A/n: Thank you so much primavera15, Mana-McC, peachie X, LockwoodT, LovelyStories101, and fire dragonheart! Your reviews are great and extremely appreciated. More reviews=happy writer. :) Ch7, complete disaster. I apologize. I'm hoping to give this story an angle to it. Ch8 I think will throw a curve ball at our lovely Jyler. For now anyway. *giggles lightly* It's being pieced together bit by bit. Enjoy!
Disclaimer-Don't own Vampire Diaries. Don't earn profit from story.

Chapter 8

Contact

They were avoiding eye contact.

Tyler's second period was on the same hall as Jeremy's. Riiiing. As the classes let out, Tyler was letting the crowd pass him by hoping he would miss anyone he had just recently had sex with and was conveniently avoiding; Meaning Jeremy Gilbert.

Apparently Jeremy had the same idea.

Once the halls had cleared, they both had clear vision of eachother. Jeremy's locker was right where Tyler was walking by so he had no choice but to cross paths with him. As Tyler saw Jeremy coming his way he found himself in a slight panic and drug a random girl to his side and started flirting with her shamelessly. Tyler wasn't sure if he was doing it to shield himself from Jeremy Gilbert or to assure himself that he was strictly straight. No matter the reason, both messages were sent to Jeremy.

Fine. If he wants to pretend nothing happened, than so can I. He forced himself to believe that whole-heartedly.

Jeremy stood at his locker putting his 2nd period books away and retrieving his things for Earth Science when he saw Tyler walk some blonde cheerleader out of the hall. At this point, more than ever, Jeremy found himself missing Anna again. He had relied on her for everything. Emotional support, romance, just someone to void the loneliness.

Third period took forever. Earth Science bored Jeremy, but he was excellent in it. As he got up to exit the door he felt a nudge on his arm. A petite grip. He turned around and saw one of his smoking buddies from when he was into drugs. Before Anna. Her name was Melissa. Jeremy knew her through Vicki.

"Hey, you!" Melissa's appearance was different. Her eyes weren't bloodshot and she didn't reak of marijuana. She died her hair a dark brown and let it grow out. Her attitude was more upbeat from when he last saw her. She was still petite though. Jeremy used to tease and call her fun sized.

"Mel, hey. Wow, you look- you look so, different?" Jeremy was actually a little stunned on how different she did look. Not just her appearance, but how she carried herself. Much more cheery than she'd ever been before.

"Well what can I say, y'know. Just woke up one morning, decided to color my hair and tossed the depressing wardrobe I had before." She laughed. Jeremy noticed how happier she seemed.

"Can't say I don't like it." Jeremy said as he smiled and looked her over once more.

"So um, how've you been?" She said with an apologetic expression. Melissa had actually moved back from staying with her dad in Ohio. She hadn't gotten to ask how Jeremy was handling his parents' death and all.

"Oh, uh I'm- I'm better. Thanks." Jeremy quickly changed the topic.

"So how was your dads?" It was the first he could think of.

"You know what, Ohio was really amazing. My Dad was amazing too. But I missed Mystic Falls too much. Just couldn't stay away." Giggling as she lead Jeremy to the hall way.

They both walked through the hall catching up a little bit and laughing. Jeremy was actually smiling. He told her that he wasn't really into the drug thing anymore and found out that she sobered up as soon as she got to Ohio. With her Father being a cop and all, she realized drugs wasn't the way she wanted to be known for going to prison for.

Jeremy and Melissa both had the same lunch period and spent it reminiscing about the old days and how everyone's changed so much. With in all the chatting about how stupidly stoned they used to get, they swapped phone numbers and said that they'd love to do this again tomorrow.

Ironic. Jeremy thought. He thought it was a bit strange he ran into Melissa as he was kind of feeling sort of sorry for himself about all the things that happened. Anna, that thing with Lockwood. He realized things always would get better. No matter what the situation was. To be honest, he used to have a crush on Melissa. Oddly enough though, he wasn't feeling it this time.

School was finally over after fourth period. The day had actually gone faster than he'd expected. He walked into his house and saw Elena on the couch with Stefan. Normally Jeremy would bee-line straight to his room, but he was actually feeling social and asked them both how their day was.

"It was great Jeremy, how was yours?" Elena was thrilled to see him finally looking happier. She didn't know what the cause was, but she was grateful.

"It was great. I actually ran into Melissa today." He could see Elena go from ecstatic to, oh no.

"She's sobered up and decided to finish her schooling here. Guess her dad was a good influence."

"Oh, okay." Elena releively said.

Jeremy headed upstairs to do some of his homework. Might as well humor my teachers. He opened the door to his beedroom and was startled.

There in his bedroom was standing none other than Tyler fucking Lockwood.

A/n: Cruel! I know. I'm hoping to add Ch9 tonight. It's not written yet but I'm sooo anxious about it.
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