“I’m telling you I feel weird. Maybe it’s just because prom is coming up and I’m just nervous or maybe I’m just sick,” says one of Kourtney’s best friends, Emily.
“Or your cousin was right, you’re a witch!” says Kourtney laughing.
Emily elbowed her playfully, “Oh shut up! The poor girl is psycho. No doubts she’ll end up in the nuthouse by the time she’s eighteen.”
Emily had been feeling different lately and her visit from her clearly deranged seventeen year old cousin telling her she was a witch didn’t really help. Did everyone have a crazy cousin like that? She didn’t know, she just focused on the route to her high school as Kourtney tried to calm her down.
“Don’t worry, Em, it’s probably just the fact that you’re nervous for prom. Which is in three months, by the way. You have nothing to be worried about,” said Kourtney.
Kourtney sighed and turned to the window and watched as the many familiar streets zoomed by her. Emily was a crazy driver, but she loved her anyway. Emily, Kourtney and their other best friend Lauren had been best friends since junior high. Kourtney was only worried about getting her grade of a B for Math Studies turned into an A. It wasn’t going to be easy, her math teacher was Mr. Nolan and he was a complete jerk. Today was going to be a long day.
“You’re right. That’s probably why, besides I just don’t think anyone will ask me, honestly,” said Emily parking her car in the student parking lot.
Kourtney scoffed, “Emily! Are you kidding?! Guys are already lining up to ask you to prom. You’re awesome, Em.”
“Surrrrrre,” said Emily stepping out of the car at the same time Kourtney did.
Kourtney quickly got first period over with and moved quickly straight to second period, her Math Studies class. She steps in with a smile.
“Good morning, Mr. Nolan. I’d like to know when the extra credit assignments are going to be posted?” asks Kourtney sweetly.
“As soon as pigs fly, Ms. Accola, you know that I don’t believe in extra credit. And if you hadn’t noticed, I was just speaking to Mr. Salvatore here,” says Mr. Nolan pointing to a tall attractive guy behind her.
Kourtney smiles at him, “Hello,” she turns back to Mr. Nolan, “But, Mr. Nolan, you don’t understand. I can’t have any B’s my last semester here. I need to get into NYU. I have to leave this hellhole.”
The tall attractive guy smiles and stands up, “Allow me to interrupt. I’m Stefan Salvatore, good to meet you…?”
Kourtney nods, “Kourtney. Kourtney Accola.”
Stefan smiles, “Good to meet you, Kourtney. Now,” he turns to Mr. Nolan and looks at him closely, “Mr. Nolan, I think you should just go right ahead and give Kourtney an A. Seems like she deserves it, Sir.”
Mr. Nolan stares at him for a second and then says, “Yes. She does deserve an A, doesn’t she?” he turns to Kourtney, “Ms. Accola, I’ll be willing to drop your last low test grade.”
“Really?! Thank you, Mr. Nolan, thank you so much!” Kourtney says. She turns to Stefan and smiles, “Do you have this class right now?”
“Uh yes, luckily,” says Stefan with a smile.
“Oh. Well people usually start pouring in about two minutes before the bell. Oh and there’s no seating chart, thank goodness,” says Kourtney.
“Great,” says Stefan, still smiling.
The students begin to pour in and Kourtney sits in her usual seat while Stefan takes a seat on one side of her and Lauren takes the other. Lauren looks at Kourtney smiling, her green eyes laughing.
“Guess. What,” says Lauren.
“Oh we both know I’m not really going to guess, Lauren. What is it?” Kourtney says.
Lauren jumps up and down in her seat, “Okay, okay! There’s this super-hot new guy in my first period and he said and I quote ‘Hello, Beautiful.’ Oh my gosh, Kourt, he is so cute!”
Kourtney laughs, “Well what’s his name!?”
“His name is Ash and he and his cousin, Stefan, just moved here from freakin’ Paris! Can you believe it?! Paris!”
“Stefan?” says Kourtney looking at Lauren confused.
Before Lauren can answer Stefan turns in his seat and says, “Yes?”
Lauren’s mouth drops, “You’re Stefan?! As in Ash’s cousin, Stefan?”
Stefan hesitates, “Uuuh yea. How do you know Ash?”
Lauren smiles, “Well, he’s in my first period class. Oh, I see you know my friend, Kourtney.”
“Yes, luckily,” he answers with a smile.
Kourtney slightly blushes but before she can say anything, Mr. Nolan is right in front of her, Lauren, and Stefan with an angry face. “Mr. Salvatore, you’ll have plenty of time to flirt with Ms. Accola after my class.”
Stefan smiles, “Yes, Sir, thank you, I will.”
Kourtney laughs and goes through the rest of the day hanging out with Stefan, his cousin, Lauren, and Emily. Emily looking annoyed whenever one of the guys slightly flirted with Lauren or Kourtney. As soon as the school day ended Emily, Lauren, and Kourtney headed to the Anglewood Mall, they needed a break. As Lauren and Emily went to go try on some clothes, Kourtney looked at a short red dress. She felt the fabric and put it to her body to see how it might look.
