IT WAS FRIDAY NIGHT at Mystic Falls High. That only meant one thing: football.

Raven had never been a big fan of the sport. Even as a cheerleader, she hadn't learned the rules or terminology. After all, her job was to lift people from the stands...not figure out why boys tackled each other and risked head injuries trying to steal an odd-shaped ball (her father had told her about many, many injuries caused on the field).

Even when she was dating Matt, he sensed her disinterest and never tried to explain anything to her. They had a mutual understanding; he scored a home run—erm, touchdown—and she screamed and cheered and danced. Really, it was the perfect dynamic. But this year, things were different.

First, Raven was no longer dating Matt. Not having him there was..weird if she was being honest. They'd been close their whole lives, and this distance was a foreign feeling.

Second, she'd be cheering for Stefan. Of course, she'd save some applause for Matt—he was still a friend, even though it was kind of awkward.

And lastly, she wouldn't be cheering on the sidelines. She'd traded her pompoms for a cold seat on the bleachers.

Everything felt so....new.

Raven had told Caroline her decision to quit the cheerleading team. Initially, Caroline had been confused and slightly neurotic (one less cheerleader an hour before the game was a nightmare)—but once the panic passed, she hugged Raven tightly, and assured her that there were no hard feelings.

Now, Raven was walking across the courtyard, which was packed with blood-red jerseys, skirts, and painted faces (talk about school spirit). Her eyes skimmed above the red attire, searching for a friendly face. She wanted to wish the boys good luck and let Bonnie know that she wouldn't be joining her in cheer.

A bright smile caught Raven's attention. Stefan raised his hand and she beamed as she made her way over. "Hey," She greeted cheerfully.

"Hey." Stefan's gaze flicked over her outfit—ripped jeans and a red tank top. Hey, just because she wasn't a cheerleader anymore didn't mean she couldn't show support. "What happened? No more cheerleader?"

Her smile widened. "Nope. I quit!"

At first, she was worried that this change would be stressful, but it had the opposite effect. For the first time in months, she felt...free. And while she still wasn't sure how to feel about Damon, she had to give credit where it was due.

"I'm going to spend my time cleaning paintbrushes and organizing palettes," She announced.

"A dream come true," He teased. Raven giggled. It was messy. And she wasn't that good at painting. But honestly? It was a dream come true. "I, um..."

Stefan cleared his throat. She gazed at him questioningly. He seemed...nervous. "I hope you don't think this is too soon or too weird but...I wanted to give you this."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wooden box. He gently flipped the lid, revealing a silver pendant unlike anything she'd ever seen. She carefully picked it up, studying its intricate design. Her eyes shimmered in awe. "Stefan, it's...this is beautiful," She gasped.

Her smile faded. At the festival, Raven had already established that they were just friends. But this gift...it seemed like something more. Like something romantic. What did this mean? Was it a symbol of him wanting to take things further? Was it junk that he just wanted to get rid of but couldn't bring himself to sell or throw away? Was it simply a token of their friendship?

Suddenly, the necklace was a delicate reminder that she and Stefan stood in limbo. They played the charade of friends—innocent smiles, late-night conversations, limitless support—pushing herself back from anything that could shatter the barrier she'd built. Then he'd do something stupid. Like pull her close and talk about comets. Or hold her hand when Caroline accidentally hurt her. Or give her precious jewelry. He was the sun and Raven was Icarus. All she could think about was the warmth of his skin against hers, but she knew that if she let him come any closer, the wax on her wings would melt. And the fall would break her.

"I-I can't accept this," Raven stammered, heat rising to her cheeks. "This is obviously valuable and you--you didn't have to, um-"

Nerves jolted through hers body. Had the ground become jello or was that just her legs?

"I wanted to," He said simply. She was making a fool of herself, and here he was, smiling at her like it was the cutest thing in the world. Her cheeks grew hotter. She tried to stop her own grin from forming, but looking into his kind eyes, it was impossible. "It's something I've had forever and, uh, I've never wanted to give it to anybody until now."

Her lips parted. It was this special?

"I'd very much like it if you'd wear it for me," Stefan continued. For a second, she frowned, wondering why. "For...good luck."

Happiness swept over her—not the kind that made Raven want to get up and dance, but the kind that filled her with quiet peace. She'd owned tons of jewelry, each with its own unique designs and history, some more extravagant than others. But this? This meant something.

"Of course," She said, smiling hard. "I love it. Thank you."

"Here, let me help," Stefan offered. She returned the necklace and lifted her hair, turning her back to him.

The chain was cool against her skin, but before she could react, his fingers nudged her neck. A shiver ran down her spine. Raven knew it wasn't on purpose. But still, her breath hitched in her throat. She didn't know if it was her imagination, but she swore his fingers lingered, even when he'd finished clasping the necklace.

Before her mind could wander to places it shouldn't, he spoke again. "And, uh...I wanted to thank you for pushing me to try out for the team. It feels really good."

Raven hated how much she was smiling. But in his presence, it was impossible to stop. "Don't thank me for always being right," She joked, struggling to ease out of these strange emotions overtaking her. He laughed. The deep, breezy sound made her realize something.

Maybe she was using humor to deflect...but also, she seriously loved his laugh. It wasn't loud or boisterous. But even though noise stemmed from every direction—people wishing the players good luck, footballs thudding across the lawn, cheerleaders shrieking in excitement, music and ringtones creating a cacophony, and the sportscaster's rants blaring through the air—somehow Stefan's laughter was the only thing that mattered.

Raven realized something else: she was staring. And so was he.

Red jerseys raced past her, headed toward the school. She glanced at her shoes, rubbing the back of her neck. "Uh...you should probably—"

"Yeah," Stefan muttered, blinking into reality.

She gave him a tentative smile. "Good luck."

He nodded, murmured a quick thanks, and jogged after his teammates. As she watched him go, Raven's fingers found the pendant. She bit her lip to suppress a grin and sighed.

-- 

Just a sweet moment between Stefan and Raven before chaos unfolds 😉

Don't be afraid to let me know if you see any typos, grammatical errors, etc. I've been writing these pretty fast and editing is a nightmare so I'm bound to miss mistakes. 

As always, I appreciate y'all 😌