Two

The ride to the Grill filled me with a strange mix of awkwardness and pride. Pride, because my sister willingly beat me to the car keys, and then proceeded to make her way our shared SUV, sliding into the driver's seat without a second thought. Awkwardness, because a stranger was in the vehicle with us, and the entire way I kept silent while they shared small talk.

All I wanted to do was gush at my sister for overcoming her fear, but I was wary of drawing attention to it in case it brought awareness to her previous unease. Plus, Stefan didn't need to be clued into my sister's struggle with driving these past few months. I watched her carefully out of the corner of my eye, and besides her grip being a tad tighter on the wheel, it didn't seem as if she was forcing herself to drive. It was like she just reflexively picked up her role of being the driver again.

I stole a quick glance back at Stefan, catching him grinning at some cringey joke my sister cracked about a teacher. It made me wonder if his presence had something to do with her returned confidence behind the wheel.

I finally felt relief when my sister parked the SUV in the lot behind the grill. Not waiting for them, I quickly opened the passenger door and raced to the entrance of the restaurant. With a quick skim of the place, I easily spotted Matt's messy mop of dirty blonde hair. And after closer inspection, I saw Bonnie seated next to him. Based on Matt's inquisitive and kicked-puppy expression, I could easily tell what the two were talking about. Or who, to be more specific.

I rushed over to the two before Matt could spot me and make a getaway like he did all day at school. And of course, I got stuck behind a table that decided to rise the moment I tried to pass, so before I could make it over there, he was already standing and walking away. To my surprise, however, it was directly towards Elena and Stefan, both having just walked in looking very much like a couple together.

I cringed at the exchanged introductions between the two guys. This was one reason I didn't like dating in such a small town. I could only imagine it being ten times more awkward between those three than it was with me, Elena, and Stefan in the car.

With a sigh, I turned and spotted Caroline now sitting with Bonnie.

"Elena invited Mysteriously Hot Back Guy to the Grill with us," I informed the two somewhat grumpily, slumping into one of the seats at the table.

While Bonnie giggled, having heard the nickname in our shared math class, Caroline stared at me in complete confusion. "Who?"

I tipped my head in the direction of said guy as Bonnie answered, "Stefan."

Caroline didn't bat an eye when she realized it was a nickname for the new guy. Instead, she eagerly glanced toward him, only to frown as Elena and Stefan smiled at each other while walking over to us—Matt now nowhere in sight. I groaned, understanding immediately how this was going to go.

Damn it, Caroline. Really? You just have to go after every new hot guy, don't you…

I was all too familiar with the scenario: a guy shows interest in Elena, and Caroline immediately sets her sights on him. It turns into a one-sided competition, but in the end, when Caroline doesn't get the guy, she sulks, convinced Elena effortlessly gets everything without even trying—whether my sister gives the guy the time of day or not. Caroline consistently puts herself in Elena's shadow and then vents about her behind her back. And Elena still wondered why I wasn't close friends with the blonde.

I rested my cheek in my hand. Newsflash, Caroline, no one was more stuck in Elena's shadow than me.

I blinked, then quickly shook that ridiculous thought out of my head.

"When did this happen?" she probed, leaning in a little too close.

I tilted my chair back. "Like, a few minutes ago. He showed up at our house when we were about to leave."

"He came to see her?" Caroline squeaked, clearly upset.

Bonnie and I exchanged a look as Caroline immediately reverted back to her perky self when the new "couple" sat down.

It didn't take long for the interrogation to begin. As soon as the server left after taking our orders, Caroline immediately jumped him. Figuratively, not literally, of course—though with her, you could never really be sure.

He answered all their questions politely, almost too politely, and I could tell he was really putting in the effort to make a good impression—for Elena, of course. It was obvious, at least to me, that he wanted to get on all our good sides to make her happy. Not a bad strategy—my sister deserved to be happy—but it did make me wonder how genuine the guy was. Was he really this perfect, polite dreamboat, or was this just a well-rehearsed act to get into her pants? Wouldn't be the first time a guy tried that, though none of them had been anywhere near Stefan's level.

So, naturally, I spent the entire interrogation staring him down intensely, trying to figure him out—like Elena, but without the lovestruck googly eyes. Or the whole "listening with rapt attention" thing she had going on. Way too much effort to see and hear intently at the same time.

But I couldn't help getting drawn back in at the mention of his parents.

"My… parents passed away," Stefan answered Bonnie, looking away solemnly. I felt a small tug at the knowledge, and despite his expression, I could tell the pain in his eyes was old. It made me wonder how long it had been since they passed.

