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CHAPTER 3:

STOLEN KISSES

Kiss (verb): touch or caress with the lips as a sign of love, sexual desire, or greeting

"A kiss always means something."

"True Love's Kiss? It's the most powerful thing in the world."

"One day you will kiss a man you can't breathe without, and find that breath is of little consequence."

"I've been dreaming of a true love's kiss and a prince I'm hoping comes with this. So to spend a life of endless bliss, just find who you love through true love's kiss."

As was becoming the latest tradition in the Silverstone household, Lucille waylaid Snow on her way out the front door, threatening to make her late for school, "Snow, stop right there! A word!"

Praying to God to give her patience, Snow pivoted around and plastered a timid smile onto her face as she obediently approached the step-monster. "Yes, Lucille?" she tucked a loose strand behind her ear and met the older woman's muddy-green gaze.

"You're to go grocery shopping the moment school lets you out. Then you are going to come straight here and cook a large spread. I am having a few guests over for dinner, and I want everything to be perfect, do you understand?" Lucille sneered, looking at Snow in disgust. She loved talking down at her, as though she were a dense child who needed to have every little thing spelt out for her. "I already called that manager of yours at the Grill. You'll have to work a double shift tomorrow."

Meekly, Snow nodded, "Is there anything you prefer I get for dinner tonight?"

"I want it to be French-oriented…" Contemplating, she steepled her fingers and lifted her gaze upwards, "How about Coq Au Vin, hmm? And a nice rum cake with fresh strawberries and cream. I am sure I don't have to remind you to make a delightful salad, do I?" Lucille glared at her. "Also, the number is approximately ten, but be generous."

"No, no, I'll-I'll get right on it after school," Snow whispered. Sadly, she was used to being Lucille, Haisley and Paisley's maid and granting their every whim. She had to learn how to cook and clean up after them and obey their every command before her tenth birthday.

"And…" Lucille turned around as she was making her way out, "I want you gone before the guests arrive. Don't want to have your presence staining the room. They are not from town and my daughters shall be in attendance. They know nothing about your filthy existence."

Hoping Lucille wasn't about to make her pay out of her own wages, Snow timidly spoke up, "Um, Lucille, what about the money?"

"Tell them to put it on my tab, you stupid girl!" Lucille snapped in a cold and downright condescending tone.

Nodding, Snow practically ran out of the house and into Bonnie's car, and as usual, she was repressing the urge to break down into tears at the unfairness of her life and at Lucille's unwarranted cruelty. "You'll never believe what the step-monster's making me do," she groaned the second she slammed the passenger door shut.

Bonnie threw Snow a side-glance, "Why do I have a feeling it's not good?"

"Because it's Lucille. Nothing about her is good. She called Roy and told him I can't make it to work today so now I have to work a double shift tomorrow. And that's not all. She's making me go to the market after school and get groceries for a dinner she's hosting tonight that I have to slave over for."

In a deadpanned voice, Bonnie said, "Let me guess… a dinner you're not allowed to attend."

"Bingo!" Snow sang as Bonnie deftly parked in the parking lot of Mystic Falls High.

"I. cannot. stand. Lucille Silverstone! I mean, who the hell does she think she is, bossing you around the house as if you're some sort of high-classed maid," Bonnie hissed, practically spitting acid. Calming down, a sad sigh emanated from Bonnie's lips and she placed a comforting arm around her docile friend.

A barely audible grumble of protest vibrated in her throat. "High-classed? More like lowly servant, Bon. High-classed maids get paid and are shown respect. I'm lacking those and more… Whatever, I'll just get it over with then head to the Grill or something," she shook her head and forced a smile onto her face, not wanting to think about her atrocious home life during her limited hours of freedom. "Hey Elena," she smiled weakly as the brunette joined them.

"What's up, why do you look so down?" Elena's eyes brimmed with concern. Snow was usually happy once she escaped her home and got away from Lucille's unwavering, judgmental gaze. "Long story, we'll explain later, but I need to talk to you about something," Bonnie gave Elena a solemn look, prompting the brunette to adopt a baffled expression. "I think you and Stefan should take it slow."

"What?" Snow gaped at Bonnie, wholly taken aback. "Weren't you the main one pushing her and Stefan to date already?"

