World So Cold

I woke up against the bark of the tree. I was slightly shaken from the dream. Somehow someone had been able to get inside my mind. I couldn’t help but think it was the crow, whoever that was. If someone was stronger than me then it’s not good. It could spell disaster for me.

Pushing those thoughts to the back of my mind I easily and gracefully jumped out of the tree. I sighed before going to my car and removing the protections from it. By the time I climbed in the car and closed the door I was no longer thinking about the dream. I had a different goal for right now.

I pulled into the parking lot early the next morning. I was wearing a favorite outfit of mine. I was waiting for Stefan. He’d show up sooner or later and when he did I’d be ready. It was going to be my second day of school. Everybody else’s third.

I waited in the car while everybody else came for school. I was just about to give up when I felt him drive up. He was in a black Porsche. He pulled into his spot and that’s when I got out of my car. I tossed my hair over my shoulder before walking up to him.

He seemed oblivious to my presence as I walked over. He didn’t turn till I was only a few yards away. The surprise was written right on his face as I approached. He was not expecting to see me here. He started walking towards the school and I fell in step beside him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked as we climbed the school’s steps. Once inside students hurried to their classes, the day was about to start.

“Same as you,” I replied. “Going to school.” My voice was cheery but anyone could detect the sarcasm in my voice. Stefan’s mouth opened to reply but just at that moment the bell rang. “Got to get to class,” I said picking up my pace and moving away from him. “Don’t want to be late,” I said over my shoulder.

I quickly and easily found my General Business class this time. I could feel Stefan’s presence a floor below me but only a bit away. I settled into my seat to listen to the teacher drone on about a subject I could care less about.

The rest of the day passed slowly. It was so boring. Lunch came finally. Stefan didn’t go to the cafeteria. He preferred to stay in the library away from the masses of students. It was probably for the best for him. I could control myself around humans. I hadn’t been hiding in the shadows the past 500 years.

In the lunch room I smiled at the little humans running around in their cliques and all their petty little drama. It was funny to me, for them to be so close to death and not even realize it.

I sat down at an empty table. I was in the back, away from everyone. The point of this being was that I could watch everybody and listen while they didn’t know I was there.

I had just taken my seat when I spotted a girl marching determined and quickly through the crowd. Her path led her directly to Elena and her two friends. Her eyes were blazing, and her cheeks were flushed with color as she approached the three girls at their table.

“Oh, Elena, you’ve got to hear this!”

Elena smiled at her, polite but not too intimate. Frances ducked her brown head. It was obvious to me then that Elena was queen of the school. “I mean… can I join you?” asked Frances timidly. “I’ve heard the wildest thing about Stefan Salvatore.” Oh this should be good, I thought.

“Have a seat,” said Elena graciously. “But,” she added, buttering a roll, “we’re not really interested in the news.”

“You―?” Frances stared. She looked at each of her friends, one after the other. “You guys are joking, right?”

“Not at all.” The taller of her friends said. She speared a green bean and eyed it thoughtfully. “We have other things on our minds today.”

“Exactly,” said Bonnie after a sudden start. “Stefan’s old news, you know. Passé.” She bent down and rubbed her ankle.

Frances looked at Elena appealingly. “But I thought you wanted to know all about him.”

“Curiosity,” Elena said. “After all, he is a visitor, and I wanted to welcome him to Fell’s Church. But of course I have to be loyal to Jean-Claude.”

“Jean-Claude?” asked Frances.

“Jean-Claude,” each of Elena’s friends repeated, one after the other.

Delicately, with thumb and forefinger, Elena drew a photo out of her purse. “Here he is standing in front of the cottage where we stayed. Right afterward he picked me a flower and said… well”―she smiled mysteriously―“I shouldn’t repeat it.”

Frances gazed at the photo. With my superior senses I could see the photograph as clearly as if it were in front of me. It showed a bronzed young man, shirtless, standing in front of a hibiscus bush and smiling shyly. “He’s older, isn’t he?” asked Frances with respect.

“Twenty-one. Of course”―Elena glanced over her shoulder―“my aunt would never approve, so we’re keeping it from her until I graduate. We have to write to each other secretly.”

“How romantic,” Frances breathed. “I’ll never tell a soul, I promise. But about Stefan…”

Elena gave her a superior smile. “If,” she said, “I am going to eat Continental, I prefer French to Italian every time.” She turned to the dark haired girl. “Right?”

“Mm-hmm. Every time.” The girl and Elena smiled knowingly at each other, then turned to Frances. “Don’t you agree?”

“Oh, yes,” said Frances hastily. “Me, too. Every time.” She smiled knowingly herself and nodded several times as she got up and left. I decided to leave my table and walk up to them. They’d be fun to get to know and play with.

Once Frances was gone, Bonnie said piteously, “This is going to kill me. Elena, I am going to die if I don’t hear the gossip.”

I slid into the seat Frances had once occupied. All girl stopped in whatever movements and talking they were doing and looked at me. The look on their faces viewed me as one of the unworthy to be in their presence.

“I can tell you a few things about Stefan Salvatore,” I said mysteriously.

“I’m not interested in Stefan,” said Elena coldly to me. Her eyes also held the same chill but behind it was a burning curiosity.

“I doubt that,” I said with a small, wicked smile. I got up anyway and left the table before the girls could say another word.