**chapter two**

Meet the boy toy

*Hailey*

Elena instantly opened the door and I saw the strap of her lacy pink bra.

"Hey, Lena. Don't mind me, I can wait while you finish up with your boy toy." I smirked, while Elena blushed a deep crimson.

"I had no idea you were coming here! Just give me a second." She said, and then shut the door. I decided to walk down to the kitchen, in case they decide to go for round two up there. I sat down at the square table, wondering why Elena never told me about her boy toy. We did talk on the phone three times a week, and texted a lot.

Elena and her boy toy came downstairs, fully dressed now, and both looking embarrassed. I smirked at them, and I got up to go hug my best friend.

"Aw, you guys managed to get out of bed and put some clothes on for little ol' me? How sweet!" I said sarcastically, as I embraced Elena. She rolled her eyes at me.

"What are you doing here, Hailey? How long are you staying?" she asked, as we let go of each other.

"We moved back." I said excitedly, forgetting my slight agitation that she didn't mention her hot boy toy to me.

Elena broke into a huge smile, and hugged me again. "Really? Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"I guess we both forgot to mention some things." I said, raising an eyebrow.

Elena looked down to the floor, abashed. Then she looked at the boy standing behind her. "Hailey, this is Stefan Salvatore, my boyfriend. Stefan, this is Hailey Ellis, my best friend." She smiled at him, and I saw the love clear in her eyes.

I frowned, if she was in love with this Stefan, then she really should have told me. But still, I looked up at the handsome boy, and held out my hand. "hey." I said.

"Hi." He replied, shaking my hand.

Suddenly, I felt a feeling overcome me. It was dark, and… death. I yanked my hand away, staring at Stefan like he electrocuted me. Stefan and Elena both stared back like I was crazy.

"Uh, sorry, you… shocked me." I mumbled, brushing my heavy bangs out of my face.

I looked at Stefan, and I saw recognition in his green eyes, like he's seen me before. I frowned; I've never met him in my entire life.

"Uh, I think I'll let you two catch up." He said awkwardly, backing out of the kitchen. But he kept eying me like I was a ghost from his past.

"It was nice meeting you." I called, sitting down at the table. He nodded, and Elena eyed him worriedly.

"I'll walk you to the door." She announced, following him out of the room.

I sat alone in the Gilbert kitchen, frowning at the polished wood. There was something… off about Stefan. And I had a feeling Elena knew what it was.

*Stefan*

He led Elena to her front door, his eyes wide like he just saw a ghost. He felt like he did. But it was impossible… he knew Victoria died. He saw her dead body. He attended her funeral.

"What's wrong?" Elena whispered to him once they were out of earshot from Hailey.

"How long have you known Hailey?" he asked, trying to process it. Maybe it was like with Elena and Katherine. But how many doppelgangers can exist in one town?

"Since the day she was born. We've been friends as long as I can remember. Her dad was best friends with my parents. We grew up together." Elena smiled slightly, remembering the life-long friendship.

"There's no possibility she's a vampire?" Stefan asked, and Elena's eyebrows furrowed.

"No possibility. I watched her grow up, Stefan. She's human." She said. "Why would you think she's a vampire?"

Stefan sighed. "Because, I once knew Victoria Ellis, when I was human. Back in 1864." He explained.

"So?" Elena said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So, if I didn't know better, I would swear Victoria was in the other room." Stefan finally admitted, and Elena gaped at him.

"What? You mean Hailey-?" Elena was at a loss for words.

"I mean Hailey is the doppelganger of Victoria, her ancestor." He said, and Elena seemed frozen. He frowned, as he remembered what happened to Victoria.

"What, Stefan?" Elena asked anxiously.

"The thing is… Victoria wasn't exactly normal. She was known as the town freak. And a few months before I turned, Victoria killed herself."

There was silence, as Elena took in the information. It seemed like decades, until she said, "But that doesn't mean Hailey will end up like that, right? I mean, just because they look alike, that doesn't make her Victoria." She was biting her lip, as if she needed him to reassure her of her best friend's sanity.

