CHAPTER TWENTY   /   ACT ONE

If I Stayed.
Read Authors Note.

                             From a distance, Angelina observed Stefan and Elena's conversation in the bustling school hallway. There was tension in the air, but she doubted it was because her doppelgänger decided it was time to tell him about her secret kiss with Damon. Though it was clear she was right on the edge of doing so.

As she watched the scene unfold before her, Angelina couldn't help but mull over what Elena had spilled last night. Somehow, it didn't shock her one bit. Damon's like a persistent shadow, and everyone except her oblivious boyfriend can see there's something brewing between them. Love, lust, confusion—who knows?

But what really got under Angelina's skin was the fact that Elena already had what she herself wanted most in the world: Stefan. Yet here she was, eyeing up his older brother. It just didn't make sense to her.

The vampire turned away from the two, and glanced in the direction of the school entrance. It didn't take long for her to decide to ditch school, as she wasn't up for witnessing their tense talks all day until Elena decided to come clean.

Though even if Elena continued to stall, she still planned on telling him herself.

She didn't just act on a whim to win favor with Stefan. No, her motives ran deeper than mere superficial gain. Beneath it all, she nurtured a genuine concern for him.

There was a shift in their dynamic, an unspoken understanding that transcended her clumsy confession of love, which was now likely a distant memory in his mind. It was time to untangle the web of deceit that had woven itself between them that stemmed over a century; and she carried no loyalty towards Elena to keep her dirty secret.

As she made her way to the exit, she heard her name called out from down the hall. A voice, unmistakably Caroline's. Grumbling quietly, she summoned a fake smile before turning to face her. "Hey, Care... what's up?"

"Oh, nothing much. Just thought maybe you'd want to join us at the grill after school," Caroline offered, her voice sweet, her smile genuine.

"And by 'us,' you mean...?" she inquired, already sensing where this was going.

"Well, Matt, Bonnie, Elena, our friend Tyler, and Stefan—"

At the mention of Stefan's name, she interjected sharply. "No thanks. I'm busy."

Taken aback by her sudden rejection, Caroline's smile faltered into a frown. "Oh... well, alright then. I'm sure we can hang out later. Is everything okay?"

It wasn't that she didn't want to hang out with Caroline. She did enjoy her company; it was just the looming presence of Stefan that made her hesitant.

Although she sensed a shift in their relationship, she wasn't quite ready to spend casual time with him, not at the moment. Besides, given the circumstances they found themselves in, with all the ridiculous drama aside, there were more pressing matters to attend to.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Like I said, just busy, maybe we can hang out later." she replied curtly, before turning on her heel and striding away, before she took her by the arm again.

"You and Damon are still gonna participate in the float, right?" She asked. "I know he didn't get the chance to court you for Miss Mystic Falls, but it'd still be nice to have you on there."

The vampire hesitated for a moment, almost wanting to refuse. "Sure.. I'll try."

With a widened smile, the girl nodded and blew a kiss before sauntering off, leaving Angelina standing alone. The doppelgänger glanced back at her as she walked away before heading towards the door, ready to leave.

The day crawled by, with Angelina holed up in her bedroom, lost in a book but not really absorbing any of it. She was too focused on Elena's return, her anticipation growing by the minute.

Part of her wished she'd already told Stefan the truth so she wouldn't have to face him herself. She knew she wasn't to blame for their relationship problems, but the thought of being the bearer of bad news gnawed at her conscience.

After hours of waiting, her vampire senses tingled as the front door swung open. She bolted out of bed and raced downstairs, expecting to find Elena, only to be met with Stefan instead, catching her off guard.

Their eyes met, and by his expression alone she could tell something was different.

"Hey.. have you seen Elena?"

"No.." She spoke cautiously as she stepped cautiously down the stairs. "Why?"

"It's nothing. I just wanted to talk to her. She's been acting off lately."

The vampire crossed her arms before glancing over at the clock, noting how late it was. "Weren't you guys going to the grill with Caroline later?"

"Yeah.. she left early though."

"Oh." She whispered, realizing it meant she had yet to tell him. "You can stay here until she comes back. I'll keep you company on the porch."

