Lily stared at her new high school with excitement, practically bouncing in the passenger seat of the shiny black Escalade. It was the first day of her junior year and she was itching to meet new people, specifically people her own age.

"Calm down, love," the drawling British accent of her guardian met her ears. She looked over to where he sat behind the steering wheel and grinned at him.

"I can't! I've been cooped up in that house all summer!" she reached for the backpack in the seat behind them, ready to spring from the car and rush into the school.

A strong hand around her arm halted her in place. Her eyes widened in surprise, then seeing the smirk on his face she sighed and sank down into her seat. It was best to let him say whatever he was planning on saying, lest he cause a scene.

"Darling, don't pout. You'll be inside becoming the most popular girl this pathetic town has ever seen in just a few moments." She giggled softly and ran a hand through her blonde locks, making sure they were orderly.

"Now, do you have your paperwork?" he asked.

She nodded and tapped her bag. "Enrollment forms, copies of my birth certificate and social security card, everything's all there."

"Are you hungry?"

"Nope, I ate this morning," she replied.

"Enough to last the day? You'll be around a lot of people, it could prove to be tempting..."

Lily leaned across the center console and placed a finger over the older man's lips. "I can do this. I'm not a baby anymore, daddy." She playfully pouted her lips at him.

With a chuckle he nodded his head. "No, you've certainly grown a lot in the past few months, haven't you? Maybe it could be the excellent company you keep while you're cooped up in the house?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

The younger woman gave an over-dramatic sigh. "You're right, you're right! I appreciate everything you've done for me in the past year. I love you more than I ever loved my real parents."

As tears pricked the girl's eyes, the man grasped the back of her neck and brought their foreheads together. "And I love you as if I've had you since you were a babe."

After a few moments he pulled away and said, "Go into that school and show them who Lily Mikaelson is, my love."

Once Niklaus's car was out of sight, Lily ascended the steps to enter the large brick building. Her short white skirt swished around her thighs as she walked to the office and her kitten heels clacked gently on the linoleum floor. Inside the school was a flurry of excitement and activity, as was any school on the first day of classes. Eyes moved over her with each step she took and, in the beginning, it would have bothered her. But after months of living with the Original family you became used to being the center of attention.

Not that any of these students had any idea who or what she was; they simply saw a new girl. In a town like Beacon Hills a new student was always cause for excitement and gossiping. With her enhanced hearing she was already catching bits of comments about her. The boys were allowing their libidos to control the flow of their conversations, remarking on her supernaturally-aided looks. The girls, naturally on the defense when presented with potential competition, were commenting on her clothes, hair, the car she'd arrived in. It was only a minor irritation to her. She knew as least some of them would eventually get over it and become friends with her. At least, she was hoping they would.

Finally arriving at the office, Lily got the attention of the secretary and handed over her papers. "I'm Lily Mikaelson. I just moved here."

"Well, perfect timing on your guardian's part," the kindly woman told her with a smile. She glanced over the papers to make sure everything was in order, then stepped around the desk to shake Lily's hand. "Welcome to Beacon Hills. I hope you like it here. I'll show you to your locker and homeroom."

Lily nodded and allowed the woman to direct her back into the hallway. They stopped halfway down the main hall so she could store her backpack in her locker, then went down a side hall to reach her homeroom. With a knock on the door to garner everyone's attention, the secretary announced her to the students and teacher. "Everyone, this is Lily Mikaelson. She just moved to Beacon Hills so make her feel welcome."

The teacher greeted her and pointed her in the direction of her seat, which had an agenda and schedule placed on it for her. She smiled and thanked her. As she drew closer to her seat, she noticed a tall, leanly muscular boy in the seat in front of hers. His eyes were already on hers, brows furrowed in confusion, when she caught his scent.

Werewolf.

She slid into her seat and leaned forward, not bothering to look at any of the papers she was currently smooshing under her elbows. "Hey," she whispered, not wanting anyone to overhear her. She couldn't believe her luck and was grinning like a lunatic. A supernatural was going to school with her!

He turned in his seat and she noticed he still had a confused look and was obviously straining to hear something. Abruptly one of his large hands caught hold of her wrist and held it firmly. She was shocked at his speed; she should have seen that coming a mile away.

"What are you doing?" she asked nervously.

"What are you?" he finally spoke, his big blue eyes looking straight into hers. It would be so easy for her to compel him right then. If he were human, she would. But he was like her, one of the outsiders in this world, and she was so excited to finally meet someone her age that could understand her on a level that the rest of the students couldn't possibly grasp.

"Isn't it obvious?" she asked with a chuckle. When his only response was to stare at her expectantly, she rolled her eyes. Leaning in close and holding up a folder so the kids in the next row couldn't see her face, she allowed her fangs to descend just the slightest. "I'm a vampire, you silly puppy."

"A vampire?!" A hyperactive boy named Stiles exclaimed, causing kids at other lunch tables to glance over at him. Scott, who was another werewolf, shushed him hurriedly. "Like with the fangs and drinking of blood and sleeping in coffins?! Wait, why are you out in the sun?"

Lily held up her right hand and showed them the dainty ring on her finger. "Daylight ring. It's infused with magic so we can be out during the day," she explained patiently. "And I have a very nice bed, thank you very much."

She was seated next to Isaac, the tall drink of water from homeroom, and across from his friends Scott and Stiles. After her reveal Isaac hadn't left her side. It turned out to be easy considering they had all of their classes together. As soon as the bell for lunch rang, he yanked her to sit with his friends, who apparently were privy to the supernatural world. Well, at least some of it.

