"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" I screamed. Did I just see what I thought I did? Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me. I thought for a second they really were...until he did it again.

"Damon...that's enough." Stefan finally got in between us.

"What the hell is going on!?" I began moving towards Elena...only to remember what Damon had said. She was one of them, too!

"Violet...we didn't want you to find out this way. We were going to tell you..." Elena began.

"Are you the ones who killed my parents? WAS IT ALL OF YOU?" I was becoming hysterical, I could hear it in my voice.

"Of course not!" she replied "We would never do that! Violet you're one of my best friends...I hate seeing you so sad like this. We all do. We've all been trying to find out who the hell did this and make them pay! We're not all bad, I promise!"

"I think I need some time to myself..." I headed towards the door.

"Violet please don't be upset!" Elena called out behind me.

"I'll call you when I can." I yelled back. I wasn't even sure I was going to call them back ever, at this point.

I drove myself back home in complete shock. What the hell did I just see? This can't be real. It was some sort of joke or something. Haha let's make fun of Violet and see if we can get a rise out of her! It had to be a joke.

I pulled into the driveway and ran into the house, locking the door behind me and headed right for my room. My phone rang a few times, I just ignored it. I couldn't stand to talk to any of them. And I had no one else to talk to. This sucked. I mean, I could call my friends back home but if I started telling them that my new group of friends are all vampires and oh, by the way vampires also killed my parents, I think they would just consider me insane and probably find a way to get me put away.

Maybe I was insane. People see and hear things after traumatic events, right? Maybe that's what was happening to me. My parents were killed by someone...someone who was awful and sick and disgusting and came right into their house to kill them and...ok...maybe this isn't what I should be thinking about as I'm alone in that very same house. Tomorrow I was going to call up a security company and get a system installed.

Exhausted from the long and confusing day, I decided to take a long bath and then go right to sleep. My phone kept ringing all day and I just kept on ignoring it. Maybe sleep would clear my head.

The next day I made good on my word and called a security company and after an hour of begging they finally agreed to come out in the afternoon. I think telling them I was the daughter of the two that recently were murdered in their house made them quicken the pace.

I still hadn't answered my phone, and now they began coming to my door and knocking, saying they just wanted to talk and to call them anytime I wanted. Caroline, Elena, Stefan, Bonnie, and Jeremy all made their rounds. They knew I was home, the car was in the driveway, at least they didn't push me coming to the door. The security sign on the front lawn probably scared them a little bit, too.

I skipped out on a few classes for a week but I knew I couldn't keep that up. I just did my best to avoid all of them on campus, which wasn't exactly easy. Jeremy was in a few of my classes and he would always try to talk to me and I just kept telling him I wasn't ready.

This went on for weeks. I did nothing but go to school and then come home and sit there all day. Sometimes I'd call my friends from back home or we'd skype, but I was really starting to feel lonely. All shut up in this big house by myself wasn't helping me with my situation with my parents, if anything it was making me even worse. All I did was think about that night when I found my dad and how he looked. And I kept thinking that it could happen again...and no one would know. It could take weeks. I had completely isolated myself from everyone and I knew I couldn't keep it up.

I wasn't ready to speak to Elena...or Caroline or any of them who claimed they were "vampires". The first person I decided to call was Jeremy. What did they say he was? A hunter? I didn't even know what that was supposed to mean but at least he wouldn't have that face that Damon had. At least I hoped not.

Picking up the phone I dialed his number and he answered right away.

"I'm so glad you finally called. I've been so worried." he replied.

"I think I'm ready to talk. But only you, ok? Can you come over?"

"I'm on my way." he didn't even hesitate.

"Jeremy I'm serious...no one else, please. Just you."

"I promise."

As I waited for him I kept going over what I would say to him. None of it sounded sane at all. I really hoped he would be the one to talk me down and tell me that I didn't hear them right or that it was a joke. Even a cruel joke would be better than what they said was real.

It took him less than 10 minutes to get to my house and I let him in and led him into the living room. For a few minutes we didn't say anything to each other we just sat there looking at each other.

