Imagination is the key (stefan, Damon love triangle)

Chapter Sixty

The gym  was thriving as Damon and I entered the dance behind Stefan. We'd arrived late after spending twenty odd minutes arguing with Elena over transport, and everyone was already inside having a good time. Completely unaware of the dangers that were lurking in the darkened corners. The music was loud, annoyingly so, but everyone else seemed to enjoy it. I didn't necessarily think that the time period chosen was very interesting. The 60s; bright colours and hippies, pretty stereotypical of me, I know, but 60s are just boring. The clothes were awfully uncomfortable looking. I got lucky with my . Caroline had dropped it off for me earlier this morning, apparently it was something that she just had lying around in her wardrobe, like I believe that. But I'm not complaining, it as cute and definitely something that i don't actually mind wearing. If she had approached me with a bright orange dress or something that resembled what over half of the other girls are wearing I would have just tossed it aside and gone with my Skinny jeans and t-shirt. I wonder if they'd let me in if I had done that. Hmm.
Damon had insisted on escorting me tonight and I had had no objections to that. He looked good, but then there wasn't really a time when he didn't. But it's annoying that he can look so good without putting any effort into it, like now for example. He was dressed casually, like he usually is. But he was kinda missing the point of a themed dance. I pointed out his clothing earlier and he didn't seem to care much, just brushed me off and hurried me out of the door.

