Chapter 6:
"I would be delighted to take your hand in marriage." Her words were marked by her signature teary-eyed smile. Her red lipped smile was the beginning of her heartbreak. She never thought she could feel so miserable and so honorable at the same time. "I'm going to go to bed, now." He hugged her quickly before she parted from him to the stairs. The second her door locked, she broke down on the floor. Her face was distorted, mascara running down her cheeks. She didn't want to quit school, she didn't want to get married, she didn't want children and she certainly didn't want that life with Trevor.
She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Melissa number, "Mel…" She cried into the phone like a little baby. "I'm getting married." She choked on her words, begging her heart to stop hurting. Melissa listened to her cry until Elena met the realm of rationality. It was a realm every young bride discovered.
"How much time do you have?" Melissa asked once Elena's sobs stopped.
"We haven't discussed time, but you know how it goes." Elena sighed, "I have a month at max and three days for the minimum. Mel, the only thing getting me through right now is my mom. I know this is what she wanted for me… except, I think she would have let me pick my own husband."
"She would be proud of you, so very proud of you Elena."
Elena paused, "Then it's settled, after tonight there will be no more tears." She tried to convince herself that she had to move on from that pain in her heart. "None… unless they are tears of joy."
XXX
"Elena, right?" Her fiancée said as he walked around her house. She nodded, "That's a nice name. Get a pen and a piece of paper and write this down." She did as she was told, listening to everything he said. "Hair gel, hair spray, oranges, food for you to cook, smaller skirts for you, and XBOX games for your brother. Got it?"
"Yes." She said calmly, looking at the time. She was going to be late for school if he continued to order her around. It was her job to serve him and be a loyal wife but they weren't married yet. Their lives were still separate. "Is that all?"
"Yes." She sighed, reaching for her bag for school. "Where are you going?"
"School." She said, "Did you need something?"
"You're not going to school." He said as if she were an idiot for even attempting. "We agreed to this last night, we're engaged now and you have to quit. It's a waste of time for you to be at school with gorgers when you could be cleaning your house or planning our wedding, don't you think?"
"I thought I would stop with school after I finished the year. I only have two more months left." She argued.
"What are you going to do when we move?" Trevor asked, "I said you're not going so you're not going. It's final."
She rolled her eyes, "Listen, Trevor… I'm not your wife yet. You still have to res-" He hit her right in the face. She fell back against her kitchen counter as he kneeled down to her. She cupped her face as she reeled from his man-like punch.
"I'm sorry honey…I really am but you have to understand that I am the man. I run the roost. I didn't want to hit you but you have to understand your role in our future house." He touched the place where he hit her, "I'm sorry."
"I forgive you." She lied, closing her eyes. She told him what he wanted to hear. "It's my fault. I've gotten used to the gorger way and I forgot how I'm supposed to behave."
"I forgive you. Don't worry, you'll learn again. I know it doesn't help that the woman in your home isn't a practicing Romani." Trevor left her sitting on the floor as he started to play video games. A small tear fell from her eye, but she wiped it away. She ran up the stairs to apply more makeup to the spot where he hit her before it bruised because she knew it would bruise.
When she was finished, she ran down the stairs. "I'm going to get what you asked for. Are you sure that's all?"
"That's all."
XXX
She wasn't surprised to see him in the bar. She thanked good for the horrible lighting in the place so he couldn't see her face. There wasn't a soul in sight but him. He was sleeping on the bar. "Is this what men do these days? Fall asleep drunk?"
She'd clearly underestimated vampire sight. "What's wrong with your face?"
"It's nothing." She put her hand over the hot mark. It was starting to swell.
"Who did this to you?" Klaus stood up, a little shaky from his hangover.
"I got in the way."
"That didn't answer my question."
"Trevor." She shrugged, "Like I said, I got in the way."
He paused, sucking back all of his rage so he could talk sweetly to her. "Of what? Him punching you in the face? Love- sorry- Elena, he was aiming for you."
"I have to go. I don't know why I keep coming back to you. I'm breaking the rules every time I talk to you, if someone sees us."
"They won't."
"But if they do…"
"He'll hurt you again."