The final bell had rung long ago. The schoolyard was almost empty, the last few students heading home or to their cars. Elena walked slowly across the grassy yard, her steps hesitant. She wasn't rushing to leave.
She had decided to wait for Leo. The logic in her mind was simple, even if the feeling wasn't. Every time he was near her, her heart would race and her mind would scramble. It was a powerful, confusing reaction she couldn't control. She thought the best way to fix it, to make it stop being so overwhelming, was to get used to it. If she let herself be around him more, maybe the intense feeling would eventually feel normal.
She hugged her books to her chest, a familiar comfort. The afternoon air was cool. She knew it was a risky plan, and a part of her felt nervous. This wasn't like her usual cautious self. But she was also stubborn and determined to solve her own problems.
She turned her head, looking back toward the main entrance of the school. Her eyes scanned the empty hallway through the glass doors, watching for any sign of movement.
A few more minutes passed. The school grounds grew even quieter. Then, the main doors opened and Leo stepped outside.
He walked slowly, one hand in his pocket, his shoulders relaxed. He was leaving late because he'd been in the office, signing the final documents for his transfer to this school. The administrative work had taken longer than he'd expected.
As he stepped onto the path leading from the building, his eyes naturally scanned the nearly empty yard. That's when he saw her. Elena was standing there on the grass, not moving toward the parking lot or the gate. She was just waiting.
A simple, logical question formed in his mind. Shouldn't she be gone by now? The final bell had rung a while ago. The bustling crowd of students had already thinned out and disappeared. Now, only a few teachers' cars remained in the lot, and the occasional student straggled far in the distance. The place was almost deserted.
Elena noticed the movement from the corner of her eye. She saw Leo come through the doors and start across the yard. Immediately, her heart gave a hard, sudden thump against her ribs. The familiar, overwhelming feeling rushed back, a mix of nervous energy and intense attraction.
On instinct, she quickly moved her head down a little, pretending to look at the ground near her feet. But she could hear his footsteps getting closer on the path. He was coming toward her. The feeling inside her grew stronger, a dizzying flutter in her stomach and a tightness in her chest.
She took a quiet, deep breath. She had to control this. Silently, she reminded herself of the plan. Just talk normally, she repeated in her head. Act normal. This is just a conversation.
Then she heard his voice. It was smooth and charming, the sound wrapping around her name.
"Elena?"
Elena looked up, her eyes meeting him for a brief second before the intensity made her glance away slightly.
"I was waiting for you, Leo," she said, her voice firmer than she felt. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a small, nervous habit. "There's… something I need to discuss with you."
She paused, gathering her thoughts, pushing the personal confession far down. Instead, she grasped for a practical, external topic—something safe from the town's social calendar.
"Do you know about the Founder's Family party this Friday?" she asked, finally releasing the breath she'd been holding. It was a relief to say this instead of the dangerous truth: my heart beats too fast just seeing you.
Leo murmured the word in clear confusion. "Founder's Family Party?" For a moment, he just blinked, his mind sorting through unfamiliar words. Then, something clicked.A knowing from the story he was in. Isn't that the party where Damon gets the locket which is from Bonnie's family? The realization was a quiet jolt, connecting this casual question to a significant plot point he now remembered.
Elena watched his confused expression. She mistook it for simple unfamiliarity with the town's traditions. As they unconsciously began walking slowly along the path, she told him about the Founder Family Party.
"The Founder's Council puts it on," she said, her voice becoming more calm as she focused on the simple facts. "It's a big formal event at the Lockwood mansion. Anyone whose family helped establish Mystic Falls generations ago gets invited. There's dinner, dancing. It's kind of the biggest social thing of the year."She looked at him to see if he understood."My family gets an invitation. So does Caroline's, Bonnie's and few others.
They reached Leo's car, parked near the edge of the now-empty lot. Leo clicked his key fob, unlocking the doors with a soft beep. He pulled open the driver's side door but paused before getting in, turning to look at Elena over the roof of the car.
"But I don't think my family meets the criteria for a party like that," he said, his tone one of genuine uncertainty."I am new here. I doubt my name's on any of the old founding lists."
Elena opened the passenger door and slid into the seat, placing her bag on her lap. She looked across at him, her expression thoughtful but sure.
"Actually, it is," she said, her voice calm. The act of explaining, of focusing on straightforward facts, was working. Her heartbeat had settled into a much steadier, quieter rhythm. "I saw the guest list when my aunt was addressing invitations. 'Whittemore' is definitely on there. It's one of the original Founder families."
