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It's A Boy Girl Thing
Ch 9. The Art of Breaking-Up
Elena waits anxiously in Damon's bedroom after Stefan disappears inside the Gilbert home next door. Elena chews on her bottom lip nervously and wonders if she's doing the right thing. She likes Stefan, a lot, but taking into consideration all that has happened this week, she doesn't feel right about all the lies. For the most part, the blame falls on her, and that is why she told Damon to make sure Stefan knows this is all on Elena and not him, but…Elena can't help feeling that some of this is Stefan's fault. Sure, she and Damon's bodies somehow swapped, and Damon made some really stupid decisions while in her body, but the one thing she can't get out of her head is the side of Stefan she never saw before inhabiting Damon's body. Stefan isn't who she thought he was, and she doesn't know if she can get past that. Even if she wakes up tomorrow morning in her own body, she doesn't know if things will ever be the same.
Thirty minutes later, Stefan leaves the house alone. Elena watches from the window to try and assess how he took the break-up. Is he mad? Is he upset? Does he care at all? She can't tell, and Stefan doesn't come inside; instead, he gets in his car and drives off.
Elena texts Damon: How'd it go?
Damon replies: Come over here.
Uh-oh, Elena wonders, Does that mean it didn't go well?
Since Giuseppe and Isobel are still at work, same with Grayson and Miranda, Elena opts for using the front door. The tree between her and Damon's room is convenient, but only during emergencies. Besides, Elena is normally not too fond of heights, so she'd rather not risk falling out of her second story window to the ground.
Elena knocks on the front door and waits for Damon to answer. She almost forgot about Jeremy…
"Uh…what are you doing here?" Jeremy asks, after opening the door to reveal the other Salvatore brother. He can't remember Damon ever coming over before, and Jeremy knows how much shit he gives Lena, so he's skeptical to listen to a word the raven-haired teen says.
"Hey Jeremy," Elena greets with a smile. She hadn't realized how much she's missed Jeremy until right now. It seems so strange that her own brother doesn't even know what's happened to her. She wonders what he thinks of her recent behavior. "Is Elena here?"
"Yeah…" Jeremy replies, making no moves to tell his sister she has a visitor. He doesn't invite Damon inside either. "But, you didn't answer my question."
Suddenly, Elena's voice echoes through the hall and downstairs, "If that's Damon, let him up!"
Jeremy rolls his eyes and steps aside, motioning for Damon to step in. Elena smiles gratefully and waves before scrambling up the stairs to her bedroom. Damon is standing just inside the doorway when she walks in, and he swings the door shut and locks it after she steps inside.
He gives her a pointed look before suggesting, "Maybe the window is the best option for now? I mean, you don't need Jeremy being suspicious of us too. He knows we don't talk."
"I know," Elena replies, "I thought no one was home." With that out of the way, she sits down on her bed and prompts expectantly, "So? What happened?"
"Well, he's not happy," Damon answers, taking a seat beside her.
"Most people aren't after they've been broken up with…" Elena reminds hesitantly.
"Oh, you're so funny, aren't you?" Damon says cynically. "I thought you'd want to know what he said after."
"What did he say?" Elena asks, wishing Damon would stop playing games and get to the point.
"Well, he tried to talk me into having a 'break' instead of ending it," Damon says, using air-quotations as he says break.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Elena interrupts.
"I don't know," Damon sighs, "That's why I said no. Just shut up for a minute, Elena."
"Fine," Elena pouts, but keeps her lips shut.
"He wanted to know what my reasons are, and he straight up asked if you wanted to break up because of me…" Elena opens her mouth to speak again, but quickly closes it when she sees the warning look Damon gives her, "I said no, of course. I don't know if he bought it. But he did say that he wished I'd reconsider because…" Damon drops his shoulders as he sighs, "He loves you."
"What?" Elena screeches, jumping up from the bed and pacing the room. "You can't be serious. He really said that?" At first, it was a relief to hear, because she'd been thinking she was in love with Stefan before this whole body-swapping mess happened, and she wanted nothing more than for him to reciprocate those feelings. But…shouldn't she know if he loves her? Shouldn't she have been able to read the signs? Wouldn't she have felt that pull, that spark, that fire, like with Damon? Well, not because of Damon, but because of the love spell. If Stefan loved her, it would've felt like that.
"He said it," Damon confirms, "And I didn't know what to say. So I just told him it wasn't right, and it wasn't working for me, and he left. That's it."
