RARITY - A Damon Salvatore Fanfiction

Familiar Beginnings

Mystic Falls High School... A surprisingly familiar feeling washed over me as I entered, all high schools were the same. The same immature kids and the same condescending teachers. As many times as I had been in a place like this - and as much as I claimed to hate it - I still chose to attend. It would only be a minor inconvenience if I didn't, yet I couldn't help myself.

In my human life, things were different. I was different. Everything was... Yet, to all of the people bustling, surrounding and moving past me, this was normal. Feeling normal is what made me feel human. Something that was becoming rarer with time as the years went by.

Despite the nostalgia, I was still lost. Navigation was never my strong point, which is rather an embarrassing fact, considering. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that everyone would just see me as the confused new girl, so approaching somebody for help couldn't hurt.

"Hey, excu-" I began, before surprisingly getting cut off.
"No, time too much to do, sorry!" The figure responded apologetically, her blonde hair moving quickly past me before disappearing around the corner of the corridor. I stood there for a moment, confused and still feeling lost in the slowly emptying hallway. Thankfully however, someone noticed my bewilderment...
"Hey, sorry!" The second girl began, "That was my friend, she's a little all over the place at the moment planning something or other" She paused, laughing slightly, obviously used to the blondes habits of rushing around, "But yeah, are you new?" She inquired, as she smiled warmly at me.
"Yeah I am, I'm... uh... a little lost" I laughed in response. "I can't find my class".
"You need a hand? What class are you supposed to be in?" She asked. She seemed friendly enough, despite the vague familiarity she emitted. I passed her my timetable, hoping that she could help somehow.
"You're in luck, History with Mr Saltzman, same as me". She beamed, before handing my paper back to me. "Come on, we don't want to be late".

The girl kept talking as we walked together. Claiming that it was nice enough here if you could put up with the drama.

"So, what's your name?" She asked as we neared the classroom door.
"Grace" I responded. Holding out my hand, wanting to come across polite and proper. Being old tended to have that effect.
"Well it's nice to meet you, I'm Bonnie, Bonnie Bennett". She laughed, taking my hand to shake it.

Bennett...

That was a name I hadn't heard in a long time. If it meant what I think it did... This could go one of two ways. I looked back up from our hands, the look on her face all but confirming my suspicions. She knew. Bonnie pulled away, before stuttering and reaching for the door handle behind her and entering the classroom.

This wasn't good. What could I do? She's a Witch. She knows. She...

My confused thoughts were interrupted by the voice of my new History teacher.
"Bonnie, you're late, take a seat" He said, his voice strangely relaxed as Bonnie sped between the desks of already seated students, averting my gaze as she sat down.
"Ah, I heard about you" I shot him a worried glance, clearly consumed by my own thoughts. "Everyone this is Grace, be nice, she's new" He announced to the class. The breath I had been holding I attempted to subtly let out. "Go ahead and take a seat next to Miss Gilbert, raise your hand Elena so she can see you".

My gaze followed to where he vaguely pointed, and someone raised their hand.

No.

It couldn't be.

Memories were resurfacing all at once. Tatia, Katerina, both. The blood and the fear of the night that Niklaus first turned into a wolf. The revelation of his true Father. The jealousy and heartbreak. It was happening all over again. I could picture the state of him... curled up on the floor surrounded by the men he had killed. Elijah attempted to hold me back to no avail. Our bond, our promise, guaranteed that nothing would hold me back. I could see Tatias' fear-stricken expression clearly as she approached the tragic, bloody scene - the three of us huddled in the centre. I remember holding Klaus near to me - his head buried in my shoulder as he shook tearfully - and how I told him that we would get through this together, as Elijah ran after Tatia. I remembered the confliction on both of their faces, seeing Katerina for the first time.

This couldn't be her... She would have recognised me. It hit me then, a doppelgänger.

By this point, I was panicking. The implications alone were too much. A Bennett witch, a doppelgänger... I tried to calm myself as I walked towards the free desk next to this girl. I shakily sat myself down, before surveying my surroundings to see if anyone noticed my internal confusion. Thankfully, the majority of the classroom was inattentive. Or at least I thought that was the case. Bonnie was watching me apprehensively, The Doppelgänger too. Although, there was one other face directed at mine. The boy also sitting next to Elena. Someone who I never thought I would see again. He was looking at me with equally bewildered recognition.

Stefan Salvatore.