Season 1 Pilot (Part 2)

The rest of the school day was uneventful, not like that first class was. I had heard whispers after the class, people gossiping about what had happened to me this morning. I had tried to ignore it, ignore the stares and ignore their comments; but it was much harder than I had expected. I should have said something, told them to get their own lives and stay out of mine. But this whole "be different" thing was going to take time; baby steps. I hid behind my hair, hoping no one would notice me.

I practically ran out of the building when the final bell rang. I wanted to get as far away from that place as humanly possible; I had to get away from the whispers and the looks; I had to get away from everyone. I wanted to be alone, which wasn't abnormal. I seemed to always want to be alone. I wanted some time to myself before my shift at the Grill. For someone who liked to be alone, my job at the Mystic Grill wasn't practical. The restaurant and bar was the top spot for teens and young people to hang out with tables and booths to sit at with friends. There was a bar stocked full of liquors of all kinds and even a pool table and dart board. It was a great place for the young people to hang out, which meant that most of my school mates frequently loitered there, much to my distain.

I began the long walk home, knowing fully well that mom was already at work by now and I wouldn't waste her time or mine trying to get a ride. I had some homework, thanks to Tanner, that I wanted to start on before going work. That was one of the things I always struggled with, balancing school and work. Granted I didn't also have to balance that with a social life, but it was still tough. I guess I was lucky that I didn't have friends bothering me at work or texting me while I was trying to make a paycheck. I didn't want to admit that the thought bothered me more than it should.

Wow I sounded really pathetic.

In an attempt to cut on time, I cut through the cemetery. I won't lie, the grave yard scared me a little bit and while I had cut through it plenty of times, it just left me with a creepy feeling. I didn't know if a boney zombie hand would reach up and grab my ankle, dragging me to the deepest parts of hell. It also didn't help that I passed by Grayson and Miranda Gilbert's head stone. In Memory: Miranda and Grayson Gilbert. May 23, 2009. Loving Parents, itread on the tomb stone. I would try and not look at it, but I always ended up having to give it a glance.

I sometimes wondered if I should feel guilty for not going to the funeral. I hadn't gotten a formal invitation, but practically the whole town had shown up because Miranda and Grayson were loved by everyone. Mom had offered to go with me, but I refused, I didn't think I was welcome, seeing that I had barely had a conversation with either one before the accident; before they died. I didn't know them, I hadn't wanted to. And now I didn't have a chance to do so and for some unknown reason it bothered me more than I would ever admit. It wasn't the fact that they were technically my aunt and uncle and that they were gone but the fact that they would never really have the chance to have the typical aunt and uncle relationship with me was what bothered me. They would never be able to have that chance to know what they missed out on now that they were gone. It was such a finite thing, death. It scared me to my core.

As I started walking through the tombstones I noticed the wilted flowers that were lying next to the stones of loved ones. I wondered when the last time someone visited some of these people. Had it been months, years? Or only a few days or weeks? I couldn't imagine how someone could abandon their parents, grandparents, or even their children's grave sites. It was simply heartbreaking.

As I looked through the cemetery and I neared Grayson and Miranda's grave I saw someone. I could only see the back of them, but I knew it was a girl. It was a girl, with long brown hair, and she was seated up against another stone. She was facing the Gilbert stone and had a book in her lap and her knees propped up. From my position I believed she was writing in it, like a diary.

I got closer and regretted not turning around when I had the chance. I didn't know why I was so stupid as to not realize who it was. Long brown hair, red top that she wore at school today, sitting in front of the Gilbert grave stone? It was Elena. And I had been caught.

"Alex?" She asked when she turned to look over her shoulder. I had broken a twig on my way around. She must have heard it and it startled her. She looked at me from her seat with wide eyes. She seemed just as nervous as I was.

"Hey." I replied awkwardly with a small wave. There was an awkward pause where neither one of us spoke. I debated on turning to go, but she stood up. The book she had been writing in was in her hand, my guess was right, it was her diary. I had tried to write in a diary once, I never kept up with it. I was never as good at writing as I was drawing.

"What brings you here?" Elena finally asked politely. I wondered why on Earth she was talking to me because we hadn't in so long. She couldn't be bothered to look my direction, and now we were having a conversation?

