Author's Note: I've got a couple of muses going on in my head. I wanted to get out a couple little drabbles. I'll be posting them here. They aren't in any sort of order and won't be. I just felt a need to get a little headcanon down. Enjoy!

He Notices.

Caroline's eyes cast outward, gazing into the street from her spot on the Gilbert's front steps. She'd escaped the house full of her friends because it was almost unbearable. Elena was turning another year older and in the fall they'd start high school. She loved Elena like a sister but sometimes she just got so jealous of her. Not only did she have the perfect family but she always managed to get guys to fall for her. This one hurt her more than she would have liked to admit though.

Matt was just the latest casualty to Elena Gilbert. She'd seen it building for months and tonight they were going to become the 'It couple'. Elena would get to enter into high school and with the quarterback on her arm. It would guarantee homecoming queen and any other title she wanted. Caroline wouldn't be able to compete with that. She was happy for her friend. Matt was an awesome guy. She was just mad that it wasn't her getting everything she ever wanted. She never got anything she wanted.

Normally, she faced it with a smile though. That was just the Caroline Forbes way.

Today wasn't that sort of day though. She hadn't had the heart to ruin Elena's birthday by breaking the news. She'd come home from school to the news that her parents were getting a divorce. Her parents had never fought. She'd always thought things were okay. She never was it coming. In the end, there wasn't animosity or ill-will. He was just gay and he needed to be free to be true to himself. Her mother was supportive. He was going to move out of town in a few weeks. She didn't even know how to process all of it.

"What are you doing hiding out here?" a voice called out, the door opening slightly to reveal the tanned boy. Tyler had always been a little bit bigger than the other boys. His body was muscular, tall. Since his latest growth spurt, he seemed to be twice the size of everyone else. It was intimidating. As he handed her a red cup, she didn't think anything of him though.

"Watching the Elena Gilbert and Matt Donovan Lifetime special is a bit much for me tonight," she admitted quietly, having a sip from the cup.

"I know what you mean," Tyler told her joining her on the steps. She could make out the faintest hint of a bruise on his face in the dull light. She didn't need to ask about it. Everyone knew what his father did when he got drunk. No one would file a report though so it wasn't like her mother could do anything about it. No victim, no crime.

"Did they send you looking for me? Not enough people to fawn over how they're the best thing to ever happen to Mystic Falls?" she joked though she knew they weren't really like that. It wasn't as if Elena intentionally wanted people to care about her life. People just did because the girl had a magnetism she could only dream of having.

"Actually I came out because you're not quite your normal bubbly self," he admitted, looking at her in a way that made her fidget slightly on the steps. They'd been closer when they were younger but they'd grown apart as kids often do. It felt almost surreal to have him do anything other than make small talk. "I know, we're not that close - but I wanted to make sure everything was okay. I overheard my mom talking to your dad. You're moving?"

Her eyes moved up slightly stunned he'd know anything about it, her hand moving some of her blonde hair out of her face trying to distract herself . "I'm staying with mom but he's moving," she told him correcting him. "I didn't want to drop the bomb on Elena's birthday but they're getting a divorce. "

"I'm sorry, Caroline," he told her, awkwardly moving in to hug her to try and comfort her. She didn't hesitate to put her arms around him and give him one in earnest though. She needed it. She desperately needed it.

She was about to open her mouth to say something again when the door swung oven. She didn't even have to look and see who it was. She pulled away so fast, she probably gave Tyler whiplash. Her cheeks burned red with embarrassment as she prepared to have to explain it. Tyler saved the day though by telling them she was helping him with something going on in his family.