It has been a couple of days. I've been hanging at the house, and Elena figured out there's an Aztec curse with vampires and werewolves and that Mason may be one. That's all I know.

I get a phone call from Tyler. I call him at least once a day. He was my childhood friend. Don't want to lose that kind of friendship.

"Hey what are you doing right now Ashley?" Tyler asks concerned.

"Nothing. Is everything okay?" I ask.

"Come to the house. I need to tell you something."

I arrive to the mansion and Tyler drags me into a random office. "When you lived here years ago. Do you remember this?" Tyler asks, holding a clear/pink rock.

"Ohh yeah. I found it when Mason brought me home the first night. It's a stupid rock Tyler."

"I don't know about that. Mason wants it for some reason and I believe the reason is why he's back into town." Tyler says and I nod.

"I have to get to the park opening. Volunteer work." I sigh, not wanting to go.

"What are you doing here?" Mason walks in and asks, and Tyler hides the stone in his pocket.

"Tyler needed help on studying for a class." I say.

"But you're 2 years younger than him." Mason crosses his arms.

"For an elective. Any grade can be in the same class for electives. I have to somehow get to the stupid park." I say, and I'm pretty sure Mason bought it.

"I'll drive you. Come on." Mason says and i follow him.

I get in the car and the whole way there it was awkward.

"So are you the youngest out of your little group?" Mason asks and i furrow my eyebrows. "Yeah, let's not pretend that you don't know about the supernatural when you do. And the fact you know what I am."

"Ok, then why did you come back to Mystic Falls?" I ask. "Let's not pretend you came here just because your brother died. I'm not stupid."

"I know you're not stupid."

"Don't act like you know everything about me just because you watched me for like a year." I get out of the car as he parks.

"I didn't just watch you, I took care of you and raised you. And it was 4 years, not one. I took you in when you turned 4, and she got cleaned when you were 8. I know everything about you."

"Did you think you got your stubbornness from your mom? My stubbornness rubbed off on you." Mason adds, which is true.

"And then you never called me for 7 years! I've changed a lot. You don't know me." I walk away mad.

—

"Why are you so stressed out? I could sense you from across the whole side of the park." Damon says.

"I have a feeling Mason isn't here for anything good and he keeps bringing up how he basically raised me. My mom told me it was just for 1 or 2 years, I was young so I didn't remember, but he actually raised me for 4 entire years."

"You didn't remember that?" Damon judges me.

"I wasn't a smart kid." I say and Damon wasn't here anymore, he went to talk to Stefan. I grab some boxes and help volunteer like I'm suppose to.

"Hey is everything ok Ash?" Elena comes up to me.

"Yeah, just stuff my mom didn't tell me. Well she did tell me but I didn't know how long—"

"She was in rehab for? It was 4 years. You weren't the brightest kid." Elena says which makes us both laugh. "Let's go by Caroline."

"She still is telling Katherine everything?" I ask.

"I think so. But I think she's being threatened in some kind of way." Elena says and I nod my head, agreeing with her.

—

"So, suddenly, she's in the running for mother of the year, just when I'm trying to avoid her the most. I'm babbling. You guys don't want to hear all this." Caroline tells me and Elena.

"Oh, um. No. I'm sorry. Then what happened?" Elena asks.

"Well, I was a bitch, which is par for the course with us. So, how are things with you and Stefan?" Caroline changes the subject, weirdly. "Anything?"

"No, not since the fight. He's been pushing me away because he thinks that Katherine might get jealous enough to hurt me. I just don't know how to change his mind."

"You said that Katherine's dangerous. Maybe he's got a point." Caroline says.

"Yeah, I know that she's dangerous, and I know that he's just trying to protect me. But it feels like giving up. And I— I just thought that we were stronger than that." Elena explains.

"How's everything with you Ash?" Caroline asks.

"Just some stuff from when I was a kid that I just found out about. But overall everything's not that bad." I say and Caroline smiles. But we witness Elena staring at Stefan.

"Longing looks are being exchanged."

"I'm gonna go talk to him." Elena says walking away before either me and Caroline could say anything, but Elena and Stefan planned this whole thing out.

"What's her problem?" Damon walks over to us and asks Caroline.

"Don't worry about it." Caroline crosses her arms.

"Why are you being such a bitch to your mom?" Damon asks and Caroline repeats herself by saying,

"Don't worry about it." Caroline tucks her hair behind her ear, and I knew she was eas dropping. And I know Damon is because he's noisy.

Caroline walks away and Damon moves closer to me. "Do you know something?" Damon asks.

"I don't know anything Damon. I don't even have supernatural hearing to listen." I say.

"Then why are your hands fidgeting?" Damon asks.

"I don't know. I feel something bad is going to happen." I reply.

"That's because we live in a small town called Mystic Falls. And there's a doppelgänger in town so it's ok to admit you're scared." Damon says being genuine.

—

My mom picked me up from the park, no one was answering their phones and I didn't want to be there anymore.

"Hey, can I talk to you about something?" I ask my mom.

"Of course, about what?" She asks.

"You told me Mason watch over me for 2 years too right?" I ask and she nods. "Ok, so why did you lie when he basically raised me for 4 years?" I ask.

"I didn't want you to know I was gone for that long. I mean Mason—"

"Is a total dick? I know, mom. I keep running into him. And I was a stupid kid when i was 6. And yes, I might be more stubborn because of him but all of my qualities come from you, thankfully." I say and she smiles.