Scott McCall sat in his usual seat at the front of the classroom, while Stiles sat next to him, eyes fixed on his friend, trying to read any sign of tension after last night's events.
On the other side of the classroom, Elena sat near Bonnie, exchanging innocent whispers and laughing quietly, though Elena's mind was not far from the shock of seeing Stefan.
Caroline Forbes sat in the middle row, observing everyone with a keen eye, as if trying to make sure everything was in place, but it was clear she was more concerned about Elena than anything else.
The teacher entered the classroom with a cold expression, trying to create a calm atmosphere, while the students' eyes continued to wander, catching both new and familiar faces alike.
Scott blinked slowly, glancing at Elena sitting next to Bonnie, then looked at Stiles and said in a low voice:
"I still can't believe that Elena's parents passed away this summer… I mean, who would've expected that?"
Stiles looked at Scott and said, "Death comes from where you least expect it, Scott."
Scott sighed and said in a low voice, "My mind is still trying to process that I was attacked by a wolf… I wish things could just be a little normal today…"
Stiles smiled with a half-mischievous grin and whispered:
"Ah, Scott… our lives haven't known normal for a while, but at least we're together in class."
Elena felt a hint of calm, but she couldn't ignore her fear and curiosity about the new day, especially with Stefan Salvatore in the same school, knowing things wouldn't remain as peaceful as she wished.
Ding ding ding.
At that moment, the teacher tapped his desk with chalk several times, then raised his finger adjusting his glasses and said,
"All right, settle down everyone. This is the start of a new year and you are now in your second year of high school. This year will not be as easy as the first year or middle school, so I expect you to study diligently and maintain strict discipline. For those who do not know me, I am your Chemistry teacher this year, Mr. Harris Binderson."
Mr. Harris looked at his students with a cold, calculated gaze.
Silence fell over the classroom immediately, and everyone paid attention.
Mr. Harris turned and began writing on the board and explaining the lesson.
Scott sat at his desk, listening to Mr. Harris explain the lesson with boredom, while his mind was preoccupied with last night's events.
What… what was that thing that bit me? Could it really have been a wolf? But if it was a wolf, why was it so huge and with red eyes?
Scott thought to himself with slight anxiety and fear, then he heard the voice of a beautiful girl.
"Mom, yes, I have everything. Oh, wait, I forgot my pen. Oh my God, a perfect start to the first day! Okay, Mom, I have to go. Love you, bye."
Alison Argent sighed in exhaustion, closed her phone, and slowly walked toward the school doors.
From inside his classroom, Scott looked at Alison through the window. He was able to hear every word she said despite the distance, thanks to his newly developed senses.
How… how is it possible for me to hear her from that far?! Scott asked himself in shock and watched Alison enter the school.
"Mr. McCall!!"
Scott blinked quickly, then looked at his teacher and said, "Yes?"
Mr. Harris looked at Scott and said, "Focus on the lesson, McCall. The school year has just begun, so don't let yourself get distracted easily."
Scott nodded and replied, "Yes, sir."
Mr. Harris nodded and continued the lesson.
At that moment, the vice-principal entered the classroom with a student.
The vice-principal looked at Mr. Harris and said, "Excuse me, Mr. Harris, I have brought you a new student."
He then turned to the class and said, "Students, please welcome Alison Argent. She recently transferred with her family from another state to Mystic Falls."
Alison stepped forward nervously, waved hesitantly, and said,
"Hi everyone, I'm Alison Argent. I hope we'll be good classmates."
Alison was a beautiful girl with captivating features that made her stand out among the other girls. Her lips were soft, her eyes blue, her hair long and black, and her body slender.
Stiles whispered to his friend sitting in front of him:
"Oh my God, she's stunning! Don't you agree, Scott?"
But Scott was completely distracted, his mouth slightly open as he stared at Alison as if an angel had descended from the heavens.
Alison shivered from the intense stares. Most of the girls looked at her with envy, while the boys' gazes made her feel uncomfortable, especially Scott's, who stared in astonishment and admiration.
Alison slowly approached, casting a quick glance around, but unfortunately, she found only one empty seat, the one in front of Scott.
She sat down, trying hard to avoid looking at him.
"Hi, Alison."
Alison slowly turned toward Scott and said politely, "Yes?"
Scott handed her a pen and said, "Here. I thought you might need one."
Alison looked at Scott with slight surprise, wondering how he knew she didn't have a pen, but she took it anyway and thanked him politely.
Scott smiled kindly, a little shyly.
