*Please note: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or any of it's characters*
*This is simply a fan fiction piece*
*Feed back is greatly appreciated*
Sept 09, 2010
Dear Diary,
Today was my third day of school here at Mystic Falls Senior High (MFSH), and believe it or not, I have a clique. lol. I have friends who actually seem to be half decent people. :) Here's a list of people I kind of know:
Elena Gilbert: She's 17. She's lived here her whole life, but last year she lost her parents in a car crash. :( But, she still has her brother, Jeremy. She is now living with her aunt, Jenna, who moved in as soon as she got the horrible news. Jenna has been great to Elena and Jeremy. Elena is dating Stefan and they've been together for 2 months now, but I've never seen two people more in love in my entire life, especially after such a short period of time together. Sometimes though, being around them... ugh, its enough to make you wanna vomit.
Bonnie Bennet: She's also 17. She's lived here her whole life as well. She lives with her parents and her grandmother. I don't really know alot about her except that her family history leads back to the Salem witch trials, which is pretty cool. Apparently one of her anscestors was tried as a witch, but not so cool: she was hanged for it. But Bonnie is really pretty. Shes got the dark skin and hazel eyes that make me green with envy. No joke. She could have any guy she wanted if she tried. But she doesn't seem that interested. She's so focused on working and going to school... Total over achiever. :P
Caroline Johnson: She's 17 and oh boy... She's a handful. She's the typical blond-haired, blue-eyed, super fit, cheerleader-type. And she nearly always gets what she wants. Did I mention she's the sheriff's daughter? Yup, one word outta her and you could have serious issues for a while. I'll give it to her though: she's really pretty. Not like Bonnie, but in her own way. She obviously has the hots for Matt, but unfortunately, he still has it bad for Elena... (I guess they used to be an item) and now he won't give Caroline the time of day. I can only handle her in small doses, but she does grow on you. You never know, maybe she'll grow on Matt?
Matt Everett: He's 17 and a total hottie. He's blond-haired, blue-eyed country boy, through and through. Total gentleman. On my first day, he came right up to me and introduced himself and escorted me around to all my classes and sat with me at lunch. Genuine sweetheart. :) He's lived here his whole life too. He and Elena dated last year, but when she lost her parents, they just kinda fell apart. She left for the summer to get away and he stayed and worked in the fields all summer. He lives with his younger sister in thier mom's house, but it seems that his relationship with his mother is less than unpleasant. She apparently only stops in town to pay bills and when she is in town, she's drunk and she and Matt fight relentlessly. I feel for him, but... what can ya do?
Tyler Lockwood: What. A. Jerk. My first day of school and what does this skeez do? He cops a feel as I walk by after gym! And then he has the odasity to cock-off at Matt when Matt confronts him! I couldn't believe it. In the back of my mind I am a little flattered, but mostly I'm disgusted. Tyler is 17 and built like a barn door. He's gotta be 6 and a 1/2 feet tall. At least. He's tall, dark, and handsome, but not exactly in the 'good' way... He's scary. There's something about him that doesn't seem safe. And he has one hell of a temper. When Matt got in his face, I thought he was gunna explode into the incredible hulk. Excersize caution around Lockwood.
Jeremy Gilbert: Elena's little brother. He's 15 going on 16 and a total cutie-pie. :) He hates when people say that, but hey, its true. haha. He's tall, lanky, and young, but he'll fill in. He's got brown hair, brown eyes, and light skin. He doesn't look much like his sister, but you can tell they're related. I think he might have a thing for Bonnie, but I haven't spent enough time with him to really tell for sure.
Stefan Salvator: I don't know how old he is, but I do know he is from Mystic Falls. He says he was born and raised here, but had to move when his parents got sick. He and his brother moved back at the end of this last summer and thats when he met Elena. She is one lucky girl. Stefan is tall, dark, and handsome. But he has these striking green eyes. I've never seen eyes that color before. They're hypnotizing. The way he looks at Elena is confusing to me. He looks at her like at any moment he'd take a bullet for her. Like something bad might happen. It makes me nervous. It also makes me curious, but you know the saying: 'curiousity killed the cat'. His brother lives with him in thier family's house, but I don't know much about him except that: He doesn't go to school. And I know he's older than Stefan. I also know he has feelings for Elena, which, I'm guessing, doesn't sit well with Stefan. I've never seen him or met him, but I can't help feeling this burning curiousity. Stefan's warned me to keep my distance and everyone says he's nothing but a self-centered, back stabbing, self-serving, grade-A asshole, but that doesn't really seem fair. I will keep my distance, but in my eyes, he's innocent until proven otherwise.
Mrs. Robinson: Wow. I know she's my landlord and all, but wow! She's a little old lady in all the classic senses, except that she is deceptively receptive (say that 5 times fast). I walked in to the entryway yesterday and she seemed to know exactly where I'd just been and what I was thinking! I won't go in to details, but it gave me the willies.
Well, thats it for the interesting people. Haha. The school is ok, but it's a little crowded for my taste. 25 people in a class. For a small town, thats a lot! Well, Diary, It's been a long day. I think I'm gunna shower and hit the hay. Sweet dreams.
West.
West closed her diary and gently laid it on her nightstand along with her pen, rising from her crouched position on her bed. Standing as tall on her toes as she could, she raised her arms and reached as high as she could, stretching her back and legs and working out her joints. 'A hot shower sounds perfect', she thought, smiling to herself as she dropped her arms and went to her dresser to pick out some pj's and search for a towel. After a few moments of digging, West found her towel under her tees in the top drawer. That was odd. She always put her towels in the bottom drawer with her pj's. At that moment there was a heavy knocking on her apartment door, making her jump.
