Elias awoke with a jolt, disoriented and surrounded by unfamiliar surroundings. As the haze of sleep gradually lifted from his mind, he realized he was in a completely different room.
The walls were adorned with ornate tapestries, and soft sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow on the antique furniture.
Elias's initial confusion gave way to a curious sense of wonder. How had he ended up here? Where was "here," exactly?
Elias moved gracefully through the room, his fingers gently tracing the curves of the elegant furniture.
The wood felt smooth and polished beneath his touch, and in the antique mirror's reflection, he saw himself with an almost ethereal quality.
His features, softened by the gentle morning light, revealed a quiet beauty. His eyes, once clouded with sleep, now held a spark of curiosity and wonder as he gazed at his own reflection.
The mirror's frame, adorned with intricate carvings, seemed to frame him perfectly, accentuating his contemplative expression.
Elias's fingers trailed down his collarbone, and his heart quickened when he discovered the unusual mark etched into his skin. It was a curious collection of nine initials: D.S., S.S., E.J., M.P., N.M., K.M., E.M., F.M., M.G.
Elias furrowed his brow, trying to recall any connection to these letters, but they remained elusive, like pieces of a puzzle he couldn't quite fit together. Who were these individuals, and why were their initials inscribed on his skin?
Elias's gaze sharpened as he noticed that three of the nine initials etched on his collarbone were slightly faded: M.P., K.M., and F.M.
Elias found himself in a state of shock as his bedroom door was forcefully flung open, and his eyes widened in disbelief when he saw the familiar face standing before him.
It was none other than Nina Dobrev, the actress he had seen countless times on his television screen. His jaw dropped as he tried to make sense of the surreal situation.
What on earth was Nina Dobrev doing in his room?
Collecting his scattered thoughts, Elias watched in amazement as Nina snapped her fingers impatiently. "Elias, come on. We're going to be late," she urged before heading back towards the door and calling out, "Jeremy!"
Elias's brow furrowed as he struggled to process what was happening. It couldn't be real, could it? He couldn't have possibly teleported into the world of "The Vampire Diaries."
With a sense of hesitancy, he took a step forward and called out to Nina, or rather, Elena, as she seemed to be in character. "Elena?"
Nina, now in character as Elena, turned to face him, her expression curious. "Yes?" she replied.
Elias shook his head, still trying to wrap his mind around the bizarre turn of events. "Where are we going?" he asked, hoping for some clarity.
Elena sighed, her demeanor mirroring her character. "To school. Bonnie's going to be here in a few minutes," she explained.
Nodding slowly, Elias closed the door behind him and turned away, sliding down to the floor in disbelief. It was sinking in slowly, but it seemed like he had indeed been transported to the world of "The Vampire Diaries."
Elias couldn't deny that finding himself in the world of "The Vampire Diaries" was a surreal experience, especially considering his love for the show.
However, the realization dawned on him that this was no longer a mere form of entertainment; he was living it, and that brought a sense of uncertainty.
To complicate matters further, the possibility of being a Gilbert, Elena's family member, was both intriguing and daunting.
After running his hands through his soft hair and collecting his thoughts, Elias headed to the bathroom to prepare for the day ahead. The familiarity of his clothes in the closet was a reassuring surprise, allowing him to get dressed quickly.
Just as he was finishing, a knock on his door drew his attention, and he hurried to open it, revealing Aunt Jenna standing there with a warm smile.
She handed him a piece of paper, and Elias returned the smile, saying, "Good morning, Aunt Jenna," as he accepted the paper.
Aunt Jenna's smile seemed to brighten at his words, confirming Elias's hunch that he was indeed a Gilbert. As he looked down at the paper, he realized it was his school schedule. At least he wouldn't be entirely clueless at school, which was a relief.
"Elias, Bonnie's outside!" Aunt Jenna's announcement spurred him into action. He could hear Elena's voice downstairs, so Elias rushed into his room to grab his bag before making his way downstairs to find Elena waiting by the door.
"Let's go," she called out softly.
Once inside the car, Bonnie turned to Elias and greeted him with a warm smile. "Good morning, Elias."
"Morning, Bonnie," Elias replied with a friendly smile, settling into the car.
