The car ride took longer then expected, but the car stopped Mari looked up from the floor. They were at a place called the Grill which seemed to be the only restaurant in town. Marie opened her door and slid out on the cement sidewalk. She took a deep breath before going next to Ric.

" You know you don't have to do this," He said reassuring her that she could go home at anytime.

She nodded, '' But Dad wanted me to be normal, so here goes nothing."

Ric opened the door and the two of them walked into the restaurant. Marie followed him over to the bar and sat down next to him.

" So , Ric, where's this friend of yours?" she asked sarcastically.

Ric looked around and noticed him just enter the building, " There he his."

" He," she mouthed. She didn't know Ric had friends, let alone guy friends. The man walked over and sat next to Ric.

" Ric are you going to introduce me?'' she asked before adding, " Or do you two want some 'alone' time."

Her saying made Damon laugh, "Damon.. Salvatore," He said holding his drink up as a way of saying hi.

" Mari, not interested. Ric I think I'm gonna head back, you were right I'm not ready for this,'' she said anxiously sliding off the seat to stand up.

" Okay. Do you want the the keys to the car?'' Ric asked.

" No, I know where the spare key is, and I need time so time to think so I'll just walk."

" Aren't you , I don't know, a little young for him?'' Damon asked smirking.

Mari smirked back. All the guys she hung out with were older than her and she know how to deal with people who thought the wrong thing. She walked beside him and leaned close to his ear, " Age is just a number. Plus the they are the more experience they have," she whisper so only he could hear. She patted his shoulder before walking away. Ric waved goodbye and she left the restaurant. While walking to Ric's she accidentally bumped into someone.

" I'm so sorry," She said flustered as she pushed a piece of blonde hair out of her face.

He laughed, " Don't be. I think it's safe to say it was both our faults for not paying attention. I'm Stefan." He held his hand out to her.

" Marie, but I go by Mari," she replied taking his hand.

" Um.. where are you heading?" He asked. He smile was genuine something Mari hadn't seen in awhile.

She smiled back best she could, " Uh.. I'm staying at family friends house. Ric Saltzman." she stated.

"Ric Saltzman?" He said questionably. She nodded back confused, " He's my history teacher. I'm actually going to meet him and my brother." he shrugged like it was something he did everyday.

" Huh, I just came from there."

" I hope Damon didn't do anything stupid," Stefan said slightly laughing.

" No, though, he did assume I was sleeping with Ric."

His eyes widened, " he didn't?" He asked painfully.

" Yeah he did, but I may or may not have put him his place," she turned the phone on to look at the time, " I should probably get going."

" Yeah, of course. I didn't mean to hold you up."

" You didn't. It was nice meeting you Stefan."

" You too Mari," he said happily. Mari felt a small pain in her chest while she was walking away. She figured someone like probably had a girlfriend and she didn't know why, but it hurt knowing that.


Stefan's POV:

I was walking to the Grill to met up with Ric and Damon after the latest argument I had with Elena. Now that she knew what I was she was acting different. She was treating me like ,I assume, she would treat Damon. Like if I was left alone for a minute I'd fly off the rails. After many years of begin off the rails I was back on track, not having human blood for years, and she treated that like it meant nothing. My mind was still racing when I got closer to the Grill. I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice I bumped into some till I heard a small voice say.

" I'm so sorry,'' I turned around not wanting to seem rude.

" Don't be. I think it's safe to say it was both our faults for not paying attention. I'm Stefan," I held my hand out waiting for her to introduce herself.

" Marie, but I go by Mari." I couldn't take my eyes off her candy green ones. She may have been trying to hide her sadness, put on a brave face. I could tell she was sad because the look in her eyes. The look clearly stated that if I wasn't there she would have broke down in tears on the sidewalk. She shook my hand and pulled her's back after a minute or two.

I thought of what to ask her next, " Um.. where are you heading?'' I asked smiling hoping she would be more relaxed after awhile.

She smiled back, but I could tell she was having a hard time holding up the act, " Uh, I'm staying at a family friends house. Ric Saltzman," She stated calmly.

I didn't know Ric knew anyone out of town, " Ric Saltzman?" I asked making sure I heard her correctly. She nodded back confused on how I knew, but not surprised I knew him, " He's my history teacher. I'm actually going to met him and my brother." I said shrugging.