"Just… uh… passing through." I told her. "What about you?"

Her face fell, and I immediately regretted my question. She glanced to the tomb stone before she turned back. Her gaze fell to the ground, eyes sad. She shifted her weight and I marveled at how rare this was. I had never seen Elena so awkward or flustered. Maybe it was because of her parents grave or because she was talking to me. Either way this was new.

"I'm sorry I didn't… I mean I…" I tried to finish but I couldn't find the right words. Instead I just shut my mouth. She looked back up to me and smiled weakly. It was forced, I could tell. I had been forcing smiles for years. I was a master at that kind of thing. I assumed, considering the circumstances, that Elena was becoming a pro as well.

"No, it's fine. I come here to write." She said gesturing to her journal. "Helps me think."

"Oh." I replied, not knowing what else to say. Who goes to a cemetery to write in a diary? That seemed bizarre even for me. I drew some weird things, but what the hell did she write about while sitting next to her parents graves?

"Can I ask you something?" She asked suddenly. I had a bit of de ja'vu of the day prior where Dr. Aaron had asked me the same thing. But this was different. Elena was nervous, I could tell by the way she was bouncing her journal off of her leg.

"I guess so." I replied, even though I really wasn't interested. She hesitated before she bit her bottom lip. She seemed to be perplexed, nervous even. I didn't know what to think or do about this. I was surprised we were even speaking.

"Me and some friends… we're going to the Grill tonight." She began eyes catching mine for a brief second. "Do you want to go?"

I opened my mouth and then shut it. Elena was asking me to hang out? With her friends? Where is this world coming to? Where were there flying pigs? Had hell froze over? There was no way that this was happening right now.

"I have to work." I replied. Her face fell. Even though I would be there, at the Grill, I wasn't going to be hanging out with them. Why would I? We weren't friends. I didn't even like most of the people Elena hung out with.

"Maybe some other time then." She suggested. I simply nodded, not wanting to agree to anything.

"I guess I'll see you later?" I said, not really needing an answer. I would definitely see her, just whether or not she talked to me in front of her friends was another question entirely.

"Sure!" She said, all too hopefully. Something made me feel bad, for almost lying to her but another part of me wanted to crush all hope she had for a friendship with me. Yeah, I'm a sick person I know.

I waved to her quickly and exited the cemetery. I didn't wait for her to say anything else, I had to go. That was so weird; going from not speaking to her asking me to hang out. Something was up and I had no desire to find out what it was. I had so many other things to do, like work, homework, and sulk in my own self-pity.

Maybe I should try to… No. No! Why should I try when she never did? I was a broken child and she left me to suffer it all by myself. I blamed her for my solitude, although it was her uncle I should have been blaming. No. I would not go back to whatever we could have had. I did that once and I got burned. I would never put myself through that again.

"Alex! Table five needs a beer!"

"Got it!"

I scrambled to the bar, picking out a bottle of Miller and cracking it open. With amazing swiftness and surprising coordination, I swerved around people, tables, and chairs then deposited the drink without fail. I technically wasn't supposed to serve alcohol, seeing that I was a minor, but the old boss Robbie didn't really care about the law. He only cared when the sheriff was in, and she wasn't in sight.

"It's crazy in here." Vicki Donovan, a fellow waitress of mine, said when she slapped down her tray. I shrugged and tucked a hair behind my ear. I started writing on my pad, making sure the order was clear and precise. Vicki wasn't a friend, but she did talk to me sometimes. Mostly our conversations were about work and sometimes school, but it was never more than that.

Vicki was a big pill head, I actually saw her swipe some of the pain pills I received from the hospital. I hadn't said anything, one because I was a big chicken, and also I wasn't using them anymore. I didn't like the way they made me feel, so I figured if someone else could use them then why not. Even if it was illegal and society frowned upon it.

"I've got a table of creeps." Vicki continued. "How's your tables?"

"Not bad. No creeps yet." I replied still writing. I heard the bell above the door ding but I didn't react. I was too busy.

"I wouldn't be so sure." Vicki said with a small chuckle. I looked up and saw no one other than Elena, followed by the new guy in our history class, walking right through the door. They were talking to Matt, Vicki's little brother, and before I could do anything they were headed toward my section and taking their seats. I swallowed hard.

