I angrily tie my hair into a bun while glaring at Damon across the gym talking to Alaric as they walk around, pointing out things that need to be done. I think there was a small part of me hoping it was a joke and Damon wouldn't show up this morning. But it wasn't a joke and it was all real.

Damon keeps flashing smirks and glances my way but I try to quickly turn my head the other direction whenever it happens. How dare he come into the one place in the world I feel the safest and try to tear my whole world down with his stupid gorgeous blue eyes? I hate him and his beautiful face. I grunt angrily wiping chalk onto my grips for bars, avoiding his line of sight at all costs.

Alaric comes over after finishing his conversation with Damon and helps me with the uneven bars. Nationals are coming up in a few months where the best gymnasts of USA compete and I really need to work harder on this event. It is really all about hitting the handstands and releases. I am on my 4th try of my routine, in all of my previous attempts I have fallen but Alaric makes me keep going until I hit my routine. My body is about to give beneath me but I push through it to the end of my routine. I am doing a few turns before I twist into my double twisting dismount and…Land perfectly.

"Finally!" I breathe heavily and bend over with my hands on my knees to breathe easier.

"See, I knew you would get there!" Alaric cheers. "Take a quick break and then you can do some conditioning." Alaric nods before making his way back over to one of the other gymnasts.

I have blisters and sores all over my hands, even with using the grips. I am pretty sure some of them will be permanent scars; they can join the other ones I have gotten over the years. I let out a tired breath before getting up to refill my water bottle across the gym.

"How is it going?"

I jump and water spills out of my bottle before I turn my head, noticing Damon leaning against the wall beside me. I compose myself quickly. "Good." I clench my teeth and continue filling the bottle up.

"Did you have a good time last night?" He smirks.

"I guess…" I shrug, not wanting to give him the satisfaction.

"Stubborn!" Damon laughs then pauses. "…Like it."

I cough breaking our somehow always intense trance and tighten the lid to my water bottle. "Well I have to get back…" I throw him a quick smile before leaving.

I know that threw him off and that he wants to spend time with me and deep down I feel bad. I am hoping he has some weird phase he is going through and he will move onto one of the other girls here. Lord knows there are a lot of desperate ones around me.

I grab out my iPod from my bag and put the earbuds in my ears before starting on the treadmill. I am usually on it for a while to work the muscles in my legs. I don't think people realize it takes so much muscle, strength and endurance do to even a quarter of the moves we do in routines but to put them all into a routine for each event? It takes a lot out of you and to successfully attempt to do them leaves all of us to basically live here at the gym. Some people think we are missing out on life and shouldn't spend our time doing this but it is what we love. This is our passion and we really do get enjoyment out of it. Yeah it takes a lot more work than other hobbies, but so what? I think that as long as gymnastics makes me happy, I will keep doing it.

I run along to one of my many workout playlists and try to act oblivious to the frequent stares Damon keeps sending my way. I am trying to not let him get to me. I really am. But if he keeps it up I will have to confront him on it so I can actually focus on my workouts.

I am so completely in my own zone before I jump, Alaric pulling an earbud out of one of my ears. "Break then floor routine." He says pointedly before leaving me running on the treadmill. I sigh, powering it down and rolling up my headphones and putting them away in my locker.

Thankfully I don't see Damon around as I make my way to the floor. Alaric has me stretch before I move to the big stuff. I really have to get ready because nationals camp is at the end of every month where the best gymnasts go to a ranch and have the national coaches that decide who gets to compete when and where. They basically say jump and you ask how high?

After what seems like a long and never ending day, Alaric gives me the nod of approval to pack up and head home. Damon must have been working somewhere in the back because during the second part of the day because I didn't see him. I say bye to the girls as we head out of the gym, a lot of them I have known my whole life.

One is Caroline, she is complete opposite of me and I really didn't like her when we first met at three years old but she grew on me. She is very outgoing and never has a bad day…Ever. I think the only time I've seen her sad was when her first boyfriend cheated on her in 8th grade but she got over it two days later. We don't get to hang out, outside the gym as much as we would like to but in the gym we usually try to train together. She has Alaric as her coach as well, he only trains the best. She isn't quite there yet but she is getting there and Alaric believes in her.

