CHAPTER II

For over a century, I have lived in secret; hiding in the shadows, alone in the world. Until now. I am a vampire. And this is my story.

Stefan looked at the bike with his mouth slightly open, contemplating what, to him, was a work of art. He ran his hand over the vehicle, admiring it, as Damon watched him with a proud smile and his arms crossed.

"Wow" he blurted.
"It's yours, if you want it" Damon said. Stefan nodded, watching the bike. "I know it's old, actually it's been here for years. But since you're so good at mechanics… I thought that maybe you could make some repair."
"It's perfect" Stefan said, convinced. He would probably make some changes to make it look more modern, although he always had a weakness for antiques. "Was it yours?"
"Well, uh… I was the one who bought it, yes."

Stefan walked over to the car.

"Speaking of my mechanical skills, have you talked to mom about-"
"Stefan" Damon shook his head, laughing. "I know you want to look for a job in some repair shop, but you know that Elena wants you to finish the last year of school. I'm sure you'll have a great time in Mystic Halls high school" he said with irony. "Go, Timberwolves!" Damon raised a fist and Stefan looked at him with raised eyebrows, sitting on the driver seat. "What?"
"You're a pain in the ass" Stefan said, starting the car.
"It's only a year, Stefan" Damon said. "Besides, didn't you want to be a writer?"

Stefan looked ahead.

"I can't find inspiration to write" he confessed. "I don't know what to write. I don't have… muses, I guess."
"What about Sophia?"

Stefan glanced at Damon, who chuckled.

"She was always obsessed with you" Damon said, widening his eyes. "Poor girl."
"Okay, I'm leaving" Stefan said, closing the door of the car. Damon leaned his elbows on the window open.
"Maybe you'll find inspiration in high school" he said, winking at him. "You know, a muse."
"Move away, dad" Stefan said. Damon walked backwards and raised his hands, laughing.
"As you wish."

Caroline sipped her drink and looked at the glass cabinet where the photos of the cheerleaders and the team, the won trophies and the medals, and samples of the uniforms were.

"Um, who's that sexy blonde dressed as cheerleader in that picture?" a voice asked behind her. Caroline smiled and rolled her eyes before looking over her shoulder.
"Her name is Caroline" she said to Stefan.
"So you know her!" he exclaimed.
"Oh, yeah."
"And do you think you could introducer her to me, someday? I'd like to meet her."
"For what, if I may ask?" she said, raising her eyebrows.
"You know, to ask her on a date, to have dinner…" he said, wrapping her waist with his arms from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder. Caroline laughed and lifted her arm to bury her fingers in his hair.
"You're so silly" she said, laughing.

Stefan smiled and kissed her on the neck. A tingling feeling ran down her back and she felt the butterflies flying nonstop in her stomach. No matter how long they had been together, she never got used to having Stefan so close, posing his lips on her skin, whispering in her ear, burying his nose in her hair in the morning. His body pressed against hers gave off warm and it was so firm that she felt safe.

She heard whispers and murmurs and looked at her left in the hall, which, by the way, was crowded with people who had come to Mystic Falls High School to attend a reunion of old students. Some girls from their school year were watching them and talking nonstop. Caroline looked at the glass cabinet, pursing her lips and making a great effort not to listen to what they were saying. However, it was obvious that they were gossiping about her and Stefan.

"Ignore them" he whispered in her ear. "Focus on me" he held her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers. He pressed his lips against her neck again and she closed her eyes, smiling softly and relaxing. "Hey."
"Hm?"
"Have you noticed how good the cheerleader uniform suited you?" Stefan asked, looking at the photo. "And, you know, you haven't aged at all, surprisingly. It must look in you as good as it did and-"

Caroline elbowed him in the chest and Stefan laughing, rubbing his abdomen.

"I'm just saying I wouldn't mind seeing you wearing it at home one day and that-"
"Shut up" she said before pulling him to her by the collar of his shirt and pressing her lips against his.

Stefan knocked on the office door of the coach, but just as he did, he noticed the note stuck on the glass. It said that he would return in 15 minutes.

He had nothing to do during the break, so he entered and flopped on the chair. Not that the idea of playing football again got him excited, but he had to spend his free time doing something and playing a sport would be a good idea. He sighed and took his journal to open it and stare the blank sheets.