"Yes?" West asked cautiously, tiptoeing to the door with the towel wrapped in her arms. Looking through the peep hole in the door she saw the top of Mrs. Robinson's fluffy white hair on the other side.
"It's just me, Deary. You'd be best off not showering tonight. The water heater is on the fritz. If you'd like I could boil you some water and you could have a nice bath. Would you like that, Dear?" Mrs. Robinson's voice rang through the door. West wrestled the door open and faced her landlord.
"How did you...? I just..." West stood there gaping as Mrs. Robinson hobbled past her into the kitchen.
"Oh, I just figured a little thing like yourself would fancy a hot shower after a long day in a new town. I thought I'd come up and let you know the heater was on the fritz before you climbed in the shower and got a nasty shock. A blast of ice water when you're expecting a hot one can ruin even the lightest hearted person's day. Now be a dear and hand me that pan, will you? I'll fix you up some boiling water and homemade bath salts like my mother used to make."
West handed the old lady the pan and leaned against the fridge watching as the little old woman began pulling various items out of her apron. A small baggy with what looked like cinnamon sticks inside, a small jar of white granules (probably sugar or salt), and several other items which West had no chance of even guessing at.
"Mrs. Robinson?"
"Yes, Ms. Silverstein?" Mrs. Robinson answered, glancinging at West.
"Were you in my room today?" West watched Mrs. Robinson, looking for any sign that she was guilty. The old woman gave nothing away.
"Yes."
West was startled by this answer and a little perturbed by it.
"May I ask why?" She asked incredulously.
"You just did." The elderly woman winked and then continued as she bustled around the tiny kitchen, "I always clean the apartments in my care. And seeing as I live in this particular one, I see to it that everything is in it's place. You had laundry in the bathroom, so I took the liberty of washing, drying, and putting away all of it. I do apologize I misplaced the towels. I thought the top drawer made for easier access. I'm sorry, Deary, if I alarmed you." Mrs. Robinson began busying her hands with chopping the cinnamon sticks and slidding them into a small saucepan.
"Oh." West stood there, not completely sure how to react. Was she supposed to be relieved, alarmed, angry? "Thank you. I guess."
"Oh. Dear. It's not an issue. I just love having little birds like yourself to look after. It reminds me of younger days." She smiled, but West detected a hint of sadness in the old womans eyes.
"Did you... I mean, do you have kids?" West asked, not sure which tense to use.
"Oh no. None of my own, but my brother did. Yes, he had seven children. Little rascals. Each and every one of them was like him. Wily as a coyote, and smart as a whip. But unfortunately, they and my brother all died in a fire in 1968. Right here in Mystic Falls. It devestated us all. Not a day goes by I don't think about those poor children and my poor departed brother. But as they say, 'life stops for noone. It goes on.'" Mrs. Robinson sighed, but continued in her work. West could smell the cinnamon and vanilla smells coming from the small saucepan. It made her mouth water.
"I'm sorry for your loss." West whispered, feeling awfull for having brought up the obviously painful memories.
"No, Deary. It ain't your fault. I was dealt a hand and I played it through. Life's a game. And I have a hunch, I'm winning." West laughed out loud and went to turn off the burner for the now boiling water.
"Leave it dear. I need it hot as can be for the salts."Mrs. Robinson brushed West's hand away with suprising speed as she reached for it. "Go and prep the bath tub. The stopper is on the ledge by the little window." Recognizing the dismissal from the kitchen, West left the room and went to the bathroom to do as she'd been told. As Mrs. Robinson had said, she found the stopper on the ledge by the window. She picked it up and examined it. It was a small double stopped plug, rusted and antique looking, though it couldn't be more than 40 or 50 years old. Kneeling by the tub, she gently pressed the plug into the drain. It wouldn't stick, it would pop right back up. After several failed attempts, West examined the stopper again.
"Twist it in as you push it down. And you'll need to push it hard, it's stubborn as a mule."The old woman's voice rang from the kitchen. 'How the hell does she do that?' West thought astounded by the elderly womans uncanny knowledge of happenings around her.
"Ok."She answered, twisting and pushing the plug into the drain. Pushing as hard as she could, she finally felt the plug pop in to place. 'Well, that only took forever,' she thought getting to her feet.
As she stood, she glanced out the little window. The window faced out to the street in front of the little old house and from where West stood she could see the reflection of the lights from the street lamps on the wet cement and the trees waving in the wind. These were her favorite kind of nights. Right after a good rain, everything soaked, the smell of rain, a cool breeze and a few scattered drops hitting her face, the sky looking like a storm tousled sea. West sighed and turned her back to the window heading back to the kitchen.
"There we go, Dear. Step aside. I wouldn't want to burn such pretty skin as yours." Mrs. Robinson came bustling out of the kitchen carrying the large pan full of still boiling water. West side stepped in to the spare room and let her pass. As the little old lady passed by, West could smell the bath salts. Cinnamon, vanilla, and a hint of something like cherries or raspberries. It smelled wonderful.
West followed Mrs. Robinson into the tiny bathroom and helped her pour the boiling water into the tub. Steam billowed out and over thier heads as the water touched the cold basin, soaking the whole room in the wonderful cinnamon scent. The water only filled the basin half way and Mrs. Robinson frowned.
"Hmph. I swear either the tub gets bigger or the pans get smaller everytime." With that, she reached over and turned the faucet on and let it fill the basin the rest of the way.
"Well, there now. That should do rather nicely." Mrs. Robinson, stepped back smiling at her handy work, obviously pleased with herself. West stifled a giggle. The old lady turned to West and smiled.