"Good luck." Vicki added before she grabbed her tray and sauntered off. I let out a long breath before slapping the order I was writing down on the counter for the cook in the back. I took all the courage I had in my body and walked over to their table. Bonnie was there, then there was Elena and the new guy. Not too long after Caroline showed up. I really didn't want to do this.

"Welcome to the Mystic Grill how may I help you?" I muttered as pleasantly as possible. The whole group, excluding the new guy, looked up and their eyes widened in surprise. Nobody expected that I would be their waitress, I know I didn't expect it. Usually they avoided me, just as Elena had before. I could understand, they were her friends, and I was just a lowly girl who apparently didn't deserve friends of her own.

"Hey Alex." Elena said boldly. I forced a smile, still waiting for their drink orders. "Stefan this is Alex my…."

You could cut the tension with a knife. I didn't know where she was going with that statement, but she never finished it. I could see Bonnie's jaw clench and Caroline had a smug smirk on her face; she must have been enjoying the discomfort. Both Elena and I looked away from each other uncomfortably.

"Hi, Alex. I'm Stefan." The new guy, who I could now put a name to, reached out to shake my hand. I took it, grateful that he had broken the awkward silence. Elena seemed to let out a breath, and I guess I did too.

"Do you guys know what you want to order or should I come back?" I asked. It was a long sentence for me, but I had been trained that way. I was used to that sentence. It still didn't stop me from feeling awkward around these people though.

"I'll have water." Caroline said. This was followed by the others drink orders. I nodded and took the order behind the bar and started filling up glasses. I didn't notice when Vicki came up beside me.

"How was that?" She asked curiously. I continued with filling up their drinks when I answered.

"It's going to be a long night." I replied bitterly. Vicki let out a chuckle, but I wasn't laughing. I just hoped that I could survive tonight.

"Well that was awkward." Caroline mumbled as the whole table watched Alex walk away with their drink order.

"It's only awkward if you make it awkward." Bonnie countered. Caroline rolled her eyes. Elena felt a weight being taken off her shoulders the further Alex walked away. This whole making amends thing was much tougher than it seemed.

"It's awkward because she's Elena's cousin, but we don't talk to her. Like at all." Caroline called out. Elena's eyes widened. She hadn't wanted to explain the weirdness of her family, especially to Stefan. He would probably think she was crazy and never speak to her again. Something about him, made her want to open up and talk to him.

"Caroline." Bonnie warned. The two friends then started arguing in hushed tones. Stefan looked over to Elena and smiled. He wasn't pushing her, though Elena figured that he was curious. She sighed.

"She's my cousin. But… we're not close. We're probably the furthest from close. It's just really complicated" Elena said, looking down. She wasn't proud of how she had treated Alex, and for a while she hadn't cared. But now that she saw how short life could be, she couldn't go through life without saying that she tried.

"Don't worry. My family is complicated too." Stefan said. Elena grinned and the two seemed to just stare at one another for a long time. She wondered if he was just saying that or if it was the truth. She was betting on the latter. They only broke apart when Alex returned with their drinks.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" Alex asked. Elena could see the apprehension on her face. She wondered if this was as awkward for Alex as it was for her. When Alex didn't get and answer she nodded and walked away. Elena opened her mouth but shut it when Alex was gone.

"It hurts you." Stefan observed. Elena looked over back to Stefan with a furrowed brow. "That she doesn't talk to you."

"She has good reason. I kind of ignored her for ten years." Elena admitted. Stefan nodded and she guessed he now thought she was a cruel human being.

"That's rough." He replied. Elena nodded sullenly. The idea of what had gone on still made Elena cringe. She felt awful for how she had treated Alex, and it was much harder to get back in her good graces than Elena originally thought. Alex was a tough nut to crack, but Elena had to continue to try.

"So you were born in Mystic Falls?" Caroline caught both of their attention. Let the interrogation begin.

I had done everything I could to avoid the table of teenagers. The girls were currently asking Stefan question after question. I wondered how long they would be there. I hoped not for much longer. I kept getting glances from Elena and Vicki wouldn't stop talking about it.

"I mean this whole situation is fucked up." Vicki told me. I was currently wiping out a glass and stacking them high. "Like you guys are what?"

