I'm sorry for taking too long to update !
I take a second to look around me and appreciate my surroundings. I'm with the people I care about most. My wonderful friends, my handsome boyfriend of over two months … Everyone is happy and cheerful. And everything seems to be perfect. No unnecessary drama or distress. We are all here to celebrate someone specific, and each other.
Today Bonnie comes back from Paris, she's been on a business trip for several months now. So Caroline and I decided to surprise her with a cozy welcome back party, which is taking place in my apartment since Bonnie and I are actually roommates! Although Bonnie is more financially capable than I am , we still chose to share a place. We wanted to be there for each other, and cherish our friendship. Bonnie and I think so much alike… Unlike Caroline, she is very calm and likes to think twice before she talks. She's also very tidy and organized. Caroline is more of a spontaneous girl, She likes to take things as they come and not plan everything ahead… Needless to say, together we form the best group of friends, a perfect combination between everything that we are.
"Elena, get behind the couch I think she's coming now!" Caroline hushed, motioning me to take my rightful place like we agreed an hour earlier. Stefan is right next to me , holding my hand and smiling . He's never met Bonnie before, but he knows what she looks like from childhood pictures that I've shown him, but my best friend has grown into an even more beautiful, successful woman. He was very excited to be here, and to get to know my friends and my world a little more.
"Surprise!" We all say at once, the second bonnie switches the lights on. Her lips part in surprise and then they quickly formed a huge smile on her face and of course she didn't fail to express her gratitude for both our efforts and presence.
"I can't believe you guys did this, you have no idea how much I've missed you" Bonnie expressed and Caroline & me jumped on her pulling her in for a hug.
"We've missed you too Bon!"
I can feel his arm wrapping around my waist and pulling me closer to him. He greets Bonnie with his beautiful smile "Welcome Home! I'm Stefan Salvatore"
"Right! The boyfriend! Elena's told me so much about you, it's good to finally meet you Stefan" She said back, while shooting me a look, as if I just presented my high school crush to her!
"Likewise"
"Is anyone hungry? Because I'm starving, and hey Bonnie guess what I got for dessert " said Caroline excitedly
"I'm hoping Red velvet cake?" replied Bonnie looking even more excited than Caroline, if that was even possible!
"YES!"
Everyone left at almost 11p.m, it was an amusing night. We all enjoyed ourselves and got a rare chance to have fun together and forgot about all of our responsibilities. Stefan seemed to get along with everyone which made me happy, because I've been in situation where guys asked me to choose between them and my friends. I am a person who values friendship and loyalty so much. Bonnie and Caroline have been my life companions for almost two decades. I would never let anything come between the friendship we've worked hard to maintain for years. That's a pact we all made since we were kids, to put our friendship first and be there for each other, always.
Bonnie and I stayed up late, drinking hot chocolate, eating Oreos and discussing everything that's happened in those few long months.
"Paris is magical! The city is just breath taking and the people are surprisingly nice! And don't let me start on the food! I've gained at least ten pounds there. I spend whatever little time I had between meetings eating or taking silly selfies to send you" explained bonnie while showing me all the pictures she took of sights and herself on her phone and it's true… I've gotten so many selfies from bonnie, mostly ones with her locking eyes with a piece of cake or French fries.
"But there's no place like home right?" I say jokingly
"That's true! But I was born with the heart of a sixties French girl Elena"
"By the way, you still haven't told me what you think about Stefan, he said he thought you were very cool and smart."
I noticed her getting uncomfortable all of the sudden. She fixated her look on her cup and took a sip from it. I kept shooting her a questioning look. I mean she and Stefan seemed to get on well, they talked about France and business and they seemed to enjoy each other's company so why is she acting as I brought up her high school bully?
"I like him, he seems like an honest, forward nice guy.. but.. " she replied finally while emphasizing on certain words such as honest and forward
"but what? , say it" I exclaim
"Does he even know that you are writing a book about him? , or that everything that happens between the two of you is going to end up being a published novel?" She says while trying to sound as calm and not judgmental as imaginably possible
"I'm not writing a book about him Bonnie! I'm writing it about me, I'm documenting my own life and he happens to be my boyfriend, I have to mention him because he's already left his impact on my life… I don't see why he wouldn't be okay with that" I try to explain myself while failing to even convince my own self. My book has taken a shift lately, I've written a dozen chapters about my life with Stefan, I've even dedicated some of them to talk about his character and the things he's told me about himself.
