Soo, this is kind of a long chapter but I hope you don't mind. I just didn't want to tear the certain moments apart and plus I'm not really sure when will I be able to update next.
I'm really grateful for all your awesome reviews and I thank you very very much for the nice words. They really do make me blush. I hope you continue enjoying the story. To answer some of your questions- I'll probably reveal relatively soon what has happened to Anna but first I need to write out a few other stuff. I'm glad that some of you start liking Elena. She really is mainly hurting herself and Stefan is only trying to help her.
I hope you enjoy this one. There are a few..surprise moments in here. In my defense I want to say that Damon and Stefan and even Elena do and say certain stuff in this chapter because they consider them to be completely right and they each have their reasons.
Enjoy and please tell me what you think of this one.
Stefan's POV
When I was about to become seventeen I had this desire to understand what life really is. By that time I was very much in love with Anna and the only definition of life for me was unconditional love. I thought that this powerful feeling is the only thing that keeps us alive. I used to write a lot back then, just my thoughts on whatever was surrounding me, and of course I kept a diary which was nothing but a black old notebook filled with scratched sentences written under the influence of a few beers.
Later on I realized that was one giant bullshit and I burned all the black notebooks I've been hiding in a box in the attic.
Before I used to think love is life. Now I think sadness is life. Tomorrow I might as well think that basketball is life. I'm pretty convinced that Peter believes life is nothing but a big bottle of his favorite scotch.
Once James was born I was able for the first time to actually feel the life. His little heart pumping blood ,pressed next to mine somehow awoke me and I started getting out of this hole I was in after I have faced death twice in a few months.
Maybe life can not be understood. Maybe it's just pieces of different feelings we carry around with ourselves in different moments of our growing up. Sometimes I feel like it's a combination of decisions we make. Other times I believe it's a mix of of the happiest days in our lives. Now I think it just a path I have to walk with the weight I carry on inside me. The longer I walk the harder it shall become and that didn't really seem very optimistic.
I was sure in one thing- there is no "they lived happily ever after" and knowing this makes a person smart.
That were my thoughts on a beautiful Wednesday morning while waiting for Peter to come take me so we can go to school. I decided to sat on the front stairs since my knee still hurt me quite much even though I was putting up a strong façade for my brother and Bonnie. Damon was beyond pissed with me because when I started feeling a bit better we had a big fight and I told him that I am not quitting work. I tried explaining him that it was the only thing that kept me sane but he was relentless, blinded from the feeling inside him to protect me no matter what. As I was eighteen already he didn't have a say about whether or not I was going to quit and he knew it. That's why he was so mad in the first place. He knew my stubbornness and how much it drove me to an edge. Bonnie tried to stop us from yelling but she gave up once James started crying scared from us being so mean towards each other. It was almost three days since we haven't said a word to each other. I was very silent myself, with too much thoughts going on my mind and I was feeling guilty that we fought in the first place. I was trying to lose my time outside and got home always very late. After work Peter would take me and we would drive to the court. I was helping him train hard for the try outs which were today actually. And was keeping him away from any kind of alcohol.
Because I wanted to be with him on the big day I changed my shifts with another boy and made my whole weekend busy with work. Which was for the best now that the situation at home was so uptight. Peter seemed kind of worried to me this morning so I tried very hard to cheer him up. I almost succeed in that task until our history class came and Mr. Salzman returned us the tests from last week. We both had Fs so we were asked to stay after the class was over.
"So, Mr. Salvatore and Mr. Fell" he started trying to sound optimistic when Peter and I both knew how tragic the situation was. "You know you're failing my class. I heard that I'm not an exception though." Peter and I exchanged light smiles. "Stefan your test was actually good except for the fact that you wrote about the Second World war and not the first. Your essay is really decent but it's just not on the subject. And you Mr. Fell..well you left me nothing but blanks almost everywhere which I consider as utter capitulation. You haven't given in any assignments but because I do feel a little gracious lately I'll give you until Friday to turn in everything or you might as well stop even coming to my class, yeah?"
We nodded at the same time and that made him shook his head seriously. He thought we wasn't taking his warning under any serious consideration.
