I noticed after a couple of days that Damon wasn't in town. It was out of nowhere. It made me wonder if it had something to do with me. It hurt that he didn't tell me he was leaving. I heard around school that he was visiting family so I felt a little better. It was weird he kept me in the dark. I didn't like being in the dark. I filled the time with Caroline and Matt. My rocks. They could help me through anything.
"Elena you're seriously depressing lately." Matt laughed as Caroline gave him a death glare. He was there for me but always makes fun of us. It's how he copes with always being around so many girls.
"I wouldn't make fun of me if I was you Matt. Caroline told about your dream." I winked at him but couldn't hold back from laughing.
"Caroline!" Matt eyes widened.
"She's kidding!" Caroline giggled.
We laughed but then I took his words to heart. "You're right I need to stop letting this thing with Damon affect me."
"Wow. You're agreeing with me?" He said surprisingly.
"I know how shocking." We laughed.
My brother Max walked in. "What are you doing?" He asked me.
"Since when do you still live here? You're never home anymore." I rolled my eyes.
"Where's Mom?" He said ignoring my question.
"Why do you think I would know?" She's never home either.
"I need help." Max was being very weird.
"With what?" I looked at Caroline and Matt and then back at Max.
"Not in front of them." He looked at my friends.
"We'll go make sandwiches. Want anything?" I nodded and Caroline left with Matt right behind her.
"What's up?" I asked starting to be concerned.
"Can you buy me condoms?" He asked as my eyes widen. I was caught off guard.
"Condoms? For what you're in middle school?" What is this bullshit.
"I'm not even a virgin anymore." He laughed at my comment.
"What the heck?" He's still a kid. This conversation was weirding me out.
"I need to be safe because girlfriend is scared she's going to get pregnant." He sat down next to me.
"What the fuck Max what are you doing?" I sighed having no idea who to handle this. "You should talk to Jeremy about this." I added.
"No he'll freak out plus he's so far away." Max explained. "And he's a nerd he's probably never even had sex." He bashed our older brother.
"Than how am I supposed to help you?" I was confused as I know nothing about sex other than what we learned in school.
"I'm sure that you are way more experienced than Jeremy is." Max laughed.
"Why would you think that? I'm only fifteen." I didn't understand what would make him think that.
"Damon spends the night here all the time? You're telling me you're not sleeping with the most popular guy in your school but just sleeping next to him?" He raised his eyebrow.
"I'm not sleeping with anyone. He's my best friend." I can't believe my brother.
"Oh sorry sis. I didn't mean to make this weird." He apologized.
"It's okay." I fake smiled.
"Do you think I could talk to Damon? I really need help." Max asked.
"Help with what? Talk to Matt." I suggested.
He laughed. "I need pointers and advice from someone experienced. I keep messi-"
"If I ask him will you please not finish the sentence?" I covered my ears.
"Thanks." He said.
I tried to reach Jeremy to let him know about Max but he wasn't answering. He's too young I don't think he should be having sex at thirteen but I'm not his mother so I figured I would see if Jeremy would reach out to him.
I called Damon twice, no answer. He's really going to lengths to avoid me right now. "Hey Damon. Max needs some advice can you please stop by when you get back. Not for me but for him. We don't even have to talk about anything. I know it was a mistake let's move past it." I texted him. I waited a long time but he finally texted me back. "You're right. I'm sorry. Be home tomorrow stopping by."
He never stopped by the next day. His car was there but he didn't make time for me or my brother. It was fine but he never even let me know he wasn't coming over. Damon is acting like a dick and it's not okay.
Before school I stopped by and knocked on his front door with Max. I was fully ready to yell at him for blowing me off but then he opened the door and I saw his face. My anger disappeared for a few seconds.
"Elena? Max?" He rubbed his eyes confusingly. "Oh shit." He says remembering.
I regained my thoughts. "Forget something?" I rolled my eyes. I was so pissed he forgot about me.
"I'm so sorry, I forgot." He apologized.
"Can you talk to him now? I'm going to walk to school." I said. "It's a guy thing I don't want to hear about it."
He nodded and said yes.
I left for school the whole way I couldn't help but wonder how it was going. I was hoping that maybe Damon would talk him into waiting before he did it again. My brother can't even cook dinner. He was not old enough to take on the responsibility of sex especially if he can't even use a condom.
"Hey." Damon said sitting down at lunch.
I looked over at him. "Hi" I whispered quietly.
He sighed. "Listen Elena I'm sorry for the way I treated you last week. It wasn't cool of me to push you away after a dumb mistake. We got caught up in a moment and that's okay. We don't need to let it ruin our friendship." Damon said as he studied my face.
"I thought I was going to lose you Damon." I looked down.
"Hey." He said as I looked up at him. Damon smiled. "You could never lose me Elena."
I smiled. "That's really nice to hear." I felt relieved.
We stared at each other for a couple seconds before I broke the silence.
"How did it go this morning with Max?" I asked as started eating my salad.
"Weird and uncomfortable. He wanted me to buy him condoms and teach him how to pleasure women." Damon said before he took a sip of his water.
I nearly choked. "Uh that's the last thing I needed to hear." I laughed a bit as he did too. This was good laughing again.
"He's only thirteen. It was strange but I didn't want to not help him since he's going to do it anyway." He pointed out.
"I know." I played with my salad. I hadn't been eating much lately.
"I told him he should wait before he does it again and to always be protected but I doubt it'll work." Damon explained. "People are rushing to grow up so fast having sex so young." He took a bite of his lunch.
"Yeah." I said quietly.
"Please wait to have sex Elena. It'll be better if you care about the person." Damon looked at me. "I know you got drunk at that party to fit in." I looked down.
"Don't compromise your dignity to fit in." He took my hand. "You're great as you are."
That whole conversation weirded me out. It was too much and Damon knew me so well that I only got drunk out of pressure. It was unlike me and I know that. I don't think I'll ever drink again unless it's my choice. I don't know who I'm becoming because the old me wouldn't have drank to fit in. How could Damon like me if I wasn't myself anymore? That's the person he became friends with not this mess. I need to find myself again.
