I stared up at my ceiling, feeling the morning sunlight creep across my face. My room looked like it had fallen out of a fairytale—the kind you see in those old children's books, with deep woodsy colors, the smell of lavender, and a little reading nook by the window where I could curl up with a book or just watch the world go by. It was cozy and quaint, with fairy lights strung around that made it glow at night, and I loved it. To be honest, I didn't know why I was up so early, but today felt different. Like… really different.
Elena, my twin sister, popped her head into my room without knocking, her messy brown hair framing her face in a way that would've annoyed anyone else. But not Elena—she always had that casual confidence, just rolling out of bed looking effortlessly pretty. I felt my fingers reach up to the sky-blue streak in my fiery red hair, our birthmark, a unique mark that somehow made us feel bonded even closer as sisters. It was like a secret only we shared with each other, and neither of us had any clue what it meant.
"Amara, get up!" she laughed, tossing one of my pillows at me. "You're gonna be late for the first day of junior year!"
"Ugh, don't remind me," I groaned, squinting as I rolled over and pulled the covers over my face. I didn't feel ready to face high school again—new faces, old drama, and all that "first day back" stuff. But Elena was already pulling at my arm, flashing her best pout.
"You have five seconds to get up before I jump on this bed."
"Okay, okay!" I laughed, shoving the covers off and sitting up, brushing my wild curls back as I yawned. I saw her bright eyes glancing over at me, catching sight of the blue streak in my hair. It was like looking in a mirror, but with a slight difference—her dark hair and brown eyes against my powder pink ones. We had our little differences, but we were close, closer than any twins I knew.
We walked downstairs together, where Aunt Jenna had already prepared some kind of breakfast—well, more like scrambled together since she wasn't exactly the "domestic" type. But she was trying, and that was enough for us. She looked up from her coffee, giving us a small, proud smile. Jeremy, our little brother, sat across from us, lost in his own world, scribbling in a notebook, probably ignoring all of us, as usual. He'd been distant lately, and I wondered if this year was going to be any different.
Walking into Mystic Falls High felt like stepping into a world buzzing with unspoken expectations. Everyone was either whispering, glancing over at us, or staring straight through us as if we'd somehow changed over the summer. Elena had just broken up with Matt, her summer romance, and the rumors had probably already started swirling around. The halls were filled with people we'd known forever, yet everything felt strangely unfamiliar.
In homeroom, I leaned over and whispered, "Do you think this year's gonna be any different?" There was a glint in Elena's eye, one I hadn't seen in a while, like she was determined to make this year something more than just another page in our boring high school lives.
"Well, it better be," she replied with a smirk. "I think it's time we make some actual memories."
Bonnie joined us a few moments later, beaming. She always had this infectious energy that made you forget about your worries for a while. "Okay, so you two aren't going to believe what my grandma told me last night." Bonnie looked between us with raised brows.
"Oh, this should be good," I chuckled, leaning in. "What is it, Bon?"
"She thinks I'm psychic," Bonnie whispered, eyes wide with excitement and disbelief. "She swears that our family has some ancient witchy powers or whatever, passed down from generation to generation."
I scoffed, but Elena leaned in, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "Are you serious?"
Bonnie rolled her eyes, laughing. "I know! But she was dead serious. Last night, she made me sit through this whole speech about channeling energy and all that. Honestly, I think she's just losing it."
But as Bonnie spoke, I felt this strange sensation, almost like goosebumps, creeping up my arm. I brushed it off, figuring it was just her story getting into my head.
And then, just like that, he walked in—this guy with dark, messy hair and the kind of green eyes that seemed to cut right through you. He looked like he didn't belong here, like he was just visiting this high school scene for the day. But there was something magnetic about him, something that made every conversation pause as he walked by.
Elena nudged me. "Do you know him?"
I shook my head, staring a little too hard as he found his way to an empty seat across the room. "No idea. But he's definitely… something."
Bonnie rolled her eyes, catching onto our immediate interest. "Is this what it's come to? Swooning over new guys?"
As we sat there, pretending to be focused on anything other than this mysterious new guy, something nagged at me. I couldn't place it, but I felt this weird pull, like he was supposed to be there, like he was more than just a stranger in our world. There was a flicker of recognition—like I knew him from somewhere I couldn't remember.
The bell rang, and I practically flew out of my seat, gathering my things as fast as possible. Elena and Bonnie were already in the hall, chatting away. I caught up with them, and we all started making our way to history class. The topic was Mystic Falls, of course, as if we hadn't heard enough about our town's history by now.
But today, something was different. Mr. Tanner had us pair up for a project, and it was no surprise that Elena and I ended up with the new guy—Stefan, as he introduced himself. As soon as he said his name, I felt that strange flicker again, like it should mean something to me.
"Stefan Salvatore," he said, his voice smooth and oddly comforting. There was something about him that felt like old memories; like he'd been a part of this town long before he'd ever shown up.
After school, Elena and I headed back home, feeling a little rattled from the day. We settled down in our rooms, both of us falling into our usual pattern of flopping onto each other's beds, talking about nothing and everything.
"Did he seem a little… strange to you?" Elena asked, absently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
I shrugged, trying to shake the feeling that had been with me all day. "I don't know. But there's something about him. It's almost like…"
"Like we're supposed to know him?" she finished, echoing my exact thoughts.
We both went quiet, staring up at the ceiling. I could feel that restless energy building again, the one that had been simmering under the surface since this morning. It was as if everything was connected, like some unseen force was weaving all these events together.
As I lay there, I let my eyes drift shut, trying to shake the strange feelings lingering from the day. But as I drifted off, one last thought nagged at me—a memory of something I couldn't quite recall, a shadow from a story I didn't know but somehow belonged to me.