AN/Alright I wrote this a while ago. I've been writing a lot on and off for a while but haven't posted anything in a long time, it's a newish account. Let me know what you think and whether I should post more, also no beta so go easy. Happy reading
Okay. So question of the day: what would you do with a million dollars if you won the lottery?
Caroline typed the email underneath her swing out table connected to her chair. She didn't have the energy to concentrate on the lecture that morning. She was taking this class because Elena had wanted them to take one together.
Intro to Biology
It wouldn't be so bad if that hot senior Jesse was in here to except he took Bio 2. It hadn't been all bad though, she'd helped him study just last week for a test. Granted it had actually been ALL studying but it was still nice.
The response came earlier than it normally did. She had a feeling Nick either woke up to early to respond or slept in too late. It was probably the former seeing as she sometimes woke up to emails that were sent at five or six in the morning.
Caroline was a morning person but she wasn't quite on that level yet.
Do you want me to say I'd give it all away to charity?
Caroline could feel the sarcasm radiating from the email and she rolled her eyes before she typed back an answer.
Not if you wouldn't -.- but seriously would you just do like normal things...the mortgage…a new house…an island? A car? Oh and then you'd have to buy me a car to…
Subtle, I don't know probably the lavish stuff, I can't help myself ;) But I HAVEN'T won the lottery Caroline.
I said IF, no one actually wins the lottery... BUT there was a study that said the lottery was healthy because it allows people to dream, stops depression. I'm actually trying to be an awesome friend right now.
Caroline sent another message quickly afterwards having thought about his reply.
Seriously? You wouldn't buy me a car? Your such a selfish millionaire… :P
Where did you read that? Yes you've practically pulled me from the dregs of depression. I'll tell you what, I win the lottery and I'll mail you a car.
Caroline couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped from her mouth and she suddenly looked up remembering where she was. Dr Maxfield was glaring at her harshly and she could feel the potentially humiliating comment coming out of his mouth that she'd learnt he was renowned for.
"I'd say I was glad you found the muscular system so amusing Ms Forbes but we all know you've been texting the past half hour."
Okay maybe she wasn't as subtle as she thought she was.
"Shut up Stefan it was totally humiliating! Dr Maxfield is such an asshole," Caroline threw one of her more pointy shoes at Stefan who was currently sprawled across her bed laughing at her recount of this morning's lecture.
"Amen, why are you even taking a biology class?" Stefan said amusement still lingering in his voice as he caught Caroline's shoe. She'd never actually try and hurt him with it.
"Me and Elena were taking it together because we thought Dr Maxfield was cute…" Stefan laughed again and Caroline threw the other shoe.
"Oh and Jesse," Caroline added as an afterthought causing Stefan to roll his eyes.
"Caroline. Why don't you start focusing on you? You can't play the best friend in your own life. You're so much better than that." He told her earnestly sitting up to rest against her headboard.
Caroline sighed as she slumped into the desk chair a foot away. "I always thought I had everything figured out. I mean I was in all the clubs, I'm not stupid."
Stefan snorted in interruption. "You were valedictorian and got a scholarship," he corrected her and she smiled.
"It's just every time I think I might be happy. I'm not. I mean I majored in drama for fun, I love it but I don't know where to go with it. I mean the only other thing that I remember enjoying was planning parties and…singing and I don't really do that anymore. I just spend so much time doing what I think other people want me to do."
She admitted spinning in her chair as she stared at the ceiling.
"Have you told anyone that?" he asked after a moment.
"No? I mean I don't know why I'm bothering you with it. Except you brought it up," she smiled as she stood up and sat beside him.
"You're MEANT to bother me Caroline. It's why I'M your best friend," he said smirking as he threw his hand over her shoulder and she nudged him in return.
"Except I'm kind of worried your cyber bestie's edging me out of a job." He pouted and Caroline rolled her eyes.
"He is not"
"You're right, I'm still convinced you'll meet one day, fall in love and have a million babies." Stefan told her wistfully.
"And you'd still be my best friend." Caroline pointed out allowing his teasing's for once.
"Exactly," he shot back quickly and it made Caroline smile like he'd wanted her too.
"But seriously how long have you been cyber loving it up with this guy now? Like two years? That's practically a relationship."
"We've never even seen each other; I don't even know his last name." Caroline pointed out and Stefan sighed.
"Your right, he's probably like fifty with a beer gut and no hair." Caroline shuddered at the thought.
"Maybe, it doesn't matter. I mean I like him but then I remember he's basically not a real person. I don't want to ruin what we have by shattering our little reality." Caroline said shrugging as she hoped off the bed. Her phone beeped.
"How does he know?" Stefan joked rolling his eyes. But he couldn't help but smile when she read her message.
It was how Stefan figured out what Caroline's real smile looked like. He saw it whenever she was talking to him. It was different from her cheerleading smile, or polite company smile or her drunken one.
It was purely Caroline and it radiated around her.
She had met him in her last year of high school in a chat room. It was when she was college this college that. She'd somehow met him on one of those sights and after a few constant questions they'd became pen pals. She was pretty sure he was some kind of teacher or assistant.
He was definitely older than her. She could tell by the way he wrote. Caroline talked about college a lot so she knew he knew she was around nineteen early twenties. They didn't do ages or pictures or anything incriminating to their actual identity or whereabouts.
