'Jump, and you will find out how to unfold your wings as you fall' Ray Bradbury
"So Damon, I think it's only right that you get to walk alongside Elena as she christens this brand new ramp," Jenna says smiling.
"It still needs paint to match the deck porch and railings but I would be honored to escort you Miss Gilbert," I say with a bow and tip of my imaginary hat.
"Thank you kind sir," she plays along then puts her hands on the wheels of her chair and rolls herself down the ramp with me walking beside her. When she reaches the end of it, I begin the applause and soon everyone joins in.
"I don't know how to thank you, Damon," she whispers, discreetly wiping the glint of a tear from her eye.
With a smile on my face, I stoop down so I'm eye level with her. "How about you come to the Grill with us? That's how you can thank me," I reply showing my 'eye thing' as Rose calls it.
She lowers her eyes for a moment while fingering the fabric of her top. "I don't really think so," she says hesitantly.
"People like to stare."
"People stare because they're amazed at the progress you've made. Come on, Elena. Just for a little while. I promise I'll bring you home when you ask me to. I'll even be the designated driver."
Sighing heavily, she raises her eyes to mine for a few seconds then lowers them again. I notice how she's still nervously playing with the hem of her shirt.
"Please Elena. You've earned a little fun. What do you say?"
"Um.. I suppose I could go out for a little bit," she says softly.
"Great! Would you like to ride with me?"
Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, she smiles hesitantly and nods.
Smiling myself, "Okay then, let's go," I answer then get behind her, grabbing a hold of her chair handles and pushing her towards my vehicle. Once I help her into the passenger side, I fold up her chair and put it in the back of the truck. After jumping into the driver's side, I turn on the ignition and off we go.
Several hours later everyone is having a great time. I limit myself to just a couple of beers. Since I'm driving Elena home, I don't want her to have to worry about me being incapable of driving.
"Do you want anything else to drink or something to snack on maybe?" I ask her.
Smiling shyly, she shakes her head. "No, but thanks for offering. And thank you for including me. I haven't been out for quite awhile. It actually feels kind of good to get out of the house for an evening."
"My pleasure. You're much too pretty to stay cooped up inside that house all the time. Speaking of getting out of the house, I was wondering if you'd consider going out with me? We could go out for dinner or a movie or something?" I say, my eyes peering into hers.
Elena lowers her eyes. I can't help but notice how she begins wrapping her hands together anxiously. Then she looks up.
"Why?" she whispers.
"Why? Well, because I like you Elena. I like you a lot. I really want to get to know you better."
"I don't know what to say. A guy like you with me?" she replies, shaking her head back and forth.
"What do you mean a guy like me?"
"Stefan used to tell us that you were a player. He always said that girls would fall all over themselves to go out with you."
"Yeah, I'll admit that I was pretty full of myself when I was in high school. And Stefan was right, I never had any trouble finding a girl to go out with me. But we all have to grow up sometime and I'm also not the same teenaged jackass I was back then. And I'm certainly not the same guy who came back to Mystic Falls with one heck of a big chip on his shoulder either, Elena."
"I didn't mean to offend you," she says softly before continuing, "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. It's really none of my business anyway."
I drop my head for a moment before turning my eyes back to her, "You didn't offend me and I don't mind talking about it. As long as we're being honest, sometimes it's cathartic to talk about things that are uncomfortable. I've done many things. Things that I'm not proud of but I'd like to think that I have indeed grown up a little bit along the way. I also know full well that I was a jerk when I moved back home. There was a woman involved in all of that. I really felt something for her. When I think about it now, with a clear head, I realize that it wasn't love that I was feeling for her. But I absolutely did think that maybe what we had would lead somewhere. Then I found out that she was using me all along," I mention, scrubbing my palm over my face.
"The only reason she wanted to be with me was because I was privy to certain things while I worked for Finn Mikaelson. That woman," I shake my head when I think of my sheer stupidity where she was concerned.
"She baited the hook perfectly and I bit right onto it. She was good, she was very good. I was in the dark about her whole sordid, meticulously thought out plans till one day things blew wide open. It hurt a lot though and I lashed out at everyone. Once I cleared my name, I came back here, tail between my legs. Even though I wanted to come home and believe me, it did feel right to come home, I was hurt and I wanted everyone around me to hurt too. I'm not proud of that fact," I whisper, completely disgusted with myself.
