The hot water of the shower felt good. I stood there for a while, just letting it run over my new body. The muscles were strange to me—defined and strong under my fingertips. I dried off with a thick towel and wrapped it around my waist.
The wardrobe was big, full of clothes that weren't mine but were now. I picked out simple things: dark jeans, a grey t-shirt, and a black jacket. I got dressed and stood in front of the mirror again, combing my damp hair. The guy looking back was me, but a sharper, upgraded version.
"School again," I muttered to the reflection .
In my old life, I'd been seventeen, too. Stressed about tests and the future. Then I went to sleep one night and woke up here. It was such a stupid, simple way to travel between worlds. A laugh, short and dry, escaped my lips. "What a bad joke of my life."
I grabbed the leather bag I found on the sofa downstairs. The kitchen was big and quiet. I found bread and milk, toasted bread, and ate standing at the counter. The food tasted like nothing. My mind was already outside, at the place I had to go.
Ten minutes later, I was standing in front of Mystic High School. The morning sun was warm on my skin. I looked up at the building. The name was printed in big letters on red marble, with white stone in between. Boys were milling around, laughing, shoving each other. It smelled like cut grass and cheap perfume. It looked and felt like any other school, which was the weirdest part. It was all so normal.
I adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder and started walking toward the main doors. A few students looked at me as I passed. A group of girls by the lockers stopped talking. One of them whispered something, and they all stared. I kept my eyes forward, following the signs for the administration office. I knew my appearance was more noticeable after that integration of devil bloodline , but the attention felt like a spotlight I didn't want.
The office was through a set of glass doors. As I reached for the handle, a feeling prickled on the back of my neck. I looked to the left.
Three girls were standing by a water fountain, and all three were looking right at me.
I knew them immediately. It was like seeing characters step out of a TV screen.
The one in the middle was Elena Gilbert. She was pretty, with long brown hair, but her eyes were hollow, like she was looking right through me. She had a sadness wrapped around her, tight as a coat. To her left was Bonnie, her friend. She had curious, intelligent eyes that were now wide with surprise at seeing a new face. On the other side was Caroline, blonde and poised, already giving me a quick, assessing look.
My heart did a strange thump. Elena, the doppelgänger. Bonnie, the witch. Caroline, the future vampire.
I didn't stare. I just held their gaze for a second, nodded once like you do at a stranger, and pulled the office door open. The cool, air-conditioned air hit me.
Good, I thought, walking to the front desk. If they're here like this, then Damon and Stefan aren't in town yet which means I have some time.
A woman with grey hair and glasses looked up from a computer. "Can I help you?"
"Yes. I'm Alex Smith. I'm a transfer student." My voice sounded calm, which was good.
"Ah, yes. We have your paperwork." She took a folder from a stack. She had me sign a few forms. Her fingers were stained with ink. "Your class schedule is on the board over there." She pointed a bony finger to a large bulletin board covered in plastic sheets. "Find your homeroom and teacher. They'll give you your books."
"Thank you," I said.
I walked to the board. It was a mess of tiny print—names, room numbers, times. I let my eyes scan over it, looking for 'Smith, A.' I found it in seconds: History, Mr. Tanner, Room 214. The information just seemed to stick in my mind. I didn't have to read it twice. Another small side effect of the… upgrade.
The bell rang, a harsh, buzzing sound that made me jump. The hallway outside the office exploded with noise and movement. I joined the river of students flowing upstairs.
Room 214 smelled like old books and chalk dust. I walked in and headed straight for an empty desk at the back, near the window. It gave me a view of the whole room. I saw Bonnie slide into a seat a few rows ahead. Elena sat down in front of her, immediately resting her head in her hand, staring at nothing.
A man with thinning hair and a tweed jacket walked in. He dropped a heavy textbook on his desk with a thud. "Alright, people, settle. For those of you just waking up, I'm Mr. Tanner. We are continuing with the founding history of Mystic Falls."
He started talking. His voice was a dull drone. He spoke about town charters, the founding families—the Fells, the Gilberts, the Salvatores. My ears perked up at the last name, but he didn't say anything more about them. It was just dates and treaties.
It was incredibly boring. I'd never been a history guy, and this local stuff meant nothing to me. After about five minutes, my attention drifted out the window. Blue sky, a few clouds. Then, without really meaning to, my gaze landed on the back of Elena's head.
A shaft of sunlight was coming through the window, falling right on her. It lit up the strands of her brown hair, making some look almost gold. She was sitting very still. She looked like a painting. I thought, beautiful things are really attractive anywhere.
Maybe I stared a second too long. She shifted in her seat. Then, slowly, she turned her head and looked over her shoulder.
Her eyes met mine. They were a warm brown, but the sadness in them was deep, like a well. She didn't smile. She just looked, as if trying to figure out who I was and why I was watching her.
I didn't look away. I just gave a small, polite smile. Not a big one. Just an acknowledgment.
She held my gaze for another second, then turned back around, facing the front. She tucked her hair behind her ear.
I shook my head a little, breaking my own trance.
I looked at Mr. Tanner. He was reading directly from the textbook now, his finger following the lines. I let out a quiet sigh and turned my gaze back to the window. The clock above the door ticked loudly. The school day had only just begun, and I was already waiting for it to end. I had all this power, and here I was, stuck in a high school history class.
But it was fine.it just took some time to settle here.
***
Any Suggestions