Aurelia Gilbert walked into the kitchen as her Aunt Jenna looked at her older sister Elena, who was only older than her by eight months "Toast, I can make toast"

Aurelia came up beside her "It's all about the coffee Aunt Jenna"

Jeremy her little brother came in "is there coffee?" Aurelia smiles and pours some into a cup for him.

He smiles at her "Thanks A."

She smiles back at him while pouring her own cup. "you're welcome Jer"

Jenna looks between the three of them "Your first day of school and I'm totally unprepared. Lunch money?"

Aurelia chuckles at her "No thanks I'm good, Aunt Jenna"

Elena shakes her head "I'm good" Jeremy takes the money from her and Elena looks at her "Don't you have a big presentation today?"

Jenna nods "I'm meeting with my thesis advisor at..." She looks at her watch "Now. Crap!"

Aurelia turns to her "Go on then, we will be fine Aunt Jenna" She nods and walks out of the kitchen.

Elena looks at Jeremy "You okay?" but he rolls his eyes "Don't start." then he walks out of the kitchen then Elena sighs looking at her younger sister "Why doesn't he get that way with you"

The younger Gilbert smiles at her older sister sympathetically "I don't baby him, Lena, I give him space and let him grieve in his own way" she sighs again "You need a ride?"

Aurelia shakes her head "No Caroline is picking me up" Elena nods at her "I'll see you at school then" Elena walks out.

Aurelia runs back upstairs and grabs her bag for school and her duffle bag for cheer practice after school. She runs back downstairs locking the door on her way out she climbs into her best friend Caroline Forbes' car the blonde similes sympathetically at her "Oh sweetie how are you? I know it's been a rough summer"

She smiles over at her "I miss them every day but I'm getting there and it would probably have been more traumatic if I had been in the car like Lena was but I'm okay"

The blonde smiles "I'm happy to hear that El so are you coming to practice?"

The Gilbert girl smiles at her best friend "Of course, I am Care you'd kill me if I missed practice"

The blonde laughs "True"

They both laugh as Caroline parks in the parking lot of the school "Well then come on El let's go" Aurelia chuckles grabbing her bags from the back seat Caroline loops her arm through Aurelia's and the two walk into the school together.

Aurelia and Caroline walk up to Bonnie and Elena, Aurelia smiles hugging Bonnie the Bennett girl smiles at her "It's good to see you El" Caroline looks at the elder Gilbert sister "Elena. Oh, my god." then she hugs her. "How are you? Oh, it's so good to see you." then she looks at Bonnie "How is she? Is she good?"

Aurelia chuckles at her best friend's antics as Elena looks at the blonde "Caroline, I'm right here. And I'm fine. Thank you." Caroline looks at her "Really?" she nods "Yes. Much better."

"Oh, you poor thing." Caroline hugs her again. "Okay, Caroline."

Caroline smiles at them "Oh! Okay, see you guys later?" Aurelia smiles "Later guys" Bonnie nods smiling at the two"OK! Bye!" Caroline loops her arm back through Aurelia's once again and the two walk away.

The blonde and brunette separate into their different classes Aurelia has History first while Caroline has a different class.

Aurelia rolls her eyes only half listening to Tanner droning on as she texts Caroline "Once our home state of Virginia joined the confederacy in 1861, it created a tremendous amount of tension within the state. People in Virginia's northwest region had different ideals than those from the traditional deep south. Then Virginia divided in 1863 with the northwest region joining the union."

Normally Aurelia loves history but their history teacher Mr. Tanner is an asshat which makes her dislike his class.

Caroline dropped Aurelia off at her house after practice "You're meeting us at the grill right?"

Aurelia nodded at the Fobes girl, "yes Care just give me half an hour and I'll meet you there"

The blonde nods satisfied with her answer "Good, I'll see you in a little while El"

Aurelia walks into the house and straight up to her room dropping her bags on the floor beside her bed then she grabs a change of clothes and walks into her bathroom to shower.

After her shower, she gets dressed and then blow-drys her hair letting it fall in its natural waves as she grabs her bag and walks downstairs she smiles at her aunt "I'm meeting Caroline at the grill" Jenna nods at her "All right have fun but don't stay out too late it's a school night"

Aurelia nods "Got it Aunt Jenna" then she walks out of the house heading towards the grill.

A few minutes later she walks in and sees Caroline with Bonnie she smiles walking up to the two "Hey guys."

The blonde smiles and hugs her best friend "Hey El"

Bonnie smiles "Hi" then Caroline starts talking about the new guy "His name is Stefan Salvatore. He lives with his uncle up at the old Salvatore Boarding House. He hasn't lived here since he was a kid. Military family, so they moved around a lot. He's a Gemini, and his favorite color is blue."

