TVD – Takes place sometime before Originals entered the picture, on one of the nights not seen in any episode…I do not own TVD, only the story below which is inspired by the characters of TVD.

School Days #1

He was to the right of her, watching her from his lounging position. His long lean body was stretched out on a couch in the boarding house, comfortably ensconced with pillows behind his head and torso. She sat nearby at a table, surrounded by her books, notebooks, calculator, highlighter, pens, pencils, the epitome of a beautiful, brilliant coed, studying and doing homework.

He was supposed to be reading for his Lit course, but couldn't help eyeing her profile as her pencil was bouncing up and down, completing some problem, brow furrowed in deep concentration. She finished the current answer, leaned back slightly, looking a little pleased with herself for a moment before moving on to the next question before her. He smiled to himself letting the feeling of simply being with her now spread emotional warmth through his body, through his soul, assuming he had one.

He tried to go back to reading. He'd read this before but it had been years. He had to write at least something somewhat intelligent for an assignment on this novel, so a quick re-read was necessary. But this chapter wasn't holding his interest and he found himself again watching her just a few minutes later. This time, his beautiful girl was looking just so cute with a puzzled look on her face.

Her pencil was now rocking quickly between forefinger and middle as she fidgeted in minor frustration. It was usually this, or the pencil between her teeth, that was the first sign. She continued to try to decipher the question before her, unknowingly gnawing on her lower lip as she re-read it over and over. Next, her left heel started to bounce just as quickly as her pencil rocked, like she'd had too much caffeine. He knew what was coming; and, like he could read her body and mind, she let out a sigh and turned her face toward him, running fingers through her hair to get it out of her eyes.

"Yes?" he asked smiling softly.

"Hey, you were staring again…you know that's creepy, right?" she asked with sarcasm.

He smiled knowingly and went back to his book already anticipating what was to come. She sighed again, turned back to her homework. It took just another minute or two but she eventually voiced her frustration via a disgusted scoff and toss of her pencil.

"Elena?"

"Yes?" she answered, annoyed and not looking at him.

"Did you need something?"

"No," she pouted, but really she did. "Why?"

"No reason," he answered with an innocent shrug and shake of his head, turning a page and continued feigning reading.

She didn't like to need help, never mind actually asking for help. Picking up her pencil to try again, but knowing she wasn't going to be able to divine an answer from the ether, she just rolled her eyes and turned to him, saying, "Fine, smarty pants, I'm stuck."

Stefan held his book aside but didn't go to her yet. "Hey, don't forget, you're the one that helped me with Trig. All that new math you kids are doing these days," he joked and waited for her to soften. Elena pursed her lips not quite biting into his humoring of her. Elena didn't have many flaws but was a bit stubborn on wanting to figure out her coursework herself. She was a very intelligent girl and she didn't want to rely on the wealth of experience of her boyfriend. She so was not that girl, to play on her looks. She could have though, he thought, she was so beautiful, frustrated or happy, just beautiful…

He tried again. "Is it Chemistry?" Licking his lips with suggestive eyebrows taunting, he continued, "You know I love to work on chemistry…". He added a flirtatious sexy lip bite at the end.

"Yes, I know," she blushed, a small smile and giggle sneaking into her frustration but she ignored his not so subtle hint. "But this is Trig and now I'm the one stuck."

He smiled gently at her; careful not to look in any way less than just trying to be equals studying together (he'd learned that whole Mars/Venus concept long ago). "So, maybe I could return the favor? That is if I even got it right?"

She knew what he was doing, he was managing her…"You are pretty smooth, aren't you?" she slowly smirked up at him nodding through half-lidded eyes.

He tried to look all innocent, saying "What?" but ended up pulling his bashful, shy-boy, smile before looking back into her eyes, and smiling broadly, caught in the act…

Smiling back and batting her lashes a few times, she asked smiling, "Why Mr. Salvatore, would you please come look at this?"

"Happy to, Miss Gilbert."