(This chapter will contain assault and rape! Be warned!)
Dear diary,
Today will be different. It has to be. I will smile, and it will be believable. My smile will say 'I'm fine, thank you', 'yes, I feel much better'. I will no longer be the sad little girl who lost her parents. I will start fresh, be someone new. It's the only way I'll make through.
Elena Gilbert sighs as she reads over her day's entry and closes the little green book. She slips it into her bag before she heads down the stairs where she finds her aunt, Jenna Sommers, busting around the kitchen in a hurry.
Jenna opens up the fridge as her niece enters the kitchen. "Toast. I can make toast."
"It's all about the coffee, aunt Jenna," Elena states.
"Is there coffee?" The youngest Gilbert, Jeremy, asks as he saunters into the kitchen fully dressed.
"Your first day of school and I'm totally unprepared," Jenna claims, already exhausted. "Lunch money?" She holds out a wad of money.
"I'm good," Elena claims as Jeremy snatches the cash.
"Anything else?" Jenna asks. "A number two pencil? What am I missing?"
"Don't you have a big presentation today?" Elena asks her.
"I'm meeting my these advisor at..." Jenna holds her wrist up and she checks her watch. "Now. Crap!"
"Then go," Elena insists. "We'll be fine."
When Jenna rushes out, Elena turns to her brother and asks if he's okay. Jeremy just brushes by her and he walks out.
<><><>
Ryan Gilbert looks at her step-dad, Alaric Saltzman, as he gets ready for work. She lives with him in Boston, Massachusetts. She was living with him and her mom, Isobel, but she's went missing. That's what Alaric and Ryan want them to know.
"Do you have to go?" Ryan asks Ric. "I'm homeschooled, and you know I get lonely when you're at work."
"I know, Ryan, but I have to in order to support our alcoholic ways," Alaric muses. "You like you're bourbon, correct?"
"I get that from you, papa Ric," Ryan teases. "I might call my dad later."
Alaric nods. "That will be good for you."
Ryan smiles and she grabs her history text book. "I have work to do, papa Ric. Get to the high school."
Ric smiles at her. "Ryan, the adoption should final within the next few days and you'll officially be mine."
"I know, and I can't wait to change my last name to Saltzman," Ryan says.
Ryan and Alaric agreed when the adoption process started before Isobel went missing that once its complete and Alaric has fully and officially adopted Ryan as his, Ryan could change her last name to Saltzman. John Gilbert, Ryan's biological father, agreed to let Alaric to adopt Ryan. He even signed his rights over, and they'll be gone as soon as the adoption's final.
"He's your dad until this case is finalized," Alaric says. "John better enjoy it."
Ryan grins and she nods. "He does." She opens her history book before pulling her wavy, brown hair into a messy bun before diving into her studies.
Alaric smiles down at the girl before he leaves the apartment they live in, Alaric rented it after Isobel went missing and he kept raising Ryan.
<><><><>
Elena has gotten a ride to school with her best friend, Bonnie Bennett. She and Bonnie have been friends for as long as Elena can remember. Bonnie's parents are divorced but she lives with her dad, and she spends quite a bit of time at her grandmother's house.
"So Grams is telling me I'm psychic," Bonnie says and she soon begins to ramble. "Our ancestors were from Salem, witches and all that, I know, crazy, but she's going on and on about it, and I'm like, put this woman in a home already! But I started thinking, I predicted Obama and I predicted Heath Ledger, and I still think Florida will break off and turn into little resort islands..."
While Bonnie was rambling on about Grams and witches, Elena has zoned out. Elena does that quite a bit, thinking about her dead parents and the accident. The accident is glued to her head and she can't seem to shake it.
"Elena!" Bonnie exclaims when she noticed. "Back in the car."
"I did it again, didn't I?" Elena sighs sadly. "I - - I'm sorry, Bonnie. You were telling me..."
"That I'm psychic now," Bonnie retorts.
"Right..." Elena muses. "Okay, then predict something. About me."
"I see..."
