Chapter 1

I never wanted to move here. I was perfectly content in my home town up north. I hate the south. It's hot and humid nearly every day and everyone eyes me with a strange look on their faces. Even now I feel alone even though I've been living here for nearly a month. I've spent every dreading moment of it cooped up in my new house.

This behavior is going to have to change, to much of my dismay. For today, this morning, I start my first day of high school in the rinky dink town of Mystic Falls. I really wish I could go back in time and stop myself from choosing to live with my mother.

Yes, my parent's are divorced. No, I'm not one of those children that milk the fact that their parents aren't living together by playing the victim act. I'm not one to allow myself to be victimized. I take things as they are and I find a way to make them work for me.

"Emma elbows off of the table please." My mother says walking up to the breakfast bar and setting a plate of eggs, toast, and bacon in front of me.

"Technically, this is not a table." I say digging right into my food.

"Yes and technically, it's not healthy that when you leave the house in the next ten minuets, it will be for the first time in a month."

"I don't know what you want for me to do. It's not like I know a single person in town to hang out with."

"Honey, you could have found someone, I'm sure of it."

"Well, they haven't exactly rolled out the welcome wagon for me either Ma!" I whine right as I hear a honk from the bus outside. "Well, here goes my first day of school in Mystic Falls."

"Good luck honey, make new friends!" She calls after me as I am rushing out of the house as to not miss my bus. I roll my eyes and throw an:

"I'll try" over my shoulder before slamming the door behind me. I look ahead at the big yellow transportation that is parked in front my new home. I watch the windows as kids stare out them at me with their noses practically pressed up against them in curiousity.

"Good morning Honey." A bus aide with sandy, totally from a box, red hair says with a warm smile. "I'm Debby. I'll be your bus aide for the remainder of this school year. Welcome to Mystic Falls."

"Hello, I'm Emma Reeves. Thank you." I plaster that fake smile of mine onto my face and cross the street with her. I hop up onto the bus with a brief hello to the driver and a grunt in return.

"That's Pete. Don't mind him. He's just a bitter old man that wants to retire so badly but his fourty-five year old son is still living with him and needs Pete to support him." A fat girl with long greasy black hair spits with enough of her own bitterness. "By the way, welcome to Mystic Falls. The brightest town in all of Virginia!"

"Carly, that's not polite." Debby repremands her like she's her own daughter. Carly rolls her eyes and leans up against the window in boredum. "Your seat is right in the back there Emma."

"Thanks." I say uncomfortbly before charging my way through the rows of teenagers ranging from nineth to twelveth graders that are watching every move I make. I try to suppress a smile at some of the kids but, most of them are gross and creepy looking. I finally make it to the final and only empty seat. Finally, I can get out of those scary stares.

I stare straight ahead and try to block out everything that has just happened in the last minuet. I pull out my ipod and listen to music for the entire bus ride. Once I get myself off of the bus I rush over to the front lawn and start gasping for breath. That bus smells of sweat, gasoline, and rubber.

I look up and hold my gaze at what I see; a girl with long dark brown hair and a gorgeous face. She is tall and slim. Her body is perfect. Her features are smooth and soft. Laced in her fingers are the fingers of a boy. I really good-looking boy…

He has short dark blonde hair and a ridgid jaw line. I can tell that he is muscular, even through his white muscle shirt and black leather jacket. He really is very handsom. However, he is staring at something that is not his girlfriend…me.

I scratch my head and try to find a way to look anywhere but at him. But, for some reason I can't tear my eyes from him. I watch him as he finally looks over at his girl friend and mutters something in her ear.

She looks right at me. She says something back to him before leading him with her towards me. I feel a nervous smile twitch at my face as they get closer.

"Hey!" The girl says as she finally gets a few feet from me. "I'm Elena. Are you the new girl?"

"Yeah, I'm Emma."

"I'm Stefan." The guy says as I shake Elena's hand. I shake his right after hers. "Welcome to Mystic Falls."

"I've heared that about ten billion times in the past half hour." I laugh, running my fingers through my brown hair.

"Well, I'm sorry for adding to that list." Stafan laughs with me.

"I suppose you don't want the welcome gift we got for you then." Elena sighs forlorn.

"Gift? You don't know me and you bought me a gift?"

