Noah strolled through the quiet streets of Mystic Falls, his hands tucked casually into his jacket pockets. It was late, the air still carrying the lingering scent of the school dance long since ended. To most, he was just another face in the town—a stranger, maybe a student—but to a select few, his very existence should have been impossible.
His steps carried him toward a rundown motel at the edge of town. He stopped at a door he knew well, hesitating only briefly before knocking.
The door swung open, and standing there was Anna. Her eyes widened in shock, the book she had been holding slipping slightly from her grasp. Behind her, Ben stood, tense as if ready to spring.
"…Noah?" Anna's voice was cautious, disbelieving.
Ben's expression twisted into hostility. "That's impossible. You're dead. We saw the Salvatores kill you."
Both vampires stared at him as though he were some cruel trick of magic. Fear mingled with suspicion in their eyes.
Noah raised his hands quickly in surrender. "Easy—don't kill me. It's really me. They… missed."
Ben growled, fangs threatening to descend. Anna, though doubtful, placed a restraining hand on his arm. Her sharp gaze never left Noah. "Explain. Now."
Noah exhaled slowly, weaving his words carefully. "They thought they finished me off, but all they did was bury me alive. I clawed my way out of the forest. I know it sounds insane, but I swear—I'm standing right here, aren't I?"
Anna narrowed her eyes, her instincts telling her this wasn't the whole truth. Still, something stopped her from attacking. Perhaps it was the strange rhythm she heard when she focused on him.
Thump… thump… thump.
Her eyes widened. "Wait… you have a heartbeat?"
Ben blinked, startled, his aggression faltering. "That's… not possible. You're supposed to be a vampire."
Noah offered a half-smile. "Supposed to be. But clearly, I'm not anymore."
Anna stepped closer, suspicion battling curiosity. "If you're not a vampire, then what are you?"
Noah shrugged lightly, masking the unease that bubbled inside him. "Human enough, I guess. But different. Stronger. Faster. Hard to explain."
Ben still looked unconvinced, but Anna was the first to put words to the thought hanging between them. "You could be turned back. If you wanted. We can fix this."
For a moment, Noah felt the weight of the offer. A return to vampirism. Immortality. Strength. A place among them. But he shook his head firmly. "No. That's not me. Not anymore. I'll figure out what I am on my own."
Anna studied him carefully, and for the first time, the doubt in her eyes softened into something else. Respect, maybe. Or wariness. "Then what do you plan to do?"
Noah smiled faintly. "First things first—I'm enrolling at Mystic Falls High. If I want to survive here, I need to blend in. Nobody expects the dead guy to be walking around as a student."
Ben muttered under his breath, "That's insane…" but Anna silenced him with a look.
Noah turned to leave, tossing a parting glance over his shoulder. "Relax. I'm not here to cause trouble. Just… don't tell anyone I'm alive, alright? Especially not the Salvatores. They think they buried a vampire. Let's keep it that way."