The soft sound of the alarm filled the room, bringing Elena Gilbert back to consciousness. With her eyes still closed, she took a deep breath, smelling the familiar scent of her pillow, before slowly letting out the air. She didn't want to wake up. She didn't want to face another day where everything around her seemed hollow, meaningless.
But she had to get up.
With a resigned sigh, Elena opened her eyes and blinked a few times, adjusting to the faint light coming through the half-open curtains. The room was still the same, the furniture in the same place, the books stacked on the desk, the photos on the wall. But at the same time, everything seemed different. As if that were the first time she woke up in a world where her parents no longer existed.
She turned in bed, reached for the nightstand, and picked up her diary. The leather cover was soft under her fingers. Hesitant, she opened it to the blank page and grabbed the pen, trying to gather words that made sense.
"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 over, be someone new. It's the only way I can get through this."
She closed the diary and ran her hand over her face, trying to push away the melancholy. She didn't want that feeling to consume her first thing in the morning.
With effort, she got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. The mirror reflected her tired expression, her brown eyes still swollen from the nights when she tried, unsuccessfully, to hold back the tears. Taking a deep breath, she washed her face with cold water, hoping to wake up a bit more.
After putting on dark jeans and a simple blouse, she went down the stairs, smelling the aroma of coffee coming from the kitchen. Upon entering, she found Jenna Sommers, her aunt, in front of the fridge trying to find something to prepare for breakfast for them.
"Toast. I can make toast." She said while looking in her direction.
"No, the coffee's fine, Aunt Jenna..." Elena said without much enthusiasm, serving herself coffee.
Jeremy entered the kitchen, his eyes tired, his hair messy, and his mood, as always, hard to deal with.
"Is there coffee?" He said to the two without waiting for an answer, going to get some coffee.
Jenna stopped for a moment, looking at the toaster as if trying to find some deep meaning in the simple task. She didn't have time to search for answers, but her mind was distant, trying to control all the little things that seemed to slip away. The moment of tension soon dissipated when she responded, trying to stay calm.
"Your first day of school and I'm totally unprepared. Lunch money?" She walked until she stopped in front of Elena and offered the money.
Elena gave a light sigh, her eyes focused on her aunt's hands.
"No need, I have some."
On the other hand, Jeremy, who had served himself coffee, took the money.
Jenna walked all over the kitchen gathering her things while saying: "Anything else? A number two pencil? What am I forgetting?"
Elena looked in her direction while drinking a bit of coffee and asked.
"Don't you have a big presentation today?"
Jenna stopped, as if finally remembering something urgent, made a face. She was forgetting so many details, as if she had lost control of her own life since Elena and Jeremy had become her responsibility. But, for a moment, she tried to put things in order. She looked at the clock and panic filled her eyes.
"I'm meeting with my thesis advisor at... now. Damn!"
Elena knew that this meant her aunt was about to disappear into her own busy routine. Jenna's life had become a dance between her career and the responsibility of being the maternal figure that Elena and Jeremy needed. It was a difficult balance, but she never complained. And even with the chaos of the morning, Elena felt grateful for Jenna's presence in her life.
"Then go. We'll be fine."
Jenna seemed to hesitate, as if trying to believe Elena's words. She still wasn't sure how everything would unfold. But the worry in her eyes was undeniable. She wanted to be a good aunt, a good guardian, but she knew there was always something missing. She didn't have all the answers and, at that moment, didn't even know where to start. Without further words, she grabbed her bag and car keys. She gave one last look at the two, with a light sigh of resignation, and left through the door, leaving behind the emotional mess that always accompanied those moments. She knew they were growing up, that their lives were becoming something she couldn't control.
After she left, Elena turned her gaze to her brother who was trying to drink his coffee and asked: "Are you okay?"
"Don't start." Jeremy, with his usual posture, interrupted, his voice colder and more disinterested than anyone could expect, and left the kitchen.
Elena finished drinking her coffee while watching Jeremy leave, not seeing that behind her on the television, a poster quickly flashed, with photos of two smiling faces; Brooke and Darren. Missing was the highlighted word, but Elena, already absorbed in her own thoughts, didn't pay attention to the news.
The poster disappeared quickly from the screen, giving way to other ads and local news. But for Elena, none of that seemed important at that moment. She put the cup in the sink and turned to go on with her day.
