Elena sighed, it was her first day back at Mystic Falls high school and she was already regretting stepping foot in the brick building. She didn't want sympathy, she wanted to be left alone and ignored, not stared at and whispered about. She had begged her aunt Jenna to let her stay home but all Jenna could say was 'you're going to have to eventually Lena, there's no point in postponing it'. She took a deep breath in and closed her locker 'You can do this Elena, just keep one foot in front of the other'. She slowly walked to her first class, only staring at her feet; she couldn't stand seeing any more 'poor her eyes'. She knew what they were all saying about her 'poor girl, losing her parents like that, so tragic'. Clasping her books to her chest she walked into her history class and took a seat at the back of the room, hoping no one would notice her there.

"ELENA!" she inwardly groaned and then looked up at her blonde, bubbly friend Caroline "I can't believe your here! I thought you would ditch!" Elena plastered a fake smile on her face, she hadn't seen Caroline or her other best friend Bonnie since the wake. She had locked herself away in her room to deal with her grief by herself.

"Hey Care, how are you?" Caroline Forbes was the head cheerleader, Miss Mystic falls, head of the high school committee and also the sheriffs daughter. Caroline and Elena had been friends since they were babies as both their families were part of the founding families along with the Lockwoods, Bennets and others.

"I'm so excited your here Lena! There's going to big a party tonight and your coming with me! No buts missy!" Elena properly smiled at her friend, she was treating her normally and not like a poor orphan girl. "Me and Bon haven't seen you in weeks and you need to get out, it's at Tyler's tonight and they'll be plenty of hot boys for us to perv at" Caroline winked at her "You need to start getting out there since you and Matt you know...split"

"Care...you know I'm not interested in anything at the moment, I don't think I could handle a relationship and you know me and Matt were better off friends" Matt Donovan had been Elena's boyfriend for a few years but after her parent's passed she realised what Matt felt for her was only one sided. Elena cared deeply for him but that's as far as it went. "But okay, I haven't been out in a while, a bit of alcohol might do me some good" Caroline squealed and wrapped her arms around Elena.

"I can't wait! I'll txt Bonnie now and tell her! Omg this is going to be like old times! I just know it!" Elena chuckled at her friends enthusiasm, maybe it was a good idea coming to school she didn't realise how much she had missed her friends.

...

"Have a good day Lena?" Jenna's voice rang out from the kitchen as Elena closed the front door. She loved her aunty deeply. After her parents passed away Jenna moved into their house to look after Elena and her younger brother Jeremy.

"Yea Jenna, better than I thought it would be anyway, I'm going out with the girl's tonight is that ok?" Elena walked into the kitchen and saw her aunt smile widely at her, relieved that her niece was finally venturing out.

"Course! Where to though? There's been attacks lately around town, I don't want you going anywhere isolated" Elena frowned, attacks? This was the first she had heard of it, maybe she had locked herself away for too long.

"Tyler Lockwood's having a party up at his house" Jenna smiled knowing her niece would be drinking but she didn't mind she was just happy to get her out of the house.

"No prob sweetheart, take Jer with you to ok? He needs some fresh air as well" Elena nodded and headed up to her brother's room and knocked

"Jer?" she pushed the door open and frowned, the distinct smell of marijuana filled her nostrils. "Really Jeremy?" Her brother looked up at her a glared.

"Yes Elena?"She knew he was having a rough time coping, especially since her crush Vikie Donovan, Matts' sister, had been stringing him along lately.

"Party tonight at the lockwoods, you keen?" Jeremy perked up and nodded

"Fuck yea Lena, haven't been to a decent party in a while" Elena smiled, ignoring the joint he was holding in his hand.

"Be ready by 8 ok? Caroline will be picking us up and you know how much she hates waiting around" Jeremy nodded and gave her a bright smile and she walked out of his room. She hadn't seen him smile like that in a very long time.