Damon's grip on my hand tightened as he veered off towards the refreshments, leaving Stefan alone behind us somewhere.
"Hey, Ric," Damon greeted.
Alaric turned to face us on the other side of the punch table. A glass in one hand and with the other he was absentmindedly stirring the brightly coloured drink.
"Punch duty," Damon commented. "You haven't spiked it by any chance, have you? Lillie refused to let me have a drink before we left."
"Liar!" I smacked his chest. "You stopped yourself from having a drink. Apparently we didn't have time. I'm surprised you even let me get my shoes on."
Damon rolled his eyes. "Dramatic. We don't know when Klaus is going to strike and I'd rather not miss it."
"He won't strike without Elena actually being here though, right?"
"Who knows with this guys. He's probably not even here. Just compelled some innocent highschooler to do his bidding for now."
"You don't think he here?" Alaric asked.
Damon shook his head. "Why would he be? If he wanted to take Elena he could have already. Why would he want to do it in such a public place?"
"Who said anything about him taking her?"
"What else would he want with her?"
"Maybe he's just checking up on her. Making sure that she's real and very much human. You know how Chinese whispers work, right?"
"Yes," Damon snapped. "I'm aware."
"So temperamental," Hollee drawled as she approached us.
"Hey," I greeted. "What are you doing here?" I took a moment to inspect her costume only to realise that, like Damon, she didn't really care much for that. Although admittedly she was dressed slightly more appropriately than Damon was. Her dress -which is gorgeous- could definitely get away with the theme at a stretch. "I can see you put in some effort in abiding by the theme."
Hollee grinned and winked. "I tried my best."
I waved my hand up and down at her dress. "This was the best you could do? I doubt that. Knowing you for as long as I have, I do expect that you could have bought a dress that was actually worn in the 60s."
"But then I would have been limited to the occasions I could have worn it. This is appropriate for anytime."
I just shook my head. "Whatever. And be nice." I scolded.
"Fine, fine." Hollee brushed me off and turned to Alaric. "What's this about Klaus?"
"Nosy!" Damon accused.
Hollee ignored him. "Excuse him, he hasn't any manners." She said to Alaric with an easy grin. "I don't know how you can stand him."
Alaric smiled back, although it looked somewhat forced.
Damon grabbed my hand and started pulling me backwards into the mass of dancing students, away from Hollee and Alaric.
"What are you doing?"
"Saving you," He replied.
Hollee and Alaric seemed to have already fallen into a conversation and either haven't noticed Damon and I backing away or have chosen to ignore us.
"From what?"
"Hollee."
I sighed. "You both need to grow the fuck up already."
Damon quickly, without warning spun me around and then pulled me close. "I'm 174 years old, Lillie," He whispered in my ear. "Anymore growth on my behalf would cause quite a problem. . . For both of us."
"Shut up," I chuckled. "You knew what I meant. And it wasn't that."
"Hmm," He hummed in my ear, and twirled me out again,
This time when he pulled me back in, he quickly pressed a kiss to my lips. "We're supposed to be on look out," I reminded him with a smile.
"Then stop being so distracting." he purred seductively. He curled an arm around my waist and rested his hand on my back, pulling me in as close as I could get and then the other grasped my hand gently in his. He started to move us around to the upbeat music.
"I can't help it." I replied cockily.
Damon's lips twisted up at the corners and he winked down at me.
"Damon, Lillie. . ."
Damon and I pulled apart and turned to face Stefan. His brows were furrowed deeply and his lips set in frown.
"What's wrong, Stefan?" I asked.
"Have either of you two seen Elena? Or heard from her?"
I shook my head and glanced at Damon who was doing the same thing.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"I can't seem to be able to get a hold of her. She said that she'd be here by now and she hasn't turned up yet."
"Have you tried talking to Caroline and Bonnie? Maybe Jeremy?" Damon said.
"Yeah. Again they've all heard nothing. She's not answering anyone's calls. I'm worried. Especially considering there hasn't been any sign of Klaus yet. What if it was all just a ploy to get us all in one place? Leave Elena unguarded."
"You think Klaus' got her?"
"It's the only reasonable explanation that I can think of at the moment. Have you been with her all day?" Stefan directed to me.
I shook my head. "No. I never went to school today. And she has a couple of classes that she doesn't have with anyone. Why?"
"I think maybe she was approached today at some point because even after all the danger she's supposed to be in, she's the one that assured us that she was okay to make her own way to the dance. Don't you find that a bit odd?"
"It's Elena," I said with a shrug. "but I can see what you're saying. I could go back to you place and see if I can find her," I offered.
Damon quickly grabbed my arm and Stefan shook his head. "No, it's fine. I was just going to head over myself. I actually want you to come with me," He said, looking at Damon.
"Okay." He agreed. "head out now."
"Wait!" I said as Damon left my side. "Seriously? Why can't I go?"
"You'll just get in the way," Damon said, without turning back to me. Him and Stefan started pushing their way through the crowd.
I hurried after them. "Did you really just say that?!" I didn't expect something like that to actually hurt me, but it did. More than I was willing to admit. I know that I don't exactly have anything to offer in ways of strength and all that Vampire shit, but I didn't think that I was useless.
"Let it go, Lils." Damon said. We finally made it to the edge of the crowd and Damon whispered something to Stefan. He nodded and left the gym.
"Let it go?" I questioned. "Do you know what you even just said to me?"
"We have bigger things to deal with than your hurt feelings right now."
I scoffed. "You're a real ass. Screw you." I hissed and spun on my heels and walked away from him. Trying to get as far away as possible.
I barged through people, cutting in between dancing couple with no care at all. Damon had really pissed me off and he didn't even seem to care.
Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop.
"Lillie, are you alright? Have you heard from Elena?" Caroline asked frantically.
I sighed and shook out of her grasp. "Peachy," I coldly replied. "And no. Stefan and Damon have both gone back to the Salvatore house to see if they can find anything."
Caroline frowned and then Matt approached us slowly. "What's up?" He asked.
I forced a smile. "Nothing. Just trying to find Hollee, you haven't seen her, have you?"
Matt nodded and pointed to the punch table. "She was over there just a moment ago."
"Thank you." I looked at Caroline pointedly. "Everything is fine, I'll let you know if I hear anything."
"Okay, please do."
Now that I had somewhere specific to get to, I started making my way over to the vacant punch table, looking for any signs of my blonde haired best friend.
I grabbed a glass of punch and quickly chugged it back.
"Lillie!" My name was shouted frantically.
My head snapped to the left and they locked onto Alaric hurrying towards me. "Lillie! You need to come with me. Right now!"
"What?! Why?! What's wrong, Ric?"
"It's Klaus." He wheezed. "He has Jeremy!"
I think that my heart actually stopped for a moment then. Everything stilled and I was filled with nothing but undiluted dread. "Take me to him, Please." I pleaded.
Ric swallowed and nodded. "He went this way."