Ignoring them, Elena reached out for Matt. “I wasn’t seeing Damon yet when we talked,” she said. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”
“It’s fine,” Matt said shortly, turning away from her and heading for the school doors.
“Matt—” Elena began. She tried to follow him, but Tyler blocked her path, taking a firm hold on her arm.
“Tell you what, gorgeous,” he said, baring his large white teeth in a smile. “Forget them both and come to Homecoming with me. We’ll show you a good time, won’t we, Dick? Vickie?”
Dick laughed, a big dumb har-de-har, and Elena squirmed away, pulling her arm out of Tyler’s hot grip. “Forget it,” she said briefly, but by the time she pushed past them, Matt was gone.
Tyler had always been a jerk, Elena thought dismissively. And then she felt her own eyes widen as what he had said hit her. Homecoming night.
Elena had been so angry that night. Angry at everyone: Stefan for snubbing her; Caroline for bringing Stefan to Homecoming; Bonnie and Meredith for thinking that perhaps she should give up on Stefan. And so she had drunk bourbon with Tyler and Dick and their friends, and gone with them to the cemetery.
Tyler had tried to rape Elena. Stefan had rescued her—that was the one moment that had torn down the barriers between them. It doesn’t matter, Elena thought, repressing a shudder. That wasn’t going to happen this time.
But Tyler and the others would probably still go to the cemetery. And Dick and Vickie had fooled around on Honoria Fell’s tomb. The tomb that hid the entrance to the catacombs in which Katherine was concealed. Offended, Katherine had tormented Vickie for months, nearly driving her over the edge of insanity.
Elena glanced back at Vickie, who was now crossing the parking lot toward the school, still arm in arm with Dick. Vickie’s pale brown hair flowed down her back as she tossed back her head to giggle up at Dick, her nose wrinkling as she laughed.
Elena had to try to protect her.
“Elena?” Bonnie’s voice jolted Elena out of her contemplation. She was staring across at Tyler, she realized, frozen. She shook her head quickly, as if to scatter the memories, and turned to her friend.
Meredith was beside Bonnie, looking at Tyler with an expression of disdain. “Don’t let him get to you, Elena,” she said. “He’s a creep.”
“But who was that guy, Elena?” Bonnie demanded, her eyes shining with curiosity. “He was so—and you—Is he what you’ve been acting so weird about?”
“I’ll tell you later,” Elena said absently, watching as Vickie twisted a lock of her pale brown hair around one finger.
“Oh, come on!” Bonnie groaned, tugging at Elena’s arm. “A beautiful guy like that? Tell me now!”
“I can’t,” Elena said, pulling away. “I promise I’ll tell you everything I can soon. But right now we have to go to class.” She would have to figure out something to tell them. Maybe she could pretend Damon was what he had told Aunt Judith, just a college student who Elena had happened to meet.
Bonnie huffed and rolled her eyes, but Meredith nodded. “Come on, then,” she said. “We’re going to be late.”
Elena followed her friends toward the school doors, but her steps slowed as she saw Stefan waiting just outside, his face as gray as a storm cloud.
“I have to talk to you,” he said, grabbing hold of her arm. Elena stared at him, and he let go, snatching his hand back. “Alone. Please.”
Elena hesitated, and Meredith eyed her carefully. “Do you want us to go ahead without you?” she asked, ignoring Stefan.
“It’s fine,” Elena said with a grateful glance. Meredith nodded and tugged Bonnie after her into the school.
“Wait,” Bonnie was saying, outraged. “I didn’t think she even knew Stefan.”
Elena watched her friends walk away before she looked up at Stefan, who had pulled off his sunglasses. His lips were drawn into a tight line.
“Elena,” he said abruptly. “What do you know about that guy who drove you here?”
She should have realized this would happen. Unthinkingly, Elena raised a hand to touch Stefan, but he flinched back from her. “It’s okay,” she said steadily. “I know what I’m doing.”
“I know you’ve got no reason to trust me,” he told her. His eyes were dark, insisting. “But he’s dangerous.” He stepped closer, taking hold of her arm again, and his touch sent a hot spark through her.
“He’s not dangerous to me,” Elena said slowly, holding Stefan’s eyes with her own.
“Do you remember me telling you that you reminded me of someone?” Stefan asked her. He was gripping Elena’s arm so hard that it ached, and she held her breath. “Well, that girl died. And it was Damon’s fault. Damon’s and mine. He destroys everything he touches, and he doesn’t care. You have to stay away from him.” Stefan was breathing hard.
If only Elena could take Stefan in her arms and hold onto him, shut out the world so she could do nothing but bring Stefan comfort.
“I’m sorry, Stefan,” she whispered, pulling her arm from his grip and brushing past him into the school. She could feel his eyes watching her. Elena didn’t look back.
12
“But where did you even meet him?” Bonnie asked, rifling through a rack of dresses. “Ooh, pink. I think I might do pink for Homecoming this year.” She pulled a fluffy concoction of satin and chiffon off the rack and held it up to herself to admire in the mirror. “Adorable, right?”