"SO YOU WERE born in Mystic Falls?" Caroline questions Stefan, who say awkwardly next to Aliza. The last thing he wanted was to be interrogated.

"Mhm and I moved when I was still young." Stefan replies, glancing at Aliza, who gave him a reassuring smile back.

"Parents?"

"My parents passed away." Stefan admits, his eyes once again roaming around the four females in front of him, lingering on Aliza.

"Stupid to say, but I'm sorry." Aliza mumbles and Stefan could only nod shortly. "Any siblings?"

"None that I talk too. I, uh, live with my uncle."

"So Stefan, if you're new you don't know about the party tomorrow." Caroline says, resting her chin on her hand looking at Stefan dreamingly.

"It's a back to school thing at the falls." Bonnie pipes in.

Stefan's eyes find Aliza's, again. "Are you going?"

Aliza shakes her head, going to object, but Bonnie cuts in with a huge smile on her face. "Of course she is. She wouldn't miss it."

::

Stefan's POV

Stefan throws on a shirt, having just came out the shower, only to be disturbed by his nephew, Zach. The younger Salvatore storms into the room, holding a newspaper in hand. "You promised."

Confused, Stefan grabs the newspaper, reading it over. He scoffs by the time he's done. "This was an animal attack."

"Don't give me that. I know the game. You tear them up enough and they suspect an animal attack. I thought you had it under control." Zach clenches his jaw, angry.

"And I do." Stefan retorts.

"Please, Uncle Stefan." Zach practically pleads. "Mystic Falls is a different place now. It's be quite for years. You being here is just going to stir things up."

"That's not my intention." Stefan responds,
simply.

"Then what is? Why did you back after all this time. Why now?" Zach urges to know.

"I don't have to explain myself."

"I know that you can't change what you are. But you don't belong here anymore." Zach tells him, despite knowing his words would hurt something in Stefan.

"Where do I belong?"

"I can't tell you what to do." Zach sallows thickly. "But coming back here was a mistake."

Zach stares at him for a moment before dropping the newspaper on Stefan's coffee table and walking out of the room, leaving Stefan with his thoughts.

Fueled with anger, Stefan roughly opens his top desk drawer, pulling out a red journal. Slowly, he opens the book and his eyes fall onto a picture...a picture of a girl that looks exactly like Elena. Yet, her name was Katherine.

This is why he came to Mystic Falls...

::

"How many casualties resulted in this battle?" Mr. Tanner asks the class. No one bothering to speak up. "Ms. Bennett."

"Umm, a lot? I'm not sure. Like a whole lot." Bonnie says, making Matt and Aliza chuckle at her words.

"Cute becomes dumb in an instant Ms. Bennett." Tanner says, causing the girl to frown. "Mr. Donavan, would you like to take this to over come your jock stereotype?"

"It's okay Mr. Tanner. I'm cool with it." Matt shrugs off, making everyone in the class chuckle.

"Hm." Tanner hums looking around the class. His eyes finally landing on a certain Gilbert. "Elena? Certainly you can enlighten us."

"I'm sorry. I-I don't know." Elena looks down, embarrassed.

"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons Elena, but the personal excuses ended summer break."

"Mr. Tanner, please. Our parents died. That's not something you get over in a matter of months." Aliza defends herself and her sister. "Why the hell do you keep picking on us? We're grateful for the time you have given us, but there's no need to just single us out that way. If she doesn't know then she doesn't know. End of story."

"Well then, if you get it right, I'll apologize." Tanner remarks, hating when he's one upped.

"346 casualties." Aliza replies.

"Unless you're counting the local civilians." Aliza and Stefan say together, making the girl look at him and smile while

"That's correct. Sorry Elena. " Tanner apologizes.

"Except there were no civilian casualties in this battle."

"Actually there were, um, 27, sir." Stefan says.

"Confederate soldiers fired on the church believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong." Aliza explains.

"The founders archives they're stored in civil hall, if you'd like to brush up on your facts. Mr. Tanner."

Stefan's words make everyone's jaw drop and Aliza to chuckle underneath her breath. This new boy really was something.

::

"Just admit it, Aliza." Bonnie rolls her eyes, the two arms linked as they walk towards the bonfire. The party in full swing.

"Okay, so he's handsome." Aliza shrugs.

"He was that romance novel stare." Bonnie points out. "You love a good novel."

Aliza laughs, throwing her head back. "That I do."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know." Aliza shrugs. "You tell me, you're the psychic."

"Right, I forgot." Bonnie closes her eyes. "Okay, give me a second . Grams said I have to concentrate."

"Wait! you need a crystal ball. You aren't a psychic if you don't have a crystal ball." Aliza grabs a near by empty beer bottle and places it into Bonnie's hands. "Taa daaa."

