Party from Hell

3

Multicoloured lights turned the rooms into a kaleidoscope, pulsing music making everyone dance. The floor was thick with people, dancing, drinking, laughing. The only space that wasn't full of people was where the food had been set up.

I smiled as I looked around, spotting familiar faces from my classes at Whitmore. People waved at me, yelling happy birthdays over the music. I just nodded, unsure why they thought it was my birthday.

"They think it's a party to celebrate your birthday earlier than it is, since your real one is in a few days." Caroline explained in my ear. "I just told them we were all going away on your birthday and that's why it's today."

"This is why you're the best in charge." I yelled back. Caroline winked and then spotted Stefan in the crowd and weaved through the throng of people, taking his hands and pulling him into the throng of dancing people.

I smiled at Stefan for a moment as he caught my eye, and then he was gone. I looked around, but Damon had disappeared, probably to find something to drink. Someone's hand landed on my shoulder and I turned and smiled as I realised who it was.

"Hey!" I called over the music.

"Happy Birthday Elena!" Liam - my fellow pre-med classmate - called back. I smiled as a thank you. "I hoped I might see you." I tilted my head, asking a question I didn't speak out loud. "Can we talk somewhere quieter?"

"Sure!" I nodded and motioned with my head to the closest exit. Liam followed me closely, and we both breathed a sigh of relief when there was enough space to move out in the hallway. There were still a lot of people, but not as many.

"Where can we go?" Liam asked. I shrugged.

"There'll be no one upstairs." I suggested. Liam nodded and I began to lead the way. We went upstairs, and I headed for the small balcony off the hallway. I leaned against the concrete balcony and turned my head slightly to look at Liam.

"Sorry for pulling you away from your own party." He smiled.

"I don't mind." I shrugged. "It's nice and quiet up here." Liam nodded in agreement.

"I've been meaning to talk to you for weeks, but I've always been too scared." He admitted. I tilted my head to one side. "Look Elena...I..." He stopped talking. I laughed.

"Can't find the words?" I asked. He nodded. "Take your time."

"Actually." He turned his whole body towards me. I straightened up, unsure of what he was doing. "Elena." He whispered.

And then he kissed me. I jolted in surprise as one of his hands landed on my lower back, pulling me against him. I put both of my palms on his chest and pushed him away, trying to be gentle but firm. He looked at me, confused, slightly hurt.

"Liam." I shook my head, taking his wrist and pulling his hand off my back. "I'm sorry, I..."

"Elena?" Damon's voice asked. I turned my head and saw him staring at us, looking confused and hurt.

"I have a boyfriend." I looked back at Liam. "I'm sorry." Liam looked from me to Damon.

"Yeah." He mumbled, trying to step around Damon and leave. Damon caught his arm and held him there.

"Damon." I said in a warning voice.

"I'm not going to hurt him." Damon reassured me, before turning to Liam, who looked slightly scared. "Next time, check if they're taken before you go doing that. And..." Damon gave me a tiny don't-tell-me-off-for-this look and looked right into Liam's eyes. "I'm really sorry that you're hopelessly in love with Elena and she doesn't like you. I guess you'll have to watch her be happy with someone else."

I saw Damon's eyes compelling Liam as he spoke and sighed, but decided not to say anything. This wasn't even bad by Damon's standards, so I would let it go. Damon smiled at Liam and let him go. Liam looked at me, and there was the look in his eyes, the way that Damon looked at me.

Damon moved towards me and touched my face, pulling me close and pressing his lips to mine for a few seconds. I couldn't help it - even though I knew he was just making Liam feel worse - I kissed him back. When we parted, Liam gave Damon an angry glare and stalked off. I chuckled.

"See?" Damon kissed the tip of my nose. "Sometimes it's fun to be bad."

"Just don't do that to everyone." I warned, forcing myself to stop smiling.

"Fine." Damon rolled his eyes. "Now, do I get to dance with my girlfriend or do we have to stay up here."

"I don't know, I like it up here." I hooked a finger through a belt loop on his jeans and pulled his body close, kissing him. Damon smiled against my lips and touched his other hand to my cheek, holding my face close.

After a long moment, I pulled away. Damon gave me a look I recognised, one that he always had just before we didn't get any sleep that night. I laughed quietly and kissed him once more, very quickly.

"Later." I promised. "I don't think Caroline would forgive us if we left the party early." Damon nodded.

"Come dance with me." He held out a hand, and I took it. We went back downstairs, into the heavily populated living room. The music was loud, but we could still hear someone if they spoke loud enough.

Damon spun me into the middle of the room and I laughed. We started dancing, his hands on my waist, mine around his neck. The music bounced around the room, making my head spin - in a good way - as we moved. I saw Bonnie dancing with Enzo over Damon's shoulder, and Bonnie smiled at me.

"So." Damon bent to whisper in my ear. "Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?" I frowned, not knowing what he was talking about. "The disappearance of one little pre-med student is very easy to cover up."

"Damon!" I shoved his chest. "Not funny."

"Worth a shot." He shrugged. I rolled my eyes at him.