Elena nodded in agreement to Snow's words, completely bemused at Bonnie's unexpected change of attitude concerning Stefan Salvatore. After all, Bonnie was the first one to notice him, and the one responsible for giving him Elena's contact information.

"I'm not saying don't date the guy. I'm just saying take it slow," Bonnie enunciated slowly, her voice taking a defensive note.

Suspicious, Elena squinted at Bonnie, "Why the about-face?"

"It's not an about-face. You're single for the first time in your entire high school career. It's the perfect time to play the field," Bonnie donned an innocent expression that neither Elena nor Snow bought. Not even for a split-second. Bonnie Bennett was hiding something from them…

"But she's not that girl," Snow rolled her eyes, her tone matter-of-fact, like she was simply discussing the weather. Repeating her previous actions, Elena nodded in agreement to Snow's words and squinted at Bonnie, "Exactly! Like I'm so that girl. Seriously, what are you not saying, Bonnie?"

"It's stupid," Bonnie shook her head.

Like a light bulb moment, Snow suddenly recalled the weird incident that transpired last night between Bonnie and Stefan at the Grill before the former ran out, completely spooked, as though the place was on fire or she had seen a ghost. "Is it about what happened last night after you gave him Elena's number and email when you totally weirded out on us?" Snow asked.

Bonnie stubbornly looked anywhere but at her two best friends as they gave her questioning looks. Elena huffed, having had enough with all the secrecy, "Spit it out, Bonnie."

"Okay, so just like Snow said, I accidentally touched Stefan. And I got a really bad feeling," Bonnie shrugged, but her eyes belied how disturbed she actually was.

"Is that it?" Elena and Snow intoned, gaping at Bonnie incredulously.

Desperate to prove her point and gain her friends' confidence, Bonnie emphasized, "It was bad, bad!"

"Is this the whole witchy mojo again?" Elena glanced unsurely at Bonnie. Snow could tell that whatever Bonnie felt, whether it was true or not, she was completely freaked out. Nobody can fake such emotions, and Snow was officially concerned for her friend.

"You know what? I'm just concerned. This is me. expressing concern. about my best friend's new boyfriend," Bonnie snapped, peeved.

"And I love you for it. I do. But I feel good. It's been a hard year, and I'm starting to kind of feel like things are getting back to normal again. And you know what? Stefan is a big part of that," Elena emphatically confessed.

"Yeah, I like Stefan, and he's been really good for Lena, Bon," Snow smiled at her friends, squeezing Bonnie's hand reassuringly. Just then, Stefan approached them. "Good morning Elena. Good morning Snow. Good morning Bonnie."

Snow beamed at him, "Hey Stefan!"

Fidgeting at her close proximity to the brown-haired boy, Bonnie turned to leave, "Hey, um, I gotta find Caroline. She's not answering her phone. So I'll see you guys later." And she left the three of them to stare at her retreating back.

"Bonnie, wait…" Elena trailed off, dejected, when Bonnie was far from hearing range.

"She doesn't like me very much," Stefan stated.

"She doesn't know you. She's my best friend. She's just looking out for me. But when she does, she will love you. I mean, Snow's my other best friend and she totally adores you," Elena smiled softly at him.

A chiming laugh erupted from the docile girl's lips, "Yeah, you're okay in my book."

"Here's what we're going to do. Are you free tonight?" Elena looked excited as she waited for Stefan to answer. Stefan nodded. "Perfect. Dinner, my house. Eight o'clock. You, me, Snow, and Bonnie. You two will spend some quality time and she'll get to see what a great guy you are. Mission accomplished," Elena declared ebulliently.

Suddenly, with no warning whatsoever, Stefan abruptly swerved his entire body, a ball clutched tightly between his hands. Looking further, Snow saw Tyler and Matt gaping at him, the former having purposely thrown it at Stefan while his back was turned. A frown of disapproval appeared on Snow's face – cheap shot.

Stefan however, appeared completely unbothered by Tyler's attempt to bully him. Instead, he stared at the ball in his hand and smirked before throwing it back at Tyler who seemed to have trouble catching it. In fact, the force of Stefan's throw had him staggering backward.

Go, Stefan!

If possible, Tyler and Matt's jaws further dropped in unmitigated shock.

"Wow, that throw was insane. You play football?" Snow gushed, in awe at the display that occurred before her very eyes.

