Camellia pulls her favorite gray sweater over her ash-white blonde hair, attempting to get ready for the first day of junior year. Though, her mind keeps wandering to what she can do this year to appeal further to the ivy league schools she dreams ofattending.
Walking past her mirror, towards her bedroom door, she catches a glimpse of her favorite photo that she has tucked in the corner of the frame holding up her mirror. The edges of the picture are slightly stained and crinkled, but it doesn'ttaint
the memory contained within.
A much younger Camellia has her head resting on Carolina Forbes' shoulder, her smile big, even though she's missing her two front teeth. Caroline is laughing at Lia's toothless smile; she's humored by the fact Lia lost both front teeth at once. Theirmoms
are standing behind them, staring down at their beautiful girls. It's one of the last healthy seeming moments her mother had. Months after the photo was taken Lia's mom passed away from cancer. No one had seen it coming. One day she got flu like
/symptoms and weeks later she passed.
Lia's lips turn into a small grin as she imagines what her mother would say if she could see her little girl today. Fast forward ten years from that picture and that tiny toothless girl is a straight-A student, a cheerleader, and an assistant event plannerat
school. Caroline does all the actual planning. Lia also happens to be dating the captain of the football team, Lucas Fell. She has a seemingly perfect life, on the outside looking in that is.
Caroline starts incessantly banging on Lia's bedroom, startling the girl out her thoughts. "Lia, it's time for school! Get your ass up!"
Soon after Lia's mom passed Liz and Bill Forbes gained custody of the then five-year-old little girl. Surprisingly, when Lia's relatives found out The Forbes were in the will as Lia's legal guardians if anything should happen to Veronica,Lia's mom,
they didn't try to fight it. In fact, since her mother's funeral, Lia hadn't seen any of therelatives she was close with when she was young. Once in awhile her uncle, whom she had never met till a year after her mother's passing, will stopby
to visit. And every month he is kind enough to send a check, but as far as blood relation interaction goes, that's it.
Rolling her eyes playful, she starts towards her door to let Caroline in. As Lia steps closer to the door, it swings open by itself, without either girl laying a finger on it. Standing completely frozen, both girls stare at the door in utter shock.
Strange little things like this have been happening to Lia for awhile now, and she can't figure out why. The other day she was searching for a book, and it floated over to her from its place on the bookcase.
"Whoa, how did you do that?" Caroline questions, settling her hand on her hip.
"I didn't! It must have been the air kicking on." Lia lies, not letting the other blonde see how concerned she is. "We are still getting our traditional first-day-of-school-coffee, right?"
Brushing past Caroline, Lia is quick to change the subject. The last thing she needs is Caroline asking questions she doesn't even know the answer to.
"Of course! Even if you didn't wear the outfit, I picked out for you, again." Caroline snaps, bounding down the steps after Lia.
"I am sorry. I get nervous on the first day of school and to combat my nerves I put on something comfy. Next year, I promise."
"You know I won't forget that you said that!"
Lia laughs as she pulls open the front door, getting a blast off fresh air. "Nothing can escape Caroline Forbes memory!"
Entering the large hallway that is Mystic Falls High School, Caroline glances over at Lia who is sipping her café mocha. The innocent girl's round, blue eyes are always filled with wonder. Partying isn't her thing, and grades have always been her numberone
priority. Caroline plans on changing that this year; she wants Lia to put herself out there more, live up the last two years of high school. "Alright, what are your goals for the new school year?"
Biting her lower lip, Lia contemplates what she should make this school year all about, "Making all A's and narrowing my college list down to five schools would be perfect! All the campuses I have researched are beautiful and have so much to offer, makingit
impossible to choose."
"Boring," Caroline scoffs, stopping at her locker, "You need to add 'sleep with my boyfriend' to that list, 'go out with Caroline more', and 'actually have a more exciting life,'"
Lia blushes a crimson color, glimpsing at the students standing near them, praying none of them heard Caroline. Everyone is busy doing their own thing, having their own conversations, thankfully. Lia is awareher one-year anniversary is just
around the corner,and Lucas hasn't pressured her into anything. However, she can't help this daunting feeling that he will want to take the next step in their relationship.
