Denver, Colorado, 28 October 2010
To annoy Klaus just a little – because recently he complained quite a lot about his siblings spending all of his money that he hadn't worked a day to earn – Anastasia and Kol checked into the Four Seasons. At first she considered getting them separate rooms but in the end she settled for one of the suites containing two bedrooms with a bathroom each and a joint living room. That way, both of them would get some privacy but Klaus wouldn't have to worry about her being murdered by some stranger in her sleep because Kol would be close by to prevent it.
Due to several traffic jams that delayed their journey by four hours, the duo didn't arrive in Denver until midnight. Anastasia was possibly exhausted by the time they finally checked into their suite. After taking a shower and changing into her pyjamas, Anya crawled into the king's sized bed and buried herself under the comfortable sheets. And the moment her head hit the pillow....
Well, naturally, all signs of sleepiness vanished. Instead of getting some well-needed rest, Anastasia decided to read a few pages in Hadji Murat by Leo Tolstoy, which ended with her finishing the entire book. Something about reading old Russian literature simply brought Anya a feeling of comfort; the world being described felt similar somehow and even when she couldn't relate to the story itself, the thought of her parents or sisters having read through the same words once upon a time made her feel closer to the life she'd lost.
Anastasia finally fell asleep about three hours after she first laid down in bed. Never one to set the alarm – since Anya didn't have any reason to leave bed unless she wanted to – she woke up well past noon the next day. Then it took her about one hour to get out of bed since she decided to use the skills acquired from countless hours spent watching crime television series to track down Jeremy Gilbert.
Klaus managed to find out that Jeremy had been compelled to go to Denver and forget about Mystic Falls but the city was fairly big; they couldn't exactly walk around town and pray they'd just bump into the youngest Gilbert. Fortunately, harmless cyberstalking was a bored girl's best friend.
Since she knew his name and face, tracking him down didn't take much time. Unfortunately Jeremy wasn't an avid Facebook user. But a few cups of coffee and a plate of English breakfast later, Anya made a breakthrough.
Earlier when her room service arrived, Anya noted how Kol's door had been open and his room empty. Then she heard him return about twenty minutes ago. Anastasia decided to share her newfound information about the Gilbert boy with him.
Kol had left his bedroom door ajar which Anastasia took as a silent invitation to enter. "I found Jeremy Gi-" Anastasia started to say only to let out a scream, hand coming up to cover her mouth as she processed the sight before her.
A newly showered Kol wearing only a towel hanging dangerously low on his hips was staring back at her in amusement, water dripping from his damp hair down his skin. A smirk stretched across his face, not showing any sign of embarrassment of being caught half-naked; though, she supposed he didn't have anything to be embarrassed about.
"Sorry, the door was open," Anastasia apologised, suddenly finding the ceiling rather interesting as she turned her back to him. During the first seventeen years of her life, Anastasia lived the sheltered life of a grand duchess, meaning the only interactions she had with boys her age were strictly supervised and courteous. After that she'd been under strict watch from the Original Hybrid and while she had a few short 'romances' when Niklaus wasn't there to murder the poor boy, she could not claim to be an expert in these situations. "Uh, I just wanted to tell you that I think I know where Jeremy Gilbert will be tonight."
"That's splendid, princess," Kol said, amusement clear in his voice. He loved this. "Didn't your mother teach you it is bad manners to turn your back to the person you're speaking to?"
"Trust me, if my mother saw this – me having my back turn would be the least of her worries," Anastasia muttered. She could only imagine the Empress of Russia's pure horror if she'd walked in on her youngest daughter and a half-naked man.
Kol chuckled and Anastasia froze when he suddenly stood right behind her. He did not touch her in any way, but she'd only have to step back a few millimetres for that to change. "You were saying something about Jared's-"
"Jeremy's."
"- whereabouts," Kol finished, unbothered by the correction. He'd not remember the name anyway. "Care to share?"
"We could wait until you're more – appropriately dressed," Anastasia told him, intending to leave the room; suddenly it felt rather awkward that she hadn't left immediately. "I should probably call Nik anyway. He'll be waiting for an update."
Anastasia managed to take one step before she bumped into Kol's chest, sending her stumbling backwards, "I hate that vampire speed," Anastasia narrowed her eyes up at him, tilting her head upwards to avoid her gaze getting stuck on the v-line visible above the towel. It would not be good for his already big ego.
"There is a party tonight at one of Jeremy's classmates' house," Anastasia revealed, hoping that giving him the information he wanted would get her out of this with some dignity. "It's our best shot right now."
Not to mention that a party would be the perfect opportunity to approach Jeremy without alerting suspicion. The only parties she'd ever attended were balls or masquerades but if tv-series or movies had some truth to them these kind of high school parties tended to get out of hand; a guest list was never set in stone – with the guests inviting their friends, who invited their friends and so on – meaning they hopefully could just blend in.
