Say You Love Me Damon Salvatore

You are not in love with him, you are not in love with him, you are not in love with him…..

I kept saying this, all before I was about to sing ‘Back in the Day’ with Zack. My heart was racing wildly, as though it was my first time on stage. It was my first time singing a duet written my band mate.

Breathe in through you nose, out through your mouth…

But I tried not to breath too hard, afraid it would catch in the mic. Zack gave me a reassuring smile and nodded. With one strum of the guitar, the lights went on; blue lights that focused on me at first.

“When we were kids, we would play….kid games,” I sang softly. “And I feel like I’ve let you down….today…”

Another light focused on Zack as he began singing. “When we were kids, life was easier. Just easier…to be friends…And I feel like something’s missn’…today…”

I took a deep breath and we both started singing, my pitch high and Zack’s lower. “Every day feels so lonely, now that you’re gone…And I just can’t sleep anymore now that you’re gone. And I just can’t think without your face in my mind.”

We sang another verse, the chorus twice, a bridge, and the chorus again. There was silence when Lane was tapping softly on the snare as the ending.

And the crowd goes wild! I faced Zack, a question in my eyes. He nodded toward my mic, indicating that I was supposed to speak now.

“How’s everyone doing tonight?” I got a deafening screaming by the crowd in response. “Okay, I officially can’t hear anymore. This song is called ‘Back in the Day’ which was written by our very own Delaney and Zack—” I had to pause for the applause. “You like that? Well, it’s our first song so far, I should hope you like it. Well, now we’re going to perform a different song. It’s an old song, and if you listen to any of your mother’s music, you should know it.” I nodded at Zack and the musicians started the music.

“Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell
Jimmy Rogers on the Victrola up high
Mama's dancin' with baby on her shoulder
The sun is settin' like molasses in the sky
The boy could sing, knew how to move, everything
Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for

Black velvet and that little boy's smile
Black velvet with that slow southern style
A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please

Up in Memphis the music's like a heatwave
White lightening, bound to drive you wild
Mama's baby's in the heart of every school girl
"Love me tender" leaves 'em cryin' in the aisle
The way he moved, it was a sin, so sweet and true
Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for

Black velvet and that little boy's smile
Black velvet with that slow southern style
A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please

Every word of every song that he sang was for you
In a flash he was gone, it happened so soon, what could you do?

(Guitar Solo)

Black velvet and that little boy's smile
Black velvet with that slow southern style
A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please

Black velvet and that little boy's smile
Black velvet with that slow southern style
A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please

If you please, if you please, if you please.”

I was actually surprised at the amount of cheering. I mean, I liked the song, but I hardly expected the audience to love it.

“Alright, this next one you guys should know.”

“You're the direction I follow to get home
When I feel like I can't go on, you tell me to go
And it's like I can't feel a thing without you around
And don't mind me if I get weak in the knees
'cause you have that effect on me, you do

Everything you say
Every time we kiss, I can't think straight
But I'm okay
And I can't think of
anybody else
Who I hate to miss as much as I hate missing you

Months going strong now, and no goodbye
Unconditional, unoriginal
Always by my side
Meant to be together
Meant for no one but each other
You love me, I love you harder so

Everything you say
Every time we kiss, I can't think straight
But I'm okay
And I can't think of anybody else
Who I hate to miss as much as I hate missing you

So please, give me your hands
So please, give me a lesson on how to steal, steal the heart
As fast as you stole mine, as you stole mine

Oh and everything you say
Every time we kiss, I can't think straight
But I'm okay
And I can't think of anybody else
Who I hate to miss as much as I hate missing you

So please, give me your hands
So please, just take my hand.”

I laughed softly in the mic. “Alright, Zack’s gonna take it in a harder song. This one’s by Eve 6.” I loved it when Zack sang this song. His voice was far from the guy in Eve 6, but I thought it sounded even better.

The crowd went crazy when the music started up.

“When all,
Is said,
And done,
And dead,
Does he,
Love you,
The way that I do?
Breathing in,
Lightning;
Tonight's for fighting.
I feel,
The hurt,
So physical.

