3 School, Introductions and Questions

When Stefan turned around, I didn't really look or interact with him. I just looked at my phone and pretended to not even know he was there - why? Because I'd rather not have a conversation with him about his Compulsion. I'm not gonna hide what I am like it's the world's biggest secret but that doesn't mean I'm gonna be shouting it from the rooftops either.

After he walked passed me, I looked up. Though not before he gave me a suspicious look, no doubt because he was wondering whether or not I noticed what he did.

Ignoring him, I walked to the woman behind the desk and slung my backpack onto one arm as I searched through it. Pulling out the slightly worse-for-wear papers and school transcripts, I smiled as I held them out to the woman, "Uh, hey, I'm a transfer student. Damien Lockwood, coming from Richmond Community High," I gave her my name and my past school and she nodded as she took the papers and transcripts from me.

I didn't really wanna bring the transcripts but this school explicitly asks for them, so there's nothing I can do. Which means I'll no doubt get the schools football coach coming to try and recruit me before the days end.

I mean, I still love football...but playing it while enhanced just seems boring as hell. There'd be nothing stopping me from acing every game.

Shaking my head, I just looked around the office before the woman spoke up, "We've got everything we need here...so please, I hope you enjoy your time here, Mr. Lockwood," I turned back to see the woman smiling up at me, which I returned before she handed me something, "Your timetable," she clarified and I took it from her.

"Thanks," I said, looking down at the piece of paper before back up at her. Nodding, I turned around after zipping up my bag and got on my way out of the room.

Seeing one of the girls still there, I decided I might as well try and introduce myself, I walked over. Bonnie, the girl still there, was looking down the corridor at where Stefan had gone and I followed her gaze to see Stefan and Elena awkwardly looking at one another after Elena came out of the men's restroom.

"Like budding lovebirds, huh?" I asked while looking at the two awkward people.

Hearing me, Bonnie practically jumped out of her skin and her head snapped back to look at me. She took a step back in shock, her face looking a little flustered as she tried to compose herself, "Uh, I mean, yeah, I guess," she answered on autopilot and I chuckled a little at her reaction, it being a little more than just flattering as she blushed.

Scratching my cheek, I wondered if I should say what I was thinking before finally just saying it, "Your friend looked a little sad," I started, turning my gaze to look at where Elena and Stefan were finally speaking to one another, "I hope things pick up for her. Or I could just be seeing things," I turned back to Bonnie who was just looking at me with a more composed face than before. Whatever I'd said had poured a bucket of cold water on her teenage hormones.

"Yeah..." she said, nodding, "I hope so too," she murmured before something seemed to shake her from whatever she was thinking, "What am I saying--Just ignore my rambling--I'm Bonnie," she put out her hand, "Bonnie Bennett! It's nice to meet you!" she smiled enthusiastically, her pearly white teeth almost shining.

"Damien Lockwood," I smilingly replied, taking her hand and shaking it, "It's nice to meet you too, Ms. Bennett," I said with a teasing wink before releasing her hand.

Hearing how I referred to her, Bonnie flushed once again before waving her hand in front of her, "P-please, don't call me a 'Miss'. It makes me feel really old..." she said in an embarrassed tone, "Just call me Bonnie. Everyone does," she nodded, more to herself and what she'd said than anything else.

Though, as I was about to reply to her, someone behind her knocked her into me. Grabbing her by the shoulders, I stopped her from colliding into me - the experience would be less than comfortable to a normal person. Even if she was a Witch.

'Lycan Muscles = Not soft or comfortable' is pretty much why I stopped her from colliding with me.

But, as I stopped her, Bonnie's face paled and her eyes went wide as I felt a spark of static zap both my hands holding her, "Damn...!" I whispered under my breath, the spark stinging nearly as badly as Wolfsbane. But just like that, it was over within less than a second and Bonnie's face went back to normal. Seeing she still seemed a little out of it, I bent down a little to be more on her level, "You alright, Bonnie?" I asked, both worried for whatever happened to her and what it meant for me.

She was a Witch. She had multiple of these things happen throughout the show - touching someone and then having a supernatural reaction to it.

Which meant she might've seen something to do with my supernatural heritage.

"Huh?" she broke out of her daze and looked to me before realizing what I asked, "Oh! Uh, yeah, I'm fine. It's just..." she trailed off before a look of indecision crossed her face, "It doesn't matter. Just me being weird!" she tried to play out with a laugh and a smile but both were forced.