"So you're immortal, right?" Isaac asked curiously. When you nodded he added, "So how old are you?"

"Seventeen," you answered honestly. They seemed surprised. Stiles deflated a bit like he was hoping you were centuries old.

"I can't believe you guys haven't met one before. Must be all of the werewolves."

"Why would that keep vampires away?" Scott questioned.

Lily shrugged. "Vampires and werewolves usually don't get along very well. Plus a werewolf's bite is deadly to a vampire."

"Seriously?" It was Isaac's turn to question her and she nodded. "That's good to know. I wonder why Derek hasn't told us."

"Are you really surprised?" Stiles questioned, to which Isaac shook his head.

"So Derek's what, your maker?" Lily asked them, happy to be the one doing the questioning now.

Scott shook his head. "I was bit by another Alpha. He turned Isaac, though."

Two new trays were set down on the table as a pair of girls sat with them. Lily remembered them from a few of her classes; Allison and Lydia. The brunette smiled at her warmly while the red-head tilted her head observantly. Clearly she didn't trust people very easily.

"Where did you move from, Lily?" Allison asked. It was the first non-vampire related question she'd been asked thus far.

"New York," she smiled, thinking back to the big city that was her hometown. It didn't hold the greatest memories for her, but she loved the city nonetheless. "Manhattan, to be more specific."

"Why would your parents want to leave New York to come to Beacon Hills?" Lydia asked with a frown.

Lily glanced down at her manicured nails for a moment. Her parents were a sore subject that she preferred to stay away from. "I'm here with my guardian and his family. My parents... Well, I never knew my father. He skipped out before my mom even knew she was pregnant. My mom died almost a year ago. She finally managed to drink herself to death."

Growing up with an alcoholic as a parent was never going to yield a great childhood. When said parent chooses to party with her friends instead of cooking meals for her child, it gets worse. Lily was struggling to maintain school and work enough hours to pay their bills when Klaus stumbled upon her. With a fake I.D. and a boss who operated outside the parameters of the law, she was able to get a job as an exotic dancer in a decent club. With one look (and she was pretty sure a little compelling), Klaus had her spilling her story right there on his lap.

It wasn't long after that a storm of crazy swept into her life. First, she found out that her boss catered mostly to supernatural clientele. Second, he attempted to sell her to the highest bidder, which swiftly ended with Klaus snapping his neck. And finally third, the police showed up at her apartment to tell her that her mother had been found dead in her car. With no relatives willing or able to take her in, she was set to be put into the system and become a ward of the state. When Klaus showed up once again and offered her eternal life she didn't consider 'no' to even be an option.

"I'm sorry," Allison said and the rest of the table echoed her sentiments. Lily smiled thankfully at them.

With a quick drum of her hands on the table, Lily changed the subject to a much happier one. "So, who's going to show me around town after school?"

A few hours later Lily was sitting in the back of Lydia's car while the red-head followed Stiles's Jeep to a local bowling alley. As soon as the bell that signaled the end of classes rang, the group had practically thrown her into the car. She was content to be pulled along into their group as if she'd always been there.

Allison fiddled with the radio from the passenger's seat until she hit the Top 40 station and in an instant all three girls were singing loudly. With the energy inside the car pulsing, Lydia stepped on the gas and passed Stiles's Jeep, honking the horn as she went. The girls laughed as the boys all gaped at them. Though the back window Lily made sure to catch Isaac's eye and wink at him.

"I saw that," Lydia sang with a grin.

Lily shrugged with a grin of her own. "He's handsome.

"He's also single," Allison chimed in her two cents.

'Good to know,' Lily thought to herself.

Lydia's little blue car pulled up outside the bowling alley a full minute before the guys arrived. As soon as they were out of the Jeep the group ventured inside and paid for a couple rounds of bowling. They seemed to naturally split into three teams: Scott and Allison, Stiles and Lydia, and Issac and Lily.

"I'm going to be completely honest with you, Issac. I've only bowled once," she informed the tall werewolf as they picked out their balls. A glittery black one caught her gaze and she snatched it up.

Isaac smiled down at her as he picked a dark red ball. "I'm more than happy to teach you."

The game ended up being more joking and laughing than anyone actually paying attention to the scores, which was a relief for Lily. She was so ecstatic to have found a group of teenagers that she could be herself around that she hadn't even remembered to let Klaus know where she was. All of a sudden a prickling sensation erupted on the back of her neck and she knew he'd found her.

"Lily, I see you've made some friends," that smug voice broke through their laughter. She stood quickly and turned to face him, his eyes sizing up the group as they each stood as well. She knew he could tell that Scott and Isaac were werewolves just by the slight sneer on his lips as he looked at them.

"Klaus, I'm sorry I didn't call. I met these guys in school and asked them to show me around a little. Guys, this is my guardian, Klaus."

Klaus, thankfully, chose not to make too much of a scene. "We should be getting home, Lily." Ever the perceptive creature, he noted how your face fell just the slightest in disappointment. "Perhaps your friends would like to come over this weekend?"

Lily grinned and threw her arms around Klaus in a quick embrace. Turning back to the group of teenagers, she quickly bid them goodbye and promised to see them at school the following day. She sent Isaac a smile as Klaus placed a hand on her back to lead her towards the exit.

"Perhaps the dogs could bathe before they come over," he commented loudly enough that she knew Scott and Isaac would hear. She slapped a hand over her face and groaned. So much for not causing a scene.