1

I wrote lazily, switching my eyes from the teacher to my notebook every minute or so. My hand was beginning to feel sore from holding my pen for so long.

"And with that," Professor Carlson set the projector remote down. "Class is over." He walked to the light switch. The light filled the room as he walked back to his desk. He stepped in front of his desk and leaned back against it as he crossed his arms. "Everyone, have a great break."

I closed my notebook and put it in my bag. I closed my laptop and slid it in the back pocket in its place. Everyone was already walking out of the class. I pulled the strap of my bag onto my shoulder, letting it rest on the side of my body. I walked down the steps.

I walked toward the desk. "Professor."

He lifted his head from his phone. "What's up?"

I rested my hand where the strap of my bag met my bag. "I was wondering about the final project. You haven't really spoken on it."

He turned his phone off and slid it in his pocket as he stood up straight. I took a small step back and took a small breath.

"I don't feel that there's anything else to say about it."

I nodded once, "I realize that, but, as I'm sure you've learned by now, I need feedback."

He sighed and stepped closer. "It's a holiday, Evelyn. There's no need for you to stress about school at this time."

"Yes, I understand that, but -"

He put his hand on my arm, "I'll let you know as soon as possible." His hand felt rough against my skin.

"Fine. Thank you for your time."

He removed his hand and crossed his arms. His deep brown eyes bored into mine. "Have a great break."

I swallowed and nodded. "You too."

I made my way out of the classroom feeling more stressed than before I asked about it. I tried not to think about the even bigger stressor: going back home.

And as if it could sense my frustration, my phone started ringing. I answered Caroline's call and put my phone to my ear as I walked down the steps.

"Hey, Vale."

"Hey, Care." I sighed.

"Are you headed home yet?"

"No. I just got out of class. I'll be home later tonight." I pushed through the doors of the school.

"Do you know what time?"

I stopped walking. "No. You'll know when I get there."

I heard yelling in the back. "Elena said hey."

"Hey. I gotta go, Care."

"Alright. Well, before you go, can I ask you something?"

"Quickly."

"Do you feel like having dinner with everyone tonight?"

I started walking again. "I don't know. It depends on how I feel when I get there."

"Okay." She sighed.

"I'll let you go now. I love you. Drive safe."

"I love you too." I stopped in front of my car and ended the call. I put my phone back in my pocket.

I put my bag in the backseat before getting in the driver seat. I buckled up and started the car.

I admired my own ability to think ahead. I predicted I would be too exhausted to pack and put everything in the car right before I left for Mystic Falls, so I piled everything in the trunk last night. I made sure not to forget anything.

The ten hours of driving were beginning to feel overwhelming.

-

I put the car in park and killed the engine. I unbuckled. I sat there for a few minutes, staring at the house.

There was a part of me that wanted to start driving again and go back. I feel like there's nothing left for me here. That's why I haven't been back for a year. I watched the front door open and knew it was too late.

I got out and shut the door after grabbing my phone from the cupholder. I put my phone in my back pocket as I started walking toward the house.

Caroline was running toward me. "Evelyn!"

She threw her arms around me, squeezing me tightly. I hugged her back just as tight. "Hi," I sighed.

She kept me in her arms for a few minutes. I heard her breathe out slowly before pulling back. She moved her hands to my shoulders, and I put mine on her arms. She smiled at me.

"I missed you so much."

I smiled back. "I missed you too, Care."

Her eyes were glossy. She pulled away from me and took a step back. She sighed. "I'll help you with your bags."

"Okay." I started walking, and she followed.

We grabbed my bags from the trunk and brought them inside, taking them straight up to my room. I stopped at the end of my bed, sitting the bags in my hands on it.

I looked at the bed to see that it had been made up. The subtle gray of the blanket made the room feel softer. I turned and looked around. The vanity was cleared off and clean. The standing mirror in the corner by the closet was as I remembered. The throw pillows in the window seat were white, which matched the seat itself.

"So," Caroline interrupted my thoughts. "Do you wanna go grab some dinner at the Grill? Mom won't be home until after 7, so it'll be just us."

I turned to face her. "Sure. Um, where is she?"

"She's working. She had to fill out some forms or something."

"Right."

She uncrossed her arms. "I'll let you unpack. Just come get me when you're finished and we can go."

I waved off the bags. "This can wait until later. I haven't eaten since breakfast."

She uncrossed her arms. "I'll go grab my keys."

"I'll meet you outside."

She nodded before walking out. I walked out of my room, then back downstairs. I started walking toward the door. A picture on the wall caught my eye. I walked toward it.

