Embers fly from the bonfire, getting caught up in the wind. A heavy scent of beer mixed with pine lingers in the woods surrounding the party. Most of the population of Mystic Falls High School is scattered throughout the trees, red solo cup in hand. Ora
beer bottle depending on the person's preference.
Lia tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear, searching for a familiar face. She and Caroline came together, but seconds after arriving Caroline spotted someone she was dying to talk to and ran off. Typical of the girl, she is a social butterfly.
"Lia, over here," Bonnie calls out, waving her hand at her shy friend. Standing on the other side of the bonfire, across from Lia, Elena and Bonnie have been talking about a particular new boy who has been all the gossip lately and so happens to havecaught
the heart of Elena Gilbert.
Grateful for a friendly face, Lia walks over to Bonnie and Elena, a bright smile on her full lips. Bonnie wraps her in a hug, kind of surprised the girl showed. Elena and Bonnie wouldn't have been shocked if last minute she bailed on the party. A typicalnight
to Lia is one filled with books and the occasional movie or two. Lia has a bashful exterior, and being around a bunch of people she's not friends with isn't in her comfort zone.
"We're glad you came!" Elena smiles, trying to change the subject Bonnie has been harping on. She doesn't want to admit her feelings for the mysterious newcomer, mostly because she is unsure of them herself. Something is alluring about him, yet he puzzlesher.
Bonnie gives Lia a pointed look, not allowing Elena so easily out of the conversation. "Lia, don't let her change the subject. We are discussing how she and Stefan obviously have feelings for each other."
"You know I hate to pick sides, but...Bonnie is right. The two of you have undeniable chemistry," Lia admits, accepting a beer from Bonnie.
Despite her traditional policy of steering clear of alcohol, she promised Caroline she would try to be a 'normal teenager' for one night. One night won't change anything, and it's not going to get in the way of her underlying plans for attending an IvyLeauge
college.
"Wow, Caroline and Lucas would be beyond proud of you right now," Elena teases, elbowing Lia playfully.
"Everyone should try new things every once in awhile," Lia laughs, keeping her eyes out for her boyfriend, "And don't think that comment makes Bonnie and I forget that you still haven't confessed your love for the Salvatore boy."
Elena rolls her eyes at her unrelenting best friends. If she doesn't confess now, they will badger until she does so. "Oh okay, so he's a little pretty."
"He has that romance stare," Bonnie chimes in, pretending to stare longingly into the distance.
Lia takes a sip of her beer, grimacing at the taste. She can't help but wonder how people drink this all the timing and enjoy the taste. "Don't forget how he has already come to your aid against the evil Tanner. He's practically your knight in shining
/armor."
During the first class of the day, Tanner had gotten on to Elena about not knowing the answer to one of his questions, even going as far as to comment on her parents being gone. Stefan jumped in, giving the correct answer, saving Elena from Tanner's furthertorment.
And it just so happens he knew more about the event than Tanner himself did. Tanner was not happy about being laughed at by his entire class, but he deserved it.
"Speaking of the Knight, where is Stefan?" Bonnie questions, gazing over the crowd of tipsystudents.
"Wait, shouldn't you know? You're the psychic one." Elena crosses her arms over her chest with a smirk.
"Right, I forgot. Okay, so give me a sec. Grams says I have to concentrate." Clasping her eyes tight, she starts to zone in on her thoughts.
"Wait...you can't get a reading without tarot cards, or a crystal ball, or something." Lia impressively throws her beer back, not wanting to sip on the stale tasting liquid any longer.
Elena burst out in laughter at Lia's swift actions, whisking the bottle from her when she finishes. Bonnie's eyes flash open, widening as her hand touches Elena's. Fear grasps onto Bonnie, holding her close. Images of the past and future flash throughher
mind.
Lia picks up on Bonnie's unease. "Bonnie?" She places her hand on Bonnie's arm, freeing her from her disturbing visions. The glass bottle in her hand drops, breaking against the cold ground.
"Are you okay?" Elena takes a step forward, but Bonnie takes one back, with a horrified expression.
"I saw a crow. There was fog, a man, and this dark feeling of...but then Lia grasped my arm there was this burst of light...and I saw a symbol drawn on a large rock, screams coming from behind it," Bonnie starts backing away from Lia and Elena, "Thisis
the alcohol talking, nothing psychic about it." Bonnie studies Lia, fear lingers in her leaf-green eyes. "Yeah? Okay, I'm going to get a refill."
Lia protests, but Bonnie is too quick on her feet. She doesn't even turn back when Elena calls worriedly after her. Biting her lip, Lia tries to decipher what her 'psychic' friend meant. What symbol could she have seen? And screaming from behind the largerock?
Was it a door to a tomb? Screaming would mean someone was trapped inside...
