❝New beginnings aren't always new.. or even a beginning. Just hell❞
•

"I'm not moving in with you guys, for the last time." I groaned, taping my last box, "I already got the singular room. And what about Bonnie? What if she comes back and has no where to live?"

"We'll figure everything out by then." Caroline reasons, "And we might get a new roommate."

"You might not." I reasoned, only hearing her let out a big sigh through the phone, making me chuckle. "I will see you and Elena at Whittemore."

"Fine, but this conversation isn't over."

"Of course it isn't." I laugh and hang up, taking the phone from my ear. I really wished someone was hear to help me load up my car, but Matt is travelling the world with Rebekah, Tyler is helping the werewolves in the Appalachia's, Klaus is in New Orleans with his unborn child. Yup, Klaus has a child on the way. Shocker. He called me, telling me the news, and all I could say was congrats. At least I wasn't left with a text.

But, moving on, everyone is pretty occupied, so I'm by myself. My mom had went on a trip with her Italian boyfriend, I could never bring myself to care to remember his name and Meredith is on call at the hospital. I let out a exasperated sigh as I picked up the last heavy and full box, walking downstairs to my car.

Last summer, I was stuck in my house watching the Notebook on repeat with tubs of ice cream surrounding me because I was moping over Tyler. Now, this summer, I made college plans, ordered a singular dorm for me, myself, and I, and plus I'm excited to move on from guys. Tired of dealing with supernatural guy trouble. And I know Rebekah feels the same since she's shacking up with Matt wherever the hell they are right now.

I go back upstairs in my room and look around, self checking if I'm forgetting anything. I smiled at my accomplishments when I see I got everything, and grabbed my keys, going back outside to lock the front door. I walk to my car, and get inside, my radio instantly playing when I put my key in the ignition.

I tap lightly on the steering wheel, putting some of my attention to music that players lowly. Caroline planned to get a quadruple dorm room, but those rooms were taken, thank god. I was going to text Bonnie earlier, telling her to come back soon because all summer Caroline has nagged me to live in her dorm with Elena. But then I remember.. Bonnie's dead. And, to be honest, I'm not moving in with them because of Bonnie.

I'm not moving in with them because of my screaming fits I have at night.

After graduation and that dream with Bonnie, I've been screaming mostly every night. I don't know what it means or whether I'm just not facing reality. There hasn't been a single death all summer since Bonnie. Jeremy was resurrected, which helped me get all the answers I needed. He coughed up after awhile of verbal torture, and slight physical torture. He told me the truth and made me promise not to tell anyone else. In my defense, I'm not lying to them, I'm just withholding the truth for humanities sake.

And we loss so much already, so to hear how another one our friends has fallen will break them all. Of course, I cried for two hours straight, and then that's when the screaming nightmares began. It's a repetitive dream, like before. I'm in water, separated from a safe which in on the other side of what seems to be a glass wall. Or border. I assumed Silas was inside the coffin since they mummified him or whatever, but it only made my suspicions grow.

For awhile I shook it off, since my plan was not to go Banshee crazy over the summer. However, the screaming never went away and now it's in involuntary. I was really glad my mom wasn't here and my sister has her own apartment.

I find an empty parking spot when I reach Whittemore. I get out my car to stretch only to be tackled by a heavy weight. "I'm so glad you're here, Rowan!"

"Same here, Care." I choke out, "Now get off me. You are a thousand pounds."

She breaks away abruptly and scoffs at me, "Excuse me, if I do recall I weigh two pounds less than you."

"You're still a ton." She gapes at me jokingly and rolls her eyes. Elena comes trudging behind, holding what I assume is Caroline's boxes.

"Hey, Ro." Elena smiled and I smiled back as Caroline took her box from Elena. "Where's your room?"

I furrowed my eyebrows and dig in my pockets, pulling out my transcript, "Uh, in the East wing." Both of them frown, so I took notice that we aren't in the same wing.

"Come on girls." Caroline's mom calls, and turns me, "Hi Rowan."

