Still grieving the tragic death of her parents, Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) returns to Mystic Falls High School with hopes of reconnecting with her friends and nurturing what family she has left. All hopes of a normal year fade, however, when she meets Stephen Salvatore (Paul Wesley), a new student, and his brother, Damon (Ian Somerhalder). The siblings share more than just dark good looks, a deep interest in Elena - they're both vampires, and one of them won't stop until he's gotten a taste of Elena's blood.