The start of the season, Fall was always a town favorite. Most of the events took place during this not so hot, not so cold weather. Though school year was at full speed. The first day of October. It wasn't any different from yesterday or tomorrow.

Elena Gilbert's life is perfect and it has always been. One of the reasons might be that she has always kept track of everything. Good looks, loving family and popularity. They all wanted to be her. And she didn't want to be anyone else.

She got ready for school, her routine was wearing her cheerleading uniform, straightening her hair, doing some natural makeup to keep all the girls and guys practically gushing over her perfection.

She found her friends Bonnie and Caroline in the hallway, where they were together probably gossiping.

"Have you guys seen Matt?" she asked, not interested in finding out about who April was caught making our with.

Predictably, her boyfriend was the Quarterback. It suited her perfectly. His all American looks complimented her. At the same time, he was one of the sweetest guys she knew if not the 'smartest'.

"Nope. I didn't see his car outside." Bonnie chimed in. Elena knew what the issue was here. Bonnie was still upset at Elena ditching her birthday party halfway because Matt wanted to take her to dinner with his parents.

"Bon-" Elena tried but Bonnie stopped her, "Save it, don't you see how fast things are moving with Matt. You're completely ignoring our friendship."

Caroline also added, "It is beyond me how you've been dating Matt ever since high school started, it's starting to look like you're going to be one of those high school couples who get married way too early and then grow up in a few years to realize they have two dead end jobs and four kids now." She blabbed.

She backed a step away from Caroline's 'loud' sound range.

"Matt is an amazing guy, I've known him my entire life and I really don't wanna go through the entire football team to realize I like Matt. She said with a smile as she went towards her locker. A chill went down her spine and she realized the school devil was near by. She didn't like these new transfers. Salvatore brothers. Only here now for an year. Their father was donating huge amounts to the school, that's why they never got in any trouble.

The younger brother was in her class, known for throwing the most insane parties that Caroline begged to drag her to in the summer but she just didn't like him. Yet Stefan Salvatore wasn't as threatening or repelling to her as his older brother, in senior year, Damon Salvatore.

She hated his rude personality, his habits of nicknaming people, thinking he was above everyone. Most of all because they had a moment in the summer.

She was at Tyler Lockwood's pool party in the summer. He did hit on her at the start of the party despite seeing her dancing with Matt.

"You're in junior class right? I've seen you in Stefan's class."

She was trying to be polite, "Yeah, we have French and Chemistry together."

He chuckled, "He sucks in both of those subjects, well now I know why, who would want to look at a book when they can look at you."

Elena's brows raised, she scanned around for Matt who went to get her a drink, Damon asked, "What are you looking for?" his hand touching her upper arm.

She looked at him, said a bit rudely to warn him, "My boyfriend. Matt."

He cringed, "That is tragic, that guy is so not worth looking for, what 'we' should look for is a room."

She wanted to slap him for such an advance but she picked up her bag, even though his eyes were boring into her burgundy one piece bikini, she refused to acknowledge it, "Okay, I am not that kind of a girl."

She wasn't a cheater, or hell this easy to be seduced by a self-proclaimed 'bad boy' who was just actually a spoiled trust fund kid.

"So what kind of a girl are you?" he asked with a mocking tone.

That's it, she picked up her mojito and splashed it all over his face, "Asshole." She muttered before leaving and not looking back. She was pretty happy about what she did.

She knew how to behave, her record had to be spotless because being a valedictorian had been on her bucket list and no matter what, there would be no misdemeanor here. Like she feared, it was Damon- that too coming towards the locker room where she was.

"Where is your conjoined brother?" he asked about Matt , since she always made sure Matt was around. "I'll tell you where yours is, in the bathroom- snorting your father's fortune up his nose." She spat back.

His face tightened. She grinned seeing him out of his wits.

It was no secret that Stefan was an addict thanks to his partying lifestyle.

He took a step towards her and she looked over his shoulder to see that Bonnie and Caroline were no longer there, "How's the view from the top of your high horse?" he scoffed.

Elena rolled her eyes, "Its pretty good, I can even see the itsy bitsy bugs with no morals from up here."

He sighed, "Oh Elena." His face leaned closer near her ear as he whispered, "I can't wait for the day that you realise that you lost the best years of your life due to your skewed teen fantasy of Matt Donovan."

She laughed, "You still think you have a chance with me, don't you? Okay hear me out." She said standing up straight and closing her locker door, "I'd rather eat nails or live on an island with snakes then give you the time of day." She said smugly before heading for class.

The more she saw of him, the more she hated. He really thought he could get any girl he put his finger on, his attitude needed strict reality checks and she would give him that.

….

So far this year she was at the top of the class, it wasn't easy. Socializing, studying, and making it look easy was the hardest part of it all. One thing that didn't give her a tough time was Matt. "Tonight, you and I, at 'Night Life'. I know a guy who can get us in, don't need any fake IDs."

Elena forced a smile, " Urgh Matt, you know I am volunteering at the hospital right?"

