one
the first day.

MYSTIC FALLS HIGH

"MAJOR LACK OF male real estate," Bonnie Bennett exclaims as her, Elsie, and Elena Gilbert walk down the hallway on the first day of their junior year at Mystic Falls High School. They've been friends since they were children, so Elsie tracked down Bonnie and Elena the second she got to school. Bonnie frowns once she lays eyes on one of their classmates. "Look at the shower curtain on Kelly Beach. She looks a hot- can I still say 'tranny mess'?"

"No, that's over," Elena shakes her head as they reach Bonnie and Elsie's adjacent lockers.

Elsie opens it and sets her book bag inside, only taking out her pencil pouch and a folder before closing it again. She tilts her head at her friends. "Don't be mean."

"I'm gonna find a man, coin a phrase. It's a busy year," Bonnie shrugs, ignoring Elsie's comment as they notice Elsie's brother, Matt staring longingly at Elena.

His blue eyes are drooping, and he has earbuds in, no doubt listening to some sad music. He's been bummed out since Elena dumped him last year. Elsie is surprised that he's still upset with her since Elena's had a rough year.

Elena waves at him, but he chooses to ignore her. Elena sighs, turning back to her friends. "He hates me."

"I wouldn't call it hate," Elsie decides, giving her friend a sympathetic look even though she broke Matt's heart. She doesn't hold it against Elena, because she'd rather him be dumped than be strung along for a long period of time. "He's still sad, but he'll get over it."

"Elena!" Caroline Forbes cheers, dramatically sauntering over to them. Elsie moves to hug the girl, only to lay eyes on her ex-boyfriend, Tyler Lockwood.

She broke up with him right after the accident, because she was going through a rough patch from almost dying. She felt like she needed to be alone for a while, but she never imagined Tyler would respond by getting with her sister, Vicki. She leaves the group without another word, going in the other direction.

"Elsie!" Tyler calls after her, easily being able to catch up since he's an athletic person. He gives her a pleading look. "You can't ignore me forever."

"Yes, I can," Elsie insists, adjusting the strap on her backpack nervously. "Sounds like a solid plan, actually."

Pain crosses the Lockwood boy's face, because he knows how badly he screwed up. Elsie's all he's thought about since they broke up, and messing around with Vicki was his attempt at filling the gaping hole Elsie left in his life.

"Just let me explain," Tyler begs, a flicker of hope crossing his face. He thinks if he could just explain, he could make things right.

Elsie frowns, hating that she's hurting him despite how much pain he's put her through. Because her capacity to care is easily her biggest flaw. "You have one minute."

He pulls her into the boys' bathroom before explaining himself, being completely and shamefully honest. "I hate that I hurt you. I shouldn't of let you push me away, I should've been there for you when you needed me. I should've waited for you, but I was angry and lonely."

"Do you love Vicki? Or even have feelings for her?" Elsie demands, crossing her arms. Deep down, she knows Tyler's answer, that he was just using her sister. He breaks eye contact with her, struggling to find the words to answer. "Right. That's what I thought. Why, then? Why my sister?"

"She was there."

Elsie feels her heart sink, knowing her sister actually likes him and he's just using her. "I don't hate you, Tyler, but things can't just go back to normal. I'll hang out with you with our friends, but don't you dare expect anything more out of me."

By the time she's done, Elsie is feeling a wave of emotions—sadness, anger, and shame. People told her that it was a mistake being with Tyler throughout their entire relationship. That he was a player and was only gonna hurt her. She didn't wanna believe them, because Tyler made her feel safe and happy. Now all of her memories of him are jaded by what he's done.

Elsie storms out of the bathroom with no care of her surroundings. That's why she ends up running right into a blonde haired guy with hazel eyes. He's wearing a black leather jacket, a white t-shirt, and denim jeans.

The boy is Stefan Salvatore, who's been watching Elsie and Elena since the night of the Wickery bridge incident. He knows Elsie is warm-hearted, compassionate, brilliant, strong, and resilient. She has some qualities that are similar to Florence's, but Elsie's definitely not Florence. "Uh, pardon me. Um... is this the men's room?"

"Uh... yes," Elsie nods, snapping out of her thoughts about Tyler and giving the new kid her attention. "I was just... never mind. It's a long story. I won't bore you with the details. I'm Elsie Donavan, and you must be new."

She politely offers him her hand, which he firmly shakes. "Stefan Salvatore."

They head to history class together. On the way, Stefan tells her that he lived with his uncle Zach at the old Salvatore boarding house, he hasn't lived here since he was a kid, he's part of a military family that moves around a lot, and his favorite color is blue.

It's a bunch of random stuff, but the military family part is a lie that he crafted to cover up that he moves around a lot so people won't ask questions about how he doesn't age.

Once they reach Mr.Tanner's class, they separate and Elsie finds herself sitting behind Elena.

She zones out while Mr.Tanner talks, absentmindedly sketching a crow in her notebook. It's odd, but there's a crow that just won't leave her alone when she's at work. It sits on a window sill at the Mystic Grill, watching her like a hawk. She suspects it's because she feeds it whenever it comes around.

"The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war in our very own Mystic Falls. How many casualties resulted in this battle? Ms.Bennett?"

He snaps at Bonnie, who jerks. Like Elsie, she was zoned out, so she deadpans. "Um... a lot? I'm not sure, but like a whole lot."

Elsie snorts, a small smile finding its way to her face as Mr.Tanner frowns, unimpressed. "Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Ms.Bennett. Mr.Donavan, would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?"

"It's okay, Mr.Tanner," Matt assures, unable to take their teacher seriously. "I'm cool with it."

"Hmm. Elena? Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significant historical events?"

"I'm sorry," Elena shakes her head, genuinely apologetic. "I don't know."

"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena, but the personal excuses ended with summer break."

