Chapter 1 – Home Sweet Hell
I groaned in annoyance when I saw another sign that had the word Mystic in its title. How many places could you name with the word Mystic in it? Mystic Grill, Mystic Reality, Mystic Falls High School, Mystic Falls Sporting Goods...it goes on and on! Shoot me now.
"Jay, we're here," My father, Andy Carlson stated happily his brown eyes sparkling in excitement.
"Really? What gave it away?" I replied softly hoping he didn't hear me.
"Jaycee Rose Carlson. You promised that this was gonna be a fresh start. It doesn't sound like you're even giving this place a chance."
"It's hard to give it a chance when I really don't want be here in the first place," I muttered leaning my head against my window before turning up my music on my iPod.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him shaking his head in disappointment. That's all I was to him now. Ever since that night...I was jolted out of my reverie when the car came to a screeching halt. Luckily my seat beat caught me while causing me pain at the same time. I glared over at my dad who looked startled.
"What the hell was that for?"
"Did you see that bird?" he asked looking around frantically. I looked around with him, but didn't see a damn thing.
"Dad, I honestly think you are losing it."
"It's a good crazy," he replied sending a lopsided grin in my direction.
"The jury's still out on that one."
My gaze landed itself back on the scenery outside. This place was full of old buildings, old landmarks, and old woods. I could feel the old magic reverberating from this little town, almost like they were hiding some kind of secret. I didn't see anything wrong with this town except for the fact that I was gonna be stuck here to finish out my high school education. I just hoped that no little surprises would ruin my stay here like they did back in Scottsdale.
"We're here!" My father shouted loudly causing me to jump in surprise.
"Joy," I responded sarcastically as I glanced up at the house. It looked normal enough. A white two story house that had the 'two-and-a-half-kids' feel to it. Probably a gift from Aunt Carol and Uncle Richard. I made a gagging sound before I got out of the car.
"Jay, don't," my father's carefree attitude was gone and was instead replaced with a stern one. "I know this move has been hard, but it was necessary."
"Necessary for whom? Me or you?" I snapped before tossing my messenger bag over my shoulder. I turned sharply and started walking away from him.
"Jaycee, where are you going?" My dad raised his voice in desperation.
"To look around, warden!" I yelled back before marching my way into town. Thankfully this was a big enough town where people wouldn't recognize if you were new to town or not. It was late in the day on a Friday, so all the high school kids were out of school and going crazy. I fit in well enough, between my skinny jeans and off the shoulder top.
I wasn't sure if I really wanted to jump into the teen scene in town or if I just wanted to find a quiet place to calm down. I didn't walk much further before I came to a stop outside the Mystic Grill. I didn't go in, but I stupidly watched as people continued to go in and out of the establishment, both teens and adults alike. I made a move to go in, but stopped. I turned away from the establishment and started down the sidewalk before the sound of a female voice stopped me in my tracks.
"That was a waste of time if you're just gonna walk away."
I turned so my body was facing the alley from where the voice had come from. I had to walk a little closer to get a good look at the mysterious person. She was leaning against the wall casually with one foot up against the wall along with her back. She looked relatively normal, between her thin face and long brown hair. Under her hair were some dark circles and that could mean one of two things: A, she was really tired or B, she was a druggie who hadn't been on a high in a while. I watched her body language and by the way she was twitching my conclusion leaned towards option B. I watched as she lit up a cigarette before I answered.
"Uh, yeah. Not my kind of scene," I answered as confidently as I could. Against my better judgment I moved forward into the alley way. "Think you could spare one?"
She nodded before pulling the pack out of her jeans pocket. She opened the top and held it out to me. Hesitantly I reached forward and pulled one out before placing it to my lips. She lit her lighter before holding it to the other end of the cancer stick effectively lighting it. I took a long drag before pulling it from my lips and exhaling in a flurry of smoke. The woman nodded absently before sticking out her hand.
"Vicki Donovan."
