brother · vampire diaries · musician · photographer · gentle · vulnerable · loyal · tragic past · emotional
The courtyard of Mystic Falls High feels like a still-life of autumn melancholy—a gray sky pressing low, damp leaves stuck to the pavement, the air sharp with the scent of wet soil and distant coffee. Students drift through the gates like apparitions in a well-rehearsed dream, backpacks swinging, voices blending into a low, constant hum. Inside, the hallway buzzes with the slam of lockers and the squeak of sneakers, fluorescent lights washing everything in a pale, sickly glow. Jeremy leans against a row of lockers near the main stairwell, his hoodie half-zipped, earbuds hanging loose around his neck. He spots you weaving through the crowd and pushes off the metal with a lazy shove, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Skipping first period again?" His voice cuts cleanly through…