The other is Rebekah. She is amazing. She helped me through a really hard time when I was younger and instead of saying it will get better and I can be strong like Caroline did she just sat me down, looked me in the eyes and said 'that sucks', which I really needed. She does gymnastics more for fun and a hobby. She tries to stay away from out of state competitions because she doesn't want the pressure to ruin something she considers fun. She thinks Caroline and I are crazy for working out and traveling for the sport so much.

"Want to come to my place?" I offer to the girls.

They look shocked because usually I am too tired after my workouts to do any kind of hangout but I don't know…I have been feeling pretty good today.

"Yeah!" The both say in unison before I can change my mind.

I shake my head and laugh. "Meet you there?"

They both nod before we all get into our separate cars. I really can't explain how much easier it is since we all got our licenses and cars and I am sure our parents are feeling the same way. Basically the majority of our life we had to rely on our parents to drive us everywhere and sometimes they really didn't want to get up at 7am for training or they would be late. Since we turned sixteen I am pretty sure everyone is a lot happier.

As I am opening my car door a hand stops me, pushing on the window. I frown turning around before sighing. I should have known.

"You have been avoiding me." He points out.

"Really? I had no idea." I add sarcastically.

He looks up into the sky laughing to himself and for a second I think he is crazy before he looks straight at me. "You are making it hard you know."

"What? Stalking me?"

"No, getting to know you."

I feel a stab of guilt in my gut and swallow, looking down. He really is not making this easy and I feel so bad at times but I know deep down that it's for the best and in some weird way he will thank me someday.

"I got to go." I choke out and try to open my car door again but he doesn't let me.

"Just let me in Elena….Open up." He pleads.

"Why do you care?" I say back a little more harshly than I intended but I am about to break right now and I can't have that.

His hand slides the window and I hear him sigh behind me. "Honestly I don't know. It would be easier if I didn't."

His words are too much to me and I quickly open my car door before he can stop me again. I look down while I put the keys in the ignition, not wanting to see the pain on his face before backing up and leaving his still body where I left him.

"What took so long?!" Caroline complains as I shut my car door and lock it. "We all left the same time?"

"Oh…I guess I hit all the lights…" I sputter as they follow me and we head inside my house, I already smell the dinner either done or in the process. My mom and dad are pretty good about having food ready when I come home, knowing I will inhale everything.

"Hey mom." I give her a hug before digging into some fruit she has out then my dad comes from the living room giving me a kiss on my cheek. "How was practice?"

"Good." I tell him nonchalantly.

"How are you girls doing?" My mom asks while chopping up more fruit for us. "I haven't seen you in a while."

Caroline nods quickly. "Alaric has been drilling us for this season coming up; Elena and I are practically dying daily." Caroline sighs before plopping a pineapple chunk into her mouth.

"You girls always surprise me with how strong and durable you are." My dad laughs. "I get tired after a long day at work."

My mom and dad are really my best friends. My dad is a cardiologist while my mom used to be a nurse, hence how they met. But after she married my dad she quit her job to devote her time to being a stay at home wife and soon to be mom. I always pushed her to get back out in the medical field but she shakes her head and insists she is happy.

They are the nicest human beings ever or maybe I am just a well behaved child. We always get along and have that cliché relationship. I have never really had a falling out with them; they are too supportive and understanding.

"I have dinner cooking, should be done within 20 minutes. I bet you girls are starving." We all widen our eyes in reply and she just laughs.

Finally once dinner is finished cooking we all sit around at the table and dig in. I forget how much I loved hanging out with Rebekah and Caroline, I guess sometimes I get so swept up in my career I miss opportunities that pass me sometimes. I need to try and hang out with them more.

"Elena, Tanya called earlier today to set up a meeting sometime next weekend." My mom smiles while eating her casserole.

Tanya.

She is my sports agent, she helps me get sponsors and my name out there in the gymnastics community. I have known her since I was ten but she can be a handful sometimes because she pushes me so hard and thinks so much about my career and doesn't stop to ask what I want. She isn't the type we would invite to our monthly BBQ's for sure but she is the best at her job and really has helped me with my career.

I sigh. "Okay…"

After dinner Caroline, Rebekah and I head outside to my porch to decide what we want to do tonight. We all have late practice tomorrow which is rare so we might as well make the most out of it.

"We should go to Kol's party!" Rebekah nods.