Finally I broke the silent tension.

"Jeremy...what the hell is going on? Please tell me I didn't hear what I think I heard."

"The vampire thing...I knew you wouldn't take it well. I told Damon not to tell you. I wanted to at least break it to you gently."

"So...you mean to tell me, it's true? Come on...all of that shit is just in books and movies. It's not real."

"Didn't you see Damon's face?"

"I thought..." I didn't know how to finish that.

"You thought maybe you were just seeing things? I thought the same thing the first time I found out. It wasn't long after my parents died, too. I thought I was finally losing it. Then I saw Vicki and I couldn't..."

"Wait!" I cut him off "Vicki...Vicki Donavan? Matt's sister?"

"Yeah...she was turned, by Damon actually. She was good for a while with it, but I don't think she could handle it. She lost it and started attacking people and Stefan..."

"Stefan killed her?" I was shocked.

We talked for over an hour. He explained a lot to me and even when I was having a hard time following things like doppleganger and hybrids he didn't get frustrated, just kept on explaining.

"So...let me get this straight. You're a vampire hunter...and your sister is a vampire. How is that working out for you?"

"Yeah...that was tough at first. It takes me a little time to control myself around any new vampire I come across. My immediate response is always 'kill' but I eventually can talk myself down."

"So...you're kind of like Buffy?" I joked.

"Hey! I'm much cooler than Buffy! She's got nothing on me!" he feigned a hurt look.

"Please...Buffy had Angel...AND Spike. You can't top that Jer, sorry."

I guess I was finally starting to accept everything. It still freaked me out, and I'm not sure how I was going to feel around everyone. I mean...these guys all liked drinking blood from humans. And there I was readily available. But I had been here for a few months already...and no one had tried ripping my throat out. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad?

Jeremy just smiled at me and sat back on the couch. "So you're ok?" he asked.

"Yeah I think so. Thanks again for coming over here. I hope I didn't bother you. Bonnie must hate me for constantly dragging you away from her."

"Nah, she was actually happy you called and wanted to talk to someone. She was worried about you."

Great. This girl was making it impossible to hate her, wasn't she?

"Listen..." he started "why don't you come back to the boarding house with me? Everyone will want to see you again and you should be around friends and family. "

He knew me so well already. Although being through a similar experience I guess he knows what I'm going through. I reluctantly agreed and he drove us there.

He called Elena while we were on our way and told her he was bringing her with me. He spoke with her for just a few short minutes and then sighed as he hung up the phone.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Well...the good news is, Elena's thrilled that you're talking to everyone again. The bad news...she's calling everyone to come over so they can all talk to you."

"Great." I muttered.

"Yeah I know. Oh well at least you've got me there, right?" he smiled.

"True." I laughed.

Jeremy wasn't lying when he said Elena called everyone. There were so many cars in the driveway and against the curb that you would have thought there was another party going on.

We walked inside and went straight for the living room. Ugh he didn't lie, everyone was there. Stefan, Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, Damon, Matt, and even Tyler was there.

"What's up guys?" I tried breaking the tension.

"Violet I'm so happy you called and came here. That was horrible for us to do to you like that." Elena came over and sat on the couch next to me. "Well all had agreed on when to tell you but...well..OBVIOUSLY other people had other things in mind." she shot a death look at Damon.

"Look, she had a right to know. Besides she would have caught on soon enough, she's not stupid." Damon replied.

"Uhh...thanks?" Was that supposed to be a compliment?

"Anyway, look..." Elena began "We all want to explain everything to you...if you're ready."

"Yeah I guess." now was as good a time as any.

Everyone took their turns talking about what they were, how everything worked and so on. The best explanation was from Matt.

"Well...I'm a human, who just happens to have a bunch of supernatural-type friends. I eat regular human food, I can go out in the sunlight or the full moon, and I work at the Grill."

"Matt you're so bland as a human you wouldn't last 5 minutes as a vampire that's why no one has tried turning you." Damon drawled on.

