1993 - Mystic Falls, Virginia

   It turned out to be their thing. The old diner at the outskirts of town was the place Florence Gilbert and Stefan Salvatore spent their time in. Unlike The Grill, which was closer to both of their homes, that diner seemed better for the pair. Stefan would pick her up, and they would listen to music and sing along as he drove to the diner. Allison, their waitress from the first night they went, already knew their order by heart and when they would arrive. She knew that the little booth by the far window was their table.

   Florence had lied to her parents every time she would leave the house with Stefan. She would tell them that she was with Bob and Cher at Charles Fells' house. Lucky for her, the three were willing to lie and come up with something when Mrs. Gilbert bumped into them downtown. The youngest Gilbert was forever thankful at her best friends for those little white lies.

   "What is there to do in Mystic Falls in the summer?" Stefan asked, hands in his pockets and a smile on his lips. He was looking down at Florence, who had a pensive look in her eyes.

   "There's a swimming hole near," she said, quickly glancing at him before looking back down at her shoes. "It's probably full with underage drinkers. Oh, there's also the bowling alley a few blocks from here." She looked up at him and gave him a sarcastic smile. "We can get a job."

   Stefan laughed, his voice ringing around her and causing her heart to act all silly. "Yeah, a job sounds good."

   "I was kidding," she frowned. "Please, tell me you knew I was kidding."

   "I knew you were kidding," he smiled. "It's the summer before your senior year, Florence. I doubt that you'd want to spend it working."

   "I am working," she defended. "I'm working on the career I don't want." She pulled the strap of her bag higher on her shoulder and frowned. Ever since 9AM, she had been at the school's swimming pool practising. Her shoulders and legs were hurting from the numerous laps she had done in past six hours.

   Stefan took a step in front of her. "Why don't you stop, then?"

   She stared at him. "You've met my parents, right?" She raised her brows and smiled as she shook her head. "It's the only thing I'm good at, Stefan. I'm only good at swimming." She sucked in a breath between her teeth. "I'm not even good at being a good friend."

   Florence Gilbert knew that she had stopped being a good friend the moment she met Stefan. She had stopped hanging out with her friends since then, and she had regretted it, but then she remembered how Cher had done it so many times whenever she got a new boy in her life. The blonde girl would leave her behind the moment her eyes landed on the next cute boy to pass in front of her. For that, Florence had hated those moments when a boy would come into her life. But, she felt that Stefan was different. He had met her best friends, he had become good friends with them, but he just spent more time with Florence.

   "Don't say that," Stefan said, giving her a small smile. "You don't look like a bad friend."

   She let out a scoff and rolled her eyes. "You've known me for a few weeks. Cher and Bob have known me since we began the first grade and Cher took my cookies so Bob came to the rescue."

   "That sounds adorable," the boy mumbled.

   It made her smile. It made her stomach do a flip and her heart act all silly. She rolled her eyes. "Shut up," she chuckled. "Okay, but, seriously. Can we grab a bite? After six hours of doing laps, I'm starving."

   Stefan laughed, but nodded. "I'll buy," he said. "My treat. What will it be, burgers?"

  "I'll buy today," she said as she pulled a scrunched up twenty from her pocket. "You've paid for me for the last few days."

   "I don't mind," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "It's chivalrous."

   Florence rolled her eyes and opened the door to The Grill. "Okay, well, chivalry can bite my ass this time, okay? I'm paying, so."

   There was something that happened to Florence Gilbert when she was by—or thought about—Stefan Salvatore. Her heart began to act all silly; beating wildly as her hands began to sweat. She knew that feeling well. When her older brother, Grayson, had a crush, she found it so amusing. Grayson had been so easy to tease, especially when the boy was far out of reach. Now, as Florence thought of Stefan, she felt the invisible pillow press against her chest. His vice, his face, his lips, the muscles that outlined over his shirt were all her brain could think about. She began to blush whenever he looked her way. 

   The pair sat on a table in the centre of The Grill, both eating a hearty burger and having a conversation on what they should do next. It was mostly Florence that did the talking. Stefan, on the other hand, watched and nodded or shook his head, saying the occasional comment. At that moment, Florence stopped talking and stared at him. She wondered how someone so attractive could come to that small town in the middle of Virginia, how could someone so gentle and nice could be her friend.

   Of course, her friends were gentle and nice, but each had their flair. Cher was loud and enjoyed partying, her way of looking at life no way fitting with the small and boring town of Mystic Falls. Bob Forbes was quiet, but once he had a drink he was happy and loud. He enjoyed the warmth of beaches and wanted nothing more but to move down to Florida as soon as he graduated. Charles Fell was the jock, the party boy, the one who wanted to be in an university sport team. And then there was Florence Gilbert: she wasn't the loudest person in Mystic Falls, but she also wasn't the quietest. She didn't know what to do with her life, especially not with her future. She just went the direction her parents pushed her, the direction her older brother paved for her with his words. In all, Florence Gilbert was a leaf, just floating in the wind.

   "There's nothing to do in Mystic Falls," she finally said, leaning back on her chair as her hand rested next to her plate. "Mystic Falls is a boring town with boring people."

   "I don't think it's that boring," Stefan said, glancing at her before looking back down at his food. "It has you, doesn't it?"

   At that moment, her cheeks reddened and her heart beat wildly in her chest. It was that silly feeling again, the one that only happened when she was by him or thought of him. She let out a smile and looked down at her plate. 

   "Nah," she said, shaking her head. "I'm boring, too."

   "The first night we met, you were wondering the woods with a drink in your hand," he reminded her. "The second time we met, we ate out at a diner outside of town. You have literally introduced me to everyone in this town."

   "They keep asking who you are," she laughed. "You are new, which is something rare in this town. Everyone wants to know who you are."

