Damon's POV
I heard noises downstairs and assumed stefan was home from school. I couldn't imagine why anyone would choose to go back to school. I know he went so he could meet Elena, which I did also, but at least I went as someone in a higher position of authority than a student. Stefan didn't know I was in town yet. I had been in mystic falls for a couple of nights, but I always waited until after stefan had fallen asleep to slip into my old room.
I heard laughing that sounded very close to katherines. Did he invite her over? I had to see for myself. I came downstairs and rounded the corner, stopping dead in my tracks. Sure enough, Elena and Stefan sat at the kitchen table laughing and chatting, a textbook and mass of papers spread out in front of them. I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding and Stefan stiffened and whipped around. I sped around the corner just in time and he didn't see me.
"What's wrong?" I heard elena ask him.
"I thought I saw something... Don't worry about it. It was nothing." Stefan reassured her.
"Okay..." Elena said hesitantly, and I heard the papers on the table shuffling as they focused on their work.
"Let me get you something to eat." Stefan said after a short silence. I heard him rise and open the fridge, pulling something out. He took a knife off the cutting board, and started chopping it up.
"Here, let me help." Elena offered, followed by the sound of her footsteps going into the kitchen.
"It's fine, I can handle it." Stefan said.
"No, come on, I insist." Elena protested, laughing. "Ow!" Elena yelped. I smelled fresh blood. She must have tried to take the knife from Stefan and cut herself. I heard Stefan utter a small gasp.
"Are you okay?" Elena asked. Why was Elena asking if Stefan was okay? I risked a peek around the corner and saw that Stefan had turned his back to Elena, hiding his face from her. The veins under his eyes were popping out and his fangs were starting to protrude. I smiled slyly to myself. Stefan hadn't told Elena what he was yet... This would be interesting.
"Stefan. Your face... It changed." Elena said slowly, trying to comprehend it all. She put her hand on his shoulder and tried to turn him around. Stefan shoved her hand off, and I could tell he was trying to control his hunger.
"It's nothing... I think I just got something in my eye." Elena made an exasperated noise and tried to look around Stefan, but he kept turning away from her. He took long deep breaths, and slowly his face started to return to normal.
"Stefan look at me!" Elena said in frustration. Stefan felt his face and turned around slowly to face Elena.
"I'll get you a bandaid." Stefan said quickly, walking away without making eye-contact with her.
"Stefan, wait!" Was the last thing I heard Elena yell before I fled upstairs to my room, Stefan was coming my way. I reached my room and smiled to myself. I wasn't going to allow Stefan to win Elena over, the spitting image of the girl we both fought so hard for. They were arguing and having trust issues... He won't be able to keep his secret for long, and when she finds out he was lying to her, I will be the good brother, the only salvatore she can trust, who won't keep any secrets from her and will tell her everything she wants to know. I chuckled softly to myself. Years ago I promised Stefan an eternity of misery, and I wasn't about to break that promise. A plan started to form in my head. The minute Elena stopped trusting Stefan, I would steal her back. However, I didn't know that that opportunity would come much sooner than I expected.
