The Price of Legacy

ONE: Hope

I'd been at the Salvatore Boarding School for a week now, and, to my surprise, it wasn't terrible. The students were friendly—nicer than I'd expected for a small, prestigious college in Mystic Falls. Yet, no matter how welcoming they were, the anger I felt toward my father and Uncle Elijah still burned hot in my chest. I couldn't fully blame Elijah; I knew he'd tried to convince my dad against this ridiculous arranged marriage. But he hadn't tried hard enough. He could've done something more. Anything.

Classes had just ended, and I found myself lost in thought, staring blankly at the faded wood paneling of the hallway as students moved around me, heading to their dorms or study spots. I didn't notice Lizzie Saltzman until she was practically in my face. "Hellooo, earth to Hope!" she sang, waving a manicured hand in front of my eyes.

"What?" I asked, blinking out of my daze

"I said, we're going for coffee. You, me, and the Super Squad. You're coming," Lizzie announced, her tone leaving no room for argument. She had this way of deciding things for other people, almost like she was royalty and I was just a subject. Her blonde hair practically shimmered in the sunlight pouring through the windows, and she had that grin—the kind you couldn't easily say no to

"I don't know..." I hesitated. I barely knew her friends, and even though Lizzie had filled me in on all the campus drama—who was dating who, who had cheated on who, and who was failing which classes—I wasn't sure if I was ready for group bonding. But Lizzie didn't seem to care

"Please, you know everyone already. At least, you know all the gossip," Lizzie teased, nudging my shoulder. "It's not like we're going to force you to marry one of them.

I forced a laugh, but the words hit harder than they should have. My stomach twisted, and I hoped my expression didn't give me away. Lizzie had no idea how close her casual joke was to the truth. My father's plans were something I hadn't dared share with anyone—not Lizzie, not anyone at the school. It was easier to keep it buried, pretending it wasn't real if I didn't say it out loud.

"Yeah, I guess not," I managed to say, pushing down the lump in my throat and plastering on a smile. I needed to play along, to keep up the facade. "So, where are we going for coffee?"

"Mystic Grill! We'll meet there in ten minutes. Don't be late!" Lizzie beamed, completely unaware, before turning and skipping off, leaving me standing there with my thoughts swirling.

I sighed and leaned against the wall, letting the weight of the situation settle in. Mystic Falls. This town, with its cozy little diner and its tiny, sleepy charm, should have only been a temporary stop. A pit stop on my way to whatever my real life would be. But it was already starting to feel permanent.

I was stuck here. This small town was where my future had been mapped out for me, where my father had decided I would finish my schooling, where I'd marry some stranger, Landon Kirby, and settle into a life I didn't choose. A life where I'd pop out a few gremlin children and spend my days managing my father's investments. It wasn't the future I had dreamed of.

Maybe I should start pretending I was excited about all this. Start exploring Mystic Falls, finding the best coffee shops and burger joints, so that when I was here for good, I could at least pretend to be happy.

I glanced back at the bustling hallway, where students moved in and out of classrooms, carefree and oblivious. For the first time since I arrived, I felt a sharp pang of resentment. This wasn't supposed to be my life. I wasn't supposed to be here, in this town, trapped by my father's decisions. I wasn't supposed to be someone's prize to be handed off.

But I was here, and it was happening, whether I liked it or not.

As I started to make my way out of the gothic structured school, my phone buzzed. The screen lit up with Aunt Rebekah's name. I hesitated, not sure if I wanted to answer. I was still so mad at my family, but...she hadn't had any part in this. At least not to my knowledge. I slid my thumb over the screen and lifted the phone to my ear. "Hey, Aunt Beks, what's up?"