"That's all. Go ahead, Mr. Harris," said the vice-principal as he turned to leave.
Excuse me? Is this the sophomore class?"
The vice principal looked at the student and said, "Let me guess… Mr. Malvatore?"
The student looked around and then stepped forward calmly, saying,
"Actually, its Salvatore."
The vice-principal sighed tiredly. "Introduce yourself, and Mr. Harris will explain the rest."
He left the classroom, muttering about the new students with strange family names.
The student then stepped forward and said quietly,
"Hello everyone, my name is Stefan Salvatore. I hope we can be good classmates."
Stefan was more handsome than all the boys in the class, with ocean-blue eyes, carefully styled brown hair, a sharp jawline, and a lean body. The girls stared at him with admiration, while the boys looked at him with envy, some whispering: "He's so handsome!"
Mr. Harris nodded in acknowledgment and said, "All right, Stefan, please take a seat."
Elena sat at her desk, and when Stefan Salvatore entered the classroom, she suddenly stopped writing, her hand trembling slightly as she held the pen. She stared at him in astonishment, as if time had stopped for a moment. Her heart raced, and memories of their encounter in the bathroom came back vividly.
Bonnie, sitting next to her, noticed the astonishment on her friend's face and smiled slyly, trying to ease her tension. She whispered quietly to Elena:
"Didn't I tell you he looks like he stepped out of a magazine?"
Elena blinked quickly, trying to control herself, but she couldn't hide her admiration. She whispered slowly,
"Bonnie… he's… amazing."
Caroline, sitting in the middle row, felt a different kind of admiration. It wasn't surprise or shock, but calm, refined appreciation, observing his elegance and confidence, showing Caroline's composed and sophisticated style. She smiled lightly to herself and said in a low voice, yet audible:
"He seems to know exactly who he is… I've always admired people who have that kind of confidence."
As Stefan moved toward his seat in the back, every eye in the class followed him, but Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline's attention was fully focused on him, each in a different way: surprised and thrilled admiration, playful mixed with astonishment, and contemplative refined admiration.
Scott sat in his seat, trying to focus on the board, but something strange caught his attention.
The classroom air felt different, and there was a smell… a strange smell he couldn't identify. It wasn't perfume or anything natural. It was like… the smell of death itself.
Scott's heart stopped for a moment. He blinked quickly and slowly turned his head toward Stefan Salvatore, who was sitting calmly in the classroom, acting as if nothing around him mattered.
How… how can I smell this? thought Scott, his eyes widening. It wasn't just a hunch—it was an instinctual feeling, ancient, connected to everything surrounding death and danger.
Scott leaned back slightly in his seat, gripping the table with his hands, watching Stefan with caution and awe. Every small movement Stefan made seemed normal, but the smell was seeping into Scott's nose, undeniable.
Scott didn't dare move his head away. Every part of his senses was focused on observing Stefan. Was he just a handsome boy, or was there something else behind that strange calm?
At that moment, Mr. Harris raised his pointer:
"All right students, let's continue our chemistry lesson…"
But Scott barely heard the words; his mind was absorbed in observing this stranger in front of him, who exuded the smell of death itself.
Stiles, sitting beside Scott, immediately noticed his unusual tension. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity and whispered in a low voice:
"Hey… what's wrong, Scott? You look like you've seen a ghost… or a killer wolf!"
Scott blinked quickly, trying to control himself, but he couldn't hide the anxiety from his trembling fingers on the desk.
"No… it's nothing, Stiles…" he replied softly, trying to hide his fear.
Stiles wasn't convinced and leaned closer, whispering again, smaller and more cautious:
"Really? Because I can smell your tension from here… what are you seeing? Who is this Stefan? Is there something strange about him?"
Scott took a deep breath, trying to focus on the teacher's board, but he couldn't. The smell was stronger, and the strangeness in Stefan's behavior grew with every moment.
"Stiles… I can't explain… there's something… very strange about him… something… a smell…" he whispered, his voice low and frightened.
Stiles smiled with a half-mischievous grin, yet serious at the same time:
"A smell? Scott… i think you're exaggerating, Maybe Stefan just forgot to use deodorant?"
Scott nodded slightly, but didn't take his eyes off Stefan.
"I'm not exaggerating… believe me, I know something about this… something… very strange."
Stiles pressed Scott's hand slightly and said,
"All right… all right… let's see what he does today… I'll watch too, maybe I'm wrong… but if there's something strange, no one's escaping me!"
Scott blinked again, his heart still pounding, his eyes never leaving Stefan, wondering: How can anyone emit such a smell? How can I sense it so precisely?