Elena is still stuck on the 'he said he loves you' thing. She can't believe Stefan said those words to her and she didn't even get to hear them herself. She had to hear them through Damon. So how can she know if Stefan was genuine? If she'd been the one to hear it, she'd know. She'd know if he was telling the truth or just saying what she'd want to hear to save their relationship. He must have thought if he said he loved her, she'd change her mind about breaking up with him. That's got to be it. With that conclusion, Elena voices her opinion, "He doesn't mean it. He doesn't really…love me."
"Not to make this harder," Damon says cautiously, "But…I don't know. He's never said that to a girlfriend before. He might," Damon shrugs, "mean it." Damon doesn't believe his step-brother would throw around such a strong phrase unless he genuinely meant it. Then again, he's never seen Stefan be broken up with. Stefan is usually the dumper, not the dumpee. So maybe he didn't mean it then. "I don't know, Elena."
Elena looks at Damon and explains her thoughts, "Even if he thinks he loves me, he doesn't. He doesn't love me. He doesn't know what love is if he thinks he loves me."
"And you know?" Damon wonders.
Avoiding eye contact, Elena supplies, "Yeah...I do." She doesn't want to tell Damon she knows what love is because of their recent experience, he'd think she was admitting she was in love with him when she's not, so she keeps her answer nice and simple. She used to think love meant something else too, and now she is sure there are many people out in the world who think they are in love when they aren't. Sometimes it's easier to pretend, than to admit what you have isn't working. Elena will never do that, no, never. Now that she knows exactly what it feels like to be totally and completely consumed by love for something, she won't settle for anything less. She will have a love like that.
Damon wonders what Elena is thinking about, but he doesn't ask. He's not sure what her response will be to him prying deeper into her life, and they've been getting along pretty well, so he doesn't want to ruin their tentative friendship. He has to say, things have definitely been better since they've been working together. Trashing each other's lives is obviously not going to get them back in their own body, but maybe working together will. Maybe Ayana wants them to help each other? Damon doesn't know, but he's sick of witches and sick of this game. If Ayana wants something from him and Elena, she should just say so! Not fuck up their lives for her enjoyment.
"Why do you think Tyler hasn't told anyone about…you know…what happened?" Damon asks, changing the subject. He and Elena are going to have to go back to school tomorrow, and missing a day after the stunt he pulled on Friday might not have been the best idea. He figured if any rumors had started, Stefan would have known and therefore accused him - Elena - of cheating. He didn't though, which means there must be no rumors. Or none that have reached Stefan's ears yet.
Elena's eyes widen like she hadn't even thought about that. "I don't know. You think he kept it a secret because he thinks it was a mistake too? And maybe he won't tell Caroline or Stefan at all. Maybe he won't tell anyone."
"Don't get your hopes you too soon," Damon warns. "He could be waiting until you – or I – are there to announce it. You know, make the whole situation that much more humiliating."
"What?" Elena frowns, pressing her hands into her forehead in frustration as she asks, "Like-like revenge for not actually sleeping with him? Or what? Why would he do that? Why the fuck are guys so damn frustrating? Who does that to someone?"
"Whoa," Damon cuts in, "Chill, woman. I just said he could do that. Maybe he won't say anything. I don't know. But it's better to expect the worst, don't you think? Then at least we'll be prepared for it."
"How do we prepare for it, Damon?" Elena asks incredulously.
"Just let me handle it," Damon says coolly. "I am you, anyways. And you are me, so you don't have anything to worry about. If he talks, I'll kick his ass."
"Uh, you're gonna kick his ass?" Elena asks with an eyebrow raised. She laughs and comments, "No offense, but you're not exactly strong enough to kick Tyler Lockwood's ass when you're stuck in my body."
"It's not all about size, Elena," Damon argues, "I bet I could still take him. He'll never see it coming." He tries to make a badass pose, but Elena can't take it seriously on herself. It looks pathetic. It's laughable.
"All right, Ninja Warrior, simmer down..." Elena smiles good humoredly, "You do realize you're going to have to come up with a different plan, right?"
"Like I said before," Damon reminds, "Let me handle it."
"Okay, fine," Elena concedes, "I'll let you handle it. But you better promise me that Caroline will still be my friend after all of this. I don't even care about anything else. She doesn't deserve this to happen to her...Tyler cheating on her with her best friend?" She shakes her head, "It'll break her heart. And she deserves way better than that dumb, two-timing, conceited, jock...douchebag! I need to figure out how to get her to break up with him...and then find her someone good..."
Damon isn't sure if Elena is talking to him at this point, or just talking out loud to get her thoughts out. He's been listening to every word though, and formulating a plan of his own. Distractedly, he comments, "Klaus...he loves Caroline." He continues thinking over what he's got to do to make sure Caroline and Elena stay best friends. If he can fix that, he knows he'll finally stop feeling guilty about what he did. And, okay, maybe he wants Elena to realize he's not that bad of a guy. She's not as bad as he originally thought either...