Stefan shrugged nonchalantly, finding the genuine emotion in her violet eyes endearing, "I used to. It was a long time ago."

"So why don't you try out for the team?" Elena inquired brightly. Stefan automatically shook his head, "Yeah, I don't think so."

"So you don't like football?" Elena frowned as she looked at Stefan in thought.

"No, I love football. I think it's a great sport. But in this case, I don't think football likes me. You saw Tyler over there, and we know how Matt feels," Stefan shrugged, undisturbed.

"You should just ignore them, they're trying to haze you. To them, you're just mysterious loner guy," Snow grinned, shaking her head good-naturedly. "I'm going to leave you two and go find Bonnie or Caroline. Bye!"

After school, Snow went to the field where her fellow cheerleaders were warming up, knowing that Bonnie and Elena would be there.

"Snow, where's your uniform? Why aren't you dressed for cheer practice?" Bonnie asked once Snow approached them.

"I can't make it to practice today, Bon. Remember, I have that stupid dinner to make…" Snow trailed off, her smile sad. Bonne scowled at the reminder and inclined her head. "I need you to apologize to Care for me, tell her something came up with the step-monster, 'kay?"

"Good luck, Snow," Bonnie parted her with a warm smile.

Snow had slaved over dinner for hours and as it turned out, the decision to skip cheer practice ended up being a smart call, for she had barely finished setting up the table – in the family silverware, to add more salt to the wound – when Lucille kicked her out as the guests were due to arrive any moment. If she hadn't skipped cheerleading practice then she would have been in huge trouble.

It was a thirty minute walk to Elena's, but Snow didn't mind. She sometimes enjoyed walking in solitude, her only company being the refreshing breeze as it hit her face, engulfed her form and calmed her thoughts. Of course, she knew to stay away from the woods, forests and empty alleys – words of caution that still reverberated in her head from her father. One memory that never left her regarding Stanley Silverstone, was his constant warnings to stay away from such locations, as dangerous animals lived there, slinking in the shadows, and were the sole reason behind the animal attacks that plagued Mystic Falls and its inhabitants.

Reaching the Gilberts, she smiled and cheerfully knocked on the front door. A night with her friends was just what the doctor prescribed after the exhausting afternoon she had. The door swung open and a beaming Elena drew her into a tight embrace, "You made it! We missed you at cheer practice."

"Long story, I'll explain later. Hey Bon." Bonnie, too, welcomed her with a hug, whispering a jovial "you survived" in her ear.

"So, what are we talking about?" Snow's eyes danced between Elena and Bonnie.

"Yes, I was just telling Elena about how today I am obsessed with numbers. Three numbers. I keep seeing 8, 14, and 22. How weird is that?" Bonnie looked weirded out by her words.

Sheepishly, Snow suggested, "Huh, the lottery, maybe?"

Elena snorted and bumped shoulders with the raven-haired girl, "Have you talked to your Grams?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes, "She's gonna say it's because I'm a witch. I don't want to be a witch. Do you want to be a witch?"

"I don't want to be a witch," Elena instantly shook her head. They both looked at Snow, expecting her to agree with them. However, the fair-skinned girl flashed them an impish smile, "I wouldn't mind being a witch. I mean, I would be able to get my step-monster and evil stepsisters off my back." In the blink of an eye, all mirth melted and Snow adopted a glum expression. Elena and Bonnie traded a look before they engulfed her in a three-way bear hug, successfully managing to cheer her up.

The amazing thing about Snow Silverstone was that it didn't take much to make her happy; she was very down-to-earth and appreciated the simplest things in life. A small gesture of kindness could bring about a smile on her face that easily brightened up whatever room she occupied, which was why Snow's company was highly addictive and sought after.

"Okay serving spoons. Where are the serving spoons?" Elena changed the topic as she began to rummage through drawers at random. Bonnie instantly blurted out, "Middle drawer on your left."Opening said drawer, Elena slowly withdrew the serving spoons, prompting both her and Snow to stare at a speechless Bonnie in shock.

Letting out a nervous laugh, Elena came up with the first excuse that crossed her mind, hoping to mend the weirdness that settled in the kitchen, "Okay, so you've been in this kitchen like a thousand times." Snow decided to keep her mouth shut and swallow the fact that she had been in the kitchen plenty of times and till this day, she didn't memorize where the cutlery were located.