"Sounds thrilling," Kol said dryly. "I can't remember the last time I attended a real party."
"Old age does that to one's memory," Anastasia patted his shoulder. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about."
.•° ♛ °•.
Ten seconds into Anastasia's first high school party and she'd already determined that she was no fan. It was held in a fairly big house – nothing compared to the Mikaelson mansion but she supposed it was more spacious than an average home – but with all the teenages inside, it felt like entering a shoe box. Some kind of horrendous music blared from the loudspeakers, loud enough to burst a few eardrums.
Some guests were dancing wildly to the music, some of them even singing along though very few of them seemed to be singing the same lyrics, while others were lounging around on the couches or outside in the garden. The scent of sweat and cheap alcohol mixed together in the hot air, making her crave for the crisp autumn winds outside.
"This is both exactly what I expected and everything I feared it would be," Anastasia concluded, nose scrunching up in distaste as she witnessed a boy and girl making out on the couch while a few others cheered on. "Classy."
"Don't be a prude, princess," Kol smirked, probably feeling right at home amongst the chaos. Unlike Elijah who'd have looked like a fish out of water in a place like this, Kol fitted right in. Wearing a black leather jacket over a fitted light blue shirt underneath accompanied by a pair of dark washed jeans, he looked like he belonged there.
"I'm a prude for not wanting to witness two strangers procreate?" Anastasia rolled her eyes, absentmindedly playing with the hem of her skirt. Despite not being one to wear skirts on a regular basis — since pants or shorts were better suited for lounging around an empty house — she'd decided to wear one tonight.
A simple black high-waisted skirt that went about halfway down her thighs matched with a blue tank top. Since it was October she wore a black leather jacket and a pair of white sneakers. Scanning the room quickly, checking what the other girls at the party wore, she determined that her clothes were somewhat suitable.
"Now let's-" Anastasia didn't get to finish her sentence before she was rudely interrupted by a stranger.
"Hello, I don't believe we've met," a girl with dark hair and hazel eyes said, attention fully focused on Kol. "I'm Laura."
"Kol," the Original smirked, not even bothering to hide the way his eyes scanned Laura up and down — probably because said girl was doing the exact same thing to him. The answer to the question 'how many pretty girls did it take to make one Original Vampire completely forget his mission' was apparently one.
"I haven't seen you around school, are you a friend of David?" Laura asked, giving Kol the same gooey eyes Maria would give the young soldiers she encountered at the palace or during their family holidays.
"You could say that," Kol played along, though he could probably have bluntly told Laura they were crashing the party without her caring.
Anastasia must have scoffed louder than she intended upon being forced to witness this terribly dry flirting because Laura's attention turned to her, demeanour changing a bit, "Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there."
Was she supposed to feel insulted?
"Are you Kol's friend?" Laura asked, turning the attention back towards Kol, smiling sweetly.
"No," Anastasia snorted before having thought it through.
"Oh, are you his — sister then?" Laura questioned hopefully, glancing between the two like she was trying to find some feature they had in common.
"Yes, sister," Kol nodded, offering the human another charming smile. Of course it took less than a minute for Kol to get hit on at a high school party.
"I'll leave you two then," Anastasia faked a smile. As she walked away, she whispered, "Don't kill the poor girl, jackass."
After spending the upcoming twenty minutes casually strolling through the party in search of Jeremy, Anastasia was ready to punch the next drunk boy that tried to strike up a conversation with her — why she could not understand — and the screaming from those butchering Only Girl (In the World) started giving her a headache.
Therefore, she made her way out onto the porch overlooking the backyard. For once luck seemed to be on her side because she wasn't alone in her need for some fresh air. At the bottom of the steps leading down to the neatly cut lawn sat a young boy with light brown hair.
It took Anastasia a few seconds to make out his features in the dark since he wasn't facing her. But upon catching a glimpse of his face she realised that she'd found Jeremy Gilbert. Grateful that she didn't have to attend this torturous party for nothing, she first considered going back inside to find Kol.
Only she quickly changed her mind. Jeremy was human meaning he didn't exactly pose a threat to the siphon. Not to mention, Kol was a loose cannon that likely was too busy with that girl whose name Anastasia forgot — she'd never been good with names.
Realising that she couldn't stand there forever without it becoming borderline creepy, Anastasia started walking towards him. "Not one for parties, huh?" Anastasia said and Jeremy flinched, having been so deep in his own thoughts that he didn't hear her approach. "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."
"No, I was just — I didn't think anyone else was out here," Jeremy stumbled over his words, hand coming up to rub the back of his neck.