"Alright. Hop in the bath and relax for a bit, then straight off to bed with you. I'll be seeing you in the morning. Come down no later than 7:45. I'll be making muffins and homebrewed coffee. If your late, I'm sorry Dear, but you'll have to go hungry. I can't go awasting a morning waiting on a late riser." Mrs. Robinson winked once more and swept out of the room.
"Thank you, Mrs. Robinson!" West exclaimed just as she heard her apartment door shut.
She quietly stepped back into the bathroom, closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, letting the warm smells calm her mind. She slowly opened her eyes and stepped up to the window. It was a little darker now. The sky was calmer and the wind appeared to have died down a bit. The pavement was still wet and reflected the street lamp's light brilliantly. West rest her arms on the tiny sill and watched the sky for a few moments, admiring the different shades of greens and blues as the twilight continued to give way to night. Sighing deeply, West pulled the curtains and turned to the tub.
"...my next girl, will be nothin' like my ex girl... I made mistakes back then, I'll never do it again..." West woke up to her radio alarm the next morning. Groaning she rolled over and glanced at her clock. 7:00AM. 'Great,' she thought throwing her blankets off to the side and sitting up. 'Day four.' Stretching, West yawned and glanced around the room. It was still strange living here for her. She already missed the boring blank walls of her old apartment in Seattle, with it's cold concrete floors, and fancy sculptures. But this was home now.'Can't look back.' she thought, standing and walking to the bathroom. After brushing her teeth, washing her face, and brushing her hair, West stopped and examined herself in the mirror. 'Jeez! I look so tired...' she thought, touching her finger tips to the dark circles under her eyes. Her hair fell in long auburn waves down her shoulders, smooth after being brushed. Her skin was sallow and pale, drawn over her high cheek bones giving her a strained, exhausted look. But her eyes shown bright, her right eye brilliant turqious and her left a warm, molten gold. Her lips were full and pouty, her lower lip slightly more so than the upper. She knew she wasn't ugly, but she wasn't beautiful either. She considered herself pretty. 'Bonnie is so lucky. Gorgeous eyes. Beautiful face. Perfect body.' She thought, picturing herself next to Bonnie. Next to Bonnie she felt absolutely 'plain jane'. Frustrated, she sighed and turned her back on her reflection, leaning against the sink. Through the window, she noticed the sun was rising. Leaning her elbows against the sill, she pressed her forhead against the glass. The sun was rising from the east casting a warm early morning glow on the tops of the trees and roofs of the houses. The street below was empty, save a silver Prius parked across the street. A squirrel scurried across the neighbors lawn, shooting up a tree and out of sight. West could hear a dog barking a few houses away. 'Welcome to a typical morning in Mystic Falls.' she thought dryly, leaving the bathroom. Back in her room, she looked at the clock. 7:24AM. 'Breakfast with Mrs. Robinson.' West remembered, suddenly. She grabbed her diary, pen, and homework and shoved them in to her messenger bag and set them by her bedroom door. Grabbing her elastic hair tie, she swooped her hair up and tied it back in a high ponytail and went to her dresser. She picked out a black long sleeve tee and dark skinny jeans with black socks. She dressed quickly and pulled her rubber rain boots on in a rush, wanting a fresh hot breakfast before facing another long day. 7:36AM.
"Shit!" She muttered, struggling with her left boot. Finally getting it on, West grabbed her jacket and keys and left to the kitchen.
"Shit!" Rushing back to her room, she swooped up her bag and ran out the door and down the stairs. Once she reached Mrs. Robinson's door step, she stopped, smoothed her hair and took a deep breath.
"Come in, Dear." A voice called from the other side of the door before she had even raised her hand to knock. Smiling and shaking her head in disbelief, she opened the door and stepped inside. The apartment downstairs was the same as the upstairs and similarly decorated. The kitchen was decorated yellow and white with tiny rooster's painted along the walls. The living room was pale pink and white with floral wallpaper and victorian style furniture. West had the odd sense of walking into the cover of a Better Homes & Gardens magazine.
"Breakfast is waiting on the back patio. Would you mind bringing the orange juice out with you? I'll be there in a hot minute." Mrs. Robinson handed West a glass pitcher of juice and spun on her heel back to the kitchen. West slipped past the kitchen and out to the back deck. Mrs. Robinson had a little white table and chairs set out under the huge maple tree on the large deck and on the table there were several different kinds of muffins and two table settings. It was very quaint and comfortable out there under the great tree. West set the pitcher beside the tray of muffins and sat at the place setting closest to the rough trunk of the tree. She could faintly smell the traces of rain from the night before. Mrs. Robinson came bustling out the sliding glass door in a bit of a flustered state.
"Well. Ain't that a sight for sore eyes. You are quite a vision, young lady." The old woman smiled and sat at the empty setting across from West, her eyes never leaving West. With Mrs. Robinson looking at her that way, West felt like she was being x-rayed and Mrs. Robinson could see through her, right through to her core. She stifled a shiver and looked away nervously.
"Th-thanks for breakfast, Mrs. Robinson." She muttered, still feeling incredibly uncomfortable. The elderly lady smiled wider and took a muffin.
"Like I said last night, I love caring for youngens like yourself. It makes me feel useful." With that she took a bite of her muffin and gazed past West to a small garden close to the house. West hesitantly reached for a muffin and settled for a lemon poppy seed muffin. Peeling back the wax paper, she pinched off a small piece and tried the still warm muffin. It was incredible. Soon she found herself scarfing down two more before sitting back in her chair feeling fit to burst leaving little room for conversation. Mrs. Robinson didn't seem to mind. She watched West eat, muttering things about "...never had a decent meal... eat like a damn bird..." After West finished, she looked up at Mrs. Robinson feeling embarrassed.