Elena, understandingly, took his answer even more to heart. "I'm sorry," she said softly, deeply sympathetic, before moving on quickly. Because we both knew how hard it was to dwell over such a subject. "Any siblings?"

"None that I talk to. I live with my uncle." The deflection was so obvious, it practically had a neon sign flashing over it. For a second, I almost pressed him further, ready to dig into the mystery. But then I hesitated. If his strained sibling relationship had anything to do with losing his parents, I wasn't about to risk reopening old wounds. Even I wasn't that blunt. Sometimes.

"Zachary Salvatore?" I asked instead, figuring that had to be the person he was referring to.

Stefan nodded in confirmation.

"Huh, I didn't know he had any remaining family. But I guess he does keep to himself a lot, so who'd know." Then it hit me, and my excitement spiked like a sugar rush. "Wait, so that means you live at the old boarding house?!" I practically bounced in my seat, sitting on my knees as I leaned over the table. "I've always wanted to see inside that place! It's one of the oldest buildings in Mystic Falls—just imagine the architecture, the interior design, the history in those walls!" My hands flailed as I spoke, like they could somehow convey the sheer amazement I felt about the place.

Elena laughed, her fond "Oh, Emery" look fully engaged as she explained to Stefan, "Em's always had this weird obsession with old things. Especially buildings."

"It's not an obsession," I muttered with a huff, but Stefan was already smiling, not put off by my near invasion of his space. It was weirdly disarming.

"I don't find it weird at all," he said, surprising me. "There's something fascinating about seeing objects and places survive through the years. They carry stories, just waiting to be uncovered."

I twisted in my seat to face each of the girls, pointing at him like I'd just found the Holy Grail. "See? See! He gets it!"

Bonnie shook her head, biting back a grin. "Oh, we get it. What's weird is how you react to it."

I flopped back down with an exaggerated pout, grabbing a fry and dramatically stuffing it into my mouth as the three of them laughed at my expense.

And then Stefan, proving that he might just be too nice to be real, offered, "Maybe I could give you a tour of the place sometime?"

My brain short-circuited for half a second, and I was halfway out of my seat before I caught myself. He glanced at Elena, his expression softening when he saw her happy, approving smile, and my excitement deflated just a little. The offer wasn't really for me, was it? It was part of the whole "make Elena happy" thing.

"That'd be cool," I said with a noncommittal shrug, sitting back down and fidgeting with the ring on my finger to keep from sounding too put off. Casual indifference. Totally nailed it.

Thankfully, Caroline swooped in to steer the conversation elsewhere. "So, Stefan. Since you're new here, you probably don't know about the party tomorrow night."

Bonnie perked up like she'd been waiting for the chance to hype it up. "It's a back-to-school thing at the falls," she explained, all smiles.

I caught the subtle furrow of Stefan's brow, and it was clear as day to me that he wasn't interested. Not even a little. But after watching him so far, I could already predict what was coming next.

Sure enough, Stefan turned to Elena, his expression inquisitive. "Are you going?"

Yup. There it was. Called it. I mentally rolled my eyes. I may not have you entirely figured out yet, Salvatore, but one thing's for sure: you are predictable. Especially when it comes to my sister.

Before Elena could get a word in, Bonnie latched onto her arm like a giddy matchmaker. "Of course she is!"

Elena's cheeks flushed, but she didn't deny it.

I fought back the urge to gag.

"The Battle of Willow Creek took place at the end of the war in our very own home, Mystic Falls. How many casualties resulted in this battle?" Mr. Tanner inquired, pacing in front of the chalkboard with that haughty, I-know-everything demeanor.

Three hundred and forty-six, I thought in a bored drawl, twirling my pencil between my fingers.

It took everything in me not to slump so low in my seat I slid right out of it. I knew the answer no problem—history was still one of my favorite subjects despite having an insufferable dick of a teacher. But I didn't trust myself to answer. The sass and tone I'd use? Definitely not classroom appropriate. Tanner and I didn't exactly see eye to eye, and everyone in the room knew it.

"Ms. Bennett?" he called, startling Bonnie from her notes.

She blinked, caught off guard. "Um… a lot?" she said, giving him a sheepish smile. "Like… a whole lot?"

Mr. Tanner narrowed his eyes. "Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Ms. Bennett."

I could feel my irritation start to boil over at the insult. To avoid snapping, I redirected my energy, doodling in the margins of my notebook, hoping to calm down and drown his voice out.

"Mr. Donovan, would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?"

Matt grinned, holding back a chuckle. "It's okay, Mr. Tanner. I'm cool with it."

