By the way, why was Caroline here? I could have sworn I said no one was to go out…"

"Technically, I didn't go out."

She gave me the don't-argue-back-or-I'll-have-your-balls look and I offered her an innocent smile, fully loaded with dimples and puppy-dog eyes. When she didn't relent, I groaned and gave in.

"Okay, how about I fully agree to behave when we go for my birthday dinner with Giuseppe and we forget about the whole Caroline fiasco?"

"Deal."


I cast another furtive glare at the clock mounted on the peeling wall and slumped further into my seat at the back of the classroom. The resonating ticking of its hands were infuriating, leading me on to believe that the bell would soon sound any second, but it just didn't.

It was the final lesson of the day and I was desperate to get out of there and head to the library. After finishing Wuthering Heights yet again, I'd come to realise that I had a dwindling supply of books that I hadn't already read. So, last night, I'd vowed that I would venture to the school library after class and check out the masses of books they had stocked. Surely, I could find something to stick my nose in.

I was dragged from my stupor when the strident toll of the bell rang obnoxiously near my ear. Earnestly, I slipped from my stool and flung my bag over my shoulder. My legs were quick to the door, chaos ensuing around me as I wormed my way through the throngs of hasty students. I ducked when a ball went flying down the corridor over my head, merely skimming me and leaving tendrils of my hair static and dishevelled. I patted it back down with my free hand and used my elbow to manoeuvre the door open. The sudden silence of the library ensnared me as I let the door close softly behind me.

Smiling sweetly at the librarian behind her quaint desk, I released a deep breath and began my hunt for a classic book, searching high and low for something, anything. I eventually found a decent looking one and pulled it down from its space within the shelves. I swiped my hand along the surface of the leather cover, cleansing it of the excess dust layering it. That's when I spotted him through a gap in the bookshelves.

He was leaning forward in a modern green chair, a huge wooden table sitting vacant before him; nobody wanted to intrude Damon, of course. The sleeves of his black knit sweater were rolled up to the elbows, which he was leaning on, his chin resting atop his hands as he chewed on one of his nails. A rectangular shaped pair of reading glasses was perched on the bridge of his nose and a worn book was flopped open in his free hand.

As I neared his table, a determined strut in my step, I came to a sudden halt besides him when it dawned on me that I was actually about to join him. I felt compelled to. As if he could sense my presence, he turned suddenly in his seat to look up at me and my decision was already made.

"Can I help you?" He simpered sardonically. Reaching up, he brought the glasses from his face and folded them away, placing them neatly on the table along with his book.

I cleared my throat awkwardly and transferred my weight to my other foot, "May I?" I gestured lamely to the seat across from him.

He didn't say anything for a few seconds, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed me. I felt small under his intense scrutiny, but he eventually shrugged and picked up his book again.

Taking that as a sure sign that I was 'allowed', I blew out a deep breath, clutching the book I'd sought tighter to my chest and pulled the chair out directly adjacent to him. It scraped across the floor noisily and I winced at the sound, casting a quick glance at the librarian and then Damon to see if I'd interrupted him. Luckily, I hadn't.

Picking up the crinkled book, which I'd forgone looking up the name or blurb of, I turned to the first page and began reading. I knew it's wasn't going in, due to a certain someone sitting before me, but I continued to read nonetheless. A few pages in and I still had no idea what I was reading. I couldn't stop replaying the image of Damon's fingers as he fastened the identifier to the fabric over my left breast, or the way he'd looked at me from across the bar, his scorching eyes searing me, or when he'd flung me over my shoulder and slapped my butt playfully…

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and cleared my throat, looking up at him sneakily from behind my book, biting into my lower lip, "I didn't know you read."

He looked up at me slowly, having to tear his eyes away from the page of his book, "There's a lot you don't know about me, Elena." I couldn't help the smile that threatened to spread across my face and I pursed my lips together to refrain from doing so.

The remainder of afternoon was spent in a comfortable silence as we each got lost in our own respective books, although I still didn't know the first thing about my book, so I didn't end up renting it out. I'd just have to come back the following day and find another one. The thought made me feel giddy with anticipation, wondering if he'd be here again. Nibbling quietly on my sandwiches, I'd forget he was there. I had never seen him in that light before, he was usually so forward and outgoing, always trying to bug me or say something snarky. Maybe he was right; I didn't know that much about him.

But I sure as hell intended to find out more.

Damon left after only fifteen minutes and I was left on my own to read. The book wasn't that great and I ended up just catching up on some assignment for chemistry. It was fairly effortless on my behalf, so I was finished after just an hour.

Deciding that I wasn't going to get anywhere with the book I'd picked, I stood from my seat and traipsed back to the shelf where I'd found it. I placed it back on the shelf and smiled sweetly at the librarian as I exited. She seemed pleasant, not like those awfully cliche librarians you tended to find in young adult literature and teenaged-based TV programmes.

As I stuffed my textbooks in my locker, something caught my eye in the back of it. It was my running uniform. I bit my lip as I contemplated doing my ritual jog back home. I hadn't been jogging much since I'd moved here, the last time being when I'd first spotted Mystic Grill. With my mind set, I dumped the remainder of my textbooks in my locker and grabbed the neatly folded lycra shorts and crop top from the back. My running shoes were next to them and I scooped them up with two of my fingers before using my ass to shut my locker.

