Chapter one.

Annabell - Alex russo. (you'll understand later :P )

Matthew- Stefan Salvatore

February 24th 2003,

the streets were dark. Alot darker than what young annabell had expected. A foolish thought on annabell's part. As she dashed to the car giggeling along with her boyfriend feeling the chill of the cool night air hit her more than what she was used too. She shivered. Throwing open the door and dumping her bag on the floor she hoisted herself into her car, of course being in the passanger seat whilst charlie clambered into the front seat, the smell of alcohol both leaking from there bodies as they turned the radio onto there favourite station.

Charlie pulled out of the car park and onto the deserted roads. It was peaceful. As annabell rolled down her window to look outside she smiled. The moon was up, full to be exact. It captivated her. Her eyes focusing on the large orb floating in the sky above her. The trees loomed into her, making a cave around the road as if it was a natural tunnel. The fog rolled in off the fields next to her. Then reality it her. The alcohol wearing off her breath she paused and looked at charlie who seemed blissfully unaware of what was happening around them.

She rolled up her window in a panic and looked at charlie who quickly cottoned on to what was happening.

"Shit" Annabell mummbelled to her self as she covered her mouth from the smell of blood creeping into the air ducts and through her car. Usually the smell of blood didnt bother her, in fact it quite soothed her. The smell of fresh, red raw blood dripping from herself as she sucked the wound clean reminded her she was still alive. But this however. This was the reminder of death. And that fact they had most likely just driven past the body of this months victim. Charlie looked at her as annabell questioned her on the time.

"I told you parents i'd get you home by midnight, it's two thirty!"

His voice was full of suprise and shock as if all the alcohol coursing through his veins ran dry, leaving his blood to circulate as he realised the truth. Annabell stared at him. Panic in her eyes.

"they're going to kill me charlie"

Charlies face dropped as his eyes met hers in a paniced exchange.

"they actually will" She mummbeled as she looked at the fog blocking their path. Charlie excelerated hoping that the fog would start to clear further down the road

"Charlie! Will you please slow down! We're going to crash!" Annabell paniced gripping onto the door as the speed monitor flickered raising higher and higher. It was asif charlie couldnt stop no matter how hard he tried. Annabell began to tear as she feared for her own life and that of her current road raged boyfriend. The alcohol reared its head as annabell giggeled, immediately stopping herself she looked at the road.

"CHARLIE! STOP!"

Annabell screamed at charlie as a figure appeared out of the fog. Broad shoulders, Standing tall and proud making eye contact with annabell. Eyes she would always remember but at this moment she couldnt place. The car swirved as the mans body flew into the wind screen and bounced over the top of the car landing in the road.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Annabell shrieked although not moving from her spot as fear overcame her.

"I'll go check"

Charlie clammebered out of the car. Much like the way he had climbed in no more than 15 minutes ago. He turned the corner around the car to see the body meters infront of him. He froze overcoming his fears taking baby steps towards the corpse.

Back in the car a sudden chill filled the car. Annabell looked at the time on her phone. Her eyes shooting up glaring from under her eyelids.

Charlie looked at the body examening it. Trying to place the face that he knew oh so well. He bent down in shock, his hands touching the neck clearly broken of his dear friend. The corpse shot up. Knocking charlie over, piercing his neck as his teeth grew bigger.

"NO CHARLIE WAIT" She screamed at him as she pulled herself out of her car. She stepped forward but it was too late. She continued to run down the road as a swooping sound was heard over her. With a piercing scream she turned around to see charlie on the bonnet of her car. Blood just seconds before in his body keeping alive was over his neck, a bite mark out of his neck, blood trickeled down his arm as he lay there, the final breath escaping his lips as he sercum to the death that his town was warned about.

Another animal attack.

But he would dying knowing the truth.

It was a vampire.

He knew it.

And now so did Annabell.

The surviver.

August 29th 2003,

The room was silent as the kettle in the kitchen boiled, the wizzing sound of the heated water soothed Charlotte as she clung to the chair taking a few more seconds before walking to the kitchen to remove the kettle from the stove. The room she was now stood in was light, cream coloured with a dark wooden work surface that lined the room with a island in the middle. Pictures clung to the walls, Ones of Charlottes family, her brother Jeremy mostly as well as her best friend annabell. the one that caughter her eye was off her and Annabell last christmas. Annabell being annabell was at her house for christmas, there hair was a mess, They were both in there onesies. Although Charlotte despised the photo it was a good memory, one of the last ones she had seen annabell truely happy in. Until recently that is. She turned around to see Annabell behind her. She smiled a sympathetic smile as she poured the water into her mug letting it hit the tea bags taking thrill in the splash of scoulding water that lightly hit her arm.

"Want anything?" Charlotte inquired trying not to strike a nerve with annabell.

