"Ava wake up."

I stirred at the impatient call of my sister and sleepily grunted in response. Before I could open my eyes I was drifting back to sleep. Within seconds was being roughly shaken awake and the blankets were ripped away.

"Go away, Elena."I muttered glaring at my sister through sleepy eyes.

"You have to get up or we'll be late for school."Elena sighed.

"Do I really have to get up? Or is this where you tell me I have to get up but we still have an hour?"I ask stifling a yawn.

"You have twenty minutes than we're leaving. I have to go wake up Jeremy."

Once Elena left I rolled out of bed and stumbled sleepily into the bathroom. In hopes of waking myself up, I splashed my face with cold water until I couldn't stand it any longer. After scrubbing my face clean I looked into the mirror. I could barely recognize the girl staring back. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't force a smile and I couldn't pretend that everything was okay. Four months ago my world shattered with the death of my parents and I refused to pretend that it didn't.

When I entered the kitchen Aunt Jenna was looking frazzled as she buzzed around the kitchen. After our parents died Jenna took custody of my siblings and I. She went from a single college student to a parent of three teenagers overnight.

"Toast! I can make toast."Jenna announced scouring the kitchen for bread.

"It's all about the coffee Aunt Jenna."Elena said as she poured herself a cup.

"Is there coffee?"My younger brother Jeremy asked as he walked into the kitchen and stole the coffee out of Elena's hands.

I sighed sadly when I looked at Jeremy. He doesn't even resemble the brother I once knew. He chopped off half of his hair and spiked up with way too much gel. He reeks of intense body spray and is dressed head to toe in black. He has even painted his fingernails black with a sharpie.

The three of us learned to grieve in different ways. Elena chose act as if nothing had changed. She busied herself with my and Jeremy's well-being rather than worrying about her own. I went a very different route. I withdrew from my normal life and fell into a depression. I barely spoke or ate for months and refused to even leave my bed most days. Jeremy had chosen to loose himself in fights and drugs. He's even started selling pills and God only knows what else to the stoners at school.

"Your guys first day of school and I'm completely unprepared."Jenna said as she ran her hands through her hair frantically. "Lunch money?"She offered holding out a few ten dollar bills.

Jeremy quickly grabbed all of the money and pocketed it before anyone else had a chance.

"Anything else? A number two pencil? What am I missing?"She asked picking up her purse.

"Don't you have a presentation today?"Elena asked.

"I'm meeting with my thesis adviser...now."She answered, looking at her watch regretfully.

"Go. We'll be fine." Elena assured her and Jenna smiled before fixing her hair and running out the front door.

Elena turned to Jeremy and I with the same sadness in her eyes that I had just seen in my own.

"Are you guys okay?"Elena asked concerned.

"Don't start."Jeremy warned before walking out of the kitchen.

"Ava?"Elena asked and I quickly nodded.

"I'm fine. I gotta go. Caroline is picking me up."I said making my way to the front door. I need to get out of here before she starts crying or we'll never get to school.

As usual the sliver hatchback was waiting at the bottom of the driveway. When Caroline saw me she began honking like a maniac. I ran across the yard and got into the car.

"Good morning." Caroline said cheerily. Her blue eyes were sparkling and a bright smile was plastered on her face.

"Morning."I replied as I buckled my seat belt.

Caroline and I have been friends since kindergarten and inseparable since middle school. When my parents died Caroline came over everyday. When I refused to get out of bed she stocked up on junk food and we watched movies all day. That was the moment I was sure that Caroline and I would always be friends.

"Are you excited?"Caroline asked as she pulled out of the driveway.

"About what? School?"I asked confused.

"No. The back to school party tonight. You're going to be my date in case you were wondering. I don't want to hear it. You are going, i'll drag you out of your bed kicking and screaming if I have to." Caroline laughed but I knew she was serious.

"Fine. I'll go."I said and Caroline's already large smile grew.

"Good." Caroline said before turning on the radio and driving towards the high school.

Once inside the school we quickly found our lockers. I tuned Caroline out as she tried filling me in on all the latest gossip. I pretended to be listening as I transferred books from my bag to my locker. That is until I felt a rather hard tap on my shoulder.

"What?"I asked as I turned around. I noticed that the hall was quiet and everyone seemed to be stunned by something."What the hell?"I muttered confused until I saw what they were looking at.

A guy I had never seen before was walking down the hallway. New people in a small town are like animals at the zoo, and unfortunately for him when they are good looking it makes things even worse. When he walked by us he stopped and everyone watched, curious to see what caught his eye. To my surprise it was me. He stared through his dark sunglasses for what felt like hours. I looked back at him slightly embarrassed and he took the hint and looked away. Others however did not. I had gained the jealous glares of many teenage girls.

"Who is that?"I whispered. If a new family had moved to town Caroline would know every detail.

"I have no idea."Caroline responded, still staring in awe at the new guy along with everyone else.

When the bell rang most people seemed to snap out of their daze. Most people that is, not Caroline. I loaded up my bag with all the books I might need than dragged Caroline down the hallway towards our first class. When we got to the classroom everyone was still standing around and talking. The teacher must be running late.