Bonnie is cut off quickly by a bird hiding the windshield of her car. Bonnie presses her brakes quickly and swerves herb car to a stop. She looks at Elena quickly, who's eyes are wide and she's breathing heavier than normal.
"What was that?!" Bonnie shrieks as she looks out the windshield and she looks back to her panicked best friend. "Oh, my god! Elena, are you okay?"
"It's okay," Elena breathes. "I'm fine."
"It was like a bird or something," Bonnie claims. "It came out of nowhere."
"Really, I can't be freaked out by cars for the rest of my life," Elena replies to Bonnie I'm a soft voice.
Bonnie turns her body to face Elena. "I predict this year is going to be kickass. And I predict all the sad and dark times are over and you are going to be beyond happy."
Bonnie turns back to the stirring wheel and she starts her car back up and drives, the crow they hit perched on top of the Mystic Falls road sign like nothing happened.
<><><><><>
"Major lack of male real estate," Bonnie states as she and Elena walk through the high school. "Look at the shower curtain on Kelly Beach. She looks like a hit — can I still say tranny mess?"
"No, that's over," Elena replies as they stop by Bonnie's locker.
"Ahh, find a man, coin a phrase," Bonnie muses. "It's a busy year."
Elena looks across the hall and sees her ex boyfriend, Matt Donovan. They broke up because Elena wasn't talking to many people after her parents died, and she didn't want to do that to him, he's too good a guy. Elena waves at Matt in greeting; but Matt just slams his locker closed and walks away, ignoring Elena.
"He hates me," Elena sighs.
"That's not hate," Bonnie says. "That's 'you dumped me, but I'm too cool to show it, but I'm secretly listening to Air Supply's greatest hits'."
<><><><><>
Ryan furrows her eyebrows as someone knocks on her door; school is technically still in session, they don't get out for another few hours. Ryan scoffs, she knows exactly who is at the door.
Ryan plays her open Trig book on the coffee table before she walks to her bedroom. She wraps a long cardigan around her body dressed in a black spaghetti strap and some shorts, and she open the door. Ryan's ex boyfriend, Pete Layfield, is standing there with his hands in his pockets.
Pete is nineteen and he's a high school graduate. He graduated last year and that's when he and Ryan broke up.
"Hey, Ry," Pete greets.
Ryan sighs, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them. "What do you want, Pete?" She sneers. She had found out after Pete broke up with her that he had been cheating the entire relationship. "You're not welcome here," Ryan says bitchily.
Pete narrows his eyes. "I'm here to see you, Ryan, be grateful, you bitch."
Ryan slings her hand and she slaps the hell out of Pete. "That right there is why you're not welcome here, Pete Layfield! You're nothing but an Asshole and I'm glad you broke up with me. I deserve the best and you, Pete, are the worst."
Pete's nostrils flare. "You're mine, you little bitch, always." He eyes her up and down, his eyes lingering on Ryan's tanned legs a tad bit. "I'll be back tomorrow."
Ryan swallows the lump in her throat as she closes the door and leans across it. Ryan grabs her phone and she texts Alaric.
To: Ric
Pete waz here! Papa Ric, I'm scared.
Ryan sends it and she sits on the floor, against the door, and cries.
<><><><>
"Elena, oh, my god!" Caroline Forbes gasps as she hugs her friend before pulling away. "How are you? Oh, it's good to see you." She turns to Bonnie, who is already looking at her. "How is she? Is she good?"
"Caroline, I'm right here," Elena says. "And I'm fine. Thank you."
"Really?" Caroline coos as she looks back at the brunette.
"Yes," Elena replies, attempting to put on a smile. "Much better."
"Oh, you poor thing!" Caroline coos and she hugs Elena once again.
"Okay, Caroline," Elena says awkwardly as she pays Caroline's back,
"Oh!" Caroline gasps and she finally backs away. "Okay, see you guys later?"
"Ok! Bye!" Bonnie looks at Elena with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm not going to say anything," Elena muses.
<><><><><>
"Hold up," Bonnie says as she and Elena stop outside the office. "Who's this?"