"Cousins." I answered simply. I didn't want to talk about this, but she wasn't going to stop.

"I don't really talk to my cousins, but they aren't in the same town." Vicki continued. "And what she's just suddenly talking to you again? Why?"

"I don't know." I replied, smacking down a glass with more force than needed. "I really don't want to talk about this."

"Fine. Touchy." Vicki said before she walked off. I let out a breath before finishing the last of the glasses. I then picked up a tray and started clearing off a table. I had no idea that someone had come up behind me.

"Hey." I practically dropped the plate I had in my hand. "Oh I'm sorry!"

I turned and Elena stood there giving me a concerned look. I felt my heart rate start to slow down when I realized it was just her. But then I felt the nervous pit in my stomach grow the longer she stood there just looking at me because she obviously wanted something.

"Do you want any help?" She asked politely. I shook my head and continued to work. Maybe if I kept doing what I was doing then she might leave. It didn't work like I hoped it would. She continued to stare at me from her spot. It was making my skin crawl.

"Do you need something?" I asked when I turned around. She stood there, awkwardly wringing her hands. I don't think there would ever be a time where I didn't get weirded out by the sight of Elena Gilbert being nervous. That was usually my department and now I had seen her twice acting like I made her afraid. I wasn't the least bit intimidating, but I took some sick pride in making her uncomfortable.

"I was wondering if you were going to the party at the falls tomorrow." She admitted quickly, like she was trying to get it all out at once. I stared at her for a long time, like she was crazy. She swallowed visibly and I tried not the relish in how scared she looked right then. The silence didn't last long. I actually started to laugh. Not just quiet shy laughing. I was cracking up.

"What?" Elena asked innocently, a smile reaching her face as well. I continued to laugh until I noticed that people were starting to stare. I calmed myself down enough to look back at Elena, who looked so confused.

"You know what I don't understand?" I asked. She shrugged. "This whole act you have going on."

"What act?" She asked me. I rolled my eyes. She was playing stupid.

"Don't play dumb." I replied. "This whole friendly act you are doing. It's actually starting to freak me out."

"It's not an act…" Elena replied. I let out a chuckle. Did she think I was stupid? That was twice today that she had asked me to hang out with her. That wasn't just random, there had to be an agenda behind it. Elena Gilbert and I didn't just hang out. We didn't even speak. And now all of a sudden she wanted to be besties? I don't think so.

"Ok let me get this straight." I told her, putting my hands on my hips. "You really just want to hang out?"

"Yeah." She answered.

"With me?" I continued.

"Yeah." Elena repeated. We stared at one another for a short while before I shook my head and grabbed my tray and started to walk away. She caught me though. "Alex, please, don't go."

"Why?" I spat. "So you can just talk to me for a week and ignore me until we are 80?"

"Alex I never meant-" She started to say but I cut her off.

"Right, perfect little Elena never does anything wrong," I said with a laugh. "But they don't know the real you. Not the you I know."

"Alex-" I could tell she was getting upset, but I wasn't going to let up. I had held all of this back for years, I couldn't stop it anymore; even if I wanted to.

"I don't want your pity and I don't want to be your friend." I told her. "You have your kind and I'm better off alone."

"No one wants to be alone." Elena replied. I chewed on the inside of my cheek. "I've made mistakes Alex, and now I want to make them right."

"What about I don't want your pity do you not understand?" I asked her. I wasn't expecting an answer, I didn't need one. She thought that being friends with me would fix her guilty conscious. Well I wouldn't let it happen.

"Alex I just-" She tried again, looking around at the people who were pretending to not listen to us argue. They probably would blame it on me. Elena never gets the blame, even when she deserves it, and maybe after this she would leave me alone.

"Just leave me alone Elena." I pleaded with her. "It's better off this way."

Elena opened her mouth but I had already turned and started walking away. I could feel plenty of eyes on me but I didn't turn around and my steps didn't falter. I wouldn't give anyone the satisfaction of seeing me squirm. I had never expected that to come out of me, but I guess years of never saying it had done something to me. Sure, I bet I looked a little unstable and crazy but I didn't care. That was just something they could add to the list of things this town thought they knew about me but actually didn't.

