I finish the last bite of my pie, laying my pate onto the ground beside me. It was really good, just the perfect amount of sweetness and tartness but I couldn't really enjoy it.

I kept getting this uneasy feeling; the same feeling I felt last night, of being watched. I look around but I am no longer being stared at by others...my 15 seconds of fame were over. So why couldn't I shake this feeling?

The cheerful country music is interrupted a screech of the microphone. Everybody stops what they are doing and looks toward the stage.

"The town council would like to thank everybody for coming to this event on this beautiful day." Elizabeth spoke into the mic and everyone listened intently.

"We've got a plethora of festivities planned for today, the first being..." as she speaks a couple of men lay out a table onto the stage. "An eating contest!"

The men begin to stack sandwiches, pies, and hot dogs onto the table.

"Any volunteers?" Elizabeth asks and the crowd falls silent.

"Whoever wins gets a weekend stay at a beautiful cabin in the woods. Fully equipped with a hot tub and a breathtaking view!" Elizabeth speaks like she is on the price is right. "Curtosy of the Lockwood family! Any takers?"

"Oh my God! We need that!" Caroline claps excitedly. "We can get some booze, chill in the hot tub, it'll be so much fun!"

"Which one of us would compete?" Elena speaks.

"What about Matt? He's a big guy." Bonnie answers.

"I think Morgan should." Matt grins at me and I shoot him a look of bewilderment.

"Why me!?"

"Well..." He laughs. "You totally devoured that piece if pie, what's a few more?"

I look down at our plates, confused. Mine was empty while the others had only taken a few fork-fulls of theirs. I can feel the blood rise to my cheeks, I'm such a glutton.

"And I bet you wouldn't gain a pound. That's not fair!" Caroline chimes in.

I see Vicki Donnovan -Matt's sister- make her way up to the stage. She probably wants to win the prize so her and her friends can go get high.

I think for a moment... I could probably take her.

"Fine." I stand up. "I'll do it!"

A vacation would benefit me right now, another moment alone in my house and I'll fall into insanity.

I make my way up onto the stage, sitting at the long table beside Vicki. I examine the heap of food infront of me... I'm probably going to regret this.

"Three... two... one... GO!" Elizabeth starts a timer and I see Vicki in the corner of my eye cramming her cheeks full of hot dogs.

I do the same. I see Elena, Bonnie, Matt and Caroline cheering me on from below as I struggle to chew. There must be a faster way.

I take one of the pies and dig into it with my hands, shoveling it into my mouth. Globs of pie filling run down my chin and arms, I'm really making a spectacle of myself.

The timer has almost run out, and that uneasy feeling washes over me once again. A large crow pitches onto one of the streamers that decorate the stage. It stares at me intently, I can't help but feel uncomfortable.

*BRRIINNGG!*

"Time is up!" Elizabeth shouts. "Let's tally the scores!"

A couple of men come and begin the count the amount of food I had left over but I cannot take my eyes off of the strange bird. It met my gaze, unwavering.

"Aaannndd the winner is...!" Elizabeth pauses before lifting me by my wrist. "Morgan!"

The crowd claps and I shake the mess from my hands. Somebody hands me a towel and I wipe myself clean as I head back down to the blanket where I sat.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Bonnie exclaims.

"You almost lost it though, what happened to you at the last minute?" Matt enquires.

"I was just distracted. Did you see that crow?"

"No?"

"It kept staring at me, it made me feel really weird." I glance back up at the stage and the bird is gone.

"It probably just wanted what you were eating." Matt reassures me.

"Ooo~ I can't wait! Morgan!" Caroline grabs me by my shoulder. "You're in charge of the booze, since your the only one of age and all."

"Alright." I sigh.

"We should ask Stephan to come too!" Elena suggests.

"That's a good idea! Ill ask him!" Caroline's eyes light up.

"It's settled then." I smile genuinely for the first time in days. "We'll leave tonight."

***

I toss my suitcase onto the floor, planning my outfits for the next couple of days on my bed. I fold them neatly and stuff them inside my bag.

I take out a separate duffel bag and fill it with the few cases of beer that I had picked up from the gas station as I walked home from the picnic earlier that day. I'm not much of a beer drinker, so I shove a couple bottles of cheap vodka my mother had in the cupboard in there as well.

I hear a car horn outside of my window. I take a bag in each hand and run out the door. Parked in my driveway was a beautiful red Porsche, it was antique but in immaculate condition.

The trunk pops and I lay my bags inside, I notice the car only rides two people. I open the door and get in.

"Where are the others?" I ask Stephan, who sat in the driver's seat.

"The're riding with Caroline, there wasn't enough room for all of us in the one car."

"Ahh... makes sense." I nod.

I bet Caroline is having an aneurysm right now, knowing that she could have been alone with Stephan if I had a vehicle.

"This is a beautiful car." I run my fingers along the dash.

"It's been passed down through my family. It means the world to me." He replies, keeping his eyes on the road.

"I can tell... it's very well taken care of."

Of course it was given to him, there is no way a boy his age could afford such an expensive vehicle.

"So you just moved here recently?" I try to keep conversation.

"Yes, I lived here a while ago but my family was a military family. We moved around a lot."

I catch the word "was" and want to ask more, but remeber how he mentioned that he had also lost a mother and decide not to pry.

"Are you alright?" He interrupts my train of thought with a sudden question. "Nothing weird has happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, I'm just worried about you."

I stopped breathing for a moment. why would he be worried about me?

"I'm just worried about your mental health, with everything that's happened to you recently." He answered me before I had the chance to speak. He has done that a couple of times now.

"No... I'm alright."

"Are you sure?" He turns to look at me, I can see the genuine concern in his eyes.

"Yes. I'm sure..." I smile. "I really appreciate you asking, though."

He is so sweet. Good looks and the personality to match, I can understand why he is so popular.

He directs his eyes back toward the road and suddenly... bang!

The car swerves off of the edge of the pavement, my heart races.

"What just happened!?"

I follow Stephan's gaze and I see the silhouette of a person standing on the yellow line.

Stephan opens the door and I go to get out as well but he grabs me by the arm.

"Stay in the car..."

"But.."

"Morgan.." He pleads. "I need you to stay in the car... and lock the doors when I get out, understand?"

I nod. I didn't really but I listened anyway.

Stephan exits the car and I lock the door behind him, what is going on?

The person that stood in the road was now gone. I see Stephan shouting something into the air.

I roll down the window a crack, listening carefully to what Stephan is saying.

"Damon... Damon I know it's you!" He hollers. "Stop messing around!"

Damon... who is that?

I see a shadow in my peripheral vision and before I get a chance to turn my head the window shatters.

I scream at the top of my lungs and Stephan is at the door in almost an instant. In a panic I unlock the door for him and he gets inside.

The tires make a deafening screech as he drives away at an alarming speed.

What the hell?