"I hope that hit the spot, Dear. I'll send the rest of these up to your apartment so you can have 'em whenever you please. Lord knows they'd just go to waste down here." Mrs. Robinson picked up the tray of muffins and stood."Here. Take one for the road." Winking at West, she handed her another lemon poppy seed muffin and disappeared through the sliding glass door. West poured herself a small glass of orange juice and pulled out her phone to check the time. 7:59AM. She had a little bit of time before class started at 8:30. Gulping down her juice, she picked up her plate and the pitcher of juice and carried them into the kitchen where she found Mrs. Robinson doing some dishes. The muffins were in a small basket covered with seran wrap on the kitchen table. She placed her lemon poppy muffin beside the basket and walked to the sink.
"Thank you so much for the muffins. They were amazing!" she placed her plate in the sink and went to the fridge to put the juice away.
"Oh, my pleasure, Dear. I love having guests for meal times. It does tend to get a bit lonely. But you should be off. You have class soon, don't you?"
West nodded. and began helping the older woman dry the dishes. "Well, go on. Git! I won't have no part in truancey." Mrs. Robinson exclaimed waving West off with a dish towel. "Get a move on." She winked at West, smiled and handed her the dish of muffins, "Take these upstairs first." West took the muffins and thanked her again, backing out the front door. Mrs. Robinson shut the door and West could hear her shuffle back to the kitchen. West dropped off her bag and jacket by the front door and headed upstairs to drop off the muffins before leaving. Moments later she was out the door and walking down the porch steps to the seperate garage. Rattling the knob a little, she managed to get the door open with little difficulty. Reaching in the darkness, she fumbled to find the garage door opener. The big door began to slide up, letting in the warm glow of the morning sun. West opened the passenger side door and put her bag on the seat and pulled on her jacket. She slammed the door shut and climbed in the driver side. Starting the car she carefully backed out of the small garage and pressed the button. Without waiting for the door to shut completely, West backed out of the driveway and headed off to her fourth day at Mystic Falls Senior High School.
The parking lot was crowded when West pulled in at 8:15. She drove around the lot 3 times before finding a free spot in the front row between a red Bonneville and a gold Malibu. She parked the car and pulled on her sunglasses and stepped out into the cool morning air. It was still early in the morning but she could already tell, it was gunna be another rainy day. Going around her car to the passenger side, she ignored the gawks and stares of the other students and grabbed her bag off the seat, swinging it over her shoulder. She glaced around the school yard looking for the fastest way to her first class. Cutting across the lawns, West made her way to the front offices. Her first class was anatomy in building B, one building behind the offices.
"West! Hey." A pretty brunette in a red tee and jeans ran up to West, followed closely by a beautiful dark skinned girl. Elena and Bonnie.
"Hey, guys. Whats up?" West smiled feeling relieved. She hated walking the campus like a loner.
"Is that your car?" Bonnie asked, pointing at the black car. Her expression was total disbelief and longing. West laughed and nodded.
"Yup. Thats my baby."
"It's sooooo pretty!" Bonnie gasped, swooning and admiring the vehicle. West chuckled and turned to admire her vehicle too.
"Haha. Thanks. It was my brother's. It's a '67 Shelby. We rebuilt it together after we found it in the junk yard he was working in. It's a total beast." West smiled remembering the day she and her brother had found it.
"So is it a Ford or a Mustang?" Bonnie asked tilting her head to the side, resembling a curious puppy.
"Hahaha. Bonnie, a Mustang is a Ford. But yes. You want a ride home after school?" West winked at Bonnie and dangled her keys in front of her face. Bonnie nodded vigoriously, her eyes bright with excitement. "Alright well, I need to get to class... Mr. Hillcrest already doesn't like me. Let's not give him another reason to."
They walked in to building B together and split. West had class in room 208 and Elena and Bonnie had class in room 216.
"We'll catch you after class." Elena took Bonnie's arm and headed for the stairs leading up to the second level. West waved, took off her sunglasses, and walked into her first class of the day, glancing around to see who had already arrived. There was a bigger girl sitting in the back corner by the window, her nose buried in a book and a short pretty girl doing her makeup in the front row. There were a few more people filing in behind West so she hurried to her usual seat in the front row by the window, the girl with the makeup raising her eyebrows as she past by. West dropped her bag on the desk, took off her jacket and slid in to her seat, smiling at the girl in the back row as she did so. The other girl smiled shyly and ducked back behind her book. From her seat by the window, West had a great view of the west side of campus with the grassy lawn and the lake beyond it. In the morning light it was beautiful. She watched as students cut across the grass in hurried strides trying to get to classes. One of the students she recognized as Stefan, Elena's boyfriend. He had stopped under a tree to talk to a slightly taller boy with his back to West so she couldn't see his face. But, she could see Stefan's. He didn't look very thrilled to see the other boy, or to be talking to him for that matter.
Suddenly the first bell rang, startling West. She looked at the clock. 8:30. She looked back out the window, but Stefan and the other boy were nowhere to be seen.
"Good morning, West."
She jerked in her seat, startled by the voice from directly behind her. She spun in her seat to face the speaker. Stefan sat smiling at her, looking more like a model than any high school boy had a right to. He sat slightly slouched, as if he'd been there the entire time she had.
"Jeez! Where'd you come from? Weren't you just-" West motioned towards the tree outside the window in total confusion. How had he moved from the tree to his seat so fast? 'I must be really tired...' she thought to herself.