"Jaycee Carlson," I replied before shaking her hand. "Wait, Donovan? Are you related to Matt Donovan?"
"Yeah. He's my brother. How'd you know him?"
"I met him through my cousin a few years back." I answered causing Vicki to nod.
"So what brings you to Mystic Falls, Jaycee?"
"A fresh start. At least that's what my dad keeps saying," I muttered the last part.
"Wanna talk about it?" she asked a soft tone taking over her raspy voice.
"A little too much drugs, sex and rock n' roll landed me in juvenile detention for a few weeks. Royally freaked my dad out and now I'm stuck here for my Senior Year."
"Ouch."
"Yeah," I responded lamely before taking another drag. I nodded slightly before laying my back against the wall next to Vicki. That wasn't a complete lie but it wasn't the complete truth either.
"Look, me and my friends are hanging out later so you're more than welcome to tag along."
I glanced up at Vicki as a shadow fell across her face, making her face look even gaunter than I had noticed before. Her hand was moving sporadically at her side as well and that usually meant one thing – she was definitely a druggie. Then I noticed that she had been glancing at my neck the whole time I had been standing there with her. I weighed the option in my head for a minute before I made up my mind.
"Nah. I need to get back home. Thanks for the offer though," I answered as I threw the cigarette on the ground before smothering it under my shoe. I nodded at Vicki before I turned and quickly walked away. I adjusted the bag on my shoulder before moving out of the alleyway and back into the flow of the sidewalk. The sun had completely set by the time I made it out of the town square and into the residential streets.
I moved deliberately through the streets, not liking the eerie feeling the seclusion was causing. I was completely alone on a vacant street, at night in a town I wasn't familiar with. Sure I had been here a few times as a kid but I had never left my aunt and uncle's house. The feeling only intensified when I heard the snapping of twigs from behind me. I quickly turned around ready to confront whoever was following me only to find the street as empty as it was when I turned down it.
I turned back forward and walked a little further before I realized I had no clue where I was going, or where I was even at. I pulled out my cell phone as I heard the sound of a car approaching from behind. I tried to make it look like I was talking to someone so whoever it was would think before they tried anything. I tried to ignore the car as it came right up next to me and stopped.
"Get your ass in the car," the deep voice spoke through the rolled down window. A large grin broke out over my face as I heard the familiar voice. I turned to the person who had gotten out of the car before snapping my phone shut. I jogged over to the person before nearly jumping on him in excitement.
"Tyler!" I shouted as I jumped on him.
"Hey cuz," he muttered hugging me back. "Your dad called. Said you stormed out."
"I take it, you have come to drag me back to prison," I replied letting go of him. I took in the sight of my cousin. Tyler Lockwood. Boy had he grown, practically 6'1, with muscles galore and closely cut dark hair. There was always the joke that Tyler and I were practically twins because we looked so much alike, between the dark hair and our facial structure.
"He didn't give the details, but from the way he sounded he was pissed."
"Gee don't sugar coat it for me, Tyler. I didn't even wanna move here."
"You think we want you here?" Tyler joked a grin on his face. I rolled my eyes before gently shoving him. "Cee, if you need me I'm always gonna be here for you."
"How uncharacteristic of you, Ty," I smirked.
"You want me to be an ass?" Tyler asked sarcastically before walking back to the driver's side.
I watched my cousin as he opened the driver's side door but he didn't get in. He leaned against the car setting his arms on the roof before gazing at me intently. I met his gaze with just as much intensity and that's how we stood for the longest two minutes of my life. I knew what was coming – Tyler always did this when it came to something serious.
"What happened?" I scoffed at his question before shaking my head.
"Don't ruin a perfectly good moment, Ty."
"You're different."
"So are you," I snapped. "It doesn't mean anything." Tyler kept his stern gaze on my figure and that's all it took. "Nothing. It was nothing just one big misunderstanding, where my so called friends thought it would be funnier to see me take the fall for something I didn't do and I was stupid enough to go along with it. End of story."
