Chapter Seven: Smells Like Teen Spirit

"I don't want to go to school," Holly whined towards Damon as he helped her into her navy blue jacket. "Why am I going again instead of being with you? I mean, it's not like I need high school."

"Well, unless you want Sherriff Forbes knocking down my door, you better go to school," Damon smirked. "Besides you're a senior now, aren't you even the tiniest bit excited."

Holly rolled her eyes playfully. "I'm not Caroline." After a second she said. "Maybe a little."

"Can you two please take the make out session outside please?" Stefan said as he came into the room. "It's getting really tedious."

Before either of them could respond, the doors opened again and this time Rebekah came in holding dozens of shopping bags. "He left me here, my brother actually left me here!"

"Who the hell are you?" Damon demanded.

Holly cleared her throat. "Damon this is Klaus' sister, Rebekah. Rebekah this is-"

"Ah, yes Damon your Romeo and the other Salvatore," Rebekah turned to Stefan. "Which one is my room?"

Stefan laughed. "You're not staying here."

When no one responded she pursed her lips. "Rude all of you, I'll see to it myself." And she left with her bags.

Holly groaned as she grabbed her bag. "Suddenly, school doesn't seem so bad."


Holly looked at the campus that was filled with kids, she could feel some of her old excitement coming back to her. She was a senior now, and yes they had a horrible year, but that didn't mean that it had to be horrible.

"We're all here together," Caroline said smiling as they walked towards the entrance. "Me, Bonnie, Elena, and Holly. Senior year."

Bonnie put her hands on her hips. "Anyone else thinks that this should feel slightly more empowering."

Holly snorted. "What were you expecting balloons and confetti?"

"Also maybe roses." Bonnie said with a smile.

"Ok," Caroline said exasperated. "So prank night was a bust, but we are accepting it and we're moving on."

"You're right," Bonnie said with fake enthusiasm. "Why should I let the fact that my boyfriend is seeing his ex-girlfriend hinder this experience?"

"You're right," Holly said sarcastically and made a mental note to speak to Jeremy about the whole Anna-Vicki business, so far he was avoiding her. "And why I should I get freaked out that Klaus' sister is staying and may or may not be trying to spy on me."

"Right," Caroline said with faker cheerfulness. "And why should I let the fact that my boyfriend was turned into a hybrid put a damper on an otherwise fabulous day."

Elena stopped short and spoke up. "Today is our anniversary," she continued. "Technically, Stefan and I meet on the first day of school."

The girls exchanged looks, Holly looked at the bite mark that she had hidden with a scarf. "You sure you want to be here?"

"I have to put it behind me," Elena forced a smile. "New Year, new life."


Holly looked around Alaric's old classroom as she entered the room, it had been months since she had been here before she had left with Klaus. It was just like she had remember it, she heard people talking about the bonfire and she wondered if they were going tonight, she honestly just wanted to stay home and catch up to what Damon had been too all summer.

"Good morning, Mr. Saltzman," Holly lowered her voice. "Sorry, I didn't come home last night."

"We'll talk later," Alaric whispered. "Welcome back, Holly."

As Holly slipped into her chair she noticed that Stefan practically pushed another student out of a chair in order to sit next to Elena, apparently he was taking his bodyguard role seriously.

"Welcome back students," Alaric said. "Let's turn our brains backs to the country's original founders, the Native Americans."

"What about the Vikings?" said a chirpy voice as Rebekah came inside.

Alaric looked confused. "There's actually no evidence that Vikings settled in the United States, who are you?"

"Rebekah." Rebekah smiled as she slid into a chair. "And history is my favorite subject."


The rest of the day went by smoothly much to Holly's relief and even though Rebekah was in a few of her classes she hadn't once caused trouble. Holly headed towards the football stadium, where she decided to use the time to catch up on her assignments while she waited for Caroline to finish her cheerleading practice.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Caroline asked Rebekah from where she was stretching. "You can't just come here and ruin our lives."

Rebekah stood up as said coldly. "I'm only interested in yours, your spunk, your popularity, maybe even your boyfriend."

"Is there a problem?" Holly interrupted.

