Chapter Text
‘Was I terrified for the first day of high school? Absolutely.
Am I still slightly terrified for the first day of Sophomore year? Unfortunately.
‘Am I going to let that upset any other part of my life? Probably.'
She took a deep breath smoothing down her shirt one last time. Her mom tried to get her to dress up for school earlier, but she couldn't bear the idea of bringing any more attention to herself.
Grabbing her backpack and lunch from the table downstairs, she kissed her siblings on the cheeks and made a mad dash out the door. The walk wasn't very far, maybe ten minutes. As she approached the buildings the mass amount of much taller teenagers almost made her turn around and run right back home. 'I mean come on? I’m still not cut out for this. Oh yay! Everyone look here, it's the resident weirdo! No one invite her to a party, y’know she’ll snitch.’
Annalee can practically hear the thoughts as they bounce around her skull. They were right not to trust her. She couldn’t lie to save her life. Which is exactly why she chooses to keep her mouth shut most of the time.
She was pulled out of her spiraling thoughts by a harsh impact that sent her into the quickly approaching ground. She squinted her eyes shut and braced herself for the impact. With a thud and a grunt her small body hit the ground.
'I'm so glad I'm on grass.' she thinks.
"Oh god” a quiet voice breathed out, “I'm so sorry. Are you okay Miss?" She turned around and squinted up at the guy who held his hand out, waiting for her to grab it. His hand was cold, but he seemed to pull her up with no problem. She held her face in an awkward smile before waving him off.
"It's okay. I’m fine.”
“Still, I should’ve seen you.” She raised an eyebrow at his response, most people here would've already walked away from her, avoiding any and all chance of conversation.
"No worries, lots of people around and I’m not exactly a giant." she mumbled, a shy smile pulling at her cheeks as they made eye contact. The distinct lack of a sneer on his face made her insides warm.
Stefan found himself unable to look away from the girl, her dark green eyes felt almost like looking in a mirror. Except instead of a deep buried sadness, there was thinly veiled doubt and light. It was as if behind her pupils were the heavens, pulling him in and promising salvation. The warmth that hummed beneath the skin of her fingertips was practically calling to him.
Lee couldn’t take her eyes off the blonde man. His green eyes were dark and gorgeous. His soft smile gave her goosebumps, and there was something else. A darkness behind his eyes that pulled her in. Not to mention his jawline that could probably cut her if she wasn’t careful. And his impression as she called it. Gold, forest green, creamy white like marble, and a dark, vibrant, beautiful red. Annalee never focused on the impressions outright, but couldn’t help but take note with certain people.
"Well try not to let anyone else run you over, they might not be so nice." She laughed easily at his little joke. At this point, she fully expected him to walk away. Instead, he held out his hand. "I'm Stefan." She beamed up at him, and shook his hand slowly.
"I'm Annalee, but you can call me Lee." Stefan raised an eyebrow, ignoring the stares they were receiving.
“Can I really?” Stefan felt uncharacteristically light-hearted. A part of him hated how her smile made his insides twist.
“No,” it took him by surprise, forcing a shocked laugh out of his body, she continued with an equally playful smirk, “I’m kidding, you can call whatever you like.” She hadn’t really intended to phrase it like that, but being able to almost flirt with someone was a new experience.
“How about, friend?” And the hope was crushed oh so quickly.
“Are we friends now?” She responded. Despite the rejection, she was grateful. Friendship was not something many people here offered her, and even if Stefan went back on this decision later, she would cherish the chance while it was here.
“Well I supposed that’s up to you now isn’t it?” Her eyebrows furrowed in thought, Stefan found it surprisingly cute. When she didn’t say anything back he started again, “I see, no pressure I will pretend this never happ-”
“No!” She practically shouted. Stefan chuckled again and Annalee found her face was beginning to be way more than just warm.
‘W-what I mean to say is… I would love to be your friend.” Stefan could hear her heart hammering in her chest, the anxiety rolled off of her in waves, almost suffocatingly so. Her hands were stuck to her side. Stefan glanced around, almost every pair of eyes around them had looked over a couple times now. Stefan got the distinct impression that Annalee was not the most accepted individual. So far, he couldn’t understand why. He focused on the fidgeting girl.