Elena follows Bonnie's gaze and sees a new kid, his back turned to them. "All I see is back."
"It's a bit back," Bonnie replies as they watch him get registered. "I'm sensing Seattle, and he plays the guitar."
"You're really going to run this whole psychic thing into the ground, huh?" Elena asks with an amused grin.
"Pretty much," Bonnie replies.
"Jeremy, good batch, man!" A student calls as a stoned Jeremy walks through the halls.
"I'll be right back."
<><><><>
To calm her shaking nerves, Ryan goes to the only bathroom in the two bedroom apartment and she runs a hot bath with no cold water. She needs to wash away the nerves, in super hot water. The heat of the water doesn't even phase Ryan as she slips in.
Ryan rolls up a towel and lays back, resting her neck on the towel. She lays there until the water cools and she takes a small shower to wash the dirty water off and she attempts to get back to work on her Trig.
<><><><><><><><>
"Once our home state of Virginia joined the confederacy in 1861, it created a tremendous amount of tension within other states," mr. Tanner lectures in his history class. "People in Virginia's northwest region had different ideals than those from the traditional Deep South. Then Virginia divided in 1863 with the northwest region joining the union."
Elena's phone buzzes in her pocket as mr. Tanner continues talking about the confederacy and Virginia. Elena glances at the teacher before pulling her cellphone out. It's from Bonnie.
From: Bonnie
HAWT-E STARING @ U
Elena furrows her eyebrows and she glanced back at Stefan, who is looking at her with a small grin. Elena blushes slightly and she turns to the front.
<><><><>
"Ryan, are you okay?" Alaric asks when he gets home. "I read your text when the students went to lunch... what did Pete want?"
"He... he said I was his and that he... he'd be back tomorrow," Ryan says.
Alaric closes his eyes he leans against the desk in the small living room. "I'll get a sub and stay home."
"No. Papa Ric, don't," Ryan says. "I'll be fine. Remember? You've been training me to hunt vamps. I can take on a human being."
Alaric sighs. "Are you sure?"
"Who else is going to support our alcohol problem?" Ryan asks with a grin, feeling better already. "You want me to finish school before I work, remember?"
"Right," Alaric smiles. "I know how easily distracted you are, Ryan. That's why I said that."
"I know," Ryan replies. "You get to work tomorrow." She sighs. "And tomorrow night, another training session in the woods?"
Alaric nods. "Yes, ma'am. Be ready."
Ryan nods and Alaric heads to the bathroom for a shower.
<><><><>
Dear diary,
I made it through the day. I must have says, 'I'm fine, thanks,' at least thirty-seven times. And I didn't mean it once. And no one noticed. When someone asks, 'how are you?', they don't really want an answer.
Elena looks up as she hears a noise and finds a black crow on top of her parents' grave.
"Okay... hi, bird," Elena greets warily. "That's not creepy or anything." Elena waves her diary and says, "shoo!"
The crow flies away and Elena smirks in satisfaction. But as she turns around, the crow returns and Elena gasps. She grows nervous as fog begins to form around Elena mystically.
Elena looks around the cemetery quickly and she sees a silhouette of a man and she gasps she takes off running but ends up tripping. She slowly stands up and she sees the new kid standing there. He's more attractive now than he was as than she saw him outside the men's room now that she's right in front of him, no one else around.
"You okay?" The guy asks her.
"Were you following me?" Elena asks.
"No," he replies, "I - a, I just- I saw you fell."
"Uh huh, and just happened to be hanging out in a cemetery," Elena raises an eyebrow in suspicion.
"Oh wow, tactless," Elena sighs. "I'm sorry. It's the fog, it's making me foggy. And back there, there was this - this bird, and it was all very Hitchcock for a second. That is the bird movie, right, the Hitchcock?...." Elena pauses and she stops rambling, suddenly embarrassed. "I'm Elena."
"I'm Stefan," the guy smiles.
"I know," Elena replies. "We have History together."
"And English and French," Stefan adds.
