I set my duffel bag down on the sidewalk and stopped, looking around my new home for the first time. New York City. It was bigger than it looked in the pictures. Of course it was three dimensional this time.

It was a long ways from Mystic Falls, Virginia and even farther from Sofia, Bulgaria where I was born. Gone were the familiar streets and old friends that I had grown so accustomed to. I had packed up my duffel and jumped on a bus to the city, chasing dreams of becoming a doctor.

The bus sped away, coughing dust back at me. I picked my duffel up off of the cement and took a deep breath. Mystic Falls smelled like fresh cut grass and old liquor and comfort. The air in New York was thicker and dirtier. It was a far cry from the smell of home, but I could definitely get used to it. It smelled like ambition. It smelled like potential. It smelled amazing.

I took one confident step forward and then one more. I made it all the way to the first corner before I had to fish a map out of my jeans pocket. I unfolded it, tipping back on my "I'm a professional adult" kitten heels.

I traced my finger along the blue lines and all the way to the apartment building I was supposed to be staying at until I got onto my feet. I'd found it on Craigslist if all places and my mother had probably warned me a hundred times to be careful of Craigslist, but if I was alone in a big city with no connections and barely any money then I might as well stay in an apartment with roommates I found on Craigslist.

I raised the map up at eye level and then lowered it, resolving that I was just as lost as I'd been a moment before and that my new heels, while professional, were starting to hurt my feet. I sighed heavily, a real patented, Elena Gilbert sigh, and raised my hand to hail a cab over to the sidewalk.

My bag hit the hardwood floored with a soft thud and I turned my attention to the door. It was locked with a normal lock, a chain, and a padlock like the kind I hadn't used since I was in highschool and needed to get my books out of my locker. I couldn't remember the combination, but I knew the Craigslist guy, I think his name was Damon, had emailed it to me at one point.

His emails were fast paced and to the point. He was witty, but polite and never seemed off beat. I pictured him as a balding man in his underwear who wrote compelling articles for some popular blog. He probably drank Bourbon out of wine glasses and watched German silent films.

I chuckled to myself as I reached into my pocket and attempted to tug my phone free. It came tumbling out of my jeans as well as the map, a lipstick, and a handful of change. They all hit the floor and rattled off in different directions.

I groaned and bent down to pick them up. I grabbed my map, wrinkling the paper, and was in the midst of gathering change when the door swung open. It opened inward, thank god, so it didn't hit me in the face, but I felt the shush of air and found myself staring at a sturdy pair of black boots. My eyes wandered k off of the boots, up the long blue jean-clad legs, up to the black t-shirt, and up to the face attached to it. It

He raised an eyebrow at me. His blue eyes sparkled with amusement which pissed me off. I may have been on the floor, but that didn't mean I wasn't a powerful, independent woman. He smirked. "You must be our new roommate. I'm Damon." He reached a hand out to help me up, but I scrambled off the floor on my own just to prove I could.

His eyes locked with mine and I really saw him for the first time, immediately noticing how gorgeous he was. His eyes were icy blue, or maybe gray. His face was sculpted like a Greek god and I could see his abs through his fitted black shirt. I wanted to run my fingers through his thick black hair and his lips mesmerized me instantly.

Images of me doing unspeakable things to him invaded my mind and I shoved them away. I didn't need to think about fucking my new roommate against the wall of our Craigslist apartment. I needed to focus on medicine. Medicine was what mattered.

I tucked a lock of dark hair behind my ear. "Hi. I'm Elena." I gave him a winning smile and he smiled back. "Damon," he repeated. He wasn't a balding blogger at all. He was beautiful. A statue of perfection.

"Come in." He moved sideways and I slipped past him into the apartment. It was small and clean with olive green furniture and olive green drapes. Two other people were in the kitchen, though I couldn't see either of them with any clarity yet. He shut the door behind me and I jumped a little at the bang.

He pointed at the door closest to where we were standing. "That's your room." I nodded slowly and smiled at him, gently biting my lip. He looked across me for a moment and his eyes were so intense I had to look away.

"That's my room?" I said, pointing to make sure I got the right one. He nodded and held eye contact with me. I didn't look away this time. Instead I held the eye contact right back, daring him to be the one to look away.

We were both drawn away when an overly happy voice came ringing out of the kitchen. "Is that our new roommate?" A series of footsteps came cascading out of the kitchen until a blonde girl with a pageant queen smile was standing in front of me. She dried her hands off on an olive green towel that was draped over her arm and then stuck her hand out to me.

"Hi, I'm Caroline!" She was beautiful. Her golden blonde hair tumbled down her shoulders with just the right amount of curl and her perfect Colgate smile was framed by plump lips the same color as her blushed cheeks.

I reached out and took her hand with a soft smile that was only a fraction of hers. She shook my hand enthusiastically and then turned from me to Damon, smiling. "Well, Damon, aren't you going to give her the tour?" She whipped him in the butt with her towel and I stood there awkwardly. I wandered if they were together briefly and then the other remnant joined us and by the way she looked at him I knew she didn't have eyes for anyone else.

He wasn't as attractive as Damon, but he was attractive. His eyes were the same olive green as the towel Caroline was holding and the drapes. He had a nice smile. He shook my hand. "I'm Stefan Salvatore, Damon's brother."

I looked between them, searching for any sort of family resemblance. " You didn't mention you were brothers in your emails." Damon looked over at me and winked. "Well Stefan's not one to brag." I laughed and Stefan rolled his eyes.

Caroline kept smiling that prom queen smile and after a moment of silence, she grabbed me by the hand. "Come on. I'll give you the tour if neither of them are going to." She whipped them both with the towel playfully, and then lead me out of the doorway and into my new apartment.