"Boys, I'm not joking. If you don't do what I just ask you it's done and you might as well just repeat the whole year."
"We'll do it, Mr. Salzman. " I was the only one to speak. I knew Peter doesn't give a damn about this but I had to make him because I don't think I could survive the school year without us smoking in the breaks together. Mr. Salzman gave us one last serious look and let us go.
"Well that was kind of extreme" said Peter once we got outside
"We'll have to do this, Peter." I said trying to sound as serious as I could
"I know. But you got to help" I was surprised by the fact that he agreed so fast with me but try not to show it. "I'm really bad at history."
"Hey, I'm failing too" not that I didn't want to help him. I was just afraid that after all I am not that good and I might somehow misguide him which will only bring him trouble.
"Because your mind is somewhere else, not because you don't know what you should answer." he was teasing me again, trying to hint that Elena was the reason for my carelessness.
Before we headed to the gym I made him stop and smoke a cigarette to calm himself down. He was stubborn again, claiming that he felt completely fine and he'll be glad if they don't accept him because then he'll have to go and train every day. I knew that he wanted in though, that's why I was helping him and trying to convince him it's worth it in the first place.
"Yes, Peter. That's why it's called a team." I scolded him and he laughed out at my face, but I didn't return it because I had something else in mind. I took my bag off and leaned down to search for something in it.
"What's that all about?" he asked once I finally stood up and handed him my old team jersey. I have removed my name from the back and the only thing left was the number and the abbreviation of the school on the right side.
"That's my old jersey. I can't wear it anymore so I thought someone else at least put her in use. Plus it kinda brought me luck so..I guess you can check if that still counts."
He looked me in the eyes before actually taking it. I could see that it meant a lot to him because his facial expression suddenly became serious and somehow more determined.
"Thank you, Stefan. Really."
"It's ok. Let's go so you wouldn't be late." we headed inside and I find myself a place in one of the benches in the hallway. He left his things, took my jersey and put it onto his simple white t-shirt. I gave him last instructions and after a few minutes the coach called them in. I saw him walk towards the gym door, almost alone and behind all the other boys, with my number seven on his back.
I leaned on the side of the bench as I was still very tired but I knew I'll have to open the damn history book and start writing this assignment. I bet they would be in there for the next two hours so I took out my notebook and started thinking how to begin it.
My thoughts led me in a different way that I first intended and after 45 minutes of writing I needed a break. Lately everything's been just too much. I didn't want to be in a such a nasty fight with my brother, because even if I didn't want to admit it I needed him. I hated it when he was so angry with me. It felt like betrayal. I was the reason things were like that, so I really couldn't blame him. My stubbornness and pride prevented me from thinking clearly sometimes and I hated myself for that. Bonnie was always good to me though, she was asking me how the day went and she left me with James last night because she had to go to Emma's again.
I smiled when I thought of her because there was after all something good coming out after those awful weeks. When I went to threw the garbage last night the bag tore apart and I saw an empty pregnancy test box. Then it all came quite clear to me- her emotions have been all over the place especially last week and the other morning she wouldn't leave the bathroom. I was almost sure that she was pregnant but I guess she still hasn't told my brother and I was a little confused to confront her since I had too much going on in my head anyway. But I was happy about them. There was this part of me deep inside that was just genuinely over the rainbow even only from the thoughts that I could be right. Another little James running up the house would bring us even more joy. And I would be willing to work my ass off and support them even if they decide to have a dozen kids. I would love them all equally and I would give them my unconditional love.
Bonnie trusted me and she wasn't angry because she understood how hard it was for me to let go of the only few things I was actually still capable of doing. And relatively good at for that matter. I knew the quarrel between Damon and me could go for a long time but I wanted to resolve it because I had one more thing on my mind right now and was trying to find a way to how exactly to come down with it. Anna's birthday was in three weeks and I desperately wanted to go to Chicago for a few days. I haven't been there since we left and I knew how painful it was for her mother to go to the graveyard. I didn't want to imagine the abandoned gravestone and the lack of flowers on it. I knew Damon would be strongly against it because I would have to miss some school days and he was afraid I might get myself into another trouble somehow. But I was determined to go, no matter what it takes. Even if it means not talking to him for an year. She was the love of my life and I owned it to her to be there.