"Right..."
Stefan reaches his hand out and Elena grows nervous. The vampire smiled at the girl as he pulls a leaf from her straight, brown hair.
"Thanks..." Elena says and she sees Stefan's hand. "Nice ring."
"Oh," Stefan says and he looks at it. "Um, it's a family ring, yeah. I'm kinda stuck with it. It's weird, huh?"
"No, no," Elena denies quickly. "It's just, I mean, there are rings and then there's that."
Stefan suddenly tenses as they scent finally hits him. "Did you hurt yourself?" He asks.
"Hmm?" Elena hums.
"Did you hurt yourself?" Stefan asks once more.
"Oh, uh, I don't know." Elena places her foot onto a nearby rock and she rolls up the leg of her jeans. "Oh!" She gasps as she sees a cut, bleeding pretty good. "Would you look at that... that is not pretty."
The scent of Elena's blood hits Stefan like a ton of bricks and he turns quickly as his face transforms. Elena notices and she looks at him.
"Are you okay?" Elena asksn
"You should go," Stefan says as Elena looks at her wound, "take care of that."
"Really, it's nothing," Elena says and she turns around, but Stefan is already gone, he just... Vanished.
<><><><><>
Ryan leaves her room when nightfall comes and she finds Alaric on his computer, either buying more vampire hunting weapons or researching them, she doesn't know. She grabs the menus from the kitchen counter and she returns to the living room.
"Papa Ric, which one?" Ryan asks as she holds up the menus.
Alaric turns around and he looks at the choices. "Japanese."
"Yay! You know I like their sushi pizza," Ryan muses. "What do you want?"
"Crab will do," Alaric replies.
Ryan nods and she walks back into the kitchen. She grabs the cordless off its receiver and she pressed in the number to their local Japanese restaurant here in Boston.
<><><><><>
"I'm meeting Bonnie at the Grill," Elena says to her aunt.
"Okay, have fun," Jenna says and she stops, she looks at her niece. "Wait, I got this. Don't stay out late, it's a school night."
"Well done, aunt Jenna," Elena coos and she opens the door and finds Stefan there. "Oh!"
"Sorry, I was about to knock," Stefan claims. "I wanted to apologize for my disappearing act earlier. I know it was... strange."
"No worries," Elena replies. "I get it, blood makes you squeamish."
"Uh... something like that," Stefan says. "How's your leg?"
"Oh, it's fine," Elena says. "Just a scratch, barely. How did you know where I lived?"
"It's a small town. I asked the first person I saw," Stefan replies. "I thought you might want this back." Stefan moves the arm behind his back and he hands Elena her diary.
"Oh,I must have dropped it," Elena says as she takes it. "I - - thank you."
"Don't worry, I didn't... read it," Stefan assures the beautiful girl.
"No?" Elena raises an eyebrow. "Why not? Most people would have."
"Well, i wouldn't want smuonr to read mine," Stefan replies.
"You keep a journal?" Elena asks, genuinely surprised.
"Yeah, if I don't write it down, I forget it," Stefan replies. "Memories are too important."
"Yeah," Elena responds. "I'm just gonna.... um, you don't have to stay out there..." and she disappears inside.
Stefan goes to enter but he can't. "I'm fine," he says and she reappears with a jacket. "Sorry, were you going somewhere?"
"Yeah, I'm meeting a friend," Elena reploes. "Do you want to come?"
<><><><>
Ryan gets the food as it's delivered and then Alaric opens the door as Ryan's friend, Myra Landburger, shows up for a visit.
"Are we twilight binging again?" Alaric groans. "Please tell me no."
"No," Myra replies. "I was thinking either Avatar or Zombieland. Which do you prefer, mister Saltzman?"
"Zombieland," Alaric replies quickly. "Love that movie."
"Good choice," Myra says.
"I ordered you something," Ryan says and Alaric gives her a look. "I invited her over, papa Ric."
"Of course you did," Alaric sighs. "So Myra, when are your parents going to let you bring your 2012 movie over so I can finally watch it?"