Leaving the house, Elena gave one last look at her home before heading to Bonnie's car, the morning sun illuminating the quiet streets of Mystic Falls. She felt the soft wind on her face as she walked, trying to leave her worries behind and focus on starting a new school year.
The day was beginning, and she felt a slight premonition that things could be different now, but she was determined to move forward, despite everything.
She finally reached the car parked on the sidewalk. Bonnie's Chevy Impala was parked a bit crookedly, as always, with the driver's window open.
Bonnie is a young woman with short, dark brown and voluminous hair, with natural waves that fall softly around her face. Her eyes are dark green, and she has a generally curious and energetic expression, which reflects her extroverted nature. Regarding her clothes, she wears a casual and comfortable style, but with a touch of youthful charm. She is wearing a short-sleeved purple blouse, which complements her skin tone well. The blouse has discreet details that give it a relaxed but still stylish look. She also wears straight-cut jeans, which are simple but suitable for everyday routine. To complete, she is wearing comfortable sneakers, perfect for the hurried walks she usually takes.
Elena smiled, knowing that her friend was probably in a hurry, as always, but she felt grateful that she was there, ready to accompany her on another day.
"Hey, El! Come on, it's almost time for class to start. And before you ask, yes, I'm late!"
Elena laughed softly, her expression more relaxed now. She opened the car door and got into the passenger seat, throwing her backpack on the seat next to her. Bonnie had a spontaneous smile that always brought comfort to her.
"I was starting to think maybe you forgot about me. It's hard to keep up with Bonnie Bennett's frantic pace."
"Ah, you know me. I never forget you, Elena. I'm just a little disorganized this morning."
Bonnie started the car, and the two left her street. Elena looked out the window as the car passed several familiar spots in Mystic Falls. The town seemed so normal and quiet, but deep down, she felt that something was different, as if something was about to change.
Bonnie and Elena were heading to school in Bonnie's car, the sound of the radio playing softly as the road stretched out before them. Bonnie, as always, was chattering about what seemed to be an endless topic. She was excited, gesturing with her hands while talking about her grandmother's ideas about her "medium powers."
"So, Grams is telling me that I'm a medium. Our ancestors were from Salem, witches and all that, I know, crazy, but she's talking nonstop about it, and I'm like, 'put that woman in a home already!'" Bonnie continued with a laugh, but soon paused, thoughtful. "But then I started thinking... I predicted Obama, I predicted Heath Ledger, and I still think Florida will break off and turn into little resort islands... Elena! Back to the car."
Elena snapped out of her stupor with her friend's words. She quickly apologized: "I did it again, didn't I? I was spacing out again. Look... Sorry, Bonnie. You were telling me that..."
Bonnie, with an enthusiastic expression, interrupted. "That now I'm a medium now!"
"Right..." Elena smiled softly, feeling a bit ashamed for not paying attention. "Okay, so predict something. About me."
Bonnie, with a serious look, pretended to be concentrated and said with a smile: "Hmm, I see..."
Suddenly, there was a loud noise, followed by something hitting the car window hard, forcing the car to stop on the side of the road. Bonnie and Elena screamed in fright.
"What was that?! Oh my God! Elena, are you okay?" Bonnie asked Elena, concern stamped on her face after absorbing what had happened.
Elena, who was a bit dazed, responded quickly, trying to reassure her friend: "It's okay. I'm fine."
Bonnie quickly apologized saying: "I think it was a bird or something. It came out of nowhere."
"Seriously, I can't be scared of cars for the rest of my life." Elena assured with a somewhat melancholic look.
Bonnie looked at her friend and her expression became a bit more intense, finishing her words: "I predict this year is going to be kick-ass. And I predict all the sad and dark times are over and you're going to be beyond happy."
She gave Elena an encouraging look, wanting her friend to believe that good things were coming.
Elena smiled genuinely for the first time.
The two didn't notice the crow standing outside as if watching both of them.
Bonnie quickly maneuvered the car and continued on the way.
She drove calmly to the school parking lot, parking the car next to a black Skyline that stood imposingly among other vehicles. The dark paint of the car shone lightly under the morning sun, catching the attention of anyone passing by.
Elena and Bonnie stopped, with the car parked. Elena was the first to look towards the Skyline, Bonnie, who was already paying attention to everything around, followed Elena's gaze.
Bonnie was the only one who asked: "Do you think it's some new guy's? Or maybe some weird guy from town? I don't know..."
"I don't know..." Elena said distractedly before getting out of the car with Bonnie, the two walked across the campus towards the school building.
