...🌑...

PRESENT, Mystics Falls

𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟗

Cold.

It was like a piercing glare on my back, stopping me in my tracks. I turned my gaze to my balcony doors as the feeling of being watched washed over me.

"Selene?"

I turned from the double doors to my bedroom. "Yes, Mom."

"You're going to be late."

I grabbed my bag from my desk. "I'm ready."

"Caroline is waiting outside." Mom explained.

She furrowed her brows at me with concern resting against the opening. The same concern I've been trying to avoid for the last few days.

"Mija, are you sure you're okay?"

I nodded, pulling on my black leather jacket. "I'm fine."

Mom didn't look convinced.

I took after her with similar brown eyes and dark brown hair.

On the other hand, my sister looks more like our dad. At least that's what Mom told us, but that's where the conversation ends.

She never talks about him, only that he's alive and staying away means keeping me and my sister safe.

"It's your first year without your sister in the same school." Mom explained. She pulled my long curly brown hair out of my collar. "Not to mention, your ascension is a year away."

I followed her out of my room and down the hall. "I know."

Mom pulled open the front door, and I walked out into the frigid August morning.

I closed my eyes, felt my fingers twitch as I could feel the magic in nature, and exhaled.

"You know I want the best for you." Mom said, breaking my connection.

I turned to her and nodded. "I know." I grabbed her hand, squeezing it. "You know I can take care of myself."

"Just be on your guard," Mom told him, brushing a wisp of curls off my cheek from the wind.

"I will." I smiled. She pulled me into a hug and kissed my forehead. "I'll see you after school."

"I love you," Mom murmured against my hair.

I rushed down the stairs as Caroline honked her horn. "Love you too."

"A minute later, and we'll be late," Caroline said, pulling out of my driveway.

I leaned back in my seat, glancing out the window. "Sorry." The cold erupted across my skin, causing me to shiver. "You're the only one excited for the first day of school."

"Because we're juniors." Caroline gushed. "That's one step closer to seniors. Which means..."

"We're not at the bottom of the social ladder," I said, shaking my head.

"Precisely." Caroline smiled. "I thought you would be happy. You know, getting out from your sister's shadow."

I looked out the window and thought of my sister.

She's only two years older than me. She's everything I'm not. She was always the one who wanted to go the parties, not to mention she was named Miss Mystic Falls her junior year. She was the outgoing Hastings.

On the other hand, I only let a select few get close to me.

My gaze turned to my hands, and I could feel the warmth and power of the magic coursing through my veins.

I could kill without batting an eye. I could level cities without the amount of magic in my veins, and I was only growing stronger. I was scared of what I could do. Unlike my sister, who embraces who and what she is, I couldn't.

Being born a Hastings witch didn't mean we were leaders of the witches; we were royalty. My magic isn't a gift but a curse that reminds me in a year that it will double, and soon I will take after my mom as Queen of the Witches.

"Are you still with me, Sel?"

I blinked and turned to her. "Yeah."

"You sure?" Caroline asked with worry in her eyes.

"Yeah." I gave her a half smile. "Don't worry about me."

"You're my best friend." Caroline parked, turning off the car before grabbing my hand. "I'll always worry."

A smile graced my lips. "I know, Care."

"So, are you attending the fall party this weekend?" Caroline asked.

I pulled my bag on my shoulder, following her across the courtyard to the school. "Maybe."

"Come for me," Caroline begged. "Please."

I looked at her puppy dog eyes and sighed. "Fine."

"Great." Caroline smiled. "I need to find Elena and see how's she doing. You want to meet for lunch."

"Okay," I nodded.

I shook my head at my best friend as she rushed into the school. I sighed, dragging my feet because my first class was with Mr. Tanner, and I despised that man.

A groan escaped my lips, and I stumbled, feeling myself fall as I tripped when an arm shot out, wrapping around my waist and stopping my fall.

I lift my head as my eyes connect with deep blue ones.

