Chapter 2:

"Gorgers." She heard Jeremy sigh when he came into the house, it was a word for the non-romani. She was shocked to hear him use it because he decided he was going to be part of that group.

"Are you trying out your new name?" Elena asked, leaning against the border for the living room entrance. "It fits you." He shot her a dirty look, throwing his tuxedo dressed body on the couch, grabbing a controller for his XBOX. "Can you not put your feet on the glass, I've been cleaning all night!"

"Elena…" He complained, "Just because mom said Romani girls keep the house clean, doesn't mean you have to. I'm tired of you dumping out my drinks before I finish them."

"Yes it does." She countered, "Maybe if you stopped leaving multiple glasses out on the counter it wouldn't be a problem." Elena was upset with Jeremy because he rejected their life. How was she ever supposed to find a husband if her family had a bad reputation? Jenna rejected it, John never married, Jeremy was rejecting it and her father was soft on the culture. She fraternized with non-Romani and was educated. She didn't want to get married…but she couldn't wait until she was 30. It wasn't plausible. Romani boys want young wives that clean and cook before they get home as well as have many children to continue the Romani bloodline.

"Elena, do you have something to say?" Jeremy asked, "Are you mad that I don't want to get married at 18, that I don't want to worry about the day my family calls on me? I don't want that life!" She wanted Jeremy to have everything he wanted. He was her brother. Her life. If he wanted to go to college and marry a gorger then he could, it was his right. That didn't mean she didn't feel the sting of the slap in the face directed towards her family.

Elena was appalled by his accusation towards the family. There were a few odd-balls that decided they would become thieves and committed vandalism but her family was not made up of criminals. If he was trying to hurt her, it was working. "But I do." She told him, "I want to honor our family and you should too!"

"Why because mom and dad died in a car accident? Get a grip, Elena." Jeremy insulted her reasoning and then targeted her lifestyle, "Clean something!" He demanded while she stomped towards her bedroom, slamming the door. She fell flat on her bed, her messy hair circling her head like a halo. She thought of the complications her life choice happened to create. She wouldn't be a reminder of her parent's life to Jeremy much longer, Klaus was going to kill her. She was going to die young, a virgin but pure. She heard the soft taps of pebbles on her window after half an hour of deep thought. She quickly moved to the window, looking out of it.

Her fingers were the first thing he saw and then her wild hair. She smiled a neighborly smile before she addressed him with words. He could smell faint traces of perfume and the strong scent of cleaning supplies on her skin. Her makeup was smeared at her eyes, the brown fading around her eyelids. He didn't know why he came to her tonight. His subconscious brought him to her… all he knew was it wasn't the typical Klaus' doing.

"I think you have the wrong house." She told the handsome man that looked at her with nothing shorter than enhancement. Even from her spot on the second floor, she could see the blue of his eyes. They sparkled. She couldn't recall seeing eyes so captivating before. She knew her neighbors would have plenty to talk about, it was no secret that Elena Gilbert had sworn off any one-on-one association with a male.

"I don't think I do." His accent was recognizable. Fear ran through like ice. The first thing that went through her head was Elijah. Elijah and his understanding voice that made her feel at ease despite his track record of slaughtering people. The next thing that ran through her head was the thought of death that prompted her question:

"Have you come to take me?" He wanted to crumble under the fear and innocence in her voice. He shook his head no. She tried to maintain an easy voice, "Then what do you want?"

"You to come down and talk to me."

"You know I'm Romani right? I'm not really allowed to talk to you alone." Nor would she want to talk to her future murderer. She hoped her knew what Romani was.

"I'm positive you're a rule breaker." Klaus flashed her a grin, "And if you don't talk to men alone then why do you have so many boyfriends?" By his reply, she knew that he was acquainted with her culture.

"Lower case boyfriends… my father's not- my father wasn't very strict when it came to the rules. Matt has been a lifelong friend, he's practically family." She sighed. She didn't know why she was telling him these personal details. "Stefan and Damon know that there's not a chance."

"Why's that?"

"They're gadjos." She told him, "And so are you… please leave?" Her voice was shaky as she commanded him away. It wasn't a statement, rather a question. Something he could say no to if he wanted to push the subject. He could see her Roma decent. Her tan skin and almost black hair reminded him of the Romani girls he'd seen over the years. Except, Elena was by far the prettiest he'd ever seen.

It was so easy for him to forget his goal for the last thousand years when he looked into her brown eyes. It was as if he hadn't spent his whole immortal life searching for a doppelganger so he could finally be his true self. The only thing that reminded him of his duty was her lips. They quivered with fear which told him she was scared, which reminded him that she had a reason to be scared.

"If that's what you want… I will."

Her mother taught her to be polite, so she whispered. "Thank you."