"I'm going to need more than coffee to get me through the day" Annabell mummbeled to herself as she pulled out the stool from the island counter and perched off the edge of it. The sadness in her eyes was clearly visable as charlotte also realised this would be Anna's first day back at school since the attack. Since her parents had pulled her out of school to teach her at home. but who could blame them? the looks she would have gotten. The stares. The talk. Annabell was insecure at the best of times but knowing the kids at school now had reason to hate her made her stomach churn.

"Its our senior year" Charlotte smiled. "Liven up!" She poured annabell a coffee and slid it across the counter trying to act much cooler than she really was.

Silence filled the room until annabell broke it.

"good morning jeremy" Annabell piped up smiling at him sweetly. He smiled and took the coffee off her. She gasped and he continued walking to the corner leaning against the counter. The two never really got as they grew up, understandable as they were two completley different people at heart. But due to annabell being as depressed as Jeremy was. They had found common ground. They're hatred for themselves.

"why do i bother?" annabell said sarcastically looking at jeremy who again smiled at her and drank from his mug. Charlotte looked at annabell feeling no time like the present was better to talk to her.

"So samantha told me you and matthew are close now?" She smiled sipping her tea and sitting on the seat next to annabell with a small smile

"You broke up with the kid on his birthday, he needed a shoulder to cry on" Annabell smiled a bitter sweet smile. She felt no regret for her growing friendship with matthew. Why should she? Charlotte broke up with him, she would understand if it was the other way around but she had broken his heart. It wasnt as if they werent friends in the first place. And it wasnt her fault she had feelings for him. But that part she had kept to herself for a while now.

"your welcome to have him" She smiled senseing there was something there. Jeremy sighed out of anger and started to make his way through the kitchen to the door.

"Your unbelievable"

He aimed it at charlotte but i think they all knew it was really for Annabell. His heart ached at the thought of her being someone elses,

"See even the mute agrees with me" Annabell said trying to get the blame away from her. She hated him being mad at her, having people mad at her was something she was never able to deal with.

School was busy as usual, but something happened that annabell wasnt expecting, no one really noticed her. She blended back into the scenery just like she had 6 months ago. She was normal again, she occasionally got a funny look, but it was to be expected. She had after all claimed charlie was killed by a vampire. Something you should never joke about around her town. Incase an elder heard, Although they were never believed the eldest senior of a ripe old age of 102 still claims her husband was killed by one that lived in the woods.

Matthew walked in. He was tall, very tall compared to those around him, He had his usual dark jeans, white v neck shirt on and leather jacket, he was rarely seen out of them appart from the occasional hoodie or sweater. Or sometimes a suit. But that was extremely rare. his eyes were glowing blue, lighter than usual But it may have just been the lighting,He smiled as he walked past his sister Samantha. Samantha was tall too, but that was mostly due to her wearing heels all the time. Her hair was dark brown and reached her lower ribs, her eye however were brown, rare compared to what people remembered of there mother, She herself having dark blue eyes. Most just put it down to them having a different father but most never questioned it. He ignored charlotte and walked over to annabell smiling.

"he hates me" charlotte exclaimed throwing her books into her locker.

"Well you did break up with him on his birthday charlotte!" Samantha stated pulling her glasses over her eyes as they began to burn giving her a headache.

"glad too see your back at school anna " He said smiling as they started head towards annabells first lesson., the corridors were pact but neither of them seemed to mind.

"Glad you stopped crying" She said nudging his elbow with her own as he wrapped his arm around her with a light smile dancing along his lips, and gradullay appearing on hers. The corridors began to fill more as they continued their light flirting ,

"I'll see you at the party tonight?"

Matthew smiled and nodded, stepping to the left just as annabell did, they smile both moving to the right and then to the left. Annabell looked down to her shoes laughing to herself she raises her head back up smiling to see matthew walking behind her waving.

"Oh" She giggeled and walked down the corridor, it emptied and she smiled.

"I'LL FIND YOU BY THE ALCOHOL RIGHT?" She called and matthew smiled. She knew she would she just had to clarify it to be sure.

School was relitively easy, she expected the strange looks and people asking her what had happened to her aswell as charlie, she recieved a few quesitons but she expected it. She couldnt believe or make her self believe that she wouldnt recieve any questions, that would have been foolish over. and one thing she wasnt was foolish, As she lay a fresh set of flowers on both charlie's grave and her fathers she sighed running back home as the sun began to set, She needed to get ready for the party, it started in less than in an hour. She stummbeled down the path falling to the feet, her eyes focused on the floor seeing feet come into focus, she smiled looking up to see matthew.

"What are you doing here, of all places!" Her voice was much sharper than she had intended, she took matthews hand pulling herself off the ground using him as support. He was extremely strong she thought to herself as she came face to face to him.