"There's my babygirl!" Lucas shouts, walking over to Elena and Lia with Stefan by his side. Lia's head turns, her thoughts over Bonnie's words start fading away.
The Fell boy's face lights up every time he sets sight on the beautiful blonde. High school relationships are often referred to as 'puppy love,' an infatuation felt by young people, one that does not last forever. The phrase couldn't be pinned on thesetwo.
There was something deeper between the two.
Stefan watches as Lia's ice-blue eyes shine brightly, her contagious pearly-white smile spreading across her face. Blood rises to her cheeks, being a little embarrassed as Lucas's pulls her off the ground and into his arms.
Guilt rises within Stefan, clouding him with long forgotten memories. Aurora had that exact smile, one that lit up any room she walked into. Damon and his father loved that girl, and he had hurt her. If only he had been able to control himself, maybe
/she wouldn't have left Mystic Falls. Stefan turns his head, gazing at the fire, trying to escape his thoughts.
"Lucas, we should find Matt. I promised him and Ty that we would meet up with them when I got here," Lia laughs as her feet touch back to the ground. Honestly, she wanted Elena and Stefan to have some alone time, but she couldn't just bluntly say that.
"Good idea. I think I saw Caroline with those two earlier," Lucas places an arm around Lia's shoulder, bringing her closer. "Nice meeting you Stefan. Catch up with you two later." Lucas winks at Elena, before leading Lia away.
Caroline's arms cross against her chest as she sees Stefan leading Elena to the falls. Stefan's smug smile only pours salt in a fresh wound. Hours earlier Caroline had attempted to get Stefan to go there with her. She saw the perfect opportunity and wastedno
time. However, Stefan wasn't up for the idea, even going as far as to tell her they would never happen. Rejection is not an emotion Caroline takes lightly.
"Why does Elena always get the guys?" She complains, swirling around to face her friends. Tyler and Lia stop their conversation about football to give their attention to their jealous friend.
Elena has natural beauty, a thing that all girls want to have. Without even having to try, people are captivated by her, especially the boys in this town. However, it's not only her that has this trait. All of her friends have it as well: Lia, Bonnie,
/and Caroline. Elena is just the more approachable one. Lia and Bonnie are more reserved, keeping to themselves. Then there's Caroline, one of the most intimidating girls in this town. Guys take notice of Caroline, but most of them fear she would rejectthem.
Stefan just so happened to be the one guy who refused her.
Tyler reaches into the cooler filled with beer next to him, grabbing himself and Lia one. "I think we might need these," he whispers to Lia. Lia laughs under her breath, tilting her head down, so Caroline won't see.
"Car, there are plenty of guys who would choose you," Lia insists, taking the beer out of Tyler's hand. Tyler had already opened it, and she hated to waste things.
"None that I take an interest in! I want to win, at least once," Caroline huffs, plopping down next to Lia. Stealing the beer right out of Lia's hands, Caroline starts to gulp it down.
"Whoa, slow down. I don't want to have to carry you to someone's car later," Tyler says.
Caroline flicks Tyler off as she continues to finish the beer. Lia lays her head on Caroline's shoulder. She can see past thesmokescreen that is Caroline Forbes's confidence. Behind her boisterousness, her love for bossing people around, and her
stunninglooks, there is a girl who doubts she's good enough. It's almost unimaginable to think that someone whose seems almost perfect could have a weakness.
"Caroline Forbes, you are stunning, smart, and strong. Boys are terrified of you, and let them be. No simple, high school boy could handle you," Lia tells her without-blood-relation sister.
Caroline nestles her head on top of Lia's. Caroline feels wrong for thinking it, but she's glad Lia's family didn't try to take custody of Lia. Lia is her number one; she's the one person Caroline trusts with all her secrets, loves with all her heart,
/and knows that no matter what she will always have her to count on.
Tyler rolls his eyes at the two girls sitting next to him. "Where are Matt and Lucas? Caroline sent them to get blankets like twenty minutes ago."
Lia hums in agreement. It had been awhile since the two had left, but they could have easily gotten distracted. Lucas has a lot of friends, and the jocks love him. Inevitably, they got pulled into a conversation. "I will go find them! I was going to graba
drink of water here in a second anyway."
Tyler and Caroline offer to accompany her, but she swears up and down she will run into Lucas and Matt. They are probably walking back from the car now. Quickly wandering towards the little bit of woods that separates the parking lot from the bonfire,Lia
swears she hears a scream. With a couple of beers in her system, she shrugs it off. It's probably nothing. Or people playing around.
A fog starts swallowing the girl, but she's too busy thinking about other things to notice. Only when a black crow flies by, grazing her arm, does she realizes something isn't right. Taking in her surroundings, an object in the distance catches her ,
she see's what she assumes is some one layingon the ground. It's possible a student over drank and passed out, happens every year.
