Chapter 5

[Elena's Point Of View]

Usually Elena would have found it incredibly annoying to find someone sitting in her seat, but not when Rebekah did it. Usually Elena found floral tops annoying, but something about it on Rebekah made it seem fitting, attractive even. She was so inexplicably drawn to this girl. This strange, beautiful and yet somehow subconsciously mysterious woman who sat next to her.

Elena could barely focus on the class, as her attention was constantly being taken by the blonde beside her. Rebekah was still a stranger, and yet there was so much about her that drew Elena in, and captured her attention.

She doodled in her textbook when she wasn't staring at Rebekah. Mostly birds and butterflies, and flowers… Typical stuff that girls draw. She looked up at the board; noticing graphs and notes that were barely legible. There was no way that she could start copying the note now that she had signed out for fifty percent of it. There would be no way. Elena sighed, and resumed her doodling. She observed Rebekah taking notes excitedly, and thoroughly. Who was this girl, and why did she even care?

Something within Elena wanted to reach out to this new girl. This girl who had been so kind to her even though she didn't know her. The girl who had spent time with her, and made friends with her. Elena had never had such an instantaneous connection with someone before. It was like they were two opposite magnets, drawn to each other, made solely for the purpose of connecting to one another.

Elena couldn't explain it… The words didn't exist to explain the draw she had to this girl. It was a feeling so foreign to her, and she had never experienced anything like it before. There was nothing parallel or even adjacent feeling that she could ever recall having felt.

Bonnie and Caroline tried to get Elena's attention- desperately. But she was far too engrossed in her examination of the wonderful specimen that was Rebekah. They would talk, and she would simply not listen off in her own little world.

Was it possible to become enamoured with someone over night? Elena couldn't tell- but something about this draw, it felt like more… It felt unresolved somehow. Like there was to be more to the story but there were no more words. She suddenly felt unsatisfied with herself.

'I am the damn author to this story, and I will write it however I see fit.' She thought to herself, thinking of how she wanted things to play out. 'How do I want our story to play out?' Elena asked herself, her eyes trained onto the beautiful mane of blonde. Perhaps it was a bit presumptuous of her to say it was their story. Was it even a story really, so much as a fantasy she was allowing herself to explore? She didn't have time to ponder it as the bell rang, which sent a hurricane of students whirling and whizzing past. Elena knew her next class was only two doors over and so she preferred to take her time.

Once all the ruckus had passed and the smoke of the stampede that was the student body had lifted, she noticed just Rebekah left in the room with her. She could feel her leg start to twitch, a nervous tick she had. Why was she so nervous? It wasn't like Rebekah was exponentially closer to her than normal, or anything out of the ordinary really… It was more perhaps that they were alone, that's what made her nervous.

She was nervous, not because of Rebekah, but of herself. What if she said something stupid, or worse, what if she acted on her impulses and the end result was not one she desired. It was Elena's selfish worry that had her tick acting up. Elena stood there, and admired the girl's arms as they moved the books from the desk, and put them in her bag.

"Are you going to speak, or simply watch me in silence?" Rebekah offered, breaking the ice for them. Elena smiled as the soft melody of Rebekah's chuckle hit her ears. "I pray to God it's the first option because the second is quite frankly creepy." Elena laughed at that.

"No one has ever called me creepy so openly before!" Elena said, laughing even harder, imagining anyone feeling that creepy was an accurate description of who she was. They stood looking at each other for a while. Elena sized this girl up: her hair, clothes, eyes, lips. Everything about her seemed so… perfect. She knew it was a cliché to even describe it like that but it was true.

"Perhaps if they paid a little more attention they would do well to begin?" Rebekah questioned, looking at Elena warily. Elena could sense that this was potentially more-so awkward for Rebekah than it was for her.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be so…." Elena trailed off, unsure of what she was looking for: weird? Creepy? Annoying? Clingy? Obsessed? Which one fit their predicament best, she didn't know.

"Masculine in your appreciation of my existence?" Rebekah coined at her, a smug smile crossing her face. Elena felt herself blush, it was an accurate description. She didn't mean to be so 'ogley'. They began to walk down the hall to the Biology class. Elena was positively captured by this girl, she hung onto every word, remembering the tone, and the way the accent seemed so fitting.

"I don't mean to come off as lecherous," Elena began, offering some sort of explanation, "I just- You're so beautiful." Elena finished, the deep red blush beginning on her chest, and flaming out across her face. She could feel the heat radiating off of her body now, the once nicely caramel skin, now looking red, almost sunburnt. She couldn't believe she had said those words out loud. Let alone in a hallway where it could have been overheard by anyone. The momentary realization caused Elena to look around, stricken by the idea that someone could have overheard.

"There is no one around, to have heard your endearing admission." Rebekah chortled wrapping an arm around Elena protectively. Elena didn't protest, she actually liked the familiarity with which Rebekah embraced her. It felt safe. Something she hadn't allowed herself to feel; but something about this, this connection, was palpable.