"Caroline!" Lia scolds quietly. "I don't know if I am ready for that."
Unlike Caroline, Lia isn't as bold. She believes things will pan out the way they should in due time, and she doesn't want to make a move too early. If Caroline were with Lucas, they would have slept together months ago. That's not a bad thing, Carolinejust
has more confidence in herself and is more comfortable with her body.
Slamming her locker closed, Caroline's eyes light up when she notices her and Lia's two best friends walking down the hallway. "Elena's back!"
Elena had kept away from everyone the whole summer. Her parents passing weighed heavy on her and her little brother, Jeremy. Despite the many calls and persuasive texts, Elena said she needed the summer to herself. Bonnie and Caroline worried about herbeing
cooped up in her house for three months, but Lia could emphasize with the girl. She too had lost her mother, and her father had never been part of the picture. Sometimes people just need time to themselves.
"Elena! Oh, my god! How are you?" Caroline practically runs over to Elena, pulling her into a hug.
Elena slightly smiles, lightly patting Caroline on the back. Her brown, doe-eyes are silently screaming 'help me'. Caroline has the tendency to be a little over the top at times, but that is just part of who she is.
As Caroline turns to Bonnie, asking if Elena is okay, Elena pulls Lia into a tight embrace. Elena is one of the friends Lia has been friends with since she was barely able to walk.
"It's so good to see you again," Lia says, giving the tiny brunette a tight squeeze.
Pulling away, Elena forces a reassuring smile, turning slightly to Caroline. "Caroline, I am right here. And I am fine."
Lia holds in a laugh as she throws her arms around Bonnie while Elena continues to affirm to Caroline that she is fine. These are some of Lia's best friends, minus Tyler and Matt, who are probably off trailing Lucas somewhere. All the football playersidolize
the senior quarterback, Lucas Fell.
"Okay, well I have some catching up to do. Lia, don't forget we are meeting at the Mystic Grill after school," Caroline informs the girls, right before walking off to catch up with a few of the cheerleaders.
As Caroline walks away, Bonnie, Elena, and Lia can't help but let out the laughs they had been holding in. The bossy blonde never seemed to stop, always doing something or other.
"No comment." "Yeah, I am not going to say anything." Elena and Bonnie say at the same time. All three girls start walking towards first block until Bonnie catches site of a strange boy in the front office.
"Hold up, who is that?" Bonnie throws her arm out, stopping Lia and Elena in their tracks.
"All I see is back," Elena cocks her head to the side, studying the boy wearing dark jeans and a leather jacket.
Lia purses her lips, wondering how long it's been since there has been a new kid in their grade. Mystic Falls isn't that big, and it wasn't a place people just upped and move to for fun. Having new people in town would inevitably become the talk of thecity.
"I'm sensing Seattle, and he plays the guitar," Bonnie whispers, still gawking at the guy.
A smile presents itself on Elena's face, "You're really going to run this whole psychic thing into the ground huh?"
"She's been right about some pretty important things. You have to give her credit; she predicted Obama becoming president." Lia chimes in, nudging Bonnie's elbow.
Bonnie's grandmother told her she's psychic, and ever since she has been pointing out all the things she said that would happen and actually did. Shockingly, it was more than the girls realized when they counted them out.
Abruptly, Elena's smile turns into a frown as she watches a sketchy interaction between her little brother and some guy who is notoriously known for doing drugs. Tightening her grip on her bag, Elena starts heading towards Jeremy. "I will be right back."
Bonnie and Lia hardly notice her disappear, as they are both still observing the boy who's wearing sunglasses indoors. He takes his freshly printed schedule from the school secretary.
"Please be hot."
Lia shakes her head, the corners of lip curling into a smile at Bonnie's comment.
