Unstoppable | The Vampire Diaries

4. Football Fight Club

Riley was tossing and turning all night. Every time she closed her eyes, she thought about that photograph. It was old, and black and white, but it was real. And if it wasn't the Stefan Salvatore that she knew, then it had to be one of his descendants... who just happened to be a carbon copy of him. And yet for some reason, her mind wouldn't let her believe it. Because there was no possible way that someone who was alive in the 1920s could still be alive today. No possible way.

However, being the daughter of a cop taught Riley that you couldn't go around accusing people without sufficient evidence. So her first mission of the day was to actually have a conversation with the mystery guy.

She stood by her locker, watching his. When she saw him walk into school hand-in-hand with Elena Gilbert, before parting ways, she knew this was her chance.

"Hi," she said, walking so quickly that she accidentally hit the locker beside his and had to pretend that she hadn't hurt her shoulder.

Stefan looked at her, confused. "Hi. You're... Caroline's friend, right?"

"And Bonnie's," she clarified. "Riley Fletcher."

"Stefan Salvatore," he replied with a smile. He grabbed some books from his locker and she watched him, wondering how long she could stare at him without it being creepy.

"So, how old are you anyway?"

Stefan raised an eyebrow at her. "Um, 17. Why? How old are you?"

She laughed at her own stupid question. "Right, of course. I'm 17 too, obviously. We have history together."

He smiled again, waiting for her to either get to the point or swiftly end the conversation.

"Out of general curiosity," she started. "Have you ever been to Chicago?"

He frowned. "I come from a military family, we moved all over the country."

"Right," she nodded awkwardly. "So... nice to meet you and everything."

She turned and walked away before he could respond. With her awkward social skills, there was no way she would be able to make him tell her the truth. She'd have to find out for herself.

***

At cheerleading practice later that day, Riley was still reeling from her awkward conversation with Stefan.

"Riley, hey, over here!" she heard a voice call. She looked up to see Bonnie stretching next to Elena. She walked over with a smile. She'd been at the school for a week and still the only friends she'd actually made were Bonnie and Caroline. But she wasn't complaining; after all, two great friends were better than 100 fake ones. "Elena, Riley. Riley, Elena."

"Hi," Elena said, smiling genuinely at the new girl.

"Hi," Riley replied warmly. "You're Stefan's... girlfriend?"

Elena smiled to herself. "Yeah, I guess I am."

The field was full of girls wearing similar tank tops and short shorts, waiting for Caroline to arrive so that she could take them through the steps.

"Seriously, where is Caroline?" Bonnie asked, looking slightly worried.

As if on cue, a blue car drove up to the girls. Caroline kissed the driver on the lips and got out. Riley recognized the man immediately.

"Oh my God, that's 'Blue-Eyes' from the Grill!" she exclaimed, ignoring the faces that Bonnie and Elena made at her nickname for him. "They were eye-flirting like crazy."

"You call him 'Blue-Eyes', I call him Damon Salvatore," Elena grimaced slightly under her breath.

"Salvatore?!" Bonnie hissed incredulously. "As in Stefan?"