"Kaylin!" I heard Stefan call. "School!"

I took my pillow and stuck it over my head. "Go away. "

"You're the one who agreed to go," Stefan reminded me.

"Yeah, well, I really don't feel like going today, so maybe any other day . . . " 

Stefan smiled. "You'd get away from Damon the whole day . . . and any other day."

I moved the pillow, looking up. "When does school start?"

Stefan smiled, and then left. "Hurry up."

"You do know I have my own car, right?"

"Yeah, yeah."

I scoffed at him actually acting like a seventeen year old guy, and then I flashed on clothing--a dark red leather jacket with a black V neck tank top with a pair of black jeans, and high-heeled boots. Guess what color.

I hurriedly applied make up--light red lips, silver eye shadow that made my ice blue eyes pop just a little bit, eyeliner, mascara . . . yada, yada, yada.

Stefan let me drive him in my car, my black Aston Martin Vanquish convertible, parked it and got out. "You should go 'register'," Stefan said.

I rolled my eyes. "You're lucky I'm even doing this."

"No, you're lucky that you have this chance to escape from our evil mastermind of a brother," Stefan said with a small smile.

I hit him, seeing Elena and the girl that had walked away from Stefan the day before. "Look, there's your new girlfriend."

"Don't. Tease," Stefan said.

"Oh, that's not teasing," I said. "This is: she's the girl you met. 'You talked. It was epic'."

Stefan playfully hit me in the shoulder. "You were totally eavesdropping on us yesterday."

"Oh, I totally was," I agreed, unflinchingly with a smile. "Right before 'the sun came up and reality set in'. Well, this is reality: you're a lovestruck idiot when it comes to either Katherine or Elena."

"Hey," Stefan warned. "Don't compare Katherine and Elena. They are completely different."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I said as we walked up to her and her friend.

"Morning, Elena," Stefan said. He turned to her friend. "Morning, Bonnie." He turned to me. "Bonnie, this is my sister, Kaylin."

She nodded, looking to me. "Nice to meet you." She looked back at Elena. "Hey, um, I gotta find Caroline. She's not answering her phone." She looked at Stefan awkwardly. "So . . . " she started to walk away. "See you guys."

"Bonnie, wait."

Bonnie didn't stop, and all of our gazes followed after her.

"She doesn't like me very much," Stefan said.

"She doesn't know you," Elena explained. She looked at me."She doesn't know you, either. In fact, I don't really. She's my best friend, she's looking out for me, but when she does . . " she started walking, and Stefan and I followed after. "She. Will. Love you."

I sighed. "Look, I have to go get registered and everything . . "

I started to walk away, but Elena said, "Kaylin, wait." I turned back, and she nodded for me to stay. It saved me a minute before I had to go, so I did as some-what told. "Here's what we're gonna do. Are you guys free tonight?"

Stefan stepped in front of her, stopping us from walking. He looked to me, and before I could say no, he said, "Yes."

I sent him a glare, but she said, "Perfect. Dinner, my house, 8 o'clock. You, Kaylin, me and Bonnie. You two will get to spend some quality time together and she'll get see what a great guy you are." She looked to me and smiled. "And me and Bonnie will get to know you." She shrugged, still smiling. "Mission accomplished."

I heard the ball soaring closer to us, turning the other way, and I knew it wasn't coming for me, but for Stefan.

"Incoming," I breathed low enough so Elena couldn't hear.

Stefan didn't need my warning. He turned around and caught the ball just as it was about to hit him, and I turned to see who through it. Matt, who I had met yesterday, stood there, looking in between Stefan and who I knew had threw the ball, which I had no idea who it was, but he had tan skin, about as good as a build as Matt's, but through the shirt he was wearing, you could see it better than Matt's, what with his blue hoodie. The guy had short, cropped black hair and brown eyes, staring back at Stefan incredulously as Stefan raised the ball a little bit in a gesture.

Stefan took the ball back in one hand, and I had a little flashback where Damon had been teaching Stefan how to play football back in 1864. I actually had to smile at a thought like that, thinking of the way things had been, but I was too preoccupied watching Stefan throwing a perfect spiral right back to the guy who had thrown it, knocking him back a little ways, and everyone in the courtyard turned to look.

Elena laughed, and Matt looked like back at the guy who'd thrown it, the bell ringing.

"Damn it," I said. "I still have to go register."

"Then go," Stefan said.

I gave him a squinted eyed glare, but turned and walked to the office. I wanted to speed there, but with too many people around not good.

After a little compulsion, everything seemed to be ok. I had History with Mr. Tanner first period, and I was already starting to walk there, even though I was a little late.

When I opened the door and walked in, everyone turned to look at me, and the teacher turned to me. "And you are?"

"New," I said.

He reached out for my schedule, and I couldn't help but role my eyes and give it to him.  "Salvatore?" At the sound of my name, I saw a few people look up. Mainly Bonnie, Elena's friend, Elena herself, Stefan and Matt. Who I figured to be Tanner looked over to Stefan, but then handed me the schedule back. "Find a seat."

I rolled my yes. "Yes, sir," I said jokingly, and a few people laughed.

