Elena slid her books onto her chosen desk, while pretending to be listening intently to Caroline blabber about the school's inefficiency. "Their inability to listen to student requests for classmates is appalling. I mean, if they're so high-standard, why can't they at least take into consideration what a student asked for?" note; when talking to Caroline, subjects change lightning fast.
"Well, have you ever considered they just go with what works?" Elena suggested to her.
"Well… Yeah, but…" she stuttered.
Elena gave her a look that she thought said: Just think about that a bit more.
"But still! They should! It's not fair!" Caroline wailed helplessly.
"Well, don't you think going to the headmaster on the first day is a little last minute just to be in a couple of classes with Jeremy?"
"I heard Bennett did it last year" Tyler added. How did he even know about what Bonnie did last year? I didn't even know he knew her last name.
"Exactly! Why can't I change classes if Bonnie—"
"Caroline Forbes. I think you should save your opinions for breaks. Especially if the principal walks in right now. We'll all be history! Ba dum tss." We heard Ric's voice echo through the room. We all knew he cracked jokes like that because he knew they were bad.
"Now, everyone's here I suppose? Yes? Great." He smiled and ticked all the names off the roll.
"As most of you would probably know – since news spreads like wildfire around here – I have invited a friend of mine to talk to you about his family's relation to Mystic Falls. His and the other founding families were very into mythology too. That will be on the test, by the way." Began Ric.
"I thought since it was the first day back, we might do something fun." Tyler Lockwood remarked, with a satisfied grin that sent a chill down Elena's spine.
"Well, Mr Lockwood, feel free to go on your phone all lesson," celebration erupted from Tyler and his friends, "and fail the subject. So I suggest you pay attention."
"Anyway, drum roll please!" Ric walked to his desk to do a mock drum roll, with some students joining in on their desk.
"Mr Damon Salvatore!"
In walked a tall, handsome man, with longer than average hair – tussled – and bright, beautiful blue eyes.
He smiled – a gorgeous, luring smile – and introduced himself further.
"I'm Damon Salvatore, but there's no need for formalities, Damon is just fine."
Caroline leant over, "Oh, yes, he go the 'fine' part right."
Ric took on a more teacher-esque tone. "So, Damon, you may begin.
Elena took in all his features. His eyes weren't just blue, they were blue like the image you get when you hold up an ice cube up to the sky.
His hair - jet black, and ruffled in that alluring kind of way. His clothes would not be out of place at a rock concert.
"Thank you. My family - the Salvatores – were one of the founding families of Mystic Falls. Along with the Gilberts, the Lockwoods, the Fells etcetera. Giuseppe was the man of the Salvatore's house, with his wife, and their two children, Damon and Stefan. My brother and I were both named after the Salvatore brothers, and many people say we're the spitting image of them. Personally, I don't believe it but- "
"Can you get to the interesting part?" one of the boys up the back called.
"Fine. All good. Anyways, the men of a few of the founding families had gathered a little… club, if you may. Top-secret you see, especially since their town was inhabited by the monsters this club had formed to prevent the existence of. These monsters were called vampires. I assume you have all heard of vampires?" nods and murmurs confirmed what Damon had said.
"Vampires roamed the streets, preying upon innocent people. Day after day there were more people missing, and more found dead. Due to their out-of-date information, they believed that vampires could only come out in the dark of night. The situation got so horrendous – dead bodies showing up on the sides of the streets, some people were left for days before they were discovered- the founders were forced to come up with a master plan. Ingenious, but risky. Jonathan Gilbert invented a pocket watch, you see. The hands did not tick, the cogs did not turn. But instead, they pointed to a vampire that was within a close radius, allowing them to find them, capture them and take them away. That church fire in 1864 was no accident – that's how they disguised all the deaths of 'vampires' they burnt in there. Some tried to save those they loved, that they believed weren't monsters – even knowing their true identity. They all perished." All of a sudden, Damon seemed pained, as if he could not bear to relive his family's history.
Elena took this as an opportunity to up her grades.
"The 27 casualties, they were the vampires?"
"Yes, miss-?"
"Gilbert. Elena Gilbert. Did they get all of them?"
"Some say yes, some say no." he replied.
"And what do you say?" this was going somewhere quite interesting.
"I say no. There were still plenty of attacks around the same area after the fire. Perhaps revenge."
This sounded really heartfelt coming from a guy that had an I-could-care-less air about him.
"Okay... moving on. Are the any questions for Damon before the bell goes?" asked Ric.
The class went silent, and before Elena could ask another question, the bell rung throughout the class room.
Elena and Caroline were last out of the classroom – but that was on purpose.
She was over-hearing a very interesting conversation between her teacher and 'Damon'.
"Do you possibly think how deep you went with the vampires thing was too far?" asked Ric.
"No, they're 17, I don't think they believe in the scary stories their older siblings used to tell them for laughs." said Damon.
"Ok, but next time, tread carefully. There are Salem descendants at this school."
"God, I'll make sure to steer clear of them. I remember what happened last time I crossed paths with a Bennett." Damon joked.
He and Ric laughed, and Ric said, "The Grill, tonight? As usual?"
"Yes," replied Damon, "8 o'clock."
Maybe this would be a good thing to know, it sounded like his usual thing to do. Maybe she could tell Caroline for future reference.