Stefan Salvatore turns around, and for a moment he hesitates, staring directly at Lia. His eyes glaze over her, taking in the all too familiar girl. Except, Lia isn't the same girl he had known one hundred plus years ago. No, that wouldn't be possible.
Neither Bonnie nor Lia notices his slight dawdling, considering they are trying to hide the fact they had been admiring the boy's back seconds prior. Stefan walks by them, listening to the blood pumping through the ash-blonde's veins. Human, just as he
/suspected. He ponders the thought of there being both an Aurora and Katherine look alike in the same town. What are the chances of that?
When he is out of hearing range, well what the two human girls believe is his hearing range, they end up talking at the same time.
"Yeah, he's hot." "I wonder what brought him to Mystic Falls?"
Bonnie loops her arm through Lia's pulling her towards their class. Little did they know that exact moment had been the beginning of a change in their lives they could never have seen coming.
"Did you see the new kid?" Matt asks Lia, taking a sip of his soda.
The first day of school had flown by, and after the day ended Lucas drove Lia, Tyler, and Matt to the grill. He had a shift to work, and the others just wanted some cheesy fries.
"I am sure she did, every girl in our grade was drooling over the guy," Tyler sneers, almost sounding jealous. He has been used to all the girls fighting for his attention, but today he went unnoticed.
"I can assure you I didn't drool over him," Lia pulls the basket of fries her way, grabbing an extra cheesy one, "I do have a boyfriend. You guys remember him? The one who drove us here?"
As Lia teases the boys, Vicki Donovan, Matt's older sister walks up to their table with drink refills. Lia thanks her and Matt says hi, but Vicki's eyes don't stray from Tyler. She leans over the table towards Tyler, flirting with her eyes, "Need anything
/else, Ty?"
Matt's face scrunches in disgust, catching on that something is going on between his best friend and his older sister. Lia eyes the two suspiciously but doesn't suspect what Matt has. Tyler denies her offer, staring at Vicki's ass as she walks back to
/the bar.
"Please tell me you're not hooking up with my sister," Matt demands, causing Lia's jaw to drop.
Flirting with each other was one thing, but she didn't think Tyler would sink as low as to hook up with Matt's sister. Or maybe she is just naïve to Tyler's ways.
"I'm not hooking up with your sister," Tyler says, even though his mischievous smile is indeed outing him.
"Really, Ty?"
"You're such a dick," Matt mutters, rolling his eyes.
Lia puts down the fry she was about to eat, feeling disgusted that Tyler would do that. There's nothing wrong with Vicki, but to her, it was a little too much for her to sleep with a Tyler. Tyler is Matt's best friend, and Tyler didn't even tell Matt.
"Lia, over here!" Caroline shouts as she and Bonnie walk into the grill. Finally, it took them long enough. Lia throws a couple of bills on the table, sliding off her chair.
"Ditching us for Caroline, huh? I see how it is," Tyler cocks an eyebrow, kidding around with the girl, "You only hang out with us anymore because you are dating Lucas."
Lia ruffles Matt's hair as she gets up. "Maybe that's why I hang out with you, but Matty here is my best guy friend, that's why I hang out with him."
Tyler scoffs at his smiling friend as she makes her way to Caroline and Bonnie.
"Lia, I totally got all the juicy details on the new guy." Caroline blurts out as Lia takes a seat next to Bonnie.
"When did you talk to Stefan?" Lia questions.
Lia had officially met Stefan in her first class of the day, the one she shared with Elena and Bonnie. All class Elena and Stefan took turns casually sneaking glances at one another, blushing when one caught the other. The two seemed to have a natural
/pull towards the other. Lia watched them both quietly from her seat next to Matt, hoping Matt didn't seem to notice since Matt and Elena are exes. And Matt is not over the naturally beautiful brunette.
What Lia didn't see was how when the bell rang Stefan watched her leave, wondering if she too is capable of what Aurora was. Aurora, a girl identical to Lia, and whom he had grown up with in the mid-1800's.
