A Fresh Start (Damon, OC, Klaus)

1. A New Town

Well this is just great, my mom decides to take a new job in the town her parents grew up in, so here we are. I didn't even get a say in it. We passed the town sign, 'Mystic Falls'. Well whoopee doo, we've arrived. As we drove through the town we passed what I figured was the main street. Everybody looked so happy and perky. It made me sick to my stomach. I had learned about the history of this town, and from the looks of it I don't think it had changed much in the last one hundred and fifty years. We drove through the town and pulled onto a street with large three story houses, evenly spaced. They all had front gardens and actual white picket fences.

Good god.

We pulled into the driveway of the third one on the left. My mother turned to me as she turned off the engine and smiled. She started to say something to me, but I just jumped out of the car. I was still so mad at her. I had to give up my home, my life and all my friends. As a moving van pulled up into the driveway behind us I had a look around my new street. I noticed someone looking out a top window in the house to the right of us. As the movers started unloading the boxes I decided to take a walk into town. See what I was really dealing with. I knew I should stay and help her unpack, but if she didn't care about my happiness, why should I help her?

As I made it to Main Street I lit a cigarette. I sat on a bench and took in the sights, so to speak and inhaled. On both sides of the street there was a collection of shops, people going in and out, holding doors open for each other, all with big smiles on their faces. Please, like anyone is really this happy. In the middle there was what looked like a big square. Grass areas where people were actually sitting having family picnics. There was a large stage set up with a large banner over the top of it. Apparently this month was 'Founders Month'. There was a list of activities hung beside the stage. I made my way over to read it.

On my way there I noticed a mother with her young daughter. They were laughing and eating ice cream, it made me think of my own mother. I really was being unfair. She really suffered at her last job; no one had taken her seriously. When we got away from my father we were left with nothing but debt, she dedicated all her time to me, making sure I had everything I needed. She worked two jobs while going to night classes to get her masters in teaching, and yet she was still always there for me. I finished my cigarette and turned to go home to apologise and help. As I turned I bumped into some one, literally. I started to apologise,

"I'm so sorry. I... "

Before I had a chance to finish talking the man interrupted me. "Why don't you watch were you're going?"

That made me mad; sure he was cute. He was maybe 6ft tall, was wearing black jeans and a tight fitting black tee shirt and had beautiful blue eyes. But hell, he banged into me as much as I did him. There was something in those eyes telling me to back off. But I wasn't one to back down from anything or anyone.

"Well the same could be said to you. I thought people in these tiny one horse towns were supposed to be all nice and welcoming. At least that's what it's like around here. Now I am sorry I bumped into you, but you bumped into me as well so why don't you watch were you're going?"

And without waiting for a reply I walked around him and headed to my new home. I didn't see the mixed look of contempt and respect on the man's face as he watched me walk away.

When I got home my mom was knee deep in boxes. She looked so overwhelmed. I hadn't even thought about how the move would affect her. She had to give up a lot too. She turned when I entered the room. Without waiting for her to say anything I ran to her and threw my arms around her.

"I'm so sorry I've been acting like a bitch mom. I was a bit pissed off but that's not your fault. I thought maybe I could help with the unpacking?" she kissed my forehead and told me not to worry about it. Rolling up our sleeves we got stuck into getting the house in order. It was nearly two a.m. when we were finally finished. We both stood back looking around, admiring the work we had done. I had to admit the house looked pretty cool, and I was wrecked. Although tomorrow was Friday it was going to be my first day at my new school so I wanted to get some sleep. I kissed mom goodnight and went up to have a shower and get to bed.

When I was in bed I had a sudden feeling I was being watched. I sat up, switched on my bedside lamp and my eyes were drawn to the window. What the hell? I ran to the window and threw it open. But there was nothing there. After a second I closed the window and got back into bed. I turned off the light and as I drifted off to sleep, what I had thought I had seen at my window came into my mind. The man I bumped into, I could have sworn I saw him outside the window. But that was impossible. My room was three stories up.

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