Don’t, he told himself. You’ll ruin her like you ruined everything.
A new scent drifted from the parking lot. Gasoline. Cheap perfume. And underneath it, a familiar, arrogant pulse of darkness. Stefan’s smile vanished. vampire diaries season 1 episode 1
But his feet carried him to the school anyway. When she looked at him, his first instinct was to run. His second was to fall to his knees. Don’t, he told himself
At school, the hallway was a blur of chatter and slammed lockers. Caroline Forbes was already orchestrating her social army, while Bonnie Bennett gave Elena a tight, worried hug. “You okay?” Bonnie whispered. Gasoline
Downstairs, Jeremy was already gone, lost in his own sullen orbit of grief and teenage rebellion. Her Aunt Jenna, trying so hard to be a cool guardian, burned the toast. Elena forced a smile, kissed Jenna’s cheek, and stepped out into the damp Virginia morning.
Stefan Salvatore hadn’t meant to come back. He’d stood at the town line for an hour, watching the leaves fall, listening to the blood beat in the veins of every student who walked by. The thirst was a low, constant hum. He’d learned to live with it.