Think twice before you touch my girl.
Come around I'll let you feel the burn.
Think twice before you touch my girl.
Come around, come around,
No more.
Think twice before you touch my girl.
Come around I'll let you feel the burn.
Think twice before you touch my girl.
Come around,
No more.

She spreads,
Her love;
She burns me up.
I can't,
Let go,
I can't get out.
I've said,
Enough,
Enough by now.
I can't let go;
I can't get out.

Wait 'till,
The day,
You finally see,
I've been,
Here waiting patiently;
Crossing,
My fingers,
And my t's.
She cried on my shoulder begging please.

Think twice before you touch my girl.
Come around I'll let you feel the burn.
Think twice before you touch my girl.
Come around, come around,
No more.
Think twice before you touch my girl.
Come around I'll let you feel the burn.
Think twice before you touch my girl.
Come around,
No more.

She spreads,
Her love;
She burns me up.
I can't,
Let go,
I can't get out.
I've said,
Enough,
Enough by now.
I can't let go;
I can't get out.

What is it you really want?
I'm tired of asking.

You're gone; I'm wasted.

When I,
Showed up,
And he,
Was there,
I tried,
My best,
To grin,
And bear,
And took,
The stairs,
But didn't stop at the street.
And as we speak,
I'm going down.

'Cause she spread,
Her love,
And burned me up.
I can't,
Let go;
I can't get out.
I've said,
Enough,
Enough by now.
I can't let go;
I can't get out.

Think twice before you touch my girl.
Come around I'll let you feel the burn.
Think twice before you touch my girl.
Come around, come around,
No more.
Think twice before you touch my girl.
Come around I'll let you feel the burn.
Think twice before you touch my girl.
Come around,
No more....”

We had to wait a good three minutes before the next song. I gave Zack a quick fist pump.

“Alright,” I said. “Now for the person that matters,” I winked at Zack. “For our last song, we’re gonna slow it down a little. This one’s Paramore.”

My nerves were shot as I painfully waited through the slightly long intro. It made me nervous to sing this song in front of everyone—but it would have been worse had I dedicated it to a certain someone.

“Think of me when you're out, when you're out there
I'll beg you nice from my knees
When the world treats you way too fairly
It's a shame I'm a dream

All I wanted was you
All I wanted was you

I think I'll pace my apartment a few times
And fall asleep on the couch
And wake up early to black and white re-runs?
That escaped from the mouth

Oh-Oh

All I wanted was you
All I wanted was you
All I wanted was you
All I wanted was you

I could follow you to the beginning
And just relive the start
And maybe then we'll remember to slow down
To all of our favorite parts

All I wanted was you

All I wanted was you
All I wanted was you
All I wanted was you
All I wanted was you.”

My voice sort of closed up after that, so I was thankful it was our last song. I thanked the crowd and tried not to look like I was running offstage to cry.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

No one could stop me from drinking. I had every freaking right. The only thing that made me more miserable was drinking without Steph and Juliet, as I currently hated them. Hate is such a funny word, no?

I had been drinking with the band until they told me I was drinking too much and then even Paul laughed. So I was drunk as hell, acting like an idiot, and still drinking, surrounded by fans I didn’t even know. One guy in particular was taking advantage of my drunkenness. He was practically drooling on me. What did I care? I loved the attention!

“So,” I slurred to the guy. “Whazgoo say yawr name wash agaiam,,,,?” I hiccupped and burped, then laughed. “Theresh bubblulsh comerng outta meh mouf, I knowd it…”

I was hauled by my arm from the guy and to my feet. “Hey…..watsch da big…idea….?”

The guy who was hanging all over me and got up angrily, only to be shoved back down on his ass again. “Back off, shithead.”

Before I could speak, I was dragged into a bathroom rather roughly. Whoever was man-handling me shoved me in a random stall.

I pet the toilet. “Oh, George, how I’ve misshed youz….” Then I threw up violently.

When I was done—ten minutes later—I leaned against the stall wall, groaning.

“Serves you right for drinking that much,” someone growled.

He’d been leaning against the stall door ever since he dumped me in here. Only now did I look up and glare at him. “Go to hell.”

