EPOV

I entered the classroom with Damon trailing behind me. I sat at the back of the room, like always, and Damon sat gracefully at the desk next to me. Mrs. Taylor walked in and commanded us to get out our books. Damon explained to the teacher that he had no books, as he was new. Then I was told to find an exercise book for him. I glared at him as I got up, and I could see in his crystal blue eyes that he was fighting laughter.

I stalked into the maths staff room and collected an exercise book.

When I came back, people were handing in their homework, so I dropped Damon's book on his desk and grabbed up mine. I then dumped it down on the growing pile of blue books. Finally, I plonked back down onto my chair.

I would not give Damon the satisfaction of looking at him.

This was going to be a long lesson.

DPOV

The advantages of being a vampire? I had all the questions written, with workings out, and solved in under 2 minutes. I glanced over at Elena, who was still only on question 1. I sighed out of boredom, and leaned back in my chair. Elena's face seemed to redden. I smiled.

I looked at the pile of my books on the floor, and picked up some random book and began to read.

5 minutes later, the teacher looked up. She saw everyone hard at work, except me. She strode over.

"Mr. Salvatore. Why are you reading? I was under the impression that this is a maths class."

"It is, ma'am." I said, putting on my most charming voice. "I have already finished all the questions."

"Well, I hope you checked all your answers."

"Yes, ma'am."

"We'll see." Mrs. Taylor said and snatched up my book. I carried on reading the book. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Elena fighting laughter at me, so I looked at her and wiggled my eyebrows. That did it. Elena burst out laughing and the whole class looked at her.

"Elena Gilbert!" The teacher screeched. "I demand to know what's so funny!"

Elena immediately stopped laughing and turned shamefully to the teacher. "I-I don't know what came over me..." she whispered.

"Detention! Afterschool! Tonight!"

Elena sighed sadly. "Yes, miss-"

"MISSUS to you, Gilbert!"

Now it was my turn to laugh.

"Salvatore! You can join her in detention!" ah... crap. Although, on second thoughts, being all alone with Elena afterschool didn't seem so bad...

"Yes, ma'am." I said, staring directly into Elena's eyes, and smirking at her.

After the class settled back down again, MRS. Taylor brought back my book.

"Very good, Mr. Salvatore. You're a very fast worker, I see."

"I try my best." I replied.

"Well, keep up the good work. And don't let me catch you slacking ever again. If you finish your work, you will tell me and I will set you some more. Do you understand?" she said.

Who the hell did she think she was talking to? Some wimpy, 20 year old geek? As a 573 year old vampire, I didn't think it was a very smart idea to talk down to me like that. Not when I could easily snap her neck and not think twice about it...

"I said, do you understand!" the idiotic teacher asked again.

"Yes, I do understand. Now stop talking down to me and go bug someone else." I compelled her.

"Right away, Mr. Salvatore, sir." She said.

"Lose the sir. It's creepy." I told her.

"Yes, Mr. Salvatore." She said and went off to badger someone else.

EPOV

Maths finished at ten to ten. It seemed like a lifetime. I said a swift good bye to Damon, then hurried off to Spanish.

Mr. Meléndez followed me into the room. When the class was seated, he began.

"Buenos días, la clase!"

"Buenos días, Señor Meléndez." We chanted.

"I am so happy that you decided to study Spanish with me this... ah... year." Mr. Meléndez started in his heavily accented voice. "I miss you all muchly in the summer. I am so excited for you to learn the Spanish things... No?"

This was going to be so boring...

DPOV

"Mr. Salvatore! Since you new, let's have a pop quiz to see how much you know about the Italian Renaissance!" I smiled to myself as the class groaned in horror at the unexpected quiz. I was given a piece of paper with questions down the side.

1. What is the accepted Western definition of renaissance?

Rebirth

2. What city-state of Italy is generally considered by historians to be the most influential Renaissance location?

Florence

3. Which Renaissance artist painted the Arena Chapel (also known as the Scrovegni Chapel) in Padua, Italy?

Giotto

4. In what section of Dante's three part 'Divine Comedy' does the author meet St. Bernard?

Paradiso

5. What Renaissance author wrote "The Courtier"?

Castiglione

6. Who was the patriarch of the wealthy Florentine Medici family?

Cosimo

7. What work of art did Brunelleschi create?

Domed the Florence Cathedral

8. Which work of art created by Michelangelo is physically described as the Mary holding Jesus?

La Pieta

9. What artist created the 'School of Athens,' depicting Plato?

The correct answer was Raphael

10. Who do historians generally consider to be the true Renaissance Man?

Da Vinci

I didn't see what the big problem with the quiz was. It was so simple. Mine was finished under a minute. 5 minutes later, Mr. Tanner collected in all the papers. Mine was at the bottom of the pile.

"Disgraceful. Shameful. Outrageous. Shocking. Class! These results are appalling!" He yelled as he looked through the pile. Then he came to mine.

"Why... Mr. Salvatore. You've got full marks. AND you're new here. What does that show about you lazy slackers?" he addressed the class.

"Sorry, Mr. Tanner." The class chorused.

"So, Mr. Salvatore, is the Italian Renaissance a favourite subject for you, or..."

"Let's just say I've got an unfair advantage." I said, lazily.

"What do you mean?" the teacher quizzed me. "Did you cheat, Mr. Salvatore? Can I just say, cheating is not tolerated in my-"

"I did not cheat. I come from Florence, is all, so I know a lot about it." I interrupted him, before he burst a blood vessel.

"Ah. Right. That would put you at a bit of an unfair advantage, wouldn't it?" Mr. Tanner's face lost its red tinge.

The rest of the lesson dragged by painfully slow. I knew all the facts, so it was just plain boring. But then, I had a feeling the rest of today would be just as bad. That is what living for 574 years did to you. You became an extreme know- it-all. Finally, however, the bell did ring, and I was out of there in the blink of an eye. Quite literally. I met Elena by her locker.

"Hey. How was Mr. Tanner?" She said as I approached her.

"I think he likes me." I said sarcastically.

She laughed. "Well, get used to it!" she giggled. Then she turned serious.

"How come you got me a detention?" she demanded.

I laughed at her. "Because, I thought it would be funny. And I was right."

She glared at me.

"And, better yet, you'll get to be in detention with me!" I smirked.

"Great." She moaned.

"I agree." I said, whole heartedly.

And so, I slaved away until lunch.

"I've heard school lunches are disgusting." I wrinkled my nose at Elena.

"They are." She sighed.

"Follow me. Let's go home for lunch. There's nothing here for me." I looked at her neck and licked my lips.

"Get lost." She blushed.

"Home?" I asked.

"Sure. Okay. But you're not getting me for lunch, big guy." She said quietly.