I was so deep in thoughts that I practically didn't see when the boys started coming out of the gym. I stood up slowly and impatiently started looking out for Peter. He was nowhere to be found anyway and I started getting worried until I finally noticed him pushing the heavy door with his shoulder and letting it close slowly behind him. First he didn't approach me but stood there looking in the nothingness, waiting for the hallway to get empty and the voices to disappear. I thought something has gone wrong so I started limping towards him with a questioning look on my face. He then shrugged his shoulders with a light smile on his face.
"I'm in" he finally let out and I sighed relived "I am fucking in, Stefan."
"What! You bastard. How dare you torture me like that!" I yelled too, feeling betrayed but beyond happy. He threw his hand over my shoulder
"Thanks buddy! I wouldn't have done it without you." I nodded and handed him over his bag. "Now let's drink!"
"I thought you might say that" I grinned and opened my bag only to show him that I have already bought his favorite scotch. He smiled obviously surprised that this time not only wasn't I preventing him from drinking but I was also encouraging it.
We took off school, caught the bus and went to his house. His father was still at work I think so we went outside to his own court and opened the bottle. The sun was setting up and we didn't really need to talk about anything. For the first time since we knew each other there was something we were grateful for and definitely something we achieved with a lot of hard work. He had already told me how it all went down on our way to the house and now the silence and our thoughts consumed us. The only thing someone could actually hear was us passing the bottle and the flare up of the lighter.
"I hope there is a point in this" he said with a serious expression. I knew the feeling. In the beginning after you achieve something you are genuinely happy even though you might not have been sure you really want it. The world is at your feet in this moment, but later on, when it all actually sinks in you starts asking yourself-ok now what? What am I going to do? How am I going to do this? You start being a little afraid. And I knew Peter-he had guts for stuff like this, mainly because he was above the madding crowd, the scouts, the coach, the teammates. I'm not sure he was really being afraid right now, maybe he was just rethinking, trying to see from behind whether or not this was a good decision. But I knew-he couldn't know now. He'll have to wait and see even though he was never the patient one.
"There must be" I finally said after a I realized I still hasn't responded him being too much in my thoughts again.
"You know we're making a trip to Atlanta now that I got in the team?"
I shook my head and noticed that he's furrowing his eyebrows before I've even spoken.
"I don't have enough money for this, Peter. My health insurance doesn't cover trips around the states and examinations by good doctors."
"I knew you would try to bail out that's why I already made you an appointment for next weekend." he announced with a satisfied smirk on his face.
"You did what?" suddenly I couldn't feel the effect of the alcohol on my body anymore. He continued smiling, more to himself now. "Why did you do that? What am I gonna tell my brother?"
"We'll figure it out. You still have time." I sighed. That wasn't how I planned it. All I wanted was to shut his mouth that day he has come to see me. I wasn't planning on going to Atlanta at all and I was more than convinced that I'll make Peter change his mind. I guess I really underestimated him this time. He saw I was confused but gave me time to accept it. "You promised me, Stefan. Remember?"
"I do." I said maybe a bit abruptly and immediately regretted it.
"Don't be too pouty. I've got us ticket's to the Atlanta Hawks games in the evening."
"What? Peter are you out of your mind! You know I hate it when you- "
"Pay for something? Relax, they were for my father but he said I can use them if I want to."
"He's ok with you going by yourself to Atlanta?" I asked amused. I was starting to seriously question this man's parent's abilities.
"He doesn't really care" Peter shrugged as if he was ok with it but I knew he was just pretending "Plus I won't be alone. You're coming."
"I'll pay you back when I can about that."
"Stefan" he tried to complain.
"Don't argue about that." I interrupted him before he could say anything else. He knew how much it meant to me not to owe anything to anyone.
He nodded and we continued drinking. We ended up getting pretty wasted and I didn't realize when I have fallen asleep, but we woke up next morning with enormous headache. By some kind of miracle we had half an hour to get to school and even though he didn't want to move his ass I made him get up. On the way there I saw I had around 15 missed calls from Bonnie. I called her only to hear her very worried voice.
