BLOODSHARED
Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, I just like to play in their world:)
Chapter 20 ~ Discouragement
(Grill cont.)
I turn to go back inside and I nearly jump out of my skin! Damon is leaning against the wall.
"Damon! You scared me!"
"What are you doing out here?" he ask with a smirk.
"Um...looking for you." I state in a small voice.
"I know." he says raising his eyebrows.
"Then why didn't you answer my text?" I ask angry now.
"What do you want Elena?" he spits out angry now also.
I try to smooth things over sweetly.
"Um...nothing, I just missed you this week (looking down) and I wanted to talk."
I am so nervous now and I don't know why?
"I wasn't here. I took a road trip." he says snarky-like.
"A road trip! Where? Why?" I ask not able to hide my surprise and curiosity.
"To Florida...Miami...to be exact. I wanted to clear my head." his face expression is serious now.
"Oh...did it work?" I ask looking up into his eyes.
His intense gaze is doing all kinds of things to me and I find myself moving closer to him automatically, drawn like a moth to a flame. I feel the craving so strong, an urge that burns from my core upwards and again I feel that connection, electric current is flowing between us again and it's extending into my fingertips, which pulls them to reach out as if natural instinct to touch him. He jumps some and moves away.
"Uh...no it didn't work." his voice is low and husky.
He looks away for a few seconds and back to me and startles me from my daze when he speaks again.
"I have a new plan." he states surely.
I look at his eyes in confusion not expecting what he's just said. A new plan? What does he mean? Plan to clear his head? I have to get him to clarify...
"A plan for what?" my voice sounds so jittery.
"To clear my head and get back control." he says weakly.
"Oh and what is the plan?" my voice is shaky and I feel as if I will leap at him any minute, the desire is so strong to be near him that I start to pace back and forth because I don't trust myself. Damon digs in his pocket and pulls out the white folded paper and grins...
"Andie." he says sternly.
As soon as her name registers in my brain I draw in a loud breath. My brows furrow in confusion, my whole body tenses and my hands form fists at my sides. I feel a lump in my throat and I know tears are going to spill. I fight back the tears, clinch my teeth and my jaw tightens hard and I feel the heat of jealousy but even more so I feel Anger! I'm angry at him but also myself for having such a strong reaction. I want to yell, hit something, or just cry! I know I have to get away from him. I take a much needed deep breath and turn and stomp right past him and go back inside, straight to the restroom. I allow myself just a few seconds to take a few breaths and calm down and then I quickly make my way back to the gang.
"There you are." Bonnie says.
"I was in the restroom." I say with too much anger in my voice.
"Okay. I just wanted to let you know I'm going home." Bonnie says with a half smile.
I look over and Caroline and Stefan are still playing pool and now they have an audience, Matt, Tyler, and a crowd from school. I hug Bonnie and tell her goodnight, she leaves and I walk back over to the action. Caroline winks at me, as if she knows I was talking to Damon and has covered for me. I walk up to Stefan smiling tightly and trying hard to relax my face. Stefan kisses my cheek softly...
"We have an audience." he states.
"I see that." I smile hoping he doesn't notice anythings wrong. He takes his shot and misses and turns back to me...
"Did you talk to Damon?" he asks.
I try not to look surprised and act non-chalant...
"Yeah, for a few minutes...why?"
"Just wondering where he ran off to. He's acting strange, he took off all week without a word to me first." he states with concern etched on his face.
"I seen him talking to Jenna and her friend Andie earlier. I don't see them now, maybe they all left." I say nervously. "Where did he go all week?" I add.
"He says he went on a road trip out of pure boredom." Stefan answers quickly and then takes his turn and walks back over to me. If he suspects something I can't tell?
"Well you know Damon, nothing he does is surprising." I state with a shrug and trying to hide the disdain in my voice. Stefan leans over to me...
"The game is almost over, are you ready to go?"
"Sure, I'm kinda tired." I answer. Stefan finishes his game and we get our jackets and tell everyone goodnight and as I hug Caroline I whisper...
"Call me tomorrow." she nods and we leave.
Once in Stefan's car he ask if I want to stay over and I know I don't because Damon might be there and I am still angry and hurt that he has just brushed me off, like it is so easy for him. I had the same week away from him too, but I had to fight cravings all week and keep distracted and totally felt our connection as soon as I was close enough to Damon! I guess he got over it and so should I. Looking over at Stefan I realize I have to go stay the night with him. I can't keep avoiding him like last weekend or he will surely get suspicious so I say yes and smile the best I can. Stefan and I make small talk on the way to the Boarding house, we pull in the driveway and I notice Damon's blue Camaro...Oh Great! We walk in and there's Damon fixing his usual Bourbon and he doesn't even look up at us...
"Fun night Kiddos?" Damon states more than asks.
"We had some great pool action. I thought you were going to play?" Stefan asks him.
"I was but I'm kinda beat from my road trip so I left early. I got a date tomorrow too." he adds.
"A Date! With who? Stefan asks in surprise.
"Andie Star...Action News!" Damon replies smugly.
Stefan's eyes are wide and his face is text book for a shocked expression! After a minute Stefan speaks again...
"Huh, was that the woman with Jenna?"
"Yes, she gave me her number, so I called her after we all left. She's free tomorrow until 4pm...so I ask her out." Damon says too proudly.
