Chapter 3: Love Library
Usually by August Caroline found herself hating summer. She could only take so much hanging around the house, ducking around her mother and finding any way to avoid the heat. The parties were always the same, the same places with the same people. She found the whole thing rather boring actually, but she still attended. Because what else was she supposed to do in this town? Despite herself she almost hadn't attended the party at the Lockwoods that night. She still felt awkward around Tyler after he had asked her out a few months previous. Tyler was a nice enough guy, and sure he was attractive and wealthy but Caroline had heard far too many nasty things about him and girls to want to get into anything with him. Her friend's had convinced her to attend and then promptly ditched her moments after they had arrived. She should have expected it. Elena was too busy being annoyingly coupled up with Damon, and Bonnie was more focused on finding a rebound from her failed relationship with Elena and Katherine's baby brother Jeremy then hanging out with Caroline.
She had wondered around the party, chatting casually with some of her more casual friends from school and as she wandered off to find another drink she couldn't help but think she might have a better time if she just walked home. The party was turning out to be a bust just like she had expected, until she'd heard an unfamiliar voice speak her name behind her. Klaus.
Caroline had followed her parents rules her whole life. She sat up straight at the dinner table, only spoke when spoken to when around her parents friends, and steered clear of the people her parents had deemed unfit. Talking to Klaus Mikaelson was definitely against her parents rules, but that night she felt like breaking them and she broke them. In a big way.
She had thought that would be the end of her rebellious streak, but he had shown up again the next day. She had spent all morning in the library. The building may be old, dusty and have no central AC but it was one of Caroline's favourite places in all of Mystic Falls. She had been wondering around the classic section when out of the corner of her eye she saw a figure round the corner into that same section of shelves. Her heart leapt when she saw who it was, and she immediately scolded herself for it.
She had played it off, acting nonchalant and leaning against the cool wood of the shelfs to her left. He had moved forward as he spoke and she could feel her breath catching in her throat as he moved ever closer. Caroline could feel heat creeping up the back of her neck as she took a step back.
Klaus had joked with her and she felt the tightness in her chest release a tad. He had a way about him that put her at ease, even if being in his very presence could get her in hot water with her family.
She shook her head as she exited the library that day. Nik knew how to push her buttons while simultaneously making fun of himself. Their mutual distaste for their parents absurd behaviour was even ground to walk on.
Caroline had been surprised however, when she pushed open the heavy doors to the library the next day and found Nik in the back corner she usually occupied, lounging in the ancient wooden chair with his feet up on the refurbished oak dining table in front of him. Driven more by shock then confidence Caroline marched over to the table and narrowed her eye's cunningly at him. Klaus looked up at her smirking, reading the same book Caroline had had in her hands the day before. They held their locked gaze for several moments before he gestured to the chair across . from him an amused look on his face waiting to see her next move. She accepted his challenge, pulling a random book off the nearby shelf and sitting down across from him. Opening her book and beginning to read without saying a word.
…..
"Morning." Klaus stated to his sister grabbing a piece of toast off Rebekah's plate and heading for the front door.
"And where are you off to at" she glanced over at the clock on their kitchen stove,
"9 o'clock on a saturday morning." Nik rolled his eyes, searching his pockets for his keys.
"It's the summer Beks. It really doesn't matter what day of the week it is." Rebekah let out a huff.
" Don't avoid the question." He laughed.
"I'm just going to the library. Nothing exciting. Nothing you'd be interested in." Rebekah's eye's narrowed.
"Again? What's with the sudden interest?" Klaus pulled open the door and took a step out the door before turning back to look at his sister.
"Maybe i just like books." He stated, closing the door behind him.
On any given day both Caroline and Klaus could be found in the back most left corner of the Mystic Falls public library, of course no one knew to look for them there. The stand alone fan blew mildly cool air their direction as they sat huddled at their back table. Caroline would spend most of the late morning reading quietly, and sometimes Klaus joined in burying his nose in whatever book Caroline had read the day before, exclaiming at certain points which made Caroline laugh, commenting on how she had felt the same frustration, anger, or joy at the same part. But for the most part Nik sat quietly across from her, leaning over his sketchbook and lovingly inking in or sketching his latest work. On several occasions Caroline had peeked up over the top of her book and tried to catch a glimpse of what exactly Klaus was drawing. She wasn't very sneaky however, and Klaus always managed to angle his book away before she could get a good look, smirking up at her.
…...
It was mid August and Caroline and Klaus had abandoned their usual table in the back for the cool hardwood floor of the mystery section. Klaus was leaning against one of the heavy wooden shelves and Caroline the other on the opposite side. His long legs stretched so far across the aisle that his feet could rest against her thighs if he let them. Caroline's feet, which barely reached his knees were crossed purposefully at her ankles. They were careful most days not to touch, but in those accidental moments when their skin did come in contact a spark spread across their bodies. There were always slip ups. Their feet may brush under the table, when they would exit the library in late afternoon through the back door where no one could see them together there fingers would graze across each other as their arms swung on the way to their prospective cars.
One such slip up happened that day. They had lost track of time that day and had hung around in the library far longer than intended. Klaus's father was arriving from the airport after a business trip and he knew that if he wasn't home when his father got there he would have hell to pay. Caroline was supposed to be meeting Bonnie and Elena and she would have no good excuse for being late. As they rushed out the back door their arms became tangled, and despite knowing he'd be late Nik grabbed her hand instead of letting go.
While Nik looked into her face, Caroline stared down at their intertwined fingers and then after a few moments she met his gaze.
"I run on Fairway trails behind Fell's church in the mornings." She pulled her hand away and dashed towards her car. Klaus turned the opposite direction towards his vehicle and smirked at the silent invitation.