He felt frustrated and angry at himself. He did not know what to write, he felt as if he had gaps in his mind that his inspiration, void, could not fill. Maybe Damon was right and all he needed was to find a target, an object, a person who would serve as inspiration to start writing a story.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard quick steps in the hall, strange noises, and some yells. He turned to the door in the chair and was wondering what the hell was going on out there when the door was suddenly opened and a girl came in, breathing heavily and closing the door behind her.

Stefan stayed still for a few seconds, staring at her blond curls, the freckles on her cheeks, and the way she was biting her lower lip with her ear pressed against the door. Her eyes were of a deep blue and they had a spark that made him want to simply smile. His gaze dropped to her body and he realized that she was wearing the uniform of the cheerleaders, with such a short skirt showing her long legs that he had to swallow hard and looked up to her face again. She had not noticed him yet.

"Hey" he said.

She looked at him suddenly, startled, and put a hand against her chest. She opened her mouth to say something, but when his eyes met hers, she forgot how to speak.

"Hey" she finally said, looking at his green eyes. Some quick footsteps were heard in the hallway again and she seemed to come back down to the ground. She walked over to him fast, like a hurricane that put the world upside down. "I need your help."
"What?" he asked with a frown.
"Look, there's a guy out there who doesn't take a 'no' for an answer and that's very, very scary. Could you just play along and pretend you're my boyfriend or my… husband?"

Stefan saw how the girl was staring at him, with a straight face, as if what she had just said did not sound crazy.

"Sorry, what?" he asked. Someone knocked on the door.
"I know you're there. Come on, I just want to talk" he said. The girl snorted.
"You know? Never mind, we have no time to make up any convincing lie" she said thoughtfully and looking around.

Then she walked quickly toward one of the door and she opened it. Stefan straightened up and stood.

"Hey, hey, what are you-"
"Relax, I've done this a thousand times" she said, getting on the windowsill. Stefan pursed his lips and looked down so his eyes would not look helplessly at the edge of her skirt.
"Wait, you could get hurt or-"
"It's okay" she said, laughing. The sound of her laugh clouded his senses. "We're on the first floor, and there's grass on the ground."
"You are… crazy" Stefan said, not knowing what else to say. The girl smiled and got ready to jump. "Wait" he repeated, walking over to the window. He rested his elbows on the sill and she, sitting on it with her legs hanging outside, looked at him over her shoulder. "The blonde who looks for a suitor and jumps from windows doesn't have a name?" he asked with a mocking tone. She rolled her eyes and smiled, shaking her head. Then she looked into his eyes and he gaped for having her so close. The effect of that girl was not normal.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" she said, raising her eyebrows. She jumped and he pursed his lips, smiling and nodding.

Someone opened the door and Stefan turned around. He was a dark-haired, strong guy, and was looking around, probably looking for her.

"I swear I'd seen her come in here" he mumbled.
"See?" another voice was heard behind him, this time it was a girl. "I told you she wouldn't be here. Come on" she said, pulling his arm to get him out of the office. "She's jumped off the window, right?" she asked. Stefan nodded, laughing. She rolled her eyes before closing the door.

Stefan looked out the window, but there was no sign of her. Then looked at his open backpack and saw the journal. Ironic.

Stefan walked in the woods with his hands in his pockets. If he wanted to build hiw own life in that town, he had to start with something, and that something was meeting the people who lived there. The party seemed ideal for that. Some classmates had invited him and even if he thought about it for a while, he finally agreed to go. Especially when Elena urged him again and again to do so during launch.

He headed to the bar and barrels where drinks were poured and he was about to get himself one when he heard the sound of her laugh again, a few inches away from where he was standing. She was talking to the girl that had asked him if she had jumped off the window that morning. It made sense that they were best friends.

As if she sensed his gaze on her, she looked up and met his eyes. Stefan smiled and looked down, and she pursed her lips to keep from smiling.

"Do you mind if I abandon you for a while?" she said, holding out her beer.
"Mm, no" Alex said, taking the bottle. "But where are you going?"
"I have something to do" she said, walking past her to head towards Stefan.

Alex followed her with her eyes, confused.

"Hey, stranger" she said, jumping next to him.
"Wow, I don't recognize you without your cheerleader uniform and without seeing you jumping off windows" Stefan said, taking two straws.