"Wow! Over 150 years pinning over Katherine...and your finally moving on..." Stefan states teasingly.
Stefan plops down on the couch across from the chair Damon sat down in and smiles widely at Damon. I however, feel like I'm going to vomit in my mouth so I give Stefan a swift kiss on the cheek and I avoid Damon's gaze...
"Well I'll let you guys have your chat...and...I'm gonna head up and get ready for bed." I say quickly and turn toward the stairs and without looking back I yell out...
"Goodnight Damon."
"Night Lena." he says back in a mundane voice as if he's said goodnight to me every night for 100 years.
I run up the stairs and go into Stefan's room, I close the door and lean against it for support, I feel the weight of the situation finally hit me and I slide down the door, slowly to the floor, tears begin streaming down my face, unwanted hot tears that I've been holding back are finally free from the captivity of my throat and I'm thankful for them because as I release them the nausea goes away. After several minutes I stand and head in to brush my teeth and change for bed. I crawl in and try not to think...sleep comes quickly.
(Next Morning)
I wake up alone in Stefan's bed. I look around and call out for Stefan, there is no answer so I stand and stretch. I clean up, get dressed and grab my bag and head downstairs. Damon is sitting in the chair with a tumbler of blood, his eyes meet mine and for a moment...I see a sad human expression in his eyes and a second later...it's gone.
"Where is Stefan?" I ask hastily. I instantly feel an ache in my heart at the thought of his date today with Andie...
"He went out to hunt." he replies softly.
"How long has he been gone?" I ask.
"About a half hour or so." he answers me never looking up from his glass he is swirling around.
I grab my jacket from the back of the couch. I need to get out of here, despite my anger toward Damon and the ache in my chest getting stronger, the very thought of being alone with him...has sent my craving for him to feed off me into a frenzy already. I turn back to him feeling a twinge of sadness, that Damon...once like another best friend to me, now feels uncomfortable to be in the same room with. It's not just the craving that has me feeling this way but the twinge of sadness I feel from not getting the time I use to get with him, where he was always honest with me and could make me feel better no matter what...my voice gets low and even sad sounding...
"Please tell Stefan I went home to eat Breakfast and to call me later."
I started to turn away and I couldn't help myself...
"Oh and enjoy your date with Andie." I spit out and I can't control the venom in my voice. I stomp toward the door and just as I go to touch the handle Damon vamps in front of me... I jump back in surprise!
"What's your problem?" he snarls.
I fidget with my fingers and stare down at them. I can't look up at him because I know the honesty will show in my eyes...
"I don't have a problem Damon." I say trying not to sound angry.
"Then why won't you look at me?" his voice softer now.
"Because I don't want to Damon (my voice softens) I just want to go home." my voice smaller now and I sound so sad like someone just killed my puppy.
Damon takes a step closer and I feel like I can't breath. The current between us is flowing again, it feels like a shock almost this time...I step back and he steps forward, I step back again and he steps forward getting very close to me this time, I turn my head to the right and stare at the wall. I feel like I'm going to cry...the pull, the connection, the current, the anger, the jealousy...it's all overwhelming and I want to scream and cry. A few tears slip down my face and Damon wipes them with the back of his hand, I jerk with the surge of current that hits my face where he touched my skin, I close my eyes and start to tilt my head back in some kind of involuntary surrender that is on a sub-conscious level. I feel his hands on my face, it burns where his hands make contact and he slowly tilts my head back down and kisses my forehead tenderly and whispers...
"I'm doing this for the both of us."
then I feel a small gust of wind and I open my eyes and he's gone. I run out the door and slam it! What the hell does he mean.."I'm doing this for the both of us"...what! How does him going on a date help the both of us, maybe him but certainly not me! I look around and realize I have no car here. Stefan drove me here last night. I'm crying...OH no! I roughly wipe my tears from my face with the backs of my hands and suck it up, determined not to let Damon see me cry anymore. I stomp back in the house and yell for him...
"Damon!"
In a flash he's there in front of me, worried look on his face so I speak quickly...
"I need a ride home please!"
He steps toward the door and motions me out, he pulls his keys from his pocket and we walk and get into his car simultaneously. I say nothing on the drive to my house and neither does he. In my driveway I open the car door and get out without looking at him or saying a word and just as I go to close the door...I once again can't help myself and I turn back around and lean in his car and look straight at him and say...
"I hope your date today is the worst ever!" and I slam his car door hard and stomp up to my front door never looking back. I walk in the house and there is Aunt Jenna in the living room with Andie! Just Great! I shut the door quietly and sneak up to my room and as soon as my door is shut I run over to my bed and throw myself on it...I feel like crying for hours and then sleeping for days but just then my cell rings...
(A/N) This chapter is a bit long I think and I know the situation between Damon and Elena is not the best right now...but good things come to those who wait...patiently...lol. Anyways I want to say Thank you to everyone following the story and it would be great if you guys would review, but either way I hope you are enjoying the story still and I am leaving for a 9 day Vacation soon, so it is getting busy lately but I may try to get one more chapter on before I go:) If not, with the 4th of July coming and vacation soon after it may be awhile before the next chapter. Hope everyone has a Wonderful 4th and you are enjoying the summer...until next time:)