"Finally ,Stefan. Where the hell have you been?" I could hear the relief in her voice and suddenly felt guilty for putting her through this- You brother is beyond mad.
"I'm sorry, Bonnie. I was at Peter's place and fell asleep. We're in school now."
"Well, when you come back he'll want to talk just so you know. Don't go anywhere."
"I won't." I sighed "I'll be there after work."
"Good. You sure you're fine?"
"I am, promise." she was even concerned. Damn, why was I such a horrible person? "I'll see you later."
The first couple of classes were awful and we slept through them as far as that was possible in the first place. I couple of times I caught Elena looking at me and smiling-she seemed to be in a better mood but after lunch break I lost sight of her even though I wanted to talk and maybe ask her how is everything going on and if she maybe feels a bit better but that didn't happen and I told myself that it was for the best. I wasn't planning on misleading her in any way.
I made Peter skip the last two classes so we can go into the library and write the damn history assignments. He almost few asleep a few times but I pushed him to keep writing until I had to leave for work. He was pouty I was leaving him alone but I really didn't have a choice especially when I had in mind what was going to happen when I got home.
For the first time in months I was happy that Daniel gave me too much work. I had to stay an hour more just to finish the new order for the Lockwood mansion. I swear those people simply loved spending their money on renewing any little detail in their house. But I shouldn't be complaining because after all that brings me money.
When I finally took the last bus and headed home I was trying really hard to suppress the guilty feeling inside me. I wasn't up to fighting with my brother and I had no intentions of opposing him or shouting like last time. I would just have to undergo it and apologize.
The house was pretty silent once I got inside. I guess that Bonnie and James has went to bed earlier tonight. I finally faced my brother once I entered the kitchen. He was drinking his evening glass of bourbon and seemed pretty tired to me.
"It's good you decided to come home, brother." he sounded bitter.
"Damon..I'm sorry."
"Sit down" he said and nodded to the chair across his seat. "Look. I don't want to fight with you.-he started sounding completely honest."
"I don't want that either."
"I understand that you need to continue working. Or at least I am trying to understand it. But you can't go out and not come home in days because you're scaring me out of my mind."
"Damon, I didn't mean to" I tried explaining myself once again
"Wait. Let me finish" he interrupted me and waited until he was sure I wasn't going to protest "Just because we fought doesn't mean that I don't care about you anymore. You can't just decide that and do whatever on earth you want and disappear. I might be angry but I still get concerned when I come home and my wife tells me that she hasn't seen you since yesterday. "
"I know." he nodded considering this subject to be over with. But I felt there was something more.
"They called me from you school today, said you were skipping classes."
"I can"
"No…" he sighed again "Look I know I told you I wouldn't leave you be when it comes to school but if you're so determined in destroying yourself I can't really do anything about it. I mean I tried to do something but I obviously failed. So..you are free to do whatever you want with your education. I'm not going to stop you. If you feel like finishing the year-good, if not then ..that's how you considered it was best. You're about to become nineteen soon and I don't have a say in those things. You take enough responsibilities already to be able to make those decisions yourself and it looks like you're not even taking my advices under consideration. So" he stood up, clearly done with everything he was going to say "I'm going to bed now cause I'm tired. Bonnie 's left something for you in the fridge if you're hungry."
He left me alone in the kitchen and I tried very hard to get myself together after this conversation. I expected him to yell at me, to be angry, but he was completely done, tired of all my bullshits. And he had every right to. I was making everything so hard for him ever since Anna died. I was a constant pain in the ass.
Moving here was a big mistake. I shouldn't have come with them. And now-if there's another kid on the way it will make it even harder for them. I was certain that I need to get away from here. Wherever I went I only brought pain with myself, I ruined stuff. I deserved to be alone. I deserved everything that has happened to me and that was the only truth.
I was going to finish the school year and go back to Chicago. By the time I would leave the baby must be about to be born and they shall have enough space to live here. I would send Bonnie the money every month and leave just enough as to live relatively good.
Yeah..that was the best decision. I had to set my brother free, because I loved him too much to make him go through my messed up life by my side. He had a family of his own now and he needed to focus on that. I couldn't keep doing that to him.
