(A/N: Okay, so here's the next chapter… so much for flowing ideas and quick updates XD, but I hope you still like it~
Enjoy~!)

The group split up at that point. I stuck with Bonnie and we headed into the building, stopping by her locker before heading to her next class: History.

Bonnie and I filed into class along with the rest of the students. I glanced over the teacher and then looked at the name on his desk; Alaric Saltzman.

Mr. Saltzman noticed me… and then he spotted my lapis lazuli bracelet… His eyes widened a bit and he cast a slightly confused glance at Bonnie.

He obviously knew about vampires, and Bonnie's feelings towards them (MOST of them).

"This is my cousin who's visiting from out of town," Bonnie explained to him. "Kristi this is Alaric, Alaric, Kristi."

Alaric held out his hand to me. "It's nice to meet you; I hope you enjoy your stay here."

I shook his hand. Well, he wasn't anything supernatural (I read him), but he was REALLY good at acting… How many people knew about vampires in this town, I wondered…? Maybe he was a hunter… how else would he know?

I just hoped he didn't kill me, if that was true.

"Thank you," I told him before taking a seat with Bonnie.

The class started out with a lecture on WW II and then it went to the books. I listened the whole time (I'd always been fascinated with the Holocaust), but when they got into the textbooks, I dazed a bit.

Alaric assigned them their homework and wrote it on the board before dismissing the students early. The class seemed pleased, yet not shocked, he must do that often.

I rose from my seat and waited as Bonnie gathered her books.

Everyone was almost gone as we headed.

"Wait… Bonnie, I need to speak with you…" Alaric said. Bonnie paused by his desk and I did, too. Alaric waited until the rest of the class was gone before raising a questioning eyebrow at Bonnie.

"She can listen," Bonnie told him confidently. She sighed and went to close the door before returning. Alaric still had a confused look on his face.

"Is she REALLY your cousin?" he asked.

Bonnie nodded, smiling a bit. "She's also half-human, half-vampire…"

Alaric's eyes widened as he looked at me… He tried to compose himself, but he had to ask.

"H- HOW?" he questioned me.

I smiled. "It's as possible as any other birth… My father was a vampire, and my mother… a witch."

Alaric looked shocked still. "And I thought I'd researched everything…"

I grinned. "NOPE, there is always more to learn."

Alaric sighed, shaking his head before turning his head to look at Bonnie. "Elijah… Stefan and Damon have found him."

I scowled at Damon's name… but, when Alaric mentioned Elijah… it seemed to ring a bell somewhere in the back of my mind… I TRIED to call it up… but for the life of me I just… COULDN'T.

"Where? When?" Bonnie questioned. SHE obviously knew who Elijah was…

"It was whenever Damon went to that college to get more information on Klaus… He tried to kill them, we think, by breaking the windows to the place and letting the sun in," he explained. Bonnie just nodded.

"What do they plan to do?" she asked and I was simply left to stand and watch. I couldn't remember who Elijah was for ANYTHING… though the name sounded so familiar…

"Well… we aren't sure what he wants yet, so, basically, we can only watch and learn for a while, unless he makes a move before we find anything out," Alaric said, sounding a bit upset.

Bonnie scowled a bit.

Alaric pushed himself off from his desk (which he had been leaning on). "I just thought I'd tell you… Now you better get off to class, I don't have another one coming in this period… Where do you go now? I'll call your teacher and tell her why you're late," he said, heading for the phone.

"Don't worry about it, it's just Study Hall," Bonnie said before walking towards the door. "Come on Kristi, let's go."

I nodded and followed her, still trying to figure out WHY his name sounded so familiar…

Bonnie only had two other class periods that day (including Study Hall) until the final bell rang and we headed out of the school doors.

We met up with Caroline and Elena at the table we'd (they'd) eaten lunch at. Caroline and Elena (AND Bonnie) insisted that we go shopping. Elena had told them how I didn't have any ACTUAL clothes of my own, so they wouldn't take no for an answer.

We took two vehicles and went to Hollister first. I got several shirts there, but didn't like their pants so we went to Aeropostale and American Eagle, I got a LOT of jeans at both places and some really cute tees and two purses.

Then, after shopping, we went back to Elena's house.

As we walked into the door, laughing and hauling in our bags, a woman stepped out of the Kitchen with a dish and towel in her hand.

"What are you girls up to?" she asked suspiciously and teasingly at the same time.

Elena grinned. "NOTHING Aunt Jenna," she replied, "We just wanted to have a girls' night for once. By the way, this is Kristi, Bonnie's cousin."

Jenna smiled at me. "Nice to meet you."

I nodded and smiled back, "You too."

"Keep it down and don't stay up too late," Jenna reminded Elena before heading back into the Kitchen.

We all giggled a bit before heading upstairs.

Elena took us to her room and we dumped our bags in a corner.

"Okay," Caroline said, plopping down on Elena's bed, "what do we do first?"

I shrugged.

"Eat out?" Bonnie suggested.

Caroline instantly perked up. "How about the Grill?"

I grimaced at the thought, but Elena laughed.

"You only want to go to see Matt, or should I say stalk Matt," she told her. Caroline nodded, beaming and not the least bit ashamed.

"All in favor of the Grill?" Bonnie asked and everyone raised their hand… but me.

"Why not Kristi- oh…" Caroline started and then remembered what had happened to me THERE earlier today.

