Chapter 3-

Aria POV-

I was woken by someone vigorously shaking my shoulder. Something you should know about was that I didn't like being woken up by anyone for anything.

"What?!" I snapped. Add that to my already being pissed at being left behind. And you've got WW3 on your hands. I opened my eyes to find Elena standing there. Great just great. Not only did I get woken up from my really good dream about Elijah but now I have to deal with her too.

Life really hated me today.

"Aria your home, god I was worried sick-"I cut her off by throwing my pillow at her, it got her right in the face, I even got the satisfaction of seeing the shocked look on her face.

"Can you do me a favour?" I said, sweetly.

"Yeah, sure anything you need." She nodded quickly seeking her forgiveness.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM!" I yelled, surprising her. I don't know what she was expecting from me, but this was not it. She left with a crestfallen expression. "Oh, and Elena can you and get me some coco pops." If she was going to be guilty, which she should, then I was going to milk her for all she's worth.

Later with my newly bought coco pops and my favourite PJ's, I was catching up on the last three weeks of homework. I didn't get the point of it really, we aren't allowed to sleep at school but we have to do school work at home. Where's the fairness?

I should start a riot or a petition maybe. I would if I had the time, but currently I'm too busy getting kidnapped by hot vampires that want to sacrifice my sister.

I heard someone moving about downstairs. Jenna or vampire? God I'm getting paranoid now. I went downstairs and saw a mess of dark hair and a tall, muscled figure. Times like these, I have to remind myself that he wasn't my dorky little brother anymore, he was a well matured man who didn't need me or Elena or anyone else looking out for him.

He turned around and saw me standing behind him. Suddenly I couldn't breathe, because Jeremy's arms were squeezing me so tightly.

"Need. To. Breathe." I gasped out. He quickly loosed his hold on me but still didn't let me go. Usually I wasn't a huggable person, but I'll make an exception for Jer.

"You're back! When it was only Elena who came back I thought you might've been dead!" I could see the worry in his eyes. I realize that he was taller than me. I used to use his head as an armrest just because I knew he hated it. I would ruffle his hair and he would swat my hand away annoyed. So much had changed since then, it was heartbreaking.

Instead of saying anything, I just smiled reassuringly and pulled out of the hug. "I gotta go. Will you be okay?" he nodded.

I entered the mystic grill, immediately my eyes were drawn to a head of raven back hair and cerulean blue eyes. It was Damon and next to him was his brother and Elena's boyfriend Stefan. Along with Caroline, Bonnie and Elena.

I was going to turn around and leave because I was still a little pissed. Actually I was lying. I was really pissed.

Suddenly I was sent crashing to the floor, on top of me was Caroline with a huge smile. I had always been closer to Caroline than with Bonnie. "I was so worried! I looked everywhere but you were already gone." She cared.

"I'm fine, care bear." She was still sitting on my stomach, "Uh, care bear? You look comfortable and all, but your still on me." She realized that she was still straddling me and hopped off.

"Sorry." She said sheepishly.

I didn't want to but you can't say no to Caroline, when she wants something she gets it. And what she wanted, was for me to spill.

"What happened?" I didn't know how to explain, what was I going to say? I got a ride with a hot vampire that you thought you killed. No. I could always lie… I didn't like lying to my friends, I considered myself an honest person, but I couldn't tell them about Elijah. I don't know why but I didn't want them to hurt him, though he could probably protect himself, but still, I mentally shrugged.

"I caught a ride with someone who was passing by." I lied smoothly. Damon looked like he didn't believe me and he opened his mouth to say something but I gave him my one of a kind death glares.

Damon instead went on to talk about something else that I wasn't listening to, I'm glad he didn't tattle about my fib but this did so not make us even. I would get even, I always did, wasn't quite sure how as he did have a history for snapping peoples necks and unlike my martyr sister I valued my life.

I walked over to the bar where Matt was working, "Matty!" he looked up and saw me standing there, he grinned and we hugged with the bar between us. I hadn't seen him much since his sister had been turned into a vampire and then staked. We had been really close ever since my sister and he had started dating and he had confided in me about his worries for his relationship with Elena.

"I'll have a beer." I wasn't old enough but that had never stopped me from drinking and partying before.

"If I wanted to get fired, then yeah, but unfortunately I need my job, so maybe sometime else?" I pouted and he smiled at me.

"What if I asked like really nicely? I'll make you a cake." I begged, everybody loved my cake, nobody could resist it.

"Nope." He popped the 'p'. I stuck my tongue out at him childishly and walked away, I could always be a child with Matt.

I got home and went and had a shower. When I got out and went back into my bedroom, I noticed something, the faint smell of that cologne I couldn't identify. Then I noticed a folded piece of paper lying on my pillow, in perfectly scripted handwriting was my name.

Aria,

I have a feeling we will be seeing each other again, I look forward to it.

Always and forever,

Elijah.

It wasn't much but it made my stomach flip, my heart pound and made my fingertips tingle. I laid down, clutching the letter and closed my eyes, falling asleep.

I thought before I fell asleep, that I felt a hand touch my lips, then there was a light breeze and it was gone.