Damon Salvatore: I will always choose you.

I Know What You Did Last summer

   The thrill of our outstanding trip around Europe quickly faded and we were hit with the harshness of reality as soon as we stepped foot onto the campus of Whitmore college four days after our return.

With the help from Liz we had managed to fit both Caroline and I's stuff into the back of two cars the night before ready for the chattiness of moving in day. I felt more at ease due to the fact I had Caroline helping me pack and buy supplies ready for the upcoming school year as she was a total control freak. She remembered to most insignificant things like batteries and plug extensions which I would probably need but wouldn't have thought to buy. I honestly don't know what I would do without her.

To my dismay we had to separate from each other after the three of us had carried all of my stuff to my dorm room as Caroline had to go and set up her own room. A room she was sharing with Elena whom I still hadn't spoken to since graduation night.

As I shut the door to the crowded hallway I was met with a silence too unbearably loud that I had to scramble to my backpack to grab my headphones and turn my music up to the highest volume.

I hadn't been alone since I'd been brought back and the silence conjured up too many unwanted memories of my miserable time on the other side.

So, with Taylor Swift's Speak Now album blasting - probably damaging my eardrums - through my headphones I began organising my new home. A home I hoped Elena wouldn't burn down.

It was a small studio dorm room with a singular bed in the left corner facing a large window that was onlooking the courtyard. There was another window directly in front of the door with a wooden desk situated underneath with an uncomfortable looking chair tucked under. There was also a wardrobe and drawers for all my clothes and other things I would need to store away.

It took me almost three hours for my room to look presentable to my standards with posters being blu-tacked to the wall and fake plants decorating the windowsills and desk.

As I wiped away the small droplet of sweat that had appeared on my hairline I took in this little corner of the world that once belonged to another young adult who had the whole world at their feet. However, with all the small touches and minimal belongings that I still had occupying most of the sparse space, a small accomplished smile crept onto my face. This was mine. This was who I was. And no one was going to take that away from me. From the turntable laying on the floor next to my full length mirror, to the collage of pictures of my family and friends on the pin board, to the soccer ball laying in the far corner more so for decoration more than for practical use. This was me. This was Lily Gilbert.

I loved being a silly teenage girl sometimes.

._.

I had nearly finished folding my clothes into neat little blocks to store them away easier when a knock sounded at my door. My knees clicked as I took to a stand from where I was sitting crossed legged on the floor, the sound making me grumble to myself about how that didn't happen on the Otherside as I approached the dark oaked door. I swiftly opened it and was met by a tall stranger standing there with a handful of flyers clamped in his hand.

"Hey." He smiled a white toothy smile.

"Hi." I answered back politely.

"Party at Whitmore House tonight." He handed me one of the flyers which I took without a second thought - not because I was desperate to go to a party but because I don't think I'm capable of saying no. "Hope to see you there."

He winked before he moved to knock on the next door leaving me to my own lonely thoughts once more. I discarded the flyer, not bothering to read it, before going back to the few remaining clothes that needed to be put away.