I looked around and saw Elena and her best friend Bonnie sitting on their desks chatting intently. Due to our age at first glance people usually think Elena and I are twins, but I was born eleven months after her. Neither of us cares that we have the same group of friends or that we have similar interests. We're more like friends than sisters. With a toss of her blonde hair Caroline strutted over to the them. I began to follow but I came to a screeching halt when I noticed a familiar smirking face.

Tyler Lockwood. The son of the Mayor and a member of one of the richest families in town. His family also happened to be one of the founding families along with the Fells, the Forbes, and the Gilberts. When we were children we were friends but as we grew up, we grew apart. So far apart that Tyler didn't even resemble the boy I once knew.

"Like the view Gilbert?" Tyler asked when he noticed me looking at him. I narrowed my eyes as he made his way through the brood of his cackling friends.

"No. I was just wondering how you were able to squeeze your massive ego into such a small room."I replied with a fake saccharine smile.

"Oh I'm good at squeezing huge things into tight spaces." Tyler replied and received a chorus of laughter from his friends.

"Huge? I think you're over compensating." I said. I folded my arms over my chest, which was the wrong move because that only attracted Tyler's eyes. I quickly dropped my arms and glared at him.

"I'll let you be the judge of that."Tyler replied sending a challenging look.

"Sure. When pigs fly, and last time I checked you haven't mastered the art of flight yet."I said and unintelligible muttering filled the room.

"I love it when you play hard to get."Tyler responded an edge to his voice.

"I'm not playing."I said before I shoved passed him and walked towards my friends who were staring at me.

"You okay?"Elena asked and I nodded before turning and sliding into my seat. I was surprised with myself. Barely a month ago I was locked up in my room refusing to leave and now I am verbally sparing with Tyler Lockwood.

After school Caroline and I went over to her house. Caroline laid on her bed talking non-stop about how we would be the best cheer squad ever after Elena and I over our hurdle. The hurdle being our parents deaths. Normally we would have gone to cheer camp with Bonnie and Caroline but after the accident it just didn't seem right. I stood with my back to the blonde as I stared out the window lost in my own thoughts. Four months ago cheer was one of the most important things to me and now it doesn't even matter. I went to sleep one night thinking I knew exactly what my life was and than I woke up and realized that everything I thought I knew was wrong.

"Ava...hello!"Caroline shouted pulling me from my thoughts.

"What?"

"Lets go to the Grill."Caroline said in annoyance.

"Oh uh. I'm not really that hungry. I think I'm gonna head home."I said grabbing my bag from the floor and slinging it over my shoulder.

"What? We have to go. Everyone is eating there before the party."Caroline said practically whining.

"Party?"I asked confused. I knew I had forgotten something big when Caroline glared at me like I had just ran over her cat.

"The back to school party that you promised you'd go to."Caroline said stunned that I could forget.

"Right. I'm still going. I just have some stuff to do first."I mumbled as I headed for the door.

"Stuff?"Caroline asked suspiciously.

"Yeah stuff. See you tonight."I yelled as I quickly exited the house.

The second I shut my bedroom door I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. I kicked off my shoes and let my bag fall to the ground. I walked over and fell face first onto my bed and breathed in the sent of freshly washed sheets. Much to my dismay I was plagued with thoughts far too deep for my liking again.

Time ticked by and soon enough I was in the car driving to the party. I wasn't really in the party mood but I made a promise. Music flowed through the car as I turned onto the back roads. I cursed as I drove into a thick cloud of fog. I had no idea what direction I was going in anymore. I started to panic until it suddenly started to clear. My anxiety started to slip away until I noticed someone laying in the middle of the road. I slammed on the breaks and swerved hoping to miss whoever it was. The breaks screeched as the car skidded across the old cracked pavement. The second the car stopped I swung the door open and jumped out. My heart stopped when I saw a man laying in the middle of the road.

"Oh my god."I muttered to myself as I made my way over to the limp body.

He wasn't much older than I was. Must of been in his mid twenties at most. He looked so pale against the black pavement. His dark hair danced in the wind while his body was completely still. I pressed my lips together nervously as I crouched down to take his pulse. When my fingers touched his skin I panicked. He was ice cold. I was about to run back to the car to get my phone when his eyes flew open. His eyes were as black as coal and sharp fangs slipped past his lips. Before I had a chance to react he jumped up and ran at me. He had me pinned against the side of my car before I could blink.

Mind numbing fear filled me as the man...monster held me by my throat against the car. I did everything I could think of. Kicked, hit, scratched, screamed but nothing came of it. Finally I stopped and looked up at the thing that held me tightly in place. His face was sharp and vicious and he had a wild look in his eyes. He leaned in ready to bite when he suddenly stopped. His eyes drained of black revealing intense blue eyes that were filled with shock. He stared at me with his fangs out and his eyes wide.

I looked up at him confused but my confusion only intensified when he spoke.

"Violet?"