The girls bathroom was locked, which I sort of anticipated since all restroom facilities were locked by the janitor at 3:30pm. I knew I was pushing my luck when I tried the girls locker room. There were no female-orientated clubs on mondays and so that was locked, too.

I don't know what urged me to try, but when I knocked tentatively on the boys locker room door and there was no reply, I pushed it open and it budged. I poked my head around the doorway and sighed in relief when I found it empty.

The boys had football practice today, which is probably why Damon had left the library after only a short time, but I still had ten minutes before coach sent them back in to change.

Plenty of time, I thought smugly.

Between the red lockers lining the walls was a stripped wooden bench. I plonked down onto it and began peeling off my converse. I'd opted for jeans again today and there was no way I could run in those.

I deftly peeled my jeans off and folded them neatly on the bench beside me.

It happened suddenly. The door handle rattled and the frame of the door shuck. I ducked hastily into the locker next to me and closed the door silently behind me. I guess coach let them out early, just my luck.

I held my breath as a bunch of football players rounded the corner, a blur of crimson. The putrid smell of body odour trailed in with them and I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

They were babbling and hooting wildly as they dressed and when Damon came into view between the little lines in the locker, my eyes widened. Mud coated his cheeks and sweat was dripping from his forehead and around his blue eyes. How did I notice these details from within the locker, you ask? He was directly in front of the locker. His locker. The locker I was in.

Oh my God!

I surveyed him for a second, watching as his eyes zeroed in on the articles of clothing folded neatly on the bench behind him.

Shit! My clothes!

He shook his head and an impassive gaze took over his face, thank God. Maybe, he didn't suspect anything out of the ordinary.

Standing on my tip-toes, I gazed through the gaps in the locker at the bench. My jeans, both pairs of shoes, and my running gear were still there. I only had my underwear, socks and top on. So much for plenty of time…

I was too focused on the clothing on the bench to feel the locker door shaking and opening beneath my fingers. I quickly tore my hands from laying on the metal surface of the locker door and placed them over the space between my thighs. It didn't make much difference and didn't really cover much.

Damon blinked rapidly at me for a split second, his long, full lashes fanning against his high cheekbones. Damn.

I handed him his clothes and towel from behind my head and he just stared at me for a second.

"You look like you've seen a ghost, Damon, what's up?" Someone boomed from across the changing rooms.

"Nothing." And then he shut the door. The click of the lock made my eyes widen and my mouth fall open in utter shock. He'd locked me in!

I heaved a sigh of relief as he undressed and wrapped a towel around his waist. As if he hadn't even seen me hanging out in his locker just moments ago….

The crowd of boys dispersed after a while, leaving only Damon, his best friend, Klaus, and Tyler and Mason Lockwood. My eyes tended not to stray from Damon, except when he'd gotten completely naked.

Believe me, I'd wanted to look, but I just couldn't bring myself to. It was an invasion of his privacy, even though he'd done exactly the same thing to me on my first day of work.

"You ready?" Klaus' muffled voice sounded from the locker beside the one I was tucked away in.

"Actually, no," Damon voiced, gesturing to the white towel that hung from his hips. I salivated at the sight of his 'v' and the snail-trail of hair leading to… Oh, lord have mercy on me. "I was just gonna go take a shower. I'll meet you at your place in twenty."

"Don't take too long, mate." His thick, british accent drawled. Klaus was undeniably sexy, but he just wasn't my type. Well, Damon hadn't really been my type when I'd initially met him, but he'd still gotten under my skin.

Damon didn't respond, and when everyone left, Damon sashayed on over to the shower cubicles.

I threw my head back into the locker and the loud thwack echoed throughout the entire space. I was sure Damon could hear it.

"I know you know I'm in here, Damon." I slammed my fists uselessly against the front of the locker, "let me out, now."

He didn't respond and I screamed in frustration, kicking at the front of the locker. I stopped my assault on the locker when the door flew open. Damon was nowhere in sight. I could still hear the shower running in the background and I grabbed my clothes from the bench and clutched them to my chest, about to leave.

Looking down, I was still barelegged and I couldn't just walk out of there half-dressed. I placed the pile of clothes on the edge of the bench and sat down next to them. I pulled on my black jogging shorts and swapped my t-shirt for my crop top assemble. Whilst fastening the laces of my running shoes, the shower cut off and I froze. Hastily fastening them, I grabbed the pile of discarded clothes beside me and held them tightly to my chest.

When I turned around, Damon was standing outside of the shower cubicle with his hands resting on his hips. His towel was, again, in place, and the delicious contours of his chest were dripping with droplets of water. His usually dark hair was now two shades darker due to the wetness and it was dripping down the side of his face.

I wanted to touch him. To feel his supple skin beneath my venturing fingers. I wanted to feel him, all of him. I wanted him to want me. And, most of all, I wanted him.

I took a step towards him.


A/N- Uh... Merry Christmas and a Happy new year? Is it too late for that? Sorry, guys, for the lack of updating, I've been preoccupied with holidays abroad, last-minute shopping and visiting family all over England. I was lucky to get a Macbook for christmas, so I'm just about getting the hang of that and the internet has also been down since I got back off of my travels, but it's back up again now, so I won't take as long updating next time *crosses fingers*.

P.S- *whispers* It was my birthday on the 7th, so drop me a review in penance for my hard work and a belated birthday wish!