This is an introduction-like chapter. Like a prologue or preface. This Damon and Jeremy story takes place BEFORE season 1. BEFORE Jeremy even got mixed up with Vicki and the drugs.

It was a cool, brisk night in Mystic Falls and Jeremy Gilbert was walking the streets and enjoying every minute of it. It was the beginning of the summer and the coolness was refreshing. For the last three weeks it had been in the high 80's. Jeremy hated the summer. Everything about it was a downer. All that sunshine caused all the happy-go-lucky whack-jobs to come out of the woodwork….and he sweated. My goodness did he hate sweating. It was gross and made him smell.

His father would always tease him about his hygiene antics. "How are you ever going to play a sport or do any type of physical activity at all if you're afraid of sweating?" His father would always ask. And Jeremy would always give him the same tired reply, "I'm not afraid of sweating, dad, I just try to avoid any physical activities that cause it." Jeremy remembered one time his father came back with, "What about when you make love?" Jeremy smiled and said, "Isn't it possible to make love in the shower?" "Touché," his father replied. That was one of the very last conversations Jeremy had with his father.

Jeremy took a pack of cigarettes out of his hoodie pocket. He took one out of the pack and contemplated whether he should light it or not.

"Those things will kill you."

Jeremy turned around and faced the man that belonged to the voice.

"You're too young too smoke," said the mysterious man. He had shaggy black hair and wore all black. There was something frightening yet inviting about him.

"And you should mind your business," Jeremy said as he put the cig in his mouth and lit it.

"Just giving you a friendly warning, kid."

"I'm not a kid."

"Whatever. Good luck with your future lung cancer. Don't say I didn't warn you." The man began to walk away.

"How can I say anything about you if I don't even know who you are?"

The mysterious figure gave a devilish grin that made the light hair on Jeremy's neck stiffen. "I'll see you around, Jeremy."

Before Jeremy could say another word, the man was gone. Just like that. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared.

"What the hell was that?" Jeremy took a nervous and forceful puff from his cigarette and then threw it to the ground. "How did he know my name? What a creep."

… … …

Jeremy lie in his bed thinking about the mysterious stranger he encountered. He should have been scared, but instead his heart was pounding for another reason entirely. There was something about the guy. He had this aura around him. A dangerous, exciting aura that Jeremy desperately wanted to explore. He wanted to see him again.

… … …

Damon was perched in a tree in the woods. He was thinking about Jeremy, the boy he had briefly met earlier. There was something so vulnerable about the boy.

Damon smiled and thought to himself, this is going to be fun.

Very short. My first chapters usually are pretty short lol. I'm hoping to have the second part up within a couple of days. Please let me know if you are interested in the story.