"I have been on my own since I was 15 and you're just now telling me I have to have a guardian?" I stared across the oak desk at the man in a cheap suit.
"Listen, Miss Gilbert, you have not been 'on your own' you ran away and avoided social workers since your mom died. We have you now and according to state law you need to be under supervision of a legal adult, not beggers on the street." He sighed as he finished his sentence. I rolled my eyes and sunk further into my seat.
"And I would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you balding men in suits with clipboards." I shot back.
"This is a serious matter, Miss Gilbert." He narrowed his eyes at me.
"Well where are you sending me? Another foster home?" He half smiled at me and shook his head.
-
"You're here!" A high pitched voice screamed from the porch.
I walked up to the house I hadn't seen in years and set my suitcase down on the path.
"Aunt Jenna!" I ran to her and we jumped into each others arms.
"It's been way too long, how have you been?" She questioned, pulling my face back and inspecting it. "You've changed so much look how pretty you are!"
"Yeah I'm not the pimply, chubby little girl I used to be." She laughed and reached around to grab my suitcase for me. She led me up the stairs and continued talking.
"You've blossomed, it's kinda hard to believe it's you. Jeremy's upstairs in his room, let's get you to yours and then we can let him know you're here."
"Where's Elena?" I finally asked.
"Oh she's at her boyfriend's she should be home in a little while." I smiled again, Elena and I had been best friends as kids but I haven't seen her since my mom died. Nobody had even told me that my aunt and uncle died, I only learned after the funeral and had no way of contacting them to give condolences.
After putting my suitcase in my room I walked to Jeremy's door and knocked softly twice. I heard footsteps and then suddenly he was standing in front of me.
"Clarke!" He picked me up and spun me around in a hug.
"Damn little Gilbert when did you get so strong?" We both laughed and he put me down.
"Over the years you've been on the run, convict. Wanna listen to some music and catch up?" He pointed his thumb behind him.
"Yeah, that sounds fun."
-
Elena's POV
"I have to go Stefan," I giggled, pushing his chest away slightly.
"You can't stay a little longer?" He asked sweetly, kissing my neck. I only giggled more and shook my head.
"She said she has to go, little brother." Damon suddenly appeared in the foyer.
"Jesus Damon, did you have to scare me?" He raised an eyebrow as Stefan backed off and sighed.
"You'd think you've learned to always be scared in a house of vampires." He replied cockily. "Where are you going anyway don't you usually stay longer and make lovely noises in Stefan's room?" He smiled and turned his head to the side. I made a disgusted face and put my hands on my hips.
"You're gross. And my cousin is coming to live with us and she'll be there when I get home. I haven't seen her in years."
"See you tomorrow," Stefan said as he pecked my lips. Damon, however, didn't end the conversation.
"Oh another Gilbert? Is she hot?"
"The last I saw her she was 15, covered in pimples and obsessing over boy bands." He mocked my disgusted face from earlier and backed off.
"I actually think I'm gonna take Clarke too the grill tonight, meet us there?" I asked Stefan before I left. He nodded and kissed me again, letting me leave.
Clarke's POV
"I always knew you'd turn out the pretty cousin." Elena sighed as she watched me finish curling my hair.
"Hardly, look at you." I replied, smiling at her through the mirror.
"It must run in the family." We both laughed and I stood up.
"I'm nervous." Elena furrowed her eyebrows at my words.
"Why?"
"Meeting new people in a new town, I don't know." I played with my fingers for a second, looking down at my shoes.
"You're going to do great, I promise everyone will love you." I smiled at her as she grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the house.
-
"Stefan, this is my cousin, Clarke."
"Nice to meet you." He said as I shook his hand.
"Damn Elena, does he have a brother?" I joked at her. Her and Stefan exchanged alarming glances before bursting into laughter.
"You don't even wanna know." Stefan said.
"So he does?" I questioned.
"Yes, he does." A voice said from behind me. I turned around and there was a man standing there.
He stared back at me with the most breathtaking eyes I had ever seen. His chiseled features were framed by dark shaggy hair, which went even better with his black on black demeanor.
"Damon Salvatore, and you are?" He put his hand out for me to shake.
"Elenore Gilbert, but everyone calls me Clarke." I couldn't take my eyes off of him.
"Okay, let's go find somewhere to sit before Damon gets in trouble." Stefan suggested. I finally looked away from Damon and followed Elena and Stefan to a table.
"Woah what are you doing?" Elena asked as Damon also took a seat.
"I'm just being a welcoming townsman Elena, unless you'd rather me be rude?" He shot back. She shook her head in frustration and started up conversation with me again.
"So Clarke, where did you go these last two years?"
"Just running around. I never settled anywhere, I found friends who took me in, I took online classes and stuff."
"You're birthday's coming up, right?"
"Yeah, 18 in a few weeks." I said excitedly.
"You leaving town after?" Damon spoke up. I looked over at him and shrugged.
"Unless I find a reason to stay. Nothing's kept me in one place before, though."
"Then we have something in common."
-
Damon's POV
"Damn Elena, does he have a brother?" I heard the girl say. I watched them from across the room, Stefan and Elena were talking to a girl but I could only see her from behind, not that I was complaining.
Stefan and Elena looked at each other and laughed.
"You don't even wanna know." Stefan said.
"So he does?" She asked confused. I got closer and decided to speak up.
"Yes, he does." She turned around quickly and paused when we made eye contact. I was slightly taken back with her, I wasn't expecting her to be so.. so perfect.
She has honey brown eyes that sparkled when she smiled. And her smile itself, could stop a ripper. She had curly dark brown hair that fell at her shoulders and her clothes seemed to correspond with her aura.
This is not the girl Elena described.
-
Clarke's POV.
"You two wanna come back to the house? Have a few drinks?" Stefan offered as we all stood up.
"Yeah sounds great " Elena shrugged her shoulders as she looked at me. "Clarke?"
"Uh, maybe I should get back to the house. First night and all." I smiled awkwardly at the three.
"Oh, come on Elenore, have some fun." Damon said, lightly punching my shoulder.
"It's Clarke, and fine. But only one drink." Everyone smiled and we made our way out of the grill.
We pulled up the the Salvatore house and made our ways inside. I admired the house, it was huge and the decor was insanely creepy, which I liked.
"Family home, passed down." Damon said as he walked by me, leaning in close as he spoke. I shivered and brought myself back to the present.
"So Clarke," I looked up at Stefan, who was pouring a drink. "Been anywhere interesting over the years?"
"Yeah, I've found my way around the country, here and there." I replied as Damon handed me a rocks glass filled with bourbon. I took a sip and nodded my head approvingly.
"What was your favorite?" Elena asked, settling on the couch across from me.
"Place?" She nodded. "Probably New Orleans. Lots of spooky happenings."
Everyone in the room exchanged a look and Damon smiled, sitting next to me. A little too close for comfort.
"You like 'spooky' huh?" He asked.
"Damon." Stefan spoke up, giving Damon a stern look.
"What? Just making conversation." He replied, taking a gulp of his drink.
"Yeah, I've always been interested in the supernatural. New Orleans has some people you would not believe."
"Oh I think I'd believe it." Damon said.
"Damon." Stefan again.
"Calm down little brother." He turned back to me. "What's your favorite supernatural being?"
"Uh, I'm not really sure I've never thought about it." He looked deeper into my eyes and cocked his head to he side.
"How do you feel about vampires?"
