Hey Guys! Some this is my second Fan Fiction. Hopefully it won't be as much of an epic failure as the first. Haha. :D Enjoy!

My thoughts were all on the charming stranger I'd just encountered as I entered my parent's car. I want you to get everything you're looking for. I remembered how his bright blue eyes widened when he'd said that, recalled how wise his words had been. You want a love that consumes you. You want passion, and adventure, and even a little danger. I saved the words, tucked them into my mind carefully, anxious to get home and record them in my diary. It would be cited, "A quote from Damon, the wise, bright eyed, mysterious stranger."

I was slumped against the window, my head in my hand. My mother eyed me through the rear-view mirror of our car. Her face was warm, her features soft, as she looked on with the concern of a caring parent.

I sighed. "Thank you for coming to pick me up. I'm sorry that I skipped out on family night."

My Dad shrugged from the driver's seat. "You didn't miss too much."

I took that answer, knowing I was forgiven, and watched out the window. Tall, thick tree trunks stretched all the way to the horizon, until the deep green leaves pillowed out at the tops. The night was already black, with little silvery stars sprinkled over the sky. I reached forward across my seat to turn the heat up. A calm feeling settled throughout my body. This town was so familiar, so quiet and safe. As I'd told Damon, nothing bad ever happened in Mystic Falls.

Creaky noises rose around us as we began the drive over Wickery Bridge. I shivered as the thought of how cold the water below us must be crossed my mind. It was chilly enough outside; the water had to be freezing. I rested my head back against the upholstry of the seat, and felt my eyelids droop.

It had been a long week. I was going to have to do something about my boyfriend, and close friend, Matt. He'd always been a wonderful friend to me, and now, I needed to be a good friend to him, by telling him the truth. Our relationship wasn't going to go anywhere in the romance department. I'd hoped maybe it would pick up, that maybe I would feel something. I'd accomplished nothing by waiting for that to happen, though. In fact, I'd only hurt him more because of it. The sooner I was honest with Matt, the better.

I thought about my mother's advice. I had to let Matt go, like she'd said. Bonnie had told me the same thing, but somehow, my mother had been more comforting about it. All mothers could do that, I supposed. They saw the best in their children, and had a way of encouraging them to make the best choices. Bonnie was my best friend, but I needed my mother to help me make such a difficult call.

Suddenly, he car jerked violently. I gasped as my eyes flew open and my head banged against the door of the car. I barely had time to brace myself before we were plunging off the bridge, and into the lake.

Everything moved in slow motion as we dove. My hair flew up around my shoulders, and I shotup off the seat, airborne for seconds that seemed like hours. My eyes flitted to my parents. My father was gripping the steering wheel tightly, his face showcasing his frustration, and, worse, his terror. Next to him, my mother's eyes were squeezed closed, her hands tightened on the edges of her seat.

And then, we hit the water hard, like it was concrete. I whimpered as my teeth cracked together, and my head hit hard on the chair in front of me. Once again, my lids slipped closed.

When I awoke again, the car was ankle deep in frigid water. Dad was a blur as he beat against the door. When he glanced at me, he looked panic stricken.

"Elena, try to open your door," he commanded.

I did as I was told, and undid my buckle so that I could try to push out the door with my foot. I shoved with all my might, until I saw red, until I couldn't push any longer, and then I collapsed.

"I can't, Dad."

He wasn't listening to me, banging his elbow against the window. It was half way sealed in the water already. I glanced at my mother. Something red trickled down her temple, and she was limp against her chair.

"Dad!" The icy water rose up to her nose. I began to shudder. "Dad!" My mouth filled.

He seemed to have been taken over by his wild need to break out. He couldn't appear to hear me at all.

"Daddy!" I screamed. I batted my hand against his shoulder. Bubbles blew out through my nose. I shoved upward and took my last deep breath, before the car submerged completely.

That was when Dad stopped. His eyes were sad and still as he reached back and held the hand I stretched out to him. He shook his head, as if to say 'No. No, we're not getting out.'

We weren't getting out. He couldn't break the glass. We were all going to drown in this car, together. We were going to drown before I could grow up, and go to college if I wanted to. Before I could get married, or have kids, or even fall truly in love at all. I wanted those things Damon spoke of—adventure, and passion. I wanted to live, to breathe, to fight, to laugh, to cry. I wanted to have birthdays and I wanted to get in trouble, just once, and I wanted to know what it was to be complete.