She rolled her eyes and chuckled, shaking her head and folding her arms.

"So, you're new here" she said.
"Something like that. I was born here but then I moved to New York" Stefan explained. The girl nodded and looked around.
"Have you been down to the falls yet? They're really cool at night. I can show you."

"Hey! There you are" Caroline said, approaching him. "Have you been down to the falls yet? Because they are really cool at night. And I can show you… if you want" Caroline smirked at him.
"I think you've had too much to drink" Stefan said.
"Well, of course I have" she said, laughing. "So-"
"Caroline, you and me, it's not gonna happen" he said. Caroline looked at him with a questioning look. "Sorry."

Stefan walked next to her and her smiled vanished slowly.

"Mm, what's the hospitality for?" Stefan asked with an amused smile.
"Well, consider it a welcome home gift and a thank you for not revealing my whereabouts this morning" she said.

Stefan stared at her. He was curious about her, about her way of being, all the mystery that surrounded her, and something pulled him, as if there was a rope that led to her, a force that made him want to know more.

"Okay" he said.
"Okay?"
"Yeah, okay."

She nodded, proud, and pointed at a part of the woods.

"Over here" she said. Stefan stood beside her and both of them started walking. "I hope the other straw is for me. Since I'm going to be your guide for free, you should invite me to half a glass, at least."

Stefan looked at her, surprised at how direct she was. He chuckled and looked forward.

"I don't know… It seems you've drunk too much" he said.
"Not at all. This" she pointed at herself, "is my sober state. I'm completely lucid and sane right now."
"I don't want to imagine how you look when you're drunk, then" he said. She nudged him in the ribs and he winced.
"Ouch."

She dares me to pour myself out like a living waterfall. She dares me to enter the soul that is more than my own; she extinguishes fear in mere seconds. She lets light come through.
Virginia Woolf.

"Wow" Stefan said, watching the waterfall.
"Right?" she smiled. "I bet you don't have this in New York."

Stefan glanced at her, watching her wide smile as she looked at the water falling. He let himself be overwhelmed by the sound of the water as he watched her with interest, wanting to know what was going on in her mind.

"No, we don't" he said, staring at her. She took the glass from his hand to give it a sip. "So, student of penultimate year, huh?"

She nodded and handed the glass back to him.

"So, writer, huh?" she said, imitating him. He looked at her, surprised.
"How do you-"
"I saw the journal dropping from your lap, and it fell to your backpack when you stood up, in the office" she explained. "The pages looked a bit blank, though."

Stefan bit the inside of his cheek.

"Yeah, well… I'm having trouble to find inspiration" he said.
"Mm" she mumbled. "There is a lot of inspiration for everyone in Mystic Falls. In this town we have peculiar people, urban legends, myths based on weird ancient mythology, and a lot of romantic stories that who knows if they're true, but people believe them. I can help you" she said suddenly, startling him. "You can write about one of those stories. For example, my aunt told me that years ago this town was full of werewolves, witches and vampires."
"Yeah, sure" Stefan said with a mocking laugh.
"I'm serious!" she said, giving him a nudge. "And I'm sure that someone will tell you the story about the lovers of the cemetery soon" she rolled her eyes.
"That sounds creepy" he said.
"Yeah, well, it's about a girl who wasn't able to continue living without the love of her life and decided to die to be reunited with him. Weird."

She laughed with disdain and Stefan looked at her with a frown, realizing how much she talked.

"You sound skeptical" he said.
"Isn't it the same old story? A woman committing suicide because of a man because she misses him so much. And what's more dramatic than dying on his grave?" she snorted and Stefan pursed his lips to keep from smiling. Her frustration was adorable. "Anyway, her body was never found, so."
"You're a feminist, huh?" he said, raising his eyebrows. She looked at him. "You don't know the story of that man, who knows if he had to sacrifice himself to save her or if he-"
"Are you saying that you believe in those stories?" she asked. He laughed.
"I'm just saying that there's always some truth behind every story" he said, raising his hands to defend himself.
"It's so obvious that you're a writer" she muttered. Then, she rose on her feet suddenly, swaying a little, and Stefan stood up quickly to grab her so she would not fall.
"I think we should go back" he said, trying not to laugh.
"What? And what about our bath?" she asked. Stefan looked confused at her.
"Bath?"