"I like the Grill," I told them after a second, "even if I HAVEN'T actually eaten there, yet, it seems like a fun place… I'm only afraid of seeing HIM there…"

"Well…" Elena started, "I doubt he'll still be there… so I think we should still go, but to be safe, Bonnie, Caroline and I will go in ahead and check that he's not there. If he isn't, we'll stay, and if he is… we'll leave. Does that sound good?"

I nodded. "Okay… I'll do that…. Thanks guys."

They all smiled at me. "No problem," Bonnie told me.

After that, we decided to change into some of our new outfits before we all got in Caroline's Ford Fiesta and headed to the Grill.

Once we got there and had parked, I waited in the car as I watched Caroline, Elena, and Bonnie get out and head inside… I sighed and got outside of the vehicle, lingering just outside of the car as I waited for one, or all, of them to return…. While I waited, I tested out my witch powers… seeing if I could "sense" Damon inside of the building… but it didn't quite work, I wasn't that far in my memories yet…

I only waited outside about three minutes before Bonnie came out and talked to me.

"Hey, he's not in there. We checked everywhere but the Boy's Restroom," she told me as she took my hand and led me inside.

When we got in, I noticed that Caroline and Elena were already seated at a booth, waiting for us. Bonnie and I headed over to where they were in the back and sat down by each other, across from them.

Just then, our waiter came over… and, of all people, it was Chris… again. I scowled.

"Hello ladies, my name is Chris and I'll be your waiter this evening," he said, smiling at the three girls, but not even seeming to notice my presence.

THIS would be fun.

"What would you three ladies like this fine evening?" he continued and all three of my friends looked confused.

"Um, sir, there are four of us here," Elena pointed out, gesturing to me.

Chris didn't even look in my direction. "I only see three," he replied simply.

I leaned forward to whisper in Caroline's ears. "Damon compelled him NOT to ever look at me when… the incident happened… I would uncompell him myself, but he won't look at me, so could you do that for me please?"

Caroline nodded. "Of course," she whispered and then leaned back so she could look Chris in the eyes.

"By the way… there IS a girl over there and her name is Kristi. You should notice her and ignore whatever the loud mouthed jerk here, named Damon, earlier told you to do. Also, you will forget this conversation ever happened and go get us all a free drink," Caroline told him (compelled him) and I smiled.

Chris blinked and shook his head a bit. Then he looked at ALL of us (smiling at me) and asked, "Four Budweiser's then?"

We all nodded, Caroline and I grinning. Then, Chris left.

"Wait… Caroline, why did you just compel him?" Elena asked her friend, confused, but I answered for her.

"See, earlier today when… IT happened, Damon was a bit overprotective of me," I rolled my eyes at that point, and then I continued, "and Chris was flirting with me… Damon didn't like it, so he compelled him to not look at me, or even notice me… so, since I couldn't compel him myself, since it requires eye contact, I asked Caroline if she could so he wouldn't be ignorant of me this whole time."

Bonnie and Elena nodded. "That makes since," Bonnie said, "usually I don't like it when people do that kind of thing… but I can see the reason behind that, to actually UNDO a compulsion with another…"

Just then, Chris came back with our drinks. We requested for more time to think about the food, so he left and we looked at our menus. Then, lucky us, just as we all figured out what we wanted, Chris came back (I wondered if he was secretly watching us… well, ME).

We ordered and got refills. Then, we chatted until our salads and other dishes were ready.

As we began to eat, I noticed Elena on her phone. "Who are you texting?" I asked curiously, when I did, Caroline peered over, trying to see the screen. Elena rolled her eyes and answered me.

"Stefan," she told me. I nodded and Caroline rolled her eyes also, relaxing back in her seat.

Just then, her phone announced she'd gotten a text from him. "What are you talking about?" I asked her as she read it, still only curious, while also trying to make conversation. I waited as Elena held up one finger while she continued to read. Her eyes were wide once she was done. Then, she handed the phone to me.

"Read it for yourself," she told me, so, I did.

The message read:

"I'm at home. Damon isn't acting his best, though. I think hes upset ovr wat had happened today w/Kristi… Hes also VERY drunk, so plz don't come ovr any time tonite, any of you. Keep Kristi, especially away, I don't no wat he'll do if he sees her… Have a nice time anyways, and try not to worry about him, I'll handle it. Enjoy yourself. Luv u~"

My eyes were wide once I was done reading it, too. I was shocked that Damon would have such a reaction to this…

I handed Elena her phone back as I thought about all of this. I absentmindedly ate while Elena explained what was going on to everyone else. They were a bit surprised but didn't really talk about it, seeing what condition I was in over it. I took a big swig of my beer and sighed.

"He'll get over it," I finally decided and everyone relaxed, our conversation picking up a bit again until we were all done. We split the cost of our meals and then, went out on the dancefloor to party for a while.

We finally DID leave though around midnight, Bonnie driving us home. I was a bit drunk… It didn't really matter, though, since I WAS technically of legal age to be drinking… but I didn't look it. Luckily no one asked, but if they did, Caroline and I compelled them to forget, so we were okay.

We had to sneak quietly back into the house, once back, because Jenna was already asleep… We headed silently upstairs and into Elena's room, where we all changed into PJs. I crashed on Elena's bed once I was changed, I was so tired…

Everyone else also climbed into Elena's bed, barely managing to fit all of us… but, surprisingly, the bed held… After that, I fell asleep almost instantly, my last thought was that of Damon… I didn't know what I'd do about him… I guess it was just another thing to do tomorrow… great.

(A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, had a bit of writer's block~ I hope you guys like it! The next chapter I'll TRY to get up within a week or so~

REVIEW!)