Scott stopped speaking after Stiles' reassuring words, trying to keep his focus on the lesson, but he couldn't ignore the strange sensation surrounding Stefan. The smell was mysterious… something dark, like the scent of death itself, flowing from him.
Scott couldn't help but whisper fearfully to Stiles:
"Stiles… do you smell that? A… like death… coming from him…"
Stiles blinked in astonishment and whispered:
"What? Are you serious… Scott? Maybe you're just imagining it…"
But Scott was determined, his eyes watching every movement Stefan made closely, feeling a mix of awe and confusion.
At that moment, Stefan heard every word, shivering inwardly. Scott's words were shocking, making him raise his eyebrows for a moment before regaining complete control.
Suddenly, Stefan hid his strange scent and looked at Scott with a cold, cautious, and guarded gaze, as if everything were normal, yet carrying a hint of power and control.
Scott, feeling this gaze directly, was confused and trembling. His eyes widened slightly, as if caught in an invisible trap, trying to understand what this mysterious boy saw.
Stiles whispered to him, trying to reassure:
"Calm down, Scott… maybe it was just a strange feeling, maybe I'm wrong too… don't worry."
But Stefan continued observing Scott, silent, his mind divided.
A new werewolf in this town… meaning a new Alpha… this could be very interesting.
But how this could it be?....The Hale family are dead.....what is going on?.
After a while, the lesson ended, and the tension Scott felt dissipated slightly, as he and Stefan would have different classes for the rest of the schedule, but the sensation he felt and the smell he detected never left his mind.
In fact, since the morning, he had been smelling things he shouldn't and hearing things he shouldn't, and this… terrified him to the core.
Meanwhile, an interesting encounter was happening among the girls.
Caroline Forbes, Elena Gilbert, and Bonnie Bennett sat around their new classmate Alison Argent, looking at her curiously.
"You're coming from Texas?" Bonnie asked slowly to be sure.
Alison nodded shyly.
Caroline blinked and said, "Wow, that's almost on the other side of the country. Do you mind if I ask why you came here?"
Alison replied, "Well, our family moves a lot and we don't stay in one place because of my dad's work."
"And your dad works in exactly what?" Elena asked curiously.
Alison looked at them and said, "He's an arms dealer."
Silence fell over the table.
Bonnie slowly opened her mouth, "Say that again?"
Alison sighed at their expected reaction and said, "He's a legal arms dealer for government agencies, like the FBI, the CIA, the army, and other government bodies. He's in high demand across various states, so we move a lot."
Silence fell again, and Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena looked at Alison in astonishment and amazement.
"Wow, our new classmate is the daughter of an arms dealer," Elena whispered to herself in amazement.
Alison looked at them nervously, as everyone usually steps back after she mentions her father's work.
Caroline smiled excitedly at Alison and said, "This… is amazing!! In fact, it's so amazing! Can you tell me every detail of his work?! Can you tell me how many states you visited and how many cities you lived in?! Or oh oh, how many times have you seen your dad use the weapons he sells?!"
Alison looked at Caroline in shock, overwhelmed by the endless questions.
Bonnie laughed and shook her head amusedly, then pulled Caroline by her shirt and said,
"Caroline! Let the girl breathe a little!"
"Oh come on! But I want to know before class starts," Caroline said angrily.
Elena laughed lightly and said, "I'm sure there will be plenty of time to talk with Alison, Caroline."
Alison took a deep breath, amazed that the girls didn't step back after hearing about her father's work.
She blinked slowly and asked cautiously, but her curiosity showed:
"Why… didn't you step back? Usually, everyone moves away when I mention my dad's work…"
Caroline smiled innocently and excitedly:
"We didn't step back because we find your dad's work… awesome! In fact, it's something we haven't seen before in our boring town. You're different… and we love hearing stories like this."
Bonnie laughed lightly and added, "Yes, we've never met anyone like you here, Alison. It's really exciting!"
Alison smiled, but she couldn't stop her curiosity:
"Really? Okay… so… and what about you? What do your parents do?"
Caroline replied enthusiastically, "My dad is a lawyer, and my mom is deputy sheriff in the Mystic Hills Police. So my live is full of laws and violations, but it's fun in a different way."
Bonnie laughed again and said, "Well, my dad is the Attorney General of Haliver… that's why my dad moves a lot because of this position, leaving me mostly alone at home with my grandma. I wish sometimes he hadn't gotten this position, life would've been simpler!"