“Good. I would like that too.” His warm smile once again sent butterflies through her body. With a powered determination, Lee shoved down and destroyed her feelings of attraction.
Here she was, the first day of sophomore year finally making a friend on her own. She would not let this go to waste. She was going to be a good friend to Stefan! A great friend! She was going to be the best dang friend he had, for as long as he wanted her to be. Logically, she knew she shouldn’t get her hopes up too high, but logic rarely followed the heart. Especially hers, as big and vulnerable as it was.
She shook off her inner musings and grinned up at the man. Green eyes meeting green. Stefan was struck by the overwhelming kindness that flowed into him upon their eye contact. He blinked, trying to rid himself of the almost foreign emotions.
“Okay so, friend Stefan, anything I can help you find?” She gestured to the building behind her, an easy grin still resting on her face. Stefan thought her smile was really quite pretty. He found himself stuttering in response.
“O-oh! Yes.. uhm I suppose the main office? I don’t have my schedule yet.”
“Alright! Mission number one: Lead Mr. Stefan…” She clapped her hands together and trailed off, looking at him expectantly.
“Salvatore, Stefan Salvatore.” His name sent another jolt to her heart.
“Lead Mr. Stefan Salvatore to the main office!” Stefan once again found himself cracking more than a smile at the girl’s antics. Even her determination was tangible, though entirely good-natured.
She turned and took a step away, glancing back to make sure he was following. Again, their eyes crashed into each other, and on some level of existence, a rope that had been pulled taut for eternity, began to coil around itself.
____
The walk to the office was short. Stefan opened the door and gestured for Annalee to enter, but her feet stayed planted. He cocked his head to the side.
“Y-you go on ahead. I-I’ll see you around.” Before Stefan could respond, she was scurrying away, weaving through the students with ease. He shrugged off the strangeness and entered the office. He cleared his throat, the woman behind the desk snapped her attention to him. A practiced smile fell into place on her warm face.
“Hello! You must be Stefan.” The young man nodded and introduced himself.
“Yes, Stefan Salvatore, nice to meet you.” She returned the sentiment and went about organizing his paperwork.
“I know you’re almost 18 but there is some paperwork we will need a guardian to sign. So here is that, and this is your schedule.” Stefan leafed through the papers given to him. “Do you need any help finding your class?” Stefan shook his head, no. Behind him, he heard two young women not so subtly discussing his ‘hot back.’ One of the voices stole his attention completely. He knew who it was, Elena Gilbert. It had to be.
After a moment, two voices turned into one. The front desk lady handed him a simple map of the school despite his response. After another minute of random school information and papers on his classes and club opportunities, the staff member sent him on his way. For a moment, the smell of Elena was all he could focus on. His feet unknowingly lead him right to her.
They almost collide as a young man barrel past him, only two steps behind him is the young woman. Just as beautiful as Katherine, if not more so. His brain stops, and despite the green eyed girl whose blood is calling out to him down the hall, all Stefan Salvatore can focus on is the girl who looks identical to the woman he used to love.
____
When Caroline approaches Annalee in the halls, the younger girl is more than surprised. Doesn’t help that Carolines usual impressions of bright yellow and pale blue was tinged with a nasty green.
“So.” The blonde stares down at Lee who waits for her to continue, “Mr. Pretty, that you were talking to first thing today… what’d you two talk about?” Lee could feel a bead of sweat form on the back of her neck.
“W-well…” Caroline raised an impatient brow, “really not much.” The blonde sighed.
“Can you tell me anything about the guy?”
“His name is Stefan Salvatore… he lives with his uncle and I might’ve actually made a friend?” Caroline gave a smile that was halfway to a grimace.
“Oh good for you, best of luck. Useless.” she muttered the last word as she continued on.’ Annalee was mostly unbothered by the insult.
Caroline Forbes and herself had a complicated relationship. Once upon a time, they were friends. Lee was never as close as the golden trio (Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena), but she had her ins with the girls. Namely her friendship with Tyler Lockwood. Caroline and her, however, well back in Lee’s 5th grade, Caroline had been Annalee’s first kiss. It was fun and innocent for both girls, curiosity was the primary motivator. But then one day, a girl in Caroline’s year, Dana, made a cruel joke about Caroline liking girls ‘way too much.’ And of course, this was at lunch. As people laughed and laughed, Caroline denied it all. Saying over and over again that she had only ever kissed boys. Of course, the worst boy of all knew the truth.
