Caroline stepped out of her car and shut the door as she clicked the lock and listened to the loud beep that signaled the securing of the car. She shouldered her purse and quickly skipped up the winding path to the front door of her meager duplex apartment.

She'd only been living in the duplex for a matter of days when her best friend Bonnie had shown up on her doorstep, asking if she could be her roommate. Caroline had been best friends with Bonnie since the first day of kindergarten when the smaller girl had spilled her apple juice down the front of her shirt. Caroline had watched as Bonnie's tiny face crumpled and tears began to spill down her cheeks, as a mortified blush covered her skin.

"Here," 5 year old Caroline had said as the class began to laugh. "You can have my jacket!"

The two girls had been inseparable ever since that moment and she was more than excited that Bonnie had traveled all the way from their hometown of Eureka to live with her in San Francisco. Apparently, her father, the Deputy of the small community in Eureka had purchased a train ticket for Bonnie to get to San Francisco and surprise Caroline.

Her father had been apprehensive to have her live on her own and he thought that Bonnie would be the perfect roommate.

Caroline unlocked the front door of the apartment and walked inside, kicking off her heels and dropping her purse to the ground just inside the door. She walked through the small living room and into the kitchen where Bonnie sat at the small bar.

"Hey, Bon," Caroline greeted with a smile. "Any luck on finding a job?"

Bonnie rolled her dark green eyes to Caroline and sighed, annoyed. "The only luck on my side today seems to be bad luck.

"Ah," Caroline laughed humorlessly. "Seems like we're both having a bit of a dicey morning. Want to talk about it?"

Bonnie groaned and placed the disappointing newspaper on the bar in front of her. She watched Caroline open the refrigerator and pull out a small bottle of orange juice, pulling off the cap and drinking a full gulp.

"I'm particularly more interested in how your meeting with Mr. Saltzman went. Did you get to meet Klaus?"

Caroline met Bonnie's excited eyes and she grumbled. "Mr. Saltzman, as well as the meeting, were both fine. He gave me the information about the movie and directions to the set. I have to be there bright and early tomorrow to begin shooting and I'm so excited. Klaus, on the other hand, left something to be desired."

"Uh oh," Bonnie chuckled. "Trouble in pre-movie paradise?"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "You could say that. Let's put it this way: Klaus is well aware that he's famous and he isn't afraid to inform me that I'm not."

Bonnie grimaced. "So basically he's full of himself?"

"That's putting it lightly." Caroline quickly jogged back through the living room and to the door to grab the envelope from her purse. She strolled back into the kitchen and took the seat beside Bonnie at the bar, dumping the envelope's contents on the bar. "This is a direct Klaus Mikaelson quote: 'You are a newbie actress with no real background to display your talent, I am Klaus Mikaelson. This is my movie and I'd like if you remembered that.'"

Bonnie's mouth fell open as Caroline began to piece through the papers on the bar. She separated things that pertained to the movie from the papers about the set and how to get there. She stacked the piles neatly and sighed, shaking her head. "I don't think I'm prepared for this."

"Oh hush," Bonnie scolded, gently slapping her hand. "You were born to be an actress, Care. I've known you since we were in kindergarten and you've only ever wanted to be famous. You can't let Klaus Mikaelson and his overly inflated ego make you forget that. Besides, you got the role in this movie after one audition! Mr. Saltzman obviously sees something in you!"

Caroline pursed her lips and nodded. "Ric. He wants me to call him Ric."

"See!" Bonnie smiled, excited. "He likes you! Everyone likes you! Klaus is just stuck in his 15 minutes of fame!"

"Bonnie, Klaus has been in the spotlight for more than 15 minutes."

"I know," Bonnie said as she rolled her eyes. "It's an expression, Caroline. Lighten up!"

There was a light knock on the front door and then it swung open, a set of clicking following the quiet shriek of the door. Elena Gilbert sauntered around the corner in an expensive charcoal skirt and matching suit jacket, the click of her heels against the linoleum floor announcing her presence before the girls could even identify her.

"Girls!" she greeted with a smile. She took in Caroline's forlorn face and she paused, sighing. "What happened?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes to Elena and pursed her lips. "Klaus Mikaelson happened."

"Ooh." Elena's eyes widened and she placed her briefcase on the bar top. "I was hoping, just hoping, that his reputation was better than I've heard. I'm going to take your sickened expression as a sign that it's worse."

"Much worse," Caroline groaned, dropping her forehead to the bar. "He's so full of himself, Elena! He's just so rude! I can match him step for step with the sarcasm but he's right! – he's got all of his fame behind him and I'm just a newbie actress."