I wanted my parents to stay with me. I wanted to watch them to grow old together, and to become one of those happy elderly couples who sits on their porch with their grandchildren and holds hands. I wanted to be there when Jeremy, my brother, graduated, or when he got married, or when I became an aunt.

I wanted to live.

I wasn't going to, though. I was going to die, there, in that cold, dark lake, trapped in that old, rundown car. I'd never get to say goodbye to Jer, Bonnie, Matt, or Caroline. I couldn't write about Damon tonight. What was even worse was that I had about a minute to accept that, if I wanted to be peaceful as I drifted away.

So, I faded going through all my best memories. Time spent with friends, and family; Christmases, parties, laughter, happiness. I remembered the times when all I'd felt was the love of my family and friends, because that was all there was. I wondered what would have come of me, if I'd gotten the chance to pursue a life in writing. I imagined that I'd sell a few books, and I'd live in a big house somewhere warm, surrounded by people who loved me.

My last thought was really a hope, and it was that I would have been happy. Then everything went dark.

I was dropped onto something hard. My body felt numb, my skin too cold to register any feeling. I couldn't open my eyes…or maybe they were already opened and everything was just too blurry to make out? I felt something tickle my chin, and then something—someone—press against my chest. Listening to my heart beat?

It hurt to breathe.

There was a horrible, ripping sound.

I felt as though I were still trapped under the water; I hadn't completely resurfaced. My mind was blocked, and everything moved sluggishly. Was I really even alive?

Something warm dripped onto my lips. My nose twitched and I licked my top teeth. The taste made me wince. It was like over-salted macaroni.

A...something...was pressed into my mouth, and the liquid began to flow, burning down my throat. It wasn't a cup, or a straw...the liquid was coming from something cold and smooth. The more I drank, the more my consciousness began to return. I moaned and gripped the source of the drink, and began to gulp deeply. As I slurped and sucked, I felt cuts closing, bones cracking back into place, and water dissipating in my lungs. Life flooded in, and my eyes shot open.

I locked gazes with sweet, hazel eyes, framed by dark lashes. My eyes traveled across the man's face, his perfectly straight nose and cute, light brown hair. His eyebrows drew in, the ghost of a frown marked by a faint wrinkle in between his eyes.

I watched him pull his wrist from my mouth softly. A cut on his arm, dripping with blood, sealed and then vanished in mere seconds.

What?

I sat straight up, choking on something. Before I knew it, I was hunched over, throwing up dirty water.

A hand tentatively patted my back, and I stiffened. "Who..." My voice shook. "Who are you?"

I swept my hair over my shoulder and looked back at him, sitting crouched behind me. Wordlessly, he held his hands out and helped me stand.

My head spun, and I took in the setting. I felt like I'd been asleep for hours. We were standing on the muddy bank by the lake under Wickery Bridge.

The events rushed back, staggering me. My dad had lost control of our car…there was a jolt and…and we dove off the bridge. I remembered hitting my head, but when I pressed my hand to where the gash should've been, there was nothing. It all could have been a dream, had I not been standing in cattails right now... I remembered saying goodbye, remembered understanding that I was going to die, that I was going to drown, along with my parents.

"My parents!" I cried, and stumbled towards the lake. A hand caught my arm and held me back.

"No!" I turned hopelessly, and met those eyes once more.

"Katherine?"

I shook my head, frowning, wet hair slapping my skin. "I'm Elena. Let me go!"

The stranger nodded and his pupils dilated as he looked straight through me.

I was suspended in those eyes as soon as he spoke. Time, space, sound, it all ceased. Only his words mattered; those eyes were all I could see.

It wasn't like hearing the words as he spoke them. It was like feeling them in my mind, and believing in them with every fiber of my being.

"Help is coming for you. You're not going to remember ever meeting me. Now, lie down. You're going to be fine. Go to sleep."

I nodded, and automatically, I collapsed. My knees gave and his arms caught me and helped me down. His fingers brushed my cheek, and then he was gone.

Four months later.

Dear Diary,

Today will be different. It has to be. I will smile, and it will be believable. My smile will say, "I'm fine, thank you. Yes, I feel much better." I will no longer be the sad little girl that lost her parents. I will start fresh, be someone new. It's the only way I'll make it through.

