"Yeah, that's right," Elena nodded.
"Elena," Stefan said as she turned to Ron, "if you keep going down this road, you'll reach the cemetery gates."
Stefan brushed a leaf off Elena's shoulder where she had fallen earlier, and she smiled, thanking him softly. Ron watched the sweet scene unfold, the air thick with that overly saccharine romance energy that made him want to gag.
"Uh, thanks. I'll get going then," Ron said quickly, eager to get away before he was force-fed another serving of their couple energy.
Not wanting to reveal his supernatural abilities, Ron descended the hill at an ordinary human pace. But barely two minutes later, Stefan sprinted past him — unnaturally fast. Ron's sharp reflexes caught every detail: Stefan's eyes glowed crimson, veins pulsed darkly beneath his skin, and sharp fangs glimmered under his lips.
"So that's a vampire," Ron thought, his mind racing. Channeling the Rabbit Talisman's power, he darted back toward Elena's direction, only to find her safe — staring at a small cut on her hand while looking around for Stefan.
Seeing she was fine, Ron turned back downhill. So he lost control after seeing blood, he thought. Guess these vampires really can't resist the sight of it. Dangerous creatures — fast, strong, mind control, maybe even fog conjuring — and sunlight doesn't seem to bother them. Definitely not like the legends.
He scratched his head. "No use worrying about it now. Haven't even had a proper meal since coming to this world. Food first."
Following the road down, Ron reached the cemetery gates, hopped into his sports car, and followed his GPS to a nearby restaurant. The meal was decent — not as flavorful as back home, but the meat quality made up for it. Being a total carnivore, he was quite satisfied.
After lunch, Ron returned to his new house and decided to embrace the fine national habit of a good nap. Except it turned into an all-day sleep — he woke up when it was already dark. First thing he did was look for food again, only to find his fridge completely empty. "Forgot to buy groceries. Great." So he headed out to grab dinner.
"Hey, Bonnie." Ron greeted as he walked into a cozy café-style diner — one of the few still open in Mystic Falls. He spotted Bonnie chatting with a blond guy.
"Hey, Ron. This is Matt," Bonnie said, introducing them.
"Matt, this is Ron Mills. He just transferred here today," Bonnie added warmly.
"Nice to meet you," Ron said, shaking Matt's hand.
"Bonnie, mind if I sit here? No tables left, and I owe you a meal for showing me around earlier," Ron asked.
"Of course. Sit down," Bonnie smiled.
Ron ordered immediately — nothing fancy on the menu, just burgers, fries, and finger food. So he went all in: five burgers, a sampler platter, and a drink.
As they chatted, Matt turned to Bonnie. "How's she been? Has she… mentioned me?"
Bonnie sighed. "Her parents died just four months ago, Matt. She's been putting on a smile, but she's not okay. And no, she hasn't mentioned you. Maybe… just call her. Don't wait."
Matt shook his head. "We broke up. Calling her now would just feel… wrong."
"Give her time," Bonnie said softly.
At that moment, Elena and Stefan walked in together. Matt froze, his face hardening. "This what you meant by giving her time?" he muttered bitterly and got up to confront them.
Ron raised an eyebrow. "Tough spot you're in, huh?" he said quietly to Bonnie.
"It's not what it looks like," Bonnie said awkwardly.
"Don't worry, I get it. You're my first friend here, and I can tell you're all close. It's not on you. Elena and Matt split up — but if Elena's conflicted and can't fully let go, that puts you in the middle. If you want to help Matt, convince Elena to talk it through directly," Ron advised.
"I know… but Elena's been through so much. I don't want to add to her pain," Bonnie admitted.
"Then she's lucky to have a friend like you," Ron smiled.
Elena and Stefan approached, and Ron greeted them casually. "Hey there." His food arrived just in time, so he turned his attention to his meal.
Soon after, Caroline joined them. After introductions, conversation flowed easily. It was clear Caroline was intrigued by both Stefan and Ron, though Ron was far more focused on his burgers. She eventually gave up and focused her charm on Stefan instead.
"Ron, what about your parents?" Bonnie asked as she watched him demolish another burger.
"They passed away," Ron said calmly. "It's just me now."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Any other family?" Caroline asked gently.
"No. I came to pay respects to my late uncle — my last living relative. He left me a house here in Mystic Falls. My family's estate is managed by someone else back home, who's technically my guardian. But I live alone now," Ron explained.
"Well, Ron, Stefan — you're both new here, so you probably don't know about tomorrow's party," Caroline said, shifting the mood.
"It's kind of like our version of a fall festival," Bonnie added.
Stefan immediately asked if Elena would be there, and Bonnie answered for her — confirming he'd show up.
"Will there be good food?" Ron asked hopefully, earning laughter from both girls.
"Seriously? That's all you think about?" Caroline teased.
"Maybe. When you're alone, food's the only reliable comfort," Ron said with a grin. "Good food never disappoints."
"Well, I'll be there too," Ron said after swallowing the last bite of his burger. "If nothing else, I'll bring my own food."
He leaned back thoughtfully. "Back home, we had similar festivals — bonfire parties. You know what would be great? Roasting a whole lamb over the fire."
"Yeah, no," Bonnie laughed. "We'll bring you something instead. Burgers, grilled chicken — whatever it takes to keep you full."
Ron chuckled. "Deal."