"Next time, promise," Myra replies as she puts the dvd into the player. "Let's eat Japanese food and watch Zombieland!"
Alaric laughs at Myra's happiness. He's always found her strange but he adores her. She is great to Ryan and she keeps her mooned lifted, especially since that vampire got Isobel in in front of him. Alaric hasn't told Ryan who did it or what they look like, he couldn't tell her because Ryan and Isobel weren't close.
With how little Isobel thought of Ryan, Ryan wouldn't vote. Alaric was the main one raising Ryan, honestly, and it'd why he's adopting her. She's more his than she is Isobel's and John's.
<><><><>
Elena and Stefan enter the Grill together and Matt walks up to them. People are watching ad the scene portrays, no one knows what Matt is up to.
"Hey, I'm matt," Matt says to Stefan, "nice to meet you."
"Hi," Stefan shakes his hand. "Stefan."
"Hey," Elena greets.
"Hey," Matt greets in return before leaving.
Elena leads Stefan over to the table and Caroline bounds over. Elena sighs and she looks at Bonnie, who looks apologetic. She smiles at Stefan.
"So," Caroline starts, "you were born in Mystic Falls?"
"Mmhmm, and moved when I was still going," Stefan replies.
"Parents?" Bonnie asks, trying to get to know him as well.
Stefan looks down. "My parents passed away."
"I'm sorry," Elena coos. "Any siblings?"
"None that I talk to," Stefan replies. "I live with my uncle."
"So, Stefan, if you're new, then you don't know about the party tomorrow," Caroline states.
"It's a back to school thing at the falls," Bonnie explains.
Stefan smiles and then he looks at Elena. "Are you going?"
Bonnie grins teasingly. "Of course she is."
<><><><>
"Pete threatened you!?" Myra yells as she and Ryan go to Ryan's room, Alaric has a big mouth. "Why didn't you text me immediately!? You know I graduated with that sorry asshole!"
Ryan looks down and she sighs. "I'm sorry, Myra. I wasn't thinking about that. I needed a hot bath to wash away my demons."
"No wonder your skin seems darker as if burned," Myra says in a scolding tone. "How many times do I have to tell you, Ryan Marie, use some cold!"
"Stop bitching at me!" Ryan exclaims. "Oh, my god, Myra! I'm sorry I didn't text you as soon as Pete left, I'm sorry I was too shaky. I barely texted dad!"
Myra and Ryan both freeze when Ryan calls Alaric 'dad'. Alaric was about to go in and stop their arguing when he heard her say dad and he can't help but tear up. Ryan has never called him dad before now, it was always 'papa Ric'.
"Are you okay now?" Myra asks softly.
Ryan sighs. "Yeah. I want to be alone."
Myra nods. "I'll swing by tomorrow afternoon to check on you while Ric is teaching."
Ryan nods and she hugs her best friend. Myra hugs Ryan tightly before she walks outside.
"Don't fo check on her for another hour," Myra says to Alaric when she reaches the living room. "Let her cool off."
When Alaric nods, Myra leaves the apartment and goes to her own that's on the top floor of the same apartment building.
(Myra is Portrayed by Selena Gomez)
<><><><>
(This section will contain rape, you have been warned)
Ryan wakes up on the couch to a knocking on the door. She looks at the time - 8:43am, school is going on and Alaric is gone. Ryan opens the door, thinking Myra is coming by early but Ryan pales when she sees Pete.
"I told you," Pete purrs as he enters the apartment. "Is your dad here?"
"He-he's at work," Ryan replies.
"You're alone?" Pete smirks even bigger. "Perfect."
Pete grabs Ryan's face and he kisses her. Ryan struggles against him; Pete pulls away and he slaps Ryan across the face. And with the strength he got from playing football throughout middle and high school, it knocks Ryan to her butt.
Pete grabs Ryan by the shoulders and he yanks her up roughly and he kisses her forcefully again. Ryan knees him in between the legs and she takes off running through the apartment to find the pistol in her room - Alaric has made her keep a gun under her bed, just in case.