I found an empty seat in front of Stefan and next to Elena, but I didn't want to be the girl who had to sit next to her "fraternal brother" in class, so, in the same row about two seats back, there was another free seat.

And it was in between Bonnie and Matt.

I went to sit there, flashing them both a small smile that could be called a smirk, not paying attention to the teacher that was asking a non-paying attention Elena a question.

She turned. "Hmm?"

"Pearl Harbor?"

"Um . . . . "

"December 7th, 1941," Stefan said, and I rolled my eyes. He's a cheat.

"Thank you, Miss Gilbert," Tanner said.

Some students laughed, but not me. Didn't feel like it because Stef was showing off, even though I could do the exact same thing he was doing. Though . . . Stefan always had a better memory than me. By a lot. "Anytime," Stefan answered.

"The fall of the Berlin Wall," Tanner said.

"1989. I'm good with dates, sir."

"Are you?" Tanner asked. "How good?" He looked back at him. "Keep it to the year." Then the war started. "Civil Rights Act."

"1964," Stefan answered.

"John F. Kennedy assassination."

"1963."

"Marting Luther King."

"'68."

"Lincoln."

"1865."

"Roe v. Wade."

"1973."

"Brown v. Board."

"1954."

"The Battle of Gettysburg."

"1863."

"Koren War."

"1950 to 1953."

"Ha!" Tanner exclaimed.  "It ended in '52."

"No it didn't," I called out.

Tanner looked back at me with a pissed expression. "Excuse me?" 

"Uh, actually, sir" Stefan said, coming to the rescue so I didn't get sent to the office on the very first day, "it was '53." 

Two vampire Salvatores saying you were wrong . . . 

Both of us nodded our head at him.

Tanner looked pissed. "Look it up. Somebody. Quickly!"

Students were pulling out text books and cell phones, and a guy with his phone out said, "It was  19 . . 53."

They clapped and chuckled, looking at me and Stefan because we showed this douche bag who was boss.

When the bell rang, we left with Elena, and she laughed, looking at Stefan. "How did you know all that?"

"Years and years of crossword puzzles," Stefan lied. "It's a loner thing."

I scoffed, shaking my head, and saying, "See you tonight, Elena."

"Okay, see ya." I started to head off to my next class, but Elena seemed to remember something. "Wait." She grabbed my arm, pulling me back. "How good are you at cheerleading?"

"Depends," I said. I saw a twinkle in her eyes, and I took in a breath, shaking my head. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no. I'm not cheerleading."

"Oh, come on," she said. "I was planning to do it, and Bonnie and my other friend will be there, but please, since it'll be a lot less boring if you were there."

I scoffed, looking away, and then back. "No, and not just no, but hell no."

"Please," Elena begged. "The routines aren't that hard."

Stefan smiled a little, and I shoved him in the back. "You gonna help me here or not?"

"Hey, if I go for the football team, then you should go for the cheerleading."

"What?" I demanded.

"Yeah, I mean, it's only fair."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Sorry, Kaylin," Elena said with a smile. "Looks like you're outnumbered."

But I was a vampire. I didn't have to do anything. "Nope." 

Elena stopped, looking at me with a very stone hard, determined face, and she pointed at it. "See this? It's not gonna go away until you stop whining and go." I let out another scoff, but she was really persistent. "I'll drag you there myself if I have to."

Okay, not gonna think about the irony of that, I thought.

"You don't even have to join the team," Elena said. "Just as long as you're there, I'm fine."

I could just compel her to stop. But Stefan was standing there. He'd never let me get a word out, and he gave me a look that confirmed that thought.

I sighed. "Fine. I'll go. But 'I'm not joining the damn team."

Elena smiled. "Okay then."

Elena walked up with me to the court where they were doing the practice. I stopped about where the team started. "I'll be back here."

She laughed once. "Yeah, I don't think so."

She grabbed my arm and pulled me along, which I let her do. She cleared her throat once we reached Bonnie.

"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed, getting right up. "You're here." She quickly got up and hugged her.

They pulled away. "Yep," Elena said. "I can't be sad girl forever. The only way to get things back to the way they were are to do things that were." As she spoke, she sank to the ground in a lunge.

Bonnie looked to me, almost smiling, trying to remember who I was. "You're, uh, Stefan's sister . . . "

"Kaylin," I said.

"Oh," Elena said, like that reminded her, looking up at Bonnie. "And you're coming to dinner tonight."

Bonnie sank to the ground too, smiling. "Am?"

"Yep," Elena answered, getting into the splits. "You, me, Kaylin and Stefan." Bonnie gave her a sour look once she mentioned Stefan. Elena gave her a serious look. "You have to give him a chance."

"Tonight's no good." Elena tilted her head. "Have you seen Caroline? I've texted her like a hundred times."

Elena scoffed. "Don't change the subject, Bonnie Bennett."

Bennett? That was her last name. I looked in between Bonnie and Elena. Bonnie'd been freaked out by Stefan . . .

Was she related to Emily?

I really hoped not. If she was a witch, that meant so many bad things.

Both of them lowered to the ground. "You're going to be there," Elena finished.

