Waking Up In Vegas

Chapter 18

Elena's P.O.V.

I sit in the tub for a while, my feet playing around with the knobs of the hot water. My hands are already shriveled up and the water's run cold. But, I can't stop thinking about what Stefan had told me earlier, about what he wants out of life. I think about it as I lean my head against the wall of the tub and sigh out a breath. I had that once, everything that he had said, love like no other...But, then it ran cold like the what I'm sitting in at the moment, this cold water that's surrounding me.

Matt and I had drifted for so long, that after a while it was over and that was that. I didn't even beg him to stay because I knew that we were done. Since then, it's been random guys, dates...and then there was Jake. Who, I thought I had feelings for. But, really it was hiding from the facts of actually having feelings for Stefan instead.

I don't know what he thinks this traveling will do, what this distance away from our little world that we've built here, will accomplish. But, I want to find out..I want to experience it all, in the one most romantic city in the whole world..Paris, France...with him and hope that maybe, we can grow closer in our relationship because of it instead of growing further apart by the lies that surround us in this little bubble that we've secluded ourselves in. Just me, him and the media running rampant with stories that don't even make any sense anymore and with truths that are somewhat mixed in between the lines of all this madness.

XXXX

I don't seem to really care that his door is closed shut to his office or that its eerily quiet when I stumble into it, the towel on top of my head has fallen around my shoulders as he looks up from the pile of paperwork on his desk, giving me a warm smile as he breathes in deep.

"Have you decided where you want to go?" He says, a pen in his hand and a pair of glasses on his face as I watch him lean back into his chair and smile widely at me.

"Yeah...I want to go to Paris with you..just the two of us, I'm hoping no one follows." I tell him, almost shyly as he laughs.

"Okay. I'll call my guy and make arrangements for the limo." Stefan says, spinning the pen around in his hands and placing it on the desk.

"A limo?" I ask him, tilting my head to the side as he smiles even wider.

"Yeah, but that won't be all of my little surprises..I know a few people in Paris and we'll have fun. No work stuff. I promise. But, I know one thing for sure. No paparazzi either, no one will follow, I can assure of that." He says as he gives me a smile and opens a drawer in his desk.

"What about if they find out about us, together in Paris for three weeks? The magazines, the media are going to be a damn storm of speculation when we come back." I tell him, watching closely as Stefan scratches the back of his head and lets out a small laugh.

"Elena, let them talk. I don't care, anymore..They'll always have something to gossip about. You should know that first hand anyways. So, let them. You and I will both know the truth and if it gets too much to handle. I just make a few calls, call in a few favors and it'll calm them all down. You have nothing to worry about." Stefan states in a reassuring tone as he watches me nod at him and look down at my feet briefly.

"Oh, Hey! here, catch. You'll need these, eventually." He tells me with a wink as I turn towards the door to leave his office. But turn back when I see him throw a black box towards me.

"Why are you giving me this?" I ask him in confusion, staring down at the black box in my hands, opening it to reveal a pair of small diamond earrings.

"Because, Elena...I want you to look good and to enjoy yourself a little." Stefan says, smiling gleefully as I shake my head and leave his office with the earrings in my hands.