Try {One | Alaric Saltzman}

Friday Night Bites

The Mystic Falls High School football team had a reputation for losing. Week after week, year after year, the team was beat in ruthless competition. It had been at least a decade since they'd made it to the playoffs, and even longer since they were crowned as champions, yet school spirit hadn't dwindled.

Abigail put on a brave face as she took back her place as an officer on the Student Council, going through the motions as she planned spirit week. Everything around her moved faster than she could see it as they hung posters and good luck banners across town, so on Thursday morning when Bonnie looked at Elena and said, "I'm not saying don't date the guy. I'm just saying take it slow." Abigail was inclined to agree.

"You were the one who said to go for it." Elena turned to Abigail. "And you haven't said a word."

Bonnie didn't take her eyes off of the sidewalk. "Now I'm saying take it slow."

"Why the about-face?" Elana asked.

"It's not an about-face." Bonnie stopped in her tracks. "You're single for the first time in your entire high school career. It's the perfect time to play the field."

"Oh," Abigail chimed in, "because she's so that girl."

Elena let herself laugh. "Seriously, what are you not saying?"

Bonnie shook her head, casting her eyes to the pavement. "It's stupid."

"Just spit it out," Elena prompted.

"I accidentally touched Stefan." Bonnie looked up at Elena. "And I got a really bad feeling."

Skeptically, Abigail asked, "Is this the whole witch mojo thing again?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes, pushing past her without a word.

"Bonnie, wait!"

"It was bad, bad!" Bonnie spun around, clutching to the strap of her bag with one hand. "And you know what? I'm just concerned. This is me expressing concern about my best friend's new boyfriend."

"And I love you for it, I do, but I feel good." Elena meant it, it was actually easy to tell. "It's been a hard year, and I'm starting to kind of feel like things are getting back to normal again. And you know what? Stefan is a big part of that."

He appeared at her side with a smile. "Good morning!"

"Hey." Bonnie was already taking a step away from them. "Um, I gotta find Caroline. She's not answering her phone. I'll see you guys later."

Stefan's voice pulled Abigail's attention back to them with, "She doesn't like me very much."

"She's my best friend. She's just looking out for me." Elena sighed. "She doesn't know you, but when she does, she will love you. So, here's what we're going to do. Are you free tonight?"

He thought for a moment. "Yes."

"Perfect. Dinner, our house. Eight o'clock." It sounded like she already had it planned, and she probably did. "We will spend some quality time together and she'll get to see what a great guy you are. Mission accomplished."

A football was flying toward them before Abigail even realized it, but Stefan caught it as if it were thrown right to him. He smirked as he threw it back across the school's front lawn to Tyler, sparking questions as to if he was the one who could put an end to the football team's losing streak. By the time they settled into class, the consensus seemed to have been made.

"World War II ended in..." The silence was painful as Tanner waited for someone, anyone, to answer the question that followed his lecture. "Anyone got anything? Three, two-"