A voice behind her made her jump, “I think you should get it. It’d look amazing on you. Oh sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”
Kourtney turned around to see an attractive guy with black hair and piercing green eyes.
“I’m Damon, by the way,” he said.
She smiled, “I’m Kourtney,” she was about to shake his hand but he took her hand and kissed it, “Oh okay,” she laughed.
“Sorry, I couldn’t refrain from doing that. You’re just so beautiful,” said Damon.
“Um thanks. Do I know you? You look kinda familiar,” said Kourtney.
He smiled, “Maybe. In my dreams.”
She laughs, “Okay, I set myself up for that one. C’mon, you’ve got to have a better pick-up line than that.”
Damon laughs, “Oh trust me, I don’t. I usually don’t have to say much for a girl to be into me. But you’re different.”
“That was a little better,” Kourtney laughs.
“Oh, no. I’m serious. I don’t often even have to use pick-up lines.”
“Oh yes. All the girls just come running to you don’t they?” says Kourtney smiles.
“Mostly yes,” says Damon with a smile.
“Oh I’m sure.”
“Well, they’re usually not as gorgeous as you.”
Kourtney puts the dress back on the rack, “Gosh, why do you keep trying?”
“Because I like a challenge,” he says coming closer to her.
“I’m not a game.”
“No. But love is,” he says inches away from her face.
“I’m not very good at the game. There are no instructions.”
“No rules, either,” he says getting even closer.
“Maybe that’s the problem.”
“Yes, but it’s also the solution,” says Damon about to kiss her.
“Uuuh Kourtney?” says Emily behind her.
Kourtney turns around quickly, “Oh. So, um, are you guys going to get those?” she points to the clothes in their hands.
“Yea, we’re just going to get these and go. I’m kind of tired,” says Lauren to the side of Emily.
“Uh okay. You guys could go ahead and buy them. I’m just going to say goodbye and I’ll be right out,” says Kourtney.
“Alright. Well hurry,” says Emily walking away with Lauren.
“Well now. Where were we?” says Damon coming closer to her.
“I was leaving and I’m going to shake your hand. I’m not a game piece, Damon. I won’t fall for stupid tricks. Goodbye,” says Kourtney not even bothering to shake his hand before she leaves.
As she lay in bed that night, Kourtney thinks of two things. 1. Stefan and 2. Damon. Stefan was so charming and polite while Damon was sexy and flirtatious. She was probably considered important to Stefan already; he was growing fond of her. But with Damon, she was probably just that girl who turned him down that day, a small downfall to his day. She decided one thing as she closed her eyes: She was probably never going to see Damon again; it was Stefan who would be there the next day.
Before Emily turned out her light that night she caught a glimpse of a picture on her wall of Kourtney and her. Beautiful, she thought as she walked to her bed. Kourtney was always going to be more beautiful than her. She was always going to get the best guy. Always going to get the best grades. The best family. The best life. When was it going to be Emily’s turn? Her actual chance at romance? No. She hated having negative thoughts. She was beautiful and she knew it. It was only that she pushed guys away. She made a promise to herself as she turned on her side and shut her eyes: The next one wouldn’t get away so easily.
Lauren turned out her light and practically skipped to her bed. She was so happy. Why was she so happy today? Ash, she thought. Ash was the reason she was so happy as she lay in bed that night. Nothing could spoil her happiness. He liked her. He really liked her. And she liked him. It was a good day. This just might work out, she thought as she fell into a deep slumber.
Ash turned off the light and gracefully lied down in his bed. Lauren seemed so different. He felt like himself with her. And he didn’t usually walk up to girls like that with such courage, but it was so easy with Lauren. Why was he even getting into this? He knew it was dangerous to be with her. Any girl at that high school, really. None of them were like him and Stefan. In fact, the only reason he went back to high school was because he didn’t want Stefan to cause any trouble. As his best friend, he had to keep an eye on Stefan and he was quickly growing fond of this Kourtney girl. This was bad. Both him and Stefan were growing fond of these human girls. He tossed and turned and finally shut his eyes. But maybe this will work out, he thought before falling asleep.
Kourtney. Kourtney was all Stefan could think about as he lay in bed that night. She was so beautiful and kind. She was simply perfect. But she was human. Nothing could be worse than that. He was growing close to a human. He couldn’t put her in danger like that. But maybe she wouldn’t be in danger. He could just keep his distance. Oh but he couldn’t. He couldn’t stay away from her. Not from her. She was amazing. And he had already put himself at risk when he compelled Mr. Nolan to give her an A. Maybe it was her. The girl he was meant for. Maybe he’d finally met her. He shut his eyes and decided something: She had to be his.

Stefan won’t get this girl, thought Damon as he gracefully slid into his bed. This girl was different. She was not an ordinary girl. She was meant for greatness. Meant for him. Not Stefan. Although she didn’t seem so fond of Damon. Not when she snapped back to reality at least. She would probably not ever think about him again while he lies in bed thinking of her nonstop. She was quite amazing. A human, but an amazing one. She was not going to be someone he would get his mind off easily, that was for sure. She was too good for him. But maybe he could be just as good. He could try at least, maybe then he’s win her. He decided something as he fell into a deep sleep: He was going to see her again.