Stefan gives a nod as they settle onto the porch swing, getting comfy as they take in the view of the dimly lit street under the streetlights and moon. As the Salvatore gazed skyward, Angelina couldn't tear her eyes away from him, her heart racing as she prepared to unleash the bombshell she had in store.

"Founders day is in a few days. Are you and Elena going together?" She broke the silence, and he nodded.

"Yeah, Caroline wants us to stand on her Miss Mystic Falls float." He said.

"Same.. I gotta stand beside Damon, unfortunately." She pressed her lips together. "Even though neither of us even got the chance to participate in the pageant." The two chuckled as they recounted the event.

"I just hope everything goes well." She exhaled. "With Isobel, John and all the tomb vampires."

"Hopefully.. but we should keep an eye out." Stefan replied.

She turned her head away, biting her lip as she eyed the stars. "I remember we did this once in 1864, sitting together at midnight under the stars, you promised to show me the garden the next morning. It was beautiful back then."

Stefan turned to her, a small grin forming on his face.

"And then you wanted to show me around Mystic Falls the next day, but then we left." She continued on, her demeanor shifting. She slumped back in the swing, looking down at the floor.

"You had your reasons." He said reassuringly which forced a smile out of her. "Granted, I'm not sure what those reasons were."

"Well.. if it makes you feel any better, I would've stayed if I could've." She sighed heavily. "But with everything happening, I couldn't. And trust me, you were much better off without me."

The Salvatore tilted his head, eyeing her with curiosity. "You would've stayed?"

Angelina shot him a bemused look, her expression a mix of surprise and incredulity. It was as if she couldn't fathom why he was surprised she would've stayed for him. "Of course I would."

"I mean, I wanted it more than you could imagine," she confessed softly, hazel eyes brimming with sincerity as she turned to him. "I'd have married you, Stefan."

The admission hung heavy in the air, casting a weighty silence between them. Stefan struggled to find words, his mind racing with thoughts of what could have been. But in that moment, all he could do was meet her gaze, his own eyes reflecting the depth of her longing and regret.​

"In another life, maybe." He whispered.

Oh, but why not this one?

Angelina's smile widened, tinged with a bittersweet sadness as she mused over the missed opportunities. Their shoulders brushed, sending shivers down her spine. She couldn't help but steal a glance at his lips as she drew in a deep breath.

"Stefan... I need to tell you something," she murmured, pulling back slightly. "It's about Elena and Damon."

His eyebrow arched, a silent question hanging in the air, and she knew he sensed the gravity of her words. "Yesterday... I found Elena in her room... and she confessed something. Something you're not going to like."

He leaned in, his eyes fixed on her, waiting for her to continue.

For a moment, Angelina hesitated, the weight of her revelation heavy on her shoulders. But she knew she had to speak, no matter how difficult it was.

"They kissed."

The shift in the atmosphere was evident as Stefan stared at her for what felt like an eternity. He looked away from her, finally, before looking back at the sky and sighing. "When was it?" He murmured.

"I.. she said it was during Miss Mystic." She replied, trying to capture the thoughts in his head. "I'm so sorry, Stefan."

He stood up, leaning against the porch fence in silence, hands gripping the wood. Angelina observed him from behind, grappling with her thoughts, searching for the right words. She was almost surprised at how well he was taking it, though he was never one to lash out with his emotions, no matter how much it hurt.

Just as she prepared to speak, the glare of headlights blinded them both as a car rolled into the driveway. Elena emerged moments later, interrupting their moment.

"Stefan?" The Gilbert called cautiously as she ascended the porch steps, her gaze shifting between Stefan and Angelina.

"I'm gonna head inside," The Petrova announced, breaking the tense silence as she rose from the swing and disappeared into the house, closing the door behind her.

Did she feel guilty about revealing Elena's secret? No. She had laid down the terms with Elena, and if Elena didn't tell him, well, so be it. Still, she wished she hadn't been the one to break Stefan's heart.

Exhaling softly, she rubbed her eyes, then ran her fingers through her hair before retreating to her bedroom for the night.

AUTHORS NOTE

firstly, sorry this is so short

and secondly, if you've read chapter 19-21 and have never seen this chapter, it's because i added it in afterwards!! sorry for confusion lok