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Chapter three: Stefan Salvatore
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Ruby Winslow is very vain teenage girl. You could say it to her face and she wouldn't argue, because she knew it was true. As she stared at herself in her vanity mirror she thought of all the ways for her to get what she wanted out of the school year. The top of her list was revenge on Tyler Lockwood for dumping her just before she left for the summer. She knew he'd be at the mystic grill and she wanted to look good, to show him no one, not even Vicky Donavon could replace her. Ruby applied a bright red shade of lipstick and rubbed the bottom lip against the top one. When she looked at the alarm clock on her nightstand she realized she would be late to pick up Emily and Elena. She quickly grabbed her purse and headed for the front door, but before she could exit her grandmother stopped her.

     "Ruby sweetheart come here dear."

     "Yes Nana?" Ruby asked as she stepped into the foyer.

     "I have a gift for you." Her Nana Jane replied. Ruby's interest peaked and she hurried towards her grandmother. Nana Jane held out a bracelet for the girl to observe. "This was my mothers, before she passed it down to me, so I thought now you should have it."

     The red head held up the bracelet, it was silver with Ruby gemstones around the bangle. "I love it thank you Nana." Ruby smiled as she slipped it on. Before she could turn to leave again her grandmother grabbed ahold of the bracelet.

     "Promise me you'll always wear it."

     "What even in the shower?" Ruby joked.

     "Promise me." Jane said more sternly.

     Ruby eyed her grandmother confused. "I promise. Well um I gotta go pick some friends up, I'll be at the grill." Ruby informed slowly backing towards the front door. "See ya tonight Nana."

     As Ruby walked to her car, she couldn't put together why her grandmother was acting so weird. Ruby wasn't the brightest kid but she'd realized her Nana has been extra secretive for the past few days.

     Or maybe the crazy in the family was just catching up to the old woman.

✧  ✧  ✧

     "You're coming!" Ruby yelled, attempting to drag Emily out of bed.

     "Noo, I'm not even dressed. Just go without me." Emily groaned.

     "What you're wearing is fine, you know you look hot no matter what you wear or do, so come on, Elena's waiting downstairs."

     Emily finally hit the floor with a thud. "I hate you." She said as she stood. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you." She repeated as she grabbed her purse.

     "Don't say things you don't mean." Ruby responds. She fixed her friends hair, moving it from Emily's face. "Alright let's go."

     The two made their way downstairs.

     "We're going to the grill aunt Jenna." Emily said poking her head in the kitchen.

     "Yeah yeah I just gave Elena the whole be safe, don't stay out late it's a school night, thing. Have fun girls."

     The front door was already open when the girls peaked around the corner. In the entry way was the hot back guy from school.

     "Um hello." Emily greeted, slightly confused.

     "Hi." He replies. He seemed to read Emily's confusion and was quick to jump and explain. "Elena opened the door for me, I was returning something of hers." 

     "Ahh, well I'm Emily, Elena's sister. This is..." Emily turned to Ruby hoping for her to introduce herself but she was gawking at the mysterious man.

Emily nudged her friend to speak. "Ruby my name is Ruby." She smiled. "And you are?"

"Stefan, Stefan Salvatore."

Emily's attention now peaked at his last name. "I just met a Salvatore last night." She said.

Stefan's features went cold.

"He said his name was Vincent, you must be the brother he was talking about." Stefan's features lightened a bit.

"Yeah that's my brother."

"You don't have to stay out there." Elena hollered from the other room.

Emily watched as Stefan looked around the outside of the door frame, hesitating to step in. "I'm fine."

Elena came around the corner to stand beside Ruby, smiling at Stefan. Emily caught on pretty quickly, that her sister liked him from the way she was blushing.

"Sorry were you guys going somewhere?" Stefan asked observing the outfits.

Elena stepped forward to answer. "Yeah we're meeting some friends." She paused. "Do you want to come?"

