THE SUN WAS RISING. It was around seven in the morning and the Salvatore School for the Young and the Gifted was bustling with students and everyday activity. Classes on defensive and offensive magic, werewolves and vampires learning how to tame rage and be functional creatures of the night. And in a room that was unoccupied by any student and walls that were bare and lacking decorations, laid Stefanie Salvatore, staring up at the ceiling. She was still in utter shock. Less than an hour after learning about the supernatural, she became a part of the community. Well, not officially, but she knew what path she eventually would have to take. But did she want to take it? Did she want to be a vampire?
A creature that longed for the exquisite taste of human blood. Constantly wanting to feed, not having any sense of control? Was that the life Stefanie was doomed to endure? Despite the cruel world that Stefanie was about to enter, there was one thing solely on her mind: who in the hell did this to her? If she was remembering correctly, Thatcher Greenberg lured her to the woods and watched someone feed her vampire blood and snap her neck. Everything in her body was telling her to hunt Thatcher down and rip through his carotid artery and suck every last drop of blood out of his system. Not for hunger, but for revenge. How could he do this to her? Why? What did that person promise him to hurt Stefanie and completely derail her life like this?
Just as she was about to clear the thoughts of becoming a vampire from her mind, the bedroom door creaked open and her parents walked through. There was Elena, her hair disheveled but kept in a way that would be deemed as presentable by the public eye. She wore jeans, a white tee shirt that was tucked in and a long beige colored cardigan. Still on her left ring finger was her daylight ring, still blue as ever. Following in suit was her husband and Stefanie's father, Damon. His dark hair was evenly combed and he wore a dark blue dress shirt and jeans as well. And just like Elena, he was still wearing his daylight ring despite it's uselessness now. The two parents smiled softly at their daughter but Stefanie wasn't blind. They were in pain. A lot of it.
"Hey, Stef," Her mother began, taking slow steps towards the bed. Stefanie sighed and sat up, brushing her curls out of her face. After her shower, she didn't bother to flat iron her hair. She didn't bother to do anything.
"How are you doing, kiddo?" asked her father as he took a seat at the edge of the bed. He placed a reassuring hand on her knee and she smiled weakly, trying to seem strong. But the tears swelling up in her eyes said otherwise.
"Oh honey!" Elena exclaimed, taking Stefanie into her arms. She was crying now, hot tears rushing down her cheeks as sobs escaped her lips. She wasn't strong. Not now. How could she be? She had to make such a difficult choice and even though this process was a choice, both options were terrible.
