The Love I Lost

Chapter 8: Elena Gives Unintentional Dirt

I never told Greta about my other dream-nightmare. When I came to school Monday, guess who was the first to approach me? The very last girl I wanted to see.
I crossed my arms, making my voice cold. "What do you want?"
Lily's face fell "Liz, can we talk?"
"About what? How you spread rumors all around the school?"
"I'm sorry, Liz. You know my big mouth---"
"Your big mouth is what---" I stopped myself, taking a deep breath. "Whatever."
"Look, I told everyone I lied. I'm so sorry! Please believe me, Liz. I just got carried away, that's all! I swear. Please, can you ever forgive me?"
I stared at her, her eyes watering. Rolling my eyes, I said, "Lily, you are so pathetic."
She squealed, hugging me tight. "I'm so sorry!"
"Yeah, I know." And I just won't tell you anything 'big' ever again, I thought.
"And to show how sorry I am, I swiped this from your dad," Lily held my iPod. "I put some new songs on there for you, too."
"Like what?" I asked, tuning my beautiful black iPod on.
Lily started counting off her fingers, "Evanescence, Rise Against, Three Days Grace, Muse, Aqua---"
"You seriously put Aqua on there?" I nearly screamed. I scanned the iPod vigorously.
Lily giggled. "No, I'm kidding. Um...you sing...right?"
I stared at her. "Sure, why?"
She shifted. "Well you know, Abby?"
Abby was Lily's friend---which was surprising since Lily was girly and Abby was really rock and roll-ish---who was in this band called F.I.R.E. Occasionally, Lily would sing for them, but only if they were singing a slow song. They, as far as I knew, had no official lead singer, though. Abby just sang backup. They were actually really good; I'd gone to a few of their gigs.
"Yeah, of course I remember her."
"Well..." She smiled.
"Lily..."
"They know you're really into music and everything, so...I told 'um you can sing and..."
"Oh, no, Lily..."
"Surprise! They want you to sing for the gig and then, if they like you, they will talk about you being their lead singer!"
I groaned. "You already said I would, didn't you?"
Lily nodded sheepishly. "But I can tell them---"
I sighed. "Forget it." I had the pleasure of seeing Lily's face fall again before I said, "Tell 'um I'm in."
Lily squealed again, hugging me. "Thank you! Practice is tomorrow after school at Abby's place."
I nodded. "Okay. I'll be there."
I can't believe that I agreed to sing for them. I never sing in front of anyone. Not seriously, anyway. What had I been thinking?! I was gonna faint!
I walked toward my next class in a daze, wondering if there was anyway to take back what I had said about singing for Abby's band. I must have been really out of it, because I didn't even move when I felt people brushing past me, nudging my shoulders. Then I slammed into something hard. Snapping out of it, I immediately thought, 'Oh, God, please don't be a wall!' But it was more embarrassing then that.
Black eyes stared at me in amusement. "Glad you ran into me. I've been meaning to ask you if the elevator broke down."
My cheeks heated up. "No, it did not break down. I have to get to class. Move."
Damon raised a brow. "That's very demanding of you. What gives? You don't like me anymore?"
My anger flared. "I never liked you in the first place!"
"Touchy much?"
Oh, I could really slap him.
"Damon," a soft voice said from behind me. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was, just by the look on Damon's face. "I think that's enough," Elena said.
Damon's eyes were no longer amused but dark. I felt something at that moment, from him. Elena had really made Damon out to be the bad guy, but, how it seemed at the moment, Elena had done something. She had scorned Damon somehow.
My mind was racing. Then one thought finally settled.
Ah, sweet revenge.
Whatever it was that had happened between Dear Salvatore and Elena, I was going to find out. And in doing so, reverse the vicious cycle Damon had started; it was time to make his life a living hell.