Emily looked between the two before finally deciding to speak. "Since Ruby has a pretty small car, how about you two drive together and me and Ruby will meet you there." Emily offered. She was definitely playing matchmaker, which was one thing she'd always promised Elena she wouldn't do. It was their sister code. But Emily hadn't seen her sister smile like the way she was now since their parents died. She missed happy Elena. This was a good chance to get that part of her sister back.

"My car is not small." Ruby snapped. Emily began to push her best friend out the door towards her car.

"See you guys there!" Emily called out walking down the driveway.
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     Emily and Ruby beat Stefan and Elena to the grill and were already seated. Bonnie and Matt were having a conversation about Elena. Emily didn't bother to listen in on it. She knew what it was about. Matt misses Elena, he doesn't understand why they're still broken up. Well Emily could name a couple reasons why, starting with how their parents died and all Matt can think about is taking Elena on cute little dates with sunshine and rainbows. Emily of course wanted to warn Matt that Elena and Stefan were about to walk in together, but she was more focused on the foam inside her coffee mug to bother.

     "Earth to Emily."

     When Emily looked up from her mug, Ruby was snapping In her face.

     "Sorry, yes I'm listening now."

     "I was saying what a douche Tyler is being right now, acting as if he doesn't even know me over there talking to Caroline."

     "Oh right. How dare he." Emily agreed hoping it came off as convincing.

     "Your sister and Mr. Hot back are here." Ruby said picking up her glass of soda.

     Emily turned towards the door, where her sister and Stefan stood, looking around.

     Matt mutters something to Bonnie before standing and leaving the table. He walked right up to Stefan and introduced himself.

     "God I love drama. Where's Nora at I bet she's eating all this up too." Ruby expressed.

     Moments later Stefan joined the table and so did Caroline. The blonde was in full interrogation mode.

     "So you were born in mystic falls?" She questioned.

     Stefan hummed in response. "And moved when I was still young."

     "Parents?" Bonnie asked.

     "My parents passed away." Stefan revealed, he nodded his head and searched around the table, his eyes stopping at Elenas.

     "I'm sorry. Any siblings?"

     "None that I talk to."

Emily recalled the conversation her and the guy she talked to last night's conversation. 'Had a fight with my brother, needed to clear my head.' Emily decided not to bring it up in the conversation, there was clearly bad blood between them.

"I live with my uncle."

"So Stefan if you're new then you don't know about the party tomorrow." Caroline interjects.

"It's a back to school thing at the Falls." Bonnie explained.

Stefan turned and cocked his head towards Elena. "Will you be there?" He asks.

"Of course she is." Bonnie answered.

     Elena smiled and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. (Historical event right here)

"Yeah we're all gonna be there." Ruby said emphasizing on the all and cutting her eyes towards Emily.

Emily saw Nora walk into the bathroom and quickly excused herself. Nora was like a little sister to Emily, she was always around whenever Bonnie was. Movie nights, Sleepovers, dinners, etc. She's been more distant and doing her own thing lately, and Emily just wanted to catch up.

"Hey Nor." She smiled.

Nora spun around and smiled back before basically jumping into Emily's arms. "How've you been, I didn't see you today."

     "Yeah, it sucks being a grade below you guys." Nora mutters. "I'd have to gain a dozen more brain cells to be in a class with you."

      Emily laughed. "Well be glad you sophomores don't have Mr. Tanner."

     "Yeah I heard that guys a dick. You know who else is being a dick lately? Your brother."

     "He's been going through a lot. But yeah he's been more moody lately."

     "You must be worried about him." Nora mumbled.

     "I'm not the only one."

     "Right Elena too."

     Emily knew Nora was worried too, she just doesn't want to admit it. Emily also knew Nora had a crush on her brother, but she'd never tell Nora that she knew. She wasn't even sure Nora even knew it herself.

     "I have to go whoop Tyler's ass In pool, but we could hang at the party tomorrow night." Nora offered. "Oh, you don't like those things-"

     "I'll be there. Like I could get away with not going with Ruby breathing down my neck about it." Emily told her.

     "Well I'll see you there."
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