I Remember

Prologue

I hung up on Bonnie, she was right of course. I wasn't into it and I was leading him on. My parents were coming to collect me from the bonfire after I had got into a fight with my current (now ex) boyfriend; Matt Donovan. I had walked from the gathering to the main road nearby, to wait for them to arrive. It was dark, yet there was still enough moonlight for me to make out the man who had suddenly appeared before me, seemingly out of no-where. The reason that I didn't take a step back may have been down to the fact that I was quite drunk, or so I told myself. I had drunk one beer. I was a lightweight.

"Katherine" he whispered, in a mixture of shock and hope. A look of desperate confusion sent in my direction.

I looked around, believing him to be talking to someone else, but that was ridiculous. There was only us two. The poor guy was probably drunk himself, heading home after a night out at the Mystic Grill, ditched by his friends. From what I could see of him in the half light, he was very good looking; with raven black hair and light eyes, although I couldn't make out the colour. He was probably in his early twenties, although his face had an ageless quality about it. He was wearing all black, rocking the whole 'bad boy' look as far as it would go; it suited him.

"Um...No I.. I'm Elena" I said as I finished checking behind myself.

The poor guy probably wouldn't even recollect my name by morning, so no harm in telling him. He squinted, looked me up and down and came to the conclusion that I obviously wasn't this 'Katherine' person, although it took him a while.

"Oh... You... You just look..." he sighs. "I'm sorry... You just really remind me of someone." he pauses, looking as if her were deciding whether to tell me something.

"I'm Damon." he smiled as if he wasn't used to parting with that titbit of information.

Now that names were established, I realised my current situation was a bit of an odd one. What on earth was he doing, standing out here in the road at this hour? He didn't look homeless…

"Not to be rude or anything Damon, but it's kind of creepy that you're out here in the middle of no-where"

I realised how stupid that sounded as soon as I'd said it. I was a hypocrite. He probably had a good reason for being out here, like me. Score one to the creepy hot guy.

"You're one to talk. You're out here all by yourself" he gestured slightly to the empty surroundings.

Ok, yeah fair enough, but nothing ever happened here. It has to be the most un-eventful town in the whole of Virginia. Damon must be new here or just passing through.

"It's Mystic Falls; nothing bad ever happens here" I reasoned.

Suddenly it dawned to me that may not have been the best thing to say; for all I know, he could be a serial killer. Given the awkward pause, I better change the subject. I picked my arm up- clutching my phone- from my side and waved it about, as if that explained everything

"Got into a fight with my boyfriend" I sighed. If in doubt, use the sympathy card.

"About what?.. May I ask?" he requested, raising his hands as if in surrender.

That was actually a question I needed to ask myself. I thought about it for a few seconds. Matt had to be the loveliest and most harmless person I knew. He had baby-blue eyes and light brown hair; he was a jock and I was a cheerleader. We had known each other for years, we grew up together, and we owed it to ourselves to give the relationship a go. The problem was Matt was more into it then I was; he had plans, a list of things to do and I couldn't live like that. I wanted the freedom to make my own decisions and wanted to deal with things when I reached them; to live in the moment. It had been like this for weeks now; I should break up with him as my two best friends have told me to, but I would feel guilty about it. I shake my head at the realisation, before remembering that I was in the middle of a conversation with a complete stranger.

"Life! Future. He's got it all mapped out." I finished the sentence bluntly. Expecting a harsh retort, I was pleasantly surprised.

"And you don't want it?" He said this without sympathy, but with understanding.

He knew, somehow, what my situation felt like; whether in Matt's position or as me. Unlike Matt, I had no idea what I wanted; I enjoyed writing and wouldn't mind pursuing a career in it, but finding my lifetime happiness? That was a long way off, so I responded the only way I could.

"I don't know what I want."

"Well that's not true. You want what everybody wants!" He replied with a knowing expression, perhaps setting up for a joke? I made a guess at what he was going to say, smiling, because at this point, no psychopath would be giving me relationship advice.

"What? A mysterious stranger who has all the answers?!" I said. He chuckles slightly at that. Wait! Was I flirting with him?

"Well let's just say I've been around a long time. I've learned a few things." he replied, nodding and smiling, almost lost in thought to years past. I was intrigued to what he was going to say.

"So Damon... Tell me; what is it that I want?" I prompted him on. Again, I wasn't expecting a serious answer; which was why I was very shocked at what he said next.

"You want a love that consumes you. You want passion. An adventure. And even a little danger." He said all this, taking a step forward for each point, until he was only a metre away. His words temporarily stunned me into silence, because, it turns out, he was completely right. I hadn't even let myself consider all this, that my life could be one great journey- A journey of a lifetime. Here was this man I had never met and he had summed up exactly what I wanted.

After listening to me ramble on about all my 'problems' I thought should ask him in return, interested to know.

"So what do you want?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

It was his turn to be shocked, like he had never thought about it himself. Puzzlement crossed his forehead and he sighed in concentration, until a horn sounded behind me. I turn and recognise my family car driving around the corner.

"That's my parents!" I was a little annoyed at the lack of time I had to talk to him, I wanted to know his answer. I turn back around to face him and he is suddenly much nearer then before. I was temporarily a bit startled before he started speaking. I must have been drunker than I had previously thought because I swear I saw his pupils contracting and enlarging as he spoke.

"I want you to get everything you're looking for. But right now I want you to forget that this happened; can't have people knowing I'm in town yet." His face softened as he searched mine, recognition clearly there. Genuine hope that I would get what I wanted from life, clear in his expression. "Goodnight Elena"

Before I had a chance to reply, he had gone. Shaking my head to clear the slight haze, I felt for my mother's necklace that had been a gift to her from dad; she had let me wear it tonight. I turned and got into the car that had just stopped behind me, smiling gratefully at my parents before setting off home.

I didn't immediately remember anything when I woke up the next morning. My parents were dead, I was in shock. I shouldn't be alive. Somehow I had got out the car as it was underwater and nobody knew how. The last thing I should have seen when I awoke was him. Damon. I remembered everything.

A/N: Firstly I just want to thank you for reading this, I love to write and share my stories. Secondly, if you wouldn't mind reviewing; it would really help if you gave constructive criticism and told me which aspects you like and even dislike. -Burnee xx