"Yeah, that's it," Bonnie didn't sound convinced, but the doorbell rang and Elena skipped off to open the door for Stefan. "Snow, what the hell was that?" she whispered, her eyes wide and tone terrified.

"Oh, come on, I'm sure it's nothing… I mean, okay…uh, birthday candles?" Snow rambled nervously. Reflexively, Bonnie turned and opened the third drawer to the right, and when she withdrew her trembling hand, a packet of birthday candles sat on it.

Speechless, Snow flashed her a comforting smile, "Ohh-kay, so I don't know. Let's just have dinner and think about it later. I'm sure it's nothing." Nodding, the two girls brought the food out to the dining room where Stefan and Elena were already seated.

"Did Tanner give you a hard time today?" Elena asked a few minutes into the dinner.

"Well, he let me on the team, so I must have done something right," Stefan chuckled, his stance humble.

"Oh my God, you made the team?! Congratulations, Stefan," Snow beamed, sincerely ecstatic for him.

"Bonnie, you should have seen Stefan today, ask Snow. Tyler threw a ball right at him, and-"

Bonnie curtly cut Elena off, "Yeah, I heard."

Snow and Elena traded exasperated and annoyed looks, respectively. Snow decided it was best for her to mellow Bonnie out first, "Did Caroline make it to practice?" All day, Snow couldn't help but worry over Caroline's unnatural radio silence; the blonde never made it through the day without texting or calling her.

"Oh yeah, she came in late though," Bonnie nodded.

Elena gasped in remembrance, her expression giddy, "You'll never guess who Caroline is dating…" Trailing off, she waited until Snow raised an eyebrow in question before revealing the boyfriend's identity, "Damon."

"Get out! Damon, your brother Damon?" Snow asked Stefan, vehemently taken aback. When did Caroline meet Damon? Reluctantly, he nodded; and Snow realized that Stefan didn't appear pleased with recent events, and she couldn't help but wonder why. "Well I think it's wonderful. From what little I've seen of Damon, they seem compatible," she trilled.

"Hey, Bonnie, why don't you tell Stefan about your family?" Elena pressed; she was adamant that Bonnie like Stefan by the end of dinner.

In a bored, almost rehearsed tone, Bonnie drawled, "Um, divorced. No mom. Live with my dad."

"No, about the witches…" Elena squarely met Stefan's politely interested gaze, "Bonnie's family has a lineage of witches. It's really cool."

"Cool isn't the word I'd use," Bonnie scoffed abrasively.

"Well, it's certainly interesting. I'm not too versed, but I do know that there's a history of Celtic druids that migrated here in the 1800s," Stefan divulged. Bonnie stared at him for a moment, her stare almost measuring, "My family came by way of Salem."

"I'd say that's really cool. Salem witches are heroic examples of individualism and nonconformity," Stefan informed Bonnie, succeeding in bringing about a smile on her face.

Success!

Snow and Elena traded victorious smirks and low-fived each other under the table. Elena's spontaneous dinner plan was a brilliant idea after all. Their victory was interrupted by the doorbell as it resonated through them. A confused frown materialized on Elena's forehead, "I wonder who that could be." Abandoning her seat, she went to answer the door.

A few seconds later, Stefan abruptly departed the dining room, leaving Snow and Bonnie to stare at his retreating back in bewilderment before they too, joined them to see what the commotion was all about.

"Snow!"

At the exuberant yell, Snow turned around just in time for her vision to be blinded by blonde curls as Caroline engulfed her in a hug, her familiar perfume attacking her nose buds and calming her greatly – she had been really worried over the blonde's disappearance and seeing her with her own two eyes knocked a huge weight off her shoulders.

"Hey Care," Snow beamed. "Oh, hi, Damon," she kindly added upon seeing the familiar dark-haired figure from over the blonde's shoulder.

"Hello Snow," Damon responded with a tight-lipped smile. He was staring at her oddly and trading looks with his brother, which she found kind of weird, but she ignored it as they congregated in the living room and made themselves comfortable on the sofa.

"Bonnie told me you couldn't make practice because of Lucille. What did she have you do now?" Caroline inquired chirpily, yet her eyes were serious, belying her tone.

Stefan and Damon looked a bit lost and Snow remembered that they were new to Mystic Falls and therefore ignorant to the Silverstone drama.