Alison blinked in amazement, "The Attorney General?! That's… such a powerful position! I never expected that!"
Bonnie smiled lightly and said, "Yeah… power comes at a cost, and lots of moving. But at least I learned to handle everything with confidence."
Caroline joked, "Well, it seems we all have strange stories, don't we?"
Elena looked down slightly, her voice low and sad, "My parents were surgeons…"
Alison raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Were…?"
Bonnie smiled gently, taking Elena's hand to reassure her, "Yes… her parents passed away in the summer."
Alison blinked, feeling true sadness creeping into her heart, and looked at Elena with compassionate eyes:
"Ah… I'm so sorry, Elena… I can't imagine how you feel… if you need anything, I'm here."
Elena smiled lightly, touched by Alison's words, feeling for the first time in a long while that someone understood her and didn't ask awkward questions like, "Are you okay?"
Caroline looked at them and smiled mischievously, "Look! Alison isn't only interesting because of her dad, she's also very kind!"
Alison smiled shyly, but a feeling of warmth began creeping into her heart, for the first time since moving to Mystic Falls.
"What are you talking about?" The girls heard a sweet voice and turned toward it.
There, a beautiful girl with strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes, and light makeup looked at them curiously from her seat.
Elena smiled gently and waved her hand, "Hi Lydia."
Lydia Martin smiled politely and said, "Hi Elena, I hope the summer eased your sadness."
Elena replied, "I'm much better now, thank you, Lydia."
Lydia nodded, and looked at Alison curiously.
Caroline smiled and said, "We were talking about Alison's father selling weapons, by the way did you know that she's from Texas?."
"Really?" Lydia asked in surprise and raised her eyebrow, then stood up from her seat and approached confidently, hands on her hips, her piercing gaze examining Alison from head to toe.
She smiled softly, full of confidence, and said in a clear, commanding voice:
"Hello Alison… I haven't seen a new face here in a while. Seems like you brought something from Texas life with you."
Alison blinked shyly but felt a mix of curiosity and admiration.
"Ah… yes… we move a lot because of my dad's work…" she said hesitantly.
Lydia had a small trace of boastfulness on her lips and said in a half-joking, half-serious voice:
"Your dad's work is interesting… we rarely meet people like this in Mystic Hills. Everything here is usually so dull".
Caroline looked at Lydia with excited eyes, thinking to herself: Wow… this girl is not only beautiful, but she knows how to grab attention.
Lydia smiled toward Caroline, then turned her attention back to Alison:
"But believe me, it's fine… we'll make you feel like part of this place, despite all this strangeness. Right, Elena?"
Elena nodded shyly, unable to stop herself from smiling:
"Yes… definitely…"
Bonnie had a slight smile as she said playfully:
"Alison… it seems we now have real proof that you're from Texas… someone who brought excitement with her!"
Alison laughed shyly, but she felt an unexpected sense of comfort and said,
"Actually, I'm not from Texas… I'm originally French, from Paris specifically."
Silence fell for a moment.
Caroline said in shock, "From… Paris?! What brought you here?!"
Alison shrugged and said, "I told you… my dad's work."
Lydia pulled a chair and sat down, looking at Alison with focus and said:
"Tell me everything about your dad's work and why you moved from France to America."
Alison hesitated, then asked cautiously:
"Really… won't everyone feel uncomfortable about my dad's story?"
A slight frown appeared on Lydia's face, but she replied coldly and calmly:
"Me? No… I see strength and appeal in people who surround themselves with the real world. It seems your dad knows what he's doing, and that's what makes it interesting."
Alison smiled shyly, starting to feel that she had found someone who wouldn't judge her quickly… someone strong and confident… someone like Lydia, who commands any room she enters.
A hint of curiosity appeared on Lydia's face as she said in a slightly teasing tone:
"And I want to know more… how many times have you traveled? How many cities have you seen? Have you ever seen your dad use weapons?"
Caroline smiled playfully and said to Bonnie and Elena:
"Wow… this girl is a lot like me, but more boastful…"
All the girls laughed together, and Alison began to feel a mix of admiration and comfort, realizing that Lydia, despite her confidence and pride, wasn't hostile… but rather someone who makes everyone want to know more about her and her life.
At that moment, the teacher entered the classroom and said,
"All right, everyone, return to your seats. We will begin immediately."
Lydia sighed, then stood up and said to Alison:
"We definitely need to talk later."
Alison nodded and said,
"Of course."
Everyone returned to their seats, and the class began as the teacher introduced himself and started the lesson.