"I was just outside and came in with the bell ringing. You alright?" He asked, looking slightly concerned, his brow furrowing a bit.
"Yeah, just tired. Sorry." West shook her head as if shaking off a bad thought and turned to face the black board at the front of the room where Mr. Hillcrest stood writing terms and definitions. She grabbed her bag and pulled out her notebook and a blue pen and started taking down notes as the teacher wrote them out.
The Cardiovascular System Intro
Boold provides a mechanism for rapid transport of nutrients, waste products, respiratory gases and cells
Functions and Composition of Blood
•Fluid connective tissue
•Functions include:
Transporting dissolved gases, nutrients, hormones, and metabolic wastes,
Regulating pH and ion composition of interstitial fluids,
Restricting fluid loss at injury sites,
Defending the body against toxins and pathogens,
And regulating body temperature by absorbing and redistributing heat
Composition
•Plasma and formed elements comprise whole blood
•Red blood cells (RBC)
•White blood cells (WBC)
•Platelets
•Can fractionate whole blood for analytical or clinical purposes
After several pages of notes and several half stifled yawns, the bell rang again, signaling the end of first period. Everyone jumped out of thier seats and hurried to the door, eager to be out of class for the next few minutes. West slipped on her jacket again, put her notes in her bag along with her pen and followed the mob out in to the hall way.
"West! Hey wait up. I've been tryin to grab your attention for almost the whole class period." She turned and her bi-colored eyes met bright hazel ones.
"Oh, hey Luka. Whats up?"She smiled and walked backward out the door with him following closely.
"I - well. I was wondering what you were up to this weekend." He smiled his goofy crooked smile at her, making her smile bigger. He was really cute with dark tan skin, super short dark hair and hazel eyes giving him a strange bronze, statuesque look. Not really her type, but he was sweet. This wasn't the first time he'd talked to her, but it was the first time he'd let on any intention of liking her as more than a friend. She felt herself blushing slightly.
"Oh, well, actually I'm gunna be busy doing nothing. But if I find time in my busy schedule, what did you have in mind?" They walked down the hallway together. West felt people staring at her, but she shook it off.
"I have a game coming up on Saturday. I wanted to ask if you'd wanna go. Elena and Bonnie will be there. And it's homecoming, so there's a dance afterwards. We could do that after if your not too busy." She looked up at him and was a little suprised at the pleading look she found there. She'd seen that look before and it made her stomache do little sumersaults in her belly.
"Will I be wearing the dress or will you?" She joked, shoving his arm playfully. His look changed to relief and he draped an arm over her shoulders, laughing.
"Naw. You'd rock a dress way better than I would. So, do you wanna meet me at the game and after the game I can pick you up at your house? How does 9 sound?" He gently gave her a squeeze. It felt good being like this. Hopeful, happy, making plans to be happy. She smiled and nodded, feeling a girly giddyness threatening to take over. He dropped his arm and started walking toward the door leading outside. "I'll text you later to straighten out the details." With that he disappeared out the door, leaving her standing there feeling like one of those girls in the movies who got invited to prom by the head of the football team. Well, he was on the football team, but it was homecoming instead of prom...
"What was that? And why are you blushing like a nun at a strip club?" West looked to her right to see Caroline strutting towards her, her blonde hair pulled back in a messy bun. Caroline was not her favorite person, but she was ok when she wanted to be. Definitely an acquired taste.
"Just talking to Luka. And I'm not blushing like a nun... at a strip club? Really, Caroline? why would a nun go to a strip club in the first place?" Caroline laughed and took West's arm and dragged her toward thier next class. "Never mind, Sister West. Let's go before we're late. Again." Caroline half dragged West to the D building. West despised Calculus with all her heart, but she was good at it and she knew it. They stepped in to the little room and walked to the back row where Stefan sat glaring at his phone as if it had seriously insulted him. He looked up, his brilliant green eyes flashing with bridled fury. 'I would not wanna be the person on the other side of that text conversation...' West thought to herself. Caroline glanced at West over her shoulder as she sat in the desk beside Stefan. Obviously, she shared the same thought. West sat beside Caroline and pulled out her note book and pen.
"What did Luka wanna talk to you about?" Caroline asked, quietly.
"Nothing. Just football stuff." West mumbled, suddenly finding her pen very interesting, refusing to look at Caroline.
"OMG! Did he ask you to home coming? He did! He totally did! Oh, my gosh! What did you say?" Caroline was absolutely beaming. She loved being in the middle of all the juicy gossip and being the first to know who's-with-who.
"Yes he asked me. I said yes." West tried to sound nonchalant, but, failed. It was obvious that she was excited and nervous. Caroline grinned mischieviously.
"So, what are you gunna wear to the dance? Or the game?"
West hadn't even brought what she would wear into consideration. What would she wear? The only dress she owned was her yellow sun dress, but that was packed away for the winter. "I have no idea. For the game, I'll prolly just wear a long sleeve and jeans... I don't know."
"Well, how about Friday night, right after school, you, Elena, Bonnie, and I drive out to Roanoke. We can hit the shops and have a girls night. I'll drive." She grinned and gave West a big thumbs up. "No, wait! You drive. You've got the fancy ride. We can all pitch in for gas and stuff. It'll be great! Shot gun!" West just sat there feeling her head spin as the plan unfolded around her.
"How do I let you get me into these messes?" West shook her head in disbelief, then glanced over at Stefan, who angerly stabbed at the buttons on his phone. He seemed very ingrossed in his texting, he didn't even look up when the teacher walked in. Caroline gave West a look that said, 'what crawled up his ass and died?' West shrugged.