"Can I sit?" Anastasia wondered, nodding towards the empty space next to him on the staircase.
"Be my guest," Jeremy moved to the side, giving her more room. His shoes apparently became very interesting as she lowered herself to sit on the step beside him.
"I just needed some fresh air," Anastasia said, arms coming to rest against her legs; her governess would have had a heart attack if she saw the grand duchess with a posture similar to the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
"No, I get it," Jeremy said, throwing her a quick glance. "It gets a little stuffy in there."
"I'm Anya, by the way," she held out her hand for him to shake.
"Jeremy," he shook it with a crooked smile. Anastasia had to admit, he was kind of cute. "Are you new around here? I haven't seen you around before."
"Do you know everyone in Denver?" Anastasia raised an eyebrow in question, keeping a smile on her face to make sure he knew she was joking.
"No," Jeremy chuckled, awkwardly rubbing his neck again. "I suppose not. I'm still not used to the big city life. After growing up in a small town, I'm used to recognising everyone around me."
"So you're new around here too then?" Anastasia played along. Jeremy had been compelled to leave town, but she didn't know exactly what he'd been compelled to forget. "Where did you move from?"
"Mystic Falls," Jeremy replied. "It's in Virginia. Pretty close to Richmond."
"Can't say I've heard of it," Anastasia shook her head.
"I'd be impressed if you had," Jeremy said. "So where did you move here from?"
"What makes you think I'm not a born and raised Denverite?" Anastasia said, wondering where Kol was when she needed him. While he caused her more headaches than anything else, he was more of a smooth talker.
"The accent is a bit of a giveaway," Jeremy pointed out. "It doesn't exactly scream Denver."
"Right, I forgot about that," Anastasia said sheepishly. "What does it scream then?"
"I want to say England, but at the same time not," Jeremy guessed, not quite capable of placing her accent. About half a century ago, Niklaus commented on how her Russian accent had disappeared completely, which likely had something to do with how she'd spoken English with him.
"I've moved around a lot as a child," Anastasia told him. "Most recently from Scotland – but I've lived in England too. As well as Ireland, Wales, France, Austria and a few other places."
"Wow, I'm jealous," Jeremy said, "I've lived in Mystic Falls my entire life. At least until I moved here."
"Travelling has its charm," Anastasia nodded. "But sometimes it's nice having a permanent place to call home."
For Anastasia, that place had been Alexander Palace located near the town of Tsarskoye Selo about 48 kilometres away from Saint Petersburg. The palace had originally been commissioned by Catherine the Great and white it had been used as a summer residence by previous tsars and their families, her parents made it their permanent residence when Anastasia was around four years old.
Even during the stormy years of the First World War followed by the revolution, the Romanov family had been sheltered inside Alexander Palace. Unlike the Winter Palace – who also had a special place in her heart – Alexander Palace offered seclusion which was greatly appreciated for a child that felt constantly watched.
"Why did you move here, if I may ask?" Anastasia changed the subject, pushing the thoughts of her former life to the back of her head where they belonged. Noticing how his playful demeanour disappeared to be replaced by a frown, she added, "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that."
"No, it's okay," Jeremy assured her. "My parents died a while back and – I guess I haven't been in the best place since then. Then my aunt – who was my guardian – also died – it's just been a lot. So my sister thought I needed some distance from everything."
"I'm sorry for your loss," Anastasia said sympathetically, knowing the pain of losing your parents at a young age. "Did your sister come with you to Denver?" she asked, despite already knowing the answer.
"No, she didn't," Jeremy scoffed. Whatever Damon compelled him to forget clearly didn't eliminate the underlying bitterness of being sent away. "She prefers making life-altering decisions for me rather than herself."
"That's what older siblings do," Anastasia snorted.
"Do you have any older siblings?" Jeremy asked and it took all the willpower Anastasia had to not display any sign of how much that mere question felt like a knife to the heart.
"Yes, three older sisters," Anastasia said, "so I understand your pain."
"Three," Jeremy whistled, "that's rough. I can barely handle one. I mean, I love Elena but sometimes she acts more like a mother than a sister."
"Older siblings have a tendency to become a second set of parents," Anastasia said, thinking back to how Olga and Tatiana often tried to keep her in line during public events when their parents were busy. Especially Tatiana who despite being the second eldest always acted more like a leader than Olga. Whenever they wanted a favour, the grand duchesses would send Tatiana as a representative to ask their parents. "I hated it when I was younger but – well, I guess I've grown to appreciate it all more now-"
"Darling! There you are!"
Jeremy and Anastasia both turned their heads to see Kol approaching them with a wide grin — one that only could mean trouble. "I almost thought you ditched me here."
