Elena's POV
Quite awhile after Damon leaves, I'm lying on my bed. Trying not to think, trying not to feel. I open up my diary, and poor all my emotions into this book that I haven't written much of anything in for weeks.
Dear Diary,
Damon held me while I cried, his hands gentle as he patted my back in an attempt to comfort me. He whispered soothing nonsense in my ears and stroked my hair, reminding me so much of the times Stefan held me that it brought on a new set of tears. He must have held me there, in his strong arms, for at least an hour, not leaving until I told him to.
Funny how hands that so gently held me, as if I was the only thing important in this world, and so lovingly, could have once before murdered mercilessly.
Oh good, I'm rattling on endlessly about how wonderful Damon is, when I haven't even told of the reason I was crying in the first place. I'[m crying because Stefan was kissing, was touching, was…with that bitchy slut, Katherine. I never imagined he could do this, or how much it would hurt.
I miss him so much. The pain of it aches throughout me, echoing throughout my body in an endless cycle of torture. It makes me want to die, it makes me want to-
A presence in my doorway makes me jump, causes my diary to fly a few feet away. The person in the doorway stays there, not speaking. "So…you decided to show up."
I'm only guessing who it is, and I'm not going to check to see if I'm right. I'm not going to risk looking at him. "Elena, I'm sorry. More sorry than I've ever been for anything I've ever done. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't. I wasn't-"
"Thinking, is that it? You weren't thinking-!" I don't finish, because I'm choking on sobs. Tears cause my eyes to burn.
"Elena-."
"Don't say anything Stefan." I turn to look at him. Staring directly into his eyes, I say, "Nothing you say can change how I feel. Nothing you can say can make it stop hurting!"
His face is filled with sorrow, I can see that. It's that face that usually meets me when I cry. The one that states that he doesn't know what to do. "You should go."
"Elena-"
"Just go."
And then I'm alone again, with the horrid silence of unanswered questions and the horror of lost trust.
Stefan's POV
I run into Damon as I walk away from Elena's house. I'm puching the streetlight in frustration when he shows up. "What the hell did you do to her, Stefan?" I know who's speaking before I even turn to face him.
"Leave it alone, Damon." I can already see he hasn't. The shoulder of his t-shirt it coated in dried tears.
"I'll tell you what happened…" He says, taunting me. He can't say it, or I don't want him to. It'll make it seem more like reality than a nightmare.
"Stop Damon, just stop."
"You cheated on Elena with Katherine. You-" I cover my ears, blocking out the sound of his voice. He speaks louder, "You want to know what you did, Stefan, how badly you hurt her?" I choke back a threatening sob.
"Stop, Damon, I already-"
"You just don't care, do you? You're too far gone."
"I'm not. I know Damon, but I don't know how to-"
"Fix it? You can't fix this. She can only heal with time. But me…I'm disgusted in you. My own brother. Were you even thinking about the promise we made when you-?"
I shake my head, "I wasn't. I wasn't thinking."
"That's right." He pauses, as if thinking his words out carefully, "Just remember this, brother. No matter if she forgives you, I never will."
…
Emena's POV
I walk into the grill, ready to spy on the youngest Salvatore brother. I followed him to the grill, where he now sits with his head in his hands, looking as if he's trying to push back tears. I walk up to him, disobeying every order I was given, but knowing trying to comfort someone is better than following the biggest order. "Are you okay?"
He shakes his head as he answers, as if in defeat, "Yeah, I'm fine."
"You don't look fine," I look at him in concern, "What's wrong?"
He slams the back of his head into the cushion of the booth, "Do you know Elena Gilbert?"
"No," I answer truthfully. That name has come up in a few conversations, but mostly father and I just refer to her as the "doppelganger."
"Well, she's my…never mind. Why am I even…?" He takes a moment to think. "I screwed up…I cheated on her with my ex. And I have no way to fix it…I'm so stupid."
I don't know what to say to that. It's a lot to take in, or to even talk about, " I'm sorry…I'm Emena, sorry for interrupting your little…dinner?"
"I really was just sitting here, trying to think…wait, what did you say your name was….Elena?" I jump, startled by his sudden raise in his voice.
"Emena. Emena Lee." I say, making sure my voice is clear.
He sighs, "Sorry for yelling, I was just…" I breathes out heavily and shakes his head, "Honestly, I don't know."
"Well, "I say, smiling, "I don't always know what to do either, so it's okay, I understand."
He shakes his head again and then lifts his head, a weak attempt as a smile playing on his lips, "Are you new here? I've never seen you around, and it's a-"
"Small town, yeah, I noticed that when my dad was driving through." I say, biting my lip. I hate lying, but telling the truth is sometimes harder than lying is. Besides, he can't know why I'm here. Heck, I don't even fully understand while I'm here.
"So you just got here?"
"Yep, today, actually." No, technically we got in a week ago, but I can't tell him that. If I'd been in town for a week than he'd have probably sighted me by now. In a town this small…
"Look," He sighs, "Here's a suggestion. You should tell your father to get you out of here. Go anywhere else. This town is dangerous-"
"I know, the animal attacks. I read about it, did my research before arriving here." I say, smiling still despite the grim discussion we were now in.
"And you're not afraid?" He asks me, his eyebrows lifting in surprise and seriousness.
"No."
"Well you should…" His voice trails off as he stares at something behind me. I turn around to see that girl he called Bonnie, and the girl Elena's brother, named Jeremy. When they see Stefan they walk angrily over to us.
"What did you do, Stefan?" Bonnie demands, her face etched with concern and anger.
"Ask Elena," He says.
"We did…and guess what we got, nothing! Damon only told us it had something to do with you…and Katherine. What did you do?" Jeremy demands.
"I…I…" Stefan says, struggling with the words he can't sound. It's to fresh of a wound to add salt.
"You," Bonnie says, motioning to me after finally realizing Stefan wasn't alone, "Go! This doesn't concern you."
I shake my head, "No, I'm not leaving. You're gaining up on him, and he's been through hell too. Even I can see that much."
Silence plagues our tiny spot in the grill until Stefan finally speaks up, "Emena-"
"I'm not leaving."
"Go talk. I'm going to have a chat with this girl here." Jeremy says, grabbing my arm and managing to drag me out of the door while clamping his hand over my mouth to keep me from yelling out.
As soon as we get outside, Jeremy says, "Who are you? What are you doing in Mystic Falls?"
"I'm-"
A voice emerges from the darkness, and then a shadow, "Well, hello Emena. Nice to see you, or is it?"
I recognize the voice immediately. Damon Salvatore.
How does Damon know Emena? And who is Emena, really? Wait 'till the next chapter to find out.