“ What about Annalee? Isn’t she just so cute?” Tyler laughed at Caroline’s mortified face. The girl in question suddenly regretted sitting at lunch with her pseudo brother and his friends. Her face felt red hot and Dana of course, picked up on it right away.
“Yeah Annalee? What about you? Have you ever kissed a girl?” Caroline’s eyes pleaded with the girl to keep her mouth shut. Annalee tried, but when Tyler started cruelly pinching at her side, the words tumbled out.
“Y-yes!” She slapped a hand over her mouth, the kid's laughter doubled in volume.
“Who was it??” Dana pried further. This time, Annalee kept her mouth shut for a while. So long, Caroline thought she was in the clear with all the attention still on the guilty party. Then, Tyler was holding Lee’s face in his larger hands, and Caroline’s stomach twisted into tighter and tighter knots.
“Tell the truth Annalee… who did you kiss?”
“Caroline.” Her voice was a whisper, her eyes unblinking even as the group erupted in laughter.
“You’re lying!!” Caroline screeched. A table over asked Dana what all the fuss was about, and by the end of lunch everyone knew that Caroline Forbes and Annalee Moretti had at least kissed, and that was enough for Caroline to spend the next three years settling into a boy crazy personality. One that would eventually make everyone forget that Caroline was a curious young woman. Unluckily for Annalee, no one ever forgets the lesson of Do Not Trust Annalee Moretti. Tyler Lockwood can always get the truth out of her.
Lee shook off the memory. She briefly wondered what it would be like to have gone through that within the last year. The general attitude on homosexuality had improved marginally, even among the younger kids. Didn’t matter, everyone she had ever been friends with learned at some point or another, don’t tell her your secrets. They can not remain secrets for long.
She briefly wonders, when was the first time someone had referred to her as ‘ cursed ’?
___
Finding Tyler was weirdly difficult, especially considering she didn't find him, he found her after the first period. He was standing outside the sophomore English class sending smirks or eyerolls at giggling girls and boys. When Annalee exited the classroom she was staring down at her schedule trying to memorize the information. Tyler grinned and picked her up like she was nothing. Her panicked movements created a bubble of space that only herself and Tyler occupied, students only concerned with not getting smacked in the crossfire. Turning her head slightly she sighed out of relief.
"Jeez Ty, I thought I was getting kidnapped." Tyler raised an eyebrow as he set her down.
"Ah yeah because someone would totally kidnap you in the middle of a crowded hallway," she opened her mouth to defend herself, "in a high school," she shut it, "in the middle of the day-"
"Okay! I get it! Don't have to be such a-" A hand was slapped over her mouth as Tyler stared at her with fake anger.
"Nuh-uh! Don't want to hear it! No swearing from you yet." She laughed from under his hand, trying to yell the word ‘TURD’ from behind his limb.' To which he promptly gave her a noogie. She shouted out in fake-anger. Even if the boy had caused her some issues over the years, she didn’t care. Tyler Lockwood would always be her best friend.
—
Despite the ride Tyler had offered her, Annalee found herself walking home after school. Glancing towards the ever creepy cemetery, movement caught her eye. Peering through the fence she stared at what appeared to be Stefan and Elena Gilbert. Green eyes met her own, an almost familiar jolt of electricity sent through her body.
She shyly waved at the juniors. Stefan returned the wave with a smile, Elena did not.
"You know the Moretti's?" She asked breathlessly looking at his smile.
"I met Annalee today, she's... my friend." Elena laughed again, something cruel behind the sound.
"Interesting choice of friend." He eyed the girl, already walking away from the cemetery. She was very sweet, and harmless. But this was not the first sign he had picked up on that the sophomore was a mostly disliked girl.
“Why do you say that?” Despite his attraction to Elena, there was an edge of accusation to his voice.
