A/N: Sorry about the slow update, guys! Been busy with school. Anyway, here's chapter 2. I'll try to update faster next time. I do not own TVD!

Back at the Boarding House, Stefan went up to his room. He couldn't help but notice something off about Elena. "So, how was your first day?" Stefan groaned.

"Not now, Damon."

"What, trouble in paradise already?"

"It's that girl, Elena." Stefan told him. "There was something off about her."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. But for now, I'm keeping it low-profile." Stefan walked out of the room.

At the Grill, Elena was with her friends. "So, you going tonight?" Caroline asked.

"I don't know." Elena said. "I just don't think it's a good idea."

"Oh, come on, Elena." Bonnie said. "You don't have to if you don't want to, but it'd be more fun with you there."

"Okay. Maybe for a few hours." Elena said. She got up and almost bumped into Matt. "Hey."

"Hey." Matt said. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." Elena told him. "Anyway, I should be asking you that. I wanted to apologize for…"

"It's okay. I understand. You need some time to be alone."

"Thanks." Elena told him. Just as she was leaving, she passed Stefan.

"Elena?"

"Stefan?" She turned around. "What are you doing here?"

"Just trying to kill time." He told her. "What about you?"

"Hanging out with some friends." Elena explained. "There's a party tonight. You wanna come?"

"Wouldn't miss it."

As Elena walked away, she wondered why she asked that. Back in the Grill, Tyler was talking with Matt.

"I'm telling you, something's up with that Gilbert kid." Tyler was saying.

"Let it go, Ty." Matt said.

"Seriously, they've both lost their parents a few months ago." Caroline pointed out.

"And they're going through some difficult changes." Bonnie told them.

"You weren't there when he dumped Vicki." Tyler said.

"Dude, please. You've been after her for almost a year." Matt pointed out. "I mean, you have an opportunity and all."

"I'm not playing the rebound guy." Tyler protested.

"Sorry to interrupt, but maybe you should let her make that decision." The group looked up. Stefan had shown up.

"Hey." Caroline said.

"You're that new guy, aren't you?" Tyler asked. "Stefan, right?"

"Yeah." The group introduced themselves and invited him to sit with them.

"So, what's up with Elena? She always seems so distant." Stefan asked.

"Well, she and her brother lost their parents not too long ago." Caroline explained. "It's why she's been so gloomy to hang around lately."

"Caroline!" Matt and Bonnie yelled.

"What? It's the truth."

"Forget it, man. Caroline's a little harsh sometimes." Tyler told him.

"At least I'm not a total jerk, Tyler." Caroline said.

"Is it always like this?" Stefan asked.

"Sometimes." Matt said. Tyler and Caroline were still arguing. Bonnie was trying to intervene.

"I think I'll go now. It's been nice talking with you guys." Stefan got up and left.

That night, everyone was at the back to school party. "Do we have to be here?" Jeremy asked.

"Well, we can't hide forever, Jer." Elena pointed out. "Just be careful."

"I know. I know." He told her. He walked away from her.

Bonnie walked over to her. "Man, this whole psychic thing my Grams was going on about is weird."

"You're telling me." Elena said. She couldn't tell Bonnie about anything just yet.

"Well, it's strange. I predicted something the other day and it happened." Bonnie told her. "It's probably just a coincidence."

"Probably." Elena admitted.

"I know you're a little upset, but at least try to have a good time." Bonnie grabbed her hand and a shiver passed through her.

"Are you okay?" Elena asked. She knew that she'd sensed it, though.

"Yeah. I think I'll leave you with him for a while." Bonnie told her. As she walked away, Elena noticed someone behind her.

"Stefan?"

"Hey."

"I can't believe this." Caroline said. She watched the two of them. Bonnie came over to her. "He ditched me for her."

"Caroline, we should get you out of here." Bonnie told her. She could tell her friend was drunk.

"Okay."

In the woods, Tyler was with Vicki. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Vicki told him. "I guess I don't blame him. Who would want to stay with a druggie like me?"

"Vicki, it's not about that." Tyler told her. "You tend to be a little unstable."

"I know. Maybe I'm better off solo for a while." Vicki told him.

"Do you want me to leave?" Tyler asked.

"No." Vicki told him.

