"I love you, and because I love you, I would sooner have you hate me for telling you the truth than adore me for telling you lies."

- Pietro Aretino

"No, Caroline!" I moaned as we walked into our class. It's been three days and all she has been talking about was Damon's brother. I think I told her multiple times but that didn't stop her from planning out a devious plan in her head. "Okay, listen Caroline. That is too much. This is about Damon just getting a taste of his own medicine. I never planned on it to get so serious."

"What do you mean 'so serious'?" She gave me a suspicious look and I just rolled my eyes.

"I mean, that is too much to do to someone!" I sat down, already annoyed with this conversation but of course Caroline wanted it her way.

"Elena, what is the point of doing this if you are scared to actually go through with anything." She whined and I felt a headache coming on.

"Caroline this is a human being we are talking about." I protested.

"He is not a human being! He is a monster! He hurts people just to hurt them. What kind of human being purposely rips a girls heart out just for the fun of it?"

"Then what are we doing Caroline? How can you say we aren't going to his level? And this is just about Damon, not Stefan. There is a line and you are always on the border of crossing it."

"Okay, miss perfect why don't you ever cross the line every once in a while and maybe you wouldn't be so boring and still have Matt around." My head shot in her direction and I gave her an indignant look and I could tell she already regretted the words that just fell from her mouth. I heard our professor start to talk and before the class could settle down I grabbed my stuff and moved seats to the back of the room. I threw my stuff down on a random table, not even paying attention and sat next to some random guy. I didn't even notice my notebook went flying onto his stuff till I sat down and he was suddenly handing it to me.

"Oh, sorry." I mumbled and looked up.

"You!" We both said at the same time. Stefan Salvatore was sitting right next to me with the exact same shocked expression I imagined was on my face.

"I knew you were familiar!" I said after finally putting the pieces together.

"We should have figured." I gave him a smile and turned my attention forward as our lecture started. I caught a glance of Caroline looking at me with a guilty yet curious gaze. I blew it off and paid attention to what was being said.

After a good hour, the lecture was over and everyone was packing up, ready to leave. There was a huge test coming up and I knew the next couple of days I would have to study my butt off.

"Hey, do you need a study partner?" I heard Stefan waiting besides me.

"Um..." I cast a glance at Caroline. I was still mad at her. "Yea, I don't have one anymore." I said loud enough for her to hear as we walked out of the room. Stefan walked me out of the building and to the parking lot as we made small talk.

"So, do you want to go grab some food?" He said as we reached my car.

"I would love to, but your brother is actually coming over in a little bit." I made a point of bringing up Damon so we didn't get our signals crossed.

"Oh I see. You guys are getting pretty serious, aren't you?" That took me off guard. We have only been on a couple of dates.

"Not really. We are just, you know, letting whatever is going on play out." I shrugged it off, not trying to come across too attached.

"Oh." He said a little confused. "I can tell he really likes you though."

"Really?" I was a little too giddy. I wasn't supposed to like the fact that he likes me. "I mean, why would you say that?" I said while composing myself.

"Because you are dating." The way he said it was as if it was such a crazy concept. "Damon either hooks up with a girl or jumps straight into a doomed relationship."

"So I am different?" I liked the thought of not being like all the other girls, way too much.

"Yea you are." He said while smiling at me and my phone started ringing, breaking the moment.

"Speaking of the devil." I said while noticing it was Damon on the phone.

"I'll see you around then." Stefan said while backing up. "We'll make a study date soon."

"Hey Damon." I said while waving to Stefan then getting in my car. "You have no idea who I just ran into."

"And who would that be?" I heard Damon's smooth voice and I already butterflies.

"Your brother." I said while driving out of the parking lot.

"Eh." I heard him mumble and I couldn't help a laugh escape. I liked where things were with Damon. We were at stage where we called and texted each other all the time and it wasn't awkward or strained. Things were natural with him and it was comfortable. "He's not that special."

"Be nice." I warned him.

"Since when am I ever nice?"

"Oh please, you are a little softy on the inside. I know it kills you whenever a sarcastic and witty comment comes out of your mouth."

"You are right Elena. It hurts soooo bad. How do you know me so well?" He said sarcastically.

"Ooh. That one must have really stung."

"You aren't as funny as you think you are."

"You are right, I don't give myself enough credit." I said while quoting him.

"Now that is just plain stealing."

"They are words. You don't own them." I said while laughing and rolling my eyes. "Where are you?"

"I'm almost to your house. I'm just a couple blocks away."

"So am I."

"I bet I can beat you there." He said sounding very mischievous.

"It's on Salvatore." I said while hanging up the phone and turning down a familiar street. It didn't take long till I reached my house and I was the first one there. I got out and walked up to my front door as I was preparing to unlock it I suddenly felt a hand grab my butt. I turned around and squealed while almost having a heart attack before I saw it was just Damon. "You scared me!" I said while punching his arm.