Caroline and I were standing next to one another. It was the day I left for Harvard. It was before I had makeup running down my face. Before I talked to Stefan. Before I chose to drive home and cut off contact from everyone for a month.

I heard her footsteps and snapped out of my thoughts. I turned to her as she walked into the foyer. I followed her out to her car. I sat in the passenger seat, she in the driver seat. She started driving after buckling up.

"How was your drive?" She glanced at me.

"Okay."

"How's school?"

"Stressful." I paused. "Do you remember how I told you I could graduate early?"

"Yeah. But only if you, like, got impossible scores, right?"

"Right." I looked at her. "My sociology professor is making that impossible. I turned in this 50,000-word essay about if same-sex couples should have the right to be parents. It took three weeks to do the research and five more to write it. I turned it in two weeks ago, and he still hasn't graded it. He's graded every person's paper except mine."

"Is that what he usually does?"

"Yeah. I'm 90% sure it's because I won't sleep with him." I looked at the windshield.

"That's presumptuous."

"At the beginning of the year, he asked what I would do for extra credit and touched my waist." I looked at her again. "I could fill an entire book with the other encounters I've had with him that are worse than that."

She groaned. "That's disgusting. I'm sorry. Does he know you're seventeen?"

"Yes. And that's not even why I'm upset. I have three other professors who hit on me all the time. His situation is the worst because he asked me to do a project on women's advantages in society compared to men's disadvantages. How am I supposed to compare the advantages and disadvantages of two different sexes? When I refused to do the assignment, he threatened to take away 20 points from my final assignment."

"He sounds like a dick."

"He is."

"It sucks that you have to deal with that. You considered changing professors, right?"

"Yeah. I couldn't. It was too late into the semester to change."

She parked the car. "I would've dropped out."

I smiled. "I thought about it."

She looked at me as she unbuckled. "When do you think you'll get your score?"

"Hopefully soon. But we're on break, so probably not until after."

We got out of the car and walked in. I held the door and walked in after her. The hostess walked us to a booth. It was larger than we needed. I sat across from Caroline. She ordered us both water, and then the waitress walked away.

I took a deep breath as I looked around. Nothing's different. There are people scattered across the restaurant. The pool tables are occupied. The darts are being thrown. People are laughing at the bar. Other people are at tables, and some are in booths.

"How's that roommate of yours? Still hot?"

I rolled my eyes and looked at her. "Ryan is not hot."

"You're either blind or lying. Ryan is a god in a man's body. Have you not seen his beautiful brown eyes and his chiseled abs?! He is the definition of hot. How can you not see that?"

"Well, for one, I can't. And two, I just don't. He's a great guy and, sure, he's attractive, but -"

She leaned forward. "But, nothing! There's nothing wrong with Ryan. He's nice, hot, and he so obviously likes you."

I laughed. "No. He doesn't like me. Just because he's nice to me and does things for me sometimes, it doesn't mean he likes me."

"Why else would he have chosen to keep living with you after all this time, Evelyn? Boys can't live with girls for this long without liking them."

"Okay, that's where you're wrong."

"Wrong about what?"

I looked over to see Stefan. He was as pretty as I remember. His hair was slightly messy. His eyes bored into mine. His skin looked smooth and soft. He was wearing a gray shirt with a black jacket. The shirt fit tightly to his body. I moved my eyes back up to his.

Caroline grabbed his arm. "Sit down." She pulled him to sit next to her. He looked at her as she spoke to me. "Tell him."

I sighed and looked at Stefan. His eyes found mine, and it felt hard to talk. "Caroline thinks my roommate likes me. The only reason she thinks that is because he's still living with me, and he's nice to me."

"He's not just nice to you. He's obsessed with you. Anytime I call you or text you and ask what you're doing, you tell me something that Ryan's doing. And do you know what you always say..." She looked at Stefan. "Something for her or with her." She looked at me again. "No man lives with a woman he doesn't like."

"Okay, but he brings home a different girl every night."

"To keep his attention off of you. He's going to realize that he's in love with you one day, probably soon, and when he tells you -"

"Caroline, you're insane. Ryan isn't in love with me."

Her phone started ringing. "I have to answer this, but this discussion isn't over."

Stefan let her out. I watched her walk away. I looked back at Stefan. He was already staring at me.

"Hi." I felt like I couldn't say anything else.

"Hi," He smiled. "So, your roommate's in love with you?"

I smiled, "No." I sat up straighter. "Caroline's just delusional. Besides, I'm not in love with him."

He didn't respond for a minute. I could see the questions forming in his mind, his lips ached to ask them. I wanted to answer them.

"Evelyn," Caroline started. I looked at her as she stood at the end of the booth. "We have to go. Elena just told me someone broke into the dorm."