"I considered it," Anastasia replied drily as Kol descended the stairs and for some reason he made the decision to jump between them so that he landed on the grass in front of the stairs instead, facing Jeremy who remained seated next to her. "Jeremy, meet Kol, my b-"
"Boyfriend," Kol finished and thankfully Jeremy's attention was on him, otherwise he'd have noticed the siphon's wide eyed look. "It's nice meeting you, mate," he held out a hand for the Gilbert boy to shake.
"Likewise," Jeremy said politely, averting his gaze from Kol to Anastasia who quickly covered up her bewilderment.
"So, Jeremy, what does one do for fun in Denver?" Anastasia asked, hoping to change the subject from the weird position Kol put them all in. "I don't suppose you have one of the Seven Wonders of the World here?"
"Not exactly," Jeremy chuckled. "And it depends on what you like."
"Hmm, spending time outdoors is always nice," Anastasia said, having missed being able to move freely in nature during her time in Mystic Falls. Being trapped in the mansion felt almost like being on house arrest in Ipatiev House again. Sheltered from the outside world because of the danger that lurked in the shadows.
"Maybe the Centennial Flower Gardens," Jeremy suggested. "Mrs. Andersson – that's the woman I live with – says it's a lovely park to go for a hike in."
"That sounds nice, doesn't it, Kol?" Anastasia turned to the Original who didn't even bother hiding his scowl.
"I can imagine very few things I want to do less," Kol stated bluntly, earning a glare from her. He couldn't even pretend to be a somewhat kind boyfriend after he pushed them into this lie. "But if that's what you want to do, princess, I shall gladly accompany you."
"I'm such a lucky girl," Anastasia said with a sarcastic smile. "Tell me, Jeremy, is there anything to do in Denver that would be considered amusing for the primitive male mind? Preferably something requiring minimal intelligence and a lot of testosterone?"
Jeremy laughed awkwardly, not sure if this was loving banter between the couple or not. "The batting cages maybe," he suggested, turning to Kol who scowled at Anastasia. "If you like baseball, that is."
"As a matter of fact, I do," Kol smirked, once more switching his attention to the Gilbert boy. "Maybe we could go together some day. Unfortunately, Anya can't grasp the beauty of the sport." At that comment, she rolled her eyes. "She prefers watching eleven grown men chase a ball across a field."
"Twenty-two men," Anastasia corrected. "And I can stand behind that because football is far superior to baseball." Realising that she probably shouldn't have redirected the conversation from Kol asking Jeremy to hang out, she added, "But you two should totally go to the batting cages together, Jeremy. And I can come too to criticise you both even though I couldn't have done it better myself."
"Yeah, that sounds cool," Jeremy nodded, hand going into his pocket to search for his phone. Normally, he'd try to avoid being the third-wheel for some couple he didn't even know, but Anya and Kol didn't act like one of those love-sick couples. In fact, they were quite amusing. "Give me your number, and we'll set a time."
"Perfect," Anastasia said, quickly typing in her number. Before giving the phone back, she sent herself a message to get the Gilbert boys number too. In the meantime, Jeremy and Kol conversed about their shared love for smacking a tiny ball with a bat. Until Kol had enough chit-chatting — this was likely the longest he'd gone without threatening a human ever — and made up an excuse for them to leave.
They duo said their goodbyes to Jeremy and as they walked around the house — opting to not return to the battlefield of drunken teenagers inside — Kol had a hand on the small of her back. Though the moment they were out of sight from Jeremy, Anastasia smacked it away.
"What the hell?" she whisper-yelled as they walked down the street towards their car. "How come when that girl asked, I was your sister — but when a guy asked I was your girlfriend?"
"My brother threatened to dagger me and throw me into the Pacific Ocean if I let any boy within an inappropriate distance from you," Kol shrugged his shoulders in a casual manner, doing a very good job looking anywhere except at her. "And to clarify, an appropriate distance is to be measured by the standards of the 1800s."
"So I'm not allowed to converse privately or spend time unchaperoned with anyone of the opposite gender?" Anastasia said monotonously. It felt like being back in her father's court again.
"I don't make the rules," Kol said, holding up his hands in fake surrender
"Since when have you followed them?" Anastasia raised an eyebrow as she stopped walking. "And more importantly – since when do you listen to Nik?"
"This might be difficult for you to understand, little Princess," Kol said in an overly sweet voice, brushing a few locks of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear, "but I'm from a time where we were taught to respect our elders. So when my older brother asks me to do something, I do it."
Anastasia fixed him with a blank stare, "You are just being a git." She started walking towards the car again, not even bothering to see if he followed her. Truth be told, she didn't know exactly why she was so angry with him; probably because they, on top of having to act like normal humans, now had to behave like a couple too.
"Tsk, tsk, my princess," Kol taunted. "That's not a proper language."