But they'd managed to talk about some pretty intimate stuff over the course of two years. Things that slipped out about their families, what their friends did or what his sister did to annoy him. He wasn't close with his mother and didn't speak to his dad like she didn't hers.
It was oddly amazing to share parts of herself she wouldn't to someone she didn't REALLY know. Except Caroline felt like she did know him and she was pretty sure he knew her to. They had a rhythm that she wasn't sure she ever wanted to let go of.
They'd never talked about meeting so they hadn't.
Caroline was positive it was a bad idea, unlike Stefan and her friends. Anything that good couldn't actually be that good in reality. She was selfish.
He was the highlight of her lows and the addiction she couldn't quit.
Work is awful. Tell me something.
The somatic nervous system consists of different nerves responsible for stimulating muscle contraction, including all the non-sensory neurons connected with skeletal muscles and skin.
Well I'd always wondered, I could probably just die now satisfied
There was barely half a second before he'd written another message that made her laugh turn into a groan.
You're not STILL helping that invalid with his homework are you?
We're studying, besides this is my homework
Caroline clarified sipping on her coffee as she tried to hammer out all her bio notes over her liquid lunch. Caroline didn't let other people tell her she couldn't do something. So when Dr Maxfield asks her a question in tutorial because HE WILL she'll be ready and smirking whilst she does it!
She had a photographic memory. She should be kicking this class's ass.
He wants to sleep with you whether or not you actually help him study
His reply was blunt and fast and made Caroline blush before she started to type back harshly on her phone in the pin drop silent library.
We are NOT talking about this. Caroline put her phone down content on ignoring it for the next hour just to bug him. He'd wanted to talk to her after all.
I thought it was meant to be better if he hasn't tried to immediately trying to jump me?
Caroline couldn't help herself as the question gnawed at her. She had a horrible track record with men and was trying to be better at it. Was she doing it wrong? Again?
He hasn't?
She wasn't replying because she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of being right. She even turned her phone over and after a couple of minutes it buzzed again and a few times more in succession.
He has, I'm right aren't I?
…
Don't be like that love.
She rolled her eyes when she gave in and read the two messages seven minutes later. Jesse had pulled a few moves early on but was trying to lay it on a little less thick as they broached a more study fuled part of the semester, he was nice and all she just wasn't sure she wanted to date him. And he was clearly looking for something a little more serious than making out at a frat party by the way he was coming onto her.
Isn't every guy just waiting for a chance to jump us? He's just being gentlemanly about it…
Yes, but it just doesn't seem like you like him all that much
It was true. She liked Jesse because he was cute and available and liked her. Oh and his eyes were ice cream melty. But most importantly he was real; he was an actual person she could touch, see and have a connection with.
She had a connection with Nick but she needed more. She couldn't delude herself into thinking anything more.
But he's really hot, maybe I'm just trying not be a slut
Caroline smirked when he didn't reply straight away.
Caroline was eating her dinner in the hall. Well it was probably breakfast seeing as it was cereal. But she loved cereal for dinner. Caroline in all honestly missed cooking. Well more like she missed baking. It helped calm her down.
She'd once made a hundred cupcakes before exams after she'd cleaned everything twice.
She laughed at the memory when her phone buzzed. It was a text from Stefan.
Bestie time. Be ready at seven.
Caroline smiled sending him an 'okay' even though he hadn't actually asked her if she wanted to go out. She saw she had an email from Nick as well and read it to.
What are you doing tonight?
I'm pretty sure Stefan is friend napping me. He's worried you're stealing me ;)
Caroline knew it had more to do with their moment in her dorm room where she basically told him she had zero direction in life. Surely there would be pity drinks.
That's not surprising. I'm probably prettier with better hair
Don't let him hear you knock his hair! I'm pretty sure that takes him hours…and I'm not sure seeing as I've never seen you. What are you up to?
I have a work thing. It's going to be exciting -.-
Caroline rolled her eyes at his sarcasm again. She'd always wondered what he did for a living. He wouldn't tell her and about six months ago she'd made herself a game out of guessing his occupation.
Most of time it was just silly jobs that she would state at any time she thought of them.
Although he promised to tell her if she got it right.
Stock broker
She typed impulsively. She hadn't picked a suit job in a while. The reply was instantaneous so she knew she was wrong. Damn.
Nice try but no. I shall talk to you tomorrow, don't get too drunk tonight.
Damn. Likewise, good night Nick
Goodnight Caroline
Caroline smiled as she finished off the last of her cereal and made her way back to her dorm to get dressed for her night out. She wondered what Nick was doing.
"We're going to get disgustingly drunk aren't we?" Caroline asked bluntly to Stefan as he dragged her through the door of the bar. Caroline had decided to make a little effort seeing as she hadn't been out since the first week of the semester. She'd pretty much been wasted the whole week, in Hein sight it hadn't been the best idea.
She wore one of her favourite black dresses and matching strappy heels.
"Oh yeah," he told her smirking as he led her by the hand through the throng of people.
"Stefan, please tell me we are NOT in a karaoke bar," Caroline clipped to him as he held her hand tighter clearly worried she might bolt. She noticed the stage and a lot of flashing lights. It was a pretty nice bar but Caroline would not under any circumstances be singing.
That sneaky Salvatore.
"Caroline, we are not in a karaoke bar," he told her slowly and she wanted to hit the smile on his face off. Instead she groaned and ordered her first of what would surely be many drinks.