Chapter 1: The Stranger
"Mom", Jenny Humphrey walked in her mother Allison's room. The room was a mess, just like it was always. Clothes were strewn on the bed and the cupboard door was open. Her mother was standing in front of the canvas, set on an easel. She was wearing a pink shirt dress which Jenny had designed for her.
"Hmmm…" Allison mumbled, staring at the blank canvas with a thoughtful expression.
"I was thinking…." Jenny continued. Allison picked up a brush and stopped. She turned to look at her daughter.
"You were thinking?" she asked.
"I thought you weren't listening", Jenny said, flopping on the red couch beside the easel. Allison simply raised an eyebrow.
"I have an idea", Jenny began.
"You do? Wonderful! I could really use one!"Allison exclaimed, waving her brush at the empty canvas.
"Mom!" Jenny protested.
Allison smiled, "okay". She mimed locking her lips.
Jenny adjusted her denim skirt and floral sleeveless top and pouted, "Will you please be serious?"
"I'm serious!" Allison laughed. "What's this brilliant idea of yours?"
"I'm not sure if it's really brilliant", Jenny muttered.
"Jenny" Allison said.
"Okay", Jenny nodded. "Here's the thing", she sat up straighter. "I was thinking that it's been really long since I met Aunt Liz. I was on the phone with Carol, and she asked me to come spend the summer with Aunt Liz".
Allison listened for a moment then cracked up.
Jenny scowled and then shook her head, "What's so funny?"
"Jen, sweetie, you said the same thing last week, and the week before that. You are still here".
"I'm serious now. Carol had a fantastic idea…."
"I can believe that", Allison interrupted. Caroline Forbes was the beautiful daughter of her sister Elizabeth, who was the Sherriff of the small town of 'Mystic Falls' where they lived. Jenny and Dan had nicknamed her as 'Carol'.
"So as I was saying, Carol had an idea….."
"Is everyone having ideas except me?" Allison complained, looking at the brush in her hand.
"She suggested that we switch places this summer. I stay with Aunt Liz in Mystic falls while Carol stays here with you", Jenny said, ignoring her mother's interruption.
"Summer?" Allison asked.
"Whatever's remaining of it", Jenny consented, grinning at her mother.
"You are going to actually go?" Allison asked.
When Jenny opened her mouth to reply, Allison said, "what I meant was, Carol is going to stay here with me".
"So?" Jenny asked, knowing exactly where her mother was headed.
"What are you going to do without her? Who would show you around?" Allison said. "Liz would be busy at work", she added.
"Are you suggesting that I might get bored?" Jenny asked.
"Yes", Allison said, coming over to join her on the couch.
"Mom, I'm going to be busy designing my next collection".
"Where?" Allison sounded mystified.
Jenny looked at her mother.
"Okay", Allison nodded her head in understanding. "Why in 'Mystic Falls'?"
"People in small towns have a great sense of style", Jenny said, taking the brush from her mother's hand and feeling the soft tips of its hair.
"Are you basing that on Carol?" Allison smiled.
"Yup", jenny smiled, winking at her mother.
"I couldn't agree less. Lord knows that girl is a stunner. She could model your clothes", Allison got up from the couch and went and stood in front of the canvas, hands on her hips.
"I've been trying to sell her the same idea", Jenny said. "Who knows, living here, she might finally be persuaded".
"Maybe", Allison agreed, gesturing to Jenny to return her brush.
"What do you think?" Jenny got up and handed the brush back to her mother.
"I think you should go", Allison looked at her. "Before you change your mind".
Jenny grinned, "I think I should go too."
-oOo-
Jenny rang the doorbell of her aunt's house. On the way here, she had spotted many people wearing boots. Jenny had noted it in her designing book. She was glad the she had worn boots herself. They were brown, calf-length, and she had paired them with a peach sun-dress which ended just above her knees.
She had picked out Allison's outfit as well. Her mother was wearing a full-sleeved black shirt with blue jeans, 'Simple and stunning', in her own words.
Caroline came running to open the door.
"Jenny!" she squealed.
"Carol!" jenny screamed.
They hugged each other. "Aunt Allison!" Caroline hugged her aunt.
"How are you?" Allison beamed at her favourite niece.
"Good", Caroline smiled.
"Look at you, fashion queen. You are going to fit right in New York", Jenny said, appraising her cousin's outfit.
Caroline was wearing black jeggings, black knee-length boots and a bright red tank top. She had left her hair down. It framed her face.
"Learned it from you, sis", Caroline grinned, taking Allison's bag.
"Where's Liz", Allison asked, as they entered the house.
"Right here", Elizabeth walked in the living room, wiping her hands on a dish-towel. She was dressed in her usual black jeans and white t-shirt.
"Where's the famous designer", she asked, looking at Jenny.
Jenny smiled, "Aunt Liz!" they hugged each other. "I think you need a special designer", Allison said, pointing at Jenny, and then moving to hug her sister. "I agree", Caroline nodded, looking at her mother.
"It's so good to see both of you!" Jenny exclaimed.
"Ditto!" Caroline beamed.
-oOo-
"This is Elena", Caroline introduced. "She's my best friend".
Elena was pretty. She had dark straight hair, which she wore long. She was dresses in a simple light blue summer dress.
Elena smiled at Jenny, who smiled back. It was morning and Caroline and Allison were headed back to New York. They had stayed the night which was spent in catching up with each other.
"Do you really have to go?" Elena asked Caroline. "Yes, I do", Caroline replied. "New York will be perfect!" she exclaimed and hugged Elena.
"C'mon girls, time to move", Allison said, opening her car door.