The two best friends laugh, though it was quickly put to a stop when Bonnie touches the bottle, staring wide eyes at her. Aliza looks at her, eyes full of concern. "What?"

"That was weird. I touched you and I saw a crow. Then there was fog."

Aliza friend, strangely remembering the crow and fog in the cemetery. Noticing the look, Bonnie quickly speaks up. "I'm drunk, it's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it. I'm gonna get a re-fill."

"Wait, Bonnie—." It was too late, the girl had already rushed away. Aliza huffs, going to walk away, but when she turns back, she jumps. "Stefan come on. Not again."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. You're just always off guard."

"No, it's okay." Aliza smiles. "Hi."

"Hi." Stefan returns the smile.

"You're here."

"I'm here."

::

"You know, you're kind of the talk of the town." Aliza starts as the two walk down a trail, trying to get away from all the drunk people.

"Am I?" Stefan raises his eyebrows, curious.

"Yup, mysterious new guy. That's your title."

"You have the mysterious thing going on too." He remarks.

"Well, that's one thing we have in common. We're both loners and mysterious." Aliza teases.

"You also have that sad thing going." Stefan points out.

"What makes you think I'm sad?"

"We did meet in a graveyard." Stefan states.

"True. How can I forget our first introduction." Aliza then rapidly shakes her head. "Wait, no! Technically we met outside of the men's room!"

"Right. How can I forget?" He reiterates.

"Exactly! How can you forget this pretty face? You make me sad, Stefan."

The two let out laughs. This is the most Aliza has laughed in a long time. It felt good, but she always finds a way to ruin it.

"I'm going to ruin the party chit chat if I tell you why I'm said."

"I'm not really good with chit chat anyways." Stefan shrugs.

"Um, last spring my parent's car drove off the bridge into a lake and my sister and I were in the back seat. We survived, but our parents didn't. I've always blamed my sister. I never really wanted to go to the party anyway. She dragged me there saying how she didn't want to be alone and stuff. She made me feel extremely guilty for not wanting to go, so I did and I regret every bit of it ever since. So, yeah. That's my story."

Stefan fights the urge to life his hand up and cup her cheek. "You won't be sad forever, Aliza."

"With you around I don't think I can be."

::

"I like Bonnie she seems like a great friend."

Aliza beams at the thought of her best friend. "The best in the whole world."

"And Tyler, he can't seem to, uh, take his eyes off of us."

Aliza turns to look at the group across the bridge, seeing Tyler staring directly at them. She sighs as she turns back to Stefan. "Tyler's been my best friend since I was 6. We basically grew up together. He's that friend that you guys date just to see how it goes and see if you can be more."

"And?"

"And then Vicky came. He cheated and I left him. I wasn't hurt by it though. I wasn't in love with him. I told him that we were better off as best friends because that's what we've always been. That's it there was no passion or even real love."

Aliza could tell Stefan was hanging onto her every word. His eyes held so much emotion and Aliza could just feel her problems float away. Looking into his eyes, she notices veins coming up from his cheeks to his eyes. His eyes turning red.

The girl panics. "A-Are you okay? Your eyes like changed."

"Oh, um, it's nothing. I'm fine." He shrugs off, rubbing his eyes. Stefan snatches her cup from her grip. "You thirsty? I'm going to get us a drink."

::

"You have to be kidding me." Elena groans, Aliza following her eyes to see a very drunk Jeremy, walking towards the woods.

"Shit." Aliza curses.

"What, what is it?" Stefan asks, turning to look as well.

"It's my brother Jeremy." Aliza jumps down from the fence she was sitting on.

"The drunk one?" Stefan questions.

"I'll be back. It's my job to protect him from Elena. He trust me more anyways."Stefan nods in understanding, watching the girl rush after her two siblings.

"Jeremy!" Elena calls to him. "Where are you going?"

"JJ, wait please." Aliza sighs out, deciding to help Elena. The boy stops and turns towards them.

"I really don't want to hear it." Jeremy says and goes to take another step, but he falls over something, or should I say someone. "Vicky?"

"Vicky!" Aliza drops down, looking the girl over, seeing blood leak out from her neck.

"No." Jeremy gasps, touching her neck. She all of a sudden, gasps loudly herself.

"We have to get help." Aliza says, starting to lift the girl up, until Jeremy picked up the girl bridal style and they took off towards the main area. "Someone help!"

"Vicky!" Matt immediately joins them, fear striking him. "What the hell?"

"What happened? Everyone back up give her some space!" Tyler shouts.

"It's her neck something bite her. She's bleeding bad." Elena informs them.

"Hey, she'll be okay, Jer." Aliza says, continuing assure her brother, holding him close to her chest.

This never happens in Mystic Falls. What was going on?

Damon's coming!!

- I love Aliza's character so much!
- Hope you guys are enjoying this!❤️