She laughed lightly, " Huh, I just came from there."

I smiled again at hearing her laugh, " I hope Damon didn't do anything stupid," I said honestly because at the moment she looked like she'd been through literal Hell.

" No, though, he did assume I was sleeping with Ric," she said like it meant nothing to her.

My eyes widened. Not because I was shocked he said something like that, but because he said something like that to her. Him and I both know all too well what the look on her face meant, " He didn't?'' I asked painfully.

" Yeah he did, but I may or may not have put him in his place," She turned her phone to look at the time I guess, "I should probably go."

" Yeah of course. I didn't mean to hold you up," I didn't want her to leave, but I knew she inevitably had to.

" You didn't. It was nice meeting you Stefan."

" You too Mari," as I watched her walk away I felt a pull at my chest, like it didn't want her leave. While I was talking to her I manged to forget about the problems with Elena and me. And now that Mari was gone it was coming back, if possible the pressure would have given me a headache. I decided to ignore the pain in my chest and kept walking towards the Grill. I pushed the wooden and glass door open and walked in. I looked around until I saw Ric and Damon and the bar. I walked over and down next to Damon.

" What took you so long Brother? To busy kissing Elena's ass to hang out with us?'' He asked me jokingly.

" No, I bumped into someone and we started talking."

" Really? So Elena be jealous?" He replied sarcastically.

I laughed, " No. It's not like that. She seemed to need time alone," I said plainly. Ric's head shot up ,though, when I said this.

" Did she happen to have blonde hair, green eyes, and a scar on her collar bone?" He asked me.

" The first yes, I didn't see a scar though. Why?'' I asked confused. She did say she knew him.

" Was her name Mari or Marie?" He asked lastly.

" Yeah," I answered.

" Hold up. Are you saying that your bed buddy was talking to my innocent baby brother," Damon said acting hurt and shocked.

Ric sighed, " Damon for the last time I'm not sleeping with her. She's like half my age."

" She literally told me age is just a number. Also you two seem pretty close," He said reasoning with him.

" We are close because I've know here since she was born. I was friends with her mom and I'm friends with her dad," He spat back angrily.

" What happened? When I talked to her she looked like she was about to cry." I said worriedly.

" It's along story. One I'm not drunk enough to tell," Ric said taking a sip of his drink. I nodded knowing that long stories should be told when the person is ready.


Mari's POV:

After I accidentally bumped into Stefan we started talking. He smiled a lot, I could tell he lost people but his smile was genuine. I couldn't do that for they life of me. As far as I'm concerned I lost everything when Uncle Sam went into the Pit. My Uncle Sam for starters, my Uncle Bobby, Cass, and my Dad. And i'm left here trying not to be put in a padded room. That's my life now.

I got home pretty fast after I said goodbye to Stefan. I found the spare key and opened the door to Ric's house. When I got in I shut the door and ran to my room. I opened my door and ran to the mirror. I looked in and saw my reflections eyes had shifted.

" Hi ya, Mari. Miss me?'' Izzy asked. We decided to call her Izzy because my name is Marie- Isabelle. This is so not everyone thought I was crazy.

" Of course. Why wouldn't I miss you ruining my life Iz?'' I asked sarcastically.

She laughed, " I missed you too," She titled her head to look at me from a different angle, " Silver highlights nice."

" Thanks," I said back as crossed my arms over my chest.

" Oh! that's why I'm here," She said. A smile forming across her blood red lips.

" Come again?'' I asked confused on what she said.

" That pain your feeling in your chest. I know you feel it too," I nodded my head wondering where she was going with this, " It's because you met him."

" Him who?''

She groaned, " When did the pain started?''

I thought back to when Ric and I first got the Grill, " When I met Damon."

" Okay. What happened when you met Stefan?''

" It got stronger,'' I looked at her still confused on what this had to with anything, " What does that mean?''

" She laughed and smirked at me, " It means, Mar, you are screwed."

And with that she left me to think and wallow.


Okay. Here's the next update. But I'm having a serious problem. What is the problem? you may ask, Hmm.. Let's see. I can't decide if she should be with Stefan or Damon.

So please update and if you the have the answer please! let me know