𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐲 | 𝐭𝐯𝐝

-3-

"So let me get this straight. You met Elena first and erased her memory, Stefan saved Elena from a car accident then they fell in love, she hated you, you liked her, you did a lot of things to protect her and then make her mad at you but she ended up liking you and you kissed, uhh you danced or something, she might be in love with you, saved you, blah blah blah, you went on a road trip and made out, she chose Stefan, and you're too selfish for her. Did I get most of it?" I asked. "Mhm." Damon nodded. "Hand me the bottle." I held out my hand and he handed me the bottle of alcohol. His life was eventful.

"You're an arrogant son of a bitch, but if she has stuck around this long I am sure she will run to you." I encouraged. "Doubt it. You know they are sitting on the roof right now?" He glared. "That's tough. He's sitting up there with his girlfriend while his ex is sitting with his brother." I sucked in a sharp breath. "So you still like him then?" I spat out the bourbon, my heart shocked with his question. "What?"

"Well, you act jealous and have barely looked at him. Do you still like Stefan?" Damon repeated. "He broke me, Damon." I put the glass down. "I'll need to be going. Thanks for the drink and everything." I sighed. "Where are you staying?" He frowned. "An apartment in the Hills," I told him. "We have enough room here for you to stay. Extra rooms and everything. You have no choice. You aren't going to an apartment. Bring your stuff here."

I would want to hang out with Damon again and be away from the loud neighbors next door. But do I want to be around Stefan? I can't hide from him. I need to heal as much as I hate it. I can't feel broken anymore. I need my friends. I nodded slowly and I nearly saw Damon smile. "Don't get all cocky. My neighbors annoy me. I don't know why that man stuck around for so long. He must have been begging for me to put him out of his misery." I scoffed, remembering the night I killed the previous owner of the place I stayed in.

I ended up bringing my suitcase and staying in a room across Damon's. It was large and had a king-sized bed with red sheets and pillows with black covers on them that faced the wall left from the door. There was a large screen attached to the wall and a bathroom beside it. It seemed untouched except for the empty picture frames on the shelves. "Do you like it? I mean, it's not like all the other pretty places you've traveled but we can fix it up-" Damon rambled next to me. "I like it, Damon," I promised. He let out a deep breath. "Good. I'll go grab a comforter." He looked at me momentarily before going down the hall. I watched as Stefan walked past the open door. He stopped in and my heart skipped a beat. "Hey...can we talk?" He asked. I nodded.

He sat down on my bed while I tried to ignore his stares by putting away clothing into drawers. "How have you been?" He asked awkwardly.

Horrible. Heartbroken. Torn apart. Lonely.

"I've been great. I see you've been busy." I chuckled under my breath. "I had to move on too, River." He mumbled. "Yeah. I know. I see. Are you still feeding?" I asked. "Sometimes but not like I used to. I'm not controlled by blood anymore." He explained. I flipped my hair to the side and grabbed my makeup wipes. Stefan watched as I did so. "I didn't mean to push you away, Otter." He cooed, a smile peeking onto his face.

-

"Watch, Stefan!"

"I am."

We were by a body of water, which was full of fish and strange animals that hid in the trees next to us. I was balancing on a log in the middle of the water, testing my fate. There were plenty of rocks below me, but I trusted my balance enough. "Careful, Rivvy! Don't wanna fall near the otters." My friend warned. "I'll be fine, Stefo." I teased. He hated that nickname. He cringed, making me laugh. "River watch out!" I lost balance and fell backward, landing in the deep water. My back scraped against a rock and I winced. I felt something silk-like swim past me and looked down at the clear water to see an otter. I screamed and felt a pair of arms lift me up.

I hid my head in Stefan's neck, breathing heavily. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He patted around my back, making me hiss. "Ow, Stefan!" I instinctively pulled my back in, making our bodies closer. His breathing scattered. It felt like a lightning bolt went through our bodies.

I pulled away, but he grabbed under my thigh and pulled me back to his waist. I wrapped my legs around him and stared into his bright green eyes before placing a finger under his chin and leaning in. He cupped my cheeks and our lips connected. It was our first kiss. Full of eagerness, bliss, and an urge to take it farther. He began walking while we kissed and next thing I knew, my back was against a tree. He kissed up and down my neck and collarbones, careful not to leave any marks. We both knew he wouldn't make it out alive if my father were to see them.

"Stefan?!" A voice shouted. We gasped and pulled away quickly. Damon walked down a hill from the other side of the river with a net of fish. "Let's go home, brother." He walked across the river, unfazed by the fish in there with him. Damon looked at me and chuckled smugly. Did he know? Impossible. "See you later, Otter." Stefan winked. I felt my cheeks turn rosy and turn into a smile. "Until tomorrow, Stefan."

-

My heart ached and I closed my eyes. "You remember that day too? Seems like it was yesterday, huh?" He grinned. "Yes. Yes, I remember it vividly." My accent was thick. Did I always sound this way? "Why were you scared of an otter anyway?" Stefan laughed. His smile was ear to ear and he threw his head back at the memory. "1: The fur felt slimy! 2: They're weird creatures! And 3: Otters can be aggressive!" I shuddered. "Like you?" He remarked. My jaw dropped and I sped to grab a pillow and smacked him with it. His jaw dropped too and he grabbed another pillow, then hit me with it. We went back and forth until I grabbed his wrists and pinned him to the mattress. "Take it back, Stefo." I mocked. "You just fought me over a joke! I was right. Ha!"

"Woah woah woah, what did I miss?"

I jumped off of him and faced Damon. I threw the pillow at Stefan's face for his last line. "He was a dick so I tried to make him apologize." I quickly said. Damon threw the black comforter at Stefan, who dramatically flopped backward. "Okay, Otter, I'm going to bed." He got up and walked towards the door. I thought he'd continue walking, but he turned to me once more and glanced at Damon warningly. He gave me a nod and a welcoming look before going to his room.