Caroline nodded and was about to take off her top, but Stefan stopped her, grabbing her wrists softly and carefully.

"What are you doing?" he asked after gulping. She giggled.
"We're going to jump off and swim in the falls!"
"Another day, okay?" he said. "I think you've had too much to drink."
"Fine" she said, giving up. She looked at the falls with nostalgia and he smiled. "So, are you going to let me help you write your story?"

"Why didn't he go for me?" Caroline asked. "You know, how come the guys that I want never want me?"
"I'm not touching that" Bonnie said.
"I'm inappropriate. I always say the wrong thing. And… Elena always says the right thing. She doesn't even try! And he just picks her. And she's always the one that everyone picks, for everything. And I try so hard, and… I'm never the one."

"Mm, I'll take the risk" he said. "But if we're going to work together, maybe I should… I don't know, know your name?"

She looked at him with a little smile. She held out her hand.

"Caroline" she said. "My name is Caroline."

Stefan got lost in her eyes for a few seconds until he took her hand.

"Caroline" he repeated to taste her name on her lips. Caroline looked down at the joined hands. The feel of his skin reminded her of something, warmth, home.

Stefan took her hand to help her get off the car.

"But, where are we going?" she asked for the fifth time.
"Caroline, I'm sure you know the meaning of the word 'surprise', so stop asking."
"I don't like surprises, Stefan!" she exclaimed as Stefan guided her.
"What the hell are you talking about? You love them."
"I know, ugh!"

Stefan shook his head, wondering how he had not lost his patience yet. He guided her to the Falls and saw the guard inside his guard house. Their presence was noticed by him and he quickly left the house with a lantern in his hand.

"Hey! Sorry, but you can't go there. The council decided to close it to the public and…"

Caroline frowned, not understanding what was happening, and felt how Stefan released her hand.

"You're going to let us go ahead. And also, you'll leave us alone, and not remember any of this tomorrow when you wake up."

The guard walked away and Stefan turned to Caroline once he got into his car.

"Stefan, who was that? Why did you compel him? Where the hell are we?"

Stefan laughed at her impatience and placed her in front of the waterfall to remove the blindfold that was covering her eyes. Caroline blinked several times before opening her eyes and seeing what lay ahead. Even though she had heard the sound of the water, the truth was that it had not occurred to her that they were there.

"I wanted to show you the Falls" Stefan said against her ear, behind her.

Caroline bit her lower lip, staring at her feet.

"So, you remember" she said, a little embarrassed.
"Uh-huh" Stefan nodded and gave her a quick kiss on the neck. "And since I was a complete dick, I thought I owed you one."

Caroline smiled and Stefan stood at her side with his hands on his hips, looking at her with raised eyebrows.

"So what? Are you in?" he asked.
"Ha! Who do you think you're talking to, Stefan?" she said, and took off her shirt. He looked down at her bra and gulped. Caroline threw her shirt to his face to make him react, laughing. Stefan took it away from it with a little smile, biting the inside of his cheek.
"Okay, let's do it."

Stefan took off his shirt and Caroline approached him to unbuckle the belt of his jeans. He looked at her curiously and Caroline let it drop to the ground.

"I was just giving you a hand" she said.
"Sure…"

Caroline shrugged and took off her pants as Stefan looked at her, doing the same thing.

"You first" he said, nudging her arm.
"What? No way! You go first" she said.

Stefan rolled his eyes, bent next to her and wrapped her thighs with his arms to throw her over his shoulder.

"That's cheating!" Caroline cried as Stefan ran toward the water.

Stefan dove into the water with her. When they emerged, Stefan grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. She smiled and wrapped his neck with her arms and his waist with her legs as Stefan stroked her back under the water.

"So… Did you like it?" Stefan asked.
"Which thing?"
"This, our first date" he said as if it was obvious.
"Oh! This is a date?" Caroline asked, pretending to be surprised. He looked at her with narrowed eyes.
"You're so annoying" he said before burying his face in her neck.

Caroline laughed, but her laught was drowned when Stefan covered her mouth with his to kiss her. He looked for the clasp of her bra with his fingers and unfastened it. Caroline pulled away and threw her head back to look at him raised eyebrows. Stefan looked at her with an innocent face.

"What? Seeing all this water makes me thirsty."