If We Had Met First

Chapter Twelve:

            The only sound in the dining room was the forks clinking on the plates and the movements of everyone seated around the table. Just like her parents had asked she had invited Damon over to her house for dinner and you could cut the tension with a knife.

            “So Damon, you must be related to Zach Salvatore.” Elena’s dad said.

            Damon nodded and swallowed the bit of food in his mouth before replying, “Zach is my uncle, me and my brother are staying with him.”

            “What about your parents?” Miranda asked.

            “My parents passed away several years ago.” Damon said bluntly.

            “I’m so sorry.”

            Then just like that it was silent again. Elena looked over at Damon and found that he was looking at her to. She mouthed ‘sorry’ and he just smiled in response.

            “Did you hear about the campers? A couple that was camping in the woods were found this morning mauled by an animal.” Elena’s mom said in an effort to fill the silence.

            “An animal attack you say?” Damon asked.

            Happy to have filled she silence she nodded, “yes, it’s quite tragic they were both really young. Animal control has been looking for the beast all day but so far no luck.”

            “That’s because they aren’t going to find the animal that attacked them in the forest.”

            All eyes turned to Greyson, who seemed to just realize what he said and began instantly busying himself with cutting up the meat on his plate.

            The rest of the dinner passed in much the same fashion, every now and then someone would make a brave attempt at conversation only for it to die down a few moments later. Awkward was definitely the best word to describe the evening.

            It was a relief when Elena and Damon were able to spend some time alone in her room even with her parents insisting to keep the door open.

            “Sorry about making you sit through that.” Elena said as she sat down on the side of the bed.

            Damon shrugged as he sat down next to her, “I didn’t mind too much, I don’t really deserve to be with you so it’s an honour to be able to have dinner with your family.”

            “I thought I told you to stop thinking like that,” Elena said. She tried to sound and look stern but the corners of her mouth turned up into a smile.

            “I’ve never been very good at following orders,” he whispered smirking as he leaned in closer to him.

            Even though Elena would have loved to let him kiss her she put a hand out to stop him, she didn’t really trust herself when kissing him and she didn’t want her parents to walk in on them together. That definitely wouldn’t improve their relationship with Damon and she wanted her parents to like him because if they liked him they would trust her with him.

            He groaned in frustration and fell down backwards onto her bed, giggling Elena followed suit, “you know I want to Damon, but I don’t think it would help your case if my parents walked in on us.”

            “What do you think your father meant when he said that he didn’t think they would find the animal in the forest?” Damon asked as he played with a small strand of Elena’s long dark brown hair.