I'm Mariana Gilbert. (TVD fanfic: Damon Salvatore)

Welcome Home

"No. But we don't have practice tonight so I'll meet you after the last bell." Elena replied and I met her gaze again, feeling myself tense up.

"Practice is going again.. I forgot." I stated quietly, shrugging in defeat and making Caroline furrow her eyebrows at me.

"You're not going to quit are you? Because the team is so not looking good already this year." Caroline admitted in defeat and I looked back at her in confusion.

"Care, this year has barely even started." Bonnie countered sarcastically. I smiled in amusement as they started talking amongst themselves, letting me quickly walk away while I had the chance. I pulled out my schedule for the year and looked down at it as I turned a corner, only to bump into someone. My schedule fell out of my hands, as well as everything else I was carrying. I sighed in annoyance and bent down towards my things while a hand reached out to help me. I looked at it in some disinterest, only to deny it. I collected all my things and stood up, meeting the gaze of a tall, caramel haired guy wearing a leather jacket and dark sunglasses over his eyes.

"Hey—I'm sorry about that." The guy apologized, clearly flustered yet curious at the same time. I watched as he carefully eyed me up and down, obviously confused about something but I was confused as to why he was wearing sunglasses... inside the school.

"Just watch where you're going next time." I stated with an annoyed sigh before moving past him. I was about to turn the corner fully, only to turn back and look at him again. "It might help if you—you know.. take your sunglasses off." I added in some amusement before walking away finally.

-Elena-

"Caroline, you should have seen him. He was so cute." I stated with a smile as I mentioned the guy I ran into outside of the men's bathroom, after consoling Jeremy for getting high already this morning.

"Elena, I don't think you've ever been this interested in someone besides Matt." Caroline replied in amusement from where we stood outside during lunch hour. The front doors of the school opened and we both instinctively looked at them to see the mystery guy walk out. I looked away from him blushing and watched Caroline stare at him as he walked in the direction of the parking lot. "We must have a lot of newbies coming into town." She stated with a wanting sigh, folding him with her eyes.

"That's him." I informed and watched the look of want and shock appear across her face before I too, watched him with my eyes again.

"Lemme guess—you're gonna do your little Elena thing that you always do when you see something you want but don't need." Caroline pointed out as she turned her gaze back to me.

"I'm not going to do anything but get to know him. He seems interesting. He's—mysterious.." I answered in a longing voice which made Caroline roll her eyes. "He seems different—I don't know how but he just seems... I just don't know." I added in defeat.

"Well, if there were more guys at this school that looked like that, I might actually be excited about coming to school most days." Caroline cooed, making me chuckle.

"Agreed." I stated jokingly and looked back in the direction of the stranger, only to see him long gone now.

-Mariana-

"Jenna!" I stated loudly as I came down the stairs, holding my coat in hand before she appeared next to the door. "I'm gonna go meet up with some friends at The Grill." I informed and watched her slowly nod in response.

"And Elena?" She asked, raising her eyebrow once she noticed Elena wasn't behind me.

"Elena got there a few hours ago." I answered in reassurance. I moved past her and reached for the door, only for her to put up a stern finger toward me.