Bonnie launched into a spirited monologue, her words tumbling out as she recounted Grams' claim that she was psychic due to their Salem witch ancestry.
Elias couldn't help but smile slightly, recognizing this as the very first episode. It meant he had the opportunity to prepare for everything that would unfold.
"Back in the car," Bonnie said, snapping Elena out of her momentary zoning out.
Elena sighed, realizing her distraction. "I did it again, didn't I? I—I'm sorry, Bonnie. You were telling me that..."
"That I'm psychic now," Bonnie finished with a hint of playful seriousness.
"Right. Okay, then predict something. About me and Elias," Elena encouraged Bonnie.
"I see..." Bonnie began to play along, but before she could finish, a crow suddenly collided with the car, causing both Elena and Elias to momentarily freeze in surprise.
"What was that?! Oh, my god! Elena, Elias, are you okay?" Bonnie asked, her concern evident as she turned around to check on them.
Elias reassured her, "It's okay. We're fine."
Bonnie tried to explain, "It was like a bird or something. It came out of nowhere."
Elena, ever pragmatic, chimed in, "Really, we can't be freaked out by cars for the rest of our lives."
After a brief sigh, Bonnie offered a prediction, "I predict this year is going to be kick-ass. And I predict all the sad and dark times are over, and you guys are going to be beyond happy." Her words carried a sense of optimism that was both comforting and intriguing.
-----
Elena's frustration was evident as she began to speak, her tone tinged with exasperation. "He hates me," she said.
Bonnie, never one to miss an opportunity for sarcasm, responded with a wry smile, her words dripping with mockery. "That's not hate. That's 'you dumped me, but I'm too cool to show it, but secretly I'm listening to Air Supply's greatest hits.'"
As they walked together, Elias remained silent, but an unusual sensation washed over him as he entered the school building. It was a peculiar, fuzzy feeling, yet strangely pleasant. Nevertheless, his heart ached with an inexplicable emotion.
Out of nowhere, Caroline appeared, bursting with exuberance as she greeted Elena and Elias. "Elena, Elias! Oh, my god!" She enveloped them both in a warm hug.
"How are you? It's so good to see you. How are they? Are they good?" Caroline's excitement was palpable as she fired off her questions.
Elena, struggling to maintain her composure, responded, "Caroline, we're right here. And we're fine. Thank you."
Caroline persisted, pulling them into another tight hug. "Really?"
"Yes, much better," Elena assured her.
Caroline expressed sympathy, continuing to hug them. "Oh, you poor thing."
Elias, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the affectionate onslaught, gently tried to disengage. "Okay, Caroline."
Finally getting the hint, Caroline said, "Oh! Okay, see you guys later?"
Bonnie chimed in, "OK! Bye!"
Elena couldn't resist making a small comment, "No comment."
Bonnie nodded in agreement, adding, "I'm not going to say anything."
As they continued down the hallway, their curiosity was piqued when Bonnie spotted a stranger near the school office. She couldn't help but ask, "Hold up. Who's this?"
Elena, always quick with a quip, remarked, "All I see is a back."
Bonnie's tone took on an appreciative note, "It's a hot back."
Elias, who had been experiencing that strange feeling again, looked up and found it intensifying. He couldn't quite understand why he was reacting this way to Stefan Salvatore.
Bonnie, never one to miss an opportunity to playfully embrace her psychic inclinations, chimed in, "I'm sensing Seattle, and he plays the guitar."
Elena couldn't help but tease her friend, saying, "You're really going to run this whole psychic thing into the ground, huh?"
Bonnie's response was succinct, "Pretty much."
Just as Elena excused herself suddenly, Bonnie couldn't help but hope for something exciting, muttering under her breath, "Please be hot."
Elias felt an inexplicable compulsion to remain still as he watched Stefan exit the office and scan the crowd, clearly searching for someone. Panic flickered across Stefan's face until his gaze locked onto Elias.
For a brief moment, the two locked eyes, a strange tension hanging in the air, until Bonnie nudged Elias, breaking the spell.
Elias scanned the area once more, his gaze darting around in search of Stefan, but to his surprise, Stefan had vanished into thin air. A deep sigh escaped Elias's lips, something was undeniably different about this.
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