Chapter 14: Bella's POV

School today was exactly as I anticipated.

Badly.

It felt like a game of cat and mouse between Elena and me. She tried to engage in conversation, but I found myself constantly trying to evade her. It wasn't just her; Stefan always seemed to be lurking nearby, casting dark glances in my direction.

Stefan and I didn't get along at all.

It started with looks—brooding, warning glares that quickly escalated into something more menacing. Then came the interrogations. Every move I made seemed to be under scrutiny. If I so much as sneezed, Stefan wanted to know if I had allergies. If I glanced in Elena's direction for more than a moment, he demanded an explanation.

By the end of the day, I was on edge. Ignoring Stefan's intimidating presence, I felt the urge to confront him for his incessant rudeness.

I'm certain Elena already did.

The way Stefan gazed at her with puppy-dog eyes, and the apologetic looks she returned, spoke volumes. Elena must have said or done something to him.

"It's kind of sad, isn't it?" Caroline's chirpy voice broke through my thoughts.

"What?" I asked, turning to face her.

"Elena and Stefan," she elaborated.

"What about them?"

"Elena used to be so much fun," Caroline sighed wistfully. "She and Matt used to be the power couple of the school. Not that I'm complaining they broke up. I mean, Matt and I are together now, and it's just so..."

"Caroline," I interjected, trying to steer her back on track.

"Anyway," she continued, drawing out the word, "Elena's parents died, she disappeared for a while, and when she came back, she was just...different."

"Losing someone you love can change a person," I remarked quietly, my thoughts drifting to my own losses.

"Yeah, I get that," Caroline nodded, "But then she gets together with Stefan, who's new too, and suddenly, it's like she's a different person. And Stefan? He's like an overprotective pitbull."

I couldn't help but chuckle at her colorful description.

Caroline was certainly entertaining.

"I have to go, Caroline," I said, gesturing towards my car. "I've got things to do."

"Totally understand," Caroline replied enthusiastically, falling into step beside me. "I've got so much on my plate too, what with the dance coming up, and Founder's Day, and..."

As Caroline continued to chatter, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Maybe today wasn't so bad after all.

Maybe I did have one friend in Mystic Falls.