This is the story of Elena's twin sister, Melody. Melody is best friends with all the rejects including Vicki, Damon, Stefan, Lexi, Katherine and Klaus. That's because Melody is extremely different to everyone else - she's a mute. But not everyone needs to use their voice to make friends and eventually fall in love. Warning: not for Elena lovers. Eventual Elijah/OC

ATTENTION, PLEASE READ: I've been dying to write an Elijah/OC fanfic so I hope it's good enough for all you guys. I want to know if you want me to go through all the episodes or do this as an introduction and then skip to when Rose and Trevor come into the storyxx

My name is Melody Gilbert but everyone calls me Mel. I've been a mute since birth; not that I really mind - it's nice to have an excuse not to answer straight away. I have a twin sister named Elena; we don't get along that well. And we have a younger brother named Jeremy. My parents died not long ago so now our Aunt Jenna lives with us, she's nice so it's not that bad. My best friend is Vicki Donovan and my arch enemy is Caroline Forbes. My younger brother, Jeremy, has a major crush on Vicki.

Me and Elena are not identical even though you can see the resemblance between us. Elena was tall, skinny and wasn't that curvy. She was tanned and had dark brown hair that matched her eyes. Her hair reached the bottom of her back and was always pin straight. She was really pretty and wasn't a mute. I'm tall and skinny yet curvy. I had a slight tan and dark brown hair, my hair also reached the bottom of my back but it was extremely curly and I had turquoise eyes - yes, I know, extremely odd colour, isn't it?

I was sad when my parents died in the car crash but I was happy that Elena survived even though we don't get along. We argue a lot. Don't even bother asking how considering I'm a mute and can't defend myself.

I love to draw just like Jeremy and I like to run in the woods. I like the rain and love storms. I don't like wearing dresses and drinking tea. I'm not that keen on make-up but love wearing accessories.

But . . .

I think the most important thing you should know about me is that I sometimes dream about things . . . things that haven't happened yet.

Her skin was grey and she looked like she had been dead and decaying for years rather than a few seconds. The steak was sticking up from her chest and her eyes glazed over. She really looked like a vampire now; she was even wearing the costume. I heard Jeremy call out her name from behind me but I couldn't concentrate on his voice. I couldn't concentrate on anything other than the body in front of me.

I fell to my knees and let out a strangled sound from the back of my throat. I hadn't even noticed the tears running down my face but I saw them land next to the body. The body - not Vicki or Vicki's body, just The body. I tilted my head back so that I was looking at the sky and the stars and I opened my mouth to scream - to shout but no sound came out just like I knew none would, all that came out was a sob.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked to find Damon staring down at me in pity. I stood up and he wrapped his arms around me. I hugged him and cried into his shoulder for what seemed like forever.

"I'm so, so sorry." I heard him whisper into my ear, I just sobbed even harder into his shoulder and he had to support my weight to keep me from falling..

I sat up in bed, gasping and tried to get my erratic heartbeat to calm down. It wouldn't though; I couldn't get over the dream, the image of Vicki's decayed body infront of me. I continued struggling for breath for a few minutes before I was calm, at least physically. I shuddered and slowly got out from my warm covers. I walked slowly, sluggishly to my dresser to get clothes.

I pushed the image of the body out of my mind and went for a shower. After the shower I decided to wear a pair of wedged black leather boots that reached my kneecap, dark skinny jeans, a dark blue tank top and a leather jacket. I brushed my hair but left it to it's natural curls and then I went downstairs. I entered the kitchen to find Jenna and Elena, who handed me a cup of coffee silently.

"Hello, Mel." She paused. "Toast. I can make toast." Jenna said flustered while flittering around the kitchen.

"It's all about the coffee Aunt Jenna." Elena said raising her cup a little.

"Mmm, is there any coffee?" Jeremy asked as he walked in. I nod quickly and hold out my cup to him.

"Thanks, Mel." He said shooting me a grateful smile. I smiled back at him. I noticed that Elena frowned oat us over her cup of coffee. Not to be petty but she was probably jealous.

Ever since the crash that had killed mum and dad, Jeremy had been taking drugs and because of that he was always snappish and moody but for some reason he treated me as he had before the crash. Elena had asked me about it once and she had asked in that way that made it seem like it was my fault but I had just shrugged my shoulders and walked away. Although the next day she said being a mute was no excuse to walking away during fights.

"First day of school and I'm totally unprepared." Jenna moaned while she searched through her handbag. She had probably lost her phone again, or 'misplaced' as she likes to say.

I picked up her phone from the counter next to me and tapped her on the shoulder. Jenna looked up with an open mouth and a glare but her face softened when she saw I had her phone.

"Thanks, Mel." And then she went back to rushing around the rest of the kitchen.