So she was all-boss lady for everyone?

"Fine," Bonnie whined. "I'll go."

Elena smiled, stretching out to her toes. "Good." She reached down to her toes, curling over.

Bonnie looked up at me. "You joining the squad?"

I scoffed. "Oh, no. Elena just convinced me to come."

She squinted her eyes at me, then Elena, like she knew something. "Right. "

By that voice, I knew that they thought she was gonna convince me to join.

So not going to happen.     

I decided to ditch the dinner. Stefan, Elena and Bonnie would probably kill me for it later, but I didn't care. The whole friend dinner thing was so not my thing.

But apparently it was Damon's. Stefan had told me that he'd gone to the dinner with Caroline, his new blood bag and puppet.

I hadn't even shown up to the kick off game on time. I'd only gone because I wanted to see Stefan make a fool of himself, having no use of the vamp speed and strength, and I was happy.

I pulled up just as Stefan was walking towards me, grabbing my arm. "I got a problem."

"What's that?" 

"A fight broke out just before you got here, and Elena's brother slit my hand with glass." 

I groaned. "You gotta be kidding me. Don't tell me your cover got blown, and mine's and Damon's, so soon." 

He shook his head. "No. Elena saw it, but I convinced her that it wasn't my blood." 

"Great," I said sarcastically as I walked with him to the back, where I had no idea where I was going. "Where the hell am I going?" 

Stefan didn't have a chance to answer before we heard, "You gonna be able to play?" from behind us.

We turned. It was Matt, the one from Tanner's class and the one I'd meant in the Grill. 

"Oh, yeah, I'm good," Stefan said. 

"Uh, what you did back there," Matt started, stopping and letting the two others behind us pass him, "you had Jeremy's back." 

"Uh, he's a messed up kid. Somebody's gotta look out for him." 

"I know." He took in a breath. "This week at practice, I was a dick." 

I laughed once, low enough he couldn't hear, but Stefan said, "You had your reasons." 

"No excuse." He held out a hand to Stefan, and Stefan reached out his to shake it. "Good luck tonight," Matt said. "We're lucky to have you." 

He smiled at me before nodding and then turning around and heading in the opposite direction where I could hear the sound of lockers opening and shutting and guys getting ready. Boys' locker room. 

"Mr. Nice Guy is . . well, nice," I said once he was out of earshot. I turned at looked at Stefan. "Good luck on your game. Hope you fall on your ass."

Stefan smiled a little, shaking his head, when we heard clapping from behind us. "Isn't that nice?" Damon asked. "Stefan joins the team, makes a friend. It's all so 'Rah! Rah! Go Team!'" He raised his arm in the air. "Yeah!"

"Not tonight," Stefan said. "I'm done with you."

He turned around, and I saw Damon disappear before I did, and Stefan stopped. Damon was in front of him. "Nice trick with Elena," he said. "Let me guess, vervain in the necklace." I furrowed my brows, confused, but let it go. Since when did Elena have vervain? "I admit, I was a bit surprised. It's been a while since anyone could resist my . . compulsion." Damon smirked. "Where'd you get it?"

"Does it matter?" Stefan asked, then started to walk around him, and I sighed an annoyed sigh.

"I guess I could just seduce her the old fashioned way," Damon said. "Or I could just . . . eat her."

I narrowed my eyes and tilted my head, knowing damn well that he wouldn't, and Stefan knew this too, turning around. "No. You're not gonna hurt her, Damon," I said as Stefan walked closer.

"No?" Damon tempted.

Stefan stepped face to face with Damon. "Because, deep down inside, there's a part of you that feels for her. I was worried that you had no humanity left inside of you, that you may have actually become the moster that you pretend to be."

"Who's pretending?"

"Then kill us," I told him.

"Well, I'm tempted--"

"No, you're not," I cut him off.

"You've had lifetimes to do it," Stefan said, "and yet, here we are, we're still alive, and there you are, you're still haunting me, after 145 years."

"He hasn't been haunting me," I said in a low voice. "Has been able to find me for the past 100 years."

"Who says that I never have?" Damon asked.

"Then why am I still alive?"

He didn't answer, and then Damon said, "I could just kill you both right now."

I shook my head, and Stefan said, "Katherine is dead. And you hate my because you loved her. And you torture me, because you still do." Damon had looked away from him, but now he was starting to look back. "And that, my brother, that is your humanity."

"Salvatore," the teacher called, walking out. "What the hell? We've got a game to play."

"If that's my humanity, then what's this?" Damon asked.

He disappeared, and before I could move, he was already at Tanner's throat, drinking until he was going to kill him. "No!" I yelled.

"No!" Stefan did a second later.

But it was too late. Damon dropped Tanner to the ground and turned towards us, his face vamped out, the red eyes around his blue, the veins underneath, and the fangs were retracting. "Anyone. Anytime. Any place."

I'd disappeared after that. So had Damon. Stefan went straight to, of course, Elena. I couldn't find Damon anywhere, but I knew that if he planned to stay this way with so many little people in town . .

We would have to kill him.

And Stefan wasn't strong enough to.

So it had to fall on me.