"Nice job." Vicki said when I approached her. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"I didn't either." I admitted. I saw Elena leaving the Grill, friends in tow. She had wet cheeks from where tears had been shed and I couldn't stop the guilty feeling invade my gut. I shouldn't have felt bad, all I did was tell her the truth. But I wasn't a mean person, I never had been. Maybe I was a bit harsh, maybe I deserved to be alone. Just like Elena hurts the people she cares about most, I push people who might care away.

That night I didn't sleep well. I tossed and turned while the scene at the Grill replayed over and over in my mind. It had gotten so bad that I woke up and started drawing, in an attempt to calm myself down but it didn't work.

The sketch in question was of a sweet princess, getting yelled at by a huge monster. The words Leave me Alone. I'm Better off that Way, were scribbled above the sketch. I thought it was an accurate portrayal of the night's drama. The monster was huge, having long teeth and nasty looking claws. The princess looked beautiful, the picture of perfection. She had tears rolling down her face and anyone looking at it would have felt bad for her. But would there be some who pitied the monster? The monster that was too afraid to open up to anyone even the kind princess; the monster that thought it was easier to be alone, but not really wanting to be alone.

I got ready for school in a daze. I was too tired to dress up for anyone. I put on my normal ensemble, a t shirt and jeans, and headed down the stairs. Mom was gone, as per usual. She left a note that said she would be back later that night. I hadn't had the chance to tell her about my freak out on Elena; she would probably be disappointed and make me apologize. I never wanted to hurt Elena's feelings, but I just had to tell her that her behavior was bizarre and just thinking about it made my head spin.

I started out early, having to walk since my mom wasn't around. Usually, walks in nature would calm a person down, but not me, I was too focused on how much of a bitch I was to Elena in order to relax. It was nice out, just a little breeze making the weather nice and not too hot. I liked this kind of weather, when I wasn't so hot and sticky but also not freezing to death. It was just perfect.

It took me about thirty minutes to walk all the way to school, and when I saw the building I felt a pit of nervousness grow in my stomach. Everyone at the Grill knew that there was an Elena-Alex smack down last night, and I was the one who delivered the slap. It wasn't a physical slap, but I had emotionally given her a few blows that were probably undeserved. She was trying, from what I could tell, to turn things around. That was way more than I was doing.

I took a deep breath before I slumped my head and headed for the building. No one seemed to notice I was there or said anything about it. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. I walked inside and realized that the thought I just had was gone. As soon as I walked in I was met with stares, and quite a few glares. Who yells at Princess Elena? A monster, that's who.

"She's the one who freaked out at the Grill." Someone said to their friend. I swallowed and shifted the strap of my bag on my shoulder. I hated getting attention, so at the moment I was freaked out. I felt like I was going to throw up.

I practically sprinted to class, slipping in my seat and putting my head down. I knew that in a week no one would remember this and they would focus on something else, but that didn't help me now. I felt the lump in my gut grow and I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. It worked until Elena and Bonnie strolled into class. Bonnie looked my way, but not with anger or malice. She looked honestly concerned. Elena didn't look at me. I figured that my rant last night would shut her up, but something about how she ignored me opened old wounds.

"Alright class!" Tanner shouted to get everyone's attention. He glanced at me and I felt my face heat up. Never had I wanted to disappear more in my life. "Today we are going to be talking about battles."

The whole class groaned together and Tanner glared at everyone. He started on his lecture, but I couldn't even force myself to pay attention. I stared at the back of Elena's head, willing her to look at me. I didn't know why, it could have been guilt. Was this what she was feeling like? This gut wrenching feeling of guilt and she was trying to make herself feel just a tiny bit better? If she was then I couldn't blame her for trying. If she did ever talk to me again, I don't know what I would say.

"The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war in our very own Mystic Falls. How many casualties resulted in this battle?" Tanner asked scanning eyes around the room. "Ms. Bennet?"

Bonnie looked up and everyone seemed to stare at her. She looked like a deer in head lights, obviously not knowing the answer or paying enough attention to really know what to say. She recovered faster than I would have. She shrugged.

"Um…a lot? I'm not sure. Like a whole lot." She nodded. The class laughed with her at her generic answer. I even found myself laughing along. Tanner rolled his eyes.

"Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Ms. Bennett." Tanner said. Bonnie seemed surprised by his degrading and somewhat insulting comment. Tanner moved on to other students to torture, asking Matt next to me, he also didn't know the answer. I was thankful that he looked over me. But he didn't look over the other Gilbert.

"Elena? Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events?" He asked. I couldn't see Elena's face, but the lack of a response and shaking of her head revealed that she didn't have a clue.

"I'm sorry, I-I don't know." She answered honestly. Tanner sighed and shook his head before pointing a mean and judging finger at her.

"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena. But the personal excuses ended with summer break." He said. You could cut the tension with a knife. No one laughed; no one even breathed. That was a low blow and Tanner knew it. He was using her parents as a punch line. How fucked up was that? Elena turned her head away from our cruel and masochistic teacher and I could see the pain on her face. That was too soon and too wrong for Tanner to say. Elena looked up, locking eyes with me. I could see the tears brimming in her eyes and in that split second I made a decision. A stupid one, but a decision nonetheless. I shot up from my seat, still looking at Elena. Student's looked up at me, and it wasn't long before Tanner looked my way too.

"Ms. Gilbert? Do you have the answer?" He looked delighted that someone might actually have an answer to his question. Although I probably could have found out the answer, I had more pressing things to do. I was tired of people treating others like they didn't have feelings. I had been treated like that my whole life, and I was done feeling like that. No one was ever there to stand up for me, but that didn't mean that I couldn't do something.

"Yeah I have an answer for you." I said boldly, I was surprised that I wasn't shaking, or throwing up. Everyone was watching me with interest. I would probably be the talk of the town after this. "The real casualty is how much of an ass you are, because it's just cruel to say that Elena is using the death of her parents as an excuse for not knowing an answer to a question that no one else does or cares about."

"Excuse me?" Tanner seemed quite shocked by my outburst. I heard everyone gasp or go 'ooo.' I couldn't be bothered to feel bad for what I was saying. Tanner had it coming and he deserved everything that I said to him.

"You're a jerk Tanner." I replied. The students started whispering louder then, laughing and giving me surprised looks. I could feel their eyes on me and I met Elena's gaze again. She looked like she was shocked at my outburst just like everyone else, but for different reasons. I was shocked at myself, but Elena's wasn't shocked at what I had said or who I said it to, but she was shocked that I was sticking up for her, of all people. It was my way of apologizing.

"One more word and you are out of this class." Tanner warned me. I continued to share a look with Elena. She shook her head slightly, telling me that it wasn't worth it. Was it really though? I looked away from her and back to Tanner. He had a smirk on his face, daring me to speak again. I felt my own glare surface and then smirked myself.

"How about four?" I asked. "You. Are. A. Dick."

"What do you mean you got detention?!"

My mother was fuming, I was wondering if smoke would come out of her ears if she drank water. She was pacing the living room with her hands going in all directions like she was trying to swat a bug. I just sat there on the couch, waiting for her to stop yelling. I knew that if I tried to talk to her then she would just get louder and I would just get madder. She had every right to be upset with me but I still didn't like being yelled at. Besides, she didn't yell at me a lot so this was new for us. She had been at this for five minutes, not listening to my side of the story before she started yelling. I guess it didn't matter. I was in trouble and I walked right into it.

"How could you do this? You know this is going to be on your record right?" She asked me. I knew she didn't want an answer; it was a hypothetical question. She continued her pacing and I sat there and picked at a tear in my jeans. I remember getting it a few summers ago when I decided that I was going to climb the tree in my front yard. Mom had scolded me for it, since we didn't have a lot of money to buy a new pair, but I didn't mind. It had gotten bigger over the years but I thought it was actually cool.

"You're a good kid Alex. Cussing at teachers is not you." She said, one hand on her hip the other wagging her finger at me. I could tell she was disappointed in me. A few years ago I would have never said something like that to anyone, let alone a teacher. This wasn't me, but I couldn't bring myself to stop once I started.

"What the hell was going through your mind?" She asked when she finally stopped moving. With her abrupt stop her arm swung around and hit her leg, making a thud noise when it smacked her hip.

