Stefan's Hope

Chapter 20: New Teacher

Hope runs to him and he picks her up and hugs her. Stefan asks while putting her down "how was school?" And Hope says "great! I have so much to tell you." Stefan says "well, it can wait till we get to the Salvatore Boarding House. Come on, Caroline and Bry got you chicken nuggets."

Hope instantly forgot everything and squealed saying "yay! Come on Daddy S, hurry up!" She runs to the car with a laughing Stefan behind her. When they're both in the car, Stefan drives off to the Boarding House.

When they arrive there, Hope quickly gets out of the car and runs inside along with Stefan. When he opens the door, she runs in and calls out "Auntie Carebear? Auntie Bry?" She runs into the living room and sees everyone there.

Hope says "hi!" And Bry says "hey Hope. Your food is on the table." Hope squeals and runs to the table where her chicken nuggets are and everyone chuckles silently. She really loves chicken nuggets.

Everyone is now talking about Gabby and Damon is freaking out. Gabby missed her call yesterday. The last time they heard from her, she was quickly trying to get off the phone. Damon is threatening to go down there and drag her back here by her hair. A while later, Gabby calls and he picks up saying angrily "hello!"

Phone Conversation
Gabby- Hi. How's everything?
Damon- That's a question we should be asking you.
Brennon- What happened? You didn't call yesterday and the last time we heard from you, you quickly got off the phone.
Gabby- I know, I'm sorry. I just thought it was best to miss to keep a low profile around here. Finn has eyes and ears everywhere.
Damon- All the more reason for you to be here.
Gabby- Enough Damon, I'll be back home as soon as everything here is good. Plus, yesterday was Hayley's wedding. The ceremony worked. The werewolves are stronger than ever.
Greg- Well, that's great news.
Bry- Hey Gabs, it's Bry!
Gabby- Bry? Oh my God. How are you?
Bry- I'm good and dealing. I see your hands are very full.
Gabby- Yeah, very.
Bry- Are you at least at your home where it's safe?
Gabby laughs- Yes, I'm home and everything right now is good.
Stefan- Good!
Gabby- Alright, I'll call you guys tomorrow.
Gracia- Promise?
Gabby- Promise! Bye!
Everyone- Bye!
End of Phone Conversation

Everyone sighs of relief and Hope runs in saying to Bry and Caroline "thank you for the chicken nuggets!" And they say "you're welcome!" Hope smiles at them and runs to her daddy and sits on his lap.

Stefan asks "you said you had something to tell me?" Hope remembers and says "oh right! Um, there's this new teacher in our class just visiting from out of town. He's a therapist and he was eyeing me all day and I felt a little creeped out. But at the end of the day he talked to me and I felt less creeped out. He was asking me if I believed in magic because of the book we read in class. I didn't say anything about me, I swear, but he seems kind of cool."

Everyone was shocked and a little worried hearing that. Stefan holds Hope closer to him and asks "what's his name?" Hope says "Vincent Griffith. Why? I mean at first I was a little creeped out by him, but I don't think he's bad anymore."

Stefan says "NO! Hope don't go near him. Do you understand me?" Hope sees her dad is serious, so she nods her head. Stefan says "okay, I brought your coloring book and crayons. Why don't you go and draw in it. It's in my room." Hope says "okay, Daddy S!" She goes upstairs to draw.

Stefan gets up worried and Liv asks "do you think-?" Stefan interrupts her "I don't know. Somebody look him up and find out something about him. I have a bad feeling about this guy." Damon says "or maybe he's just a teacher wanting to know more about his students."

Everyone looks at Damon like he has two heads. Kai asks "and talking to her about magic, Damon?" And Jo says "for real Damon, I think Stefan is right. Something's not right about this guy. Why would he talk to her about magic?"

Damon says "she said he talked to her about it because of a book they read in class." Lillian says "that could just be a cover up. He could have chosen the book." Damon looks at everyone like they're lunatics and says "you're all crazy. Not every person that talks to Hope is a suspect."

Tyler says "this is different Damon. This person was talking to her about magic." Damon sighs in frustration and says "fine! Look him up. See what you can find." This Vincent guy has everyone worried.

Jontae, Bry, Ebrajin, and Erin are trying to find out something about him. Jontae says "it will take a while to find information." Stefan says "it's okay, just find something! Anything!" Jontae nods his head and goes back to looking. Stefan most of all is worried. He is not going to let anyone hurt Hope. No one was going to get her.

Next Day~ At School

Stefan walks in with Hope and bends down next to her and whispers to her "okay, is he here? Point him out to me." Hope nods her head and looks around the room for him. When she spots him next to Mrs. Johnson, she points at him and Stefan looks his way and glares at him.

Stefan says "remember what I said. Until I find out more about him, stay away from him. Okay?" Hope nods her head and Stefan kisses her cheek and leaves the room still glaring at Vincent.

He leaves and goes back to the Boarding House. When he arrives, he walks in and finds Jontae and Bry there with a computer. He says "hey, I got a description of him. Let's find him." 7 hours later, they think they finally found him.

Stefan points him out "that's him! That's him!" Bry says "okay, let's see if everything Hope said about him was true." They check it out and they see he is a therapist and other stuff about him that's true. They sigh of relief and Jontae says "I think this guy's good."

Stefan and Bry nod their heads agreeing and everyone comes in. Stefan says "he's good." Everyone sighs of relief and Damon says "told ya." Stefan rolls his eyes at him and says "alright, I got to go get Hope. I'll be back." They nod their heads and Stefan goes to get her.

When he's there, he goes inside and gets her. Hope runs to him and hugs him and he hugs her back. She says "come on, let's go." Before they could, Vincent comes over and says "Mr. Salvatore, I presume. Hope's father, right?" Stefan has to admit, something is off about him.

He says "yes." He smiles at Stefan and says "your little girl is a good student. You taught her well." Stefan smiles at him and says "thank you!" Vincent says "of course. See you tomorrow Hope." She nods her head and every worries Stefan had was now gone.

Hope asks while walking with Stefan to the car "is he okay, Daddy S?" Stefan smiles at his little girl and says "yes sweetie, I think he is." Hope smiles and says "good! Let's go to the others." She runs to the car and gets in.

Stefan gets in the driver's seat and drives off. Stefan thinks Vincent is good, but is still going to be wary of him. Something just seems a little off, that's all. He's still going to watch out for him. Stefan thinks to himself I won't risk anyone hurting her.