West's Calculus class passed by rather quickly, to West's dismay. Caroline immediately began spewing out names of shops they would visit and how she'd find a hottie at the mall and what she'd wear on home coming as soon as the bell rang. But luckily, Caroline was not in her next class. Bonnie was.
West soon ditched Caroline outside of Building A and met up with Bonnie outside of room 104. It was Honors English.
"Hey, Bonnie." West greeted her warmly, letting her walk in to the room first. Bonnie smiled, but there was something off about it, like she didn't mean it. Bonnie brushed past West and went to thier usual spot in the middle of the front row. Bonnie sat, brushed her hair behind one ear, and opened her book to the assigned pages from the day before. West watched her, gauging her mood. Slowly she sat beside Bonnie and pulled her book out of her bag.
"Bonnie, are you ok?" Bonnie looked up, and smiled again.
"Yeah. I'm fine." She turned back to her book, her hair falling in a dark curtain over her face, hiding it from West. Something was definitely off. 'Is she mad? At me?' West thought as she turned the pages of her book to the chapters they were assigned.
"Are you sure? Did I do something wrong?" West whispered, leaning toward Bonnie as the teacher, Ms. Norberg walked in.
"Everything's fine." Bonnie didn't look up as she spoke. West sat back in her seat feeling a little uncertain. She had a feeling in her gut that there was something wrong, but Bonnie wouldn't let on to it.
"Who has read the assignment for today? Be honest." Ms. Norberg watched the class from over her long rectangular glasses as half the class raised thier hands and others simply stared at the floor. West and Bonnie raised thier hands.
"Good. Pop quiz. For those of you that read the chapters, this will be cake. For those that didn't... Not so much. Good luck." The teacher handed out a stack of quizzes and they were passed around, some students groaning in annoyance. West took one and passed the rest to Bonnie trying to catch her eye, but Bonnie refused to look her in the eye. It was really starting to bother her, but she shrugged it off. For now, she needed to focus on the task at hand. She'd worry over Bonnie later.
The bell rang fifty minutes later and Bonnie and West stood together, gathering thier belongings. Bonnie still was avoiding West. They walked out in silence, but West had had enough. She stopped Bonnie by grabbing her elbow and turned her so she could see her face. Bonnie's eyes finally met West's and she was suprised to see that Bonnie looked as though she was about to cry.
"Bonnie! Whats going on? Whats wrong, hun?" West asked, half begging. Bonnie shook her head and snifled.
"It's nothing. I'm just stressed out." Bonnie said, wiping at her eyes as she saw Elena coming around the corner. "Please don't tell Elena anything. I'm fine." West nodded, not sure what to do. West heard Elena and spun to face her, plastering a smile to her face.
"Hey. We were just coming to find you. It's not raining yet. You wanna eat outside, since it's probably one of the last days that we'll be able to for a while?" West asked, grasping at anything that might distract Elena from Bonnie's distress. It worked.
"Yes. Actually I was thinking the same thing. The sun is actually shining." Elena beamed. "I'm gunna go find Stefan. Text me what table your at. I'll find you." She gave a mini salute and rushed past them to find Stefan. West turned to Bonnie. She was composed now, no tears, and a smile.
"Bonnie. You sure your-"
"Yes. I'm ok. It's nothing." West dropped the subject and they went to the dining hall together. Soon they were joined by Caroline.
"Hey West. Bonnie. Did West tell you what the plan is for Friday?" Caroline asked, slipping into line in front of West. West raised an eyebrow but did nothing. It was best to just let Caroline do her thing. Bonnie smiled, confusion written all over her face as she looked form West to Caroline. "No. Whats going on on Friday?"
"West is driving you, me, Elena and we're all going to Roanoke to shop for homecoming dresses!" Caroline bounced up and down in excitement. Bonnie didn't seem as enthused.
"I don't think I'm going." Bonnie said, staring pointedly at the tray she took from the clean stack. Caroline frowned and crossed her arms across her chest.
"And why not? Do you have something better to do?" She asked in the tone she used when she didn't get what she wanted. It was a little whiny, but more bitchy than anything. West flinched a little and chanced a glance at Bonnie. She looked defeated. She sighed.
"Fine, but I'm not buying anything. I'm not going to the dance after the game." Caroline's frown deepened. "And why is that?" She was definitely pushing it. But, West left it alone. This was between them. Caroline was determined to push Bonnie to go to the dance and Bonnie didn't have the heart to say no.
"Because... Noone asked me. I don't wanna go alone." Bonnie blushed crimson as soon as the words were out, like it was the biggest confession she'd ever loosed on the world. Caroline almost dropped the bottle of juice she'd just purchased. She gawked at Bonnie for a moment before breaking down into a fit of laughter. Bonnie flushed even darker. West was suprised by Carolines reaction and a little worried about Bonnie's color.
" Bonnie *gasp* do you have any idea how pretty you are?" Caroline asked after she'd calmed down a bit. "Just because no one has asked you yet, doesn't mean they won't. I give it less than 24 hours. Now your coming with us. You have no choice." Caroline linked an arm in Bonnie's and led her away from the lunch line, leaving West behind. After a few moments West made it to the front of the line, paid for her Lemonaid and Caroline's Juice and went to find them. But they were nowhere to be seen. West wandered about the grounds for a few minutes before giving up and heading to her favorite table close to the lake. It was empty. She sighed and plopped down on the bench facing the water and opened her lemonaid, taking a swig. The sun was shining but it wasn't as warm as she'd hoped. A strong breeze from the East blew her ponytail into her face, irritating her.
