HEART LIKE GLASS

2

"The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war in our very own Mystic Falls. How many casualties resulted in this battle? Ms. Bennett?"
Mr. Tanner, the asshole history teacher Roman had come to dislike asked Bonnie.
Roman heard Bonnie's heart speed up from behind him as she shyly shrugged.
"Um...a lot? I'm not sure. Like a whole lot."
She smiled making the students chuckle.
Roman turned to her raising an eyebrow to which she merely shrugged.
He laughed turning back to see Mr. Tanner's annoyed expression.
"Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Ms. Bennett."
Roman rolled his eyes at the rude teacher.
"Mr. Donovan? Would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?"
Tanner smirked as if making fun of children brought him joy.
Roman rolled his eyes at the arrogant adult.
"It's okay Mr. Tanner, I'm cool with it."
Matt grinned boyishly making Roman laugh out loud laying his head on his desk briefly.
"Hmm. Elena? Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events?"
Tanner moved on to Elena who looked taken by surprise.
Elena's jaw fell agape as she shook her head.
"I'm sorry, I-I don't know."
Elena shook her head seeming to be the only student to genuinely care about not knowing.
"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena. But the personal excuses ended with summer break."
Tanner glared making Roman's blood boil at the inconsiderate teacher.
"There were 346 casualties."
Stefan spoke up feeling the same as his twin.
"Unless you're counting locals big brother."
Roman smirked leaning back in his seat.
"That's is correct..."
"Salvatore's."
Stefan and Roman smirked at each other in sync.
"Salvatore. Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?"
Stefan looked at Roman to answer, the latter nodding his head.
"Distant."
Tanner nodded bitterly, Roman began to think that was his resting state.
"Well, very good. Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle."
Tanner smirked triumphantly at the twins.
"Actually sir, there happened to be twenty-seven."
Roman rose an eyebrow at the teacher.
"Confederate soldiers, they fired on the church, believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong. It was a night of great loss."
Stefan continued backing up his brother a small frown on his face remembering that day.
"The founder's archives are, uh, stored in civil hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts, Mr. Tanner."
Roman finished with a smirk,
the class letting out laughs as Bonnie playfully slapped the vampire in front of her.
Tanner glared firmly at the boy before going back to the lesson.

❁

"Did I really have to come to this party?"
Roman asked as he and Stefan walked toward a large crowd of intoxicated teenagers around a bonfire, real safe.
"Yes, because one; Bonnie asked you too, two; Elena wants to get to know you better, and three; you need more friends."
Stefan smiled sarcastically wrapping an arm around his twins shoulders.
Roman laughed playfully shoving Stefan away as the two walked into the group of teens.
"Hey you two made it!"
Caroline smiled widely running up to the twins with a solo cup in her hand.
"We did."
Stefan smiled at the blonde.
"Well let's get you guys some drinks."
She smiled grabbing them by their sleeves.
"Actually I was supposed to find Bonnie, I'll catch up."
Roman smiled as Caroline dragged Stefan away.
Roman looked around spotting the Bennett by the drinks.
He pushed through the crowd stopping by her side. 
"Hey you made it."
She smiled hugging him.
"Yeah well this dumb person invited me, and we're supposed to be like best friends..."
Roman playfully shrugged rolling his eyes as Bonnie laughed.
"Sounds like a good friend."
Bonnie winked passing him a beer bottle as she grabbed one for herself.
"She thinks so."
Roman and Bonnie laughed knocking their bottles together and taking a drink.
"This is insane."
Roman breathed out looking around.
"No kidding, you should see what happens at pool parties."
Bonnie faked a gasp as Roman laughed.
"Hormonal teens with no clothes, the audacity."
Roman and Bonnie laughed at each other.
"Who's that?"
Roman questioned pointing at a brown haired boy with a joint in his hand.
"That would be Jeremy, Elena's kid brother."
Bonnie smiled before pushing Roman toward the boy.
"Woah, uh hi."
Roman chuckled as did the boy.
"Hey."
"Bonnie kind of shoved me over, you're Jeremy right?"
Roman smiled as he shook the boy's hand.
"Yeah, you?"
"Roman."
Jeremy nodded smiling.
"Can you be really quiet?"
Roman compelled.
"Also please don't move, I'm really sorry."
Roman bit into Jeremy's wrist subtly, filling his bottle up enough to satisfy him.
"Okay now drink this quick."
Roman compelled once again, biting into his own wrist and letting Jeremy drink.
"Okay now forget what just happened, I just came up to you and introduced myself."
Roman compelled once again taking a sip from his bottle.
"Are you new in town Roman?"
Jeremy asked taking a drink from his red cup.
"Yeah, my brother and I moved in with our uncle."
Roman nodded as did Jeremy.
"Parents?"
The boy asked curiously.
"They're um, they passed away."
Roman told him, knowing his did as well.
"Mine too."
Jeremy told him sadly.
"Yeah, Elena told me yesterday. That must have been awful."
Roman placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"I'm gonna get going, I'll see you around Jer."
Roman smiled at the boy.
"You too Roman."
Jeremy raised his cup slightly as Roman walked off.

Roman walked in the boarding house tiredly.
"Uncle Roman, are you okay?"
Zach asked kindly as he saw Roman run a hand through his hair.
"Of course Zach, it's just tough being back here."
Roman shook his head taking a step closer to his nephew.
"You know you're family right? That Stefan and I care about you?"
Roman asked as Zach nodded.
"I think you're wrong, about my brother and I being back here."
Roman told him softly smiling.
Zach chuckled as Roman walked upstairs to his room.
"Goodnight Roman."
"Goodnight Zach."

Roman slept all night, completely oblivious his eldest brother had returned to keep his promise.