Leo stood for a second longer, one hand on the car door. He searched through the borrowed memories of this body.He found nothing. The late Mr. and Mrs. Whittemore had never mentioned any deep roots or history in Mystic Falls. It was a blank, a piece of the puzzle that didn't fit.
A small, somewhat intrigued smile touched his lips as he finally lowered himself into the driver's seat. "Well," he said, pulling the door shut. The interior of the car was quiet. "Looks like I have some family history to research." He started the engine, a smooth hum filling the space between them.
He kept his eyes on the road as he drove, his hands relaxed on the steering wheel.The quiet in the car felt heavy to Elena now. She studied his profile—the focused line of his jaw, the way the fading afternoon light fell across his features. The calm she had felt earlier began to crack, replaced by a nagging need to know.
Gathering her nerves, she shifted slightly in her seat. She knew it was invasive, maybe even rude, but the question had been eating at her since she saw them talking in the hallway.
"Leo," she began, her voice quieter now. She paused, choosing her words carefully. "Can I ask you something?" She waited for a slight nod from him before continuing. "Is there… something going on between you and Caroline?"
The moment she said it, she felt a flush of embarrassment. It was inappropriate, too personal for the casual acquaintance they were. She rushed to add a soft, almost apologetic, "I just… I noticed you and Caroline -."
Leo glanced over, cutting her off gently. He saw the nervous tension in her expression, the way her fingers were tightly clasped in her lap.
"You don't need to be nervous, Elena," he said, his voice calm and soothing.
Elena met his gaze, her brown eyes wide and searching for only a second before he turned his attention back to the windshield and the road ahead.
"And no," he continued, his tone straightforward. "There's nothing going on with me and Caroline. We're just friends. That's all." He said it simply, because it was the truth, and there was nothing more to it—nothing to hide or elaborate on. To him, it was just a fact.
He focused on driving again, leaving the statement hanging in the quiet space between them.
A small, involuntary smile appeared on Elena's face. She looked down at her hands, feeling a sudden, warm lightness spread through her chest. It was a pure, simple feeling of happiness blooming inside her, soft and sudden. It was silly, she knew, to feel so relieved by such a basic answer, but she couldn't help it. She hadn't even realized how much the possibility had weighed on her until the weight was gone.
She let out the soft breath, the remaining tension easing from her shoulders. Still, a thread of polite guilt made her speak again. She turned slightly in her seat toward him.
"I'm still sorry for asking, though," she said, her voice sincere. "It was personal, and I just… I misunderstood some things. I was curious." She offered the explanation not just as another apology, but to ensure he didn't think she was judging him or being gossipy.
Leo heard the earnestness in her voice. As they slowed for a stop sign, he turned his head toward her again. His expression was soft, understanding.
"It's okay, Elena," he said, his tone gentle. A small, easy smile formed on his lips—a smile that held no annoyance, no hidden meaning. It was just a simple, reassuring look that silently told her everything was alright.
Elena nodded, returning a faint, grateful smile of her own. She felt the last of her awkwardness melt away, replaced by a warm sense of relief. Leo turned his focus back to the road as they started moving again.
Elena settled into her seat, feeling a quiet contentment. She watched the familiar houses and tall trees of Mystic Falls pass by her window, their shapes blurring slightly with the car's speed.For this moment, with the gentle hum of the engine and the peaceful understanding between them, she felt lighter and happier than she had in a long time. The complicated, scary feelings were still there, but for now, they were quiet, overshadowed by this simple, good moment.
…
Leo pulled into his driveway and shut off the engine. After dropping Elena off, the quiet of his big, empty house awaited him. He got out of the car and stood for a moment, looking up at the dark windows. He sighed softly, a quiet sound in the still evening air, and leaned back against the car door.
His mind drifted back to the drive. The scene of Elena asking him about Caroline replayed in his head. The nervous way she had said it. Is Elena attracted to me? The thought formed before he could stop it. He shook his head slightly, dismissing it. It wasn't useful to dwell on, and he decided not to think about it any further.
Pushing away from the car, he walked to the front door and let himself inside. The entryway was dark and silent. He dropped his keys onto the small table by the door with a clatter.
As he turned, his eyes caught a flash of white on the floor. It was a formal-looking envelope. He bent down and picked it up. It was heavy, expensive paper. On its back, in elegant script, were the words "Founder's Council."
He opened the flap and pulled out a thick, cream-colored card. It was a formal invitation, addressed to the Whittemore family, requesting their presence at the Founder's Family Party this Friday at the Lockwood mansion.
Leo stood in the quiet hallway, holding the card. He looked up, staring at nothing in particular as the pieces clicked into place. So, his family really did have a history here. Elena hadn't been mistaken. She was right.
***
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