Elena and open!
Elena huddled on the edge of a bleacher, cup of hot tea cradled in her hands, and watched with curious brown eyes as the others in the town, more familiar with one another, chatted around her like twittering birds. Though Elena was not involved in any of the current conversations, she liked the noise happening around her. It kept her distracted and oddly enough, calm. The noise of friends and family enjoying themselves was common and well-known in Mystic Falls too. This similarity helped the teenager feel a bit more at home though, really, not a single face was familiar to her.
She took a sip of her drink, shivering pleasantly as the warm liquid trailed down her throat and trickled along all the entails of her heavily coated frame. Despite the heat, goosebumps rose on her skin. Part of her wanted to go out and explore, but the other half was truly content to sit in the warmth and enjoy the cozy atmosphere. The booths were colorful and she had glimpsed a few things of interest hanging in their racks, but the warmth of her tea and the gym were so inviting, especially on a chilly day like today.
Finishing the last of her tea, Elena tossed it away in the nearest trash can and tugged her hat and gloves on once more to brave the winter chill. She secured her scarf around her neck and trekked out into the cold, crisp air. The smell of baked goods and apple cider hit her nose immediately and she was tempted to dally by the booths, but she could grab something on her way back into the gym. Instead, she made herself walk over to some of the craft booths and look on in wonder at all the small, but cute little trinkets they were displaying. If only the girls were here, Damon, or maybe, possibly-
No.
Stefan would probably flipped the booths now and eat the old grandmas proudly displaying there crafts and cookies. The old Stefan was gone and sometimes, though she would never admit to it, she wondered if she could love the new Stefan in his place. In old times, he would have cradled her close, the two of them chatting idly as they walked through the crowds, laughing and pointing out things they liked best. They would even share a cookie or something. In response, her heart ached like always when she thought of him, and quite like the vampire himself, she fought to shut it down. He would never come back and maybe, maybe she would just have to accept it.