Prologue

"Stefan, there you are-" I started to say, and at the same time I walked over to him and put my arms on his shoulders so that I could turn his body around to face me.

"Oh, you're not Stefan." I laughed, when I noticed that the face I was looking at, could not have been anymore different than who I thought it was. "You're that college senior all the girls talk about." I smiled as I walked away from him.

"You know who I am?" He grinned, and was staring at me so deeply as if he was trying to look through my mask.

"Damon Salvatore, who hasn'theard of all those terrible things you've done to all of those poor college girls." I giggled, as he rolled his eyes at me as I explained all of the things I had heard of him.

My sister, who goes to school with this kid, and gave me his exact description, told me that his reputation was so terrible, girls were only categorized at school between if you had slept with him, or if you hadn't. The stupid part was that I heard that no matter what this guy did, girls would continue to flock to him, without regard for his previous actions. Every girl swore that he wouldn't do the same thing to them, but it never turned out to be true. I never understood why girls would be so silly, but then again, he was so hot I'm sure it was worth it.

"You have quite a tragic reputation, how do you live with yourself?" I laughed bluntly, slightly amused by the look on his face as he understood what I was asking him.

"Why do girls always have to go and spread lies? I bet not even half of what you've heard is true." His voice was deep, very manly, and attractive. As he spoke, he laughed at me, but at the same time you could sense that he was just trying to be charming and convincing.

"Well everything I've heard about you is quite interesting, especially the part where you're always getting into trouble." I paused as I was waiting for his facial response, but when he looked eager for me to finish my sentence I said, "if what they say about you is true, then I'm pleased to meet you." I smiled and offered him my hand as if I was the hostess of the party, and at the same time I took a sip of the champagne I had been drinking. "I admire your wild adventures." I smiled.

"Well," He took his hand and lifted my palm to his lips for a soft kiss." I hate to disappoint you but, you shouldn't always believe what you hear." He lowered my hand slowly, and never took his eyes off me as he smiled.

"Well, then I'm disappointed. Because this party is super boring, and I was looking for entertainment." I sighed.

"Aren't you a little young to be here?" He laughed at me, and I almost blushed in embarrassment.

My face was hidden behind my mask, and it's not like my impeccable figure was any hint to my innocence. In fact, my body had allowed me to get alcohol illegally for years. So how did he know?

"You don't know how old I am." I told him, saying it very matter-of-factly.

"I know you're probably not old enough to be drinking that." He said, as he pointed towards my drink.

"How would you know? You can't even see my face." I smiled, and then took off my mask and stepped into the light, so that he could now see me clearly, and so that I could breathe properly.

I watched him examine my face with a hint of shock. First he looked at my hair, which was being hidden since my mask was extremely large. My light chocolate colored hair was wavy and shiny. I was usually tan, but now I was very tan because it was august and I had been tanning all summer in Europe. My nose wasn't large but it wasn't the smallest nose in the world. And when he was finally down looking at my thin, heart-shaped face, he went back to looking at my dazzling blue eyes.

"Because of your eyes." He started, "they're extremely innocent and make it obvious that you haven't done anything too terrible in your short years of living."

"Oh and you're just so much older than I am." I rolled my eyes at him, and my facial expression made him grin.

"Oh yeah, you should be calling me grandpa." He laughed at me, as if he were in on his own little secret.

"Well then, grandpa, aren't you a little late to your own party?" I asked, wondering why the host of the party decided not to show up until 1 am.

"Not really, I kind of don't want to go in. I mean if one of the prettiest girls in the party is standing outside, why would I want to go in?" He asked me, and I rolled my eyes at the same time as I smiled since he was complimenting me, he was a gorgeous college senior, and I was a simple senior. In high school.

"You are as bad as they say." I smiled at him, my cheeks flushing, but I was flirting.

"Well, I had to try." He smiled at me. "But the real reason I haven't come to the party is because I knew I was gonna have a terrible time. I mean you've been in there, how bad is it?" His question seemed strange, but at the same time I knew exactly what he meant.

"Well, hardly any girls are dancing, I think they're all waiting to dance with you. And any girls who are dancing keep looking at the door anytime someone walks in through the door. I felt like I was the only one dancing." I sighed.

"Are you too tired to dance with me now?" He asked me.

"I think so." I nodded in a most flirty manner as I started walking the opposite direction of the party.

"That's too bad." He said, sounding disappointed. "I was looking forward to a dance with you." He shook his head.

"You don't even know my name." I smiled and pushed him lightly on the shoulder and walked away from him. "How could you look forward to anything?"

"I'm an optimistic guy." He grinned, now looking very cocky. "I'll get that dance one day."

"Oh you will?" I asked, smiling in a way that made him a little curious.

"You bet I will." He whispered and before I knew it he kissed me on the cheek and left.