A crow and fog flashed behind my eyes, and pain sliced through my head as blurry images fluttered, making me squeeze my eyes closed.

"Selene?"

I opened my eyes and whipped my head around, looking for the stranger with piercing blue eyes.

But he was gone.

"Hey, Selene," Bonnie said. "Are you okay?"

I blinked, looking out into the gloomy morning. "I have a bad feeling."

...🌑...

"His name is Stefan Salvatore. He lives with his uncle up at the old Salvatore Boarding house."

I blinked at Caroline as I walked with her and Bonnie into the grill.

"He hasn't lived here since he was a kid. Military family, so they moved around a lot." Caroline continued. "He's a Gemini, and his favorite color is blue."

"You got all of that in one day?" Bonnie questioned.

"Oh, please." Caroline scoffed. "I got all that between third and fourth period. We're planning a June wedding."

I sat at a booth with Bonnie sitting across from me and Caroline heading to the other side of the grill, talking to some cheerleaders. "Do you think she knows that he likes Elena?"

"Let's not tell her," Bonnie said. "Not yet."

I leaned back in my chair. "So, how's your Grams?"

"She's fine," Bonnie said. "She asking about you." I furrowed my brows. "Wants to know when you're coming over to visit."

"Soon." I smiled.

Shelia Bennett is the strongest witch I know besides my mom and is stubborn too. She has that Bennett fire that I love and the wisdom that I needed, especially before my ascension.

My mom didn't want me to worry about my ascension but to ensure that I read through the Grimoires and made time to visit the ancestors to pay my respects. But I dreaded all of it.

Sometimes I just wanted to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl, and my only worry was going to school or falling in love.

"How's Elena doing?"

I felt for Matt as he slides in beside Bonnie at the booth. "How do you think Matt?"

"Her mom and dad died." Bonnie clarified. "How do you think?" She grabbed Matt's hand and gave it a slight squeeze. "She's putting on a good face, but it's only been four months."

"Has she said anything about me?" Matt pushed.

"Oh no." Bonnie leaned back. "So, not getting in the middle. You pick up the phone and call her."

"I feel weird calling her," Matt said. "She broke up with me."

I looked into his eyes and could see his pain. "Just give her some space."

"More space, huh?" Matt grumbled, glaring behind me.

I whipped around, and my eyes widened at Elena but more at the guy beside her. My gaze turned as Matt got up and headed toward Elena. "Shit."

"Yeah." Bonnie sighed. "Come on. We might have to do some damage control."

It was probably the first time that Bonnie and I didn't have to do some damage control for our friends.

Instead, I found myself sitting at a table in the middle of the grill with Caroline interrogating Stefan, all while the same cold shivers went through me like from this morning, like my body was on high alert.

"So you were born in Mystic Falls?" Caroline prodded.

"Mm-hmm." Stefan nodded. "And moved when I was still young."

"Parents?" Caroline asked.

I hit her arm and whispered, "Caroline."

"My parents passed away," Stefan answered after looking at Elena.

"I'm sorry." Elena breathed. "Any siblings?"

Stefan half smiled. "None that I talk to." All his attention turned to Elena. "I live with my uncle."

"So Stefan, if you're new, then you don't know about the party tomorrow," Caroline interjected.

He lifted his brow, and I cleared my throat. "It's a party at the falls. Kinda like a back-to-school thing."

"Are you going?" Stefan asked, his gaze solely on Elena.

"Of course she is," Bonnie answered for her.

...🌑...

"The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war in our very own Mystic Falls."

I usually could turn out Mr. Tanner as he went on and on lecturing about the prestigious history of our lovely little town. But I didn't get enough sleep last night, and it felt like my brain was wired no matter how sleep-deprived I was.

"How many casualties resulted in this battle?" Mr. Tanner asked. "Ms. Bennett?"

"Um...a lot?" Bonnie joked. "I'm not sure. Like a whole lot."

I smiled but didn't lift my head as my pencil etched against my sketchbook, taking all my attention.

"Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Ms. Bennett." Mr. Tanner pointed out. "Mr. Donovan? Would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?"

"It's okay, Mr. Tanner. I'm cool with it." Matt answered.

The class laughed, and I rolled my eyes.

"Hmm, Elena?" Mr. Tanner called out. "Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events?"

"I'm sorry, I—I don't know." Elena apologized.

"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena." Mr. Tanner started. "But the personal excuses ended with summer break." I felt his gaze land on me. "Ms. Hastings?"

I rolled my eyes. "Isn't it your job to teach instead of making us look like idiots?" I lift my head. "I mean, that is why you became a teacher, right." The class went silent. "Or was it to relive your glory days?"

"Ms. Hastings." Mr. Tanner warned.

"Please, I'm curious to know," I said. "Or maybe your head shove so far up your ass you can't tell the difference anymore."

Mr. Tanner opened his mouth when a voice called, "There were 346 casualties. Unless you're counting local civilians."

"That's correct." Mr. Tanner blinked. "Mr...?"

"Salvatore." Stefan offered from behind me.

"Salvatore." Mr. Tanner repeated. "Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?"

Stefan sighed. "Distant."

"Well, very good." Mr. Tanner praised. "Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle."

"Actually, there were 27, sir." Stefan corrected. "Confederate soldiers they fired on the church, believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong. It was a night of great loss." Mr. Tanner swallowed, looking uncomfortable. "The founder's archives are, uh, stored in civil hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts, Mr. Tanner."

I couldn't keep the smile off my lips if I tried as the class gasped in shock.

"Hmm." Mr. Tanner scoffed. "Ms. Hastings?" I grabbed my things and packed up, standing from my seat. "Principal office. Now."

I grabbed the slip from his hand. "It's Labonair-Hastings and with pleasure."

...🌑...

The wind whips through the clearing outside the woods mixing with the rock music and laughter.

It was the back-to-school party, and it had only been three hours, but I wanted to be anywhere else. I couldn't shake off the feeling of someone watching me. It was making me feel paranoid. But I kept having nightmares of Stefan and the blue-eyed stranger and blood. So much blood that the town was drowning in it at the end.

However, that's not what woke me up. It was the town burning on fire and someone who looked like Elena, but I knew it wasn't her smirking standing in the ashes.

I shook my head and took a sip of beer from my red solo cup, looking at the fire and trying to pretend for a little while that I was normal. I wanted to forget about the weird nightmares and be a typical teenager.

"Just admit it, Elena," Bonnie said, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, okay, so he's a little pretty," Elena admitted.

"He has that romance novel stare," Bonnie explained.

I looked around between different people dancing and drinking. "Did he make it?"

"I don't know." Elena shrugged. "You tell me." Her gaze landed pointy on Bonnie. "You're the psychic one."

"Right, I forgot." Bonnie nodded with a smirk. "Okay, so give me a sec. Grams says I have to concentrate."

I rolled my eyes. "Sounds like Shelia."

"Wait, you need a crystal ball," Elena told her. She pivotes around, looking at the ground, and grabs an empty beer bottle. "Ta-da."

Bonnie rolled her eyes and grabbed Elena's hand wrapped around the bottle.

I looked at Bonnie with worry as her eyes went dazed as she went to another place.

I softly place my hand on her shoulder. "Bonnie?"

"That was weird." Bonnie breathed, blinking out of her daze. "When I touched you, I saw a crow."

"What?" Elena asked.

"A crow," Bonnie repeated. Her gaze turned to me. "There was fog, a man." I rubbed her back and felt Elena's face fall at the words left Bonnie's lips. "I'm drunk. It's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it. Yeah?" Bonnie nodded, trying to convince herself, but I knew better. "Okay, I'm gonna get a refill."

I stared at Bonnie and stepped towards her as a chill pierced the back of my neck. I lift my gaze, watching Stefan head our way. "I'm going to check on her."