She could feel it stirring within her, the desire for this connection- and this one alone. It had this eerie depth that she didn't quite comprehend, and yet regardless something about the feelings spurred her on.

"Well, thank God for that." She said as they rounded the final hallway. Elena became pensive- delving into memories of every person she had ever been romantic with, and yet none of those connections had ever felt quite like this; not even close. There was always something integral missing from it but she could never quite tell what.

"Well this is my class, thank you for walking me." Rebekah said, giving her a slight curtsey as she turned to make her way into the classroom. It took Elena's mind 5.6 seconds to rationalize what she was about to do.

"Would you like to go out sometime?" Elena sputtered just as Rebekah's hand reached the door knob. Elena could feel her heart beat go ballistic, threatening to explode her eardrums. "As friends- obviously." Elena added, knowing full-well she didn't mean it. Or did she? Perhaps she wanted to mean it. It wasn't right to feel this way about someone she just met… Let alone a woman.

Elena was so engrossed in her own internal war that she almost missed when Rebekah responded. But the only thing stronger than her inability to remain focused was her draw to Rebekah- which brought her back just in time to catch Rebekah's response.

"Whatever we go out as, I'm sure that spending time with you would be a privilege."

Elena blushed again. Was it possible that maybe she felt the same way? 'No. Don't be ridiculous Elena. What could she possibly see in you? And what feelings, you don't even know what you feel.' Her inner voice questioned. Elena didn't realize that she had been holding her breath until she had to force herself to breathe.

"What about tomorrow night?" Elena offered, not expecting a committal response- looking down at her feet. Her leg started twitching again; she was nervous.

"Yes absolutely, where and when?" Rebekah asked politely, a faint smile tinting the corners of her mouth. The flash of perfect white teeth made Elena's knees go weak, but only for a moment before she regained control over her limbs.

"The Grille, say seven-thirty?" Elena said, feeling her own body temperature rise. Rebekah gave a nod, and finally twisted the doorknob to the classroom, stepping in. She flashed Elena a quick smile through the glass- and turned to find her seat.

It took Elena a few seconds before she realized where she was… On the wrong side of the school. Her classroom was in the other wing- she panicked momentarily, before she composed herself, and began a full-sprint to her Chemistry class.

She opened the door and stepped into the class just as the bell rang- signaling the beginning of period two. She sighed heavily as she thanked whatever merciful higher power existed that she had been on time.

"Thank you for joining us, now if you would please find a seat." The substitute teacher impatiently tapped his foot waiting for Elena to maneuver herself to her seat. He waited until she had been sitting. Elena noted his facial structure, she supposed he was attractive, but still- no pull like the one she felt with Rebekah.

"My name is Alaric Saltzman. I will be your new Chemistry, as well as History teacher. Apparently your school now finds itself understaffed with the absence of the teacher who I replaced." He spoke. He had such an authoritative air to him, it was off-putting to Elena.

"You will do well to show up to my classes on time," His gaze bore in to Elena- she could feel it… "And be prepared." He walked around the room, and the more excited students were more than happy to fill him in on what they had already learned. Elena knew from past experiences that anyone who conveniently showed up to mystic falls right when they appeared to be needed, was not to be trusted.

"Alright. Well…" He began, clearing his throat. "The aim of my job as a teacher is to get you interested in the subject while simultaneously feeding you information." He got up and clapped his hands. "Today in fact- were going to do a bit of baking." He said matter-of-factly as he threw his messenger bag over his left arm, and ushered everyone out of the classroom.

They walked to the cafeteria which had seven beautiful and tall glass windows. As they walked past they could see the class outside, looking at grass. For a moment Elena thought that the entire image was ludicrous, that was, until she saw Rebekah sitting out there, fiddling with grass between her fingertips.

Elena stared. She wasn't even bothering to try and shield it from anyone. And while she watched silently as the blonde let blade after blade after blade slip through her fingers, she looked up. Their eyes met for a brief second, and Rebekah looked away with a brilliant smile plastered to her lips. Elena felt the tell-tale heat of a blush flaming against her skin.

They made eye contact again, and smiled at each other. Elena waved and then nonchalantly turned to go into the kitchen part of the cafeteria. As she turned she was put face to face with Stephan, and that was a face she could do a while without seeing.

"So you and the new girl are really hitting it off!" he chided, poking her. He hadn't interacted with her in months, and now he just decided to come and make a play at her? She wasn't having it. Not with him, not today, and not when the topic was Rebekah.

"And so what if she and I are hitting it off? It's none of your business Stephan." Elena rebutted- quite satisfied at the momentary look of trepidation that crossed his features. "I'm not yours to chase after, or monitor- I am not a small child in need of protecting. I can handle myself- and if you don't back down, and butt out, I will not hesitate to bring you to your knees." She whispered vehemently, but barely audible for anyone else to hear. She turned on her heel and walked into the kitchen with a smile on her face, leaving a dumbstruck Stephan Salvatore in her wake.