Elena's face falls as Elsie speaks up protectively. "They're not excuses. Her parents died and me and Elena almost died, too. You have no right to talk to her like that, you-"

"There were 346 casualties, unless you're counting local civilians," Stefan cuts her off, giving Elsie a warning look to be quiet. The Donavan girl falls silent, not wanting to get in trouble.

"That's correct. Mister..."

Mr.Tanner looks at Stefan curiously, wanting to know who he is. "Salvatore."

The teacher instantly recognizes the last name. "Salvatore. Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?"

"Distant."

"Well, very good," Mr.Tanner nods before attempting to correct Stefan. "Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle."

"Actually, there were twenty-seven, Sir. Confederate soldiers, they fired on the church, believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong. It was a night of great loss. The founder's archives are, uh, stored in civil hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts, Mr.Tanner."

The teacher falls silent as Elsie leans her head towards Stefan, keeping her voice at a whisper. "I already like you, Salvatore. We're gonna be great friends."

—

THE FALLS

Elsie finds herself by a bonfire with Bonnie and Elena. The trio each have a red cup filled to the rim with beer. Elena recently told them that she might like Stefan, but isn't willing to admit that he's hot. That's why Bonnie tilts her head to her friend. "Just admit it, Elena."

"Oh, ok, so he's a little pretty," the brunette admits, greatly downplaying it.

"No need to hold back, Elena. He's hot."

"Yeah. He's got that romance novel stare," Bonnie quips, adding onto what Elsie just said. "Stefan looked deep into her eyes, piercing her very soul."

"You could be a great narrator, Bon," Elsie jokes as all three of them burst into a fit of laughter. "So.. where's the man of the hour?"

"I don't know," Elena shrugs, having not seen him yet tonight. "You should tell us, Bonnie, you're the psychic one."

"Right, I forgot," Bonnie grins, because her grandmother told her she comes from a line of witches. None of them believe in the supernatural, so they've been joking about it. "Ok, so give me a sec. Grams said I have to concentrate."

"Wait. Let me help," Elsie declares before picking up an empty beer bottle with a giggle. "Every witch needs a crystal ball."

Bonnie nods, moving to take it from Elsie. The Bennett girl gasps once their hands touch and she gets a vision of a crow, blood, an old, white Victorian style home, and Elsie in a hospital bed.

Bonnie's jerks her hand out of Elsie's grasp, looking spooked as Elsie looks at her friend in concern. "What is it?"

"That was weird. Elsie, when I touched you, I saw things."

"What kind of things?" Elena questions, surprised that her friends seemed to be so worried all of a sudden.

"A crow. There was fog, a man. A house, and..." Bonnie trails off, having a bad feeling about all of it. She can't bring herself to tell Elsie about the blood and her in the hospital bed, so she decides to play it off. "I'm drunk. It's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it. Yeah? Okay. I'm gonna go get a refill."

Bonnie leaves before either girl can say another word. That's why Elsie turns to Elena. "What was weird."

Elena nods as Stefan walks over, his eyes on Elena. "Hi."

"Hi," Elena greets him awkwardly as Elsie pats both of their shoulders.

"And that, my friends, is my cue to go. See you guys later."

She excuses herself, only to find a very drunk Caroline. The Forbes girl is stumbling, and beams upon seeing Elsie. She rushes over to the Donavan girl, cupping her friend's face. "Elsie, you look soooo pretty and you're my best friend and I love you. You also have really nice skin."

"Uh... thanks, and I love you too," Elsie smiles, setting her untouched drink down to check how drunk Caroline is. "How many fingers am I holding up, Care?"

Caroline squints at the four fingers her friend is holding up before saying the first number that comes to mind. "Five."

"Nope. Give my your keys," Elsie demands, putting her hands out. Caroline rolls her eyes before taking her car keys out and handing them to Elsie. The Donavan girl then pulls Caroline to her car. Caroline allows her to do so, but she makes her disdain clear.

"You're not my mom."

"No, but I've accepted that I'm the mom friend," Elsie admits as she unlocks her own car—a 2004 red Mustang. She buckles Caroline into the passenger seat before getting in and starting the vehicle. "And your actual mom would kill both of us if I let you go home drunk, so I'm gonna sober you up."

"Okay, mom."

Elsie then drives them to her place of work, the Mystic Grill where she orders a water and a basket of fries. She hands Caroline the water and watches the Forbes girl drink it.

After she gets her fries, she snacks on them. She then looks at Caroline curiously. "Sober yet?"

"No."

"Keep drinking," Elsie urges the Forbes girl keenly. "We've gotta get home by midnight."

Caroline considers it for a moment before opening up to Elsie about the reason she got drunk in the first place. Stefan. "Why didn't he go for me? You know, how come the that guys I want never want me?"

"Care-"

"I'm inappropriate. I always say the wrong thing, and Elena always says the right thing. She doesn't even try and he just picks her! And she's always the one that everyone picks for everything. And I try so hard, and I'm never the one."

Elsie gives her friend a sympathetic look, not knowing why she feels that way. Sure, Stefan picked Elena, but not everybody does. "Caroline, it's not a competition."

"Yeah, it is."

"Don't compare yourself to other people. It doesn't help anybody, including you," Elsie whispers, putting a comforting hand over Caroline's. "You're smart and beautiful. And you have a kind heart, you just have to show it people besides me."

Caroline sighs, because Elsie is one of the only people she allows herself to be vulnerable in front of. She pulls away from Caroline when her phone begins to ring. She sees it's a call from Matt and answers it. "Hey, Matt. Don't be mad I'm not home, but Caro-"

She falls silent once she hears her brother sniffling on the other end of the line, like he's been crying. "It's Vicki. She was in an accident and now she's in the hospital."

UNEDITED