Elena's POV
This was the second time I came to the Salvatore house and honestly I was starting to feel a little concerned and shy to as what this might look like to Stefan's relatives but I really needed to talk to someone right now. I brushed the tears away and tried to compose myself before knocking on the door.
While waiting for someone to open the only picture in my eyes was still that one of Tyler and the way he touched and kissed that girl on this park bench. The reason it hurt so much was probably because I envied her- he never treated me with so much passion as he did with her. Yeah of course-sex was good and he was a tremendous kisser but beyond that..nothing more. The way he looked into her eyes and touched her hair showed me that he had feelings for her. And that was probably going on for a while. The truth is we never broke up even though things weren't going good. I wasn't sure I wanted them to continue but I felt a glimpse of hope when the other day he told me he wants us to try once more. Was he just enjoying playing around with two girls at the same time?
"Hey" the door finally opened and I saw Stefan holding a sweet baby boy in his hands. He immediately furrowed his eyebrows. I loved how he understood something was wrong by just looking at me.
"Hey, Stefan." for a minute we stood there a little confused, just staring at each other until I replayed that scene in my mind for the millionth time and I felt another tear streaming down my face which I hurried to brush away.
"Would you like to come in?" he tried to smile and make me feel better "I can't really leave right now because I have to take care of him." he added while he was moving away so I can enter the small house.
The baby was looking at me with curious but somehow scared glance and he hugged himself in Stefan even tighter.
"I'm sorry that I'm bothering you."
"You are not. Come on" he took me to what seemed like a kitchen and put the kid in his bed with a few toys to distract him while we talk. He offered me coffee and I accepted because I was feeling really tired and my head was pumping.
He seemed to have a lot on his mind too and I felt a bit guilty that I came here but I had no intentions of going back.
"What is wrong?" he asked once we settled down and I embraced the cup of coffee with my hands. Staring at it because I didn't want to look him in the eyes.
"I saw Tyler…with another girl and then…I-I interrupted them and we started yelling at each other. And um..he" I spoke so fast he didn't have the time to interrupt me and ask his questions.
" Wait, what? You saw them together?" he finally managed to ask surprised and I realized he was trying to sink the whole information in
"Yeah..yeah in the park near the church. They were kissing and I-I was so angry that I almost slapped him but he caught my hand and pushed me away."
"He hurt you?" now he seemed angry "What did he do to you?"
"Nothing. I just..left after that. I couldn't bear watching them together."
"Damn, that idiot." he cursed clearly very frustrated with it. I started regretting telling him. I didn't knew he would get so angry about that. For a moment he stood up and walked up around the room like he was searching for something but I knew he wasn't looking for anything in particular. Then he was like hit with a thought cause his eyes grew bigger and somehow sad and he turned to me "I am so sorry, Elena."
"It's fine. I just..needed to tell someone and I knew that if I go to Caroline she would get so mad she might as well slap him with her new handbag" we both chuckled at the thought of skinny angry Caroline running after Tyler. "Anyway..I don't really want to talk about it."
"When you say that it means just that it hurts too much to discuss it" he said now seriously like it was in our previous conversations. He sat back on the chair and look at me with just so much understanding that I was starting to wonder if he's real? I've never met a boy like that before. "Did you love him?" I could see he was a little confused asking me that but I guess he just decided to go for it.
"I don't know..In the beginning it was sweet and powerful but then.." I just shrugged my shoulders trying to show him that I'm not exactly sure what the hell happened in the first place "The most surprising thing is that I knew something was going on and Caroline was giving me these hints that he might be cheating but when I actually saw it, it hit me so much more than I've expected."
He seemed to be disgusted by what I was explaining to him.
"That prick." he said it like he was spitting at Tyler."He never deserved a girl like you."
"Thank you." I nodded feeling a bit better. The kid must have got bored playing by himself so I saw him stretching his hands towards Stefan and blabbing in some sweet baby language that he obviously craved for attention. Stefan slowly went to take him and the baby smiled satisfied.
"Who is that sweetheart?"