Rebekah comes from a ….large family and Kol is just one of the many brothers she has. The most outgoing and popular one probably, he is always hosting parties around Mystic Falls. I am pretty sure he has hit on me a few times but I ignored it and he eventually gave up, if only Damon would do that.

"We should!" Caroline says excitedly before looking to me hopefully, knowing I will be the deal breaker.

Normally I would say no but I am stressed up to the moon about my life right now so why not? "Sure."

They both looked shocked for the second time tonight but decide to go with it. "We have to get ready!" Caroline quickly grabs our hands as we head up to my bedroom.

I feel weird as they put makeup on me. The only time I ever wear it is occasionally at competitions or fancy affairs. It just feels very weird on my face and I am not used to it at all. I scrunch my nose as Rebekah applies eye shadow to my eye lids before doing my lipstick.

"I need a man." Caroline groans as she rifles through my closet.

"Like you have time." I scoff as I apply mascara.

"I will make time as this point."

"Meanwhile Matt and I are going on 6 months." Rebekah smiles as she straightens her hair.

Both Caroline and I steal a subtle glare to Rebekah who seems to have it all. She only has to work in the gym four times a week which is half the hours we put in. Not to mention she has had more boyfriends and hook ups than me and Caroline will probably have in our lifetime. I am still surprised she has settled down with Matt, she has always said no man would tame her so it is interesting to see how their relationship will play out.

"I will definitely wait till after my career." I wipe a glob of mascara out of the way.

"Elena!" Caroline whines and turns around from my closet to face me. "You are the only virgin! You can't be thirty and never kissed a boy!" She exasperates.

I sigh. "That would suck but…It's just not fair to any guy right now-"

"Screw it!" Caroline shrieks. "You don't need a relationship just hook up or something." Caroline waves. "That's what I did."

I try to contain my laugh because really that is exactly what that crazy girl did. She was lonely one day and whining about how she will never kiss or have sex with a boy, so stupidly I said 'then do it', not really thinking she actually would. So she drags me out to the grill, finds a boy for her mission and within 15 minutes he is taking her home. I was worried for her at first, I mean the guy could have been a murderer but she waved me off and winked and at that point…I had to trust her. She was 17 and it wasn't like the guy was 40 or something, he was 17 as well and about an hour later they both come back disheveled and looking pretty happy, never speaking again.

She was pretty pleased with it and didn't regret it, which is so very Caroline of her. I have respect for her because I would regret it a lot and hate myself for it; I guess I want something more. Maybe I believe in love too much and want it like the movies, where you fall in love and stay together forever and you are each other's firsts. I guess in this day and age that isn't as easy but when I end my career that is what I want, as cheesy as that sounds.

"That was pretty insane Care." Rebekah laughs. "Even you have to admit."

Caroline shrugs stubbornly and Rebekah and I laugh, "Yeah that's just not me, when I get a guy I want to devote all my time to him and right now I devote all my time to gymnastics…It's just not fair." I shrug and smack more lipstick on my plump lips.

"Please Elena; even you know you will be doing gymnastics your whole life." Rebekah scoffs.

"No one can do gymnastics forever." I sigh, because sadly it is true. After a while your body ages and grows up and isn't able to hold and do the stunts it was once able to do. There are a lot of gymnasts that get injured, trying to push their body past their age and I will most likely be one of them, because if it was my choice I would want to do it forever. But there is only a short period a gymnast can really compete, we are in the prime spot right now and I am definitely not missing out on my prime period because of some boy.

"But Elena!" Caroline whines as she starts curling her hair "That's not the point. The point is you can't wait forever for a guy to magically come along. What if he is out there right now waiting for you but you are too invested in gym to see?!" She exclaims.

I shrug. "Then it's not meant to be."

"Caroline." Rebekah stops her before she can say anything else.

Caroline holds up her hands in mock surrender "Fine."

We all finally finish getting dressed and putting our makeup on. I've got to admit, I feel pretty good in this lace tight red dress with ankle heels on. Not to mention Caroline chose bright neon red lipstick for me to match my dress, at first I was a little hesitant because it is so bold but I have to admit, I look pretty amazing. Caroline knows what she is doing….most of the time.

My mom doesn't even care where we are going, she is just happy that I am having fun and getting out of the house. I give both my mom and dad a kiss on the cheek before we all leave for the night.