She pulled the elastic band out of her hair and brushed it out with her fingers, letting it fall down her back in a reddish tide. The wind played havoc with her hair, whipping it across her face. She turned her body to face the East and her hair whipped out behind her. The breeze was cool but refreshing after being cooped up in the stuffy school all morning. West closed her eyes seeing red from her eye lids as she turned her face to the sun. She lay back on the bench, her legs hanging off the end as she rest her head on the seat. She smiled. She loved laying out in the sun in the summer and this reminded her of it, just a little colder. She lay there for a while before feeling eyes on her. She opened her eyes and sat up on her elbows looking around. She saw people sitting at benches closer to the school and walking around on the sidewalks, but no one was paying her any attention. She looked towards the lake and saw no one, but she couldn't shake the feeling of someone watching her. Shivering, West clutched her jacket closer to herself and sat up, still looking around her. A low drown sounded from her pocket making her jerk in suprise. It was just her phone. She sighed, pulling it out.
It was Elena. Where are you? West looked up again, scanning the school lawn for any sign of Stefan or Elena. Nothing.
Where are YOU? I lost Caroline and Bonnie. I'm by the lake. West typed back to Elena. She kept her eye on the school area like a hawk, watching for any of her friends to appear. The hair at the back of her neck began to prickle. She was definitely being watched. She kept her eyes glued on the school, straining her neck to get a better view of the tables. If anyone was watching her, she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her panic. Just then she caught sight of Elena and then Stefan walking toward her. Elena looked relieved but Stefan still looked agitated as they approached. West released the breath she hadn't even realised she'd been holding and stood. She walked toward the couple a little hastier than she'd meant to, but she was spooked.
"You didn't have to get up. We can-" West cut her off. "No, I was gunna leave anyways. It's wierd but I feel like I'm... Nevermind. Lets find Caroline and Bonnie." West rushed, steering Elena back toward the school. Stefan kept walking towards the lake. The two girls stopped, watching him.
"Stefan. Aren't you coming?" Elena called, looking a little worried. Stefan turned back to face them. "No. I'm gunna check out the lake. You two go ahead. I'll meet up with you in a minute." With that he turned his back and strode to the lake. They watched him disappear into the trees lining the lake. Elena and West looked at each other for a moment before slowly making thier way back to the school.
"What were you going to say before? You felt like you were... what?" Elena asked. West shivered. The feeling had gone, but she still felt vulnerable.
"Nothing... It's just... You ever get that feeling like your being watched, but when you look around, no one's there? It was like that, times ten. Totally creepy." West didn't look Elena in the eye. "Yeah. I know exactly what you mean." Elena whispered. West glanced at her then back to her feet. She liked Elena. There was something about this girl, a certain mystery. She looked like a normal teen, but there was something there, just under the skin. Elena had secrets. 'But, who doesn't,' thought West as they reached the sidewalk leading to the dining hall.
"West! There you are! We've been looking for you! Elena, why didn't you text me that you found her?" Caroline called from behind some benches. Bonnie appeared beside her. She looked better.
"Because, Caroline. We just found her." Elena said dryly. She obviously wasn't in the mood to put up with Caroline at the moment. She flipped her hair out of her face and looked out to where she'd seen Stefan disappear. West followed her gaze and saw Stefan coming out of the woods. His expression hadn't changed. He still looked sour. Elena went to him and met him half way. They stood together for a moment talking before making thier way to the three waiting girls.
"So, what happened? Where did you go?" Caroline asked coming to stand directly beside West. West shrugged. "Nothing. I couldn't find you two, so I went and sat by the lake at the bench. Then Elena and Stefan found me." West didn't elaborate, figuring Caroline would blow it out of proportion. "Hm." Caroline shrugged. "You two love birds. Whats up? friends don't keep secrets. What were you guys talking about?" Caroline eyed them accusatorily.
Elena sighed. "Nothing Caroline. But if you want us to spill the beans on your birthday gift, then..." Caroline's eyes got huge. "NO! Nevermindnevermindnevermind!" She shrieked, shaking her hands. Elena rolled her eyes and took Stefan's arm leading him away to the school. Just then, the end of lunch bell rang. West groaned and followed Elena and Stefan toward her next class. Her next two classes passed uneventfully. Sixth period, when she walked into the room she found Luka sitting in her spot. His face split into a grin the moment he saw her and she smiled back, approaching the desk.
"Your in my spot, sir." She drawled. He stood and stepped aside, gesturing for her to take the chair. "Just warming it up for you." He lithely jumped over the chair beside her and sat, leaning towards her.
"So, about this weekend. What are you wanting to do about transportation?" He asked, locking eyes with her. West was struck by how bright his eyes were. Like there was a flame behind them. It was almost eerie.
"Well, Caroline is driving all the girls to the game and back to her house to change and get ready, so I'd need a ride from her house... if thats okay with you?" She asked uncertainly. She didn't know his opinion on Caroline, but she wanted to make it all work out. He smiled and bowed in his seat. "What ever you wish." He smiled. "Where does she live?"
"Good question. I have not the slightest clue." She laughed, realizing how stupid it sounded. "Not a problem. It's the sheriff's daughter's house. Can't be that hard to find. I'll just follow the first police cruiser I come across." Then she realized something else."Your not in this class, are you?" She asked, glancing at the clock quickly.
"No, but I remembered I don't have your cell number, so I had to hunt you down."
"320-555-2013" His eyes widened in suprise and he grabbed his phone from his pocket and entered the number. "Thank you, ma'am." He said, bowing. "Don't call me that. It makes me feel old." She muttered, making a face at him.