"Hey, sheriff." I waved, looking back at my friends, "I'll catch up with you guys later, okay?" They nod and walk off with sheriff Forbes as I go to the trunk of my jeep.

I pop it open, and take out one box, only for it to slip out my hands as I turn around and land into the hands of someone else. I look up and realize it's Jonah, however, he's not wearing his uniform.

"Hi, officer Stone." I smiled, watching him grip the box in his hands.

"Jonah, remember?" I only nod at his correction, "First day of college and already becoming so clumsy?"

I laugh at his statement, "When am I not?" He laughs back, running one of his free hands through his light brown hair, "What are you doing here?"

"It's my day off and my brother is attending- well, stepbrother." He clarified and I nod, "You may see him around."

"Maybe." I said softly, realizing we both ran out of things to say. Awkwardly, I cleared my throat, "Uh, well, thanks."

I reach to grab the box, but he pulls back, "I can help you to your room."

Hesitantly, I retracted my arms, "Thanks." I grin, taking my other box from the jeep. I walk ahead, having him follow me, "You sure you don't have anywhere else to be?" I ask, without hesitation, only hearing his light chuckle. "Not that I'm not enjoying your company, because I am. I just thought they needed you at the station, or your stepbrother might need your help..."

I trailed my words realizing that I was talking nonstop. A blush crawls towards my cheeks as we make it to my dorm, "My brother doesn't need my help, trust me. And I'm good here." I look at him, seeing as he held a smirk with his twinkling eyes, which are very admirable.

I nod slightly and place down the box by my door, while Jonah places the other by my window, "Well, then, I hope you know this is just the beginning."

"I realized," He smirked, "I'm willing to finish to the end, if you are." I smirk back at his remark, only to shake my heads and walk back to my car, with him beside me.

•
•

"And I believe that's the last of it." I breath out, tired of the stairs already. I close the trunk to my car with a slam, already seeing the sun go down. I turn to Jonah, watching as he grimaces at his right palm. "You okay?"

"Just a little cut from the last box." He hisses and I look down at his hand, seeing it was sort of a big gash across his palm.

"Damn." I whispered, "I have a first aid kit. Hold on." I grab his left hand and pull him towards the jeep. I open the back door, and let him sit.

"I could do this myself, you know? I served in the army, so I think I know how to take care of a wound." I laugh lightly as I walk towards the passenger seat and go into the glove compartment, taking out my first aid kit.

I walk back to him, placing the kit on his lap, and opening it. I take out some alcohol pads, gauze, and a large bandaid. I rip the pads open first, quickly placing it in his cut, and hearing him take in a huge breath, "The army, huh?" I joke.

"We all can't take pain like you do, Ms.Fell." I look up at him as I place the gauze in his palm, before putting the bandaid on top.

"Trust me, I don't either." I sighed, closing the kit. I take it off his lap, watching as he stood.

"Not from how I see it." He whispered and placed his hand on my cheek.

"We can't do this here, officer Stone." I smirk, feeling him caress my cheek. Did I skip some details? I guess I did, huh?

So, while becoming all Banshee obsessed, I decided to have a little bit of fun as well... with Jonah. Obviously, it was kept secret, because my mom and every other person I know would flip. However, it's not even serious. It was a little fling, that happened more than twice. Dating is too overrated. And I know the last relationship that I had, which was kept secret, didn't go so well, so that's why this is just for fun.

In private anyways. And I honestly, I should have a little bit of fun before college. Right? And plus, I wanted this one thing to myself.

"Why not?" He teased, a playful grin on his lips, his pearly white teeth in view.

"Goodnight, Jonah." I gently remove his hand from my face, closing the back door of my car. "Feel better." I smirk as I walk away from him. I quickly walk to my room, but nonchalantly. I close my door behind me and lean against it, feeling my heart flutter like a humming-

I stop in the middle of my thoughts, instantly at the thought of Klaus' word. When he thought about being human.

And then the smirk on my face drops as well as my body when realization hits me; I'm not human.