As I stood outside the entrance of the local grill, too nervous to enter. The sound of cars and young people in the distance chatting surrounded me. This was the place I had spent most of my time as a young girl, me and Elena used to come here everyday after school and eat and stuff our faces
Looking around Mystic Falls made me smile, the scenery had stayed the same for nearly 10 years. It was still the same old wonderful place it had always been. It felt quite weird, walking through the streets - everyone smiled and waved at me, which took me by surprise as I had thought everyone would have forgotten me - I was clearly mistaken.
Moving to England with my mum was torture, I had missed this place so much. Every moment I spent in England I felt as if there was something missing. I finally moved back after my mum re-married, I didn't like that I was leaving her in back in England, but I had no choice. But never the less, I was so excited about being here; I felt like I was home again, back where I belonged.
Elena knew I was coming back to Mystic Falls, I had called her almost every day until I left, she too was more than excited that I'd be returning - we've always been best friends, I had missed her so much. The worst thing about today was that she was going to meet me in the Grill with God knows who, and I hated being center of attention... I wasn't the most confident person, I was extremely clumsy under pressure.
I looked at myself in the Grill window, pulling my huge grey jumper into place and letting one side fall off my shoulder. I scrunched my hair with my finger tips, trying to keep my curls into place before inhaling the crisp fresh air and opening the large green door to the Grill - my stomach was churning in excitement, I felt so sick.
Calm down, everything will be okay.
I carefully walked inside, making sure I didn't trip over my own feet; which is what normally happens in a situation like this. It was only 8pm but the lighting in the bar made the atmosphere seem much later. The Grill hadn't changed much, the maroon wallpaper still covered the walls and the small wooden tables were scattered about, the only thing that had changed was the bar, it was much bigger and made the whole room seem much more welcoming.
I looked to see Elena there at the bar and some people which I didn't recognise. Luckily, none of them were facing me so they didn't see that I'd arrived. I suddenly changed my mind and turned around, this was all too much for me. I wasn't normally this shy but the occasion was really quite overwhelming. I started to walk out when someone lightly grabbed my arm, stopping me in my tracks.
"Chelsea? Oh my God, I didn't know you were coming back today, Elena never told me!" Jeremy, Elena's brother shouted before pulling me in for a huge hug.
A part of me was happy to see Jeremy, I hadn't seen him or his sister since their parents funeral. He smelled just the same as he used to, all our memories together came flooding back to me. The other part of me was nervous knowing that I now had to go and speak to everyone.
"Aw Jer, I've missed you! Elena might have wanted it to be a surprise" I said to him, examining his young face. He hadn't really changed, except growing tiny facial hair and his voice had got deeper. He'd always been a good looking boy, but he was too caught up in his own little world.
"Were you going to leave? I think Elena is over there, she's waiting for you" He informed me.
"Yeah I know..." I trailed off, looking down at my combat boots, sliding my feet closer together in embarrassment.
"Nervous?" He asked, before I could answer he slid his arm around my shoulder, "C'mon, it'll be fine - I'll walk you over, you finally get to meet Elena's boyfriend" He winked at me, he started to lead me to the bar. I was surprised that nobody had noticed me yet, I was glad though.
"Jer, maybe you shouldn't come over" I mumbled, looking unsure, stopping at one of the pool tables. He turned to face me
"Why?" He questioned raising a brow
"Because you need some deodorant, you stink" I teased, fanning my hand across my nose.
"Oh yeah, I see your jokes haven't improved" He said, trying to look not at all impressed - but as soon as I looked him straight in the eye we both burst out laughing.
"Let's go" he said, squeezing my shoulder twice. I let out a sigh, finally walking to the bar, before I even managed to get there I heard that oh so familiar squeal - Elena. I looked up to see her walking over with her arms open to welcome me, I rushed into them quickly and squeezed her tight.
"I've missed you so much" we said in unison, then we both looked at each other and started to giggle.
"Oh Chelsea, you need meet my boyfriend! You'll love him" she exclaimed, a grin spread across her olive coloured face, making her eyes light up like a kid at Christmas. I nodded, walking over to see two beautiful men sitting on bar stools - I didn't know which one Stefan was, so I waited to be introduced.
"Chelsea, this is Stefan Salvatore" She said with a bright smile
"Stefan this is Chelsea my best friend" She explained, gesturing her hand at each of us.
Jesus, could Elena pick them! Stefan really was a looker, golden brown hair and pale skin. So who was the other boy, looking at me? Stefan smiled and waved his hand. "I've heard so much about you Chelsea, it's nice to finally meet you" he said, with an even bigger smile.
"It's lovely to meet you too Stefan, Elena goes on about you so much I feel like I already know you" I said sarcastically, I felt a slap against my shoulder. Elena let out an embarrassed laugh before looking at Stefan and biting her lip.
Jeremy smirked and gave me a quick high five, he gave me the kind of look to say 'I'm so glad your back'.
"Right now this is Damon, Stefan's brother" She said gesturing toward him . Wow, dark black hair and bright blue eyes? Now this boy was beautiful. He gave me a flirtatious smirk
"Hello, Chelsea" he said, raising a bourbon to me before gulping it down like a shot. He likes to drink too? I was definitely impressed.