“Ditto,” he said sarcastically.

I started throwing up again. I heard Damon sigh, after he was sure I was finished vomiting, and he lifted me up in his arms.

“Let go,” I groaned weakly.

“Oh, yes, your highness, because you’re so ferocious,” he muttered sarcastically.

I shivered at the bitter cold, night air and Damon set me in his car. I put the seatbelt on resentfully and glared out the window the entire time he was driving. Then I finally realized we weren’t on the road to my house.

“Where’re you taking me?” I mumbled, me cheek against the cool window.

“Somewhere quiet,” Damon answered conclusively.

I wasn’t in the mood to argue. I had half a mind to throw up in the car, though.

“Don’t you dare.”

I stared at Damon. “How’d you—”

“Just don’t.”

I huffed, looking back out the window. “Stupid vampire,” I mumbled loud enough for him to hear.

Damon hit the break so hard and so sudden I flung forward and back, my head slamming painfully against the seat.

I held my head and groaned. “What the hell?”

I didn’t even know Damon was out of the car until he opened my door, unbuckled my seatbelt, and carried me out.

I looked at the large house. “Where is this?”

“Where I live. Now shut up and stop bitching.”

I folded my arms across my chess, pouting. Damon opened the door, while still carrying me, with ease, and walked up a flight of stairs. I was too tired to look around the house, though, but not tired enough to lean my head against Damon’s shoulder.

He set me down in the bathroom.

I sat on the floor stubbornly. “Am I to sleep in here?”

He rolled his eyes. “No, you dipstick, you’re to take a fucking shower.”

He moved closer to me and I shrank away. “Don’t you dare try to kiss me!”

Damon laughed. “Sweetheart, you spent fifteen minutes vomiting in a toilet. I have no intention of kissing you. Now strip.”

I looked at him as though he were insane. “I am not stripping in front of you.”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s not like I haven’t seen you naked before.”

“Oh, and you’d like to see it again, is that it?”

Damon sighed. “I’m not in the mood to care.”

And I could see he wasn’t. So I stepped inside the shower, closed the curtain, and took all my clothes off, starting the water. But only the bath water. I moaned. “Damon….how’s the shower work?”

I heard a sigh and then Damon opened the shower curtain, fidgeting with the facet. Hot water sprayed over my body and I gasped in surprise.

“Where’s your shampoo?” I asked him.

“You really want to use shampoo? Just use some damn soap, Liv. You already washed your hair today.”

“How do you know that?” I asked.

“Your hair smells like strawberry shampoo.”

I smiled, taking some soap and washing myself with it. “You smelled my hair?”

Damon snorted. “Involuntarily.”

“And you hate the smell of strawberries,” I guessed.

“No, I like the smell. Just not when it’s mixed with vomit.”

“Hence the need for shampoo,” I sat in the shower tiredly. I could so fall asleep here.

Damon sighed. “Get up.”

“No,” I whined.

I felt his arms around me as he lifted me up. “Here,” he waved a bottle of shampoo in my face.

I turned around and leaned my back against him. “You wash my hair. I’m too tired.”

“You’re not seriously gonna make me….Oh, forget it.”

A second later I felt his hands in my hair. I couldn’t help but smile. I didn’t realize how much I missed this. Just that weird sense of belonging. I closed my eyes, feeling myself drift off into sleep.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Damon shook me. “C’mon, Olivia, wake up.”

“No,” I whined. I felt me head go under water, which woke me right up. I rubbed the shampoo from my eyes and spat water in Damon’s face. “Jerk!”

“I’m not dealing with you while you’re asleep,” he said sternly.

I wiped the water from my eyes, just staring at his lovely, angry face. He was still slightly glaring at me, but I couldn’t glare at him. If this horrible experience of being totally wasted showed me anything, it was that Damon still cared.

I inched closer to him, hesitantly at first. Why was I fighting with myself? He hadn’t done anything to hurt physically and Stefan had said it was different for Damon not to tell a girl he was a vampire. But he was a vampire, I couldn’t….

Oh, the hell with it.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. His hands came to my waist instantly and he kissed me such a passion it was hard to believe why I broke up with him in the first place.