Prompt: Grin
Author: shineyma
Word Count: 500
Fandom: The Vampire Diaries
Spoilers: Sort of up to 3x06
Characters/Pairings: Caroline
Summary: Getting ready on the first day of school, Caroline reflects.

A/N: Okay, this time I actually have a reason for semi-angsty introspective Caroline fic. It's a build up for another drabble (I'm really stretching the word here. Please forgive me). So I have an excuse!

Caroline is happy. Really, why shouldn't she be? She's healthy (for certain values of the world), she's finally building a good relationship with her mom, she's gorgeous (although that's nothing new), and it's the start of a new school year.

Maybe the last would be a con for most girls, but Caroline loves the start of the school year. And the end of the school year. And Christmas break. And—okay, look, Caroline's a cheerful sort of person, all right? A little thing like the time of year isn't going to get her down.

But she especially loves the start of school. It's a time of new beginnings, of possibilities! She gets a thrill from the whole process: decorating her locker, getting her new schedule, even checking out textbooks. The best part is the first day of classes, when she gets to find out which teachers she has, which classes she has with Bonnie and Elena, and how often she'll get to go by the notice board. (Look, she puts effort into that thing; it's only natural that she enjoys walking by and appreciating it.)

So she's in an excellent mood this morning as she's getting ready. She's perfectly happy… until she looks in the mirror.

She's not smiling.

Well, okay, she is. But it's not her usual 300 watt the-world-is-perfect-and-so-am-I grin. It's her 100 watt my-heart-is-stomped-to-pieces-but-I'm-Caroline-freaking-Forbes-and-I'm-not-gonna-let-it-show smile.

It's a good smile, a very convincing fake (she's had plenty of practice), but it's not the right smile. She's happy, things are great, and there's no reason for this smile.

Well.

Okay, so maybe her boyfriend is suddenly a Hybrid. And maybe her dad hates her. And maybe her two best friends are both fairly miserable (for fairly similar reasons: boy trouble and death, either one of which would be plenty on its own). And maybe she's got a ticking clock above her head, slowly counting down just how long she can get away with staying in Mystic Falls before someone realizes she's not aging. And maybe—

Her phone chimes a text alert and she snaps out of her thoughts. Her smile has downgraded to the 50 watt life-sucks-but-at-least-I'm-still-pretty.

It's Bonnie's ring tone, so she tears her eyes from the mirror and looks at her phone.

You coming?

She takes a deep breath. She imagines that she can hear the resignation and depression in Bonnie's voice, even though it's just a two word text message. She knows Elena would be even worse. She needs to do something about this.

Yeah, she types back. We should have a girls' weekend this Friday.

Sounds great, is the reply. You, me, and Elena at my place?

She smiles and sends back a quick 'yes!' before grabbing her bag. The prospect of a girls' weekend in her future bumps her smile back up to 100 watts. It's not her best (not nearly), but it'll fool everyone except the people who count.

And honestly, she doesn't have a smile that can fool them.

So this'll do.