White Lies (The Vampire Diaries)

| 04 | Journal

Stefan frowned at the closed bathroom door. "Is that why you think I wanted to stay?"

Presley remained silent.

"Presley, I know she's not like Katherine and I'm not interested in her only because she looks like Katherine either."

"I just— I don't want to see Elena get hurt because you're living in the past still."

"It's not like that, I promise. I'm over Katherine."

She sighed in relief, thankful to get that off of her chest. "Just- I don't know." Her lips pressed together as she changed out of the clothes she wore all day. "Just maybe try to take things a bit slower."

A smile crept on the youngest Salvatore's face. "I will," Stefan promised his older sister. His dark eyes roamed around the bedroom. He pushed his body away from the door frame, dropped his jacket on the edge of her bed, and absentmindedly wandered to a shelf full of books against the far wall near the window.

"Not to mention, it's so weird to see my brother flirt with one of my best friends. Not a huge fan of that," Presley's voice carried through the wooden door. "Then again, I can't say it's the first time this has happened."

The two rooms filled with silence. Presley continued to prep for bed in the bathroom and Stefan casually looked through her books. Her leather jacket was set on the sink counter with her other clothes discarded in the hamper.

A small grin tugged on Presley's lips as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She didn't announce her feelings out loud often, but she was thrilled to live under the same roof as her younger brother again. Some of the best times of their lives were when they were together.

Stefan and Presley had been partners in crime since the were toddlers and played together. The one year age difference only brought them closer together.

The bathroom door drew open as the brunette stepped back into her bedroom, clad in pajamas and free of the makeup she wore earlier. Her movements abruptly stopped when her brother's figure disappeared from his spot by the door. Pages ruffling caught her attention and she spotted him in front of her bookshelf across the room.

His back faced her with his head angled downward as if he was examining something in his hands. Presley smiled to herself, assuming he found one of his favorite novels amongst hers until she inched closer and noticed the worn out, leather journal perched in his hands. Her entire body turned cold, jaw clenched in betrayal.

She strode forward and aggressively snatched the old journal out of his grasp. "Didn't Mother tell you not to touch things that weren't yours?"

Stefan took a step back, startled by the harshness and quick change of behavior within his sister. He felt deep sorrow toward her, understanding the pain she felt inside.

The journal was tossed through the air and landed on her bed, pages pressed against the gray comforter with the leather bound cover upward. Molten anger rolled through her body as Presley fought against the urge to explode from the looming tears inside of her.

"I'm sorry," Stefan sincerely apologized, reaching out with one hand toward his sister. "I didn't mean to pry. I just—"

"Yet, you still did it!" She snapped, rudely, angling her body away from the journal. Her entire body shook with fury.

Stefan glanced at the upside down journal. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I know the mentioning of Damon at the Grill got to you and—"

"I'm fine!" Presley shouted above him, proving she was anything but fine like she claimed. "You can't just come in here and go through my personal things."