The class erupted in laughter, and I couldn't help but smile fondly. Leave it to Matt to defuse the tension. Most of the students didn't know the answer anyway—it wasn't exactly common knowledge. But as someone from a founding family, and a mom who loved throwing herself into every historical event, I'd grown up with access to plenty of old records about Mystic Falls.

Tanner made an amused sound, clearly willing to let Matt off the hook since he coached the football team.

It went as no surprise his gaze went right over me—like I wasn't even there—and landed on my sister. Of course. He knew I'd ruin his little power trip by giving the right answer.

"Elena," he said. For some reason, Tanner always used our first names, even though no one else in the class got that treatment—not even the Bradley sisters. Out of a lack of respect? Probably. The guy was a douche; no deeper reason needed. "Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significant historical events?"

The smile dropped from Elena's face, guilt replacing it. "I'm sorry, I-I don't know."

Tanner frowned sternly. "I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reason, Elena, but the personal excuses ended with summer break."

The lead in my pencil snapped with a sharp crack under the pressure of my grip. I clenched my jaw as Elena ducked her head, visibly hurt by his words.

Oh no, he didn't.

How dare he? My blood boiled. I opened my mouth, ready to tear into him, despite the warning glance Bonnie shot my way. She knew me well enough to know I wouldn't let this slide.

But before I could say a word, a new voice cut through the tension.

"There were 346 casualties," Stefan said calmly. "Unless you're counting local civilians."

I whipped my head towards Stefan, caught off guard by the sudden shift in the conversation. His expression was calm, but upon closer inspection, I noted there was a sharpness in his eyes—something cold, maybe even calculated.

"That's correct, Mr…" Tanner trailed off. Wow… doesn't even know the new students name.

"Salvatore," Stefan supplied.

"Salvatore." Tanner gave a thin smile. "Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?

"Distant," Stefan answered briskly, not indulging the teacher's attempt at polite small talk. His vague answer piqued my interest though.

"Very good. Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle."

Stefan's expression didn't waver. "Actually, sir-"

I watched them go back and forth, thoroughly impressed and amused as Stefan schooled the dick of a teacher. Every correction from Stefan earned quiet murmurs of ooohs and whispered burns from the class.

In that moment, I realized I might need to rethink my opinion of Stefan Salvatore. Sure, he probably wanted to impress Elena—just like he'd done last night at the Grill—but this felt different. He wasn't just trying to charm her. He stood up for her, but in a way that didn't make it seem like she couldn't do it herself if she wanted to.

I had to admit—I could admire that. Especially as I watched the hurt in Elena's eyes fade away, replaced by a genuine smile.

"Is that really what you're going to wear to the bonfire?" Elena asked, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, raising an eyebrow at my baggy sweatpants and tank top.

I ignored what sounded like a veiled insult, turning my attention back to the blank paper and pencil in my lap. "I'm not going."

"What? Why not? We go every year!"

That was the problem. I was tired of the same old parties: drunk teenagers, shallow conversations and gossip, and inevitable drama.

Parties were never my forte. I wasn't into drinking—determined to wait until my 21st birthday—and crowds didn't exactly make me feel warm and fuzzy.

Well, the one exception being concerts. I'd put up with them then.

"Don't feel like it," I replied shortly, tapping my pencil in thought. What to draw, what to draw…? I really needed to come up with something for my painting class before I fell behind.

With a frustrated sigh, Elena plopped down beside me on the bed. Despite being twins, we never seemed to like the same things—something that led to plenty of arguments over the years. "Oh, c'mon, please? I need you there with me! It'll be fun."

I snorted. "You don't need me. We both know you'll ditch me the second Stefan shows up," I stated, not the least bit bothered by the fact.

Elena's cheeks flushed, and she bit her lip, knowing I wasn't wrong. I smirked at her reaction, which made her crack a reluctant smile in return.

"Okay, fine. But what if it turns out Stefan isn't as perfect as he seems? Then I'll need you," she said, her voice softening just enough to tug at my protective side.

I rolled my eyes but hesitated. It wasn't an entirely far-fetched scenario. Sure, Bonnie and Caroline would be there, but Caroline usually got carried away, and Bonnie always ended up babysitting her. That would leave me to look after Elena. As usual.

And this was her first real party since… since the accident. Did I really want to leave her alone for that?

I groaned dramatically and flopped backward on the bed, throwing an arm over my eyes as I gave in. Elena always found a way to wear me down eventually anyway. At least this way I could finally try and corner Matt.

"Fine," I muttered. "But only because I'm not entirely convinced this guy isn't a creepy stalker."

