Just a heads up:  this might suck cuz I've had the worst case of writer's block ever and I'm sorry if it looks like a vampire diaries fanfic. I promise it isn't one  :)

The night was slightly warm even though it was the middle of winter, with a slight breeze blowing that rustled the leaves of the towering elm trees that bordered the small town. The moon was like a pale disk that hovered in the sky, casting a soft pearlescent glow over everything and if you looked hard enough you could make out the stars that twinkled in the sky as well. The streets were lined with the remains of the previous day's snow and fairy lights seemed to be woven into the leaves of the trees.

"They did a pretty good job this year," Rita commented as they made their way towards the town square. The smell of buttery popcorn was heavy in the air. Soft music could be heard playing in the distance and when they reached the square, they saw that red and gold streamers had been flung over the surrounding trees. The fountain in the middle gurgled merrily and people were already starting to gather around it, just watching the jets of water or greeting friends and neighbors.

"They really did," Evana replied, looking around for a familiar face. Booths had been set up along the far wall and she could feel that familiar burst of giddiness when she saw one with cotton candy. Her mind drifted back to the days with her parents when she would jump up and down as soon as she saw cotton candy nearby and her father would chuckle; as he always did before picking her up and walking towards the booth. She remembered how her mother would roll her eyes but follow them nonetheless.

Those had been good days, she thought as they walked farther into the town square. Vanessa, the librarian was selling steaming cups of hot chocolate, and she was just considering going over to her and grabbing one when they heard a commotion from the opposite end of the square. Glancing over, she saw that a small crowd had gathered over there and people were struggling to peek over each other's shoulders.

"Looks like they brought the cake out," Rita observed, and Evanna smiled as she realised that this was just one of the many reasons she loved this town so much. Every year, the mayor had a special cake baked in honour of the town and its people. He would cut it and then the cake would be distributed among everyone present in the square. She would be lying if she said the free cake was not one of the reasons she came to these things. But the cake-cutting ceremony usually happened near the end of the evening.

"I haven't seen them get this excited to just see the cake before,' James said as people continued to whisper amongst themselves.

"It's more about who baked the cake this year." They turned to see Laura come up behind them, breathing heavily and clutching a stich in her side. She had obviously run all the way here, Evanna guessed, and couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of fondness for her friend.

Laura had always been one of those people who insisted on doing everything but were nearly always late to important events such as the one today. She worked for the only self-made event planner the town had and had been put on the planning committee for founder's day but would quite obviously be in trouble for not being on time.

"The guy's new in town,' she carried on excitedly. "I saw him a while ago and he looks like a real life version of Jake Kerrington." This revelation was enough to pique her curiosity and bring a tell-tale smile to her lips. Jake Kerrington was one of the lead characters in a book series that the three girls had been obsessed with and was one of her favorite fictional characters, with his golden hair that curled at his forehead and hazel eyes that were almost gold in the middle. If this boy was anything like him, she doubted she would be able to stop the overexcited teenage girl inside herself.

James and Rita had wandered off to greet some friends and they were left standing at the edge of the crowd now. Laura was trying to smooth out any wrinkles that may have formed on her deep blue dress and Evanna was trying not to laugh because her friend was being too careful as usual.

"Katie's mom got dumped again so she couldn't make it," Laura told her nonchalantly as if they were talking about the weather and she sighed.

"Sam left? Jeez I was just starting to like him." Katie's father had left them a year ago and it had left her mother distraught for a total of six months, before she had taken it upon herself to find herself a new man; only it was not working so far. It had not been a happy marriage and Evanna truly admired the woman for wanting to get back on her feet so soon, but she had to admit she was concerned about her now. Maybe it was time to take a break.

"It was something about his old girlfriend. She...." But Evanna did not hear her complete her sentence because at that moment, the crowd parted and she was able to get a glimpse of the raised platform where the cake was placed. It was a multi-tiered vanilla buttercream cake with dozens of frosted roses trailing down its side. She could tell even from a distance that whoever had baked it had put a lot of effort into it, but it was not the cake that had made her gasp out loud.

The boy standing next to it did indeed bear an uncanny resemblance to how she had imagined her favorite fictional character, but his features somehow looked sharper, more real. His golden locks brushed the top of his neck lightly and the light from the twinkling fairy lights was reflected in his eyes as he gazed across the square at her. She noticed his angular jaw and crooked smile and could not help the tug she felt in her heart.  It was almost like what she had felt a few hours ago; only much more welcome maybe.

She realised moments later that her mouth had curved upwards into a smile and so had his. His arms were crossed in front of him at the moment and he looked like he had been in conversation with the mayor but was now looking right at her. She felt the same pull towards his eyes as  she had  with other boy and tried to contain her bewilderment at the strange feeling.

But a second later, he had turned away and was talking animately with the mayor again who was no doubt telling him how much she appreciated his work on the cake. It had ended so quickly, she thought as Laura dragged her over to a booth selling caramel popcorn. Their eyes had locked only for a moment and yet she had felt a strange connection between them. It was definitely not like the one she had felt earlier that day with the boy in black whom she still was not completely sure had been real; this felt more 'safe' somehow.

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A/N
Okay like I said before;  I'm sorry if this sucked and for the super-late update but i promise I'm trying to make it better.  Votes and comments are always appreciated guys  xD