Chapter Two

"What did you think of the new girl?" Elena asked Bonnie as they made their way to second period. Caroline had dragged Ella in the opposite direction toward her own classroom.

"She seemed nice," Bonnie nodded.

"Oh come on Bonnie!" Elena exclaimed. She stopped and turned to face Bonnie in the hallway. "I know you better than that, they way you two jumped when you shook hands, you felt something didn't you? Spill, what's wrong with her?"

Bonnie sighed; she didn't want to talk about this now, least of all in a crowded hallway. "I don't know what it was, when our hands touched there a shock, like static electricity and I felt something strange."

"Is she a witch?"

"No," Bonnie shook her head slowly, thinking about what she felt. "Definitely not a witch, I would have felt that. I'm not sure what it was exactly it all happened so fast I couldn't get a handle on it."

"You don't think she could be a vampire?" Elena asked quietly, her eyes darting furtively to make sure no one would hear.

"No," Bonnie rushed to assure her friend. They had more than enough of those in their life at the moment. "It was nothing I ever felt before; I'm really not sure what I felt."

"Well it seems like Caroline has decided to adopt her," Elena grinned. "So you'll have plenty of chances to figure it out."

"Poor girl," Bonnie laughed with her friend as they continued on toward their second period class.

*****VAMPIRE DIARIES*****

"Have you ever thought about wearing make-up?" Caroline asked her new friend.

"What?" Ella asked. The pretty blonde had been firing questions at her all day and she was struggling to keep up with the onslaught. Caroline now knew more about Ella than anyone she'd met in her entire life.

School was over now and the two were in the girl's bathroom while Caroline retouched her own make-up. They were going to meet Bonnie and Elena at Mystic Grill, a local hangout, for something to eat. After that they were going to Elena's to work on their History assignment.

The prospect of spending the evening with people instead of alone in her room with her books had been tormenting Ella all day. She couldn't understand how Caroline could accept her so readily without knowing anything about her. No one else had ever been so nice to her before and it made her suspicious. She couldn't help but think it was all part of some new girl hazing ritual.

"Make-up," Caroline repeated, again breaking into Ella's revelry. "Do you ever wear any?"

"Oh, no not really."

"Not even for dates?"

"I...um...I don't...I mean I've never really...dated," Ella stammered, her gaze on the floor. She could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment and knew her face must have flooded with colour.

Caroline froze while still applying lip gloss and looked at Ella's reflection in the mirror, her own expression one of surprise. "Never?"

"No," Ella shook her head, keeping her gaze locked on the floor.

"How is that even possible?" Caroline demanded incredulously. "You are gorgeous, even without make-up. I just don't get how you could never have had a boyfriend."

"Well...I never really stay in one place for too long, my dad moves for work a lot. I just find it easier to keep to myself you know. If I make friends and become close it will just hurt all the more when I have to leave the behind."

Caroline suddenly felt sad and although her heart could no longer beat it went out to the girl. She really liked Ella; there was something quite sweet and endearing about her. She was like a little lost puppy just begging to be taken in and cared for.

"I know it's not my place, but that's really no way to live Ella," Caroline finally spoke. She went back to applying her lip gloss then turned to face Ella as she put it back in her purse. "Well you have at least one friend in Mystic Falls."

Ella's head snapped up and Caroline saw her eyes were brimming with tears. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Why not?" Caroline asked simply. "You're new; I just want to help you feel at home here. I sort of like Mystic Falls' welcome committee."

"Thank you," Ella whispered, her voice thick.

"You're welcome," Caroline beamed. She stepped forward and drew the girl in for a quick hug. "And I know a lot of really cute guys that I'm sure you're really going to like."

"Oh no," Ella pulled away. She no longer sounded emotional, not she was scared. "You don't have to do that Caroline. I really don't know how to talk to boys or act around them. I'm a complete mess. Plus look at me, I'm a mess."

Caroline gave Ella a once over and nodded. "You're right. Your clothes are a little frumpy looking; you shouldn't wear bulky sweaters, especially with your figure. And you should really learn to start using a little make-up to accentuate your beauty. I think a quick pit stop at my house is in order for a makeover."

Ella's eyes widened in terror. "A makeover?"

"Yep," Caroline nodded. "I'll loan you something to wear and we can maybe put your hair up and just a little blush, eyeliner, mascara and lip gloss, all natural colours of course, and you'll be perfect. Then tomorrow we can evaluate your closet and plan a shopping trip for all the essentials. When I'm through with you Ella you won't ever recognise yourself."

Ella didn't get a chance to respond. Caroline took her hand and pulled her out of the bathroom and toward the exit. It looked like she'd been spending the next week or so as Caroline's life size Barbie doll. She wouldn't say it, but secretly Ella was delighted. She had a really good feeling about Mystic Falls, she'd soon find out just how wrong that feeling was.

TBC...