“All I’m going to say is be careful, she’s not someone to trust with any secrets.” Stefan raised an eyebrow but the brunette continued. “Do you have any secrets? You can trust me.” She said breathily, still enamored with the boy. He let out a quiet laugh but the smell of her blood quickly stole his attention from the topic.
Annalee walked off after Stefan waved back, she didn't really care to know why those two were hanging out in the cemetery of all places. Even the grill was better than that place. Nothing against the grill, Tyler just believed she would be corrupted by drinking teenagers if she spent too much time there. Tyler also believed that it was his duty to protect her and her siblings from just about everything bad in this world. Which was a lost cause considering his track record, but no one was going to tell him that.
Approaching her house she sighed at the familiar lack of cars. Annalee had two younger siblings. Atticus and Ariel. Atticus was eleven, with curly natural brown hair and warm brown eyes that were similar to their mothers’. Ariel was seven with equally curly hair, but it was a red-brown shade that matched the constellation of freckles spanning across her face. Her eyes were the darkest of the three, but still brown. While Annalee's paler complexion contrasted starkly with their darker tone, and her green eyes were from her father, most people could see the relation.
After a couple hours of doing her very small amount of homework and then listening to music while she absentmindedly reread 'The Book Thief', the bustle of people told her they had finally entered the house. Sprinting downstairs she was greeted by the smell of Chinese food and her parent's tired faces. Giving them both kisses on their cheeks she went to help with the food as Atticus and Ariel sat down at their seats at the table. Lee spied a Transformers toy in Ariel's hand. Quickly grabbing it as she passed by, Ariel started to whine before Atticus lightly flicked her head. Both siblings stare at the youngest disapprovingly.
"You know the rules Ari, no toys at the dinner table." Ariel pouted before a plate was set in front of her, only daring to take a whiff of it before the rest of the family had sat down.
"So Annalee, how was the first day of school?" Her mother, Alison, smiled at her eldest daughter.
"Good, I successfully made a friend today." Both parents looked up at that. Their daughter had always struggled with making friends. She was incredibly kind-hearted, yes. But she also wasn't good at starting conversation and not the best with social cues. On top of that, her interests were definitely… niche. What else her fellow students found so disturbing about the girl, they didn’t know. Her father smiled and ruffled her hair as he passed by.
"Really? Tyler let you make friends? What a surprise!" He joked as they laughed.
"Well, Tyler doesn't really know...." She sheepishly explained. Her dad's eyes went wide at that, Tyler not knowing something about Annalee? Weird.
"What are they like?" Atticus asked before shoving a forkful of food into his mouth.
"He’s nice, bumped into each other first thing outside the school. He was easy to talk to, so I showed him where the office was." She took a pause to take a bite of her food and ignored her parent's wary faces. "He seemed to think I was nice too, or funny. It's hard to say.” The hint of his aura was such pleasant colors, she didn’t say this bit out loud. She had learned a long time ago to keep her ‘imagination’ to herself. She chuckled awkwardly.
“I saw him at the cemetery with the Gilbert girl after school and he waved at me! If it wasn’t September I’d say it's a Christmas miracle.” Her grin was met with amused smiles from her parents and a proud look from her siblings. Her dad cleared his throat and gave Annalee what he liked to call 'the dad stare.'
"As long as he's nice to you, doesn't hurt you, and doesn't pressure you into anything, I like him!" Lee laughed and pouted at him.
"Dad, you said the same thing to me when I started hanging out with Matt.” He raised a suspicious eyebrow with a noodle hanging out of his mouth.
"Lee, that was fifth grade. How on earth do you remember that?"
"What can I say, I have a good memory." She claimed smugly tilting her chin up in faux arrogance.
"Oh yeah? What’s the first name of the Gilbert girl.. Better yet! What’s her brother’s name?" Atticus fired out, intent on always being a menace.
"Oh shush Atticus!" He rolled his eyes. "Anyways, Ariel, how was soccer? And Atticus, how was the choir?" Lee fired the question with genuine curiosity. Like usual, each of her family members warmed from the outside in by her tangible care and focus.
The Wednesday family dinner continued on. Nothing out of the ordinary or strange. And when Annalee went to sleep that night, everything felt normal. Looking back, she would say this was the day that changed her life. How could she have known that her first friend in years would be her downfall?