"Good morning."

I shifted, not opening my eyes. I wanted to go back my dream. This suspiciously familiar voice was gonna have to suck it.

"Wake up," the voice persisted. "Don't make me throw a bucket of water on you."

I groaned and opened my eyes. "Caroline?"

"Morning. You look awful," she told me with a smile.

"Water bucket threats? Really?" I muttered before sitting up. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Jenna let me in. I thought I'd come over." Caroline paused. "I wanted to apologize. For last night."

Ah yes, last night's dinner party. World's Most Awkward Dinner which quickly turned into The Flirting Game: How Many Girls Can Damon Salvatore Flirt With In One Night? and of course the finale, Giving A Whole New Meaning To The Word 'Blunt': Caroline Forbes Edition.

"Water bucket threats aren't helping your case much," I quipped, using humor as a way to show her that I wasn't mad anymore. And I wasn't. Still a bit hurt? Sure. But I wasn't mad. "Know what, I'll go get dressed and then we can have a nice, long talk."

"Got it. I'll wait downstairs," Caroline said. I waited until my door was closed before I laid back down and closed my eyes. As soon as I did this, she was back in my room. "I knew you would do that! Get up, you need to get ready for the game! I can't have a stiff co-captain."

"I don't care about the game," I moaned. I just wanted to sleep. I didn't want to get out of bed, ever again.

"But you have to cheer at the game! Mel!"

"Actually, I think I'm gonna skip," I said, purely to piss her off.

It didn't have the desired effect. She just hit me with a pillow. "No, you're not, and we both know it. This is just your sleepy self talking. I am not leaving this room until you are up!"

"You're gonna be waiting a long time, then," I challenged while pushing the pillow off me. I closed my eyes again. "Better hope you brought food to sustain yourself during the long wait…"

"Funny," she mocked. "No, you need to get dressed."

"Offer declined," I told her, my eyes still closed.

"It wasn't an offer, Mel," she said sweetly.

That's when she pulled the most traiterous move ever: she started tearing my covers away. My eyes popped open, what a cheap move!

"No!" I yelled, but the damage was done; my precious blanket, gone forever.

"Trust me, I'm doing this for you," she said. "When you're fully awake, you'll thank me."

"No, I won't." Despite that, I stood up groggily. "Leave. I'm gonna get dressed for real this time."

"Good." Caroline clasped her hands together, smiled, and left my room.

I turned to my closet and picked an outfit to wear before putting it on.

I smiled to myself in my vanity mirror while I brushed my hair, trying to appear more optimistic about today than I felt. Just then Caroline entered my room, cup of coffee in her hands.

"That for me?" I checked. Care nodded. "You take it. I've quit coffee."

Caroline's eyes widened as she remembered: I had to quit coffee to quit smoking. Awkward silence engulfed us. Caroline hadn't approved of my bad habit ("Cheerleaders do not smoke, Melanie!").

Caroline sat down on my bed and sipped the coffee. "I'm sorry, about what I said."

"I know." I avoided her gaze. "It's fine."

"Okay."

She continued to take sips, quietly. More silence. This was really awkward. Come on, something to say, something to say… "So, you and Damon, huh."

"Really, Mel? Again?" Caroline laughed, but it sounded forced. I regretted bringing it up the moment the following words came tumbling out of her mouth: "Look, do you have a problem with us as a couple or something? Because—"

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" I cut her off, knowing where she was going with this. "Care, no. It's not like that at all. Look, you can date whoever you want, including Damon, and I will totally support you. I am all about support. Support is my middle name."

"So that's why you never told me your middle name," Caroline mused, deflecting any further talk about her insecurities with a joke. "I figured it was something embarrassing."

"I mean it, Care," I said. I wasn't letting go so easily.

"Yeah," she said softly. "I know."

"Good."

We changed the subject to cheer routines and whatnot, but all the while I was smiling because of the moment me and Caroline shared. I was glad we smoothed things over.

Caroline and I went to the game, we had to be there early for cheerleading. Arriving at the football fiels, we spotted Elena standing next to Stefan. And oh boy, my dear sister wasn't in uniform. Caroline immediately walked up to them and I followed hastily.

"And you're not in uniform, because…?" Caroline asked, putting her hands on her hips.

This should be good.

"I'm quitting," Elena admitted. She was what? "I'm sorry, Care, please don't be mad. Cheering just isn't me anymore."

"Seriously?"

"I don't enjoy it anymore, not like I used to," Elena explained. Another thing ruined because of the Wickery Bridge accident. But I understood. If it weren't for Caroline and Bonnie, I'd have quit eons ago. Maybe I should quit too.

Then again… I couldn't help but notice the proverbial steam coming out of Caroline's ears as she scolded my sister in typical Caroline fashion. She would kill me if I quit. She would literally go to my room at night with a freakin' axe. Not in a black hoodie, because Care didn't do hoodies. A black dress, maybe.