I put down my pen and sighed. It had been four months since the tragic death of my parents, and my 'miraculous' survival. Four months without the love and care of my mother, or the strength and safety of my father. Four months without a single smile. Four months of Hell.

It was wrong, somehow, that I had lived. I'd been meant to go down with them. They were my family. If I were to die, it should have been with them. We should have been together. I shouldn't have survived. It really wasn't even possible. The water pressure blocked the doors; no human could have gotten out of that car. The doctors couldn't explain why I'd lived, or how. "It's a true miracle," they said.

I disagreed.

A miracle is an unbelievably good thing, and it happens to those worthy of receiving them. I wasn't spared because I deserved to live a happy life. I was denied peace, because I wasn't entitled to it. I lived now with grief and guilt, whereas death may have been calm. I supposed life was my punishment for being the cause of my parent's death. If I would've just gone to family night, stayed in that day, they never would've had to drive me home. They wouldn't have had any reason to drive across that bridge that night, had it not been for me. I wasn't even supposed to be at that party in the first place.

Jeremy didn't blame me. He pretended that he didn't care anymore, acted like he was detached, and not just from my parents, but from his own feelings, his own life. He'd spent the summer getting high enough to forget everything that mattered. Jeremy was no longer the bright, gifted child I'd known. He was no longer my brother. He was just the hollow, empty carcass of a future whose promise had been broken.

Bonnie, Caroline, Matt, they too insisted that I didn't do it. But, I knew I did. I wished I could apologize. I wished I could go back, and change my decision to go to the party in the first place. I couldn't, though, and so I learned to forgive myself. I couldn't go on hating myself. It wasn't going to bring them back; it would only bring me down. Mom and Dad wouldn't have wanted that. They'd have wanted me to soldier on. They'd have wanted Jeremy to do the same, too, which was why it was now my responsibility to set him straight, not Aunt Jenna's.

Aunt Jenna had assumed role as our caretaker. She was in over her head, and she was irresponsible, ad she didn't have the slightest clue as to how to raise a teenager, but I loved her for trying. She put her whole life on hold to help us carry ours on. I owed it to her, as well, to pick myself back up. No more wallowing; it was useless. The summer had been my own freebie; now, I needed to face reality. I needed to be strong.

I took a deep breath. Facing the door, I moved to exit the room, when a cold blast of window rocked through my open window. A crow perched on the sill, and let out a caw. I stiffened, and turned back to shut and lock the window. That bird was creepy.

I padded down the stairs, preparing my smile for Jenna. She was where I knew she would be; sitting at the island, munching on some cereal.

"Happy first day of school," she said through a bite.

"Thanks." I grabbed an apple and sat across from her on one of the wooden stools. "Is Jeremy up?"

She nodded her head, honey blonde hair falling over her shoulder. "Yeah, he said he wanted to get there early."

I frowned. "Did he say why?"

"Nope." She scraped the edges of her bowl with her spoon. "But, I'm guessing that it had something to do with Vikki Donovan."

I should have known. Jeremy had loved Vikki since we were kids. She was Matt's sister, so whenever Matt and Vikki were around, so was Jer. It was all very puppy-dog eyes and wagging tails, but she loved to kick him out on the street. Thankfully, the obsession had dwindled when Vikki developed a drug habit in her freshman year. Jer had managed to take a different road than she had; he was bright, kind, and lively. His grades were above average, and even adults had a tendency to gravitate towards his positive energy. But, now that Jeremy had an addiction too, his affections for Vikki had returned. Throughout the summer, he'd alternated between hooking up with Vikki and getting stoned with Vikki. She was dragging him down to her level, and I was worried that it was a hole he couldn't dig himself out of.

"Oh," I muttered. I bit into my apple. It was tart, and the peel was dry in my mouth. I sighed and tossed it in the garbage can. When Jenna gave me a look, I lied, "I'm going to be late."

We said our goodbyes and I grabbed my keys, and my bag, off the counter.

I watched the ground as I walked, counting the cracks in the sidewalk. I had to do things like that sometimes; focus on tiny little details to keep myself from breaking down. Asking about Jeremy was a cue that I needed to watch myself. I knew now when I was in danger of going off, because it had happened so many times (at which point I would hide in my room and cry into my pillow where Jeremy and Jenna couldn't hear and therefore couldn't be affected.) When I picked up on triggers, I distracted myself so that my mind wouldn't settle on one specific family drama. Then, eventually, my worries would skirt to the back of my mind, and I had room to process the things that were happening in the present.

