The Principle had just spoken to me about my education, putting me in a really bad mood.
A few years ago, before my parents death, I was ahead in my learning so I got to skip the last part of Middle School and go into High School with my older sister. But due to all the recent traumas, I was behind on my work and the Principle wanted me to join Jeremy's year again. I was adamant not to let that happen; I didn't want to watch all my friend's leave for college without me.
It was lunch and I was in the mood to eat away all my problems, so I stormed towards the cafeteria, pushing past the hoards of Freshmen who stood around blocking my path, gossiping senselessly. I ignored all the insults that were shouted, too upset to even care. My parents had been so proud when I got placed a year ahead and it felt that getting moved back a year was in a way, dishonouring them.
I spotted Abigail easily when I got into the canteen; her hair was constantly being dyed bright colours, this time red. It was technically against the rules of the school to have unnatural hair colours but Abi had put up a massive fight saying they enhanced her 'creative skills'. She was the school's art prodigy, so they had let her off in fear of her dropping the subject due to a lack of 'creative juices'. Not that she ever would drop art, but she was an expert bluffer and easily tricked them.
Her art skills were actually the reason behind us meeting in the first place. She had helped Jeremy catch up on the course work after he stopped smoking dope and started caring about school again. He had invited her over for 'thank-you pizza' and we had instantly clicked. Abi, like many others, hadn't originally realised that I was twins with Jer and not Elena. It was a common mistake given me and him were in different years.
I looked quite a bit like Elena too. My hair was straight and dark brown too, and we both had a similar build. The only major difference was that I was slightly paler than Elena, not having her olive completion and also that my eyes were a greyish-green colour. She may have been blessed with the nicer skin tone, that wouldn't burn in the sun, but I definitely had the cooler eyes.
Abigail was near the front of the line. I sneaked in, thanking the people behind for not ratting me out to a cafeteria monitor. Hall monitors and cafeteria monitors were the things that terrified everyone in school more getting a bad grade, they were evil.
"What did he say?" Abi asked carefully, knowing she was treading on broken glass. We were both sitting in English annotating Shakespeare quotes when I had been called out through the intercom. It had been pretty embarrassing having the whole class turn and stare, thinking you were away to get into big trouble.
"He wants me to move back a year."
"What?" Abigail was surprised, it had always been me who had helped her out with school work, other than Art, of course. "But you always pass tests!"
I hadn't bothered telling her, or anyone for that matter, that I had actually failed 4 tests in the past few months. They were small ones so at the time I didn't think they had mattered that much, but apparently it was enough to worry Mr Webber. He had been sympathetic when it came to all the things me and my family have had to deal with, but I could tell it was only for his own benefit.
"He just wants me to get the best marks possible so I can get into an Ivy League School and make our school look better." Mr Webber didn't seem to realise that this was the only High school in Mystic Falls, so the residents didn't have much of a choice on where to put their children for education. He was still determined to make our school the best in the State.
"What a dick. How are we supposed to be room-mates in college, now?"
We had got to the front of the line and both grabbed the remaining slices of pizza. I could hear the people behind me groan so I decided giving my two slices to them, given that they had let me skip, and grabbed a chocolate pot and a salad instead. Abigail rolled her eyes at my good dead of the day, whilst I laughed seeing she had picked up five pieces. She constantly stuffed her face like a pig but somehow was unbelievably thin, metabolisms were completely unfair.
My short talk with Abi had already brightened up my mood. I decide to speak to Mr Webber about giving me extra work, so I could catch up with everyone. I knew it would be hard, but I was determined to leave High school this year.
"Abi, I thought you wanted to go to an Art college? I am not sure if you've noticed, but I really can't paint." I laughed.
She shrugged jokingly, "We'll just say it is some new art form. Trust me, you'll be fine. You're the future Picasso."
I scoffed, unconvinced.
We paid separately and took our seats at the corner table in the cafeteria. We thought it was the best place to sit because it wasn't too busy and crowded, so you could eaily get away with doing homework. You could also watch all the other cliques and what they were up to, which always managed to amuse us.
"Is Jess at school today?" I asked. The table was empty and she was usually always there before us since she made her own lunches.
"Yeah, I already saw her today." Abigail paused remembering something. "She has the biggest hickey on her neck! It's disgusting."
I grimaced thinking about it. "Do you know you did it?" I was curious. It wasn't often Jessica had gotten with a guy spontaneously, she usually wanted to become their girl friend before any kissing began and I knew for a fact she was single, looking down her Facebook page just the other day seeing what had happened at the party once I had been dragged away.
"She wouldn't say... Maybe she's with him now?" Abi waggled her eyebrows up and down and I let out a gasp of mock horror. "My parents are going out for their anniversary tonight, so the house is going to be empty. I figured you could come over and we could binge watch some films?"
"What so no open-house party?" I joked, "You really aren't making the most of your teenage years."
"Yeah, because Monday nights are the ideal times to get wasted." Abi said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"No, I'll be there." I thought for a moment. "Could we invite Rebekah along? I am not sure how well she is fitting in."
Abigail raised an eyebrow and turned her gaze to the table of cheerleaders. Rebekah was sitting in the middle of the table as the ring-leader of the group. Despite being surrounded by people and included in all the conversations, I thought she still looked lonely. There was some sad glint in her eyes that you could only see if you knew it was there. I knew it was there because I had seen the same glint, in my own eyes, ever since my parents had died.
"Well, she is way more popular than either of us." Abi said, taking a big big out of her pizza. I eyed it enviously, regretting my kind behaviour. She saw my look and passed me a slice, I took no time in finishing it. Abigail watched me devouring it, disgustedly.
I shrugged, as if to say 'what?' She ignored my gesture.
"She can come if she wants. But you have to invite her. There is no way in hell I am going over there." Abi shuddered.