"Listen, I'm your friend, you know I'm not going to judge you, I'm on your side… But even you don't believe that. You've always kept me updated on your writing progress, and the last chapters I've read are certainly not about you Elena. And I simply think that he has the right to know that you are using him and his life as material."
I shift my look to my computer on the table near and I think how everything on that device has the power to control my relationship's fate. Inside of it are the chapters that I've dared to type down, even after I promised myself not to do so. I even e-mailed my publisher what I've gotten done so far and she said that she likes it but if I don't dig deeper and give her someone more personal she won't be able to fight for the book and let it see the light. She said that she needed something that would create a buzz and make people talk about the book; otherwise no one would spend their time reading the autobiography of an unknown aspiring author.
"Anyway, I'm EXAUHSTED, I'm gonna go to bed.. Goodnight" Those were Bonnie last words before she disappeared into her room… Leaving me alone with my thoughts and guilt, hoping that sleep would be merciful enough to visit me and take my mind off of everything for a couple of hours
Last night I had a wake of consciousness, I couldn't sleep and decided to go to my publisher to discuss other book proposals with her, I've tried to write down as many ideas as I could hoping that she'd agree to at least one of them, some were very cheesy and repeated by I couldn't be creative when I was suffering from guilt and insomnia all at once.
First I stopped to get a cappuccino, from the nearest coffee house I could find. And I walked to the building trying to look composed and professional so that Lexi might consider giving me another chance.
Her assistant let me in, it was early in the morning so she had no other meetings. I walked inside, searching with my look for the critical yet comprehensive blonde but she nowhere to be found. Suddenly my eye caught a brunette that just walked in front of me, she must've came in right after me. Her dark curls were bouncing on her shoulders and she had a smirk on her face, she was remarkably good looking. I couldn't recognize her so I just assumed that she's another assistant.
"Good morning, do you by any chance know when Alexia will be coming?",I asked.
"She won't be" That was all she managed to say, she kept eyeing me weirdly as if I was a portrait that jumped out and came to life
"What does that mean? I've been working with her for months now , I e-mailed her just last week"
"It means she got a job proposal in London so, she took it. Do you understand that much? I'm her replacement, so you'll be dealing with me from now on." She said while walking towards her seat and making herself comfortable, as if she was trying to torture me with her words.
"That's quite impossible; I've been working on this book with her. And I don't think if you and I can start over. Can she and I keep on exchanging notes while she's in London at least ?" I proposed, because something inside of me told me that this supposed replacement wasn't good news and that it's going to be very hard for us to get along especially that I came with the intention of asking a favor from Lexi.
"Elena Gilbert, you're the one who is working on the autobiography right? You're contract is with us, not Alexia. You still owe us a book. And frankly I like what you've sent so far, especially the whole boyfriend/girlfriend experience. The readers will be able to relate, or at least want to be able to" She said to me, I was surprised that she knows who I am but I didn't read too much into it.
"Actually, I was hoping you could see my new proposals, I don't think I'm ready for an autobiography yet I mean I'm still in my twenties that wouldn't interest the adult readers" I try to sound convincing
"I don't think so, I've been in the business for a while, and I know a good book when I see one. Just focus on the boyfriend fantasy. Write it all, the sex, the personal stuff, the whole fantasy. Everyone has to want to be you: Teenagers, adults, housewives. Everyone has to want your life. And remember sex sells, especially since your boyfriend is Stefan Salvatore, a successful man, I've read about him in the NewYorker. "
"That the entire problem, I can't keep writing it, it's going to ruin my own relationship, I really do care about Stefan!" I burst
"Elena, you need to publish a book with us, and I'm telling you it's this one so you're going to write it. Don't tell the boyfriend, and just keep on doing what you do, It hasn't bothered you for months now you suddenly care? " She stated and at this point she had crossed a line. Even if she's the boss she had no right to talk to me like that. That's personal and I just met her
"You don't know me! I don't even know your name!" I say as I grab my files and start to get ready to leave the room, ironic since I was planning on staying professional.
"I'm Katherine Pierce" she presented herself, mockingly.
I stormed out of the room feeling blood boil in my vains; I can't do this to Stefan without his consent. And if I do tell him I risk losing him and the book deal. But all I can think about are his feelings, and how betrayed he would be if he knew that I was using him, using us to build myself a career. Worst part was that I only wanted to write about my life and suddenly he became a huge part of it and I can't help my feelings towards him.