I'm lying on my couch in a drunken stupor. I raise my eyes when I hear a noise. Then I notice my mom taking my bottle of 'Jack'. I follow her with my eyes as she walks over to the sink and begins pouring it down the drain. Jumping up, I march right over to her nearly losing my balance in the process.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I yell at her as I try to grab the bottle before it's all gone. Without saying a word, she glares at me through disappointed eyes. Reaching for the bottle again, I shove her aside, ripping it out of her hands. Despite my sluggish drunken reflexes, somehow I manage to turn around just in time to grab onto her before she stumbles to the floor. The next thing I know, I'm being manhandled by my dad and shoved into the shower where he turns the cold water on full blast.
He points his finger at me yelling, "If you ever lay a hand on your mother again, you'll have me to answer to young man. You listen and you listen good. Either you straighten up and fly right or you can pack your bags. I won't have anymore of your pity party. I'm sorry you got hurt but we're not the ones who hurt you, Damon. I'm tired of your mom and me being your whipping boy and it ends right now."
"I was really an unlikeable son of a bitch," I chuckle nervously, shaking my head. "Honestly, I don't know why my parents put up with me for as long as they did. I really am ashamed of myself for treating them so abhorrently. What kind of a guy takes out all of his frustrations on the people who love him the most?" I add, dropping my eyes for a moment in shame.
"Finally my dad took me aside and laid the law down. In not so many words, he told me that unless I changed my attitude and changed it quickly that I could pack my bags. That was right around the time you got shot. What happened to you was a real eye opener for me because, Elena, your whole life changed in the time it takes to blink an eye. It really hit home for me about how I was wasting the gift I was given by being angry and lashing out at everyone. In a way, I have you to thank for helping me to get my head on straight. And so, Elena, thank you," I tell her sincerely.
"I'm sorry that you got hurt and I'm glad you aren't 'that guy' anymore. But I still don't know what you want from me?" she says quietly, raising her eyes to mine for just a moment before dropping her gaze back to her lap.
"I want you to say yes!" I cajole.
"You're relentless." She replies, sighing heavily before raising those breathtaking doe eyes to mine, "You're not going to give this up until I say yes, are you?"
"Nope," I answer succinctly.
She looks away from me for a long moment before turning her eyes back to mine, "Okay, I'll go out with you."
"Great. Give me your phone number so I can call you after I get everything planned out. Sound good?"
"Do you have a pen?" she asks.
I take the pen from my jacket pocket and hand it to her.
"Your arm please?"
When I extend my arm to her, she starts writing her number on my forearm with the pen. As her fingers touch my skin, my heart speeds up. Unconsciously my breath hitches when crackles of electricity surge through my body from the tender touches of her fingers on my skin.
After handing me my pen back, she asks, "I'm getting pretty tired. Would you mind taking me home now?"
"No, not at all. Just let me tell everyone that we're leaving. When we step outside, I notice the moon is full and bright.
"It's really a beautiful night," I say noticing when Elena raises her eyes to the sky.
"It is."
After parking the truck in her driveway, I jump out, grab her wheelchair from the back before lifting her into it. Then I get behind her and push her up the ramp to the front door. She could've done it herself but I'm a gentleman, most of the time anyway, and she's tired. I just feel so many things when I'm with her. I don't even know how to describe what's happening inside of me. It was never like this when I was with 'her'. That alone reinforces my belief that I wasn't in love with 'her' back then.
After she opens the front door, I step back. "Goodnight Elena. I had a really good time. Thanks for coming along."
She drops her head for just a moment before making eye contact with me. That hint of a smile is back on her face but it's her eyes that hide nothing. I can see the turmoil behind them, like she's scared. I understand that. I'm just going to have to take things slow, gain her trust and prove to her than I'm not a quitter when things get tough.
"Thank you for taking me. Um, goodnight Damon."
Before she wheels herself into the house, I stoop down so I'm at eye level with her. "I'll give you a call about that date. And don't even think about backing out because I'm not going to let you," I tell her as I lean over and press a feather light kiss to her cheek.
"Goodnight Elena," I whisper before turning around and making my exit.
A couple of days later my mother summons me to come by the house to discuss her ideas to raise funds for the elevator. As expected, the chair lift slash elevator is quite expensive.
"So Damon, have you given any thought to the fundraiser? The ladies I bowl with are going to raffle a quilt. We're also in the process of organizing a bake sale. I think we need something that will raise more money than that though."
"What did you have in mind, mom?"
"A bachelor auction!"
Happy Valentine's Day. Thank you all so much for your reviews, follows and favorites. To those who leave guest reviews that I can't respond to, thank you. And I can't forget you, Eva. Thank you my friend. Please do hit that review button. It spurs the muse... hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Until next time...