Elena's mouth twisted briefly, like she wanted to argue, but she wisely chose gratitude instead, leaning down to hug me tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled, pushing her off me with a half-hearted shove.

"Okay, get dressed!" she said, springing off the bed. "Bonnie's coming to pick us up soon!"

I watched her dash out of the room, leaving me alone with my sketchbook. I glanced down at it, the blank page mocking me, feeling a pang of guilt. It felt like ages since I'd done anything creative, and here I was, abandoning it again for something I didn't even want to do.

But… this was Elena. And Rule Number One in the Gilbert house? Elena always gets what she wants.

The music and chatter weren't as bad, I had to admit—probably because we were outside. It felt less suffocating knowing I could slip out of the crowd anytime I wanted. Being near the river helped, too. The water always had a way of calming me down.

I followed Bonnie and Elena toward one of the kegs. Bonnie only filled two plastic cups, knowing I didn't drink, and handed one of them to Elena. Their conversation quickly veered toward Stefan and romance—you know, boring stuff—so I let my attention drift and began people-watching.

I tuned back in a moment later when Bonnie's tone suddenly changed, her playful demeanor replaced by something uneasy.

"A crow. There was fog, and… a man," she murmured, shaking her head, looking kind of spooked. "I'm drunk. It's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it. Yeah? Okay, I'm gonna get a refill."

"Bonnie, wait!" Elena called, but Bonnie was already walking away.

I blinked, confused. "Okay, what did I miss? Is she alright?"

Elena looked just as lost. "I don't know. She—"

"Hi," a voice interrupted from behind her.

Elena spun around, her startled confusion melting into a bright smile. "Hi."

Stefan returned the smile, looking just as delighted. "I did it again, didn't I?" he asked, a little sheepishly.

So, he sneaks up on her often. Noted.

"Yeah," Elena giggled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

I glanced between the two and slowly backed away, feeling like an awkward third wheel. "I'm just gonna… uh, go away now," I announced, pointing off in the opposite direction before pivoting on my heel and heading toward the coolers. Maybe I could score something non-alcoholic.

To my luck, on the way, I spotted Matt by the fire pit, illuminated by the soft warm glow, and completely unaware of my presence a few feet away. Now is my chance. With a mischievous grin, I sneakily approached him from behind.

"Mattie!" I shouted, leaping onto his back. He twitched in surprise, but quickly realized it was me and stopped to turn his head.

"Uh, Em, hey," he greeted awkwardly, his expression shifting from confusion to recognition.

I slid off his back, forcing my mouth into a serious frown, despite the urge to continue teasing him. "Oh, so it takes sneaking up on you just to finally get some acknowledgment, huh? How very best friend of you, Mattie."

Matt, ever sensitive, took it to heart, his guilt evident as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I was gonna talk to you, Em, I swear. I just—"

"I know, I know," I sighed. Because I did, really. Things had been awkward all summer since Elena broke up with him. It wasn't entirely his fault we hadn't talked much—between his lifeguard job and the breakup, we both found excuses to keep our distance. But still… enough time had passed. He needed to move on.

Elena certainly had. This very instant.

The fact that breaking up with Matt hadn't been a difficult choice for her still rubbed me the wrong way. But I understood that it was hard for her to have him around after everything. Losing Mom and Dad hit her the hardest—all things considered. And I guess, without realizing it, I'd pushed Matt away too, trying to make things easier on her.

Matt, who definitely had a bit of a buzz going on—because otherwise this wouldn't be going down quite so easily—started apologizing. "No, seriously. I really, really, am sorry Emie. I've been a dick. I promised I wouldn't let things with Elena mess up our friendship, even if we broke up. And I already screwed that up." He shook his head, looking genuinely remorseful. "But I won't ignore you again. I swear."

I huffed dramatically, though I couldn't hide my smile. "Weeell… since you promised, I guess I can forgive you."

Matt chuckled, pulling me into a bear hug, squeezing me tight enough to make me laugh.

"Alright, alright. Enough of the chick flick moment, please. You're killing my buzz," Tyler complained with an eye roll. I totally didn't even see him there, the creep.

Matt and I both glanced at each other, mischief in both our eyes, before looking at a now startled Tyler.

"Hey, no—!"

Without warning, we jumped him, hugging him as tightly and awkwardly as possible, drawing the attention of other partygoers around the fire. After a moment of struggling, we allowed him to push us off, our laughter nearly drowning him out as he cursed and feigned irritation.

But I knew Tyler liked it, he was just as much a teddy bear underneath his asshole-ness.

As we released Tyler from our impromptu group hug, he attempted to regain his composure, scowling at us. "You two are seriously nuts. Can't I enjoy a peaceful night without being assaulted by you emotional losers?"

