In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of

There's nothing you can't do, now you're in New York

These streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you

Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York

Here she was. In New York City. The Big Apple. Her dream city.

This was just a real dream coming true for Elena. Since she was a little girl, all she wanted to do was working in the TV production marketing – and having the opportunity of doing it in NY was just the best she could ever ask.

Concentrating on her career and on her future was all she wanted to do so far. Her heart wasn't ready to love again, or better, it didn't have room for anyone else.. uncomfortable thoughts began to show up in Elena's mind knowing that he was here too. Hell, New York was huge.. but for how 'lucky' she was, never say never! Elena rented an apartment in Manhattan, sharing the house with two other girls. She was happy about that though – one because Manhattan was the best and safer place to live in NY, and two because she would have immediatly known someone. Elena took a taxi from the airport and gave him the address to bring her at the house.

When she finally arrived at the building, mixed feelings were passing through her body. Anxiety, fear, happiness – but most of all excitement.

She rang the doorbell waiting for her roommates to show up. A tall, blonde, green eyed girl with a wide smile opened the door.

"Hey. You must be Elena." she exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm Elena, nice to meet you." Elena exclaimed too with a bit of shyness.

"It's a pleasure Elena.. I'm Rachel." the girl said still smiling, heading her hand at her. Elena smiled too and reached for her hand.

Rachel helped her with the lugguages, bringing them in Elena's room.

"This is your room Elena. I hope you like it. You probably won't be disappointed with the house.. after all, we're in Manhattan! We have two bathrooms, and obviously one kitchen and living room. There's even the basement but you probably won't need it." Rachel explained to her very gently.

"Thank you Rachel. From how long have you been living here if I can ask?" Elena asked, meanwhile observing amazed her room. It was fantastic, it was even bigger than her own room. And it was very well done. Probably one good designer builded and pictured the whole house.

Her room had a double bed, one big desk and a huge wardrobe. Wow.

"You like it, don't you?" Rachel asked amused, catching Elena staring at the room so intensly. "By the way two years. I come from San Francisco so I'm used to this cold weather.. now that I'm mentioning it, you should probably buy lots of jackets and stuff. You're going to need them, trust me. Come 'Lena, I'm going to do some coffee." the girl offered. Elena liked her so far, she seemed really nice and comfortable to be around with. Somehow she reminded her of Caroline. A little smile appeared across Elena's face thinking about her friend..

"Why are you smiling?" Rachel asked while making the coffee.

"What? Oh, nothing.. you just remind me of one of my best friends." she replied.

Rachel smiled. "Where are you from?"

"I come from Mystic Falls, which yeah, I know.. it's like an unknown city but whatever." she cut off shortly.

"Oh really? Someone I know lived there." Rachel replied, giving Elena her coffee.

Elena really didn't feel like asking who this friend was. After all she didn't know the girl and something told her that it was better not to ask, she didn't want to know the answer for some reasons that she didn't quite understand…

Rachel sat on the opposite chair of the kitchen table, sipping her coffee too. "So.. what are you studying?" she asked.

"Screenwriting. I love to read and most of all I love movies, good movies, since I was very little. So studying it here is like a dream coming true! And you?" she asked too, feeling always more comfortable with this girl.

"Oh I work for Vanity Fair. I write articles."

"No kidding! Oh my god, my sister would love you." Elena told her laughing. Rachel laughed too.

"I know that we are three here. Where's the other girl?" Elena asked curiously.

"Rose? She's a hostess, so she travels a lot. Plus most of the time she's at the guy she's seeing place so you're not going to see her very much.."

"Oh. Well, I hope that I'm going to know her soon though."

"Tonight she's coming back from her trip. And by the way, you just have to meet this new guy she's seeing! It's like, oh my god, you know he seems an actor, a model, a god on earth or something.." Rachel said with giggles and excitement. But honestly, Elena couldn't care less. At the moment she really didn't care, she could be as well a nun.

"Wow, I gotta see him then. And are you seeing someone?"

"Nah.. I like being single for now. I broke up with my boyfriend three months ago, we've been together for four years and I still miss him like crazy sometimes but well.. it just didn't work out." Rachel sighed.

"I understand you." Elena replied with a bit of sadness in her voice.

"Sorry if I ask, but from the sound of your voice.. have you been through something like that too?" she asked a bit curious.

"Yes. I've been there. This guy and I.. we've been together pratically two years, one official to everyone. You know he was amazing with me. I grew up a lot with him, all my greatest experiences have been with him. And when we broke up, it sure wasn't because we grew apart or because we didn't love each other anymore.." Elena replied staring at the ground, still with sad voice.

Rachel gave her an apologetic look, she could understand her perfectly. "If I can.. why did you guys broke up?" she asked, unsure if Elena really wanted to tell her.

"Because he was older than me, and he had to move because a great opportunity for his job had been offered to him – ha, hilarious thing, here in New York. So he asked me to move with him, I was still 17 almost 18 but he told me that I could have finished high-school here and then studying what I wanted, since he already knew that New York was my dream. I said no. And I regret it every-single-day." Elena confessed, a tear escaping.

"I'm so sorry Elena, I shouldn't have pushed you this further. I didn't mean to hurt you.. but hey, you were still young and confused, it's legit what you did. It's not that you didn't love him." Rachel said, offering a reassuring smile.

"I know.. but he was my dream, and I pushed him away. And for what? To live in an unknown town instead of living here with him and realizing my dream? I've been a chicken. You should have seen the look in his eyes when I said no – he was so hurt and disappointed. He didn't expect that, I betrayed him. And he still hoped that I changed my mind until the last day." she was in tears now, but she just couldn't help it. Those memories still hurt and the fact that she regretted what she did made her so angry. "I'm sorry, now I seem like a crazy person who cries like a child." Elena said awkwardly, managing a smile.

Rachel giggled and got near her rubbing her shoulder. "What? No! I cry a lot. Like for the most stupid thing." she laughed rolling her eyes playfully and Elena joined her.

They kept talking, completely changing argument – after a while Elena fixed the things in her room and took a shower. She was exausted.

"Hey!" a female voice called from the door. Elena rosed from her bed to see who it was.

"Hey Ros! How are you doing?" Rachel asked from the couch, watching TV and eating popcors. Rose took a bunch of popcorns in her hand.

"Tired. Hungry. A mess." the girl giggled. She seemed to have a british accent. "Hey is our new roommate already here?" she then asked.

"Hi.." Elena spat out shyly from the door. The girl offered her a smile.

"Sorry if I'm a mess, but I'm so tired you know." Elena said smiling, reaching her and heading her hand. "I'm Elena by the way."

"Hey, I perfectly understand you! I'm Rose. Nice to meet you Elena." she replied politely. She wasn't bad too; she had short brown hair and green eyes, she had a nice face but nothing compared to Rachel who seemed a model.

"Sorry guys if I leave you like that but I'm starving and super tired. I'm having a toast and then straight to bed.. gosh, sometimes I hate this work!" she said. "It's been a pleasure, Elena." she offered a little smile before heading to the kitchen.

"Oh well, just so you know Rose can be such of a perfectionist sometimes though. She always wants to be in her best. But she's with that hottie of Damon, so who can blame her!" Rachel giggled.

Damon. Damon? Holy crap, Elena thought. She was in New York from barely a day and she already had to hear that name. But well, after all it was a common name.. okay not very common, but still. She shivered a little hearing that name though. She joined Rachel on the couch – now she was very curious to know this Damon…