"Lucille Silverstone. She's my stepmother," she explained shortly. Stefan and Damon nodded in comprehension. "So anyways, I only told Bonnie this since we carpooled to school. Step-monster called me out before I left the house this morning and told me that after school I had to go to the market and get groceries since she's hosting a dinner party tonight for guests from out of town."

Angry, Elena snapped, "Are you serious? For how many people?"

"Ten," Snow revealed. "But she said to be generous in case anyone wanted seconds."

"And let me guess, you weren't invited," Caroline stated matter-of-factly, her expression taut.

Snow shook her head, "Nope. My evil stepsisters were, but since the guests were from out of town, they didn't know about me and Lucille wants it to stay that way."

"Wait, are you saying that your stepmother has you cook for them?" Stefan was confused; Snow was so nice and kind and soft-spoken, she didn't deserve to be treated poorly in her own home.

"Cook, only?" Elena scoffed in disgust.

"They also make her clean the whole house after them," Caroline growled, resembling an angry mama-bear.

"And, Lucille doesn't even give her an allowance, so Snow has to work her ass off and be home by midnight otherwise she'll be forced to sleep in the garden," Bonnie added in rage.

Metaphoric smoke could be seen emanating from Caroline's ears as she snapped, "Don't forget that the money is all Snow's. Her father left everything to her in his will."

While each girl said their piece in Snow's defense, Damon and Stefan gaped at them in shock, their eyes traveling from angry girl to angry girl.

"You guys, just forget about it, I'm, I'm used to it by now, it doesn't matter," Snow gave them a weak smile. The three girls shook their heads at her predictable nature.

"It does matter, Snow. You're treated horribly in your own house. Without you, they'd be rendered homeless and living in the streets, and instead of showing you gratitude, they're having you suffer and clean after them and pay for your own things. You have to walk if you leave your house when there are plenty of cars just sitting there in the garage, gathering dust," Elena exclaimed fiercely, throwing her friend a sympathetic look toward the end.

"Like I said, you have to stand up for yourself more often," Bonnie gave her a stern look.

Caroline's baby blues bored into Snow's violet orbs, "What did you make for dinner?"

"Watercress salad with apple slices and balsamic sauce, um, Coq Au Vin and Rum cake," Snow listed off, ignoring the incredulous looks she was on the receiving end of. She blushed at all the attention. "I'm going to go clean the dishes," she muttered.

"Uh, no you're not. I'll do it," Elena made to get up, but Snow beat her to the punch and grabbed everything within reach, all the while smiling at her friend. "I want to. You guys chill and talk, I'll be back. It'll just take a few minutes," as she delivered her words, they were spoken in a tone of finality, leaving no room for argument.

Snow always got lost in thought while washing the dishes, prompted by the soothing sound of running water, and therefore, she would always be susceptible to everything hidden in the back of her mind that she had stored away behind a lock and key. Mulling over her friends' words, she knew, with every fiber of her being, that her friends were right. If it weren't for her then the step-monster and her evil stepsisters would be homeless without a dime to their name. Instead, it was the other way around… Oh, how Snow wished she had the strength – the backbone! – to fight back and stand up for herself.

A tear made its way down her porcelain cheek, and she roughly brushed it off with her shoulder when a familiar honeyed voice spoke out from the kitchen door, "One more." Snow looked over her shoulder to see Damon approaching her, a glass in his hand.

"Oh, thanks!" Snow smiled timidly. Damon went to give it to her but purposely dropped it at the last second. Snow quickly went to catch it, but Damon utilized his fast reflexes and easily caught it. "Nice save," she breathed out a laugh.

"I like you," Damon stated, electric blue eyes glimmering with approval. "You know how to laugh. I can see that your friends really care about you."

Snow's cheeks reddened, "You're not so bad yourself. Um, not to sound rude or anything, but I heard a small tidbit of your conversation in the living room once I left. When you spoke of this girl you lost, did you mean… was it Katherine?"

Damon stepped a bit closer, his gaze intent and voice strained, "How did you know about Katherine?"

Snow shrugged as she grabbed the dishcloth and started drying the cutleries, "Elena."

"Hmm, well yes, I was referring to Katherine."

"How did she die?" Snow inquired sadly.

"A fire. A tragic fire," was all Damon would say.

"Tell me about her," Snow encouraged gently.