I chuckled, playfully nudging him. "C'mon, Ty, deep down, you love it. Admit it."

He rolled his eyes but couldn't hide a small smirk. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just don't make it a habit."

Matt clapped Tyler on the back, grinning. "Don't worry, man. We'll keep the emotional displays to a minimum. Wouldn't want to ruin your tough-guy reputation."

Tyler scoffed, crossing his arms. "Yeah, 'cause I'm really concerned about my reputation around you two." But the corners of his mouth twitched in amusement. He glanced around at the crowd gathered by the fire pit, their attention back on their own conversations, before his gaze landed back on me.

"So, what's your deal tonight? Didn't think you'd even show up." Tyler asked, bending to pick up a log from the firewood pile and throwing it into the flames. "Figured you'd be glued to Elena's back if you did."

Matt shot me a glance as my brow twitched, clearly sensing the incoming snark. Before I could fire back, he beat me to it. "Just catching up. It's been a while since the three of us hung out."

Tyler raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Catching up, huh? Did I miss some drama or what?"

It wasn't unusual for Tyler and me to go weeks without talking, especially during the summer. Matt, on the other hand, had been a constant since diaper days, so our recent fallout wasn't something Tyler would've noticed—nor was he the type to get filled in. Sensitive conversations weren't exactly Tyler's thing, thanks to his dad and the emotional range of a teaspoon.

I crossed my arms, giving Matt a pointed look. "Well, someone doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut."

Matt raised his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I didn't say anything. Tyler's just good at stirring the pot."

"Damn right, I am," Tyler said, not bothering to deny it. "Now spill."

I rolled my eyes. "No big drama, just life doing its thing. We're still the same troublemaking trio," I joked, knowing that the title wasn't exactly true now, having been bestowed upon us by our parents during childhood.

Tyler snorted, his smirk deepening. "That's a throwback." He shook his head. "So lame. What was that—fourth grade? When we were still terrorizing the neighborhood?"

"Right when puberty ruined everything," I quipped, grinning. "You only remember fourth because you were still in that awkward phase where you thought 'cool' meant wearing sunglasses indoors."

Matt laughed, and Tyler narrowed his eyes at me, then directed it at Matt until his laughter reluctantly faded out. "It worked."

"It didn't," I countered. "But, hey, points for commitment."

Tyler shook his head, leaning back against the woodpile. "Whatever. More like puberty and the fact that Matt was incapable of staying out of a long-term relationship," Tyler teased, earning an uncomfortable laugh from Matt.

I raised an eyebrow at Matt. "He's got you there."

Matt groaned, running a hand over his face. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up."

Tyler crouched down, reaching into the cooler at his feet. Pulling out a bottle, he held it up toward me. My first instinct was to refuse, irritation building—I'd made it clear years ago that I didn't drink—but then I noticed the label.

Root beer.

Relief washed over me, and I smiled gratefully, taking the bottle of my favorite soda from his hand. I was glad that our time apart didn't change things so drastically that he'd try and peer pressure me. "Didn't think I'd show up," I mocked his words back at him playfully. I lifted the bottle in a cheers gesture, before taking a sip. "Thanks."

Tyler shrugged. "Figured I'd grab your favorite when Caroline mentioned Elena was coming. You can be predictable like that," he teased.

"Predictable?" I raised an eyebrow, pretending to be offended. "Please. I'm full of surprises."

"Sure you are," he deadpanned, taking a swig from his own bottle. "You keep telling yourself that."

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help smiling. It was moments like these—effortless and familiar—that reminded me why I'd missed this.

As the night progressed, something caught Tyler's attention, pulling him away from our conversation about what we'd all been up to over the summer. I decided to make my way back to Bonnie, a little too toasty from being by the fire, while Matt tagged along. Caroline was with her, sending jealous glances over at the bridge.

Ah, damn it. Now I'm gonna have to deal with Matt and his hurt puppy eyes, too—I quickly realized after noticing it was Elena and Stefan on the bridge, looking very cozy next to each other. Maybe I could get them to move if I threw some rocks…

"There you are," Bonnie smiled at us. "Hey, Matt."

"Hey," he greeted back.

I leaned in to whisper to her while looking at Caroline. "She okay?" Bonnie made a face.

"How do you think it's going?" Caroline asked, kind of frantically, as she glanced at the bridge again. I groaned. Her drunkenness was obviously making her even less considerate, considering Matt was now standing right next to her. He followed her line of sight, frowning when he spotted them.

"I'm gonna, uh, get another beer…" he trailed off, walking away from us with his full bottle.