"Sorry I just couldn't resist myself."

We had planned on just having a relaxed night. We ended up having a movie night as we sat on my couch and watched scary movies. I'm sure he did it on purpose because I always leaned in a little closer on any scary moment. We put in a new movie and it was at an impasse where you were getting to know the main characters and nothing scary was happening. It was then that I started to feel light kisses on my neck and I stopped watching the move all together. When he stopped I turn my head towards him and almost immediately his lips found mine. It felt like my insides were on fire. He always knew how to give me those insufferable butterflies and now it feeling like they just exploded. His kisses were intense as he already had me pinned down on the couch. I tried to suppress a giggle but I couldn't help it.

"What?" he said clearly amused as he lifted his head a bit.

"You just make me feel like I'm thirteen years old again and having my first making out session on the couch, praying my parents don't come down the stairs." It even made it more surreal as we were in the house I grew up in. He just laughed at me and went back to kissing my neck and my breathing hitched. When his hands started making there was downward and on to my stomach while pushing up my shirt I knew I head to stop him. This was wrong for so many reasons. "Wait." I heard him groan into the crook of my neck then raise his head to look at me. It took all my self-control to get the words out. "I don't do this." His fingers never stopped tracing patterns on my stomach as he looked down at me, deciding what to do.

"Do what?" He went back to kissing me, clearly trying to ignore what I just said. I did my best to push him off me and sit up.

"I don't just jump into bed with guys I'm only dating."

"I was thinking more the couch..." He said softly.

"That's hardly the point Damon. Things have to be more serious for me. You understand right?" I watched as his mouth hung slightly open and I knew he wasn't used to being turned down. "Lets just wait."

"I don't usually wait." He said hesitantly.

"I know." I mumbled while looking every but him. I didn't want to think about him with any other girls. "You know, it's a lot better when it's not just lust and you have a connection with someone."

"Sex is sex." He obviously didn't get it, probably because he never experienced it.

"One day you'll understand." I said while taking a deep breath.

"I doubt it."

"You don't think sex is better when you love someone?" How could he honestly think that?

"I don't really believe in love. Or at least, I don't believe it is really for me."

"The people who don't believe in love are just the people who have never experienced it." It slipped out before I could stop myself.

"I thought I was in love once. And if that is really what love is then I want nothing to do with it."

"You know I used to think the same thing as you. I grew up with parents that loved each other and would stick together through every little thing. For some reason when I looked at them, I never saw that for me. I never saw me being happy with someone like that. But now, I believe in it. I guess I never knew how bad I wanted it till now."

"What made you change your mind?" When I was talking I wasn't really paying attention to him but when he pulled me back to the real world I saw that he looked so curious and so determined to understand. Almost as if he wanted that reconciliation.

"I don't even know." I whispered. When did things change? Was it when I met Damon? That's all I could think. Because I don't ever remember feeling like this before I met him.

"Then what are we doing? You want to have a connection when you are with someone and I don't believe in love, so what is this?"

"You don't believe we have a connection?" I was slightly hurt. Maybe I was the only one thinking we were going somewhere.

"There is something..." I watched as he searched for the right words. "There is something between us that is more than just attraction."

"A connection." I said while smiling, as he came to terms with it himself.

"Well if we have a connection, why can't I do this?" He said as his hands traveled up my leg and resting on my thigh as he leaned over he again and started to kiss me senseless. After a coupe minutes we stopped and he let me catch my breath.

"The reason why we can't do that is because we aren't together."

"So you want to be together?" I was about to deny it but I held my tongue because it was what I wanted. I would just ruin it for myself. "We can be together." The smile plastered on my face didn't really cover up my emotions too well.

"Really? As in you are mine and I am yours, type of together?" I leaned into him and he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "So now I'll introduce you to my friends and family as my boyfriend?"

"Exactly." He said just as excited about it as me. "And I'll introduce you as my girlfriend."

"I can't wait." I said while looking up at him.

"So when do we get to finalize our relationship." She said suggestively as his eyes roamed over me.

"When things get serious."

"So the day that I meet your parents is the day we can further things."

"Why would you say that?" It felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs and I came crashing back down to reality. This relationship would be built on lies. I'm a liar.

"Well don't you think when you introduce someone to your parents things are getting serious?"

"Yea, I guess."

"What's wrong?" He said noticing my sudden shift in mood.

"Nothing. I was just thinking." I put on a fake smile and gave him a quick kiss. It was a such a bittersweet moment and I didn't know what to do with myself. Did I tell him the truth? Did I tell Caroline that the deal is off? If Damon found out he'd hate me for sure. I was so conflicted and it felt like there was a permanent lump stuck in my throat. I got myself into a big mess.

AN: Sorry for the long wait, I've been SO busy! I'll try to update real soon:)

Review!