"Klaus?" Elena repeats, face wrinkled up in thought. "I don't even think Caroline knows who he is..."
"Exactly," Damon states. "I was only joking anyways. So tomorrow, meet me here after school, okay?"
"Okay," Elena agrees, taking that as a signal that she should go. It is getting late and her parents will be home soon. Plus, if Stefan comes home and sees Damon leaving, he'll definitely question Elena's reasons for breaking things off. "I'll see you tomorrow."
After the final bell at school on Tuesday, Elena walks out to the parking lot with Klaus. She hasn't talked to Damon all day, but she also hasn't heard any crazy rumors about herself either, so she isn't sure what that means. Did Damon threaten Tyler? Did he decide he didn't need to? She hopes he has answers once they both get home.
Ironically, Klaus announces, "So I heard Miss Caroline Forbes broke up with Tyler Lockwood today. How long did that relationship last? A week?"
"They did?" Elena asks, slightly panicked. If Caroline broke up with Tyler, then that can only mean she found out about what happened on Friday! "Do you know why?"
"Not really," Klaus replies with a shrug, "I heard some stupid girl ask her friend if she thought she'd have a chance with Tyler now. Pfft...the answer was no, but I didn't tell her that." Elena laughs at Klaus' joke as Damon would have. "But other than that, I haven't heard a thing. I wonder how Caroline's doing."
Me too. Thankfully, Elena didn't say that out loud, or Klaus would have definitely wondered why on Earth Damon cares how Caroline Forbes is doing. Instead, she uses this as an opportunity to test Damon's theory. Does Klaus really like Caroline? And if so, is he good enough for Elena's best friend? She asks in a lightly teasing tone, "Why do you care?"
Klaus rolls his eyes at his friend's obvious question. "You know how I feel about Caroline; she's perfection. She may not know me...yet, but one day she'll realize we're meant to be."
Elena smirks, "Well, what are you waiting for? It's Senior Year; your last chance, buddy."
Just then, Elena hears Caroline's voice squealing, "Elena!" She jerks her head around before remembering she's kind of in Damon's body, so Caroline isn't calling for her. She's calling for...Elena turns until she see's him, - well, herself - Damon. Caroline runs over and hugs her best friend, huge smile on her face as she tells her loudly, "You were so right! He said exactly what you said he would. I can't believe that pig! Thank you for being the best friend ever!" She hugs Elena again.
"Wonder what that's about," Klaus muses quietly.
"I don't know," Elena replies, catching Damon's eyes for a moment and raising her eyebrows questioningly.
"So...like you were saying; it's my last chance. What about you?" Klaus prompts, knowing look on his face when Elena turns Damon's blue-eyed gaze on him.
"What are you talking about?"
Klaus rolls his eyes, "Mhmm, right. What am I talking about?" He pauses for dramatic effect before saying, "Elena."
They've found Klaus' red Mustang, and Elena waits as Klaus unlocks it, staring at him over the top of the car. "Again, what do you mean? What about her?"
"Oh, come on!" Klaus laughs, "I'm not stupid, Damon. There's something going on with you and her. Don't say there's not."
Elena hops in the car beside Klaus and shuts the door before explaining, "Well, whatever it is, it's not how you're thinking it is. We're...sort of friends, I guess. I don't know. But it's complicated."
"Since when do you have complicated, sort of relationships with girls?" Klaus frowns in a concerned way as he repeats his best friend's worrying words back to him. "That's...highly unusual of you. I don't know what to say. What's so complicated about it?"
"I already told you, I don't like her like that," Elena insists. "We had to work on a project together, and I realized she's not so bad. That's it. We're not hooking up or anything. We don't even really hang out. We just talk, sometimes. Not even that much."
"Why'd she break up with Stefan then?" Klaus quizzes, not buying the 'we're barely even friends' story after seeing Damon and Elena pass notes and sneak off together on more than one occasion. He doesn't know why Damon won't tell him about it though. He always tells him about the girls he's fucking.
"I don't know, she didn't tell me about that," Elena says, hoping Klaus will believe him. "Not because of me. All right? Can we go now?"
Klaus starts up the engine. "Whatever you say, Damon, whatever you say."
After pulling out of the parking lot, Klaus asks, "So, when do you think you'll be getting a new guitar? Less than three weeks now until the big competition. We have to have our registration in by Friday. What are we doing? Ric says you haven't been answering his calls."
"Yeah, I was, uh, busy this weekend," Elena bluffs. Why didn't she think to ask Damon about this stuff yesterday? She wasn't even thinking about Damon's band or the new guitar. "But I'm getting a guitar today."
