Someone In The Crowd [Paul Wesley]

20. IRL

"It's been two weeks. Are you sure you're still ok sleeping on my couch?" Cece asked Paul one night.

"Of course," he said. "Unless I'm in your way or something?"

"Oh, no. I enjoy the company," she said honestly. Cece had never lived on her own, always with her family or spending the occasional weekend with Claire and her family. Living alone in a completely new place was weird. She was glad to have someone to come home to.

"I've not been good company lately, have I?" he asked with a sad grin.

Cece sighed. "You were with Phoebe for a year, you're not going to get over that in two weeks."

"I know," he said. In the last two weeks Phoebe had been spending less and less time with the TVD cast, choosing instead to either keep to herself, or to hang out with Daniel and Joseph.

"You'll get over her when the time is right. But you can stay here as long as you like," she promised him.

"Thanks," he said. "I like being here. I feel like I'm getting over her a lot quicker than I would have if I was still living in our place."

Cece walked over to Paul and handed him a cup of coffee.

"I get that," she said, sitting down next to him. "A change of scenery does a world of good."

"Being around good people does a world of good," Paul corrected her. "I wouldn't be nearly as happy as I am right now if you weren't helping me through this."

"Well, I've had the worst dating life in the history of dating, so I guess it's fitting that I get to help someone else through a break-up instead of going through one myself."

"Who in their right mind would break up with you?" he muttered to himself.

Cece laughed. "You're joking right? I've been told I'm not the easiest person to be around."

"Well, I'm around you. You're amazing," Paul said, looking into her eyes.

"You just don't know me well enough yet," she said.

"Stop putting yourself down," Paul said. "People like you Cece. I've known our cast for years, I know for sure that if they didn't like you, you'd know about it."

"That's comforting," she said. "I like them too."

They looked at each other for a minute, exchanging small smiles. Without thinking about it, Paul leaned towards her and placed his hand on her cheek, stroking her face with his thumb. Then, without warning, he kissed her.