I know, it's really confusing, and I don't fully understand how it happens, but the simple answer, believe it or not, is that we're probably from different universes.

[ She sounds like she's in some cheesy sci-fi movie that would show on late-night TV. But then, they have spacebugs in their brains and are surrounded by aliens, so... Pausing for a moment, looking at Caroline with an almost measured hesitation, Elena reaches up with her bare hand to brush her hand back behind her ear. It occurs to her that it isn't perfectly straight anymore; there aren't any flat irons in space. ]

Damon's here too. He's from months before us, from before my birthday.