The cheer-squad had hated her ever since they had convinced her to make the posters and banners to advertise the last football game of the season. Knowing nothing about football, Abi had painted on the opposing team's colours. By the time they had noticed Abi's mistake, the posters and banners had been put up all over the school, and the cheer-squad had been made a laughing stock. I had no idea how anyone could manage to paint the wrong colours on the poster, so I had a sneaky suspicion Abigail had done it on purpose, but I had never bothered asking her, knowing she would deny it.
I walked over to their table, wishing I had somebody with me. The cheerleaders were nice enough if you spoke to them individually, but as a whole group they could be incredibility intimidating.
Rebekah got up from her seat as soon as she saw me standing a few feet away. "I can explain-"
"There's no need," I said, interrupting her. "Caroline told me everything."
All the cheerleaders listened in curiously, Rebekah noticed and sent them a deadly glare. In an instant they began speaking to each other again. I frowned, she really was their ring leader even though she had only been at the school for a few weeks. With all that support she was getting from them, she would have no trouble in being voted the Prom Queen.
"Oh. So what did you come over here for?"
"I was actually wondering if you'd like to come over to Abi's house tonight? You know, the girl with luminous red hair?" I said pointing at her from across the room, she tried hiding behind another slice of pizza not wanting the cheerleader to see her. I let out a chuckle, she was genuinely terrified of them. "You guys met at your ball. Her parent's are out so we wanted to have a movie night."
Rebekah looked surprised at the sudden invite, but she quickly hid it. I smiled widely, trying to show her that I was really over her past with Stefan
"You want me to come?" She asked as if not fully believing it.
I shrugged, "Yeah, sure. It'll be fun. So are you in?"
"Okay, I guess."
"Great," I smiled. "Here, give me your phone number and I'll text you the directions later."
We swapped phone numbers and after I headed back to my table. The first thing I noticed was Jessica had arrived at her usual seat, and so did her horrific hickey. It was on her the side of her neck and was red and swollen. Never in my life had I seen a hickey that big before, it looked as if half her neck was missing.
"Jeez Jess! I think you need to get that thing checked out." I said seriously, pointing at her neck.
"It looks infected." Abigail commented.
Jessica tried hiding it under her hand but winced in pain, taking her hand away. "It'll be fine in a few days."
Abigail and I shared a look, doubting it would be gone fully for a week at least.
"It looks like it's bleeding." Abigail said, staring at it with disgust. Jessica grabbed a napkin and put it against her neck, sure enough some blood soaked through. Gross.
"Oh crap. What am I going to tell my parents?" She looked worriedly at us. We were both useless, never having had to cover up a hickey before since neither of us had ever been given one.
"Just say some rabid dog bit you. That's what it looks like. Or that the Zombie Apocalypse has begun." Abigail suggested.
"Not funny." Jessica stated, still looking worried. I tried lightening up the atmosphere.
"Well, aren't you going to tell us who did it? I want to know who to avoid." I tried joking. Jessica just glared in response, she really wasn't in the laughing mood.
"Just some guy." She said, pausing as if to tell us both a secret." I am seeing him again tonight."
My eyes widened. If a guy had done that to my neck I would be making it my mission never to bump into him again, but Jessica had instead looked pleased with herself. We were both worried for her safety, given he given her the worst hickey possibly known to man, so Abigail decided to try bribe her into hanging around with us for the night instead.
"Too bad. You're going to miss out on the movie marathon. We are watching your favourite- Twilight."
Jessica laughed snarkily, "Yeah, it's not like I don't have the box-set at home. Besides, they barely compete with the real thing." With comment she grabbed her things and left. We both had no idea what she was on about. So much for chicks before dicks.
"Well. I think somebody is on her period."
"I don't understand." Rebekah said for the umpteenth time, "They sparkle in the sunlight? Sparkle?"
"They're vampires." Abigail had been getting sick of her constant interruptions. I, on the other hand, found her confusion highly amusing. Her comments during the films were the best part of the night, for me, defiantly not for Abi.
"Well I was under the impression that vampires burned in the sunlight."
"Who cares? It is a movie." Abigail shouted, exasperated. I knew there wasn't any chance she would ever watch Twilight with Rebekah again. She had regretted showing the series to Rebekah within the first 15 minutes, but Rebekah refused to watch anything else, wanting to be educated further on teen pop-culture.
"Bekah how is it that you have never seen Twilight? Nearly teenager has seen it, or at least knows about it!" I asked in awe, it was as if she had been in a coma for most of her life but had woken up to complete the last year of High school.
"I just don't care that much for vampires." she shrugged loosely.
"But they're so perfect!" Abigail gushed, pointing at Edward who had just appeared on screen with his shirt off, away to stand in the sun.
Rebekah laughed, "Trust me. I think they are slightly more dangerous than they're portrayed by Hollywood."
"Are?" I joked. Rebecca smiled tightly, away to say something but got cut-off by Abi.
"Shush guys! This is my favourite part." Abigail said, clutching a cushion to her chest. I rolled my eyes at her, whenever we watch Twilight she turned into a love-sick teenager, which was funny since she had never experienced love.
Just as they film was climaxing the doorbell ringed. Abigail groaned but stayed seated, refusing to answer it. I went instead, leaving them both to continue with the film. We had seen it together so many times that I wasn't bothered about missing out on the ending. I opened the door, unsure as to who would be ringing at this late an hour. The person I found was a complete surprise.
It was Damon.
I glared angrily at him ready to give him a lecture about not telling me who I was permitted to be friends with, "What are you-"
"Alaric's been arrested."
My jaw dropped, "What?"
"Alaric's been arrested. Are you coming or not?" He asked aggravated.
I nodded, rushing into his car to see if Ric was okay.