Both girls didn't take their eyes off each other, "No," Rebekah said. "As soon as she stops being such a nuisance everything will be swell." She walked away.

"You can't let her get to you." Holly told Caroline. "You will only provoke her more."

"I know," Caroline said frustrated. "It's so hard though, did you know that she's giving Tyler blood bags and now she's trying to take over our lives? I didn't ask for this."


After practice and once it was clear that Stefan was going to be hard to deal with everyone meet in Alaric's classroom to formulate a plan.

"I'll lure Stefan away from the bonfire." Elena said.

"And I'll shoot him," Alaric said as he turned to Caroline. "Is the Forbes cell ready?"

Caroline nodded.

"But we still need to worry about Rebekah," Damon grumbled. "You keep forgetting that wherever Stefan goes the blond tends to follow."

Holly crossed her arms over her chest knowing that Damon was going to hate her for suggesting this. "Well, then it will be your job to keep her distracted use your . . . charm."

Damon looked at her as if she were crazy. "Before or after she pulls my heart out?"

Holly didn't have a chance to respond, because at that moment Tyler came into the room. "Hey, what do you want me to do?"

"We need you to get your mom's vervain supply," Elena told him. "We need to keep Stefan down."

Tyler frowned. "You can't do that to Stefan, it's not it Klaus' best interest."

Caroline frowned as everyone else looked confused. "Tyler, Klaus is the bad guy remember? Why are you acting like some freaky hybrid minion?"

"Uh oh," Damon grumbled.

Alaric looked confused. "What?"

"Klaus made me who I am, Caroline." Tyler said as if it should have been obvious. "I owe him everything."

Holly looked at Damon. "What's going on?"

Damon didn't answer as he jabbed a vervain dart in Tyler's neck causing him to fall unconscious. "What did you do?" Caroline shrieked.

"He's been sired," Damon explained. "Klaus' blood created him and he feels loyal to Klaus, he'll seek acceptance from Klaus."

Caroline looked at him. "So how do I fix him?"

"Get a new boyfriend."


The bonfire was just like every year, Holly though, the same drunk students, the same cheap beer, the same awful food. She couldn't believe that at some point she had thought all of this was fun. She took a sip of her beer and watched as Damon worked her charm on Rebekah, she couldn't help, but feel jealous.

She knew that Damon was only flirting to distract her, but that didn't mean that it hurt any less. Even if it was her own stupid idea.

"Someone is jealous," Stefan said as he walked towards Holly and looked at Damon and Rebekah. "My brother has his flirt on."

"It's really none of your business."

Stefan had an amused look on his face. "Oh, come on Holly you didn't really think he was going to be loyal did you? I'm surprise he's lasted with you this long."

Holly scowled at him as she walked away. "When you're a ripper you can be a real jerk."

Her phone rang and she picked it up, it was a text from Elena.

Elena:The plan is in motion, be ready.


Holly saw as Elena and Alaric dragged an unconscious Stefan, apparently the plan had worked. Holly opened the trunk of Alaric's car and helped Elena get him into the trunk of the car.

"Wait here," Holly said to Alaric as she closed the door. She tried to turn the car on, but it didn't work, suddenly she smelled smoke, the car was starting to burn up.

"Holly," Elena screamed. "What's happening?"

"I don't know," she shouted back. What the hell had happened? Her thoughts were filled by both Alaric and Elena's screams. She didn't noticed that Vicki's ghost was sitting next to her, she had been talking to Matt. "I'm sorry, Holly," Vicki said. "But if you died, Esther promised me that I would get to live."

Holly tried to punch the window, but it wasn't working. The smoke was starting to get stronger and the screams were becoming louder by some sheer miracle Alaric managed to open the door and Holly quickly got out as they helped Elena and Stefan. They were barely a few feet away when the car exploded.


"So the plan failed," Holly said as she took the whisky for Damon. "How's that for failure?"

"Could have been worse," Damon said. "At least you didn't become barbecued, how are you?"

"I'm fine, thankfully." She heard a vase break and before she could ask something, someone came behind her and snapped her neck.

Damon felt someone hit him on the stomach. He squinted when he saw the figure. "Mason?"

-End of Chapter Seven-

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