"Yup!" Caroline answered. She came and hugged Jenny, then her mother.
Then she followed Allison and sat in the car. Seeing them go, Jenny felt a wave of sadness. What would she do without Carol in such a sleepy town? She just hoped that she would last the summer in Mystic Falls. She didn't want to die of boredom. She had no idea how wrong she was!
That she could die because of a lot of things in Mystic Falls, and boredom was definitely not one of them!
-oOo-
It had been two days since her mother and Carol had left for New York. Jenny had stayed at home and sketched her designs.
But Aunt Liz had insisted that she go explore the town a bit. So she had grabbed the keys to carol's car and made her way to 'Mystic Grill', the hang-out spot of all youngsters.
Inside the Grill, Jenny sat on a table and looked around. Aunt Liz had been right. There were many youngsters around. Noticing their dressing style, Jenny opened a fresh page of her sketch pad. She thought she was a little too overdressed as she began sketching.
She was wearing tight black jeans and a baby pink cashmere sweater paired with her new pair of crimson red heels. She had let her hair down.
"What can I do for the 'big city model'?" a smooth voice asked.
"Designer", Jenny corrected automatically, not looking up from her sketch pad. Then she paused. Why had she done that?
She looked up to stare into the most amazing pair of soft brown eyes.
"Designer, huh?" the guy asked. "Cool!"
Jenny wanted to say something but found that she couldn't speak. He not only had the most amazing eyes but his smile was also mesmerizing. His hair was falling on his forehead. As he stood there in front of her in his uniform of navy blue t-shirt and jeans, Jenny smiled. If he looked that good in his uniform, she could imagine how he would look in clothes designed by her.
Before she could say anything however, another guy emerged and announced, "Shifts over dude!"
"Really?" he looked at his watch. "Yup", the other guy confirmed. "Your order, ma'am?" he continued.
They guy with the amazing eyes grinned at her, then turned and walked away.
Jenny sighed, if there were such handsome strangers in this town, then she guessed, she could survive.
-oOo-
Jeremy Gilbert laid down the flowers on his Aunt Jenna's grave. After his shift at the Grill had gotten over, he had gone straight home. He had felt very lonely.
After changing into more comfortable clothes, a black and white checked shirt and blue jeans, he made his way to the cemetery. He had called Elena to let her know where he was headed as he didn't want her to panic.
Sitting at the cemetery, Jeremy felt peaceful. He had always been close to the dead. But this closeness had caused him to be far from those who were still alive. He was reminded of Bonnie. He sighed. He missed her.
Suddenly, he heard a rustle. All his senses were on high alert. Moving slowly, he stood up. There was no one to be seen. He narrowed his eyes. He knew that he was not alone at the cemetery.
He turned and ran straight into someone. "Ahhh!" the person screamed. Jeremy had turned and grabbed the person's arms. It was a girl.
He loosened his hold and stared into her eyes. They were blue, like vast pools of water.
"Let go", she spoke.
He moved away from her, dropping his hands. It was the same girl whom he had met at the Grill, just before his shift had ended and Matt had taken over.
They stood there, staring at each other. Jeremy broke the silence. "You scared me".
"I know", she replied. She had a sharp voice. "I was sitting around that tree", she pointed at the lone tree in the cemetery, "When I heard you come. I figured you were the same guy from the Grill, I just….wanted to make sure".
Jeremy sighed, looking at her. She was pretty. Long blond hair framed her face. Her outfit looked expensive. What had she said she was? He remembered her saying 'designer'. Well, she definitely looked more like a model.
"Don't just creep up on someone", he said.
"I wasn't creeping!" she flared. Her eyes shone.
Okay, he had been wrong. She was not only pretty, but also hot. She was looking hot, all right, standing there in her heels, nostrils flared.
Jeremy smirked, "Yeah, right".
She didn't say anything, just pursed her lips.
Jeremy decided to introduce himself. "Jeremy Gilbert", he stuck his hand out. She looked at his hand, eyebrows raised, unsure of what to do. Then she shook his hand, "Jenny Humphrey".
"Where are you from?" he asked.
"New York", she replied.
He raised his eyebrows and took a step. "And you really are a designer?"
She smirked, "Is there a doubt?"
He shrugged, "It's just that you look more like a model". She smiled when he said this and bend down to pick up her fallen sketch pad. As she straightened up and dusted the sketch pad, Jeremy saw a half made sketch and exclaimed, "Hey, you are good!"
She shut the sketch pad and putting it in her purse, replied, "Like I said, I'm a designer".
"From New York?"
"That's right", she confirmed.
"Here, in Mystic falls?" he asked. "I'm here on holiday. I'm staying with my aunt. Small towns have their mysterious aura. I wanted to design a new collection".
"Your aunt?" he asked.
"Sheriff Forbes", she supplied.
"So you are Caroline's cousin", he laughed.
"Yes", she answered.
"I thought she wasn't here?"
"She isn't. We swapped places. She's in New York with my mom", she answered, beginning to walk.
Falling in step with her, Jeremy nodded. Then said, "Didn't you say something about designing a new collection? Is that why you were here- at the cemetery?"
"Yes", she answered. "I wanted to get a feel of something superstitious. That's what I want to base my new collection on, something out of this world".
He stopped walking and stared at her. She stared back at him.
"And …you think Mystic Falls is the place?" he asked slowly.
"Sure", she shrugged. "It's a small town, must be full of superstitious elements".
She had no idea what she was saying.
"Superstitious elements?" he asked.
She nodded her head enthusiastically.
He chuckled, and then said, "I could help with that".