As they entered through the door and turned a hallway, Bonnie spoke with a smile: "We're seriously lacking guys."
She paused as a blonde woman passed in front of them, with a somewhat exaggerated style.
"Look at Kelly Beech's shower curtain. She looks like, do people still say: 'Slut?'"
While asking, the two walked until they leaned against a pair of lockers.
Elena laughed, shaking her head with a smile: "Oh, no, that's already gone. We're way beyond that."
Bonnie gave a giggle, playing with Elena's tone.
"Get boyfriends, invent slang. It's a busy year."
She looked around, as if analyzing every bit of the campus with a sharp eye, before fiddling with her locker.
Elena, meanwhile, was more focused on her own emotions, her gaze drifted to the other side of the hallway, where Matt Donovan was fiddling with his locker. She felt kind of weird, and waved to him, but Matt didn't even greet her back. He continued fiddling with his things, clearly ignoring her greeting, before leaving.
Elena stopped for a moment, with a small sigh and leaned against the locker, while Bonnie observed attentively.
"He hates me." Elena said, almost without thinking, a bit sad about Matt's attitude.
Bonnie, who always knew how to handle this kind of situation, made a slightly ironic expression, but at the same time understanding. She gave a light smile, shaking her head. "That's not hate. That's 'you dumped me, but I'm too cool to show it, but secretly I'm listening to Air Supply's greatest hits'."
Elena looked at Bonnie, resigned while asking: "Seriously, Bonnie. Air Supply?"
Bonnie gave a mischievous smile and a shrug. "It's a classic. Anyone still listening to 'All Out of Love' is clearly trying to ignore the pain, but can't."
She laughed softly, noticing Elena's expression.
Suddenly, Caroline appeared out of nowhere and, with her characteristic energy, enveloped Elena in a tight hug, as if she hadn't seen her in years.
"Elena. Oh my God." Caroline said while giving Elena a tight hug: "How are you...?"
Elena gave a forced smile as she accepted the hug.
Caroline stepped back, still holding Elena by the shoulders, her eyes shining, but now with a touch of concern. She looked at Elena with a critical gaze, almost as if examining her friend, as if she wanted to make sure everything was okay.
"It's so good to see you," Caroline said, with a shine in her eyes.
"How is she? Is she okay?" Caroline asked, turning to Bonnie.
Her action made Elena feel a bit uncomfortable.
Elena felt a bit pressured by the incessant questions, but smiled, trying to ease the tension.
"Caroline, I'm right here. And I'm fine. Thanks."
Caroline looked at her fixedly, still seeming not very convinced.
"Really?" She asked, the doubt evident in her voice, as if she didn't fully believe Elena was okay.
Elena nodded, without hesitating.
"Yes. Much better."
She tried to reinforce her words with a light smile, wishing Caroline would feel at ease with the answer.
Caroline seemed to relax a bit, but the concern was still there.
"Ah, poor you." She said, with a hint of pity, before pulling Elena into another tight hug, almost as if trying to rub the feeling of relief into her.
Elena smiled forcedly, feeling a bit suffocated by the intensity of the gesture.
"Okay, Caroline." She said, trying to add a touch of humor to the situation, but also wanting her friend to know she was fine.
Caroline stepped out of the hug after a few moments, she adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder while saying with a certain enthusiasm.
"Oh my God, you guys won't believe who I just saw!" Caroline exclaimed, turning to her friends with a shine in her eyes.
Bonnie arched an eyebrow, already used to Caroline's dramatic energy. "Let me guess... some mysterious and incredibly hot new student that you're already planning to conquer?"
"No! I mean... he is incredibly hot, but he's not new," Caroline said, holding the suspense for a second before dropping: "Ryan is back in Mystic Falls!"
Caroline's words hung in the air for a moment. Elena blinked a few times, surprised. Bonnie, beside her, froze with an expression that was a mix of various emotions. The two exchanged a quick look, as if one expected the other to confirm if they had heard right.
"Ryan...?" Elena repeated softly, almost unbelieving.
Bonnie bit her lip, looking away to the ground for a second before laughing nervously. "You must be kidding. After... what, two years in Japan?"
"Three and a half..." Elena corrected, automatically. The memory came too fast, and she regretted speaking. Bonnie looked at her sideways, with a small smile, but her eyes said something else.
Caroline, oblivious to the tense atmosphere between the two, continued excited. "Yes! I mean, when he left he was already gorgeous, but now... he's totally different. He looks like one of those Dorama idols."