Elena looked outraged. "He called you that!?"

Caroline nodded, downtrodden, and shrugged. "He's right! I've never done anything other than small commercials back in Eureka and he's been in movies. Emphasis on the plural!"

"Caroline," Elena sighed, slipping her sunglasses off of her head. "Your past doesn't matter. All that matters is that you've been given a big shot with this movie. As your manager, I'm going to need you to buck up! You're going to do fabulously and you're gonna knock that British bastard on his ass!"

Caroline stared at Elena in shock and she blinked slowly. Elena wasn't usually the one who show such devotion to her clients and Caroline was truly touched that she would say those things to her.

"Thanks, Elena," she smiled and ran her hands through her long blonde curls. "That means a lot."

Elena nodded curtly and pulled a barstool to the other side of the counter, sliding onto it. "Now, what did Alaric give you in today's meeting?"

Caroline slid the stack of papers to Elena and watched as her deft, tan fingers flitted through them. She clucked her tongue and hummed approval as Caroline and Bonnie shared an amused, secret glance.

"Are you prepared?" Elena asked casually, glancing up through her short chocolate bangs. The rest of her shoulder length russet hair glided over her shoulders and swayed around her cheeks.

"Not overly prepared but not unprepared." Caroline shrugged nonchalant. "I don't want to psych myself out."

"Yes, good," Elena said with a nod. "Best to keep it that way. Now, I've spoken to Alaric and he said that your trailer is the first on the lot. Makeup and wardrobe are not needed tomorrow because it will just be a table read. There were only a few small changes made to the script you received on audition day and there will be a new version in your trailer for you to use. You need to get to set at 8. A.M. Alaric wanted the read to be on set because he wanted you and Klaus to get a feel for the set."

Caroline swallowed hard and smiled. "I'm going to have to get used to the early rising."

"The early bird gets the worm, Caroline," Elena grinned. "Are you the early bird who's going to get it?"

Caroline's eyes shone with determination and she raised her eyebrows, wiggling them. "Oh yes, the earliest of the birds."

Bonnie snorted and Caroline glared at her as she spun off of the stool and traipsed through the kitchen to the opening of the short hallway that led to the bedrooms and bathroom. She turned to smile at Caroline and shook her brown hair, chuckling. "I'll make sure to remind you of that when I have to turn your alarm off and get your ass out of bed myself."

"Agh!" Caroline scoffed. "Not even true! I do just fine getting out of bed in the morning!"

Bonnie quirked an eyebrow and cocked her hip as she crossed her arms. "Then I can turn my alarm off?"

Caroline blanched. "Well, I didn't say that."

Both Bonnie and Elena chuckled at Caroline and Bonnie turned from the doorway to stroll down the hallway and into her bedroom, shutting the door quietly. Caroline blew a puff of air from her lungs and watched Elena push the papers back to her. She laid her palms on the two stacks and Elena placed hers on top of Caroline's, gently patting.

"It's all going to be an amazing experience, Caroline," Elena said with promise. "Klaus Mikaelson is many things but you should not let him get under your skin. You are talented, my dear. This movie is a great opportunity and, as your agent, I'm proud to have you as my client."

Caroline smiled and slipped off of her stool to stand beside the bar. "Thanks, Elena, I really appreciate it. Are you staying for lunch?"

"No, I'm afraid I have to meet Mr. Mikaelson to discuss press releases for you and Klaus."

Caroline cocked her head. "Wait – okay. I'm confused…"

Elena shared the same look of confusion and then her face lit into her beautiful trademark grin. "Mr. Mikaelson, also known as Elijah Mikaelson, is Klaus' older brother and also his agent."

"Ooh." Caroline's mouth formed an 'o' shape and she nodded dramatically. "Let me guess! He's so full of himself that he can't possibly let anyone not of his own noble blood anywhere near his fame!?"

Elena snorted and closed her briefcase, traveling the short distance to the door to the living room. "Don't let Klaus hear you say he has noble blood lest he lets it go to his head."

Caroline rolled her eyes and exhaled on a laugh. "Wouldn't be the first time something over exaggerated went to his head."

Elena's eyes widened for the second time since stepping into Caroline's apartment and she shook her head, surprised. "You know, Caroline," she began as turned around to walk through the living room. She pulled the front door open and leaned back to look at Caroline, swinging her brown hair over her shoulder and out of her face. "Some of the best love stories begin with hate."

The door slammed shut on Elena's smiling face and Caroline felt the scowl as it grew on her face. "Not likely."


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