He rolled his eyes, leaning down on her desk as Elena chewed her gum, "C'mon babe, you and I both know it's just a stupid thing Grayson wants you to go for. You've already missed two weeks of fun with the mid-term exam."

This wouldn't be the first time Matt thought anything she did was just not worth the effort. He didn't care because he had a football scholarship anyway.

She held on to his collar, "Look give me two days, I am going to the founders party with you already."

"That stupid auction with a bunch of people that have been alive since the time movies didn't have sound? He exaggerated. He held her wrists, "Please. I want you to come. I want to be able to enjoy with you."

"We can spend time after school?" she suggested.

"Elena, c'mon- that's hardly thirty minutes." He huffed.

"Well, after the founder's day thing, we can plan something. I'll check the calendar and make sure it is all clear." Elena said with a hint of a smile.

"Oh come on, it's just tonight, for once can we do my thing?" he asked tired with her excuses.

Elena sighed looking down at her books, "I am sorry Matt, I can't have my dad getting upset with me."

"You'd rather it be me?" he suddenly asked, all serious now and Elena definitely wanted to say no but for some reason she kept quiet. Just because of this volunteer work she was finally able to spend some time with her father. They were talking, they even had a few jokes.

She took too long to answer and that made Matt speak up, he held up the calendar in her work journal that was on her desk to her face, "You know, between school, cheer practice, volunteering for the council, spending girls nights with Bonnie and Caroline, and then fucking your dad, you need to fit me too if you want an actual working relationship."

Elena hissed when she felt all eyes on her, thankfully Mr Tanner entered the class and before Matt could create a further scene, he was forced to get back in his seat.

From the corner of her eyes she could see Caroline whispering in Bonnie's ear. Tyler was patting Matt's back, telling him to calm down, everyone was giving her the dirty looks. Even Stefan Salvatore was giving her a judgmental look every now and then.

Though after class Bonnie was immediately by her side, "Hey. You okay?" she asked as Elena was packing her stuff, "Yeah. It's fine." She was going to leave when Bonnie stopped her, "I gave you shit about being a bad friend and he did about being a bad girlfriend. Elena, you're not a bad friend." She said holding Elena's arms.

Honestly, the day had drained her, "Thanks, Bon. Well at least you're not mad anymore."

Bonnie put her hands on her hips, "I figured you'd need someone to talk about this to."

She nodded, "Yeah earlier was a scene, Matt looks like he's actually mad this time."

"Look he felt neglected but that's no reason for him to humiliate you." Bonnie said picking Elena's book from the desk and putting it in her bad, the class was empty now and they both were the last ones there, "I want to go with him, but the hospital thing is important to me."

"Its important to your dad." Bonnie corrected, "Just like the council work is important to your mom."

"Here comes Bonnie in her therapist suit." Elena said jokingly. Bonnie mocked, "Oh you need one, trust me."

…

..

It had been two days, Matt was hardly talking to her , she even stayed after practice to make up with him. But he just didn't want to listen.

Good thing Bonnie went shopping with her for the founder's day auction. Elena found the perfect dress for it. A smoke grey lace dress that gave her body the perfect hour glass shape and ended above her knees. Sultry yet classy. She knew she would find Matt here.

People were coming in, Bonnie had drove her hear, wearing a dark green and black midi dress with high heels.

Elena was entering everyone's donations to the day in the Lockwood library when she saw a familiar face, Damon Salvatore.

He was wearing a round neck white shirt with jeans. Typically not following dress code. She wondered if it was his desperate cry for attention. It was good way to pass time and slander him than think about Matt confirming to her fears of not showing up.

He was looking down at a desk with his family name on it and Elena looked over his shoulder, "Ugh, you really donated your skank souvenirs?" She said looking down at a emerald necklace. A few books, and a pocket watch.

He was actually caught by surprise when he looked back, "You can't just magically appear anywhere and then not expect the village people to burn you at the stake."

"Interesting diversion. Now I really want to know who hurt you?" she faked a pout.

He leaned against the table, "If you must know, this stuff is my mother's."

She gasped, "The antichrist has a mother?"

He chuckled, "Not all of us are made in a lab with sugar, spice and a dash of insufferable snob."

She churned her teeth , before taking a breath to speak, "I haven't seen your mother at any town events, is that where you get it from? The try-hard rebel persona."

He looked around before answering, "She's been dead for a good sixteen years."

Elena's eyes widened slightly and she blushed with embarrassment. No matter how much she detested him, his mother might have been important to him.

"Oh. Ahm- I am sorry, that has to be- difficult." She just couldn't find the words. She tried her best to seem genuine with the smile she gave him. His eyes narrowed, "Did I melt the ice queen?"

"Excuse me?"

"You know what I mean, don't look at this like you found the answer to me. I am the way I am because I want to be. My dead mother doesn't factor in so keep your Bambi buggy eyes to someone who actually wants sympathy from you." He said walking away from her. Elena was left confused and slightly offended, when Bonnie asked, she shrugged, "I don't know."

"Isn't he tired of you rejecting him yet?" Bonnie asked.

She looked at her friend and pursed her lips, "I don't want to talk about him, did Matt come yet?"

