Promise You Won't Fall In Love With Me

Chapter 26

The day Caroline announced they will be spending the following week in Nik's house by the lake, everyone went home to pack their things.

The next morning, following Nik's instructions, everyone arrived by nine in the morning at the house. Except Stefan, who was running an hour late.

To Elena's surprise, Rebekah arrived there with Matt. She found out from Caroline they're seeing each other, but Elena was determined to find out more about it from Rebekah herself.

Back in high school, she started developing a nice, comfortable friendship with Rebekah, which fell apart when she broke up with Stefan. In the beginning, she would hear from Rebekah often, but with years, their conversations started lessening. She hasn't heard from Rebekah in over a year now.

During the previous night, Elena could not sleep, because of one person on her mind - Stefan. She knew seeing him is not going to be easy, although she tried to convince everyone they're two of adults now who left their problems far behind. She was a little bit afraid that old feelings might resurface, feelings she tried to keep in check for so many years, but the truth was that Stefan Salvatore never left her mind, nor her heart. Every once in a while she would remember him, see his face around the corner. While watching an old movie on the television, she would remember how they used to cuddle up on the couch in front of the screen and fall asleep like that. She would remember him every time she saw Oreos on the shelf in the store, and sometimes, she could remember how his lips always tasted of his favorite cookies. That memory was so well carved in her brain that she could almost taste his lips on hers, and the taste of Oreos in her mouth, something she would always end up craving after that pleasant memory that after some time turned into a torture. Because it was only that, a memory.

There was a time when she thought she's going to spend her whole life with Stefan. She also knew she has no right to complain because it was her fault he's not in her life anymore.

She noticed the change in Stefan's attitude, and she didn't like it. She didn't know is this someone who he always was, or someone who he pretended to be now when he's around her. She wondered what had happened in his life that broke him so much.

It was a little bit chilly by the lake, especially in the morning. Rebekah, Caroline and Elena were sitting on the front porch with a cup of tea in their hands, listening for hundredth time the story of the night Nik proposed to Caroline.

"And then we had the best sex in our life" - Caroline said happily, remembering that night with a pleasure, and with a smile on her face.

"Eww" - Rebekah said, which was her usual reaction to the end of Caroline's story. She did not need to know about her brother's sex life.

Elena laughed, partially at Caroline's chipper mode, partially at Rebekah's comment.

"Not better than the sex I have with Matt, though" - Rebekah winked at Caroline. She thought if Caroline is free to talk about her sex life, so is she.

"Really?" - Caroline's eyes widened in Rebekah's direction.

Rebekah nodded satisfyingly. She could not believe she didn't notice Matt back in high school, especially when he admitted he had noticed her but thought she's out of his league. She wished he came to her sooner, or at all. Maybe if he did, she wouldn't have had to sleep with the half of the school in search of a guy who is not a complete ass.

"Little Matty Donovan, who would have guessed?" - was Caroline's response to Rebekah's satisfied nod.

Both Rebekah and Caroline moved their looks to Elena, and when she felt their eyes on her, she raised her head, awaiting for the question that was so obviously coming her way.