BAD THINGS

CHAPTER ONE-AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR

I stared nervously at the Mystic Grill across the street. I had no idea how he would take seeing me after all these years, but I had hoped that he would welcome me. Taking a deep breath, I began heading across to the grill. I pushed open the door and entered.

The grill was noisy with live music playing and the waitresses were moving easily, placing orders on the tables. I let my eyes roam up to the bar. I spied him sitting there sipping bourbon from a glass. I shut my eyes briefly and tried to center myself. After a moment, I opened my eyes and headed toward him. I stopped beside him and went to open my mouth, but I heard him exhale.

"Elena, Damon is looking for you…" he said and turned to face me. His blue eyes widened in shock and surprise. "Lena? Is that you?" he asked sounding incredulous.

I nodded and grinned at him. "Alaric! It's so good to see you!" I gushed happily. I threw my arms around him and hugged him. He seemed stunned, but slowly hugged me back.

Ric and I sat in a booth. The waitress brought me a Coke, but Alaric didn't want anything.

"I haven't seen you in a long time," he said softly. "What have you been up to?"

I shrugged one shoulder and took a sip of the Coke. "Nothing much. I-I wasn't sure you'd be happy to see me anyway," I said lowering my eyes to the table. I heard Ric sigh and shift his weight in the booth.

"No I am really," he said reaching across the table and gently squeezing my hand. "I was just in shock. I assume you heard about Isobel?" He asked.

I could see pain behind his eyes. I nodded.

"I know she turned into a vampire," I said quietly. Something changed in Ric's eyes. He looked around before leaning forward more.

"How do you know about that?" he demanded. Out of the corner of my eye, I spied a young girl with long dark brown hair and hazel eyes flanked by a guy. He had black hair and blue eyes. They began approaching us. I felt a warm feather brush over my brain. I could hear the guys' thoughts.

I wonder who this hot chick is with Ric…?

"Hey Ric. Whose your friend?" The young girl asked cheerfully.

"Elena? Damon? This is Lena Matthews, my best friend from College. She says she knows that Isobel was a vampire," Alaric said carefully leaning back in the booth. The black haired young man grabbed my arm, yanking me to my feet.

"You're coming with us," he said smirking.

We all left the grill. They brought us to an old Tudor style house. Apparently, this was Damon's home. Damon dropped me on the couch.

He was dressed in black slacks and a black pinstripe shirt. It set off his blue eyes nicely. He leaned against the doorway and folded his arms over his chest.

"I suggest you start talking before your pretty face ends up six feet under," he said coolly.

"Damon," Alaric said in a warning tone.

"Lena? Please tell us what you know or how you know," the young girl said softly.

I tucked a few strands of my wavy shoulder length black hair behind my ear. My pale blue eyes studied my hands for a few moments, before they raised to the young girl named Elena Gilbert. I kept my eyes on her, avoiding eye contact with Alaric.

"I'm a telepath," I said softly. "I can read minds. I met Isobel a few years ago. I could read her mind what she was planning on doing, but I was terrified to say anything to her for fear she'd see me as some kind of Paranormal Research. Oddly, I can only read supernatural's' minds'…not humans."

I heard Ric exhale slowly. I turned my eyes onto his.

"I wanted so badly to alert you to what she was doing, but she threatened to tell someone named Klaus and that I'd be badly hurt or even worse. I couldn't," I said as tears swelled in my eyes. I heard Damon exhale irritably. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alaric get up and come sit next to me.

"It's ok Lena," he said quietly. I felt his hand on my back. Elena looked at my sympathetically.

"Yeah. I would've been terrified myself," Elena offered gently.

"I know that Damon is a vampire," I continued. I felt my head jerked back and stared upside down into the blue eyes of Damon. His hand was under my throat, giving it a little squeeze. I made a choking noise.

"Dammit Damon," Alaric said angrily. "She won't tell!"

"Damon stop," Elena said also angrily.

I felt Damon release my throat. I bent over wheezing. Elena grabbed a glass of liquor. She handed it to me. I took a few sips and immediately my throat felt better.

"How do you know she won't tell? Hmm? She is a danger being here. If anyone gets wind that she can read supernatural's minds, our lives will be in danger," Damon said downing a glass of whiskey.

"You didn't give me a chance to finish," I said coldly. "I know that you're a vampire and I won't tell. Secondly, no one else knows what I am except you three."

Elena gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

"Well, we will protect you. You're a friend of Ric's who is like family to us," she said softly. Her tone slightly hardened when she looked at Damon. "All of us."

I smiled at her and gave her a hug. She hugged me back.

"Now I'm sure you and Ric have catching up to do," Elena said wiggling her eyebrows at me. "Damon and I have to get to the grill. We'll be back later."

"Bye guys," Ric called over his shoulder as Elena and Damon left. I inhaled deeply and stared down at my hands.

"I know you probably hate me," I said quietly. "For not telling you about Isobel."

Alaric scooted closer. "No. I understand why you did it. Forget it ok?" he said softly. "But why haven't you called me over the years?"

I shrugged one shoulder. "Again I wasn't sure you wanted to see me after what I did,"

"I was worried about you," he continued studying me. "I would've liked to have known why you just up and left after Isobel and I got married. What happened, Lena?"

I slowly got up and headed over to a window, peering out at the beautiful sunrays that came through. I chewed on my bottom lip and folded my arms over my chest. I took a deep breath.

I could feel Ric's eyes on my back. "I left because I couldn't stand it anyone. I knew I couldn't have you so I up and left. It was much easier that way," I said shutting my eyes. There was silence behind me.

Feeling like a complete idiot, I turned and fled.

