If We Had Met First

Chapter Four

Chapter Four:

            The air reeked of alcohol and was filled with the sounds of teenagers breaking the rules and having fun.  Everywhere you looked there was at least one couple making out and someone wasted already. The sky was dark but the bonfire provided light as well as several torches and candles in the surrounding area.

            Elena had been there only five minutes and she had spent the entire time scanning the crowd of her drunk classmates trying to find Damon. She needed to tell him about what Stefan was saying, he deserved to know what his own brother was saying about him behind his back. However she couldn’t find him anywhere but the night was still young and there was still time for him to show up.

            After her conversation with Stefan that day Bonnie had followed her and seemed to understand why she didn’t like him. Caroline however was a different story, after school she told her friends about going to the party with him and was not happy when they were less then enthused about the news. She didn’t get why neither of them seemed to like him, and refused to talk to either of them after that.

            Caroline and Stefan were already there once Elena arrived and like he always did Stefan stared at her. Except now it wasn’t like he knew her, it was like she was a difficult puzzle that he was trying to figure out and it wasn’t any better than before.

            The beer that had been shoved into Elena’s hands remained untouched and she stood off to the side. It was her hope that if Damon did eventually show up he would find her. As she watched some freshman dance around the fire with beer sloshing all over themselves she told herself she would only stay for another hour before going to find Damon at his house. She just wasn’t in the partying mood and he was all she could think about.

            While she was scanning the crowd once again trying to spot the familiar dark hair and smirk she saw Matt stumbling towards her.

            “What’re you doing here all alone?” He slurred.

            “Why are you so drunk? You never drink.” Elena replied. The only time she had seen her childhood friend this drunk was after their first party but after that hangover he tended to avoid alcohol.

            “Trying to drown the memories from the last party.”

            Guilt flooded through Elena, the last party was when they had the fight that led to their breakup. She hated that because of that she wasn’t close with him anymore, before they had started dating they had been best friends and now they barely talked. Every time she saw him she felt absolutely horrible that she had hurt him and even worse that it had ruined their friendship.

            “I’m sorry Matt.”

            He looked at her with his sad big blue eyes, “I know Elena.”

            Then without another word he stumbled away, and even though he was drunk the fact that he had talked to her for the first time since their breakup meant a lot to her. Maybe it meant that they could be friends again and the awkward post-relationship faze wouldn’t last forever.

            “Waiting for someone?”

            Elena took her eyes off Matt who was still stumbling his way through the crowd and turned to where the voice was coming from. Standing a couple feet behind her wearing a leather jacket was Damon.

            “I didn’t think you would come.” Elena said smiling.

            “Well I wasn’t, but then I was bored so I came.”