Once we arrive we all slowly get out and open our mouths in shock at how many people are here and how loud it is. Thank god Rebekah lives on a few acres without other people around or there would definitely be police here. I'd bet my life on that.

"My parents are going to kill him" Rebekah shakes her head but she is smiling. "But not me" She winks at us before we all make our way into the party.

I notice people from our school here and people that have long since graduated our high school. Like me. It is good to see people I once saw in the halls every day. I definitely don't want to get drunk because I have gym tomorrow like always, but what the hell? I can have at least one or two drinks. I am really trying to be a little bit less controlling about things, so this is a start.

I wonder the party a little unsure of what to do with myself at first because the last time I have been to a party was probably five years ago.

I am walking into the lounge room in Rebekah's house when my heart falls out of my chest and I nearly drop my drink. Why is he here?! I inwardly curse and quickly try to maneuver through people before he sees me but I am too late.

"Elena!" Damon calls through the group of people between us and I try to at least get back to the kitchen but somehow he is faster and is already by my side. "Where do you think you are running off too?" He smirks but I don't answer so he just smiles. "What are you doing here? This isn't really your scene?"

I give up and face him with a poor smile. "You know….having fun?"

He gives me a look from head to toe and bites his lip as he is looking at my very tight and red dress. I can tell he likes it, which makes my cheeks go red. Finally his eyes meet mine again and his head tilts a little at me. "Really?" He clarifies "You don't look like you are having fun."

I feel a little defensive at those words because I thought I was putting on a good face, showing that I'm having the time of my life but I have a feeling he sees right through that. "Well I am." I raise my chin up, challenging him.

He flashes a few more looks at me before shaking his head and looking to the side, "Keep telling yourself that" He says lightly, staring deep into my eyes.

In that moment I realize he knows me better than I thought he did. I don't know how or even why but instead I just smile. I give him a hard time… but we haven't known each other for long and somehow…I feel like he knows me better than anyone. Its scares me yet, excites me.

I have had a very hard working and different life to a lot of people my age and I have learned to keep things bottled up so I don't have to burden others but ever since I met Damon it is like all of that is visible to him.

I cough and break the silence "So what are you doing here at Kol's party?" I question him.

He shrugs. "My buddy Enzo is a friend of his and invited me."

I bite my lip, shaking my head and looking away. How I keep running into this guy is beyond me. It's like the gods above keep shoving each of us together, places I don't even usually go to. I mean, the one time I go to a party, Damon happens to be here? Mystic Falls isn't that small.

"I don't usually…." I try to get out. "Come to places and events like this…." I gesture to the room.

He crinkles his nose in a way I find adorable before nodding. "Me either." He smiles genuinely before taking a swig of his beer.

I don't know what to say next, I can't even hear myself think because it's so loud in here and I can feel myself getting repeatedly shoved by different people trying to get passed me. Damon smirks and clasps my hand in his as he weaves me out of the wave of people and hopefully outside. I can't help but feel the big and warm clasp his hands have on my small and cold ones. But somehow they fit together perfectly, his are not too big for my small hands and they are the perfect temperature together.

Finally I feel my face hit the fresh air and I sigh in relief. There were people smoking in there so the rooms were filled with smoke, not to mention all the body sweat flowing around. I feel so much better outside.

I let out another breath before sitting myself on the front lawn not caring if it's wet or stains my dress. I never really care about those types of things. Damon seems to be on the same page and lays down beside me as we look up into the sky. We don't say anything for a while but it's not uncomfortable. I like how we can just lay here without saying a thing. Or maybe it is just because Damon isn't badgering questions out of me like he does at the gym.

"So what made you come to the party?" Damon breaks the silence.

I sigh. "I guess it has been awhile and I thought I would try it out again." I shrug thinking about why I made that decision, "I thought maybe I would enjoy it now but…. I still don't think it's my thing."

"It's not mine either." He turns his head and looks deep into my eyes. After a few seconds a small smile breaks across his face, "Want a ride home?"

I bite my lip and look up at the sky, probably overthinking this tiny decision to let him take me home. I think about Caroline and Rebekah, who are most likely already drunk and wonder if they need me, then again this is Rebekah's house and they will probably stay the night. Then I think about being here all night and how uncomfortable that sounds when I would rather be sleeping which I hardly get to do anyway.