"Lunch money?" Jenna asked as she came to a stop in front of me with her purse.

"No, I'm good." Elena told Jenna with a smile.

I hold out my hand sheepishly and she hands me a note. Jer takes one or two notes of her himself.

I smile at Jenna and pat her shoulder as a way of thanks.

"Is there anything else?" Jenna asked anxiously. I pull her in a hug and pull back just enough for her to see me shake my head. She sighed and relaxed against me. I stepped back and give her a reassuring smile, I hate it that I can't say anything to comfort her so that's how I do it.

Jenna frowns and asks herself, quietly. "What am I missing?"

I point to a post-it note on the fridge that read: Big presentation on first day of school.

"Right, I'm meeting with my thesis advisor at . . ." She checks the clock on the wall. "now. Crap!"

"Then go, we'll be fine." Elena tells Jenna gently with a sweet smile. Jenna sends her a grateful smile and then rushes out, she pats my shoulder on her way. Elena then turns her attention to Jeremy. "You ok?"

Jeremy holds a hand up and says. "Don't, just don't Elena."

He walks away after a quick look in my direction.

"Bonnie's giving me a lift to school. Do you want to come?" Elena asked me while looking at where Jeremy had just been.

I put my hand on her shoulder which causes her to look up and I nod my head with a smile. She smiles back gently and then we wait for Bonnie to come.

"So, Grams is now saying that I'm psychic." Bonnie said as she drove. She glanced over at Elena and then continued. "Our ancestors were from Salem which isn't all that crazy, but she's going on and on about it, and I'm like 'put this woman in a home already." Bonnie barely pauses for breath when she's telling Elena this and I get the feeling she's been dying to say something about this for ages. I noticed that Elena was looking out the window and I had a feeling she wasn't even listening to Bonnie's story. "But then I started thinking – I predicted Obama, and I predicted Heath Ledger, and I still think that Florida will break off and turn into little resort islands." After Bonnie finishes she takes a quick peek to see Elena reaction and then notices Elena's dreaminess.

"Elena!" Bonnie says sharply which makes Elena jump and turn to Bonnie. Bonnie says with a grin. "Back in the car!"

"I did it again, didn't I?" Elena asked her with a frown. She sighs. "I-I'm sorry Bonnie. You were telling me that . . ."

"That I'm psychic now." Bonnie said proudly, which makes me grin.

"So predict something . . ." Elena said. "about me and Melody."

Bonnie takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly and then narrows her eyes. "I see –"

Just as Bonnie says it a crow hits the front of the car which makes Bonnie swerve. I squeeze my eyes shut bracing for impact but it doesn't come so I slowly open my eyes.

Bonnie stops the car with a big jolt and exclaims. "What was that?! Oh my god! Are you okay Elena?"

"It's okay. I'm fine." Elena says slowly and I get a feeling that she's trying to convince herself and Bonnie.

Bonnie seems to suddenly remember me that I was in the car as well and glances back. "Melody?"

I stare at her with wide eyes and my mouth hanging open. I slowly close my mouth and nod.

"What kind of Psychic are you?" Elena jokes weakly with a chuckle.

Bonnie turns back to Elena and gives her a small smile. "Hey I'm new at it." She frowns. "It was like a bird or something. It came out of nowhere."

It was a crow . . . I'm sure of it.

"Really, I – I can't be freaked out by cars for the rest of my life." Elena told Bonnie.

Bonnie takes another deep breath and let's it out slowly again. "I predict this year is going to be kick ass. And I predict all the sad and dark times are over. And that you are both going to be beyond happy."

"Thanks Bon." Elena said. I just pat her gently on the shoulder, giving her a big smile when she glances back at me.

We arrive at the school and I'm the first one out of the car, heading straight to where I knew Vicki, my best friend, would be. She lets out a squeal as she see's me and she runs up to me in her heels to give me a great hug.

"Oh my God, I have missed you so much, Mel. We have a lot of catching up to do." Vicki tells me with a mysterious smile as she pulls back from the hug.

I laugh and nod, giving her a huge smile.

"Once our home state of Virginia joined confederacy in 1861, it created a tremendous amount of tension within the state." Mr Tanner says and everyone in class is so interested that we're falling asleep.

I let out a long sigh and start banging on the table with my pencil, it's actually very hard to get detention when you're a mute but when I do give it a go it's hilarious.

"Sorry, Mrs Gilbert, am I boring you?" Mr Tanner asks me as he stands in front of my desk.

I gave him a sheepish smile and then nod my head yes. Everyone laughed apart from Mr Tanner who narrowed his eyes at me. I gave Mr Tanner a huge smile and then batted my eyes at him that seemed to make him glare even more.