"That's my nephew James. He's my brother's son." the boy glanced at me again clearly still confused as he has never seen e before. "Come on, James. Say hey to Elena." the baby looked up at Stefan, clearly trying to understand what was wanted from him and then hugged himself back in Stefan's chest. "I'm sorry he is a bit shy."
"That's fine." I smiled and took another sip of my coffee. I made a funny face and the kid started smiling but he still didn't want to turn fully around, clearly being very comfortable in his uncle's embrace. "So you live with your brother?" I realized I don't know anything about him. What was his life like? The house was clearly small and they obviously didn't have enough money if he had to work. The furniture seemed old, the clothes tossed on the chair near him were shabby and faded, the TV behind him was from the old ones with a very small screen and probably half-working remote. The only thing that seemed new were the toys the boy had in his bed and the clothes he was dressed with. I figured they must probably give all their money to make sure the baby had everything he needed.
"Yeah, him and his wife. They went out to deal with some stuff."
"What about your parents? Are they still in Chicago?"
"No, they..they passed away. First my father when I was 12 and then my mother two years ago."
What he said changed the atmosphere of the room completely. It altered my opinion towards him within minutes and I asked myself what was I doing here? I've come to him with as if I've thought that I'm the only person in the world who's lost her parents and now..he was an orphan too. Why did he never say anything? Why did he never told me that he knows exactly how I feel? Was he really that selfless? Did he not want me to feel pity for him?
"I am sorry. " I tried to sound as sincere as I could "You..you never mentioned it before."
"Yeah..well. It's not really a nice subject to discuss as you know." he smiled as if he was trying to lift up the seriousness in the air around us. I decided to change the subject. It was clear to me that he didn't want to discuss his parents anymore. The look on his face told me enough-it was a painful thing to talk about and he clearly wasn't over this tragedy just like I wasn't over mine. I'm not sure a person can ever overcome something like this in his life. Like he said once- I'll carry this weight until the day I die.
"Aren't you working today?" I wasn't trying to be polite and make small talk I really wanted to know how his day passed.
"I am but I was something like a night/morning shift. From five am till two pm and now I'm done." his voice was a bit cheerful now. I guess he liked working even though it made him tired. He seemed paler to me than before. I guess those past few weeks were more exhausting "Did you catch up with homework like Caroline planned?"
"I actually have to go to her house in half an hour and continue what we started yesterday. She's being a pain in the ass." I complained. It was true though. My best friend was giving me a hard time. She was desperately trying to help me pass the term with relatively good grades.
"I'm sure she only wants to help you."
"Yeah…yeah she does." I smiled at the thought of Caroline running up and down my room yesterday with colorful notes and text markers in her hand, questioning me about the civil war "Peter told me you were out of town last week?"
"Yeah.." he seemed uncomfortable with the subject "They send us to deal with some big order there. I had to skip school.-for a few minutes we stood in silence until asked with a somehow curious voice "How's your aunt doing?"
"Oh..well she's fine. We haven't talk that much lately but at least we don't yell at each other anymore." I looked away feeling a little confused to discuss this with him even though a few weeks back I wouldn't even care about it. I mean he heard our quarrels after all, he knew how ugly it was. I wanted to change I was back then and somehow erase everything bad he has heard me say. I didn't want him to think that I am a bad person. "It's working you know?"
"What's that?" he asked a little confused himself.
"Your advice. I started writing."
"Oh yeah? How do you like it?" a smile appeared on his face and he didn't seem so uptight like a minute before.
"Well…let's say that it has a positive effect on me for now. I like writing."
"Good. I am glad."
"No, I am glad. You were right. I had to let it all out somewhere, but all I've ever done was yell at people. "
"Well that's also a way of letting it out. Just a more…aggressive one." we both chuckled and he let a deep sigh out. I caught him staring at something behind him and slowly rubbing the kid's back. The baby seemed more sleepy to me now. "Life is just so complicated sometimes that..it makes you wonder how much more you can actually withstand going into certain direction. It's confusing."
I realized I was staring at him and trying to figure out exactly how complicated and hurt his soul was.
"I think that beyond everything life is unexpected and that can be both bad and good. It challenges us and destroys us at the same time."