Pete growls out in fury as he stands back up and he follows Ryan into her bedroom he grabs her by her hair and pulls her back, against him. Pete's grip on Ryan's hip is hard enough to leave dark bruises. Pete throats Ryan onto her bed and he walks to her pillow and takes the gun. He's not as stupid as Ryan thinks he is.
Pete unloads the gun and he puts it at the top of Ryan's closet. He sees Ryan attempting to run again and he grabs her hair and throws her onto the wooden floor. He rips her spaghetti strap in half, showing him that she is braless. He grins creepily at her and he roughy gropes her average sized breasts.
Ryan sobs and she grimaces in pain at the harsh grip. Pete remover her shorts and sees some of the underwear he bought her last year when they were together. He smirks and he snaps them off. He knows that Ryan's a virgin but Pete just doesn't care.
Pete removes his jeans and his boxers as he looks at Ryan's naked body, he doesn't care if she's all bruised and beaten and crying, all Pete sees is a vagina that needs violated. Pete strokes himself until he gets himself hard.
"This will be perfect," Pete muses.
Ryan looks at Pete in horror. "P-Pete, no, please, n...."
Pete slaps her across the face to shut her up and he forces himself inside her. Ryan cried out in pain ash she sobs even louder. She's crying and suddenly, a gun goes off and Pete falls onto Ryan's body.
"Ryan!" Myra exclaims as she rushes to her friend, with Ric behind her - Ric got a sub as soon as Myra told him she saw Pete at the door. "Ric, get him off of her."
Alaric doesn't have to be told twice as he grabs Pete's dead body and throws him roughly to the floor.
Ryan is a sobbing mess while Myra holds her. Alaric pulls out his cellphone to call 911.
<><><><><>
Elena is in her history class, and mr. Tanner is teaching. Elena is sitting in the row beside Stefan, a few desks up. Bonnie is sat in a back desk, and so is Matt.
"The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war right in our very own Mystic Falls," mr. Tanner lectures. "How many casualties resulted in this battle? Ms. Bennett?"
"Um..." Bonnie bites on the eraser end of her pencil. "A lot? I'm not sure. Like, a whole lot."
"Cute becomes dumb in an instant, ms. Bennett," Tanner scolds. "Mr. Donovan? Would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?"
"It's okay, mr. Tanner, I'm cool with it," Matt claims as he leans back in his desk in the back of the room.
"Hmm," Tanner hums and he looks around for his next victim. "Elena? Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events?"
"I'm sorry," Elena says softly, "I- - I don't know."
"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena," Tanner says and Elena's face falls. "But the personal excuses ended with summer break."
"There were 364 casualties," Stefan says as he comes to Elena's defense. "Unless you're counting the local civilians."
"That's correct," Tanner says. "Mister...?"
"Salvatore,"Stefan tells him simply as he leans back in his desk, looking at the male teacher.
"Salvatore..." Tanner says, testing it. "Any relation to the original settlers her in Mystic Falls?"
Stefan sighs. "Distant."
"Well, very good," Tanner days. "Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle."
"Actually, there were twenty-seven, sir," Stefan corrects him. "Confederate soldiers, they fired on the church, believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong. It was a night of great loss. The founder's archives are, uh, stored in civil hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts."
"Hmm," Tanner hums as he narrows his eyes at Stefan, the others in the class look impresses.
<><><><>
After the rape kit, Ryan lays in her hospital bed, numb. She hadn't cried since she stopped, half way to the hospital on the ambulance. She feels as if she has no more tears to cry. She hates it. Crying so much that she can't cry anymore. She didn't cry when Isobel was attacked by a vampire, Ryan thanked it.
Isobel was neglectful, it was as if she kept forgetting about Ryan. Ryan was glad when Isobel married Alaric, because she knew he was a good man. He had that good guy vibe going on about him. He took over the role as mom and dad, he raided Ryan and is waiting for the adoption to finalize to give his daughter his last name.
