Perfect Match

Chapter 15

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"So, tell us all about it! Every single detail!" Caroline chattered with a wide smile plastered on her face, giving Elena a small nudge. Everyone was around the big leather couch of the parlor. Stefan was glad the room was huge enough to fit the entire senior class. Caroline and Tyler were sandwiched between him and Elena, and he felt as if she were a thousand miles away from him.

"My god... the house!" Elena started with a chuckle, and the room broke out with small chatter of people agreeing on how gorgeous it was. "Pretty, right?"

Stefan laughed, looking at everyone as he leaned forward. "Imagine being in the fanciest hotel you can imagine..."

"And multiply that by ten!" Elena finished, loving the way Stefan discreetly glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"Awwwww," Damon said mockingly with his signature smirk. "Look at you two, finishing each other's sentences."

Stefan bit his lip. "Actually, we..."

"Broke up," Elena interrupted. Oops. They did it again. She had to look down and bite her lip to keep from giggling, for it clearly would have blown their cover. Luckily, Stefan spoke instead.

"We decided we were better off as friends." The lie smoothly rolled off of his tongue, though in reality, it seemed to be the exact opposite, for they were better off as a couple than they ever had been any other way. Briefly, they exchanged knowing glances, and simply hoped that no one would notice.

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Stefan stuffed his hands into his sweatshirt pockets and amusedly shook his head. "I can't believe you went to all of this trouble just to throw a party for me." Staring out at the band and his dancing classmates, Stefan was amazed at just how huge this homecoming was.

"Who said I did it for you?" Damon joked with his usual smirk. "Maybe it was an attempt to impress your girlfriend. You know, the 'be polite to your in-laws' rule and all." His ice blue eyes scanned through the crowd, refusing to meet his brother's gaze.

"I told you, Damon. We're not together," he sighed.

Arching a brow, Damon laughed. "Mmmhmm," was all he said for a moment. "They kicked you off because they knew you were faking it, didn't they?"

Stefan's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know that?" he demanded in a loud whisper, not needing anyone else to hear.

Damon shrugged. "Easy to figure out, considering you fessed up to me before you left in the limo." His face was flat, void of any emotion, and Stefan knew there was something on his mind. There was a long, uncomfortable silence between them until Damon spoke again. "You saw Katherine again."

"Yes, unfortunately," Stefan replied monotonously.

"Did she say anything about me?"

Turning his head, Stefan furrowed his brows. "No. Why would she?"

Damon shook his head, the slightest hint of resentment dimming out his pale eyes. "No reason."

Stefan was taken off guard by his brother's strange attitude, especially since their conversation ended there. So, shaking off his confusion, he stepped into the huge crowd of his dancing classmates, casually socializing with a few of his friends who he ran into. He spent a few minutes catching up with Tyler and Matt, who were proud to say they helped set up the party. They caught him up on the latest couples, not that it really interested him, but it gave them something to talk about.

Elena was on the other side of the yard, giggling with Caroline, Bonnie and a small group of girls. He recognized Sue Carson and Nancy Peterson from French class, but the rest went nameless. He let out a small sigh, wishing more than anything that he could walk right over to them, wrap his arms casually around her from behind, and join in on the conversation. But he restrained himself.