After Caroline was done, she walked away to warm up.

Elena turned to me with a soft, self-righteous smile on her face that pissed me off. "I'm really glad you and Caroline aren't fighting anymore."

"We were never fighting," I told her, trying to keep a lid on my temper. "She said something insensitive. She apologized. Case closed."

"Okay."

I was about to walk away to go warm up too, when I noticed a new necklace on Elena's neck. "That's new."

Elena smiled, a dreamy look crossing her face. "Yeah. Stefan gave it to me."

"Do you like it?" Stefan asked me.

I nodded, it was pretty. I gave him a weird look when he stared at me a little too intensely. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I just noticed that you're not wearing any jewelry," he said, like this was a peculiar thing.

"No, I'm not," I said slowly. "Wearing jewelry during cheering isn't really a good idea."

"Right," said Stefan. "So do you wear jewelry when you're not cheerleading?"

"Sometimes… Depends on my mood," I told him with a shrug. Weirdo.

"MELANIE!" Caroline shrieked from a bit further away. I still had to warm up too.

"COMING!" I yelled back, just as loud if not louder. I think the entire football team and the cheering squad might have heard us. I turned to my sister and her boyfriend with a smile, "I'll see you guys later. Duty calls."

Elena smiled. "Bye, Mel."

Stefan just gave me a nod, but it looked like he was a little lost in thought.

I headed over to Caroline and the other cheerleaders, and joined them in warming up.

It wasn't long before the sun had gone down and the bonfire went up. I was standing with the cheerleaders while Stefan was with the football players. I was finally going to see if he was really as good at football as Elena claimed. I hadn't really paid attention to him during cheer practice.

I smiled when I saw the two staring at each other lovingly. He really seemed to make Elena happy… And apparently, according to Damon, Elena made Stefan happy, too. They were helping each other.

Everyone was gathered around the bonfire as Tanner boasted how we were going to destroy the other team with a new asset, Stefan Salvatore. I rolled my eyes at it all.

"Overdramatic much?" I said to Caroline, who was standing next to me.

She rolled her eyes at it, too. "Right?"

I looked around, trying to spot anything more interesting than Tanner. I saw my little brother, holding a beer bottle.

"You gotta be kidding me."

"What is it?"

"My brother's being emo again. Excuse me," I said as I walked towards him. Me and him needed to have some words. If he was going to drink, which I would prefer he didn't, but if he was, he could at least do it when there were no teachers around…

"Don't be late!" she called after me. I had to be on time for the kick-off.

As I approached my brother, I saw I was not the only one doing so. Tyler Lockwood and his little tramp Vicki were making his way towards him as well. It appeared Vicki was trying to stop him from approaching Jeremy. She was trying to pull him back but Tyler pushed past her.

I quickly hurried towards them. There was no way this was ending well. Jeremy was drunk. And Tyler was…well, Tyler.

When I was within hearing distance, I frowned.

"Don't look so down," Tyler was taunting as he threw his arm around Vicki. It was like he was dangling her in front of Jeremy. Dick. "Don't worry, you can have her when I'm done."

"You're a dick and you don't deserve her," said Jeremy. He took the words right out of my mouth. Well, the dick part. As far as I was concerned, the two deserved each other.

My train of thought was rudely interrupted when Jeremy took a swing at him.

My mouth fell open. I couldn't find words.

Tyler reacted quickly, and punched back. The two boys fell to the ground, Tyler being on top of my brother.

I let out a strangled cry as I tried to find my voice again. "Get off of him!"

Jeremy dropped his beer bottle and the glass smashed on the floor. Tyler kept raising his fist and hitting my brother with it. I started to see blood. Oh my god.

"Tyler, stop, you're hurting him!" Vicki cried. "Stop it!" I noticed Stefan coming over in the corner of my eye. More manpower, good. Maybe Stefan could help break it up. "Tyler, stop!"

Stefan arrived and pulled Tyler off of Jeremy easily. I saw Elena running towards us, too. That's when Tyler punched Stefan. God, could everyone just stop punching each other? This whole thing was escalating way too quickly; where was a freakin' teacher when you needed one? I'd even settle for Tanner, dangling threats of eternal detention at us. Anything to break up this stupid fight.

I blinked a few times when Stefan wasn't really affected by Tyler's punch. Like, Tyler got him right in the gut and he didn't even flinch. Weird. That's when I saw Jeremy pick up the broken beer bottle, and I just knew the situation was going to escalate further before I even fully realized what he was doing.

"Jeremy! No!" Elena yelled out just as Jeremy lunged. Tyler got out of the way, but… Stefan wasn't so lucky. I think the glass scraped his hand.

Matt began pushing an enraged Tyler from the scene, while Elena and I checked on our brother.

"Put your head up, you're bleeding," Elena ordered.

