Children Of The Damned

Eliana

As I struggled to stay awake during sixth period, Mr. Saltzman went over Supply-Side Economic Theory. Now that the New Year was here and the second semester had begun, those who had been in government switched to economics and vice versa.

Matt stared at me from across the room. When we switched into econ, he ended up in my class, which was becoming increasingly more uncomfortable.

I never returned his call, and frankly, I couldn’t bring myself to get any more involved in anything than I already was.

It was just too much.

But apparently I didn’t have a choice in the matter, because Matt caught up with me on the way to my car.

“Why have you been ignoring me, Elly?” he asked, blocking my way to the driver’s side door.

“Look, Matt. I really don’t think I can talk about any of this right now, and I don’t want to make things any worse than they already are.”

“Can you just answer one question for me, please?” he pleaded with me.

“What?”

“When you broke up with me, was it just because I was jealous, or did you actually have feelings for Damon?”

“I…I wish I knew the answer to that question,” I answered, brows furrowing. I tried to thin, but I seemed unable.

Matt must have seen the look on my face, because he asked (in a non-accusatory way) “What happened?”

I told the truth immediately. “He kissed me and now I honestly don’t know how I feel about anything. He never did anything when we were dating though, I promise.”

“I know. I just wished I could have kept you to myself. And I know this sounds silly, but I always knew you were never really mine, that I couldn’t really get to keep you. And I think that Damon’s the reason for that. I’m not blaming anyone. I guess sometimes decisions are made for you, and you decided unconsciously that it would always be him, as much as I wished it had been me instead.”

Suddenly, I knew that was all I needed to hear.

I got in my car and peeled out of the parking lot, but not before hugging Matt. “Thank you,” I whispered to him, kissing his cheek before leaving.

Matt was so right. I had wanted it to be Matt, so much that I deluded myself into thinking he was the better choice. When really, all along, he had only been the safer choice. I never truly felt connected to him, not like I did to Damon.

When I reached the boarding house, I nearly parked on the sidewalk, I was in such a hurry.

I pounded on the door, and when Damon opened it, hair mussed in gray sweats and a black v-neck t-shirt, I momentarily forgot how to breathe.

He looked confused, as if he never expected to see me again, and I let my words fall out in a rush before the fear got a chance to shut me up.

“Last night, you told me that you knew what you wanted. I didn’t, Damon. I was too confused and scared of what might happen to our relationship to even think straight. And I didn’t want to lose you. But now I know what I want. I, I just-”

And when words failed me, I simply took his face in my hands and kissed him, communicating what I could not with speech alone.

I knew kissing him didn’t really make everything fall into place, but it somehow felt like it did.

______________________________________________________________________

Damon

I never thought anything so fragile and beautiful could ever be meant for me. But she was here, living proof of the impossible, and she wanted to be with me. No compulsion. No trickery. Just her lips brushing against mine in a dance as old as the human race itself.

I wanted more than anything to tell her my secrets, the biggest of all being what I really, truly was.

Would you hate me? Would you run?

When Elena found out what Stefan was, he nearly lost her forever. I didn’t want that. I wanted her by my side. Always.

I pulled her over the threshold and into the house, keeping my lips connected to hers, and closing the door behind her.