Parker's Legacy | Damon Salvatore, Malachai Parker

13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

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1864

THE SUN STOOD still, casting a bright, white glow across the Salvatore Boarding House. The Salvatore brothers, Stefan and Damon, decided to embrace the fleeting daylight with a spontaneous game of football. They burst out of the house, the vibrant colors of the autumn leaves crunching beneath their shoes. The air carried a crispness, and the atmosphere echoed with the sounds of laughter and camaraderie.

As they stood on the front lawn, Damon couldn't help but reminisce about a time spent at a camp outside Atlanta. The memory flashed vividly, recalling the days when one of the officers introduced this peculiar game picked up at Harvard. A spark of mischief glinted in Damon's eyes as he tossed the football to Stefan, who caught it effortlessly, his athletic prowess evident even in this casual setting.

Stefan, catching his breath, couldn't contain his curiosity. "Wait a minute. Where did you learn this game?" he inquired, a hint of amusement in his voice. Damon, reveling in the nostalgia, replied with a smirk, "Camp outside Atlanta. One of the officers picked it up at Harvard."

The game commenced, a playful struggle unfolding on the manicured lawn. Leaves swirled in the air, carried by the energetic movements of the Salvatore brothers. Their laughter filled the autumn air, a symphony of joy against the backdrop of the setting sun.

"Wait a minute. Wait a minute. What are the rules? What are the rules?" Stefan chuckled.

As the game continued, the energy shifted when a woman, a vision of allure, made her entrance. Her silhouette framed by the doorway exuded confidence and mischief. The brothers paused, momentarily stunned, as if caught off guard by her unexpected presence.

"Katherine?" Damon smiled.

The ends of Katherine's lips curved up into a smile. "Who needs rules?" She made her way down towards the two men. "Mind if I join you?"

Stefan, attempting to be protective, warned Katherine about the rough nature of their game. "Uh, well, you could, uh... you could get hurt. My brother likes to play rough."

However, her response, laced with a hint of flirtation, hinted at a desire to play along. "Somehow, I think that you play rougher." A daring move ensued as she effortlessly seized the football from Stefan, a swift and confident maneuver that left him momentarily captivated.

Damon, always attuned to the dynamics at play, encouraged Stefan to pursue Katherine, recognising the unspoken tension between them. "Why are you just standing there? That is a girl who clearly wants to be chased. If you don't do it, I will." Stefan hesitated, torn between caution and the magnetic pull of Katherine's charisma. The scene unfolded like a tableau of desire and pursuit against the backdrop of the autumn garden.

The pursuit intensified as Stefan and Damon, propelled by a shared sense of competition, chased Katherine through a labyrinthine garden maze. The air crackled with a blend of excitement and tension as the trio weaved through the twists and turns. The chase reached its zenith at a statue, where they all came to a breathless standstill. In that moment, the unspoken complexities of desire and rivalry lingered in the air, encapsulating a fleeting moment of connection and competition.