"Haha. Well, I'd better go befo-" Just then the bell rang, signaling the beginning of sixth period. Luka dropped his head in mock defeat and started walking backwards toward the door. She smiled and waved under her desk as the teacher began taking attendance. He winked and disappeared around the corner.
"West." She shook herself awake. People were standing up around her, grabbing thier stuff and leaving. She quickly scrabbled to get her stuff and follow suit. She must have fallen asleep. Ugh. Stefan gave her a small smile and handed her her pen, that must have rolled to the floor while she was napping. "Good evening, Sleepy Head." He chuckled as she took the pen. She smiled sleepily at him as she slung her bag over her shoulder. They went to the door together, but Mr. Saltzman intercepted them.
"So, Miss. Silverstein. Have a nice nap?" He asked, smiling softly. He was pretty good looking for a teacher, but that wasn't why she blushed. She'd fallen asleep and gotten caught. "Sorry, Mr. Saltzman. It won't happen again."
"Good, because I'd hate to have to see my new favorite student get dropped a letter score for lacking participation points." He winked and gestured for her and Stefan to leave. Once out the door, West groaned and leaned into Stefan. "Ugh! So stupid!" Stefan laughed and patted her back.
"Your tired. It's Monday. It makes sense. Besides, Mr. Saltzman cut you a break." He said, stepping away from her. She smiled apologetically and leaned away.
"Stefan, what did you see by the lake? Or what were you looking for?" The question was out of her mouth before she could stop herself. She winced. But he didn't react. He shrugged. "Nothing really. Just needed to take a breather." She wasn't satisfied, but she didn't want to push him into his bad mood again. She nodded and they walked out to the parking lot in silence. West saw Bonnie standing by her car, looking around.
"Bonnie! Hey. You good to go?" She asked as she got close. Stefan whistled low and took a step back as his eyes appraised the sleek black paint. "Nice Shelby. I've always wanted one of those." He gave West a thumbs up of approval, before continuing down the line of cars to his little red porsche. West returned the gesture and turned back to Bonnie.
"You ready?" Bonnie nodded, smiling from ear to ear. "Excuse me." Someone called from behind West. Bonnie looked over West's shoulder and froze. Her eyes widened in fright, but she didn't move a muscle. West raised a brow and looked over her shoulder to see who had spoken. On the curb stood a man, tall frame, medium build, black hair, and shocking blue eyes. He was handsome in the extreme. West turned to face him, totally in awe, but kept herself calm. His gaze dropped from her eyes down her frame to her toes and back up again. A corner of his mouth turned up and his eyes glinted.
"Can I help you?" West asked, suprised with how steady her voice was. Apparently, so was he. His eyes narrowed. He took a step closer and she felt the sudden urge to run away. Danger. This guy was dangerous. But, West swallowed her fear and held her ground, watching him just as intently as he watched her. The way he moved was liquid and unnerving. Unnatural. She supressed a shiver and met his eyes with her own. He suddenly looked past her and his eyes narrowed more. West chanced a glance over her shoulder and saw Stefan in his Porsche, stopped behind her car. Stefan was glaring at the stranger. Then the realization hit West. He was the one Stefan had been talking to before school that morning. Looking back at the strange young man, she gasped. She hadn't seen or heard him move but he was now standing directly in front of Bonnie. She was shaking so bad, she'd dropped her books, which were now skattered all over the pavement. He leaned in and whispered something into her ear and turned on his heel and walked away, leaving West gaping at his back. Who the hell was that?
"Are you ok?" Stefan asked from his car, his eyes still on the man's back. Bonnie nodded and dropped to her knees, gathering her books frantically. West was still in shock and confusion as to what had just happened. She nodded at Stefan and climbed in to her car and slammed the door shut. Bonnie climbed in shakily and buckled her seat belt. She stared straight ahead.
"Bonnie. What the hell? Who was that?" Bonnie looked at her, like she was afraid to say anything. She just shook her head and said, "...go please..." West shook her head and started the car. Stefan nodded at West and drove away, letting West move her car.
Friday came quickly. The day flew by and before she knew it, West was on her way to Roanoke with a carful of friends. The parking lot incident hadn't been brought up and everyone had swept it under the rug, but it had been driving West crazy. Questions spun through her head. Who the hell was that? Why does Stefan seem to hate him so much? Why is Bonnie so scared of him? What did he say to her? But Homecoming weekend wasn't a time for questions. It was a time for friends and fun.
"So, who asked you, Bonnie?" Caroline asked, painting her toenails in the front seat of the '67 Mustang. Bonnie blushed and said,"Jeremy." Elena nearly choked on the pop she'd just sipped.
"What?" Caroline asked. "Your going with a Junior? Bonnie, this is our SENIOR homecoming!" Caroline whined, frown lines etched across her forehead. West smiled. She was happy for Bonnie, who sat in the back seat blushing like a girl with a first crush. It was cute. Elena looked shocked, but after a few moments to process, she smiled also happy for Bonnie.
"It'll be good for Jeremy to get out and hang out with a real girl. If my brothers gunna date, I'd rather have him date someone I know, than some stranger." Elena said, patting Bonnie's leg in congrats. "Besides, he's had a crush on you FOREVER." Caroline and West laughed. West turned up the radio and pressed on the gas, sending them hurtling toward thier destination.
"Just run away
From these lies
Back to yesterday
Safe tonight
I feel the sun creeping up like tik tok
I'm trying to keep you in my head but if not
We'll just keep running from tomorrow with our lips locked..."
They all sang along to all the songs they knew and after about an hour they came to the city. Caroline squealed and hopped in her seat. They explored the city looking for the shopping strip and after a half hour of driving, they found it. West found a parking garage and drove to the roof and found a spot overlooking the city.