   "They call me the guy who's with Florence Gilbert all the time," he said, smiling. 

   She scratched the back of her head as an embarrassed smile passed on her lips. "It wasn't my intention."

   "It's not your fault." He leaned his elbows on the table and looked at her, the same smile playing around his lips. It was soft, gentle, as if he just wanted to stare because. It made her feel weird, silly, strange and scared.

   "Florence Louisa Gilbert!" a new voice joined. It was high, the all too familiar voice of Cher Gaines. "I have been waiting for you to call me forever!" She marched up to the table and smacked Florence behind the head, glaring down at the girl. "What is the matter with you?"

   "Ouch..." Florence mumbled, rubbing her head. "Cher, you didn't have to hit me."

   "I didn't have to hit you?" Cher asked, loud enough for those who were at The Grill to glance their way. "You're right. I don't have to hit you, I have to freaking punch you!" She punched her arm before taking a seat next to her. "Why haven't you called me?"

   "Practising," the youngest Gilbert said, rubbing her arm. "Remember? I have to practice for the new school year?"

   "Are you sure?" Cher sarcastically asked. "Are you sure you were practising swimming?"

   Florence furrowed her brows in confusion. "What else would I be practising?"

   "Oh, I don't know." Cher shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe you were practising kissing that Stefan Salvatore." At that moment, Stefan choked on his drink. It was then when Cher realised that he was sitting right there, that he had heard everything she said. But, just like Cher was, she didn't care. She smiled at him and wiggled her fingers as a form of a wave. "Speaking about the devil. How are you, Stefan?"

   "I'm, uh, good," he said, giving her an uncomfortable smile. "How are you, Cher?"

   "Fantastic," she smiled. "So, have you kissed Florence, yet?"

   "Oh my God!" Florence groaned, smacking her hands on her face. She covered the red on her cheeks and hoped that no one could hear how wild her heart was beating. 

   "It's not that hard," Cher continued. "I mean, you just put your lips together and muah!" She smacked her lips together, loudly making kissing sounds. "And after that you just—"

   "Do you have an off button?" Florence interrupted, her cheeks reddening even more than before. "Jesus, Cher!"

   Cher laughed, loudly. It was loud enough for the restaurant to look back at them. For a moment, they all smiled. Teenagers, eating and laughing—the epitome of being young. Being young meant being refreshed, like a brand new and shiny thing that kept working. As the years passed by, that new and shiny thing grew old, rusted, slowly deteriorating until it stopped. It was just like life. Being young was simply having fun, something a few of those people still didn't know how to do all due to Mystic Falls being boring.

   "I'm trying to help you, Florence," Cher said, giving the girl a smile. Florence knew her well enough to know that the smile was sarcastic, filled with nothing but mere sarcasm and enjoyment of the embarrassment she was giving the youngest Gilbert.

   "Um..." Stefan scratched the back of his head and glanced at the two girls.

   "I'll see you two tomorrow!" Cher stood and looked down at Florence. "You, Florence Louisa Gilbert, better call me tonight, okay? Okay." She walked away without another word. 

    Florence sat there, stunned. Her cheeks were red, her palms were sweating, and she could feel her heart in her throat. She wasn't in shock because of the words that left her best friend's mouth, but because Stefan had heard them. He had heard them, and she thought that he must have thought that she was weird.

   For the rest of their meal, they kept silent. Florence couldn't look at him, the embarrassment from Cher still making her feel uneasy. She took quick glances at him, and wanted to say something, but nothing left her mouth. Oh, how she felt all silly and stupid in front of him. 

   Even as Stefan drove her home, they were quiet. The only sound between them was an old song playing on the radio. It was the only sound, other than Florence's loud heartbeat. She hopes and prayed that he couldn't heart it. 

   "Stefan, I'm sorry," she said as soon as he stopped the car in front of her house. "Cher can be so weird at times."

   "It was, uh, nothing," he replied, giving her a small and awkward smile. "Really, Florence."

   "Jesus, she should have kept her mouth shut," she groaned, shaking her head. "Really, I'm so sorry. I don't think she knows when to keep her mouth shut."

   "It was nothing," he repeated, grinning. "I mean it."

   "Are you sure?" she asked, raising a brow. "I just... I don't want it to be awkward between us thanks to her."

   "It's not," he said. "I mean it."

   Florence took a deep breath, and smiled. "Okay," she said, nodding. "Thank God."

   It was quiet once again between them. She wanted to get out of the car, but at the same time she didn't want to move. She wanted to stay next to him, just because. While looking down at her hands, she twiddled with her fingers. Just for several seconds. Then, she cleared her throat and nodded. She needed to go.

   She turned to him and smiled. "Thanks for the ride," she said. "I'll see you–"

   Stefan Salvatore's lips were on hers, interrupting her in the middle of her sentence. It was fast, simple, a quick peck. When he pulled away, Florence Gilbert sat there in shock. Her heart was hammering against her chest, her palms were sweating, and she felt tingly at the tips of her fingers. Oh, how she hated that strange feeling. When Stefan pulled away, she sat there with wide eyes and her lips slighted parted, the feeling of his lips on hers still lingering.

   "I'll see you tomorrow," Stefan said, giving her a small smile. He was only a few inches away from her. She could pull him back at any moment, continue to kiss him, but she decided not to.

   "Yeah," she nodded, her voice sounding a bit hoarse. "I'll, uh, see you tomorrow." She got out of the car as quick as she could, holding her bag tightly to her shoulder. Once inside her house, she leaned against the door and took several deep breaths. She wanted her heart to calm down, but it didn't. It kept beating wildly, as if something were happening to her. And something was.

   Florence Gilbert didn't like the feeling Stefan Salvatore gave her when he stood by her, and she especially didn't like that feeling that happened when he kissed her.