Presently, there were three cracks down my driveway. There were a few dead leaves sitting on the pavement, and there were eight aunts scrambling around. Presently, the wind was blowing onto my cheeks, freezing my hands, which I had shoved into the pockets of my inadequate coat.

Presently, there was a crow sitting on the hood of my old car. A fog was swirling up around my feet, and my legs began to shake. Swiftly, I fumbled with my keys and unlocked the door. I whisked myself in quickly. It was a little warmer inside, and a lot safer. I blasted the heat and sat back until my heart slowed.

Evil crows are not following you, I told myself. I waited a few minutes, and then I opened my eyes. The world seemed normal now, and it was comforting. I just needed to get out of my own head.

I turned the key to the right setting in the ignition, and tapped my foot on the pedal.

That was when I knew I should have taken Bonnie up on her offer to drive me to school. I wasn't ready for this. I groaned, knowing I had two options: call Bonnie and confess my weakness, or man up and drive myself to school.

I narrowed my eyes in determination. I could do this. I nudged the gas again, and put the car in reverse…and just like that, the walls of the car seemed to collapse, my stomach rolled, my head throbbed, and I couldn't breathe. I yanked the key into off and threw my door open. The fresh air washed away the ill feeling, and I stepped out and leaned against the frame of the vehicle.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked the time. 7:15. I couldn't walk, and Bonnie would already be past my house by now. She was a good friend; she'd turn around and come get me, but I didn't want her to go out of her way. I could have asked Jenna, but I wanted her to think that I was okay.

If everyone thought I was fine, maybe I could start to believe it, too.

I closed the door and put the keys in my backpack. "Screw it," I mumbled, and huddled into my jacket as I walked down the street. School was about a mile away. I'd just have to get a late pass...on the first day of school.

I was half way down the block when I heard a car behind me. Jealously made me grind my teeth together; I'd bet that it was cozy inside that car. Leather seats, hot air, a purring motor and a driver who could drive. While, there I was, walking to school in a too-light jacket, a shivering, miserable mess. I was pathetic. If that person would drive into a puddle and splash me, life would be complete.

The driver didn't splash me with a puddle, though. Instead, he slowed his sleek black car down, and unrolled his window. "Need a ride?"

I recognized him. "Don't I know you?" His blue eyes and black hair were so familiar.

I want you to get everything you're looking for.

I gasped. I hadn't thought about that in a long, long time. The moment with him, right before the crash, rushed back. The memory was so different now, after all that had happened. It was strange, how marred the moment seemed, because I knew that it had been the last happiness I'd had before my parents died.

And he had made me happy. He'd made me hopeful, and eager to dive into a life full of love and adventure. I'd wanted that…until everything changed. "Damon. You're Damon, aren't you?"

He smirked. "Last time I checked." His eyes grazed over me. "Where are you headed?"

Shouldn't it be obvious? "School."

His dark eyebrows scrunched in surprise. "You look older…are you a senior?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Well, Elena—it's Elena, isn't it?" He didn't wait for answer. "You have a long way to walk, and I'm in a chilvarous mood today, so, would you like a ride to school?"

It was a stupid thing to do—get in a stranger's car. I knew that, but I was also freezing, and something about Damon's bright blue eyes made me trust him. "Thank you," I said and I opened the door and climbed in.

I'd been right about leather seats, and the warmth. It really was a comfortable ride-and a quiet one, too. By the time I got up the courage to break our silence, we were almost to school. "Do you remember meeting me?" I asked.

He nodded. "Is your belief that nothing bad happens in Mystic Falls still intact?"

My eyes stung and I looked away. "Not quite."

He turned a corner. I liked the way he drove with one hand on the wheel. He was confident, and that made it easier for me. "What changed your mind?"

I watched out the window. "I…it's a long, sad story."

"I have time."

"But, I don't."

He frowned at me.

"School, remember?"

"Ah." Right on cue, he pulled me into the parking lot. "Well, Elena, I'd love to hear your story sometime."

I met his eyes. "Thank you for the ride."

He winked. "I'll see you around."

I opened the door and stepped out. I expected to hear his engine rumble away, but he stayed until I got into the building. I almost waved, but didn't want to look stupid. As I made my way to my locker, I found myself hoping to meet Damon again.

