Back in the Salvatore Boarding house, a knock sounded at the door. Stefan was reading a book. Damon was just pouring himself a glass of bourbon. Stefan had set down the book and walked over to answer the door. "Elena?" He was more than surprised to see her. Elena had asked to speak with him alone.

"Do you want to come in?" Stefan stepped aside, except Elena shook her head. She wanted to go outside to talk with him. She didn't want Damon to overhear their conversation. Stefan nodded and heads outside, closing the door behind him. "Caroline's engaged." Elena broke the news to Stefan. She could tell that he was unfazed by the statement. "Caroline's engaged… to your brother."

"What?"

"Yeah, I drove here as fast as I could to tell you. Also, there's something I have to say. I'm assuming that Damon has talked with you about us."

Stefan nodded, "Yeah, graduation. What happened?" Elena didn't exactly know how to begin. Many eventful things have happened surrounding graduation. She suggested they find a place to sit down. Instead, Stefan suggested walking, which Elena didn't mind. "Damon and I have been dating for two years by then and…"

Senior year and Elena was finally graduating. Damon had planned for something special that evening. Both were at his apartment waiting to leave. While Elena was waiting for Damon to finish his shower, his phone rang. Elena knew not to answer it. She stood up for from the couch and walked over to the counter where his phone lay. Damon had received a text from an unknown number. "Cant wait to see you in two weeks! xo C." Who is C? AS she finished reading the text, Damon had just finished his shower. He walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. "Just give me fifteen—"

"Who's C?" Elena held up his phone to show proof of the text. Damon simply said that it wasn't anyone important before taking the phone from her. "It's someone Damon." Elena didn't want to argue with him. "How long have you been talking with them?" Elena crossed her arms over her chest, clearly upset. Damon hesitated a minute before giving his answer.

"During the time when we had first started talking until you became my girlfriend. Then we stopped and only started talking again just four months ago." Elena couldn't believe what she was hearing. Damon had been keeping this hidden from her the length of their relationship since the day they met. She had thought that there wouldn't be anymore secrets between them. She was disappointed. "Damon, I don't think we can work when we're continuously keeping secrets from each other. I'm planning on moving back to Mystic Falls. I sent out applications for jobs there and have been called in for an interview when I get home. If you respect me as a person and how the third party is detrimental to our relationship, then feel free to contact me."

Elena finished her story. She felt a bit better that she was able to tell someone about the details of her previous relationship. "Caroline's the reason you two broke up? I didn't know." Stefan could never understand his brother, especially after reuniting from their estrangement. "She's engaged to him, and I'm not sure he's told her about us Stefan." The two of them had stopped walking. They were a good distance away from the Boarding house.

"You still love him Elena. I know that look."

"I don't want to be responsible for taking his happiness away from him. What about Matt? And you, especially. You and Caroline are friends."

"We're not discussing me. Maybe try working things out with Matt. You and I have dated. It didn't exactly play out the way we wanted. We were wanting different things in life and what we want in a relationship." Elena knew Stefan had meant everything he was discussing with her. She hadn't imagined being in a relationship with Matt. She hadn't thought of giving him a chance. It didn't feel right to her for the two of them to be in a relationship. The two of them began the long walk back to the Salvatore Boarding house before parting ways.

Over the next few days, Elena and Stefan have been hanging out with each other. With juggling work into the mix of Caroline and Damon's engagement, Elena was relieved for having Stefan around. It was finally the weekend. Stefan had come over to Elena's apartment to discuss the engagement of Caroline and Damon. "Have you talked with Caroline about Damon?" Elena shook her head. "Do you think Damon's happy with her?"

"I'm not sure. I should have told you sooner instead of waiting."

"It's okay. What are you going to do now? Let them get married?" Elena felt that it should be Damon's responsibility to discuss with Caroline about his previous relationship with her. Just as Stefan had finished his question, Caroline entered the apartment with Damon. She wasn't expecting Elena to be home, let alone home with Stefan. "The four of us need to have a talk." said Elena. Caroline was confused by this statement. Though when she had exchanged glances with Damon, she knew that it was something serious. She asked what was going on. Damon suggested that they all sit down. Caroline took her seat on the couch, as did the other three. "We know Elena's your best friend. So, this may come as a shock to you. Elena and I dated." said Damon.