"Yes please." I laugh, standing up and wiping the grass off me.

"Well that is a surprise" Damon widens his eyes.

I shrug like it is not big deal, "I need a ride home, and you offered, so what?"

He chuckles, shaking his head and looks as if he is about to say something before he stops himself and we make our way to his very antique looking car. He gets there before I do and before I can even protest he is opening the passenger door for me and smirking "There you go."

I roll my eyes but feel awkward. I am not experienced around guys and when they do things I thought only happened in the movies, I don't know how to react. I feel lost, like I am in uncharted territory and can't navigate through my feelings.

I clear my throat and try to calm myself down as he makes his way around to the other side of the car. This is just a ride home Elena, calm down. I take a deep breath as he makes his way into the driving seat, filling it with his intoxicating scent. I look out the window nervously because I am wondering if going home and sleeping a few more hours than I would if I stayed here is worth this.

I have to force myself to create distance between us and to make sure not to be swept away by the feelings he is making me feel. Of course every girl deep down wants that romance that we see in movies but here is the thing, my 'soulmate' or whatever romantics call it, needs to wait because I have goals and things to do before I'm even remotely ready for a relationship. I have my life planned out and if that plan crumbles, I will crumble.

"So that was fun" Damon tries to joke as we pull away from the party.

I chuckle nervously, "Yeah, I was hoping I could let go and be a teenager but…" I sigh deeply. "It's just not for me. I was hoping that I would be able to have one night away from my usual life… but I guess not" I rest my head against the headrest in defeat.

I feel like I failed myself. Why can't I let go and have fun? Why can't I just have at least one day a week where I let go of everything else and act my age?

"Don't feel bad if it isn't your thing because if you really think about it…What is the point of it? You don't know half those people. Drinking is fun every now and then but hangovers suck so you're not missing much there. Not to mention the sweat and smoke dripping out every pore around you, you can't even have a decent conversation with anyone because the music is so loud." Damon shrugs "It has never really been my thing either. My friends and my brother were into it and dragged me along, but in the end, it's all just exhausting" Damon sighs.

I take a moment to really look at Damon. I did not expect him to say that and in a weird way he is comforting me and it feels nice. I have always felt like some alien or something my entire life, not wanting the same things people around me want, but in this moment he is making me feel normal and good about myself.

I let a smile cross my face before turning ahead, "Well I guess we have something in common."

Damon's head snaps to mine in an instant, after a few moments he lets a nice, warm and genuine smile grace his face, much like mine a few seconds earlier "Yeah, I guess we do."

The silence becomes a little uncomfortable and I start to nervously fidget and dart my eyes around, hoping my house is coming up. The more time I spend with Damon, the more it scares me because it feels too intense and serious and I don't know how to feel about that.

I am not an interesting person. I wake up, eat, go to the gym, train, go home, eat some more and then sleep. That is on repeat nearly every day so I really don't see why anyone would want to be a part of that. It sucks because Damon is a nice guy, he is great and extremely good looking but it just isn't fair to him. Why does he have to make this so hard?

How am I going to get out of this?

Review? xo

Okay so my fanfic profile has been DEAD and I admit that. I went through a anti fic phase where i couldn't read or write fics, it was horrible. Then I had a major hip surgery with complications in June and that was hell, but I am finally hardcore into reading and writing again and have a ton of muse.

But for that past month I have been writing (and reading) like CRAZY, I wrote a lot for UU sequal if anyone reads that but I also have worked a bit on this beauty WHICH I have big plans for.

I am a huge gymnastics fan, have been since 2012 and even have a gym tumblr (laurenshernandez) so I know A LOT about this sport but also very very very much enjoy it. Not to mention its gymnstics seasons so I am even more into the sport than usual. So I am enjoying writing this. I have a few gymnasts that inspire Elena's gymnastics in this fic that I will get into some time.

But I hope you enjoy and forgive me for the long wait, i hope to get better with that from now on! (hopefully I didn't just jinx myself).

Please review and let me know what you think so I can get good feedback and that people actually like it lol. XOXOXO

PS: For my personal tumblr and to get ahold of me is (alwaysurvive). AND THANKS TO MY BFF AND BAE Olivia for beta'ing this. She has her own amazing fic 'wondering hearts' on 'damonspain' fanfic profile. Same username for her tumblr as well. Ily.