I'm Mariana Gilbert. (TVD fanfic: Damon Salvatore)

Welcome Home

I stood in front of my mirror, looking over my hair and lightly humming to myself. "Mari, Bonnie's taking me to school! Can you take Jeremy?" I heard Elena yell from downstairs.

"I guess. Tell Bonnie to drive safe!" I yelled back, not lifting my gaze from the mirror, only to shrug at my reflection, somewhat not caring anymore.

"Okay. Bye Guys!!!" Elena said loudly to everyone in the house before she slammed the front door as she left. After I got done getting dressed, I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen.

"Morning, Mari." Aunt Jenna greeted in a bright tone as I came into her view.

"Morning, Jenna." I replied quietly, not looking at her as I walked over to the counter and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl.

"Oh shoot—Breakfast, right? What are you in the mood for?" Jenna asked in kind of a rush while she walked aimlessly around the kitchen. I rose my eyebrow at her curiously before she snapped her finger and pointed it in my direction. "Toast. I can make toast?" She suggested but I shrugged back in response.

"It's all about to coffee, Aunt Jenna." I answered with a smile and gestured at the coffee maker before I grabbed a mug from the cupboard.

"Is there coffee?" A voice asked from behind me and I turned to see Jeremy just in time as he took the mug from my hand and gave me an innocent smile. "Mar, are you driving us? I thought Elena told us that she would." He asked, clearly annoyed.

"What, you don't want me to drive you? Come on, I'm not that bad of a driver, Jer." I counter jokingly and rolled my eyes, which made him chuckle. "Jeremy Gilbert, did you just laugh? At one of my jokes?" I asked with a smirk and watched him pour himself some coffee. He hasn't talked or laughed much since the accident. I missed his laugh.

"Uggh are you really gonna get into the big sister thing now Mariana?" He countered with a sigh but I could tell he was amused.

"What are big sisters for?" I asked teasingly before I looked back at Jenna who went through her purse in clear frustration. "Don't you have that big presentation now?" I pointed out, raising my eyebrow at her. Jenna furrowed her eyebrows and looked down at the watch that sat on her wrist.

"I'm meeting with my thesis advisor at—now. Crap." Jenna replied with a heavy sigh as she took her hair out of her ponytail.

"We'll be fine. Go." I reassured with a smile and she smiled back at Jeremy and I before quickly walking out of the house. I turned and looked back at Jeremy who sipped his coffee in silence, making me sigh. "Come on, we should get going." I informed, gesturing for him to get his bag off of the counter while I grabbed a coffee cup to go.
~~~~

When I got to school, I went straight to Elena's locker. Dodging most and all of the people I knew would stop and talk to me, which I really wasn't in the mood for, nor did I have the patience to deal with. I walked down one of the many halls before seeing her locker come into view and noticed she was standing beside it, talking to Caroline and Bonnie while she took out school books from it. Caroline and Bonnie grew up with Elena and I. They were like our adoptive sisters—but since the accident, I haven't talked to them. To anyone, really.

"Hey El, did you forget that you told Jeremy that you were going to drive us today?" I asked as I came up from behind her. I watched her turn to me and think it over before letting out a disappointed sigh.

"Crap, I guess I did—I'm sorry. I will definitely drive tomorrow." Elena answered with a smile and I slowly nodded in agreement.

"Are you getting a ride from Bonnie after school?" I asked, leaning myself against the lockers. I looked past Elena and at Caroline who was staring at me as if I had five heads or something. I rose an eyebrow at her and she instinctively looked away, somewhat embarrassed.