Sunday is busy.

Caroline and I start the day with early morning yoga and a five-mile run around campus. When we return to my apartment, I hop in the shower while Caroline convinces Matt to make the three of us, Bonnie, and Tyler breakfast. Matt's a closeted culinary genius, so I certainly have no issues with this plan.

Besides, Caroline likes to wake Matt up by singing him an original composition entitled "Get Your Ass Out of Bed and Cook Me Breakfast, Bitch."

Matt works his magic in the kitchen and Caroline takes over the bathroom while I turn on my computer and check my email. Random messages litter my inbox, but there's no response from Professor Salvatore about my thesis. I'm slightly disappointed, but I shake off the unnecessary feeling and plan the next week of classes for my undergrad seminar.

Bonnie and Tyler arrive around 11am. The five of us sit down to enjoy Matt's omelettes, French toast, and sweet honey biscuits. Caroline decides that Donovan's Band needs to practice for a little bit, so when we finish eating, we grab our stuff for the day and walk to the bar to rehearse.

The music in our past two performances has been so varied, so Caroline thinks we should stick to the blues rock genre for our September shows. I give my approval – this is my music. My fingers melt into the piano keys, and I lose myself in the soul and sadness of B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, and Muddy Waters for two hours of goodness.

I have so much schoolwork to do today, so I snag a quick lunch from the bar and walk to campus. The weather is pleasant, so I set myself underneath a shady, secluded tree. I open my laptop and check my email again.

Still nothing from Professor Salvatore.

I shouldn't be frustrated, but I am. I want to know what he thinks of my story now. I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. I don't feel better, but I won't let his silence deter me from finishing my work.

I spend the next four hours crafting a story about a boy named Dylan who sees his brother - who just happens to be a supervillain - murdered in front of him. Yes, I'm still harping on the superpower idea, but I'm more concerned about the relationship between the two siblings. It's not the best thing I've ever written, but it'll do for class tomorrow. I email the story to my peers for review, stifle another grumble when I don't see a Professor Salvatore message in my inbox, pack up my stuff, and walk home.

I drop my things off in my apartment and immediately head back to Donovan's. A nagging inner voice of me is still upset about Professor Salvatore's silence. I need a distraction.

I need good beer and my piano.

Donovan's Sunday crowd is light but not nonexistent. I grab a beer from Matt – Sweetwater Blue, because I have a craving for blueberries – sit behind my beloved piano, and play, play, play my bluesy heart and soul and frustrations out to an appreciative crowd for a therapeutic three hours.

I help Matt close Donovan's and we walk home together. I cagily eye my computer when I head into my bedroom. I don't want to check my email...again...but in the off-chance that Professor Salvatore emailed me, I don't want to ignore him until tomorrow morning...

I roll my eyes at myself. A professor shouldn't have this much influence over me. I never feel this angsty when I work with Alaric.

With a resigned sigh, I open Outlook. My eyes widen when I see a bolded message from Professor Salvatore:

From: Damon Salvatore

To: Elena Gilbert

Sent: Sun 09/09/2012 9:57 PM

Subject: Re: MFA Thesis

Miss Gilbert,

I have several questions and suggestions regarding your thesis that I believe will be best relayed in person. My office hours tomorrow are from 2:30 – 4:30pm. Please stop by during those hours.

DGS

My eyes narrow as I read his email once, twice, then a third and final time. He could have at least asked if I'm available during that time. My fiction seminar ends at four, and by the time I travel across campus to McKenna, it'll be at least 4:10. That doesn't leave us a lot of time to thoroughly discuss his "several questions and suggestions."

I'm tempted to reply and ask him to pick another time. I have the strongest, most irrational desire to inconvenience this man, but I want to act professionally, so I send him a courteous reply:

From: Elena Gilbert

To: Damon Salvatore

Sent: Sun 09/09/2012 11:18 PM

Subject: Re: MFA Thesis

Professor Salvatore,

Thank you for taking the time to review my thesis. I have class tomorrow from 1-4, so I will come to your office as soon as my seminar ends.

Thanks,

Elena

A single question presses my mind as I fall into bed that night...

What does the G in DGS stand for?