I rushed after Bonnie but lost her in the crowd. I walked up the bridge and turned in circles looking for her but sighed when I couldn't find her.

I rest on the wooden railing and look into the night sky. It was quieter up away from the party, and I relished in the silence.

"Shouldn't you be at the party?"

I briefly glanced out of the corner of my eye. "I don't talk to strangers."

"Good thing I'm not a stranger." He said.

I turned to him and paused as my eyes met his piercing blue ones. I felt the breeze brush my curls off the back of my neck, but I furrowed my brows. He raised an arch brow which confused me even more like a memory was trying to break through but couldn't.

"What?" He asked.

I blinked. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

His face fell. "No sunshine, you don't."

I watched him turn from me, and I don't know why but a part of me didn't want him to go. I reached out and grabbed his hand.

He went still and slowly turned to me. I glanced at our connected hands as tingles shot up my arm, furrowing my brows even more.

"Sunshine." He breathed.

I lifted my gaze to his and let go of his hand. "Sorry."

His finger brushed against my cheek, and my eye fluttered closed. "It's okay."

"Somebody help!"

My eyes snapped open, and I leaned over the railing, watching Elena with Jeremy as he held Vicki in his arms.

"Somebody call an ambulance!" Matt yelled.

"It's her neck," Elena yelled. "Something bit her. She's losing a lot of blood."

A hand grabbed my arm, and the same feeling of dread and cold overwhelmed me.

"You're right." He mumbled against my ear. "You shouldn't talk to strangers."

...🌑...

"Did you make it home safe?"

"That's why your my best friend." Caroline giggled.

I rolled my eyes at my drunk friend. "Drink water before you go to sleep."

"I will." Caroline sighed. "So, who was that guy on the bridge?"

I sat on my bed, etching my pencil into the paper of my sketchbook. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Caroline asked.

"He didn't give me his name," I explained.

"Ooh," Caroline said. "First thing tomorrow, we're going to find your mystery guy. Because if Elena gets one, then you should get one too."

I could notice the hurt in her voice. "Care what happened?"

"He rejected me." Caroline sighed. "Elene always says the right thing. She doesn't even try!" Caroline's voice cracked. "And he just picks her. And she's always the one that everyone picks for everything." I stopped my pencil, gripping the phone at the hurt in my best friend's voice. "And I try so hard and...I'm never the one."

I set my sketchbook to the side. "Care, listen to me." I paused before continuing. "You'll find the right guy for you. So Stefan isn't the prince in your fairytale. That's his loss, not yours."

"It just sucks." Caroline breathed.

"I know, Care." I sighed. "Do you need me to come over?"

"No," Caroline said. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."

I pursed my lips, not convinced. "Love you."

"Love you more."

I placed my phone on my bedside dresser and grabbed my sketchbook. I ran my finger down from the raven high and high cheekbones as my eyes stayed on the piercing blue eyes.

"Who are you?" I muttered to myself.

And why does it feel like I've met you before?

...🌑...

A/N: IT'S HERE!!!

So I know that this is another story, but I love TVD and had this in my draft for a while. Usually, it takes me three months to hold onto a draft before posting it. I had this one for over six months.

I hope you guys are ready for Damon and Selene's story because I have a lot planned for this series. There will be eight books following the eight seasons, and some might be different than the others but don't worry, I'll still try to keep some things the same.

One thing about my TVD series is that there won't be any Elena hating, if at all. I've seen a lot of that in some TVD fanfics, but there won't be any in my book unless it furthers the plot. Elena is one of Selene's best friends, which means a lot to Selene, as you'll see further along in this series.

Also, Damon's and Selene's love story won't be copied and pasted from Elena's and Damon's love story. It will be different because of whatever my brain crafts up for them.

Anyway, I hope you guys like it.

QUESTIONS: What do you guys think of the chapter? What do you think about Damon? What is your favorite episode in season 1?

SONG: Here We Go by Mat Kearney

-MakenaBlack