Damon studied the mysterious girl curiously… She really was a puzzle; everything about her screamed mystery. He believed he had everyone figured out. Everyone, but her. "And why would you want to know about her?" Damon couldn't help but ask, sounding mildly officious.

Her rosy lips tugged into a wistful smile, "I'm a sappy romantic. I either watch too many romance and horror movies, or read too many romance novels. I'm a sucker for everything and anything to do with love… I just, I thought it might be nice to hear about her."

The dark-haired Salvatore couldn't help but grin at her honesty; she was really something all right. "Katherine was, she was beautiful. A lot like you in that department," he couldn't help the arrogant smirk that curved his lips at the profuse blush his words evoked. He was a natural flirt and couldn't let the opportunity to make her blush pass him by. "She was also very complicated and selfish and, at times, not very kind, but very sexy and seductive."

"So which one of you dated her first?" Snow blurted out. Shocked at the alien surge of confidence that resonated through her, she let out a gasp and clapped a hand over her mouth. However, Damon wasn't annoyed by her audacity, in fact he laughed, seemingly amused by her. "Nicely deduced. Ask Stefan. I'm sure his answer differs from mine," he shrugged indifferently.

Confusion clouded her features and she cutely cocked her head to the side. "Can I ask you something?" Snow inquired hesitantly, not knowing or wanting to cross a line. Damon hummed his approval. "When you described Katherine to me, all I heard was her bad traits… I mean, other than the beautiful, sexy and seductive attributes… but that has to do with the outer beauty. What about her inner beauty? I mean, personality-wise, what drew you and Stefan in?" the violet-eyed girl curiously maintained eye contact with him as she awaited his answer.

Damon looked shocked as he stared at the enigmatic girl. No one had ever asked him that. Ever. What drew him to her if all her traits were bad besides her looks? He squarely met Snow's gaze and muttered, "I don't know… I just did, I suppose."

From a short distance away, Snow happily observed Stefan approach Elena with a boyish smile and present her a beautiful necklace before the game was scheduled to begin. Snow had done a double shift at the Grill for the breakfast and lunch hours so that she could make it to the game on time as it was her duty as acheerleader, and also because she enjoyed the sport and hated letting Caroline Forbes down.

"Hey Care, how come Elena isn't in uniform?" Snow asked Caroline as she approached her and Bonnie, both of whom were congregated with the other cheerleaders.

"She quit!" Caroline whined. "Can you believe it? After two years of being in the squad she just ups and quits."

"Death changes people sometimes," Snow shrugged, not particularly sharing Caroline's horror. In fact, she expected Elena to make a change in her life. Death prompted people to make life-altering decisions – not that cheerleading was one, but it was considered in some areas, high-school-suicide. Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by Stefan and Elena, her eyes widening in surprise when they crossed the field in a hurry and stopped by the sidelines where Tyler and Jeremy were involved in a brutal fist-fight.

What the hell?!

Abandoning the cheerleaders, Snow crossed the distance, desperate to help them, when a firm hand grabbed her, followed by a muscled arm wounding itself around her waist, the grip relentless, and before she knew it, she found herself being dragged over to the parking lot near the field with a hand over her mouth, muffling her screams. Next thing she knew, she was shoved backwards into a large tree and she looked up to see Joshua leering down at her.

She was officially terrified to death.

Snow whimpered. She was so tired of him harassing her nearly every day. Dodging him on a daily basis was exhausting. "Joshua, wh-what the-? Leave me alone!" she cried.

"No! I've had it with you being a tease, especially now in your sexy, skimpy cheerleading outfit. I mean really, what do you expect from me!?" he growled, his hands tightening on the curves of Snow's waist, making it hard for her to breathe.

Her retort died in her throat as Joshua captured her plump, rosy lips with his. He proceeded to bite down on her lower lip until he drew blood, the act further exciting him and eliciting the eruption of a pained gasp from her. Taking advantage of her parted lips, he viciously plunged his tongue into her mouth. She could taste the alcohol in his breath and an undertone of something she couldn't put a name to that tasted foul and had her almost gagging. Joshua was extremely drunk, and Snow knew that alcohol made him volatile and unpredictable and, fearing the preservation of her virtue, tears began to form in her eyes.