"Elena wasn't going to stay single forever." It was Caroline's tone that seemed matter-of-factly. Stefan and Elena exchanged quick glances with one another. Stefan asked if the engagement had seemed rushed. "Damon said he was planning on moving back to Mystic Falls." Caroline motioned towards his brother. Elena didn't know about this. She could see the hesitation before Damon had spoken. Though Caroline interrupted by asking if he was calling the engagement off. Neither Stefan or Elena knew what to say and how to voice their input in all of this. "Caroline, let's just talk—"

"No. Damon's decided. He didn't come here to Mystic Falls for me." Caroline interjected, stopping Elena in mid-sentence.

"I did ask you to marry me." Damon said.

Caroline shook her head and took off the ring and handed it back to him. "This ring was meant for Elena, right? I mean, after all… you were still with her while we were talking."

"Elena and I broke up because of that text message. I should've told her the truth, and yet, I decided to keep it a secret."

"Ironic, isn't it? I was the sole reason you two broke up, and now, she's the reason we're ending the engagement. As much as I understand your feelings for her, Elena deserves a special guy in her life. While though Matt seems like a potential candidate, Stefan dated her too."

"I had suggested for her to date Matt." said Stefan. "Though, I believe Elena's old enough to make decisions for herself when it comes to dating and relationships." Elena had been silent for sometime, listening to the conversations going on in the room. She was just thinking back to very day before she left for NYU.

It was two months before Elena left Mystic Falls. Stefan had only a short amount of time to spend with her, and he didn't want to waste his summer alone. He decided to visit her. Arriving at her house, he parked the car out front and steps out of his vehicle. Stefan approached the door and softly knocked. He waited until seeing Elena's aunt, Jenna answer the door. "Stefan, it's nice to see a friendly face." she smiled.

"Jenna, is Elena home?" Stefan's hands were casually placed in his pockets. One reason was that he was a bit nervous. He didn't know why. Maybe because he hadn't been to her house since the break up. Jenna invited him inside the house before briefly saying that she had to go out and run a few errands. "Say hi to Damon for me." Stefan smiled and nodded, only saying to her that he will pass on her greeting to his brother. Jenna exited the house, leaving Stefan to stay idle in the foyer. Elena had just gone downstairs after hearing the front door close. She was surprised to see Stefan. She had been planning to go over and visit him instead. "Do you want anything? Water? Coffee?"

"I'm good. Thanks." said Stefan.

Elena nodded, "I have something I need to talk with you about. I was planning to see you, but you saved me a trip."

"What is it you need to tell me?"

"You know I'm going to New York and will be leaving in August. So, it's nice we have an entire summer together. Though Stefan, I don't think I can handle long-distance. I mean, we will only see each other during breaks, and even that's not enough to maintain a healthy relationship. I'm sure it will be likely for you to have many relationships before finding the one. I hate that it has to be this way. It's for the best."

Now, Elena had found herself sitting in her apartment with her best friend and two ex-boyfriends. One of them she was still clearly in love with. Elena excused herself from the room and exited the apartment. She just needed to clear her mind and take a breath of fresh air. She walked to the cemetery, which is something she hadn't done since high school. While though she knew of her birth parents, Elena still visited the gravesite of her adopted parents. She had wished to see her mom, Miranda. She knew that her mom would always know the right words to say in situations like this. She sat down in front of their graves and took out her journal, only beginning to write the thoughts out that she wanted to tell her mom. After her visit with her parents, she decided to make a visit to see Alaric. He had been the best father replacement for she and Jeremy. She couldn't have asked for anyone better. She was glad to have known him before his tragic passing. Arriving at his grave, Elena sat down.

"Alaric, I know you can hear me. I know that somewhere up there you are watching over Jeremy and I. I know that I've asked you countless of times to watch over Jeremy. The reason for my visit isn't about Jeremy, and I think you know that. It's about Damon. I have never felt so lost before. I've also never felt this way about anyone else since dating Stefan. With Damon, there's a many things he can offer me. Being with him, he just makes me feel so alive. There's never been a dull moment with him. Damon's an adventurous and spontaneous person. Yet, I let him go. I let him go to focus on myself and focus on my wants. Now that when I picture a future, it's a future with him. I see him and no one else. I didn't see it before, and now I do. I really hope that he understands that." Elena sighed. "It would be great to hear your voice again. Thank you for listening Ric. I'll see you tomorrow." Elena pressed her fingers to her lips, kissing them and pressed them to the stone.