"Elena!" Caroline tackled me with a bear hug, her fruity perfume making my nose itch. "How are you?"

I smiled. "I'm fine." When it came to Caroline, the phrase 'dumb blonde' was totally accurate. I loved Caroline, but she definitely pushed it.

"Are you sure? I mean, it's only been four months!"

I cringed. As I scrambled for a reply, tears burned in my eyes. I looked down so she wouldn't see and was about to say anything—just, anything—to distract her, when Bonnie appeared out of thin air and saved me.

"She's been doing better, Car," she said. "Right, Elena?"

I nodded, clearing my head. "Yes, I'm better now."

Caroline smiled. "Good. Ooh!" She pointed to the administration office. "Fresh meat!"

I laughed and rolled my eyes. The only thing visible of this 'fresh meat; was his leather-jacket clad back."I have to get to my locker. I'll meet you guys for lunch?"

"Sure," Bonnie agreed warmly.

I'd never had a friend as close to me as Bonnie was. She was more like a sister than a friend, really. We'd grown up together, and I have this theory that anything could happen, and we'll still be best friends. We just knew each other inside and out. We pushed each other, comforted each other, shopped together, and ate ice cream together when one of our dates failed. We'd had our fights, but they were always meaningful, unlike the petty squabbles that other girls tended to get into, over boys or other friends. Bonnie and I encouraged each other to be our best, and we always have one another's backs. I'd trust Bonnie with anything. I would even give her my diary to read cover to cover if she needed.

Bonnie had been a good friend these past four months especially. She kept me from going over the edge after my parent's death. I didn't like to burden her with all the drama, though. That was another big part of why I was putting on a good face today.

The biggest reason, though, was that I didn't want to be sad anymore. It was exhausting. I just wanted to live now, and maybe I would have to live with guilt, and I'd have to accept that. I was just finished with sulking.

The hallways seemed oddly quiet, but I didn't pay attention as I fought with my locker. The door was a little sticky from not being used in months. After a few moments of pulling, I grew annoyed, and dropped my backpack to the floor. I braced my foot on the wall and yanked back with all my might.

The door flew open violently, and I shut my eyes, bracing myself, because I knew I was about to get slammed in the face.

A hand came down and grabbed the swinging metal before it could break my nose. It all happened very quickly, and I looked up, a little disoriented.

Soft, hazel eyes met mine. They melted with the stranger's smile as they stared me down.

My eyes flickered to his hand, still holding the door. On his middle finger, I noticed an old-looking, dark blue ring. The carving in the middle looked a little like a family crest.

I looked back up at him. He was new-he must have been the boy from the administrator's office. I felt remorse at the fact that I hadn't seen his face earlier. It would've given me a chance to prepare myself for this moment. Now, I was all caught up in his incredible beauty, and I couldn't think of anything to say.

Thankfully, he spoke first. "That was a close one."

I blinked. "What?—Oh! Right, yeah. Thank you for…" I sounded like an idiot. "I—I'm Elena," I finally said. "And I really appreciate you catching that door. That would've hurt."

His pale-pink lips picked up into a smile. "I'm Stefan." He took his hand off the door and put it in the pocket of his dark jeans. "And, you're welcome."

I blinked a few more times, and managed a smile. "Well, I think I can probably manage from here without breaking my face. Thanks again, Stefan."

He nodded. "My pleasure."

I couldn't help but watch him walk off. He wasn't overly tall—maybe an inch or so more than I was. Then again, I was taller than average, so maybe he was tall. He had a confident stride, but looked around him as he made his way, as though he were ready for someone to jump out and attack him.

The warning bell rang to knock me out of my stupor, and I swiftly emptied out my heavy bag into my locker. I arranged the notebooks into an order that could almost be considered organized, intending to fix it after class. I pulled out my schedule and checked my first period. With a groan, I gathered my things for history, with Mr. Tanner. Mr. Tanner was rough, and he was grouchy early in the morning.

I ran to class, knowing his was the last on my list of Subjects to be Late For.

I jumped into a seat right before the bell rang, and busied myself with taking out my notebook to avoid Tanner's glare. When I heard him writing on the chalkboard, I knew it was safe to look up. I sighed in relief and leaned back. Sunlight was pouring through the window, blinding my peripheral vision. I tried to turn my head the other way, squinting.