"Well, maybe you would like to be bored outside the class room." Mr Tanner told me with an icy smile.

I gave him another bright smile and nodded my head, I picked up my bag and books and then walked to the door. I opened the door and was just about to go out before I paused and looked back to Mr Tanner.

"Thanks." I mouthed to him making the class roar with laughter.

"Out!" Mr Tanner shouted causing everyone to laugh even more.

I gave him a little salute and walked out. Ah, how fun being a mute was sometimes.

Elena went out to the graveyard after school to see out parent's gravestone, she asked me to come with her but I decided to stay home. Vicki walked back with me and she told me all about her guy problems and how nobody but me understood her. It was true that I was the only one who understood her; she was living in the shadow of her handsome, football jock big brother while I was living in the shadow of my beautiful, social butterfly twin sister. It did not help that when they had been dating before the crash they had been the perfect couple.

Vicki did not once ask if I was ok or try to talk about my parent's, the crash or Elena and for that I was grateful.

Vicki went straight home after we arrived home and I went straight up to my room. I found Jeremy sitting on my bed looking at the picture of my parents that I kept on my nightstand. I knocked on my door to let him know I was there but he didn't lift his head.

"I miss them so much." I heard Jeremy whisper in a choked up voice. I instantly frowned and went to sit next to him on my bed. I gave him a hug and after a second or two he hugged me back and started sobbing.

"Shh, shh." I soothed as I stroked his hair, trying to calm him. It worked to well because we both fell asleep.

After school the next day I went to The Mystic Grill with Matt and Tyler. They were talking about boring things that held no interest to me - things like school and football. I would have been hanging out with Vicki but she had decided she needed to be working at the Grill rather than just drinking here.

"So, how's you school been for you so far, Mel?" Tyler asked with a lazy grin.

I gave him a massive smile and two thumbs up, which caused him and Matt to laugh.

"How are you so positive all the time?" Matt asked.

I drew an imaginary circle around my head like a halo and they obviously got it because they started laughing like mad.

"You? An angel?" Tyler asked in disbelief. "Yeah right."

I pouted and he just shook his head. "No, sorry Mel. Your more like a pixie and they're supposed to be vicious little buggers."

We all laughed at that and then I spotted Elena on the other side of The Grill watching me with Bonnie and Caroline. She smiled at me and waved me over.

I sighed and pointed to Elena at the boys questioning gazes.

"Ah." Was all Matt said. The poor boy, he was perfect for Elena and then she goes and dumps him.

I got up and gave Matt a sympathetic smile before I waved goodbye to them and went over to Elena and her friends.

I heard Caroline talking when I got there. "His name is Stefan Salvator. He lives with his uncle up at the old Salvator boarding house. He hasn't lived here since he was a kid - military family, so they moved around a lot. He's a Gemini and his favourite colour is blue."

By the time she finished I was sitting next to Elena, directly across from her and I could tell she was very pleased, or should I say proud? Shouldn't surprise me really considering every stalker was proud about all the information they knew about they're victim's.

"And you got all that in one day?" Bonnie asked incredulously.

I just raise my eyebrows at Caroline.

"Oh, please." Caroline scoffed. "I got all that between third and fourth period. We're planning a June wedding."

I snuck a look at Elena to find her frowning at Caroline. When she noticed me watching she forced a smile onto her face but avoided my gaze.

They talked for a bit about one of the classes and it got me wondering exactly why I had been summoned here by Elena. Someone cleared their throat causing me to look up. Stefan Salvator had arrived.

"So, you were born in Mystic Falls?" questioned Caroline, who was obviously trying to dig up any dirt on poor Stefan.

I sigh and start to tap the table impatiantly causing Stefan to smile, I smile back politly.

"Mmhmm," he answered politly. "and I moved when I was young."

"Parents?" Bonnie asked, clearly wanting to help dig everything up.

"My parents passed away," he says quietly.

"Oh, Melody's and Elena's parents passed away as well. It was only a few months ago." Caroline tells him with a flaxhy smile.

I stare at her blankly in the hopes of making her uncomfortable. It works.

"I'm sorry ..." Elena says gently. "Any siblings?"

I huff at her and shake my head. I take Stefans hand in mine and patt it gently with a sad smile. He sends me a grateful smile while Elena shoots me an annoyed look. Ah, well.

He turns his attention back to Elena. "None that I talk to," he chuckles. "I live with my uncle."

Caroline must have felt a little left out because she tried to get his attention back on her. "So, Stefan, if you're new then you don't know about the party tomorrow."

"It's a back to school thing at The Falls," Bonnie explains.

"Are you going?" Stefan asks Elena.

Bonnie decides to answer for Elena with a grin, "Of course she is."