Chapter 1:
Tessa looked out the window of the airplane, with a strange expression. Her stomach fluttered with a strange sensation but she shook it off just as it came. She was looking over the Virginia area. She was landing in the Georgetown Airport and then a long drive in a taxi would bring her to her reclusive grandmother in a place called Mystic Falls. Tessa secretly found the name "Mystic Falls" intriguing and was hoping to discover some history of the town. Maybe Grams would tell her about it. Though that was highly unlikely. Grams was already extremely reluctant to take her in. She was not very old, but ever since the death of her husband she closed up from the world, shutting herself out. The only reason she even agreed to take her granddaughter, was because at home Tessa's life was extremely difficult. She was never going to forgive her mother for marrying another man. Her father, Peter, had died young of Leukemia, when his only daughter was twelve. She still cried when she thought about him- his fearless courage and how much he loved his daughter and wife. Lisa, Tessa's mother, however, had gotten over her husband's death quickly, and within two years she had had three boyfriends. Then she met Luke Benjamin, and decided he was the perfect match and had gone through with the marriage. Tessa didn't mind Luke; in fact he was genuinely a nice person. But by Lisa marrying him, she was destroying the love she one day had for Peter, or at least Tessa believed so. So, Tessa went to her only other living relative, that she knew of, and begged her to take her. Lisa had tried to insist that Tessa stay with her, but Tessa had politely told her mother that since she was sixteen, she would be always in her mother and step- father's way. They wanted to start new lives, have babies, and they couldn't restart with Tessa there. After one month of persuasion, Grams agreed to take her only son's daughter. Tessa sighed, for she wasn't sure how this new life she was about to embark upon would turn out to, but she felt in the right thing to do. She could remember herself, only nights before she would leave, looking up at the stars, and whispering, "Daddy is it right? Is it?" The feeling that had washed over her, told her that her father did indeed approve of her choice.
"We will be landing shortly at the Georgetown airport," said a cackling voice over the loud speaker which belonged to the pilot. "The temperature is slightly above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the skies are slightly cloudy, with expected rainfall." Tessa smiled, it sounded like a weather report that would force her to stay indoors. Then she might be able to get some good history about Mystic Falls, when she searched the house.
The plane landed approximately ten minutes after the pilot had made his announcement. The pilot came on again, repeating what he had before and this time he wished everyone an enjoyable stay if they were on vacation and if they were returning home, he welcomed them back. Tessa got off the plane and walked quickly to customs, she wanted to leave the airport as immediately as possible. Baggage claim, proved more of a problem for Tessa, however, then she expected. After customs, she entered the baggage claim area, waiting to pick up her suitcase, as she hadn't brought much, other than her proper necessities. She had carried a couple of books in her carry- on, but that was about it. Her luggage only contained her clothes and toiletries. Tessa was waiting with other people from the airplane, for the baggage to come. But there seemed to be a problem with the conveyor belt. Outburst broke out amongst the crowd, of how lazy the staff was and that they were in a rush. A man stepped forward blowing a whistle.
"Settle down," he said. "There seems to have been a problem with the luggage. Many of your luggages has been ripped open and things may have been stolen. We have a couple of baggage left, that haven't been open and we will send them out as soon as possible. If you are one of the people who receives your baggage, please proceed to the help area, where your possibilities for luggage replacement will be discussed. We will send the ripped open baggage out to the help area, where you can claim yours and check out the damage." Instead of calming down, the crowd roared with anger, yelling and screaming…"Hell to the security"...."Damn that stupid airlines"...."Useless excuse for protection." Tessa waited at least an hour until luggage was released from the conveyor belt. Luckily for her, one of the suitcases were hers. She walked past an old lady at the help area weeping about a prized possession which she had lost. A glamorous woman stepped out with all of her Louis Vuitton suitcases intact. She's lucky, thought Tessa. You would think someone would want something from her suitcases. Tessa quickly got her taxi and drove toward her new life.
By the time she got there it was nightfall. Grams saw the car pulling up, but didn't bother to come outside. Tessa took her baggage out of the trunk, paid and thanked the driver and made her way to the door. She rang the bell carefully. Grams opened the door and looked her over.
"You're too thin," she announced and Tessa suppressed a sigh. Some welcome, she thought. "What did that woman feed you, girl?" Grams frowned. "Why did I marry my son to her, she has no loyalty toward him. Just a little slut, that's all she is." Tessa was starting to feel the sensation that this was the worst thing she had ever done, but confidence took over her.
"Um…How are you, Grams?" she asked slowly. Grams glared at her slightly, but her expression softened.
"Well you may very well ask, Tessa," she said. "I'm fine at the moment." Tessa felt some of the stress disperse from her body. "Well come in, not going to freeze yourself to death are you?" The formidable manner was back, but Tessa felt much better then when she first arrived.