To my surprise, my eyes landed on Stefan's form. His body was tilted towards mine in the desk next to me, and he had a small smile on his face.

"The sun is killing me," I explained in a whisper, my cheeks flushing.

"I can close them," he offered. Before I could tell him he didn't have to, he got up and made his way to the window. He released the blinds so that they blocked the sun, accidentally drawing Tanner's attention.

"Mr. Salvatore?" His voice was condescending.

Stefan turned. "Yes?"

"Did I give you permission to do that?"

Stefan's eyes narrowed slightly, and he stared at Mr. Tanner. Something changed on Tanner's face, but I seemed to be the only one to notice. "Is there a problem?" Stefan asked, his voice calm.

I felt chills go up my spine as Tanner's face went totally blank. "No, no, you're fine. Take a seat."

The rest of the day had passed hazily. I had two other classes with Stefan, and I liked that. I liked him. Bonnie, Caroline and I made plans to meet up at our favorite restaurant, the Grill, at seven. That meant that I had about four hours to myself. We hadn't gotten homework, since it was the first day, the only time the teacher's didn't have to teach anything, so I was free to spend the rest of my day in whatever way I wanted.

So, I double-checked my backpack for my diary, and once I'd assured that it was with me, I walked straight to the cemetery.

I liked to sit in the graveyard and write. It was peaceful there. It made me feel closer to my parents, too. I didn't find the cemetery to be a sad place; just quiet…and a bit foggy.

I got to the gates unseen, but when I saw a tall figure going up the path, I decided I should turn around. There was an access through the woods, and I was better off being careful. I didn't want to get shooed out—this was my favorite place to be.

I was mildly irritated that I had to walk around to the woods, but I knew it was worth it. It was still cold out; I shoved my cold hands into my pockets, wishing for gloves.

I found the parting in the trees that marked my 'secret' entrance, and I ducked in. The wildlife sounds were soothing, and familiar. I enjoyed the trek up to the graveyard. I was surrounded by tall, beautifully green trees with trunks twice, maybe three times my width. I watched a blue-jay fly from one treetop to another. The leaves rustled when it landed in a nest hidden somewhere behind the big branches. Rushing water sounded in my right ear, and a wolf's howl in my left. A bunny scampered out of the bushes, and a squirrel shot right past my feet. It was all very Snow White, until I caught sight of the graveyard.

I could see that the sky was cloudy and grey out of the cover of trees. The quiet seemed maybe a little too quiet. Still, I squared my shoulders and kept going. I had nothing to be afraid of; anyone around here was...dead.

I wasn't watching where I was going, too enveloped in all the woodsy scenery, and I slammed into someone.

Startled, I screamed, and stumbled backwards. Strong hands caught me before I fell, and I looked up to find Damon's bright blue eyes holding amusement.

"Did you fall for me, Elena?" he asked with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes good naturedly. "The kind of balance you'd expect from a cheerleader, huh?"

He laughed as he let me go slowly. "Maybe from a drunk cheerleader."

I shoved my hands into my back pockets. "So, Damon, what are you doing out here? In a cemetery?"

"Near a cemetery," he corrected.

"Right."

He exhaled loudly—not exasperatedly, but loudly just the same. "I could ask you the same question." He cupped the back of his neck. "I was…lurking."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I'm very mysterious that way. Now it's your turn, Elena. Why are you wandering around the woods, near the cemetery?"

I frowned. "I…my parents are buried here."

His smirk lost all of its edge and the heat in his eyes poured out. "I'm sorry," he said simply.

"Thank you." I bit my lip. "I was going to go—visit—but, I—"

"No, no, that's okay. I understand. Go ahead and do the grieving thing, but, Elena?"

"Yes?" The way he said my name, heavy on the 'E', made my toes curl.

"You really shouldn't spend too much time out here alone," he warned.

"I'll be careful," I promised. I started to walk away, but halfway to the graveyard, I paused. "Hey, Damon," I called, intending to invite him to the Grill. He didn't answer.

I turned, but he was gone.

I sighed and made my way up to my parent's headstones. The gravel crackled underneath my sneakers, and the wind began to pick up. I shivered, and made a snap decision to just turn around and go home. Damon was right; I spent too much time around the dead.

