The history class bell rang, a release from the day tension. Caroline immediately stood, turning to Leo with a smile. "Come on, new guy. You're with us."
She didn't ask. She just started walking towards the door.
Elena gathered her books slower. She felt Stefan stand up from his front-row seat. That quiet, heavy attention settled on her back again, giving her chills. She quickly moved to walk in step with Bonnie, using her friend as a buffer
The cafeteria was its usual midday roar. The air was warm and thick with the smell of grease and steamed vegetables. Caroline scanned the room and headed straight for a table where Matt Donovan and Tyler Lockwood were sitting.
"Guys, this is Leo. He just transferred," she announced, pulling out a chair for herself.
Matt gave a friendly, easy nod. "Hey, man. Matt."
Tyler looked up. His usual expression—a confident, lazy smirk—was fixed on his face. It slipped for just a second when he saw Leo. His eyes took in the guy's sharp looks, his relaxed stance, and how Caroline was practically attached to his side. A hot jab of annoyance hit Tyler square in the chest. He was the star here. The quarterback. The guy people noticed. This new guy didn't just walk in; he changed the air in the room. "Tyler," he said, his voice coming out a little too cool. He didn't offer his hand.
"Leo," Leo replied. He sat down without waiting for an invitation.
Elena sat across from him, next to Matt. Bonnie sat beside her, and Stefan, to everyone's surprise, took the empty seat at the end of the table, a slight distance away. He didn't speak. He just watched, his green eyes missing nothing.
Caroline, buzzing with energy, plowed ahead."So, the party tonight. At the Woods. You're coming, right? I didn't really get a yes in class."
Leo glanced around. He could feel that some people were uncomfortable with him at the table.Tyler's jealous glare was hot enough to burn a hole in the table. Matt was neutral, just observing. Stefan's silence was like a block of ice. Leo didn't care. What could they possibly do to him? He gave a small shrug. "Sure. I'll be there."
"Great! Elena, you're going, right?" Caroline pressed.
Elena, who had been quietly pushing her salad around, looked up. "I don't know, Caroline.I'm really not up for a party."
"You have to come," Caroline insisted. "It'll be good for you." Her eyes flicked to Leo, making her real motivation clear.
Seeing that look, Elena felt a sudden, silly ache in her chest. It was stupid. She didn't know this boy. But watching Caroline lean into his space, her hand touching his arm, sent a clear message: He's mine. It made Elena feel strangely invisible, and more alone than she had in weeks. Her eyes found Leo, but he was looking at Tyler, who had started talking.
"Yeah, the whole school shows up," Tyler said, his tone an attempt at casual control. He needed to reassert himself. "First big thing since summer. Good time to… see where everyone stands." His gaze settled on Leo, the challenge barely hidden. New guys start at the bottom. Remember that.
Matt, sensing the friction, smoothly changed the subject. "You play any sports, Leo?"
"Not really," Leo answered.
"Smart," Matt said with a genuine grin. "Avoids getting yelled at by Coach here during practice." He nudged Tyler.
Tyler forced a laugh, but it was thin. His eyes kept pulling back to Caroline, who was now fully angled toward Leo, and then to Leo's annoyingly calm face. Who is this guy? Just rolls into town and expects everything to revolve around him?
At the end of the table, Stefan's focus never left Elena. He saw the slight flinch when Caroline touched Leo's arm. He saw the way her eyes, so often clouded with a profound sadness, would occasionally lift and find Leo's face before darting away again, a faint red tinge on her cheeks. Each time she did it, a cold, unfamiliar feeling twisted in Stefan's gut. It was sharper than worry.
It wasn't just about her looking like Katherine anymore. This boy, Leo, was a distraction. A living, breathing complication. Stefan remained silent, a statue amidst the chatter, but his hearing focused on the steady, quickened rhythm of Elena's heartbeat every time Leo spoke a word.
The lunch bell rang, a loud, buzzing relief. As they all stood to clear their trays, Elena was the first to move, slipping away with a murmured "see you later" that wasn't directed at anyone in particular.
Stefan watched her go. His face was a mask that showed no emotion, but inside, he felt bitter. She's pulling away, he thought. And it's because of him.
Caroline immediately looped her arm through Leo's, chattering about what time he should pick her up. Tyler hung back with Matt, not bothering to hide his scowl as he watched the new guy walk off with the girl who usually showered him with attention.
"Seems alright," Matt offered, trying to lighten the mood as they dumped their trays.
"Yeah," Tyler muttered, his jaw tight. He slammed his tray onto the rack with a loud clatter. "Just great."
