An Elemental Difference - AIR - Book 1 (Stefan Salvatore)

Chapter 51 - Is she drunk?

MYSTIC FALLS LIBRARY

Anna gestured to the aisle of bookshelves as she led Jeremy to the section he needed, "This aisle is local and state history. And the Civil War is one over. What do you need?"

In his panic, and to not freak out the first girl that had made him smile properly since Vicki, Jeremy had told Anna he needed books history of the town. He especially needed the Civil War era... it wasn't a total lie, he did need information for his History paper, but he was just going to find it online or with his ancestor's diary. 

Jeremy turned to Anna at her question, "Um, Local... 1860s." Then he realized she seemed totally relaxed, even 'at home' in the library, "Do you work here?"

"Nope," Anna popped her 'p' as she shook her head, answering his question. She then pointed in another direction, "You want reference... this way." As they walked down the aisle again, Anna began explaining to Jeremy, "Um, home-schooled. I study here for a 'mock-school environment.'" They reached the section he needed, "Ah, here we go. Original settlers, town archives, Founders' stuff. It's all here." Anna smiled brightly at him, "So, what's your topic?"

Jeremy recited the title that had taken him all of his school days to come up: 'The fear and hysteria surrounding the war in Mystic Falls and how it influenced certain writers of the time.'."

Anna nodded at the title, "You might want to focus that..."

And with his focus only on impressing Anna, his mouth spilled out what it had been focus on finding, "The origin of local folklore and myths."

"You mean, the vampires?

Jeremy choked on his own spit at Anna's casual mention of the species that was slowing taking over his life. With a pathetic chuckle, he avoided her gaze and focused on the books, "You're kidding me, right? There's no such thing as vampires."

Anna shrugged carelessly, but Jeremy could see her looking at him, "Well, there's not a lot of documentation, but the stories have been told since the Civil War. My granddad used to tell me all these creepy stories when I was little. And he said that his granddad told them to him."

"Yeah, that would be folklore," The sarcasm in Jeremy's voice couldn't be held, and Jeremy cursed that he found debating with her such a turn on. "Vampires are a metaphor for the demons of the day!"

Anna also seemed to thrive from the debate, "Which are?"

Jeremy relied on what he was taught by his father, rather than what he knew now. Remembering the stories his father would tell him so vividly, "The union soldiers! I've read and been read the stories myself. They talk about the enemy, the demons that attack at night."

Anna shrugged playfully at him, her words not having the alarm bells ringing within Jeremy, what with his knowledge of vampires as she carelessly stated again. "That sounds like vampires to me."

"Allegorical vampires, which is what it is. Creative expression during a very volatile time." His dad had made that very clear when he would get nervous during storytime, creativity was always his answer. He knew how creative Jeremy was and knew that would ease his fears. "I mean, a country at war doesn't want realism. They want fantasy. Thus, vampire fiction. And don't get me started on Twilight!"

He'd had enough talking about that subject with Jenna.

Anna smiled up at him, "Man, you're smart. I gotta give it to you; when I first saw you... I missed it."

Jeremy smiled at her joke, "Yeah. I've had a rough go of it lately, but I'm just now getting back to my old self."

Anna nodded and moved back to the aisle, "Well, good luck on your paper. I gotta get home." Jeremy nodded and watched her turn to leave when she slowly turned back around, "You know, my great grandfather actually showed me a journal once of an ancestor, and he had written all of this creepy stuff about vampires. It was actually really believable."