"Hi Damon" I said, smiling at him.
"Would you like a drink?" He asked me, before lowering his eyes in a highly seductive way while examining my face. Before I could even answer Elena snapped
"No Damon, don't start her drinking already; she'll never stop" She then winked and turned to sit on Stefan's lap. I laughed and turned to see Jeremy but he was down at the pool table, having fun - I wasn't going to disturb him. Damon pulled up the bar stool and tapped the top. I reluctantly sat down.
The oak bar felt warm on my arms, it felt amazing to be back here again.
"What would you like?" Damon asked me, finally looking away from me and to the drinks, all stacked up behind the bar.
"Um, I can't get served here... Can I?" I questioned Damon.
"Don't worry, that won't be a problem" He told me with a slight smirk and confidence in his voice. I looked through all of the drinks carefully before making a decision.
"I'll have a bourbon, please" I said looking back to Damon.
Damon looked quite taken back by my choice of drink, but his face quickly returned to a smirk again, almost as if i'd impressed him.
"Stefan, do you want one?" I turned to him and asked, avoiding looking at Elena. "Yeah sure" He replied, stroking his hand through Elena's hair, I finally looked at her. Her face was scrunched up in a pout
"What about me?" She asked, crossing her arms like a little child not getting their way.
"You'll be on the floor" I said with a little laugh, sliding one of the drinks in front of me that Damon had ordered across the bar to Stefan, he drank all of it in an instant.
She looked around me to talk to Damon, I could tell she had a little plan to get me back.
"See Damon, I told you she was like you; a complete dick" I gasped and looked at Damon to see his reaction, he acted as if it was a compliment and we clinked our glasses together
"To being dicks" he said before downing his drink, I copied. I wondered how he got the alcohol for me? I shrugged my thoughts off and felt the warm liquid burn my throat
Damon ran his hand quickly through his hair, and I managed to catch a glimpse at the huge ring on his finger. I saw a similar one on Stefan's earlier. One word shot into my head. Vampire.
So all that Elena told me was true? Damon and Stefan were both vampires. Part of me thought she was joking when she had told me. But now I really did believe her. Was I afraid? Well, what do you think?
"Everybody!" Elena sang as she stumbled out of the back entrance of the Grill, raising her hands up lazily in the air. I hadn't seen my best friend in ages, I had every right to get her drunk; Besides, the best side of her was the drunk side.
"Rock your body!" I shouted back at her, we both carried on doing little dance moves and sang along to the Backstreet Boys song we could no longer hear.
Having fun with Elena, kind of made me forget about vampires. Emphasis on 'kind of', seeing as they were there all night. Every time I looked at either of the brothers, so many emotions ran through out my head. I guess being in their company for 5-6 hours did ease the tension slightly. But still, I was so confused. I didn't know what to think.
"Everybody, rock your body right, Backstreets back alright!" We both sang at one another, then burst out into hysterics.
Anyone would mistake our voices for dying cats, the sound of my own voice made me cringe. The cold breeze swept through my dyed red hair, it was nice to be out in the open and plus, if Elena was sick then I wouldn't have to clean it up. Elena stumbled and fell over, making a slurred grunt but then continued laughing at herself. I chuckled at her, she was too much of a light weight.
Before I could reach Elena, Stefan was already there with his vampire speed helping her up from the ground. Whoa, I really was going to have to get used to this.
"Come on, you're coming back to mine, your Aunt Jenna would kill you if she saw you like this" Stefan said sweetly to Elena, picking her up and carrying her in his huge well built arms.
That's another thing, vampire strength. Definitely would not like to have a wrestling match with either of the Salvatore boys.
"No, no I can't" Elena whimpered, "Chelsea is supposed to be staying at mine, she can't go home"
Stefan turned to look at me and said
"Why can't you go home?" For probably the 83rd time of the night Elena interrupted me
"Shut up Stefan, it's a long story - can she not just stay at yours?" Or at least I think that's what she said, her voice was too muffled by Stefan's chest to clearly understand.
"Yeah Stefan shut up" I heard Damon mock Elena from behind me, his voice made me shiver inside - there was something about him that just wasn't right.
Stefan just rolled his eyes at his brothers attitude before saying to me "Yeah that's not a problem"
"Are you going to carry her all the way home? Do you want me to call a taxi or something?" I asked him, then I realised how stupid I'd just sounded. He was a vampire, he didn't need a taxi.
I mentally gave myself a round of applause for the dumbest comment I'd ever made. I guess being a vampire and carrying a human is like carrying a shopping bag for them. I just kept forgetting, they were so... Normal.
"That won't be necessary" Damon's voice closer to me than before, his breath tickling my ears. I didn't even managed to look at him before he grabbed my hand, and within seconds we were at the front of his house. What the hell just happened to me, did I just fly here?
I must have been standing there with the most confused expression on my face because Stefan let out a sly laugh at me. He unlocked the door to his home, the most beautiful house I'd ever seen. Damon rushed to the door after Stefan had carried Elena through, holding it open for me. I gasped as I saw the inside, it was absolutely magnificent.