"That someone needed me to stick up for them." I told her calmly, I was hoping that if I acted calm she would too. She scoffed. "Mom! I couldn't just let Tanner get away with what he said!"

"I agree what he said was mean, borderline needing a good slap in the face, but you didn't have to jump to the rescue." She told me. I shook my head and looked away from her. I could feed tears brimming in my eyes, angry tears that showed my weakness.

"You're not a super hero."

I looked back up to her. She was much calmer now and I tried to feed off of it. I wasn't a hero that was for sure. In fact I was more than likely a damsel in distress most of the time, but that didn't mean that I couldn't speak up when I thought it was the right thing to do. Tanner was picking at Elena's emotions just because he could, he wasn't concerned with how his comment might hurt her. I wouldn't let that stand, even if it was Elena Gilbert who was hurt in the process.

"No. I'm just a decent person." I replied. "You always taught me to speak up for people. What makes this any different?"

She sighed. She put her hand on her forehead, massaging it like she had a headache. She took a couple deep breaths. I knew that she was in a bad spot. Getting a call from the school telling you that your kid acted out in class and was close to suspension if not for the fact that this was their first offense had to be a terrible thing to hear. I didn't want to make her life harder, I tried to make it easier, but maybe this was the wrong idea. An image of Elena's anguished face popped into my mind and then I knew in my heart that I had done the right thing.

"I don't regret what I did." I admitted. Mom chewed on her bottom lip. It was something she did when she didn't know what to say. I did it too, but more often when I was nervous. She stepped closer and sat with me on the couch. She took my hand and gave me her most motherly look.

"I don't want you to regret it. You defended someone and I couldn't be more proud of that." She said, squeezing my hand. "But when I told you that I wanted this year to be different, I didn't mean that you should start getting in trouble."

I looked at her about to respond but I shut my mouth. I wasn't going to get anywhere, she was right. I shouldn't have been so strong with my come back with Tanner, but no one else was going to say anything to him and it needed to be done.

"So am I grounded now?" I asked her. She rolled her eyes and scoffed. I had never been in trouble in my whole life, I never spoke enough to really get into trouble. I had never been grounded, although if I was I would have free time to draw so I guess it wouldn't be so bad.

"You hang around the house enough." She said ruffling my hair. "I have something else in mind."

I felt my eyebrows furrow. She smiled wickedly and I felt a tug at my gut. I knew that whatever my mom came up with I wouldn't like. She was very creative when it came down to making me do things I didn't want to do.

"You're going to that party down at the falls tonight." She said. I felt my jaw drop and she started to giggle. I heard some kind of noise come out of my mouth but I didn't know what it was or where it came from. I didn't even know I could make that kind of sound; a sound of such anguish and despair.

"I'm what?" I asked her, hoping that I had heard her wrong. Any other parent would have told their child they couldn't go to a party, but not my mother. No, she had to torture me with the idea of going to a party.

"You said Elena invited you right?" She asked.

"Yeah but-" I began but she cut me off before I could finish.

"Then you should go. Maybe you will have fun." Mom replied. I let my jaw go slack and watched her walk into the kitchen. I followed briskly behind her, trying to find any kind of argument that would stop her from doing this to me.

"Isn't the point of a punishment to not have fun?" I asked her. She shrugged beginning to do the dishes. "I think you have this who grounded thing backwards."

"Like I said, you stay around this house too much." She said as she started cleaning a plate. "Besides if you're going to start defending Elena you need to start hanging out with her."

"I didn't defend her because I wanted to become friends with her mom." I told her. She shrugged again, infuriating me even more. There was no way in hell I was going to this party. That was not my scene and I already embarrassed myself enough in front of this student body. I didn't plan on doing it anymore.

"I can't go." I told her. She looked over at me, exasperated. I was sure that this was a weird scene, a daughter fighting with her mother over the fact that she didn't want to go to a party. Usually it would be the other way around.

"You're going." She told me, wielding a soapy fork as a weapon. I held up my hands in surrender and she grinned in success. "Now go put on something hot."

"Ew. Mom I never want to hear that come out of your mouth again." I told her before leaving her to finish the dishes. I could hear her amused laughter as I left. I made sure to slam my door when I reached my room, just for effect. I would go to this party, but I would not have fun. I would make sure of it.