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah. She's just alone and needs someone."

"If you want," Stefan interjected, "you can go ahead. I'll take Evelyn home."

She looked at Stefan. "Are you sure?"

I assume he nodded. "Go ahead, Care."

She looked at me. "I'll see you at home."

I nodded once. She walked out of the Grill. I took a breath, realizing what Stefan taking me home entailed: spending time with him. I turned to face him again.

He was staring at me. "So..." His chest fell as he breathed out. "How have you been?"

I put my hands on the seat. "Okay. You?"

"Okay."

I could see the careful consideration of how he spoke and what he spoke of. I looked at the table. "Maybe it would be better if you took me home." I looked up at his face.

"Yeah," He sighed.

There was a moment of silence between us. I wanted to take back what I said and hear what I knew he was going to say, but I didn't. We were already walking out together before I had changed my mind. He opened my door for me. Which wasn't unusual, but it was unexpected.

He started driving after buckling up. I stared out the window. "How long are you in town for?"

I looked at him. His arm was resting on the console, and his hand was relaxed. The veins in his hand gripping the steering wheel were more visible than usual, making it hard for me to remember what he asked. "I haven't decided yet." I leaned back into my seat as I looked out the windshield. "I could go back right after dinner, or I could stay longer. I don't have to be back until after New Year's."

"Why?"

I looked at his face. "I'm ahead in all of my classes - well - most of my classes. There's one that's exceedingly difficult for me to get ahead in."

He glanced over at me. "Why?" His eyes darted to my lips before going back to the road.

I swallowed and moved my hands to my thighs. "The teacher. He's really..." I looked in front of me. I sighed. "He keeps... making passes at me? And before you ask, he is married, and I have told him to stop. A lot. I can't switch classes because it's too deep in the year. I'm handling it, though."

"Are you?" He sounded defensive. But passively.

I started to speak but stopped. I looked at him. "Yes."

He tilted his head to the side as his lips parted. "Nothing's happened, right?"

"If something did, I wouldn't tell you." I wanted to rip out my voice box. I couldn't take it back. It was already out.

He looked at me. The car was going slower now. "Why not?"

"I just wouldn't. There isn't an explanation for everything."

"You're seventeen, Evelyn. You're underage, he's - "

"I'm the age of consent. It would only be statutory. And nothing has happened."

He stopped the car completely and turned his body to face me. "Are you serious?!"

"We're in the middle of the road!"

He sighed and went back to driving. I waited for him to say something else. When I realized he wasn't going to, I did.

"I wouldn't tell anyone, Stefan."

That didn't seem to change his attitude based on his exterior. His brows were furrowed, and his jaw was clenched. His arm that was on the console was now on the steering wheel. It was like he put a physical wall between us.

I looked at the road. He was pulling in front of my house. He stopped the car. I heard him sigh. I looked over at him again. He was staring at the steering wheel.

"It's not that I don't trust you. If that's what you're wondering."

He slid his hand to the bottom of the wheel, leaning back into his seat. His eyes remained focused on the wheel.

I unbuckled. "I just -" I don't know how to word it. "I don't think anyone would believe me." I felt small.

His eyes found mine. He angled his body to face me. "Of course I would believe you." His brows furrowed for a moment before relaxing. "Why do you think I wouldn't?"

"You have no reason to. In most cases of-"

He tilted his head as he sat up. "You're not a statistic, Ev."

I didn't know how to respond. Everyone I've been around, except Ryan, has been an emotionless, tortured person. I haven't found sympathy in a while.

"Are you gonna be okay here alone?"

"Um," I wanted to say no. I wanted to invite him in. "I'll be okay. Thanks. For the ride. And the-" I sighed. "Okay," I whispered softly. I looked at the door as I reached for the handle.

"Good night, Ev."

I looked at him as I opened the door, "Good night, Stefan."

I stepped out and shut the door. I walked up the walkway. I looked over my shoulder to see him still there. I turned back around and walked up to the door. I closed my eyes and blew out a breath of air. I opened my eyes as I walked inside. I shut the door and locked it.

I stood there for a moment, trying to shake off the feeling that I couldn't place. It felt more familiar than I was comfortable with.

I walked up to my room after taking my shoes off. A wave of exhaustion washed over me. I looked at my bed. It was covered with my bags. I walked over. I moved them to the floor and laid down on my stomach. I breathed out slowly. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sat it on the bed next to me.

I closed my eyes and slid my arms under the pillow. Everything was quiet and warm.

I thought about what this trip would be like. I imagine some drama will take place. Most likely from Damon and Stefan. It could possibly be from Elena. Or this could actually be a nice visit. The best I could hope for is that everything stays okay.