"Ryan?" Alaric says as he enters the room. "How are you feeling?"
"Numb," Ryan replies. "Dad, I don't have anymore tears left."
Alaric sits in the chair beside her bed. "You might have some happy ones."
"Why would I be happy right now?" Ryan asks, her brown eyes full of tears.
"The adoption went through," Alaric states. "It's official, you're my daughter."
Tears fill Ryan's eyes, happy tears. "Really?"
Alaric grabs his bag and pulls some papers out. "We fill these out and your name will be Ryan Marie Saltzman."
"Oh, god, it's final," Ryan smiles. "Where's a pen? I want to be a Saltzman before I leave this hospital."
Alaric grins at the teenager and he pulls the pen from his bag. He rolls the table thing over and places the papers onto it. Ryan signs where she needs to in order to change her last name and when she's finished, Alaric leaves wirh the papers and Myra shows up to lay with Ryan for support.
"The adoption's final," Ryan murmurs happily. "Alaric is officially my dad."
Myra smiles warmly as s the two friends look each other in the eyes. "That's amazing."
Ryan nods, agreeing. She loves Alaric more than anything, he's been her dad ever since he did the stupid thing of marrying Isobel.
<><><><>
That night, Stefan arrives at the falls for this back to school party and he stops by a tree. He listens around for Elena.
"Just admit it, Elena," Bonnie muses.
"Oh, okay, so he's a little pretty," Elena scoffs.
"He has that romance novel state," Elena says.
"So, where is he?" Bonnie asks as Caroline whisks Stefan away for a drink.
Elena looks around and sighs as she turns back to her friend. "I don't know. You tell me, you're the psychic one."
"Right, I forgot," Bonnie replies. "Okay, give me a second. Grams says I have to concentrate."
"Wait, you need a crystal ball," Elena jokes.
Elena looks around for something to use and she grabs an empty beer bottle, and she hands it to Bonnie. Bonnie touches Elena's hand as she takes the bottle and she spaces out, having a weird vision and she abruptly pulls her hand away after seeing a creepy bird.
"What?" Elena asks in concern.
"That was weird," Bonnie claims. "When I touched you, I saw a crow."
Elena feels her stomach flutter. "What?"
"A cross. There was fog, a man," Bonnie shudders. "I'm drunk. It's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it. Yeah? Ok, I'm gonna get a refill." Bonnie hurries off.
"Okay? Bonnie!" She excaims and when she turns around, she finds Stefan.
"Hi," Stefan greets her.
"Hi," Elena breathes.
"I did it again, didn't I?" Stefan asks.
Elena smiles a little. "Yeah."
"I'm sorry," Stefan says. "You're upset about something."
Elena tenses slightly. "Oh, uh, no, it's - it's just Bonnie. She's... you know what? Never mind. You're... here."
"I'm here," Stefan smiles.
<><><><>
Ryan is asleep in the hospital bed when Isobel stops by. She hesitates by the blood bag with Ryan's O- blood type. She looks down at her daughter, who is an identical twin. Isobel brushes a piece of wavy hair behind Ryan's ear.
"I'm sorry, Ryan," Isobel whispers and when Ryan shifts in her sleep, Isobel flees.
<><><><>
Dear diary,
I couldn't have been more wrong. I thought I could smile, nod my way through it; pretend like it would all be ok.neithout pain. Someone alive. But it's not that easy. The bad things stay with you.
Stefan goes to Elena's window and Elena opens it.
"I know it's late," Stefan says. "But, uh... I needed to know that you were ok."
"You know, for months, that's all anyone's every wondered about me," Elena says. "If I'll be ok."
"What do you tell them?" Stefan asks.
"That I'll be fine," Elena replies.
"Do you ever mean it?"
"Ask me tomorrow," Elena says. "It's warmer inside the house, we can talk. Would you like to come in?"
"Yes," Stefan replies and he enters Elena's house.
<><><>
This was a view of Elena and Ryan's lives apart from each other. Each chapter will be like this until they finally learn about each other. Much love....
Harliquine110797