"True." he smiled still gently stroking the boy. He was mumbling something inaudible like he was trying to include himself in our conversation and we, being completely impolite and consumed by our big adult world, weren't paying him enough attention
"Do you ever think what would they say if they could see us right now?" the words escaped my lips without me really wanting to say them out loud.
"Yes..and it scares me to death honestly."
"Me too. Especially when I have in mind how awful I've been to everyone else in the family after they died."
"I wouldn't worry about that, Elena. You are a teenager. You have the right to be angry, to slam doors and yell at those responsible for you. Moreover you just lost the two most important people in your world-you have every right to turn the house upside down if you want to. Not that I'm giving you any suggestions" he smiled. Genuinely. I liked seeing him like that. He seemed so sad all the time.
We talked a little more and I left because I was about to be late for meeting Care. He send me to the door and I thanked him for listening to me.
I started the engine feeling a little better. Tyler Lockwood was indeed a prick, but did he deserve my tears?
Stefan's POV
After I closed the door I leaned back on the door and clenched my fists feeling so damn angry. I tried to hide the fact that I wanted desperately to punch Tyler Lockwood in the face and never let him stand up again in front of Elena but I had to do something about it. No boy can treat a girl like that. It's just not right.
I decided to call Peter. I knew he wanted to kick Tyler's ass for a while now and the only thing that was stopping him was my stubbornness that we shall be better than those pricks.
"Peter, hey."
"What's up, Stefan. I was about to call you. We just finished practice."
"How was it?"
"I'll tell you all about it later because I don't want to curse in front of the team. They might actually start hating me more than they do now."
I laughed but he felt there was something else so he asked me before I could have the opportunity to surprise him.
"What's going on?"
"I need you to help me kick Tyler Lockwood's ass."
For a minute he didn't say a thing and I wondered if he'll even be on board with me or not.
"Peter?"
"You have no idea how long I've waited for you to say those words, Stefan. When do you want do it?" that was Peter. He wouldn't even ask me why. He would just take his ass to my front door and we'll help me kill a man if he has to. What a dude he was.
"No, I don't want to really beat him up. I want to embarrass him in front of everyone."
"Ugh…can't I at least punch him?" he sounded so desperate. Like a kid waiting for an ice cream.
I laughed out loud
"You can, Peter. You can." I hurried to assure him because he started snorting like a sad horse on the line and it made me laugh even more.
"Ok, so tell me your idea."
Oh, I had an awesome idea.
Elena's POV
The next day after our second class has passed something interesting happened. I felt it once I got out of Biology and joined the big mass of people heading to the main hallway. There was a big group of jocks and some of the cheerleaders gathered in front of the man's bathroom. I wondered what was going on until I saw Caroline running towards me with a practically gleaming expression on her face.
"What's going on here, Care? What's this all about?" I couldn't care less about gossips now but this seemed to be something bigger than the usual who-dumped-who sayings.
"You wouldn't believe what happened!" I haven't seen her that excited since the last founding families ball "Someone tied up Tyler Lockwood in the bathrooms!" she almost yelled from delight "I swear, Elena if I found those people I will make their life amazing! "
"What? He was ..what? Tyler?" I couldn't believe my ears. That was definitely unusual. Tyler always had a bunch of his gorilla guys from the football team following him around everywhere and he wasn't really easy to put down. "How did it happen?"
"I don't exactly know. They said some girl wrote him a note that she wants to taste his lips and to meet him in the boy's room so he went. But of course it wasn't a girl. Someone jumped him from behind and put a piece of cloth on his eyes. Then they tied him up to one of the pipes and cut his football jacket apart. After that they put his t-shirt and jeans down and wrote "I am a boy toy jock prick" on his chest. It's amazing. Clair Williams just send me a photo-wait" she clicked a few times on her phone and then handed it to me. I couldn't believe my eyes. Tyler looked ridiculous in his underwear and even though I've seen him I never realized it up until now. I laughed out loud and couldn't stop myself until I saw the principle walking down the hallways with a very angry and ashamed Tyler. It seemed that he was released and now would try to determine who did this since I guess he never really saw their faces. And yes I definitely thought it was more than one person. Tyler was strong he couldn't be put down just by one man.
