Damon x oc

3

"The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war, right in our very own Mystic Falls. How many casualties resulted in this battle?" Scarlett was twirling a lock of her long auburn hair through her fingers, staring down at the blank page in her notebook.

"Miss Williams?" Her eyes flew to Mr Tanner, who was looking at her in despair.

"Um ... A lot?" There was chuckling around the room. "I'm not sure ... like, a whole lot."

"Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Miss Williams." Scarlett glared at him as he turned his attention to Matt.

"Mr Donovan, would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded 'jock' stereotype?"

"It's okay, Mr Tanner. I'm cool with it." Mr Tanner did not appear to be impressed.

"Elena?" he asked. "Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events." Elena shook her head slightly.

"I'm sorry, I ... I don't know," she replied. Mr Tanner looked at her sternly.

"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena. But the personal excuses ended with summer break." Scarlett glanced at her friend as she felt her embarrassment and sadness fill the room. She would have liked nothing better at that moment than to give Mr Tanner a piece of his own medicine. His comments were completely below the belt.

"There were three hundred and forty six casualties, unless you're counting the local civilians." Stefan's calm voice broke the awkward silence which had engulfed the room. Scarlett smiled to herself, thinking that if anyone in the room would know the answer, it would be him. Mr Tanner looked questioningly at Stefan.

"That's correct. Mr ...?"

"Salvatore."

"Salvatore? Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?" Mr Tanner seemed genuinely curious. Stefan hesitated slightly, and Scarlett ducked her head to hide her smile. Tanner would never guess that Stefan himself was one of the original Founders of the town.

"Distant," Stefan finally replied. Tanner nodded.

"Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle." He turned back towards the blackboard, but Stefan's voice stopped him.

"Actually there were twenty seven, sir. Confederate soldiers, they fired on a church, believing it to be housing weapons, and they were wrong. It was a night of great loss." Tanner glanced around the classroom sheepishly, embarrassed to be receiving a history lesson from one of his students. "The Founders Archives are stored in Civil Hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts. Mr Tanner." Whispers circulated the room at Stefan's last comment. Scarlett caught his gaze and shook her head slightly. She knew that Stefan had just made himself Mr Tanner's worst enemy.

Scarlett was sat on Elena's bed, braiding her mane of auburn hair over one shoulder as she waited for her friend to finish getting ready. She was driving Elena to the start of school party down at the Falls, and had joined the Gilbert family for dinner beforehand.

"So, how long have you known Stefan?" Elena's voice was slightly muffled as she was in the bathroom finishing her makeup, but Scarlett could tell she was fishing for information about the school's newest arrival.

"Practically my whole life," she replied.

"The two of you seem really close ..."

"We are. He and Zach are my family." Elena left the bathroom, her makeup flawless and her long brown hair dead straight. She looked carefully at Scarlett as she asked her next question.