…
The final bell of the day was a relief. Leo walked to the parking lot, the chaotic noise of slamming lockers and shouted plans fading behind him. He slid into the driver's seat of the Mercedes. The engine came to life with a soft, expensive purr. As he pulled out of the lot, he saw her.
He slowed the car, rolling down the passenger window. "Need a lift?"
Elena jumped a little, startled by the voice so close. She looked over and saw him. Her eyes widened for a second. That same, weird feeling from the hallway and the history class hit her again, a physical jolt. Her heart gave a hard, sudden thump against her ribs, so loud she was sure he could hear it. She felt her cheeks grow warm. "Oh. Leo. Hi." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "No, it's okay. I don't want to trouble you."
"It's no trouble," he said, his voice easy. The car idled softly beside the curb. "And also I'm going that way anyway."
She hesitated. She didn't like feeling like a charity case.But her feet ached in her shoes, and the thought of the quiet car, away from everyone's watching eyes and the weight of the day, was incredibly tempting. And it was him. The one who made her feel that confusing, warm pull in her stomach. "Are you sure?"
"Sure," he said. He wasn't smiling too big, just looking at her like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Thank you." She opened the door and slid in, putting her backpack carefully on the floor. The inside of the car was clean and smelled new. It was quiet, just the soft hum of the engine.
"You can turn on the music if you want," he said as he pulled back onto the road.
"It's alright," she said softly, looking out the window at the passing houses. "I like the quiet."
They drove for a minute without talking. Elena was hyper-aware of him next to her. The shape of his hands on the steering wheel—capable, relaxed. The sharp line of his jaw. Her heart hadn't fully calmed down. It was a nervous, fluttering feeling, but not an entirely bad one. It felt alive. It was so different from the cold, heavy dread that often sat in her chest, or the intense, smothering pressure she sometimes felt around Stefan.
"So," she said, just to break the silence."First day. What did you think?"
"It was a school," Leo said with a slight shrug, keeping his eyes on the road. "Classes are the same everywhere. The people are… interesting."
She let out a soft breath that wasn't quite a laugh. "Yeah. 'Interesting' is one word for it." She was quiet again, watching the trees go by. Then she asked, "Where did you move from?"
"Out of state," he said, giving the vague answer he'd prepared. A beat of silence passed. "My parents… passed recently. The house here was theirs." He hadn't planned to say it. The words just came out anyway.
Her head turned towards him, her expression softening with immediate, deep empathy. All the awkward flutters vanished, replaced by a much more familiar ache. "I'm so sorry," she said, her voice genuine and quiet. "I… I know how that feels."
"I know," he said, glancing at her briefly before looking back at the road. "I heard about you, too. I'm sorry."
Their shared loss hung in the air, creating a sudden bridge of understanding between two strangers. It made the silence that followed feel much more comfortable, like they didn't need to fill it with small talk anymore.
"Turn left up here," she said quietly, pointing at the next intersection.
He followed her directions, the houses becoming more spaced out, more familiar-looking. He pulled up in front of a nice, white two-story home with a wide porch. The Gilbert house. It looked quiet and still in the afternoon sun.
"Thank you, Leo," she said, picking up her bag. She looked at him. Her heart was still beating a little fast, but the confusion was gone, replaced by a simple, warm gratitude. "This was really nice of you."
"Don't mention it," he said. "See you tonight?" He meant the party.
She paused, then nodded, a small, real smile touching her lips. "Maybe. Yeah. I'll think about it. See you."
She got out and walked to her door. He waited until she was inside before driving away.
The drive back to his own empty mansion felt longer. The day replayed in his head. The boring classes.Stefan's vampire stare. Caroline's aggressive friendliness.Tyler's little jealousy. And Elena's sad, pretty eyes.
Same high school life, he thought. Just with a supernatural background.
He pulled into his circular driveway, the big, silent house looming over him. He killed the engine and sat for a moment in the quiet.
Tonight was the party. In the woods. His memory of the show was fuzzy, but a key scene clicked into place. The back-to-school party. That was when Damon Salvatore would make his first real appearance. Not brooding and quiet like Stefan, but chaotic, charming, and dangerous.
A slow, anticipatory smirk touched Leo's lips as he finally got out of the car, the heavy door thudding shut behind him.The boring morning was over.
He walked towards the grand front door, the key cold in his hand.
Alright, Damon, he thought, stepping into the echoing, too-quiet hall of his mansion. Let's see what you've got.
***
Elena-Love Interest?
Give power stones for update speed.