"Of course not." He agreed. "It probably means nothing, Elena. I just thought you should know." He regretted saying anything, but knew Elena hated being left out on important information.

Elena nodded, the kissed him quickly. "We'll just… keep an eye out for her. But she can't find out about it. I don't want her knowing about you, about vampires." She said.

"Of course." He agreed.

Stefan left quickly, while Elena went to reconnect with her best friend. But Stefan couldn't stop thinking about the whole situation. How big of a coincidence does it have to be, that there are two doppelgangers in one town? And they're best friends? Stefan was glad he didn't mention to Elena that Victoria and Katherine were close, back in 1864.

Stefan thought life would be getting back to normal, now that Damon was gone. But with history possibly repeating itself, things in Mystic Falls were just getting weirder.

*Hailey*

I was still sitting, thinking about how weird this day has been, when Elena came back, looking very freaked out. But when she saw me, she seemed to push it away, and enjoy the fact that I was back.

"I'm so happy that you're back." she said, sitting down across from me.

"I am too, I hated it in California, and it was full of fakes trying to make it big, which meant sleeping around. One time I actually had a guy tell me that he could make me famous, if I gave him a blow job." I made a disgusted face.

Elena laughed. "Really? What did you do?"

"I said, 'No way in hell, you perv,' then kicked him in his balls, and ran away." we both laughed, and after we stopped Elena asked me, "Why did you guys all of a sudden decide to move back?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, my mom just told me 2 weeks ago that we had to go back, and I didn't argue." I said, shrugging again. "So, what's happened here?"

Elena got this look on her face, which seemed to say, "You don't wanna know.", but she answered, "A lot of things. Bonnie moved away a couple months ago. It wasn't fun, not having any of my friends here."

I frowned, I liked Bonnie. She was one of my closest friends.

"That sucks. What else?"

"Jeremy's been going through some really hard times. Vicki Donavon's body was found a couple months ago." She grimaced slightly.

"Oh, no. poor Matt." I frowned. Matt was a good guy, and my best guy friend. He didn't deserve that.

"Yeah, but Caroline's been helping him a lot." Elena said absentmindedly, but I instantly stiffened.

"Caroline Forbes?" I hissed her name like it was cursed.

Elena looked uncomfortable. "Yeah, they've been dating for a couple months now." She bit her lip.

I glared at the table. Caroline and I didn't get along, ever since I first met her. And now, she was dating the sweetest guy ever. How did that work?

Elena shot me a look. "Hailey, she's really not that bad." She insisted, but I just rolled my eyes.

"Whatever, Elena. What else happened?" I was gnawing on my lip, thinking about Caroline. If she hurt Matt, I would hunt her down and-

"Hailey? Did you hear what I said? Mr. Tanner was murdered." Elena repeated.

I shrugged. "He was a dick." I said, not really moved by his death.

"Hailey Anne Ellis!" Elena hissed at me.

"What? It's true!" I defended myself.

"He died. You can't say bad things about a dead person!" Elena said, looking scandalized.

"Well, then you're in for a shock when Caroline kicks the bucket…" I smirked, while Elena glared.

"Come on, tell me about you and Stefan, and give me a good reason why you never mentioned it before." I raised an eyebrow, and she smiled sheepishly.

"Things are… complicated, Hailey." She sighed.

"Too complicated to tell your best friend?" I said, a little hurt.

"Hailey…" she sighed.

But then my phone rang. "It's my mom." I mumbled, and answered.

"What?" I snapped, glaring at Elena, while standing up.

"Get home, now." She said, choosing to ignore my attitude.

"Why?" I said, a little snotty. Elena had put me in a bad mood.

"We're having dinner at the Lockwood's in two hours. And if you have a bad attitude when you come home, I'm selling that nasty cat." She said.

I sighed. I never pushed her when it came to Ellie. "Fine, I'll be home soon." I said.

My mom hung up on me, and glared at the phone, then at Elena.

"I have to go to dinner with the Lockwood's. Call me when you decide I'm important enough to hear about your 'complicated' relationship with Stefan." I muttered, already walking to the door.

"Hailey-" she sighed.

But I was already gone.

A/N: like always, review!