Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to Vampire Diaries except my own writing; all rights go to the rightful owners. I do not own anything pertaining to The Fault In Our Stars; all rights go to the rightful owners.
2012
Elena had been dreaming of her 16th birthday since she was a little girl. There would be huge balloons with her name written on them and napkins with her picture. But this year… her parents had just been in an accident. They drowned in their car when they swerved off of Wickery Bridge. Napkins and balloons had seemed great before, but without her mother to help her pick an outfit and her father to blow up balloons and make silly voices, she didn't think it would be worth the hassle. Her brother was 19 and old enough to take care of her. He'd had a job at the local bar and grill, working there at night while during the day he worked seven hours at the car wash. Elena obviously hadn't been able to get a job and was relieved that after her birthday, she'd finally be able to help her brother out.
She figured she'd get a job at the wash wiping cars when she wasn't in school, and then later, when she graduated, she'd get a 'real' job. Until then, drying cars was her best bet. The only perk of having your parents die? People gave you jobs. But it wasn't a happy perk. More like a cancer perk in The Fault In Our Stars–it all came down to one thing. Pity.
Jeremy's other friends worked there and she would be forced to deal with them, but she didn't care. They wouldn't mess with her right now. Something she'd learned over the years? They actually did have hearts.
Her knowledge of this was only slightly strengthened when they all chipped in to throw her a 16th birthday party. Even without her parents, Elena smiled a real smile that night.