Elena took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Her heart was racing, and it had nothing to do with what Caroline was saying. It was more about the memories that came with that name.
Bonnie, on the other hand, crossed her arms and tried to stay practical. "I can't believe he just came back without telling anyone. Not a message, nothing."
"Ah, come on, Bonnie." Caroline rolled her eyes. "You two were super close to him, just like me.... You must be dying of curiosity to see how he is now."
Elena forced a light smile, without denying or confirming. "Yeah... curiosity is one word."
Bonnie huffed lightly, but said nothing. Inside, she felt the same tightness as Elena, that mix of anxiety, nostalgia, and the strangeness that both had tried to bury during the year following Ryan's departure, I mean, she couldn't look into both their eyes for a while...
Caroline, noticing the silence of the two, tilted her head with a suspicious look. "Okay... what's up? Why the funeral faces? Aren't you happy he's back?"
"It's not that," Elena responded quickly, maybe too quickly. "Just... it's weird. It's been a long time."
Bonnie nodded, as if wanting to end the subject. "Yeah. Too long."
But both knew the problem wasn't the time. It was the memory of that night, a confusing night, marked by drunken laughs, unspoken promises, and feelings that none of them had the courage to revisit after Ryan left.
Now he was back. And neither of them had any idea how to deal with it.
Caroline, who until then seemed just excited, let out a sigh. She looked from one to the other and, for a moment, her expression changed. The excited smile gave way to something more serious, almost vulnerable.
"Okay, I'm going to be honest," she said, fiddling with the strap of her bag on her shoulder. "I also felt... kind of weird when I saw him. I mean, you can't deny we had that whole thing, remember? But that was years ago. It was... I don't know, teenage stuff. We three were teenagers."
Elena and Bonnie exchanged a quick look, surprised by their friend's honesty.
Caroline shrugged, trying to keep the tone light, but still with a hint of melancholy. "Things are different now. We are different. We've been through so much in these last years that... you can't go back in time and pretend everything is the same."
Bonnie took a deep breath, agreeing with a subtle nod. "Yeah, you can't."
Elena stayed silent for a moment, absorbing those words. Part of her felt relieved, hearing Caroline admit that broke a bit of the strange atmosphere in the air. But at the same time, it only reinforced that Ryan wasn't just any memory. He was part of a past that still had loose threads between them.
Caroline, noticing the silence, tried to compose herself. She straightened her posture, opened a forced smile, and spoke with more energy: "But look, whatever it is, he's here again. And we're going to have to deal with it one way or another. So... how about we pretend it's just another normal school day?"
Bonnie let out a short, almost ironic giggle. "Normalcy never lasts long in Mystic Falls."
Elena couldn't help but smile too, even with the tightness in her chest. "Yeah... it never lasts."
"I still think this is great news." Caroline then gave one last look at the two and, with her charming smile, said: "Well, I'm off, girls. See you later!"
She winked, giving a wave to the two, and walked away hurriedly.
Bonnie and Elena just smiled at each other before grabbing their books for class from the locker.
It was in the midst of these conversations that Elena noticed Jeremy entering the bathroom with a strange walk, visibly high. An irritated sigh escaped her lips as she decided to go after him with Bonnie wishing her luck. She pushed the bathroom door and, upon seeing him balancing on the sink, started to scold him.
Jeremy, with a disdainful smile, cut her off quickly, calling her "crazy" and dismissing her words. This made Elena even more irritated, and her patience was tested to the limit.
She looked at him angrily and grabbed his face, giving him one last sermon, feeling a mix of frustration and concern for his lack of respect. Angrily, she decided to leave the bathroom, preferring not to waste another second on him.
As she left hurriedly, she almost bumped into someone in the hallway. Upon lifting her eyes, she found a new face, a tall guy, with dark and messy hair, and eyes of a deep and penetrating tone. His face is immaculate, with striking features, like a strong jawline and well-defined traits, that make him seem almost supernatural in perfection.
He wears simple clothes, but with an elegant and sober touch, opting for a long-sleeved shirt, jacket, and dark jeans. His posture is erect, with an air of control, as if he were always vigilant and pondering his actions. His presence, at the same time mysterious and imposing, makes him stand out in the environment, even without trying.
Elena quickly apologized before leaving, with her mind still occupied with the events from moments before, she and Bonnie quickly headed to history class, a bit distracted, but still immersed in their own concerns.
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