Until This Lie Do Us Part

Chapter 32

His arms came out from around her as he moved away from her. "Los Angeles" he repeated. "When did you even interview for that?" he asked, trying to take his mind off of how much he was beginning to hurt. Everywhere, but mainly, his chest.

Elena looked over at him, her own heart aching at how withdrawn he had suddenly become. "They came to speak to my class and I told them I was interested in their company. They set up a phone interview last month" she explained.

Last month. When he was still hell bent on not telling her how he truly felt. He really had no one to blame but himself. "Well, congratulations" he said, bitterness dripping off of his words. He sat up, ready to get out of bed for the day.

"Stefan" she said, grabbing ahold of his arm and stopping him. He looked at where she was grabbing his arm and then at her. The loving, gentle sparkle in his eyes was gone. "It doesn't have to be forever" she told him. "But it is a great opportunity for me right now" she explained.

"Like I said, congratulations" he said, shrugging her hand off of his arm and getting up. He quickly dressed before walking out of the room.

Elena got up and dressed quickly too. She walked out of the room after him. "Stefan" she said, seeing him already halfway down the stairs. "Stefan wait" she said, turning to descend down the stairs.

Stefan stopped, waiting for her to come down the stairs. But he wouldn't look at her. He was angry and she knew it. Well, she thought he was probably more hurt than angry, but anger was so much easier. She stared at his back, thinking of what she should say. "You could come and visit me" she offered. Weekends, maybe. She was willing to make any compromise as long as she could still be with him because that is what she had wanted for so long. For him to finally realize that he could be with her. Then she had to go and ruin it by telling him she was leaving.

Stefan laughed bitterly. "I've done the whole long distance relationship thing before Elena" he told her. "I won't do it again." He was set on that. It was too hard. Too painful. The thought of having to anticipate seeing her all week, only for him to have to say goodbye on Sunday. It was too hard.

"You could move to Los Angeles with me" she tried again.

This time, he turned around with his eyes filled with disbelief. "And what about Lily?" he asked.

Lily. She hadn't even thought about that. Her eyes fell back to the floor in defeat. "If you don't want me to go, just say it" she said quietly. Ultimately, she was making this his decision.

"No" he said, shaking his head. "Don't put this all on me. You clearly want to go. Otherwise you wouldn't have accepted the offer" he said, turning back around to walk away.

She felt her eyes burning where the tears wanted to desperately escape. "I waited. I waited for months for you to decide whether or not you wanted to be with me" she told him, her heart wrenching at every word that she said. "You don't have any right to be upset with me. I did what I had to do to secure my future" she stated with a little more control.

Stefan stopped and turned around to look at her again. He could see that she was on the brink of tears. "You're right. I screwed up. I blew my chance at happiness with you" he told her. His tone was neither angry nor bitter now. It was more hopeless now. He turned back around and began walking again.

She stood there momentarily frozen. How could this be happening to her? Two minutes ago, she was perfectly happy in bed with him. "Where are you going?" she asked him.

"To write you your check" he called over his shoulder.

He had said it so naturally, like this was really goodbye once she received that check. She took a few steps back and sat down on the bottom step, burying her face in her hands as she cried.