"Looking for me?" A voice asked, she turned around to see Matt across the table, all dressed up in a suit, looking his best. She sighed of relief, "Hey, I've been meaning to talk to you." He took the clipboard from her hand and placed it on the table, Bonnie left them alone as she started explaining to him.

She took a drink from the servers as did Matt, "I am sorry for the other day." He told her, "I don't know why, but you're always busy. And when you're not busy- you make yourself busy."

She cupped the side of his face, "Matt I want to go to a good college and you know this stuff looks good on paper. Plus, it wouldn't kill us to learn some culture."

He scoffed, "You mean me? Elena, I know you think this is a big deal." He gestured towards the house, "Its not, it's just a breeding ground for hobby-less housewives. Nothing about this is culture."

She had enough at this point, how come he ridiculed everything she did, "So what do you want me to do? Put on a skimpy little outfit and go to a dirty club with you because you happen to know a guy. Just because we are young doesn't mean we have to waste it all away. And I know you feel the same way, but you have this insane football team peer pressure. Those guys aren't even passing the semester."

He laughed humorlessly, "Huh, you hold me in such high esteem."

"I wasn't talking about you." She spat.

"Save it." He said putting the glass down and walking out. Elena cursed when she saw the drink spill over her clipboard. "Damn it." She said soaking it with a napkin.

She needed to write the names down with entries before they were further damaged, so she hurried to the study. Thank god the room was empty of guests and Elena was able to find a pen and some spare papers, she wrote the names down with the donations. all she could save- missing the whole party because she had been sitting here for forty minutes now. Completely immersed in the task, she completely missed the smoke alarm the first few times before she finally heard it. Panic filled her as she gathered the papers and headed outside.

The room was completely different than she had seen last. The curtains at the large windows were burning, the tables were on fire. People were running to find exits, Elena gasped seeing the tension and she quickly ran to the table she had been at with Matt to get her bag. Her eyes landed on the 'Salvatore' section.

..

..

The sirens were all around, thankfully people weren't injured. The fire had supposedly spread from the basement to the upper area. Bonnie and Elena were near the second stairs, drinking water and talking about it.

"You hurt your hand." Bonnie noticed.

She huffed, "Its just a minor burn because the study's door handle was so hot when I tried to get out."

"You never heard the alarm?" Bonnie asked, a bit scared for her.

She shook her head, "Missed it the first few times, I was trying to get all the names."

Elena turned her head over her shoulder when she heard Damon's voice, he was talking to Carol Lockwood, "They aren't letting me in, you said you'd take care of our donations and yet they are inside burning to ashes."

She bit her lip, "I am sorry Damon, it's dangerous in there, I can't let you go. Look we'll compensate you for your loss."

"Or maybe get my things back." He said firmly.

Carol sighed as she turned around to leave and left him standing there disappointed.

Elena pat Bonnie's arm and stood up from the step, "Wait I'll be back."

She reluctantly walked up to Damon and cleared her throat, when he turned around to look at her, he seemed annoyed, "This is not a good time Elena."

"No, wait." She stood facing him so he would listen. Looking around she reached into her bag, "here." She pulled his mother's emerald necklace, though simple- it had a lot of monetary and Elena hoped sentimental value.

He was looking at it in wonder, as of he never expected to see it again.

"The pocket watch was not there and the books were on fire."

He rubbed the warm gem with his thumb as Elena placed the necklace in his palm.

"They were all first edition, she had left little notes for Stefan and I to read." His voice was hardly above a whisper.

Elena licked her lips before trying again, "I am sorry about that." She said turning around to go but he stopped her, "Wait."

He stayed quiet for a few seconds before saying it, "Look, I get we are different people, you have a plan for everything, and I don't. Yet you can't see that Donovan is draining the life out of you."

She felt bewildered, "You know nothing about us."

He smirked clutching the necklace in his fist, "There's not much to him, he just got lucky that you rather drag around high school football popularity cutout than date an actual guy."

She threw her head back, "Oh don't tell me you're the one I should be dating."

He shook his head, "No I am the one you should be fucking, you should be dating someone with an IQ higher than 10,

She wished there would be a drink so she could throw it at his face, "You are incorrigible. I don't need your advice on my relationship."

She heard him as she headed towards Bonnie's car, "It's the cold truth you know- you're making a mistake thinking it's the 'healthy' choice."

She rolled her eyes, " Aw that breaks my heart that you think you were even a consideration to begin with." Her condescending tone didn't affect him.

He put the now cold necklace in his pocket. Until now she had kept him interested because of her angelic yet strikingly gorgeous face and that cheerleader type physique. He loved the Elena Gilbert conquest. The fact that she made it difficult with her fierce attitude was what made it better. There was no way he was below Matt Donovan in any area. Sooner or later she would come to her senses and he'd rather that happen soon.

A/N: new story ideaaaaa !!! I couldn't keep it locked, do you guys like it? Should I post chapter two? I just wanted to do a love-hate relationship kind of thing.

How many chapters should this story be? Also, please review and let me know what you think of these characters.