Bonnie looks at her "You got all that in one day?" Aurelia grins at her "Come on Bonnie this is Care, she got all of that between third and fourth period" Caroline smiles "Exactly, we're planning a June wedding"

Aurelia grins at her best friend "I get to be your maid of honor right?" Caroline laughs "Of course you do El... we made a pact" Aurelia laughs "I remember our pact"

Aurelia watches as the new guy Stefan walks in with her sister and she sees Matt walk up to the two and she internally cringes at the awkwardness of the situation as Caroline pulls her over to the table where Bonnie, Elena, and Stefan are.

"So, you were born in Mystic Falls?" Stefan nods at her "Mm-Hmm. And moved when I was still young." Bonnie looks at the green-eyed Salvatore "Parents?"

"My parents passed away." Elena looks at him "I'm sorry. Any siblings?" "None that I talk to. I live with my uncle." Aurelia makes note that he didn't deny having a sibling he just doesn't talk to his brother or sister.

Caroline steers the conversation again "So, Stefan, if you're new, then you don't know about the party tomorrow." Aurelia smiles "It's a back-to-school thing up at the falls" Stefan looks at Elena "Are you going?" Aurelia grins as Bonnie looks at him "Of course she is."

The next day Aurelia sits in history watching her sister and Stefan make googly eyes at each other and she rolls her eyes at them. For once actually tuning in to what Mr. Tanner is talking about as long as it gets her attention away from her sister and her possible new boyfriend.

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?"

Bonnie looks at her "Um...a lot? I'm not sure. Like a whole lot."

Tanner gives her a look "Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Ms. Bennett. Mr. Donovan? Would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?" Matt shakes his head "It's okay, Mr. Tanner, I'm cool with it."

Tanner looks at the elder Gilbert "Hmm. Elena? Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significant historical events?" "I'm sorry, I--I don't know." Elena stuttered out. "I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena. But the personal excuses ended with summer break." Aurelia rolls her eyes coming to her sister's rescue " There were 346 casualties. Unless you're counting local civilians."

Tanner turns to her "That's correct Ms. Gilbert, except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle."

Aurelia smirks taking this chance to show off and embarrass the asshat, which is something that she takes joy in "Actually, there were 27, sir. Confederate soldiers, they fired on the church, believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong. It was a night of great loss. The founder's archives are, uh, stored in civil hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts, Mr. T."

Aurelia smirks triumphantly as the class 'ohs' at them while Mr. Tanner looks annoyed "Hmm"

Later that night Aurelia walks up to Caroline at the party "Hey" the blonde turns around and smiles "Hey, so I heard you once again upstaged Mr. Tanner in class."

Aurelia grins "Of course I did, he makes it too easy and not to mention that it really gets under his skin that a student can outshine him in his own forte"

Caroline grins dragging her brunette best friend with her "Come on let's get you a drink El"

Aurelia laughs "All right then"

After they get her a drink Caroline spots Stefan and turns to Aurelia "I'll be right back El" Then she walks toward Stefan leaving Aurelia to her own devices for a few minutes.

Caroline walks back over after Stefan walks off "Well that was a bust but I'm not giving up that easily" Aurelia laughs "Of course not Care... I'd be worried if you gave up that easily" the blonde laughs.

After the party, Aurelia sat at the grill with Caroline and Bonnie.

Bonnie looks at the blonde "Are you sober yet?"

Caroline shakes her head "No."

Bonnie nods to the coffee in front of her "Keep drinking. I gotta get you home. I gotta get me home." then she looks at Aurelia "I could drive you home too if you want"

Aurelia shakes her head "Thanks Bonnie but a nice walk will help sober me up"

Caroline looks at the two "Why didn't he go for me? You know, how come the guys that I want never want me?"

Aurelia rubs her best friend's back comfortingly as Bonnie shakes her head "I'm not touching that."

"I'm inappropriate. I always say the wrong thing. And...Elena always says the right thing. She doesn't even try! And he just picks her. And she's always the one that everyone picks, for everything. And I try so hard, and...I'm never the one."

Aurelia hugged her blonde best friend, and Bonnie looked at the blonde "It's not a competition, Caroline."

Caroline looks over at her "Yeah, it is."

A little while later Bonnie left and Aurelia looked at Caroline "You sure you'll be okay?"

The blonde smiled "Yeah El, go on I'll be okay."

The brunette smiled at her "Okay but call me if you need anything at all?" the Forbes girl smiled at the concern in her friend's eyes "Of course El"

Aurelia hugged her drunk blonde friend "I'll see you tomorrow then?" Caroline nods hugging her back "Of course shopping and girls' night just like we do every Saturday"

The Gilbert girl smiles "Bye."

She walks out of the grill and heads home once she gets there she heads straight for her room kicks her shoes off and changes her clothes into a pair of sleep shorts and an oversized T-shirt. She collapses onto her bed and almost instantly she's out.