Fix You

Chapter 2

A hand closes around my upper arm, and I'm spun to face which ever sibling caught me.
"Don't act like that. You know you're always welcome." Damon says in the stern almost fatherly voice he uses with me when I'm starting to annoy him.
"Don't use your dad voice on me." I deadpan at him while peering over his shoulder to gauge Stefan's reaction to me being welcomed home. Our relationship has always been rocky to say the least. Golden child, who was supposed to be the baby and the accident that's just over a year younger than him.

To my surprise, Stefan doesn't seem to be visibly upset over the invitation, and I sigh, my shoulders sagging. I glance up at the roof of my childhood home, swallowing hard as my eyes fall on the all too familiar window staring back at me. Almost taunting me.

If this house could talk, oh the secrets it would spill. Secrets that would shake my brothers to their cores. Like how there's a hidden door that leads to an equally hidden room. The walls of that room are littered with drawings done in a child's hand and slowly progressing to the skilled hand of a young adult. In between the drawings are tally marks, counting the days spent in the room. There's a small, incredibly thin mattress with a thinner blanket underneath that window with it's nailed shut curtains.

Of course, as far as my brothers knew our father sent me to finishing school. So that I could become the perfect young lady to marry off. I wasn't allowed to make noise, and if I did our father dealt with me quickly. In his eyes, I was a stain on our family. And when the Lord had the sense to finally take me away, he took the wrong one.

"Serena? You in there?" Damon asks waving a hand in front of my face. I blink rapidly, not even realizing I'd retreated inside myself again.
"Sorry, I was just thinking." I mutter and he gives me an appraising look.
"You're not allowed to stay in your old room." He says and Stefan nods in agreement.
"Then where..." I begin but I'm cut off.
"It's a huge house. Take your pick." Stefan remarks and I roll my eyes, ignoring the cold fingers of anxiety clawing at my stomach.

The next morning, I fall in step next to Stefan as we walk towards the front doors of the wretched high school. I nearly got into a screaming match with Damon when he told me it would be in my best interest to go.
"It's not as bad as you think it is." Stefan says and I give him a dark glare out of the side of my eye.
"Says the football star." I chose and he shakes his head.
"I'm sure someone will end up taking you under their wing." He says and I raise my eyebrow.
"Like your girlfriend? I don't need anyone to take me under their wing, brother."
"You should try to make a few friends, it might do you some good." He says and I roll my eyes.
"I have friends. Just not high schoolers." I tell him as we step through the doors, I ignore the plethora of eyes on me and the whispers that kick up with them. Stefan pushes open the door to what I assume to be the office of this place and I step inside. I plaster a smile across my face as the receptionist looks at me.
"Hi, I'm Serena Salvatore, the transfer." I tell her and her eyes light up in recognition.
"I have to ask, you don't happen to be related to Stefan?" She asks and I force a laugh.
"He's my older brother." I tell her and she nods as she hands me a Manila folder.
"Your schedule and locker combo are in here. And a list of extra curricular if you're interested." She says.
"Thank you." I tell her with another smile.
"Have a good first day." She says, just a little too peppy for me.

I step into the classroom, I assume to be some sort of history class, and see my brother  he's already surrounded by his girlfriend and their group of friends. We make eye contact and I roll my eyes at him, because he knows I hate history classes.
"You must be Serena." The teacher says and I nod.
"That's me." I respond dryly as he plops a textbook into my hand. It's a lot thicker than I anticipated.
"You can take a seat wherever's open." He says and I nod. The only seat left happens to be directly behind my brother, almost like he's saved it. I slide into the desk, silently cursing the fact that it's right handed. I lean forward so I'm next to Stefan's ear.
"For the love of God, tell me you didn't save this seat for me." I whisper and he laughs.
"Like I said, you need to make friends. What kind of brother would I be if I didn't try to help." He says and I roll my eyes as I slink down into the desk.
"Did you get settled in okay?" Elena asks me and I nod.
"Sorry about yesterday. I didn't realize my brother here had a girlfriend or I would have told you who I was sooner." I tell her and she waves her hands.
"It was totally my fault. I shouldn't have made assumptions. Now that I see the two of you next to each other the family resemblance is strong." She says as the bell chimes. There's s rustle of notebooks opening so I follow suit.

After what feels like an eternity, the bell rings and I shove my stuff into my backpack. My first day is finally over. I glance up at the teacher, who's name is apparently Alaric Saltzman, and find him staring at him. The look in his eyes is vaguely familiar but I look away after a second and head for the door.

"Is there any particular reason why Mr. Saltzman was staring you down?" Stefan's friend Caroline says to me as I close my locker to find her standing there.
"No idea. I must have one of those wickedly familiar faces you can't place." I say nonchalantly.
"So like, where we're you before coming back Mystic Falls?"
"I was part of a foreign exchange program with my old school." I answer smoothly.
"Oh!" She says excitedly, "Where did you end up?"
"France for a semester and then I ended up going to Germany, and then back here." I tell her.
"That's so cool." She says and I nod and then stop in my tracks.
"Stefan has football practice, doesn't he?" I say and she nods.
"You could always try out for cheer." She suggests and I shake my head.
"Not coordinated enough for that." I lie.
"Guess I'm walking." I say with a shrug. "See you tomorrow Caroline!" I say brightly as I duck out the doors.