"Good going, Caroline," I hissed.

"What?" she asked, face completely confused and ignorant.

I shook my head. "What is the big deal with this guy anyway…?"

"What are you talking about? He's hot! How can you not find him attractive?" Caroline countered.

"Yeah, Em, you seemed to like him when he was known as just Mysteriously Hot Back Guy," Bonnie teased, chiming in.

I rolled my eyes. "That was before his name was revealed and he stopped being a mystery and became nothing but a stalking nuisance."

"Wow, you've already gone as far as calling him a stalker. You must really not like him, huh?" Bonnie inquired in amusement, clearly not taking me seriously.

"Oh please, Em is just overreacting, as usual," Caroline added. She suddenly perked up, fixing her hair quickly and flashing a charming smile. "And now it's my time to shine." We followed her gaze, noticing Stefan leaving Elena alone on the bridge. "Wish me luck!"

Bonnie and I glanced at each other.

"This is going to be a disaster."

Bonnie nodded in agreement.

A moment later, I split off from Bonnie, leaving her to deal with the mess that was Caroline. The blonde had just been flat-out rejected, and while I wasn't exactly Caroline's biggest fan, even I thought Stefan had been a little too harsh. I'd caught the tail end of their conversation, and it didn't sit right with me.

Yeah, Caroline could be a lot to handle, but we grew up together. She didn't deserve to be treated like that. So, really, Stefan had just given me one more reason to dislike him.

This guy had a serious knack for flip-flopping my opinion of him.

I sighed, shoving my hands into my pockets as I wove through the crowd. The noise, the drama—it was all starting to get to me. Exactly what I'd been trying to avoid by staying home.

If I was going to survive the rest of the night, I needed a breather. Some peace and quiet. The riverbank sounded like the perfect escape, so I slipped past the bonfire and into the trees, letting the crisp night air cool my frayed nerves.

The further I walked, the calmer I felt. The loud chatter and crackling fire faded behind me, replaced by the gentle rustle of leaves and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot. I let out a slow breath, taking in the stillness of the woods.

By the time I realized there was another set of feet besides by own crunching the leaves on the ground, I had already run into the culprit after circling a particularly large tree.

"Hey! Watch it!" The feminine voice was familiar. I squinted my eyes until they adjusted to the figure in front of me, recognizing Matt's sister.

"It's dark out. Kinda hard to watch it," I deadpanned.

Vicki realized it was me, letting out an annoyed groan. "Great, another Gilbert. You here to save me too?" Vicki slurred a little and I could smell the alcohol on her breath. I wondered how much she had to drink tonight. "Did Jeremy tell you to talk to me? You know, just because I like you more than Elena, doesn't mean I'm suddenly going to give you a heart to heart."

I furrowed my brow. "Jeremy?" What nonsense was she talking about? I crossed my arms, confused by Vicky's seemingly random accusations. "No one sent me, Vicki. I'm just trying to get a break from the crowd. Maybe you should go find Matt, I'm pretty sure he's back by the bonfire."

She scoffed, suddenly angry. "As if I'm going to risk being around Tyler again." Vicki started walking away, stumbling a bit on a random fallen branch. "Just leave me alone."

I signed, but didn't follow after her when I saw she was heading back towards the party. I decided to send Matt a quick text about the state of his sister.

"Thnx 4 the heads up…" He replied a few seconds after.

Poor guy. I felt bad, knowing it would probably ruin his night, but I knew I'd want him to do the same for me if it was Jeremy. Speaking of, I decided after I had a few minutes to myself, I'd go find my brother in case he really was here. I didn't want to entirely dismiss Vicki's drunken rambling.

I made my way carefully down to the river, finding a big rock to sit down on. The rushing water luckily drowned out most of the voices. Letting out a deep breath, I tilted my head back to gaze up at the stars. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the quarter moon shined brightly in clear view. The wind was light, and the autumn chill wasn't quite upon us yet. It was a nice night to be outdoors, I could admit as much.

Regardless of how beautiful the night appeared, I couldn't help my thoughts from going down a more solemn path.

To be honest—I didn't want to be here, in Mystic Falls. The feeling only seemed to grow stronger once I was forced back into my old routine. Each day in this town was only proving to be more challenging.

I was just so ready to move on. Move on from the grief, move on with my life, and start fresh. And I've had this nagging sense that if I didn't leave soon, I may never get the chance.