The sky was dark as I stepped out of my car and entered the Grill. The Grill was this great café, all low lighting, pool tables, and brick walls on the inside. It smelled faintly of beer and strongly of coffee, and there was a bell that rang on the door when you walked in. Bonnie and Caroline were already seated in one of the dark-wood tables, right smack dab in the middle of the room. I smiled and waved to them as they beckoned me over.

A waiter carrying a tray full of glasses stepped in front of me. "Excuse me," we said at the same time as I took a step backwards, right into someone else.

"I'm sorry," I immediately apologized, spinning to see who I'd hit. "Damon," I breathed surprised.

"You just can't keep yourself off of me today," he murmured, eyes wicked.

I couldn't help but smile. "I'm beginning to suspect that you're following me, you know."

"You should be a detective when you grow up," he teased.

The comment was light, but I couldn't help but realize that he hadn't denied stalking me.

The fact that I wasn't upset by this was a very bad sign.

"I, um—my friends and I are sitting over there, if you want to join us," I offered awkwardly.

"Um…sure." His smile brightened. "Yeah, sure."

"Okay."

He followed closely behind me as I led him to the table, and I couldn't tell if he was too close, or not close enough. There was only one empty chair, so I reached to drag him another one from the empty table next to us.

"We could just share this one," he suggested with another smirk.

I tried to hold back my giggle, or at least the blush that flamed in my cheeks, but I couldn't help it. Damon got to me. "No, that's okay," I declined, and handed him the back of a chair.

He put his body as close to mine as possible when he grabbed it from me. "Thanks."

We sat down to a thrumming silence, and I cleared my throat. Bonnie, as usual, was the first to get the cue. "Uh, I'm Bonnie." She tried to sound confident, but I knew she was uncomfortable. "This is Caroline."

Caroline waved, a sultry look flitting across her face. "Hey."

He nodded to her. "It's nice to meet the both of you. I'm Damon Salvatore. You might go to school with my brother, Stefan."

My eyes widened and my head snapped to look at him. "Stefan's your brother?"

"I didn't tell you?"

I shook my head. "No."

He shrugged. "Well, it's true, and, by the way, don't believe anything the brat tells you about me."

I smiled to myself. Damon's love for his brother shined through his words. They must've been close.

"So, you two just moved here, then?" Bonnie confirmed.

He nodded. "Yeah, this summer."

"Where did you live before?"

"A little bit of everywhere." He folded his hands behind his neck and sat back, getting comfortable.

"That sounds exciting," Caroline supplied.

"I am."

I snorted. "So, do you have any other siblings?"

"Nope, it's just me and Stef. We live with our uncle Zach."

"No parents?" Caroline asked bluntly.

I winced. "Carr."

"Sorry," she whispered.

Damon waved her off. "No, it's fine. My parents died a long time ago. We've been on our own for awhile."

"So, you haven't lived with Zach all your life?" I wondered.

He shook his head 'no.' "Sometimes it's just Stefan and I, sometimes it's just me. I haven't been to Mystic Falls in years, and it's been almost as long since I've seen Stefan. When I learned he was coming back, I figured now was the perfect time for me to do the same."

"That sounds lonely," I mumbled.

He shrugged. "If I get bored, I go see Stefan, but I usually find other ways to preoccupy myself." That sounded a little bit like an innuendo.

Bonnie asked, "You're not in school?"

He waved his hand back and forth in the on-and-off gesture. "I took a year off after I graduated and then it sort of became a permanent vacation. Had a whole bunch of scholarships, but I'm just not ready quite yet. Anyway, we had a small family fortune, so I'm pretty much set."

"Well, what did you want to be?" I asked.

He laughed. "Well, what I want to be and what other people want me to be is a very long story, which I will tell you another time."

He was mysterious.

"So," Caroline began, "There's a Decade Dance tomorrow at our school. You should come."

"Carr, he probably doesn't want to go to a High School dance," I interjected. "Sorry, Damon."

"No," he said, "Actually, I'd love to go—that is, if you're going to be there."

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh. I—am, I guess."

"What time should I pick you up?" he asked, winking.

I scrambled for an answer, feeling like I was a step behind. Bonnie beat me to the punch. "The dance starts at seven," she offered.

Damon smiled at me. "I'll pick you up at seven—it's settled."

"I guess so." Without my consent really, but, oh well.

I was excited.

Okay, so I know that may have been a little boring, but it gets better. I promise.