"You let someone take control of your life like that? How uncharacteristic of you Cee," Tyler mocked.
"Just get in the car and drive," I muttered climbing into the passenger's seat.
The next few weeks were hectic as Dad and I unpacked. We had been trying to straighten things out for weeks but apparently there was something wrong with my transcripts so they wouldn't let me start school till everything was figured out. By the time they had it all figured out, Halloween had already past and the town was gearing up for Founder's Day. Thankfully both Matt and Tyler had stopped by a few times to keep me in the loop.
"Oh yeah, this makes a good first impression," I muttered angrily as I sat hunched over in the passenger's seat.
"Maybe if you still had your license I wouldn't have to take you to school," my dad snapped back at me.
"Maybe you should have thought about that before you turned me in for driving while slightly intoxicated, Andrew. I wasn't even drunk and you turned me in."
"It was for your own good and you know it." He sighed before angling his body so he was facing me in the tiny space. "Tyler offered to give you a ride home, so have a good first day and we'll talk about whether or not the state will let you get a license. Sound good?"
"Yeah, whatever," I replied dully before climbing out of the car, but not before I heard him let out a deep sigh and correct himself in the seat.
"I love you, Jay," he spoke up as I grabbed my backpack out of the backseat. I nodded in acknowledgement before closing the door and walking away.
I stopped suddenly and turned around to look back at him, but he had already pulled away from the curb. I shook my head mentally smacking myself for doing it again. I didn't mean to, honestly, but since all the drama that went down in Scottsdale the relationship between me and my father just changed. We couldn't be in the same room together without one of us jumping down the other's throat. Usually it was me starting the fights. I wonder what mom would have thought if she could see us now.
I pulled myself out of my thoughts when I ran into someone. The books and papers she had been holding scattered causing both of us to simultaneously drop to the drop to collect the array of papers. I let out a slew of apologies as I gathered up the last of her papers. As I handed them back to the girl I got a good look at her. Clearly of African-American descent from the mocha color of her skin, her dark hair fell in ringlets past she shoulders and her strange yet charming eyes ever welcoming.
"It's okay. I should have been watching where I was going," she replied to my apologies. "I'm Bonnie, by the way. Bonnie Bennett."
"Nice to meet you," I replied holding out my hand, while my mind went reeling trying to figure out where I had heard that name before. "I'm Jay."
"You're new around here," Bonnie stated.
"What gave me away?" I asked a smirk on my face.
"We don't get very many new kids around here."
"So I've noticed." Bonnie sent an amused grin in my direction. "Hey, um, I'm looking for the office. Can you point me in the general direction?"
Bonnie nodded enthusiastically before giving me step by step directions to the office. I nodded a grin on my face as I listened before we parted ways. I made it to the office just as the first bell rang. The secretary at the first desk gave me an annoyed look before asking for my name. After all that hoopla was done I had my schedule, my locker combination and a stack of books that would rival an elephant in weight.
I made my way to my locker before shoving my books ungracefully into the locker then slamming it shut. I let out a sigh of relief as I turned away from the locker and towards the general direction of my first classroom. I let my eyes wander down the hall until they came upon a lone figure walking towards me. I froze when I caught sight of who it was. Between her dark hair, almond shaped dark brown eyes and small petite form, I would recognize her almost anywhere.
"Katherine?" I asked glancing at the girl in shock.
"What?" her eyes widened when she caught sight of me.
"What in the hell are you doing here?" I asked walking towards the girl before I stopped mid stride. Standing behind her was the one other person I thought I wouldn't ever cross paths with.
"Jay?" He asked his eyes also wide in alarm.
"Stefan?"
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Vampire Diaries I only own my OCs.
Okay so this is pretty much my test run! This is my first story outside of the Supernatural universe, so let me know what you think! Oh and if you read this and like it and wanna beta it for me that would be fantastic! I know its not much but any reviews are appreciated...as long as they aren't extremely mean!
