Flashback

September 10th 2009

Ever since their parents' death the once inseparable Gilbert siblings had broken off all seemingly traveling down separate roads. Jeremy had become a stoner and a slacker, Elena was pretending to be miss perfect micro managing everyone and everything, and Elora was trying to outrun her grief and difficult feelings with excessive exercise.

The other member of their resharpened household was Jenna, their Mother's sister, she was in Grad school and not much older than the kids she was now guardian of.

Elora had been up since 5am wanting to start the day with a long run. She got back to the house sweety with achy muscles a little after 7am, she needed to hurry up she wasn't leaving herself with a lot of time to shower and change.

Elena: "It's all about the coffee, Aunt Jenna."

Elena spots her twin sister, trying to sneak upstairs from her morning run,

Eleana: "Lo! you're going to be late, you can't keep running like you're used to now that school has started again."

Elora: "I know, you and Bon don't have to wait for me, I'll meet you there."

Mystic Falls High

Bonnie and Elena arrive at school, Caroline approaches them

Caroline: "Elena. Oh, my god!" Caroline squeezes Elena in a crushing hug,

Caroline: "How are you? Oh, it's so good to see you. Wait where's your other half?"

Elena: "She's probably gonna miss homeroom she went too long on her run this morning. And I'm fine. Thank you for asking."

Caroline: "Damn with how much Lo's been working out I really wish we could get her on the cheer team."

Bonnie: "Really Caroline?"

Caroline: "What? I'm just saying."

Elena: "I'll ask her again but I can't promise anything."

Caroline: "Oh great! Okay, see you guys later?"

Elena: "OK! Bye!"

Bonnie: "Bye."

Caroline takes off with a sassy flourish, leaving Bonnie and Elena struggling not to roll their eyes. They notice the new guy by the school office,

Bonnie: "Hold up. Who's this?"

Elena: "All I see is back."

Bonnie: "It's a hot back."

Elora walks up behind them, her hair still wet from her speed shower,

Elora: "I'm sensing Seattle, and he plays the guitar."

Elena: "You're here! I thought for sure you were going to miss homeroom."

Elora: "My hair is sure to be a frizzy mess by the end of the day but I couldn't leave you to face our first day by yourself."

Elena smiles and gives Lo's hand a squeeze

Bonnie: "Aw, I wish I had a twin."

Random Boy: "Jeremy, good batch, man."

Elora: "Does it have to be a twin sister, because we'd be willing to gift you Jeremy."

Elena: "I'll be right back."

Elora: "Elena just leave it, it's not gonna help any."

Elena: "I have to try, just go on to homeroom without me, I'll see you there."

Elora turns to look at Bonnie hoping for some understanding with how frustrating Elena could be but she was still staring at mysterious new guy.

Bonnie: "Please be hot."

Elora is now more annoyed and is already itching to go for another run. She leaves Bonnie to her starring and heads to homeroom.

Bonnie watches Stefan leave the school office, he tries to enter the men's room but bumps into Elena, she sees them do a little dance and can already tell with the way he's looking at her she's not gonna stand a chance next to Elena.

Stefan: "Uh, pardon me. Um...is this the men's room?"

Elena: "Yes. Um, I was just, Um—I was just—It's a long story..."

Elena tries to pass. Stefan makes way for her.

Elena: "Thank you."

Gilbert House Early Evening

Elena: "I'm meeting Bonnie at the grill you wanna come?"

Elora: "No thanks, I'm gonna drive to that gym that opened like two towns over... they have a pool I've been dying to try out."

Elena: "Don't you think you've been overdoing it a little lately, I mean don't you miss just hanging out with our friends... with me."

Elora: "Fine, I'll go but don't expect me to have an onion ring."

Elena: "What about you have the onion and I get the fried circle the onion comes in?"

Elena sees Lo's don't mess with me look and quickly backtracks,

Elena: "Okay, okay, I got it no fried food."

Jenna: "Okay girls, have fun. Wait, I got this. Don't stay out late, it's a school night."

Elena and Elora: "Well done, Aunt Jenna."

Jenna: "Don't synchronize like that you know if freaks me out... it's like something out of the Shining."

The twins laugh and open the door to leave but bump into the mysterious new guy at school.

Stefan: "Sorry, I was about to knock. I wanted to apologize for my disappearing act earlier. I know it was...strange."

Elena: "No worries. I get it, blood makes you squeamish."

Elora: "Wait, what is this about blood... what happened?"

Elena: "It was nothing I just scrapped my knee, nothing to worry about."

Stefan: "Hi, I don't believe we've met, I'm Stefan Salvatore."

Elora: "Elora Gilbert, you can call me Lo if you like."

Stefan: "Nice to meet you Lo."

Elora: "You too, so shall we?"

Stefan: "Sorry, were you going somewhere?"

Elena: "Yeah, we're meeting some friends. Do you want to come?"

Elora: "Wait why are you here? To check on Elena's scraped knee? How did you know where we lived?"

Elena's eyes widen a bit, she didn't even think to ask why he was here, she was just happy to see him.

Stefan: "It's a small town. I asked the first person I saw. Um, I thought you might want this back."

He hands Elena her diary causing Lo to raise her eyebrows in surprise recognizing what it is and not understanding how Stefan got his hands on it.

Elena: "Oh, I must have dropped it. I-thank you."

Stefan: "Don't worry, I didn't...read it."

Elora: "No? Why not? Most people would have." Lo questions him not sure if she can trust him with her sister yet.

Stefan: "Well, I wouldn't want anyone to read mine."

Elena: "You keep a journal?"

Stefan: "Um, something like that."

Elora: "Okay well as fascinating as this has been can we continue it at the grill?" Lo takes off walking leaving her sister and the new guy standing on the porch.

Elena: "Sorry she can't really stand still, don't take it personally."

Stefan: "Don't worry about it, should we try to catch up?"

Elena: "Yeah lets go."

The Next Night in the Woods

Stefan arrives at the party and is listening for Elena.

Elora: "Just admit it, Elena."

Elena: "Oh, okay, so he's a little pretty."

Bonnie: "He has that romance novel stare."

After talking for a bit Bonnie leaves to get a refill after getting a little freaked out when she saw a crow after touching Elena.

Elena turns around about to call out to Bonnie when she sees Stefan is behind her.

Stefan: "Hi."

Elena: "Hi."

Stefan: "I did it again, didn't it?"

Elena: "Yeah."

Stefan: "I'm sorry. You're upset about something."

Elena: "Oh, uh, no, it's- it's just Bonnie. She's...You know what? Never mind. You're...here."

Stefan: "I'm here."

Elora: "And as much fun as being third wheel is, I'm leaving."

Elena blushed feeling sheepish she completely forgot her sister was standing with her, she had been too distracted by Stefan, Bonnie was right he did have a novel romance stare.

The night did not go as planned, Vicki had been attacked and Stefan seemed to vanish into thin air, Elena walked over to her drunk and upset brother wishing she had left when Lo did.

Elena: "You okay? I called Jenna, she's on her way. Those people in uniforms, last time I checked, they're the police. People are going to stop giving you breaks, Jer. They just don't care anymore. They don't remember that our parents are dead, because they've got their own lives to deal with. The rest of the world has moved on. You should try, too."

Jer: "Move on like Lo, running all the damn time like some demented hamster stuck on its wheel or what about you? I've seen you in the cemetery writing in your diary. Is that-is that supposed to be you moving on?"

Elena shakes her head in disappointment at all three of them,

Elena: "Mom and Dad wouldn't have wanted this."