Before I could try and pry a little deeper, I heard a voice from my side, "Bonnie~? Do you want to introduce me to your new friend?" I turned and saw Elena, a teasing look in her eyes as she looked between Bonnie and I.

Goddammit.

Bonnie, seeing her way out of an awkward situation, smiled at the opportunity and gestured to me, "Elena, meet Damien," before gesturing to Elena, "And Damien, meet Elena."

Somewhat disgruntled by the lack of a chance to get answers, I forced myself to move on from it, figuring I would get another chance to ask soon enough anyway, and smiled as I put out a hand in greeting toward Elena, "Damien Lockwood, nice to meet you, Elena."

Elena, not sensing anything wrong with my attitude, smiled and took my hand, "Likewise," she kept it succinct, obviously not in a social headspace. But soon after, realization crossed her face, "Wait a minute...Lockwood?" she asked and I nodded, already knowing where she was going with this as she continued, "Are you related to Tyler Lockwood by any chance?" she asked.

"Yep," I nodded, "We're cousins. Though I haven't seen him since we were both, like, 10 or whatever," both of them looked a little confused at that, so I continued, "I used to live in Richmond before I moved here," I clarified to the two of them and their faces went 'Oh, I get what you mean'.

"That's surprising," I heard Bonnie say and I turned to look at her, confused. Seeing my look, she continued, "I mean, look at you," she gestured to me, "You're taller and bigger than him, you have blond hair and green eyes and you're tanned like some sort of surfer - you and Tyler look nothing alike," she joked and Elena laughed as she nodded along in agreement.

"Regardless," I shrugged, "We're cousins. Though as you've said, I'm obviously the better looking one," I joked with a mischievous smile across my face.

Elena and Bonnie laughed at my joke and I saw from the corner of my eyes a guy with dirty blond hair and blue eyes glaring daggers at me. He was around my height, though maybe a few inches shorter, and was definitely a football player from how bulky he was. Which told me everything I needed to know: That's Matt Donovan. Probably jealous because I'm speaking to Elena or whatever. What a rough year this guy's gonna be in for~

Pushing that thought aside, Elena looked like she wanted to say something to me but she was cut off by the bell ringing and signaling that class was either near or starting.

"Oh," I said, looking around, "Well, duty calls, right?" I smiled to the two before walking off in the direction of my first class.

History.

. . .

"I heard you're a pretty top-class Wide Receiver, man," I heard from the side as I was biting into a burger, "When you going to try out for the team? Matty here could use someone who can actually catch the balls he throws."

Chewing and swallowing the food in my mouth, I gave my cousin Tyler a look, "Where'd you hear that from--" I stopped myself before shaking my head, "My dad probably bragged about it when he went over to visit your dad, right?" I asked and Tyler gave a shit-eating grin as his reply which told me that was the case. Sighing, I gave a shrug and a noncommittal expression as I answered, "I don't know if I'm gonna try out for the team. Just doesn't really seem worth it."

Both Tyler and Matt looked at me and for a moment all I could hear was the noise of the Grill - the place I'd came to for some food, only to run into my cousin and his friend.

Then Tyler spoke up with a disbelieving expression. As if not wanting to play football was some sort of alien action to him.

"Come on, dude," he started, "Two Lockwoods on the team and we'll be unbeatable. You on offense and me on defense. I'm damn sure your chemistry on the field would be brilliant with Matty here," he shook Matt back and forward, which was quite an odd sight as Matt had a few inches on Tyler in terms of height and more than just a few pounds in muscle, "Don't throw away your God-given talent, man."

Shrugging again, I answered, "I don't know, Ty. I'll think about," I said before taking another bite out of my burger. Swallowing the bite, I gestured to Matt, "Besides, I got a question for lover boy over here," I said and Tyler raised an eyebrow, instantly interested in what I had to say. Matt looked confused before I began speaking, "What's the deal between you and Elena Gilbert, man? You were staring at her all through History and when I was talking to her before class, you were looking at me like I'd killed your dog."

Instantly, Tyler burst out laughing before rolling his eyes.

"You wanna ask this dude about Elena Gilberts?" Tyler scoffed before laughing some more, "We'll be here all night listening to him whine about her dumping his ass."

Matt, who looked entirely displeased with my question and Tyler's words/laughter, spoke up in a angsty tone, "I was only trying to look out for her," he weakly put up some defense, "She just lost her parents and I don't want some random guy making trouble for her," he reasoned, which I could understand. Except that wasn't his only reasoning and framing it in such a selfless way...well, it was just kinda sad to see.