"You are?" Klaus asks, surprised. "Where'd you get the money?"
"I've been saving," Elena answers; first truth to all the questions, "For...life after high school, but this is important too."
"Sweet, dude," Klaus grins. "So we're definitely on for the competition?"
"Yeah," Elena replies after a second a hesitation. This is what Damon wants. Hopefully he'll be back in his body by then, but if he's not, she'll have to ask him for lessons. He'll have to teach her how to play. "Definitely."
Damon doesn't know how but he beat Elena home. He waits impatiently on the porch, eager to gloat about the excellent result of today's performance. He totally saved Elena and Caroline's friendship and got her to dump Tyler Lockwood all in one day. Elena should be very happy when she gets here. Damon smirks. She'll definitely forgive him after this. Even better, Stefan has football practice today, so he doesn't have to worry about Stefan catching him with Elena. Her with me; whatever. Jeremy didn't come home right away either, so him and Elena will have the house to themselves.
When Klaus finally arrives with Damon's body, Damon doesn't know what to do to hide the obvious fact that he's outside waiting for their arrival. He quickly unzips Elena's backpack and reaches inside for any random book he can find. He pulls out the first book his hands grasp: Math. He rolls his eyes before flipping it open and pretending to read.
Elena waits until Klaus drives away to back-track to the front porch of the home she's lived in since her early childhood. She rolls her eyes and asks, "Are you kidding with this? You're supposed to be casually reading your math book? Yeah, that's something I totally do on the regular..."
"Shut up," Damon says habitually. He slams the book shut and slips it back into Elena's maroon-colored backpack. He unlocks the door and lets himself and Elena inside. "I didn't know what else to do. So, how was your day?" He smiles smugly and waits for Elena to ask about what happened with Caroline and Tyler.
Elena smiles back, humoring him, "My day was fine, and yours? Anything, I don't know, interesting happen with you today?"
"As a matter of fact, yes," Damon drawls slowly.
"Come on, details!" Elena insists, "Don't make me beg for details on my own life."
"Fine, but you're no fun," Damon comments. "So, yesterday, after you left, I called Caroline and told her I needed to talk to her about something..."
Damon, as Elena obviously, told Caroline that on Friday, Tyler was flirting with her hardcore and it was disgusting. He said he suspected Tyler was going to cheat on Caroline, and that to prevent it from happening, Elena took it upon herself to test Tyler's faith. He failed. He came on to her, trying to get her to sleep with him, and Elena refused. Damon says that when Caroline asked why Elena didn't tell her first, he simply replied that he didn't know if she'd be mad and not believe her best friend without proof; some girls get crazy when they are involved with a guy. Caroline bought the whole story, even the part about Tyler probably insisting it was Elena who came on to him to save face. Caroline resolved that she would break up with Tyler's sorry ass, and to help make sure a rumor wouldn't start about Elena, she threatened him to keep his mouth shut.
"What did she say to him?" Elena wonders.
Damon chuckles, "That she'd tell everyone how small his dick really is." He motions with his fingers a very small amount of space. "I guess it must really be small, because he agreed to her conditions. See, what'd I tell you?"
Elena smiles and can't resist giving Damon a hug for his efforts. "Thanks. I can't believe everything worked out so well." She heads to her closet and assures him, "Well, I have a surprise for you too."
"What?" Damon queries. He doesn't like surprises, so he follows Elena to the closet to see what she's up to.
"Close your eyes," She orders. "I have to get something and I don't want you knowing where I keep all my important shit."
Damon reluctantly closes his eyes and Elena sneaks her hand into a shoebox where she hides her cash for her personal college savings; you know, birthday money and stuff like that. She doesn't know how much it costs to buy a nice guitar, but she hopes five-hundred will buy him a decent one, because she doesn't have more than that to spare.
"Okay," Elena announces after securing her money once again, "Let's go."
"Where are we going?" Damon asks, dumbfounded.
"To buy you a new guitar," Elena replies with a grin, flashing him a glimpse of cash. "Is five-hundred enough?"
Damon nods. "Are you sure? Right now? Really?"
Elena laughs at his excitement. "Yeah, right now. I told you I'd buy you a new one. You deserve it. You've done a lot for me the past few days, and I'm really grateful. So thanks."
"Well, I...I was the one who messed everything up for you in the first place," Damon reminds her, "So, I owed you. But thank you too."
Elena and Damon leave to get a guitar, neither noticing that Stefan came home early from practice and saw them leaving together...
Please Review! What do you think is going to happen next? Anything you'd like to see happen with Damon and Elena? I love suggestions:)