I ended up back at the grill. I spied Elena and Damon. Elena waved me over. I headed over to her. She was sitting with a blond haired girl, who was a vampire and a dark skinned girl with dark hair. A witch.

"Hey guys," Elena said to them cheerfully. "This is Lena. She's Alaric's best friend. She knows about us." She added the last word meaningfully.

"How?" the blond haired vampire asked sipping a Coke.

"Oh I'm a telepathic. I can only read supernatural's minds," I offered sitting next to Elena.

"Lena? This is Caroline Forbes and Bonnie Bennett," Elena introduced. Bonnie reached out to take my hand. I let her take it. She closed her hand around mine and closed her eyes. After a few moments, she opened them and gave me a grin.

"She's good," Bonnie said.

"I'm so pleased that you think she's good," Damon said. Bonnie quirked an eyebrow at Damon, who let out a cry and clutched his head.

"I do. And stop whatever you're trying to do. She's on our side," Bonnie said coldly and turned her eyes back to me. Damon released his head and returned to sipping his drink. "Sorry Lena. Damon is an ass."

I chuckled.

"Where's Alaric?" Elena asked curiously. "I thought you guys were catching up."

"We were. I kinda fled after I told him the real reason why I haven't called him over the years," I said toying with the edge of a napkin.

"What happened?" Caroline asked studying me.

All eyes were on me. They seemed genuinely concerned, including Elena. I launched into the story.

"Back in college, Alaric and I were best friends. We were extremely close. We did everything together. People thought that we were going to date and get married," I said offering a rueful smile. "At that time, I didn't know he had fallen for me. I only saw him as a best friend. He met Isobel later on and fell in love with her, but at that time I realized that I did love him and was in love with him. It was too late. He and Isobel had gotten married. I felt like an idiot for waiting so long. He missed me and wanted to keep in contact with me but I felt so angry that I just picked up and left." I looked at each of their faces. Caroline had a dreamy expression on her face. Bonnie looked sad and so did Elena. There was something in Damon's eyes as he looked at Elena and then back to his drink.

"Oh that's so tragic!" Caroline gushed.

I heard the door opening to the grill. We looked up Alaric stood there looking frazzled but when he spied us at the table, I saw him visibly relax.

"Why haven't you told him?" Bonnie asked, lowering her voice.

"I did just now. I fled. I guess I'm a coward," I admitted. Alaric began heading over to us.

Ric stopped by our table and looked at everyone.

"What's with the mushy expressions?" he asked. Everyone quickly began rambling off some reason that of course, was nowhere near the truth. Ric's blue eyes moved onto mine. "Lena? You ok?"

I nodded and forced a grin. "Sure,"

"Where are you staying Lena?" Elena asked me suddenly. "I mean are you staying in Mystic Falls?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm actually moving here. I am here looking at houses, but I don't really have a place to stay yet,"

"Then you can stay with me," Elena offered cheerfully. "There's plenty of room. Jeremy's staying over Matt's house, err Matt's another one of our good close friends. Jeremy's my brother. It would be fun."

"I couldn't impose," I said shaking my head.

"You wouldn't! Plus, Bonnie and Caroline could come over. We could do a sleep over," Elena said excitedly.

"Totally!" Caroline chimed in. I caught on to their excitement and nodded my head, grinning.

Elena, Caroline and Bonnie got into a discussion about what movies and popcorn they should make. Damon shook his head.

"I would totally give a dollar to be a fly on the wall," he said winking at me. I giggled.

Alaric gently grabbed my elbow and pulled me to my feet. I let him pull me over to a corner of the grill where no one could over hear us. He stood in front of me. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a black shirt. I kept my eyes on his chest.

"Is that the reason why you left? Because you were in love with me?" his voice was quiet.

I nodded, avoiding his eyes. He stepped closer. I could pick up the faint cologne he used. My heart raced in my chest.

"You were with Isobel then," I said. "You were happy and that's all I cared about."

He put a hand on the side of my face, cupping the side of my jaw.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he said quietly.

"It doesn't matter really," I said. "Like I said you were happy. I wanted you to be happy."

"Lena!" Elena's voice called. I quickly moved my head in the direction of Elena's voice. Ric dropped his hand. "Let's go and get you settled in the house."

I nodded and risked looking at Alaric before I began following Elena. Damon raised his glass to Ric with a smug expression.

Elena got me settled in her house. It was a nice house, comfortable. I had my luggage in the back of my car so it was pretty easy settling in.

I changed into a pair of gray sweat pants and a white tank top. I pulled my black hair up into a ponytail. Some of the shorter strands hung down against my cheeks. My cheeks were naturally rosy, so I didn't even need blush. People say that my eyes were the most amazing. My eyes were a pale blue surrounded my thick lashes. I had soft pink lips as well. Elena and I were in the kitchen making popcorn. Bonnie and Caroline were there as well, dressed in their pajamas. I leaned against the counter.

"I can totally see Ric going for you," Caroline said cheerfully to me. "You're beautiful!"

I blushed and shook my head. "I don't think I'm that gorgeous,"

"Are you kidding?" Bonnie gushed. "Lena, you have the most gorgeous eyes! Any girl would like totally kill to get eyes like that!"

I blushed again. Elena grinned.

"I forgot something in my car. I'll be right back," I said. They nodded as I began heading toward the door. I stepped out into the cool night air. I could hear the crickets thrumming. Above, a half moon peered out from behind a fluffy white cloud. My 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, silver, was parked in the driveway. I clicked the 'unlock' button and the parking lights blinked at me. I opened the back cargo door and began rummaging around. I suddenly sensed something behind me. I whirled around and screamed. A man stood there. His eyes turned red with small veins exposed under the skin around them. His fangs glinted in the moonlight. He grabbed me and sank his fangs into my neck. After a few moments, the world went black.