37586328538562

She never moved. The same force that was terrifying her was holding her there. This is out of
control, she thought suddenly. Whatever was happening here was beyond her understanding, was
nothing normal or sane. But there was no stopping it now, and even while frightened she was reveling
in it. It was the most intense moment she'd ever experienced with a boy, but nothing at all was
happening. He was just gazing at her, as if hypnotized, and she was gazing back, while the energy
shimmered between them like heat lightning. She saw his eyes go darker, defeated, and felt the wild
leap of her own heart as he slowly stretched out one hand.
And then it all shattered.
"Why, Elena, how sweet you look," said a voice, and Elena's vision was dazzled with gold. It was
Caroline, her auburn hair rich and glossy, her skin tanned to a perfect bronze. She was wearing a
dress of pure gold lame that showed an incredibly daring amount of that perfect skin. She slipped one
bare arm through Stefan's and smiled lazily up at him. They were stunning together, like a couple of
international models slumming at a high school dance, far more glamorous and sophisticated than
anyone else in the room.
"And that little dress is so pretty," continued Caroline, while Elena's mind kept on running on
automatic. That casually possessive arm linked with Stefan's told her everything: where Caroline had
been at lunch these past weeks, what she had been up to all this time. "I told Stefan we simply had to
stop by for a moment, but we're not going to stay long. So you don't mind if I keep him to myself for
the dances, do you?"
Elena was strangely calm now, her mind a humming blank. She said no, of course she didn't mind,
and watched Caroline move away, a symphony in auburn and gold. Stefan went with her.
There was a circle of faces around Elena; she turned from them and came up against Matt.
"You knew he was coming with her."
"I knew she wanted him to. She's been following him around at lunchtime and after school, and kind
of forcing herself on him. But…"
"I see." Still held in that queer, artificial calm, she scanned the crowd and saw Bonnie coming
toward her, and Meredith leaving her table. They'd seen, then. Probably everyone had. Without a
word to Matt, she moved toward them, heading instinctively for the girls' rest room.
It was packed with bodies, and Meredith and Bonnie kept their remarks bright and casual while
looking at her with concern.
"Did you see that dress?" said Bonnie, squeezing Elena's fingers secretly. "The front must be held
on with superglue. And what's she going to wear to the next dance? Cellophane?"
"Handiwrap," said Meredith. She added in a low voice, "Are you okay?"
"Yes." Elena could see in the mirror that her eyes were too bright and that there was one spot of
color burning on each cheek. She smoothed her hair and turned away.
The room emptied, leaving them in privacy. Bonnie was fiddling nervously with the sequined bow
at her waist now. "Maybe it isn't such a bad thing after all," she said quietly. "I mean, you haven't
thought about anything else but him in weeks. Nearly a month. And so maybe it's just for the best, and
you can move on to other things now, instead of… well, chasing him."
Et tu, Brute? thought Elena. "Thank you so much for your support," she said aloud.
"Now, Elena, don't be like that," Meredith put in. "She isn't trying to hurt you, she just thinks – "
"And I suppose you think so, too? Well, that's fine. I'll just go out and find myself some other things
to move on to. Like some other best friends." She left them both staring after her.