Gabriella Gilbert Three || Vampire Diaries

Chapter Eighteen

Guilt made it incredibly difficult to sleep last night. Well, that combined with Damon and Elena's break-up sex (something I'll never be able to unhear) kept my thoughts racing until dawn.

Here I am, in a good relationship with the man I love who I will see again in an undetermined amount of time, and I kiss another man. I cheated. I'm a disgusting, vile, terrible human being.

How could I do the very thing that broke my heart? I knew Damon and I were alike, but not like this.

How do I tell Klaus? Hey, Stefan and I kissed but don't kill us? Or should I go with, Hey, so what would you say if my lips accidentally touched someone else's?

I haven't spoken to Stefan since the kiss. He left early this morning to go back to Sloan—without me. It's probably for the best. I don't know if I can handle any awkward tension between us right now.

    "Hey," Elena's voice brings me out of my thoughts. She puts a hand on my shoulder and I'm brought back to the current situation—Jeremy's parent-teacher conference. "Are you okay?"

    "Yeah," I lie with a smile. "All good." She's looking at my shoulder and I just know she's searching for my tell. I look around the bustling gym, watching parents wait in line to see their child's guidance counselor just as we're doing for Jeremy. "What about you?"

    "What about me?" Elena counters with a raised brow.

    "Breakup sex is only cathartic at the moment," I answer bluntly, making her eyes widen a little. "Are you guys officially done or...?"

    Elena sighs and crosses her arms. "Yeah...we're done."

    I raise my brow at that. There's no way they'd end it just like that, especially after everything they did to be together.

    That's a topic for later.

    I shrug. "Okay..." I say in a tone that suggests I don't believe her. She narrows her eyes at me.

    "Was that irresponsible of me?" She asks quietly. "To sleep with him?"

    "For sure," I say with a nod before shooting her a reassuring smile, "But that doesn't mean it was wrong. Was it wrong for me to hear? Definitely. Other people live there too, Elena."

    Elena cringes. "I bet I traumatized Jeremy."

    I snort. "Consider yourself lucky he wasn't home last night."

    Elena frowns and steps forward as we move up in the line. "He wasn't home last night?"

    I reciprocate her frown. "No...? I assume he was with Bonnie in your dorm."

    She shakes her head. "I talked to Bonnie this morning, Jeremy didn't stay the night with her."

    Before either of us could start our "where did Jeremey go" conversation, it was suddenly our turn to talk to the counselor.

    "Elena, Gabriella," Mrs. Douglas greets with a warm smile before gesturing to the lunch table bench. "Have a seat."

    "Hey, Mrs. Douglas," Elena greets as we sit. It's a tight squeeze, but we'll manage. "We're here for Jeremy."

    Her smile wavers slightly as she quickly looks down at her clipboard. "I'm sorry, Elena, but you nor Gabriella are listed as Jeremy's primary contact."

    "What?" I frown. "That's impossible. We're his guardians."

"I'm sorry, Gabriella," she repeats. "Not in our records you aren't."