"Easy. Easy." His voice carried out the words much longer than they were intended as his arms reached out to steady Elena.
"Sorry. The door was unlocked… open, really, so I thought... " She was trembling, not so noticeably in the moment, but she was.
"That you should invite yourself in?" He finished for her as his darkened brows shot skyward. His emerald eyes reflected every bit of light in the dreary room.
"Well, no..." Elena was embarrassed.
She could feel her face flushing. To make matters worse, Chester was outside barking up a storm. Apparently something had set fire to his rear end, because his insistence was relentless, so to make it short and sweet, Elena thrust out the envelope.
"I'm sorry. I just thought that maybe no one heard me knock. Small town manners, I suppose. I'm Elena Gilbert," she rambled as she drew backwards, each footfall leading her back to the entrance. "The Founding Families are probably requesting we hold a banquet in honor of your arrival, and so on, and so forth. If I were you, I'd pitch it before Zach sees it; unless stuffy socialite gatherings are your thing."
Elena smiled more so out of relief as her heels hit the small rise that marked the threshold of the front door. She hadn't intended for him to speak as he seemed thoroughly intrigued by the letter he now held within his hand.
"Wait."
She was just about to turn and go. "Yes?"
"You're right." He chuckled, which somehow smoothed the thickened tension between them both. "My name is Stefan Salvatore, by the way, and no... 'stuffy socialite gatherings' are far from 'my thing', Elena. Thanks for the warning."
"Yeah, they've already got me before. I nearly died."
Stefan's movement was fluid, but swift. He had abandoned the place where he had stood, and managed to meet Elena's stricken stance within a few strides.
"Came off a little standoffish, didn't I?" His tone had lowered; resuming what Elena could only assume was his normal speaking voice.
"Just a tad," Elena's nose rumpled cutely, before easing into a lax expression. "But I get it, really. You're not from around here. You'll see soon enough. Congratulations on becoming the talk of the town."
"Yeah, we're the 'orphan heirs' from California. I've already heard." He smiled and this time in the light of the entrance his features weren't so intimidating. His jaw could be stern, if perceived in such a manner, but other than that he exuded gentlemanly qualities.
"Something like that." Elena turned to check on Chester, and was surprised to see him lounging lazily on the stoop. "Huh, he was agitated a minute ago."
"Maybe he saw a stray cat," Stefan suggested, "Or my brother. He never fairs well with pets of any kind. He's supposed to be out back."
"Your brother?" She was intrigued. After all, Elena avoided most of the gossip, so all news was new news. She wanted to gather truths rather than hear-say.
"Damon. Technically, he's only here because he wants to pursue further education…" Stefan broke sentence to snort, "…because otherwise he's legally an adult. He didn't want the responsibility of playing parental figure for me, is more like it; but he wouldn't see me leave his side either."
"I'm sorry," Elena murmured. "For your loss, I mean."
"Life works in mysterious ways, Elena. I think that fate deals us a hand and we're destined to abide by it."
Elena could only nod. How was it that a young man could endure such a tragic event and press onward without any bit of despair? She herself had lost her parents, so she assumed she could relate. However, the brief encounter with the Salvatore youth had actually put her on a whole different playing field.
"Well, I should go. Chester was promised the park and if I lie to him again he's liable to chew my stuff up next time he's home alone." Elena took a gracious step backward, and dipped down to gather the leash from its fixation around the weighted flower pot. "It was nice meeting you, Stefan."
"You as well, Elena." Once more he flashed a smile, but this time his eyes shied off. "Um, I don't know my way around town yet. Maybe we could hang out sometime. I start school this fall."
She couldn't say no. She felt compelled to consider it even though they just met.
"Sure thing. Here." Elena delved her hand into the depths of her shoulder bag and fished a pen free from restriction. Extending her arm, she boldly gathered his hand to neatly wrote her cell number on its backside.
"There," a sudden confidence sparked within her, "now you can text me."
Another moment of shared grins cleared the fodder from the offset meeting moments earlier. Elena was proud. At least she's asserted herself and Stefan was seemingly harmless, though charming and handsome; he was just an everyday guy.
"I'll be sure to do that," he spoke as he bowed courteously, laughing as he straightened, "Miss 'Founding Family'."
"Quit that or I'll ignore you message, 'Lost Boy'." Elena waved as she tugged as the leash, and shook the dog from its feigned slumber.
Her walk down the drive was coaxed into compressed stride for she wanted to seem casual and collected. With Stefan still behind her, she couldn't gaze back until the door was closed. Being nosy was rude, after all.