Except, what happens this year is much worse. In seconds Lia is hovering over an unconscious Vicki Donovan. Blood is gushing from her neck, her skin slowly draining of color. Matt's older sister, someone she has known her entire life is half alive, layingat
Lia's very feet. Things such as this don't happen in Mystic Falls. Her home isn't a dangerous place, at least, not to her knowledge.
Frozen in horror, Lia wants to scream, but no sounds will come out. Stunned silent, she backs away from her best friend's, dying sister. A twig snaps in the background, and it breaks Lia from her trance. Unsure of which way she came from, and where togo,
a shrill cry for help bursts from her lungs. Lia takes off in the direction she hears distant shouting. Branches tear at her clothes as she sprints towards the bonfire. The fog becomes thicker, blinding Lia. Without visible sight, she trips oversomething,
falling down an incline, she rolls until she hits her head, hard against a large rock. Whimpering in pain, her vision blurs out of focus.
Lia fights to stay conscious. Her screams must have been heard; the music and chatter can't possibly be that loud. Giving in to the agonizing, shooting pains in her forehead, she starts closing her tearful, blue orbs.
A silhouette of a person appears standing over her, squatting down to take a closer look at the angelic, little girl. He had been watching her walk around the wooded area. Staying in the shadows to prevent her from spotting him. Every glimpse of the girlcaused
his interest to spike more and more. First the coffee shop, and now the bonfire. Soon he hopes to have her wrapped around his finger.
Lia is just what Damon Salvatore needs, but not in her current state. No, she has to be aware of her full potential, and he has to stir up some sort of trouble for her to become more in touch with herself. After all, emotions bring out what lays deepinside
of us. What did he care if a life or two has to be taken? Humans were of no concern to him.
"Lucas...Matt?" Those are her last words before she drifts into the darkness, losing all sense of reality.
Cocking his head to the side, the dark haired stranger wipes the blood from her gauging head wound. "Don't worry, my little flower, you are going to be okay. I need you alive."
Stealing her phone from her jacket pocket, he dials her boyfriend. "You and I have a lot of work to do; get some sleep while you can." Placing the lit up device several inches from her hand, he takes one final glance at Lia before speeding off.
/
Logan Fell watches as Lucas, his cousin, brings Lia's limp hand to his lips. The lovestruck teen hadn't left his girlfriend's side since finding her in the woods. Lucas held her close, cradled in his arms till the ambulance arrived, and begged the EMTsto
let him ride with her to the hospital. He was distraught at the sight of her being unconscious and profusely bleeding.
"Lucas should know the truth. He's eighteen and a founding family member," Logan claims as Sheriff Forbes approaches the weather man.
Liz watches Lia's vital lines go up and down, just as her guilt and anger. How could someone attack this innocent girl? "We can't be sure Lia was assaulted by a vampire. There were not bite marks on her, only Vicki," Liz says, unsure the boy should belet
in on the town's secret.
"Still, there aren't as many of us as there once was. And what if that vamp got scared away by Lucas? That thing could easily come back for her if she saw anything." Shifting uneasy, Liz sighs. She had never killed a vampire before, but she would easilyattempt
to if one hurt her dear, Camellia.
"Next meeting we will bring it up," the sheriff confirms, caving into the idea. She couldn't bear to think about losing Lia. The doctors told her Lia hit her head pretty hard. Head injuries are unpredictable, and they won't know more until she wakes
can only pray for good news.
Peeking into Lia's room, Logan tells Lucas it's time to go home. Unreluctantly, Lucas listens to his cousin, claiming after he eats and showers he wants to come back and sleep at the hospital. The sheriff says she will allow it, and the three of themstart
heading to the front of the hospital.
Lurking in the shadows, Stefan peers into the glass allowing the nurses and doctors to see into the ICU room. Stefan will not let Lia die. She's about to be seventeen; life has just begun for her. Walking into her room, he makes sure no one observes him
enteringher room. He's quick to lower the blinds, making sure no one catches him in what he's about to do.
A sickening crunching noise occurs as Stefan bites into his wrist, bringing it to Lia's pink lips. Lifting her head, he brushes his fingers through her tangled hair. "I promise to protect you. I can't make things right with Aurora, but I can do right
/by her by shielding you from harm."
Lia's eyes open as Stefan wipes the leftover blood on her lips. "Stefan," she whispers, her voice hoarse.
"Shhh, it's okay Lia. You are okay."
Closing her eyes once again, the girl places a hand on his arm, giving him a small smile. Stefan glances down at the girl's hand, covered in tape with her IV. Lia has no idea what she is capable of, and how simply breathing put her in danger.