Caroline and me kept on talking about it while walking on our way to history class. As we were about to turn around I noticed Stefan and Peter leaning back on their lockers, discussing something very lively and being very happy about it.
And then it hit me. It all came back to one place. They have done it.
No one else had actual reason to go after Tyler now. Yes he was a prick to almost every human being in this school but they wouldn't have the guts to do it. I've told Stefan what happened. And he seemed so angry that he hardly held himself even in that moment and Peter…well Caroline always told me how much he hates Tyler.
I cursed silently and Caroline looked at me confused but I didn't bother explaining her because I knew how uptight she was towards Peter. I made an excuse that I have to go to the bathroom and told her that we'll see each other in class. I had to talk to Stefan, but not here because it would look too suspicious and someone might figure out what he and Peter have done. For a moment I couldn't decide what to do but then I remembered that he must be at work tonight. Yeah, exactly-Joseph Evan's factory. I'll go there tonight and try to figure out why on earth did he do it.
Stefan's POV
I was so tired after work that I have no idea how I managed to change my work clothes with my normal ones without falling on the ground. My knee kept hurting me more than usually and my movements were very slow. Once I finally got out of the factory after everyone else from my shift have left I noticed a girl's figure sitting on the benches outside near the parking lot. At first I didn't pay attention to her but once she turned around obviously looking for something I realized it was Elena Gilbert and it really hit me. What was she doing here?
"Elena? " I asked still not sure if I it was her or not. "What's going on? Why are you here?"
She stood up and approached me slowly, with a very angry expression on her face.
"I know what you and Peter Fell did." Oh, damn…I didn't realize she could figure it out so fast.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Stefan are you out of your freaking mind?" she almost yelled at me "Don't play dumb! I know you did it. What will happen when Tyler figures out it was you two? You have no idea how revengeful he can be."
"Look, Elena" there was no point in pretending anymore. But she also needn't have worried about me "We are not afraid of Tyler Lockwood."
"You are underestimating him." I swear I could see tears in her eyes. That son of a bitch really hurt her if even saying his name out loud made her feel so sad.
"Elena, relax" I tried to calm her down "We knew what we were getting ourselves into" that was the truth though. Both me and Peter knew that Tyler would figure it out. He didn't say anything to the principle because he wanted to deal with whomever done it himself, I guess. I was not sure how much time we had until he realizes it or what he'll do once he does, but there was only one person in the school who was limping and that was me-he could figure it out by only by remembering the sound of my slow and unsteady pace and Peter's hand was a bit swallowed for hitting him though I also punched mine in the lockers so that if someone decided to catch that sign they would have to consider both of us in it. "I'm sorry but I have to get home." I said trying to leave her. I wasn't up to talking about it right now.
"No," she caught my hand and I felt chills everywhere in my body from her tiny but strong touch "tell me why you did it?"
I tried to contain myself.
"You know why I did it."
"Say it out loud." she almost whispered that. Why was she so desperate to hear my words?
"I did it because no one should treat a girl like that and because that prick deserves to be punished for being an asshole to everyone in this school." I freed myself from her grip "I'm not going to feel guilty for putting that rich idiot into his place and I'm not going to apologize for my actions."
"I don't want you to" she said, again barely audible. For a moment we just looked at each other, not confused but..somehow understandingly and then she came closer to me. I really couldn't move I was so stunned by her behavior, by everything that has happened that day. Before I knew it I was staring at her lips, but deep down something inside me didn't allow me to do anything. Then she leaned down and kissed me, very lightly, very carefully as if she was afraid that she might break me.
First I let myself actually feel something towards whatever was going on in that moment, but then I pushed myself away because the only thing that consumed me within minutes was the guilt.
"I'm sorry. I-I can't do this, Elena." I stuttered. I felt myself unstable, like I was going to fall, but I somehow pushed myself to stay up.
"No" she seemed surprised by herself and maybe a little terrified by her bravery "No I am sorry, Stefan. I don't know what came over me. Please forgive me."
"It's ok I just..I just can't do this right now." I spilled out and turned around mumbling a goodbye to her. Leaving her alone in the dark park alley.