But let's face it, even if I wasn't a minor, I knew I wouldn't leave without my family, not while they were still struggling. I've considered bring up the idea to Jenna before; my aunt never wanted to move back here anyway. We could live closer to Whitmore, Jenna wouldn't have to commute to college every day and it wasn't as if money was an issue. But just thinking of Elena's reaction to the idea of moving made me cringe. Jeremy probably wouldn't like it too much either, but our sister definitely had the most to lose if we moved. I felt guilty at the thought of leaving Matt behind, but it's not like we couldn't visit each other…

Of course, for all I knew, moving might only prove to set them back even more. Though the need to leave still persisted, I could admit I felt a sense of dread at the thought of losing all the memories we made with our parents in that house.

Sighing, I picked up a broken fragment of the rock, tossing it into the flowing water. The satisfying plop served as a small rebellion against the weight on my shoulders.

A terrifying scream sounded somewhere behind me in the woods. Startled for a brief second, I immediately jumped into action, running back up the slope and out of the woods, towards the crowd of frantic people.

I scanned the faces, spotting Bonnie, and quickly headed towards her for some answers. "What's going on?"

But Bonnie didn't need to answer, as I could already see Matt's older sister unconscious on one of the picnic tables in front of us, a terrifying amount of blood on her neck and soaking into her clothes.

"Oh my god, Vicki!"

"It's her neck. Something bit her! She's losing a lot of blood," Elena alerted them, her face worried as Matt, and to my surprise, Jeremy, hovered over Vicki, expressions terrified and frantic.

At Elena's words, I rushed over to them without a second thought. "Bonnie, call 911!"

I pulled my sweater off to apply pressure to Vicki's wound, directing them to help re-position her to stop the bleeding.

"Keep her awake," I instructed, trying to keep my voice calm.

"Look at me, Vicki! Come on! Open your eyes!" Matt shouted desperately, keeping his eyes locked on his sister bleeding out before him.

In the chaos, I just focused on doing what I could to help Vicki. Blood was soaking through my sweater fast, too fast, and it was all I could think about—how we needed to stop the bleeding now. My heart pounded in my ears, but I forced myself to stay calm, pressing down harder. "Come on, Vick, stay with us," I muttered, glancing at her pale face. Matt was still shouting her name, panic thick in his voice, but I tried to tune it out. One of us had to keep it together.

The ambulance, thank god, didn't take too long to reach us. Matt left with them to the hospital, staying by his sister's side. I had just enough time to get his keys, promising to take his truck home for him in case it got impounded for sitting here all night.

I released a shaky breath, scanning the crowd of teenagers and officers for my siblings so I could let them know we had a way home. Caroline freaked at the sight of the police cars, afraid her mom was a part of them and not wanting to be caught drunk. Bonnie took it upon herself to take her home already, probably saving both Forbes women a massive headache.

Even if Liz wasn't on duty tonight, it wouldn't take long for word to reach her about something this big. Part of me wanted to look for her—try to make sense of whatever had just gone down—but I stopped myself. Even if I found her, I doubted I'd get answers this early, assuming she'd even tell me.

Finally, I spotted siblings, Jeremy looking devastated as Elena clearly was trying to put some sense into him as gently as possible. But it didn't look like it was happening, neither of them could see each other's side.

I caught the last bit as I reached the two. "Mom and Dad wouldn't have wanted this," Elena said quietly, shaking her head softly.

It made me wonder for a second, what it was that Mom and Dad would have wanted then. If I convinced my family to move, would my parents approved of it? Or would they tell me I wasn't truly seeking a fresh start, I was simply running away? And did it even matter anymore?

They were dead, and we were on our own now.

"Found us a way home without having to call Jenna," I announced, drawing their attention as I held up the keys. "Was able to get Matt's keys—didn't want him to leave his truck here all night." Elena nodded, still solemn, and went ahead of us to the truck.

I glanced at Jeremy out of the corner of my eye. He followed behind us at a slower pace, the alcohol now hitting him strong after all the chaos settled. As the paramedics took over caring for Vicki, it dawned on me. Jeremy's reaction made it clear he had a thing for Vicki, and hearing her bring up my brother's name in the woods earlier, now solidified it for me. I couldn't believe I never noticed before. The times I caught them talking at the Grill over the summer didn't strike me as odd, so I hadn't connected the dots. But now, seeing him like this… I didn't know how to feel.

Vicki was Matt's sister. Older sister, so therefore even older than Jeremy. I wasn't exactly the best influence, so I felt it meant something when I thought someone else was worse. I knew my brother well enough to know he wouldn't accept my warnings and would only push me away if I tried. Like he did with Elena and Jenna. Besides, it wasn't my place to tell him who he could and couldn't be with. Hence, why I never told Elena I didn't think she should be with Stefan.