"I-I'm visiting family" He said quietly knowing himself that she didnt mean for it to come out like that. He smiled weakly looking at the graves of his family around him.

"Matthew salvatore , 1791" Annabell read aloud. "Are you named after him?"

Matthew ignored her, a smile appearing on his face without her knowing, he was pleased with himself, her not catching on, He smiled bigger and looked at her, there eyes meeting.

"That was a stupid question" She chuckeled looking at her feet nervously.

"Your cute when youre nervous" he laughed to himself and looked at her, her eyes sparkeling. The smell of blood filled the air.

"Are you alright?" He quizzed her as he started to feel queezy, His head spinning.

"I'll check" She smiled lifting her leg up against an old grave next to her , she carefully rolled up her trouser leg looking at it she cringed.

"EW!" Her leg was bleeding, rather extensively. More than what she had been expecting to see. Matthew looked away. His eyes darkening at the rim, veins that should never be seen popping up above his eye lids and in the bags of his eyes, his eyes started to glow orange as if they were on fire. He covered his mouth and ran. Ran as fast as his legs could carry him into the woods behind them.

"Matthew?" annabell looked around confused. Left with just the echo of her voice and the birds cherping around her.

Her house was full of laughter and people running around like crazy getting ready. A doorbell rang interupting there fun.

"I'll get it!" Charlotte called out walking towards the door.

"Matthew?" She looked puzzeled at him, he never came here. He never has. Her mind began to race until she realised he would be here for annabell. Even when they dated he never came here. She believed it was his own choice until she found out about him. He wouldnt let himself in incase of what he may do.

"is- Is annabell in? " He scratched his neck arching his back forward towards the door,He was nervous something he had not been in over 200 years. He looked at her "Are you still going to the party?"

Charlotte smiled at him contently.

"uhm, yeah im going to the party, annabelle is too-"

"yeah i know- i came by to ask if she wanted a ride" He looked at her, Seeing that she was dissapointed. It was obvious. "You want a ride? " He smiled at her with small amounts of sympathy oozing through. this couldnt be easy for her.

"Yeah sure i'll just go get her, come on" She laughed knowing he wouldnt, but it was a laugh exchange by them both.

"im cool here its okay" Matthew smiled. pressing his arms against the door as if there was a force holding him back. "You know what you have to say" He shouted at her whilst laughing.

Matthew walked into his house, ripping off his shirt, the smell of blood passing his nose. He inhaled then threw it in the fire.

"i thought you were at the party? what are you doing here?" Samantha called out walking after him up the stairs.

"i got blood on my shirt"

" i KNEW you were drinking again!, it was you who killed charlie!"

"it was an animal kill" He said bluntly looking at her pulling his shirt over his head again.

He walked towards the door and paused as he pulled it open.

"it was damon."

"Okay thats not even funny, Damon was killed over 100 years ago matthew. your just feeling guilty, now go see Annabelle." She smiled and sighed looking at the door as it closed knowing for well that it was unlike damon to go down without a fight. That he couldnt have died the way he did.

Matthew walked up behind annabell quietly, he was good at it, he trained daily when he prayed on the animals in the forest. He grabbed her from behind and rested his chin on her head.

"im sorry for leaving " He whispered in her ear with a grin on his face

"Its okay i understand, Ketchup down your shirt" She laughed grabbing her drink and turned to face him handing him another beer that was placed next to her in the bowl full of ice. she wiped her hand on his jacket with a giggle.

" i like us hanging out all the time" She whispered looking up at him with a smile.

" i- i really cant word what im trying to say "

She was nervous

Her heart was racing, matthew could hear it beating way to fast for a human heart. He smiled down at her. The height difference more noticable as there bodies touched.

"your doing it again" he whispered in her ear for the second time today.

"your making it worse matthew!" She said nervously hitting him on the shoulder playfully.

"why are you so nervous around me?"

"i can hear your heart beating faster" He said after recieving no reply.

"Okay matthew thats just crazy, not to mention imposs-" She was cut off by matthews lips meeting hers. There bodies pressed against each other as they exchanged there first kiss together.

The woods were dark, as you would expect, but there was an eerynees about them. Much like the night a mear 6 months before. Jeremy was intoxicated which was no suprise to anyone, as he stummbeled through the woods his sister followed him.

"JEREMY GET BACK HERE"

a thud spread through the forest. It was silent. Charlotte inched forward to hear jermey screaming.

"CAROLINE" He screamed again. Pulling himself up he looked at the blood on his hands, He looked down at the corpse. Her auburn hair over her face, a bite out of her neck, Blood was all over her body, the body that jeremy had just landed on.

"oh god" He cried to himself carrying himself over to the tree next to him to bring back up the nachos he had eaten before he left.

Charlotte stared at him, catching sight of someone moving in the distance. She mumbeled to herself.

"Matthew" She whispered.