"I'm fine!" the drunk, angry idiot yelled.

Elena thought about commenting on Jeremy's alcohol breath, so I spoke up before she could. I didn't want more conflict. Mind reading did come in handy sometimes.

"Jeremy," I said calmly. "You're bleeding, so no, you're not fine. Just let us help you, okay?"

"I said I'm fine," he repeated, a little less venom in his voice. But I could tell he needed space. I sighed, and gestured for him to go. He practically ran away from us.

Elena turned to me with an accusing look. "Why did you do that?"

"Because. He clearly needed to blow off some steam," I said. Elena and I had some very different ideas on how to deal with our emo brother. "Breathing down his neck wasn't gonna help."

Elena lifted an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Forget it," I said, really not in the mood for more conflict after what just happened.

Elena narrowed her eyes, but said nothing. Guess she wasn't in the mood, either.

We headed to Stefan. My eyes widened when I saw Stefan's hand was coated with blood. Elena saw it, too. "Oh my god, your hand."

Stefan immediately closed his palm and hid it. "No, no, no. It's fine."

"It's not fine, it's bleeding, Stefan," I said with a scoff. First Jeremy, now Stefan. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Male egos.

"Is it deep? How bad is it? Come on!" Elena pushed as she tried to get him to open his hand. He didn't. Why was he being so stubborn? She pulled and he finally opened it, giving up.

I let out a small noise of confusion as I examined his hand. Just a blood stain, no cut. But… I had seen it. I saw the glass cut his hand… What the hell?

It appeared Elena had seen it, too. "But… I saw it, it was…"

"He missed. It's not my blood, see?" He wiped his hands on his jeans. "I'm fine."

"No, no, no, I… I saw it. The glass cut your hand," Elena said.

"It's okay. I'm okay." He pulled his hand back. "I'm almost kick-off time, so I will see you after the game, Elena." He turned to me, "And you should be getting to the field too, don't you?"

"Yeah," I mumbled. I had completely forgotten about cheering.

Stefan walked off with a smile, as if nothing ever happened.

I sighed. "He's right. I should get back."

"Yeah," Elena said, but she looked to be lost in thought. Understandably. "Have fun."

I cracked a small smile. "Thanks."

I started to head over to the football field, but as I was walking, I was struck with nausea. I stopped walking. I felt like I was going to throw up. Was this another one of those bad feelings? The nausea increased, and suddenly, I found myself puking all over the street. This one was by far the worst one I had ever had.

I couldn't move, I couldn't think, I couldn't do anything. I felt like I was dying. My legs, they wouldn't move. My body, it wouldn't move. Everything was hazy, I couln't make sense of it all. I couldn't take this anymore.

Why was this happening to me?

I knew I was currently puking because I saw the gross subtance on the street increasing, but I didn't feel myself doing it. I didn't feel anything — it was like I was paralyzed.

"Melanie?"

I vaguely registered the concerned voice of my sister, but I couldn't make myself form a reply. I couldn't make myself do anything.

My entire body started aching. In that moment, when I closed my eyes and let the darkness carry me away, I was certain that I would die. That I would never see Elena or Jeremy or anyone ever again.

Everything went black.

I groaned. I felt an ache all over my body. My head was pounding and I struggled to open my eyes.

"Melanie! Thank god, you're awake." It was Jenna's voice. I had to blink a few times to be able to see her clearly. "You had us all very worried."

"Jenna?" I asked, looking around. I was in my bedroom. The last thing I remembered was fainting at the game.

I let out another groan. That stupid game. Everything about it, stupid. Tyler was a dick, my brother was on a self-destruct path and I didn't know how to help him, Stefan and his stupid bleeding not-bleeding hand remained a mystery, and I'd had another one of those bad feelings.

Realization struck me, then. When I had a bad feeling during Vicki's attack, it felt like it had been trying to warn me about it. This feeling was way worse than that one. What if… What if something happened?

"Hey, calm down," Jenna spoke when my breathing increasing in speed. "Deep breaths, okay?"

I obeyed and managed to calm down. "What happened after I fainted?" Jenna didn't respond at first. Her silence confirmed that something did indeed happen. I had to know. "Jenna, what happened?!"

"Your teacher… Your history teacher, Mr. Tanner…" Jenna paused. "He's dead, Melanie. I'm sorry."

I didn't speak, or cry for that matter. I just sat there and listened to her telling me that an animal had attacked Mr, Tanner when I had been unconcious. I didn't understand. Why would an animal come out of the woods just to attack a random person? But nothing made sense these days. I felt so tired.

All I wanted was for Jenna to leave so I could crawl under my bed's covers and pretend this day never happened.

So if it wasn't clear, the reason Stefan was curious about Melanie wearing jewelry is because Damon has mentioned it to him by now that Melanie resisted compulsion. Stefan is trying to figure out if she's wearing vervain.

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