Four months after a car accident killed their parents, Elena and Jeremy Gilbert are still trying to adjust to their new lives. Elena bonds with best friend Bonnie and former boyfriend Matt, but Jeremy continues to have issues with Vicki who has stopped hanging out with him. As the new school year begins, Elena and her friends are drawn to the handsome and mysterious new student, Stefan Salvatore. Though Elena and Stefan are drawn to one another, Elena can't help but notice Stephan is hiding a dark secret -- he is a vampire.