I had been feeling so good lately, so much more confident. I laughed knowing that if I wasn’t feeling this way, I would never have been able to even consider wearing this dress for the Founders Ball. It was daring to say the least. But I wanted that, I wanted to shock him as I walked down the stairs. It was still completely elegant, but with a surprise that I hoped he would love. Ever since I had met Stefan my entire wardrobe had shifted towards bright colors, mostly whites. This dress was no exception. It was pure white with diamonds creating the perfect designs on the sides which traveled to the back that wasn’t there. I put all my hair up to draw even more attention to my bare back and after hearing Stefan call from the hall downstairs, I took one last look in the mirror and got ready for my entrance. I held my breath, nervous for his reaction. As I found his face, I was met with disappointment. “Elena, you look breathtaking. But don’t you feel that the dress is a little too…revealing?” Instantly I got defensive, fueled by the disappointment of his reaction. “That’s the reaction I get? You’re not even the least bit attracted to me?” I said as I glowered at him. “No, no of course I think you look amazing. It’s just…unexpected from you”. I rolled my eyes as I listened to the same reaction I’d been hearing from him for the past few weeks. Every time I tried to surprise him it always backfired. Despite how much I loved the new change in my personality, Stefan did not. But he was never angry when these sudden mood swings of mine started. He just seemed to get upset. Not enough that I even noticed at first. Actually tonight was the first time I was able to finally realize what he was feeling.
As I approached the final few steps, Stefan’s head whipped around and watched Damon walk in the door. I met Damon’s eyes right away and expected a smirk or witty remark. But I saw none of that in his eyes. Never taking his eyes from mine, he walked towards me slowly until we were face to face. He began to open his mouth, but before he was able to explain his odd reaction Stefan cleared his throat and Damon snapped out of the trance like state he was in. I smiled at Damon and gave him a twirl so he could see the entire dress. And as my feet finished their twirl and I met Damon’s face again the trance was back, only this time it was different. His eyes weren’t just quiet, they were…hungry. But for some reason they weren’t as scary as I remembered. Again he quickly snapped out of it and went upstairs, but not before turning to Stefan to say “You better keep a good eye on her”, and of course adding his classic smirk. With that he raised my hand to kiss it, but only for a moment because as soon as I blinked he was already up the stairs, and Stefan and I were alone again. I shuffled uncomfortably for a moment, but soon Stefan put his arm around me, with a stronger grip than usual, kissed my forehead, and led me to the front door.
As soon as we walked into the Ball we both looked around for a moment, glancing at the scene, and then looked back at each other, quietly laughing. The Founder’s Ball was exactly what we had expected, slow music, expensive food and a lot of small talk. Soon I found Matt and Caroline and grabbed Stefan’s hand to lead him towards them. Caroline spotted me first and her jaw hung open for a few seconds. “My god Elena, you look unbelievable.” she said, adding in “this new side of you is becoming the hottest girl in Mystic Falls”. I blushed at her compliment and Stefan, again, hugged me a little closer. We talked for a while, but soon dinner was served. As we made our way to the table Stefan asked where Jeremy was. I was surprised because he was planning on coming with Anna tonight. My mood immediately shifted, but Stefan quickly soothed me saying if he didn’t show up soon he would go look for him. I squeezed his hand and quickly calmed down.
After dinner was finished Stefan said he would go have a quick look around for Jeremy and I stayed and listened to the band. Of course as soon as he left the band changed tempos and everyone began to move to the dance floor. For a moment I was envious of the dancers, but my thoughts quickly began to go back to Jeremy, hoping he had just decided to stay in. After the second song was over I got a text from Stefan saying he had just seen Jeremy in the courtyard and I immediately relaxed. “Would you care to dance?” someone whispered in my ear. As I turned to meet Stefan, I was quickly surprised to see Damon with his hand out. I smiled at his joke, knowing it was only that from the look on his face. But before I was able to turn back around he grabbed my hand and led me to the dance floor. “What are you doing?” I asked as he took me in his arms. “I think it’s only fair” he said. “Stefan danced with my girl at the original Founders Ball. I’m simply returning the favor” he said as he smiled. “Well I’m glad to know you’re dancing with me purely for Stefan’s sake”. Damon laughed and then dipped me almost to the floor. As he brought me back up his hand brushed my back, sending thousands of shivers up my spine. He kept me very close and never lost eye contact.
