Melanie left the Grill and walked towards the Gilbert house. She was thinking about all that Alaric had said and if that was correct it meant Jeremy needed someone at the moment. 

"He had tried to commit suicide," Alaric's words rang in her ears, "this is the height of his depression." 

She rang the doorbell. A lovely looking middle aged woman with the kindest brown eyes opened the door. She was Jenna; the only living relative of the Gilberts after John Gilbert (who was not so functional at the moment). 

"Yes? Who do you want to meet?" Her voice was soft and gentle which reminded her a lot of her own mother. 

"I... Is Jeremy at home?" Melanie managed to ask. 

"Of course dear," Jenna's smile widened, "come in. You must be Alyssa if I'm not much mistaken. Jeremy has told me a lot about you." 

She nodded in reply. 

Jenna led her inside, "I'm Jenna; Jeremy and Elena's aunt. He's upstairs by the way. Would you like something to eat or drink?" 

Melanie politely refused and headed upstairs. She saw Jeremy sitting on a desk pondering over a notebook. "What are you doing?" she asked. 

"Homework," he replied vaguely still focusing on his book. Suddenly his head shot up as if he had recognized her voice, "Alyssa?" 

She came and sat down beside him, "well you ditched us at the Grill so I came to pay a visit." 

A smile lit up his face, "oh, sorry about that. I have this maths assignment I completely forgot about and Elena grounded me so I couldn't come." 

She rolled her eyes, "and you also completely forgot about this wonderful invention called a cell phone to communicate in emergency." 

He laughed, "now when I think about it; yeah, I forgot completely." 

She glanced at the book, "what's so confusing in this question?" 

He sighed and showed it to her, "I don't get it. I mean we were taught about mathematical induction in class but I couldn't understand a single word. And now I have to submit it tomorrow." 

She laughed, "you couldn't understand yet you didn't bother asking anyone?" 

He raised an eyebrow, "and who should I ask?" 

She stated simply, "ask Elena, duh!" 

He shook his head, "no use. She nearly failed maths last year." 

Now that was unexpected. She couldn't believe that the perfect and proper Missy Prissy Elena almost failed in a subject. She took his book and pen, "in that case I guess I'll have to do the explaining." 

He smiled, "I would be honored." 

She began explaining the sum to him step by step. When she was done she looked up and caught him staring at her with an unreadable expression on his face. As soon as his eyes locked with hers, he looked down immediately trying to hide the fact that she had caught him staring at her. 

"Did you understand it?" Melanie asked. 

He nodded in reply. 

"Good," she remarked, "now I hope you will do the rest of the assignment well." 

He smiled, "thank you Alyssa." 

She glanced at her watch which was ticking the time well past seven, "sorry Jer but I'll have to go. I told Dad I'll be back by seven." 

She stood up and so did he, "thanks for coming. You really are the best friend I could ever ask for." 

She looked at him smiling sincerely at her. It was hard to believe that someone so nice and caring as Jeremy could ever think of suicide. And yet if he had not been saved at time... She shook the thought away immediately. 

"Alyssa, what are you thinking?" Jeremy's voice brought her back to reality. 

Without thinking twice as if being driven solely on her instincts, she gave Jeremy a sincere friendly hug catching him by surprise. His eyes widened to the utmost extent. At first he simply stood there still and bewildered. But after a little while he gently hugged her back. 

When they pulled apart after what seemed like hours, he asked, "what was that for?" 

She composed herself, "everyone needs a friendly hug once in a while, you know. It's good for health." 

He laughed, "oh God, when will I ever understand you?" 

She smirked, "try and try again. Someday you will. Just don't lose hope." 

She bid farewell and rushed downstairs. After saying goodbye to Jenna as well she made her way out as quick as possible with her cheeks still shaded crimson and burning.

After she was gone Jeremy was still standing at the same spot; silently smiling to himself. 

"Oooh, someone's got a crush!" 

He turned around in alarm to see Bonnie and Caroline behind him. Elena was standing a bit far off by the door but the expression on her face wasn't as enthusiastic as that of Bonnie and Caroline's. He was staring down at the ground getting red from embarrassment. 

"OMG! Jer, is this blushing I see?" Caroline remarked, "look Elena your brother has finally found his soulmate. He's so taken with her. And personally I think you guys would make a great couple." 

But Elena wasn't that glad to be honest. She cut off Caroline's bubbly estimations, "she's just a friend, Care. Don't give him the wrong ideas." Her reply was short and cold. 

Bonnie raised an eyebrow skeptically at her but she just frowned in reply. Caroline, however, wasn't one to back off so easily from any topic and especially if it was related to dating and couples, "does she know? Did you tell her? When are you going to ask her out?" 

He stammered, "I... I don't know?" 

Bonnie was still glancing dubiously at Elena but spoke nevertheless, "you must know of she likes you too before you take any other step." 

Caroline squealed, "of course she does! There's a flat 99.99% chance of that! Uh, wait, I think I should better get a calculator. Maths is not my strong point, you know." 

At her remark they all laughed except Elena. Something was bugging her. "Jeremy, there's no such thing between you and Alyssa Grace nor it will ever be. Am I clear?" Elena approached him finally. Her face was set in a hard expression. 

He stared at her a bit confused at her stern sentence, "but I did not say there was anything between us, Elena. Why are you being so harsh all of a sudden?" 

Even Bonnie and Caroline were surprised at her cold demeanor. 

"I'm not being harsh, Jer," she stated, "I'm just trying to tell you what's right and what's wrong." 

He straightened, "and what exactly is wrong with her? She's my best friend and that's all. Even though you might be my elder sister I'm not gonna let you influence everything about my life." 

He picked up his books and went to his room while Elena was staring at him in shock. Finally she spoke, "how can he say that to me? I just want his good while he..." She left the sentence incomplete and balled her hands into fists. 

Caroline mumbled, "but they looked so cute together." 

Elena shot her a cold glare so she held her hands up in defeat. Both of them couldn't understand why Elena was behaving like a totally different person showing a rather un-Elena like personality. 

Bonnie remarked, "I'm sorry Elena but this time Jeremy's right. He's not a kid anymore, you should let him make his own decisions. If both of them like each other then we shouldn't interfere." 

She shook her head, "but I don't like her." 

Caroline spoke, "what I don't understand is that what is it that you don't like in her? She's done nothing to ever hurt you or anyone else and she's such a nice and sweet girl." 

Elena's voice rose a bit, "yes she might be a nice and sweet girl to you people but she looks at me weirdly, accusingly, hatefully. As if I've done something to her. I get this feeling that she's hiding a lot of things from everyone. As if she's not what she seems to be. And I don't want Jeremy to be with someone like her." 

Bonnie sighed wearily, "Elena stop stressing out. You're just getting a lot possessive about Jeremy than necessary. Just relax and think it over at night. Its not such a big deal and you'll get over it. But don't let anything ruin your relationship with Jeremy. You know it can be disastrous if that happens." 

She gave in, "fine I'll try. But I'm not so sure about that yet." 

Caroline injected a positive note, "what if they are just friends after all? I mean friends do hug a lot of times. It isn't a big deal." 

She nodded back, "I hope so."