"Is everything okay?" Jeremy asked, showing up.

"She's coping with the break-up." Tyler told him.

"I just don't want to do something that will end up hurting both of us." Jeremy admitted.

"What do you care?" Vicki asked. "Sorry, that was harsh."

"No, it was the truth."

"I'll let you guys talk it out." Tyler said, leaving them alone in the woods.

At the party, Elena was talking with Stefan. "Your friends seem concerned about you and your brother. What happened?" He asked.

"My parents car went off a bridge." Elena told him. "I was there, too, but I survived. Then my brother and I ran into a problem and it's hard to cope with."

"I know what it's like. My brother and I lost our parents a long time ago." Stefan told her. "It'll get better, I promise."

"Thanks. I'm glad you're here." Elena told him. "Sorry I took off earlier."

"Hey, I get it. Girls can't stand the sight of blood." Stefan said.

"Yeah." Elena noticed something off. "I'm sorry, could you give me a minute?"

In the woods, Vicki and Jeremy were walking back to the party. "Ow!"

"Are you okay?" Jeremy asked.

"It's my arm." Vicki told him. She was holding it with her other hand. She looked like she was in pain. Jeremy looked at it. Her arm had a cut on it and it was still bleeding. Jeremy turned around. "Help me out with this."

"Get out of here." Jeremy told her. "You need to leave."

"What?" Vicki said. "Why?" She turned him around and gasped.

Elena heard a scream and ran toward the woods. She found Vicki unconscious. Most likely passed out from shock. Jeremy was next to her. "Jeremy, what happened?"

"I'm sorry." Was all that he said.

"Oh, Jeremy." Elena held onto him. "I know it's tough, but we need to try and control it."

"What do you want us to do? Rob a blood bank?" Jeremy asked.

"Please, we've got enough of the stuff…" Even though she had changed, she couldn't bring herself to say the word blood. "From hunting stored to last a long time."

"I know." Jeremy said. "What'll we do about her?"

"Go back to the party and get help. I'll stay with her." Elena told him. Jeremy speed out of the woods. Elena watched over Vicki as she woke up.

"Elena, your brother…" She was having trouble speaking.

"It's okay." Elena told her. She looked her directly in the eyes. "You will forget everything that happened tonight. You tripped and fell in the woods."

Vicki blinked and looked around. "What happened?"

"You're going to be okay." Elena told her. Jeremy showed up with Matt, Tyler, and Stefan.

"Is she alright?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, she just tripped, that's all." Elena said. "I think she may have hit her head, though."

"I'll call the hospital." Stefan offered.

"Good idea." Jeremy said.

After Vicki had been taken to the hospital, everyone had gone home. "Hey, bro." Stefan heard as he entered the house. "What's with the long look?"

"Someone passed out and was hospitalized tonight." Stefan told him. "She'll probably be okay, but I'm still worried."

"You don't think that…" Damon began. Stefan met his eyes with silence. They came to a silent understanding.

"No, that can't be. Not now, anyway." Stefan said.

Back at the Gilbert household, Elena was with Jeremy. "I feel so awful about what happened to her." He said.

"Don't be." Elena said.

"No, don't you see, I caused this, Elena." Jeremy told her. "This is why I broke up with her." Elena embraced him.

"It'll be okay." Elena told him. "She won't remember anything, Matt's with her now, and everyone will just think she was drunk."

"Everything okay up here?" Aunt Jenna asked.

"Yeah, everything's going to be fine, Aunt Jenna." Elena said. When she was gone, Jeremy spoke up.

"You still miss them, don't you?" Jeremy said. "I mean, I've seen you writing in your diary by the cemetery."

"I just wish they were here to help." Elena said. "But with this town's history, no one can know about us."

"What about that new guy?" Jeremy asked. Elena looked up and thought about Stefan. He was the only one who understood where she came from. Maybe they could be friends.

"I don't know." Elena told her brother. "I hope we could be friends, though." Jeremy fell back on his bed. "Goodnight, Jeremy."

"Goodnight, Lena." She walked out of Jeremy's room and went into hers. She started writing.

Dear Diary,

I'm starting to feel a little better about things now. But we still need to be careful. Who knows who else knows the dark secrets of this town?