As his soft slam resounded, Elena shot a glance back. The garden at the home's side had become visible. Elena would be lying if she didn't find subtle curiosity in the mentioned brother, and wondered why he remained cloaked.
Timid orbs averted fiercely set ones the moment his face came into a clearing, and what was worse, Elena was sure he was looking right at her. His hair, unlike Stefan's, was a shocking raven color and his eyes, though from a distance, visibly burned a bright blue. He was breathtakingly handsome, but far more intimidating than his younger sibling was, and for that, Elena flushed and refused to return her gaze.
She pushed herself, purposely propelling back onto the main roadway and pivoting toward the park. She needed to get away from that place, and fast. She had already projected herself awkward enough for one day.
Elena probably relived the encounter at the Salvatore Boarding House twenty times over in the days that passed slowly after. Stefan neglected to call and it had been the customary 48-72 hours that would label him desperate, so what was the deal? She couldn't help but mentally kick herself for being the least bit upfront, and hopeful at that, after her intrusion of their home.
Stretching out the stiffened muscle from her lengthy run with the rest of the team, Elena pondered. Maybe he wasn't as nice a young man as she had hoped.
Caroline crisply crossed the field in Elena's peripheral vision, causing her to turn her head, reach out and wave. Perhaps it was time to turn to someone else for an outward view, and if anyone knew anything, it was Caroline Forbes.
"Caroline, can we talk?" Elena rose from her bent position
and gestured eagerly.
"Of course, 'Lena," she replied it her sing-song voice, "What's the matter?"
"Um…" Shuffling slightly Elena abandoned the mass to guide Caroline back toward the school itself, skipping the cool-down walk and directing them straight to the empty locker room. "Stefan and Damon Salvatore; I met them. Well, I met Stefan."
"What? And you're just now telling me?" Her eyes widened with excitement, as her delicate mouth dropped open to a frozen gape.
Elena shushed her. She didn't want this big of a deal made. She just wanted to know the brothers' foundation. "Yeah, he didn't say much. I had to drop the Founding Family welcome letter. Yawn."
"Disgusting. You poor soul. He'll hate you if he goes. You'll be forever the messenger of bad news," she snickered. "Go on."
"Well, I gave him my number. He asked if I could show him around. It's been three days and nothing. Was he being nice?"
Caroline seemed to be cracking at the seams. With her, all gossip was good gossip and not only was she receiving, she was about to explode.
"Okay, rumor has it that Stefan's a real straight-shooter. He's in honors, plays football, and the sole heir to his father's fortune, but he's modest, and quiet at best… a bookie. Damon, his brother, actually inherits nothing. He's like a 'bastard's son'. He's supposedly reckless; he's been kicked out of several colleges. Trouble and poor, what a shame. Regardless, Stefan's probably just too timid to step out. I'd say, invite yourself over again. Assert yourself, Elena."
Elena shook her head. She wasn't necessarily looking, yet. Not to mention, she'd rather not dote over someone she knew nothing about. She merely wished she knew their deal; she was sincerely curious.
"I'll wait. I'm just embarrassed about barging in. Thought that may be why I'm so suddenly snubbed," Elena spoke in hushed tones. She was ready to cut the conversation. "Maybe it is since he's supposed to be nice."
Caroline passed a judging look, "Multi-millionaire when he turns eighteen. Think about that."
Elena would've responded tersely, telling her friend that money was never what made a man, but her phone buzzed audibly from its nestle inside her gym bag. Excusing herself, she shuffled over and bent to scoop it up. Her fingers fanning the screen, and password entered properly, Elena paused - the number was one not in her contacts.
Hey. The message read, hey.
"Care, I think this is him."
"Or maybe Joe Millionaire will assert himself in time," she mused lightly.
"Hush." Elena swatted her playfully before typing a quick response.
Stefan? Waiting with bated breath, Elena sunk back to the wall.
She jumped as her phone immediately buzzed; its little screen lighting as the LED light flashed.
Wrong.
She was curious, and somewhat disheartened. Then who?
This is Damon. Damon Salvatore. I have a question for you.
Immediately the same flush swelled into Elena's olive-toned cheeks. Finding Caroline, she spoke out in the same awkwardly misplaced tone to mirror her inner emotions. "It's Damon. I never gave him my number. I wrote it on Stefan's hand."
Caroline widened her eyes, "I wonder what he wants."
Elena pursed her lips. "Me too. He didn't want to even speak the other day. He just lurked. He totally had that 'lone wolf', I'm secretly a psycho, vibe."
"Creeper." She scowled.
"Yeah. A creeper…" Elena breathed out a lengthy sigh. What would she say to this man?
Okay? Shoot.