"Yeah, we were kind of hoping that it could help us kick off a friendship."

"From both of us." Stefan adds.

"You both want to be friends with me?"

"Of course." Elena says sweetly. I smile warmly at them both as Stefan diggs out a small velvet jewlery box. I take it in my hands and stare at it. "It's not going to explode or anything. I promise." I giggle a little before opening the case and staring at the gorgeous necklace that is lieing in it.

"Oh my god!" I gasp. "I…I don't think that I can accept this…"

"No!" Stefan says in a fratic voice. He clears his throat and calms a little. "No, please do take it. We can't return it."

"Oh…" I say in a surrendering voice. "Alright then." I take the necklace out of the case and hold it up to the light. The leather chain dangles around my fingers and the charm is a metal claw which is holding in its claws a glass bead. In the very center of this bead is some type of flower or herb. There are crystals encrusted on the claw that are shimmering in the sun. "You're sure?"

"Absolutely, here let me help you put it on." Elena offers taking the piece of jewelery from my hands and unclasping the ends.

"And I suggest that you hurry." Stefan utters in a low voice that sounds like its more for Elena than for me.

"Why?"

Stefan leans in and says in an even lower voice. "Damon is here."

"What?" She looks around and her eyes stop at one person. "Why is he here? Him and Caroline broke up. Bonnie hates him…I don't get it."

"Who's damon?" I ask looking over my shoulder at Elena.

"I am." A low sexy voice coos. It sounds relatively close. I turn my head to face a man that is inches from my face. Elena wraps that necklace around my neck so fast that it gags me.

"Ow!" I whine as she hooks the clasp and lets the charm fall right above my cleavage. The man identified as Damon stares at me hard and sighs.

"I see how this is…" He's staring at me, but is talking to Stefan.

"How what is? I've known you two for less than a minuet and I'm already confused." I state in frustration. "So, there is another person to meet and become friends with then?"

"Yes." The very hott guy that has been identified as Damon answers right as Elena and Stefan shout "NO!"

"Um…okay then…"

"Let's go Emma. We should get out of here. Stefan needs to have a little talk with Damon." Elena says, placing a comforting hand on the small of my back and leading me away from the two guys and towards the school. Once we are a few feet away from the guys I turn to Elena.

"What's going on with-?"

"Ssssshhhhh!" She cuts me off quickly. "I'll explain in a minuet. First, let's get you settled into your locker."

"Uh, alright…" I say looking over my shoulder at Damon. His eyes find my gaze and our eyes lock. He smiles crookedly and waves to me. I feel an involutary smile stretch onto my face and before I can stop myself, I wave back. I whip around once my mind has caught up to all of this. Elena and Stefan got me away from Damon really fast. There must be a reason for it. But, why? He didn't seem that mean at all and he's totally gorgeous! Is it Elena's ex-boyfriend or Stefan's rival in school? It just doesn't make any sense. Something is up with all three of them for sure.

"Emma, I know all of this seems really bizarre to you this time around. But I promise you an explination as soon as I know it's safe."

"Now, is that anyway to speak about me when I'm walking right behind you?" I hear the sweet, seductive voice that could only belong to one person.

"Damon, what in the world are you doing here?" Elena turns on her heals and crosses her arms across her chest. "You're too old to still be in high school."

"So is my brother." Damon looks up at Stefan with teasing eyes. Stefan stares back at him with such intensity that is makes my spine chill.

"Woah, you too are brothers?" I finally register. "I thought you two kind of looked alike."

"I'm a senior." Stefan reassures me. "Damon likes to tell lies."

"Yes, I'm the liar." Damon chuckles.

"You should go. The bell will be ringing soon. Goodbye Damon."

"And miss all the fun of greeting the newest arrival in town? Never." Damon says almost as if he's taunting them.

"Go!" Elena says taking my wrist and rushing me from the scene.

"I'll get rid of him. You go." Stefan nods his head to us and Elena races us down the hall.

"I'm so lost right now." I stare at her worried expression.

"Your explanation will come-."

"When I'm safe, I know." I finish her sentence for her. She smiles warmly over at me.

"Right. Unfortunately, I don't know when that will be."

"Why? Is Damon dangerous?"

"More than you know."