"Ignore them. Do you have any other questions for us?" Bonnie asked.

"No I think I've got it all. It's just going to take some time to process."

"Do you want to stay, hang out a little bit?" Elena asked. I could tell she wanted me to.

Truth was I was exhausted from the day and taking everything in left my brain nothing but mush. Besides...Tyler was giving me those looks again, and Caroline was giving HIM some weird looks and it was all just getting rather uncomfortable.

"No, thanks. I'm pretty tired and it's getting late. I really appreciate what you've all done for me. You're a lot better to me than I deserve."

"That's not true." Bonnie grabbed my hand. "You're a great person. You just had traumatic experience and then we all threw this at you, it's understandable."

"Well, thank you again. I appreciate it." I smiled at her.

"Alright well, I'll drive you home, Vi. I'm giving Bonnie a lift, too." Jeremy stood up.

"No that's way too far for you. We're on opposite ends of the town. I can just call a cab it's no big deal." besides...I wasn't about the get in a car with Tyler or Caroline at this point, and I still didn't really even know Matt.

"Didn't I tell you those cab drivers were creeps?" Damon spoke up "It's fine Jer, I'll take her home. She's right, it's far out of your way. Besides you can spend some alone time with your woman."

"No, really...I'm fine I'll call a cab."

"Damon's right...for once. People in this town are shady and you definitely shouldn't walk home. If you don't feel comfortable with him taking you I can take you." Stefan replied.

"And why would ANYONE feel uncomfortable around me?" Damon smirked.

"Oh I don't know, maybe because you scared the shit out of her the last time she saw you!" Stefan shot back.

"Look, she's fine. And I told you before Vi, I don't bite...not unless you ask me to." another smirk.

"Yeah Damon being a creep is really going to make her want you driving her home even more!"

"Stefan what the hell is your problem?"

"You are my problem, Damon!"

"Ok that's enough!" I stood up "No one needs to argue over taking me home. Damon it's fine you can take me." I'm not sure why I agreed with it but I just wanted them to stop arguing.

"See, she made the smart decision after all. Let's go, doll." And with that Damon walked out the door.

"Look, I'll call you tomorrow Elena, ok?" I gave everyone a hug and followed Damon out the door.

Damon was already in the car and had it running before I even got to the front door. Guess that super speed thing was true, after all.

"Get in, gas is expensive!" he remarked.

I got in and he pulled away from the curb and into the night. For a few minutes we didn't say a word to each other or even look in each other's direction. God could this be any more awkward? Maybe I should have let Stefan drive me.

"You shouldn't trust any of them, you know." he finally spoke.

"But I should trust you?" I responded.

"I'm the only one that told you the truth, wasn't I?" he had a point.

"I think they were just trying to protect me."

"Yeah well, that's how people get hurt or killed around here. They should have told you right when your parents died."

I didn't respond right away. Hearing the words "parents" and "died" in the same sentence still stung.

"Do you know anything else about what happened?" I asked him, finally looking at him.

"I know they're still out there, whoever did it. That's why you need to be careful. I know you have that fancy alarm system but there are ways of getting around things like that."

"Great! Well...I feel completely safe now." I muttered.

Our conversation lasted until we finally pulled in front of my house.

"I'm serious! Why do you think I drove you home? So you'd be safe. Listen, if anything happens again...if you think even the slightest noise sounds off, you call either me or Stefan. Don't call Elena or Bonnie or even Jeremy. Me or Stefan, got it?" he tone was serious.

"Yeah...I got it."

"Do you want me to walk you to your door?" he asked.

"Uhm, no. That would just be an awkward end to an already awkward night and I think I've had enough of that, thanks."

He cracked a smile as I headed out the door.

"Violet" he called as I began to walk away. "I'm serious...if you feel uncomfortable, you give me or Stefan a call, ok?"

"I swear." I crossed my heart, just like I always did when my mother would say anything similar to me.

"You're a good kid." he replied. He didn't leave until I closed the front door.

I was so exhausted and all I could think of was a long, hot shower and my big, comfy bed.