As the song ended and I tried to release myself from him, he took my hand, gently, and led me out to the courtyard. “So Stefan took Katherine out to the courtyard after they danced?” I asked as we moved closer to the lighted gazebo. He smiled but said nothing, only slightly stoking my hand. Finally we sat on a bench in the gazebo and he answered me. “No, after Stefan danced with Katherine she went back to her room where I was waiting .It seems like I’m always waiting”. His mood grew more serious as he looked at me. “I’m done waiting Elena” he said as he brushed his hand against my cheek. He took my face in his hands and softly kissed my cheek. My heart began to race as he moved his face from my cheek back to my face. He looked in my eyes in a way no one else in the world could. His eyes were unimaginable. His hands held my face still, and his face drew closer to mine. “I’m done waiting” he whispered again, as his lips brushed mine from being so close. I melted entirely and was ready to give in until he began to move farther away. He watched my expression as I began to get more and more confused, but he looked at me seriously, and I knew what he was saying. I knew it was my turn now but as I began to lean in closer to him he quickly drew away and stood up. A moment later, Stefan was next to him.
“Jeremy’s gone” Stefan announced. “What do you mean gone?” I practically shouted. “You just said you saw him!” “I did, I did. But as I went to go talk to him, someone grabbed him from behind and I couldn’t keep up with them” Stefan explained. “They left a note Elena, you’re next”, Stefan said gravely. I immediately tensed up and Damon reached his arm out to comfort me but quickly changed his mind. “It’s the same vampires as the ones who kidnapped me before. Damon you take Elena home and I’ll go back to look for Jeremy. I think I know where they’ve taken him”. Damon nodded seriously but I protested. “I’ll be fine” Stefan assured me. “No I want to help, they can’t hurt Jeremy!” I yelled. Stefan blushed for a moment realizing my worry wasn’t for him but for Jeremy. He took my face and promised “I won’t let anything happen to him”, and a second later he was gone.
I immediately went into panic mode when I realized both Jeremy and Stefan were in danger. And as I thought back to the stories Stefan told me about what his captors had done to him, I began to feel lightheaded at the thought of them doing anything like that to Jeremy. But before I had a chance to lose my balance Damon was at my side, holding me up and rubbing my arm. I was immediately soothed by his touch and soon enough we were back at the house.
He left me on the couch and went to the kitchen to get me a glass of water. I spread my legs out on the couch and looked around at the familiar Salvatore library. In a moment Damon was back, glass of water in hand. He smiled as he handed me the glass and collapsed on the couch, putting my legs on top of his lap. He sighed and I watched him fade into thoughts of Stefan as a worried look consumed his face. And as he grew more worried so did I, breathing less easily and beginning to fidget. Damon quickly caught on and took my hand in his to soothe me. After an hour of silence Damon got up to get a drink, needing to calm his growing nerves. “If he doesn’t return soon Elena…I don’t know what to do. I can’t trust leaving you alone because I know you’ll just go off and look for them, but I can’t just trust he’ll come home on his own”. I began to argue but all of the sudden Stefan was in front of me.
“Stefan, thank God!” I practically screamed as relief washed through my body. I started throwing question after question at him, but he quickly assured me the Jeremy was safe at home with only a tiny headache. “But I don’t understand why they took him, and why they threatened me?” Stefan said he was unsure but threw a concerned look at Damon that I was sure I wasn’t meant to see. He said that he was tired and I suddenly saw some dried blood on his shirt. “Stefan?!” I gasped but he promised it was nothing and took my hand to lead me up to bed. I let go and explained that I didn’t realize until now how hungry I was and promised him I would be up shortly with a kiss.
I went to kitchen and looked for something to snack on but realized all I craved was a drink. For some reason I still couldn’t calm down even though I knew both Stefan and Jeremy were safe. I went back into the library and headed for Damon’s bar. As I poured a glass for myself the familiar sent of Damon swept through me and I was reminded of the events that had happened not long ago. I sighed and took a big gulp and then placed the glass on the table along with my hands as I leaned on it for support. “What was I doing?” I thought. Entertaining ideas about Damon was unacceptable. As I continued to think I was suddenly silenced as I felt fingers gently gliding up from the bottom of my bare back. The hairs on my back shot up and my eyes slid shut as the pleasure grew and grew. Soon the fingers reached my shoulder, but I didn’t dare turn around, too afraid of what I knew I would find. I took a step back, and soon my back was against his chest. All I heard was a quite intake of breath. I turned my head slightly and felt his breath on me as his face turned closer to mine. I still didn’t dare open my eyes. Soon one of his hands wrapped around my hips and pulled me closer, getting rid of any of the tiny space still left between us. His hand glided back up my back and once it reached my shoulder, it crept under my dress to expose the rest of the skin on my shoulder once covered by the dress. Everything was moving so quickly I had not time to think, but at the same time he made no sudden movements. Every time he got closer, he gave me a moment to accept or decline. But this didn’t last too long, because he hadn’t been lying. He was done waiting.