"Sure," I sarcastically said, before sharing a glance with Tyler before the two of us burst out laughing. Matt just took the ribbing from the two of us, not really being able to refute it.

. . .

Things continued like that for another ten minutes or so before Bonnie and Caroline came over to speak to us. It was only really then that I realized I was kind of intruding into a friends group of people who'd grew up with one another. Though, even when I jokingly brought it up, Tyler quickly dismissed my worries alongside Caroline who quickly adapted socially and began to include me on the conversations.

It was kinda...fun, I guess. Though it was obviously the calm before the storm, in more ways than one.

The first one, however, was happening right now as Elena walked into the Grill with Stefan in tow.

Matt, obviously, didn't like that as he got up and walked over to them. Tyler looked like an excited kid, thinking there was about to be a fight, but there wasn't. Instead, Matt put a hand out, meaning to shake Stefan's hand, and introduced himself.

Tyler was disappointed but I could only feel a slight admiration for the Matt's maturity. God knows he wants to punch Stefan but he put aside his macho alpha attitude and didn't make a scene like a toddler throwing a tantrum. Though I assume at some point he'll strip what little admiration I have for him away from me with his childish actions in the future.

Quickly, Tyler got up and walked over to Matt before the two of them started playing some pool. Meanwhile, Stefan and Elena came over to the rest of us, where the three girls began interrogating Stefan and I about our lives before we came to Mystic Falls. After we'd introduced ourselves to each other, anyway.

Before things could get awkward with Stefan's 'My parents are dead' story, Caroline looked to me, "And what about you Damien?" she asked, "Why have you come to our lovely town?" she smiled.

"I have no idea," I shrugged, lying, "My mom and dad just wanted to move back here to be nearer to family, I guess. I was doing just fine in Richmond," I clarified, my new side from this life genuinely feeling annoyed that I was torn away from my friends in Richmond. Though, I did know the reason: I was a Lycan now. I couldn't risk being in a big city because I could break out of whatever cage I was in and go on a massacre.

...And I was genuinely glad I wouldn't have to worry about building up such a high kill count.

"Then what do your parents do?" Caroline asked and Bonnie and Elena gave her pointed looks, thinking I might possibly be like Stefan or Elena whose parents are gone. Caroline, for the most part, was ignoring those looks.

"I'm pretty sure my dad will be joining Mystic Falls PD, while my mom is pretty adamant on enjoying her retirement from the Air Force and just being a stay-at-home mom," I said before gesturing to Caroline, "Your mom is the sheriff, right? I'm pretty sure my dad mentioned someone called Forbes was his new boss or whatever," I smiled, thinking about my dad, the decorated Army Ranger, being some small-town Sheriff's subordinate.

At that, Caroline's eyes seemed to shine, "Really?" she asked and before I could nod she leaned over the table and took my hands in hers in a textbook display of being too touchy with someone, "Finally, someone who will come to understand how much of a drag it is to have a parent in law enforcement! A comrade!"

"Y-yeah," I awkwardly said, not really being the best at dealing with outgoing people like Caroline. They seem to exude energy and act so energetic it makes me feel mentally tired.

Seeing my reaction to Caroline's extrovert behavior, Elena and Bonnie snickered at my situation while Stefan cracked a grin at it.

Carrying on with her mile-a-minute thoughts, Caroline continued speaking as she looked between me and Stefan, "Seeing as you two are new...you probably don't know about the party tomorrow, right?"

"It's a back to school thing for the Juniors and Seniors," Bonnie clarified, looking more than a little curious about my answer, "It's pretty fun," she added, looking at me.

Taking my hands back from Caroline, I held my chin and put on a mock thinking expression, "Hmm, I don't know. Should I go to the party with free beer and a bunch of pretty girls? Man, what a hard decision. What do you think, Stefan?" I asked, dragging my answer out to tease Caroline and Bonnie. Elena practically doesn't seem even a little focused on me - she's too busy staring at Stefan after I deferred to him.

"Are you going?" he asked Elena, being supremely straightforward, to which Bonnie speaks up before Elena can answer.

"Of course she's going," she says, a wide and teasing smile on her face as she looks at Elena who looks taken aback but doesn't refute Bonnie. Bonnie, however, sees that I'm looking at her curiously and decides to add, "I'm going as well. Free beer, right?" she nervously adds after thinking she was too forward but I ignore it and laugh.

"Exactly," I nod, "So you bet that I'm going if you are."

...At least I'll be able to enjoy this before it all kicks off. All work no play is no good, after all.