Twirling the straw in her soda, Lia watches Tyler sink another pool ball. Caroline whines in annoyance that the jock is not letting her win at the billiards game. Bonnie and Matt are sitting across from the spaced-out girl, talking about the start of
/football season. And Elena and Stefan are sitting at a booth not too far away, laughing about something.
Lucas walks over to the table, his shift finally ending, and he notices Lia isn't paying attention to what's going on around her. She has the tendency to wander off in her own little world. Walking up behind his distracted girlfriend, he scares her by
/suddenly setting his hands on her shoulders.
"Boo!"
Lia jumps, almost head butting Lucas's chin. "Holy crap! Don't do that to me!"
Bonnie and Matt snicker across the table, smiling at the couple. Everyone thinks the two are the cutest. Lucas strives to bring out a more outgoing side of Lia, just like Caroline.
Around her friends, Lia's comfortable and fun, but with strangers, she shy's away. It takes a lot for her to open up, but Lucas has been helping with that. Her friends love that about him, especially Caroline who complains all the time that she needs
/to live more.
Lucas chuckles watching Lia place one of her delicate hands to her heart. He wraps his arms around her neck, putting his head on her shoulder.
"I am really excited you guys are coming to the bonfire Friday night," he mentions, talking loud enough to grab Caroline and Tyler's attention.
Lia's nose scrunches in confusion. At no point in the day had she heard anyone bring up the annual bonfire? In fact, she had already decided she wasn't going to go. Too much drinking for her taste. "Wait, who said-"
"Of course we will all be there. It will be Lia's first time going. You know since she ditched last year and the one before, but she had a change of heart this year." Caroline says smiling, all the while giving Lia a look that says you-can't-say-no-now.
Lia bites her lower lip, once again her mind drifting off as Tyler, Matt, and Bonnie start discussing the big night. It is only the first week of school; there is no way going to the party would have her missing out on any studying time.
"Maybe after I can spend the night with you." Lucas's breath is hot against her ear, causing the little hairs on her neck to stand up. "I could sneak in through the window."
Lia's hands hold tight to her glass cup, her nerves starting to kick in. Spending the night could lead to something more, and the mere thought made her queasy. She couldn't help but wonder if she was ready for that. Or if after he would possibly break
/up with her after he got what he wanted. Lia didn't want to answer the question; she wanted out of the conversation.
Without realizing what's happening, the sound of glass hitting the table breaks Lia out of her own thoughts. She glances down to see pieces of glass all over the table, a couple embedded in her hand. Lia hadn't just cracked or slightly broken the glass.
/No, she fragmented it into little pieces.
"Shit, Lia, are you okay?" Lucas stands up straight, reaching for her hands. "How did you...what happened?"
All eyes are on her. Only two people had paid attention to what had happened. Everyone else was distracted until they heard the glass shatter. Stefan gapes at her, knowing this was a sign she too possessed capabilities, as Aurora had.
Lia ignores Lucas's questioning, saying she needs to go to the bathroom to clean off the blood trickling from her wounds. Bonnie offers to come with, but Lia declines help from everybody.
When Lia reaches the bathroom, she takes a glimpse over her shoulder at her friends. Everyone seems once again caught up in conversation, not noticing that instead of going into the bathroom Lia sneaks out the back.
Her nerves had her unsettled, and all she wanted was to go home and sleep. Once she got home she would text her friends telling them she wasn't feeling well and left to go lay down at home.
Cursing herself for not bring a jacket, Lia hugs her arms to her chest. The chilly air nipping at her through her comfy gray sweater.
Unbeknownst to her, a man with raven, black hair is watching her every move. Just as he was observing her when she mysteriously broke the glass cup that was in her hand. And how he has been taking notice of the innocent girl since he first came to town.
Lia has no idea that this guy has decided she is the answer to a problem he has, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure she solves it.