Second best (An Elijah Mikaelson Love Story)

Chapter 3

Clarissa looked up from her dancing. Their party had been going on for hours now. The fire still burnt bright and light all of their camp.

Her eyes adjusted to the outskirts of it; a figure, familiar, but they just watched. Clarissa, being her usual caring self, walked over to him.

"Aren't you joining in?" She asked Elijah nicely

"I'm afraid I wouldn't fit in" Elijah's hands tucked into his pocket and his shoulder leant up against the nearest tree

"Nonsense" she laughed "you practically made this drunken mess of half naked wolves and children; of course you fit in"

Elijah had never really fit in anywhere but with his family, he wasn't sure just yet; but testing the waters wouldn't be too bad.

Clarissa took his hand and without his consent and dragged him into the open, where tonnes of wolves cheered for him.

"See!" Clarissa shouted over the music and over the cheers "they love you!"

Elijah smiled; nobody really ever cheered for him; he was seen a hero amongst these wolves.

"Dance" Clarissa commanded, she started to sway and twirl with the others, holding someone's hand and transitioning to another until she was around the circle.

She realised Elijah was still stood still. She forcefully grabbed his hand again and made him twirl her. "Don't tell me your accustomed to waltzing and all that shit" she laughed

"I'm afraid I am" Elijah said regrettably; he didn't know how to dance with the wolves

"Well let me teach you" she danced around him "just let go, like you're finally a human after 3 years" she laughed

Elijah couldn't really let go though. Being in the bayou, being around wolves only brought one girl to his mind. Hayley.

"You're thinking" Clarissa stopped bouncing and caressed his forearm "what about?"

"It's nothing" Elijah shook his head and looked down, he just wanted to get away from the noise

"Are you sure?" Clarissa said, she pressed her lips together and examined his face "girl troubles"

"How did you know?" Elijah said immediately, confirming Clarissa's suspicions

"I'm smart" she shrugged "actually, I'm drunk, and it was a guess" she flipped her hair behind her back and out of her way

"Well maybe you should go to bed" Elijah suggested, he wanted to be alone

"Nope" she refused "not until you tell me about this mystery girl" Clarissa found the bottle in her hand and raised it to her lips.

"I think you've had enough" Elijah took it away from her and threw it behind him "you should rest"

"You should tell me who the girl is" she demanded

"You're stubborn" Elijah retaliated

"You're secretive" she replied, they went on like this until she finally broke him.

"Hayley Marshall? Where do I know that name from" she thought, finally the light bulb pinged "Andrea Lebonair, queen of the Crescents and engaged to Jackson" she slowed her speech, understanding her mistake

Elijah nodded with every word she said

"I'm sorry" she hit her head with her hand lightly to show her stupidity "I might just go sleep or something"

Clarissa made to pass Elijah, her hand wiped over his chest, leaning on him. Obviously she want too good on two legs in general, especially not when she was intoxicated.

Clarissa tripped over her own feet and fell, she shut her eyes but realised that only her nose was touching the floor. Elijah's hand gripped her stomach tightly.

"Vampire speed, useful" she said as she brushed herself off "thanks"

"Maybe I should walk you back" Elijah smiled

"Maybe" Clarissa nodded, tucking a stray hair behind her ear

Elijah lifted her up higher so his arm supported her waist and her arm leant on his shoulders and they walked to her cabin.

"Thank you for walking be such a long way" Clarissa sarcastically said to him.

Elijah didn't want to leave her just yet; she took the edge of his pain, she was fun and distracting.

"Maybe I'll help you in to bed" Elijah suggested, trying to savour moments

"Sure" she smiled "because I could trip and break my neck"

Clarissa's cabin seemed almost empty, two chairs, a rug and so many cobwebs in her front room and her bedroom had a neatly made bed.

She jumped straight on to it "ugh" she said "you don't know how much I missed this bed"

Elijah had finished going through her drawers and retrieved her pyjamas

"Fluffy unicorns" he murmured "nice"

"Shut it" she snatched them off him and lost her balance. Clarissa grabbed Elijah's shirt and fell with him onto the bed.

They both laughed for a moment, Elijah still holding his body above her. The moment turned serious and their smiles dropped.

He looked into her greyish eyes and she looked into his hazel eyes. "Maybe uh" Clarissa broke off, sitting up.

"I should get going" Elijah brushed himself off "you'll be okay dressing yourself?"

"I'll be fine" she giggled "I have two hands and opposable thumbs remember?"

"Okay" he smiled

"Thank you" Clarissa great fully amended, "I'll see you whenever then; you can let yourself out" she stumbled into the bathroom with her pyjamas.

"Ill see you" he replied before turning and walking out past the slowly dying party.

He didn't want to leave. For that moment he was finally happy with where he was and who he was, the only feeling he could experience with Hayley.

Hayley. He thought, his feelings strayed. He nearly kissed Clarissa, he barely even knew her. Though he didn't want to treat her as a rebound, no, she was sweet, genuine.

Maybe there was life after Hayley Marshall after all.