Ignoring the fact that her body was shaking like a leaf in a tornado, Snow made multiple feeble attempts to shove him off her, but he was too strong and she was caged between him and the tree, therefore allowing her no hope of escaping on her own. Like rivulets, tears cascaded down her face and she whimpered in his mouth, her body shaking uncontrollably at the bleak situation she was trapped in. Joshua grinned at her, the curve of his lips downright evil, before he dipped his head and started sucking on her neck, effectively clearing her vision and allowing her desperate violet orbs to lock onto Elena's form, disregarding the fact that she had just slapped somebody.

With a jolt, she realized this was her only chance.

Elena was her last and only hope!

"ELENA! ELENA! ELEN-mmmpphhh!" Joshua slapped his hand over her mouth, his blue eyes darkening with rage. "What the hell is your prob-"

"Snow?! Are you okay?"

Thank God, Elena had heard her after all. She peeked around Joshua to see the brunette wasn't alone, and that Damon Salvatore was trailing after her.

Tightening his hands on her waist, Joshua growled, "We're fine. Leave us."

"Let go of me," Snow pleaded weakly, desperately trying to push him away.

Comprehending what she had just walked into, Elena took a threatening step forward and yelled, "Hey, leave her alone!"

"I think it's best you let the lady go," Damon coolly intervened. And although he appeared at ease, his electric-blue eyes told another story as they glared at Joshua in a deadly manner; if looks could kill, Joshua would be dead, that Snow knew for certain.

Joshua released her, a sneer contorting his handsome face. Snow instantly hurled herself into Elena's open arms and cried into the crook of her neck. "You stay the hell away from her!" Elena growled at Joshua as she softly led Snow away from the scene, Damon bringing up the rear. Just before they went separate ways, Elena parted him with a curt nod and made her way to her car.

"I'm going to have Jenna call Lucille, let her know you're sleeping over," Elena informed her hysterical friend as she texted Jenna before starting the car and commuting from the school to her house. Snow responded with a barely acknowledgeable nod, knowing that Lucille never dared to refuse Miranda Gilbert, Jenna Sommers, Carol Lockwood and Liz Forbes anything remotely related to her, so she wasn't worried about the consequences of her impromptu sleepover.

Elena didn't force Snow to speak. She knew that once she woke up the next day she would let her know by herself what occurred between her and Joshua Reeves. Elena was just glad she happened to be standing nearby, otherwise… She couldn't bear to even think about what Joshua could have done to her vulnerable best friend.

That night, as Elena and Snow were fast asleep in the former's bed, Damon stealthily appeared in the room and softly caressed Elena's cheek. His attention was then captured by Snow, dried tear tracks littering her porcelain cheeks, and he couldn't help but stroke her cheek in an almost reverent manner.

Snow Silverstone was an enigma to him: her smell, her personality, her ethereal and otherworldly beauty, and lastly, her ancestry. Damon knew he wouldn't be able to rest until he uncovered the violet-eyed girl's secrets and the mystery shrouding her.

"Look…there's Elena and her new boyfriend. Now, what are they doing? Oh, they're walking, walking, walking. Yep. Right into the sunset." – Tyler Lockwood

"I don't know why I always hope this day, or the next one, or the next, will be any different. Every day I wake up, I'll still be the step-monster and her evil spawns' slave." – Snow Silverstone

"There's more to me than just gloomy graveyard girl. There's a whole other Elena that you have yet to meet. She was into everything, very busy." – Elena Gilbert

"How were tryouts? Did you make the team? Very Emerson, the way you reveal your soul with so many…adjectives." – Damon Salvatore

"When I touched Stefan, it was a feeling. And it vibrated through me, and it was cold, and it… It was death. It's what I imagine death to be like." – Bonnie Bennett

"I don't know what game you're trying to play with Stefan here, but I don't want to be a part of it. And I don't know what happened in the past, but let's get one thing straight…I am not Katherine." – Elena Gilbert

"You're still haunting me. After 145 years. Katherine is dead. And you hate me because you loved her, and you torture me because you still do. And that, my brother, is your humanity." – Stefan Salvatore

"There's something about that Silverstone girl, and don't you act all coy with me, Stefan. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You've known the second you set sights on her… She isn't normal." – Damon Salvatore

A/N: Joshua Reeves. What's up with him? I put a lot of thought into this OC and boyyy do I have a lot of surprises for you. Lemme know what you think.

R&R.