"Hey," I started softly. Jeremy half glanced at me with hooded, tired eyes. "She's going to be alright. We'll go see her in the morning, before school, check up on how she's doing." I put just a little emphasis on the school part, in order to make it clear that was a part of my condition for taking him. I'd need to pick up some clean clothes for Matt too, knowing he couldn't afford to miss a day.

Jeremy nodded silently. I rested my hand on his back, rubbing it comfortingly as I leaned my head on his shoulder. There was nothing to do now but go home and get some rest.

The drive back home was quiet, the weight of the night's events hanging heavily in the air. Elena sat in the middle, resting her head back, lost in her thoughts. Jeremy kept his eyes glued out the passenger window, his silence echoing the somber atmosphere. Even I knew there was nothing I could say to lighten the mood.

Pulling into the driveway, I parked Matt's truck, the engine turning off with a heavy sigh. We all stepped out, the cool night air doing little to alleviate the tension. Elena headed straight for the front door, and Jeremy trailed behind her.

Once inside, the house was unnervingly quiet. Jenna must've gone to bed hours ago, blissfully unaware of the attack. Lucky her.

Elena gave Jeremy a small, sympathetic smile and a squeeze on the shoulder before heading upstairs. Jeremy stayed rooted at the bottom of the stairs, staring at the floor like it might give him answers. I pretended to fumble with my shoes, taking longer than necessary to untie them. When I heard Elena's door click shut, I finally kicked them off, then stepped over to lean against the baluster next to him.

"You holding up okay, Jer?" I asked, keeping my voice casual but soft, not wanting to startle him out of his thoughts.

Jeremy's head lifted, his eyes bloodshot and tired. "I don't know, Em. This is so screwed up. Vicki… I wasn't…" He trailed off, his voice cracking just slightly.

"Yeah, I know," I said quietly, crossing my arms. "It's a lot. Like, 'How do I even breathe' a lot."

That earned me a faint huff of amusement, but the weight didn't leave his shoulders.

Deep down, guilt twisted in my stomach. If I'd personally made sure Vicki got back to the party, maybe Jeremy wouldn't be beating himself up right now. But then again, if I had, maybe both of us would be in a hospital bed—or worse.

"I should've stayed with her," he muttered, his voice barely audible.

"Don't do that to yourself, Jer," I said, my tone firm but kind. "There's no way you could've known this would happen. Nobody could've."

He rubbed the back of his neck, looking like he was carrying the weight of the world. I wanted to say something to fix it, to make it better, but there wasn't an easy fix for something so sudden like this.

"But look," I continued, trying to offer some kind of comfort. "Matt's keeping me in the loop about Vicki. Tomorrow, we'll check on her together, okay? One step at a time. Things might not magically be better, but I know she'll pull through. She's a tough cookie."

Jeremy offered me a weak but appreciative smile. "Thanks, Em."

I bumped his shoulder lightly with mine. "That's what I'm here for. And hey, if you need to talk or just scream into the void, you know where to find me."

He nodded, and I headed upstairs, intending to retreat to the solace of my room. After changing into pajamas, I sat on my bed, trying to sort through the swirling mess of emotions from tonight. But I'd barely had time to exhale when there was a knock at my door.

"Come in," I called, having already expected it.

Jeremy poked his head in, looking hesitant. "Uh… Em? You mind if we, I don't know, play some Call of Duty or something? I just…" He paused, shrugging awkwardly. "I don't wanna be alone right now."

I studied him for a second, noticing the way he was trying to act casual, like this wasn't a big deal. But his eyes gave him away—tired, vulnerable, and in need of some kind of anchor.

"Sure, Jer," I said, giving him a small smile. "It's been a while since I whooped your ass at it anyway."

He let out a quiet laugh. "Yeah, okay. We'll see about that."

Prepared to get little sleep tonight, I followed him into his room, plopping down beside him on the floor as he booted up the console. The familiar hum of the system filled the room, followed by the music of the game.

We didn't say much as we played. The rapid gunfire and explosions from the game provided a strange kind of comfort, a white noise that filled the spaces where words didn't need to go. After a few rounds, I noticed the tension in Jeremy's shoulders starting to ease. His aim improved, and I caught the faintest ghost of a smile when he managed to snipe me from across the map.

"Cheap shot," I muttered, nudging him with my elbow.

"Get good, Em," he quipped, his voice lighter now.

And just like that, for a little while, we weren't thinking about hospitals or guilt or the fallout waiting for us tomorrow. For a little while, it was just me and Jer, battling it out on screen and finding comfort in our small pocket of normal in an otherwise messed-up night.