ALMOST IS NEVER ENOUGH | TVD [3]

XXXV • STAY

"Actually, it can't. Don't worry. I'm not sending you back to Duke. I brought Duke to you. You're welcome." The Brit-Italian young man informed him.

"What the hell does that--" The blonde teen stops mid-sentence when he sees Sarah approaching, a smile appearing on her face when she sees him.

"I take it from your abrupt pause that you either had a small stroke or Sarah walked by. It's good news either way. Make her feel welcome, oh, and don't go blabbing details of our little arrangement around the party, especially when Minerva's present. Your tongue functions much better inside your mouth. I mean it." The old vampire hangs up after his simple threat.

Sarah Salvatore, the photographer, casually walks up to him, "Matt."

The bus boy fakes a smile, "Hey. What are you doing here?"

"I got a call from the manager of this place. He needed someone to take pictures for the website, and he said you mentioned me. I mean, normally, the pictures I take are a little darker, but normally, I don't get paid, so thanks." So much, the young photographer smiles appreciatively at him.

His fake smile remains constant on his face, "You're welcome."

"You want to show me around?" Hopefully.

"Yeah, let's go to the Town Square. There's really nothing much to see in the Mystic Grill, so..." He trailed off since Minerva remains present inside.

"Okay." The purely oblivious Sarah is being led away from the restaurant.

Damon walks in through the main entrance of the local restaurant with Elena from the local high school, "Oh! Look who graduated!" He gives her brother his certificate and puts a red graduation hat on the teen's head.

"Congratulations." Minerva commented in a sarcastically bored tone.

Jeremy laughs slightly at his 'success' while Elena smiles at him proudly.

"He was okay with it?" The eighteen-year-old graduate asked, unsurprised.

"Sure. I mean, practically flunking, missed a hundred days of school, and you can barely spell the word 'cat', but sure. He was fine with you graduating early." Her sister's smug vampire boyfriend told him, nodding.

"We helped the process along. I'm going to get a drink." His twenty-year-old vampire sister walks away while Minerva and Jeremy watch her go.

"Uh-oh. Someone's not happy." Clearly; the Devon girl mentioned.

"She okay?" The young hunter asked the older vampire.

"She will be. We all will. Somehow, we'll all find a way to move on without you, Jeremy. Oh hey, just did. Oh, look under the cap. I jacked a little going-away present from Ric's girlfriend's stash. You're welcome." He said.

Jeremy takes the red graduation hat off to find a small packet of a cigarette.

Damon smiles, "Put it away, you idiot. Tell your sister, I'll kill you...again."

****

Bill Forbes' Cabin

Caroline and Isaac just made it at her late father's old family cabin, in which the latter easily parks his silver Mazda and clicks the hand brake. Isaac gets out of the vehicle along with Caroline, who is amidst talking in a genuinely sympathetic manner, "If you really think about it, Jeremy leaving is for the best. I'm sure everything around him reminds him of Bonnie, and Elena's always wanted to protect him from vampire drama. Granted, he is going to art school, where the percentage rate for a well-paying job is one of the lowest in the country, but I really am happy for him. Honestly." Sincerely.