Mr. Donovan
"Caroline." She eyed him questioningly pulling her hand away from his.
No one else noticed the exchange. They were too busy with themselves to pay attention. She quickly glanced away fearing Mr. Donovan's gaze.
This was not fucking happening right now.
"Where are we going?" Katherine tore Caroline from her thoughts.
"Naomi." Matt answered. His voice was as smooth as silk. Her gaze diverted back to him and she caught him staring.
"Isn't that nightclub hard to get into?" Elena questioned. "I mean I've never tried because it's kind of a far drive, but why there?"
"Don't worry about it Elena!" Bonnie swatted her arm. "Let's leave!" She announced taking the initiative to walk out the door.
Mr. Donovan had his limo driver chauffer them around for the evening. Caroline was shocked that he even owned a limo.
They popped open three champagne bottles as soon as they were all inside. Katherine, Bonnie and Elena squealed when the cork accidentally hit the ceiling. Caroline smiled trying to look amused, but she was honestly more distracted than anything.
"What exactly is your occupation, Matthew?" Katherine leaned over being her typical sultry self.
"I'm a professor." He was short with them.
"A professor?" Katherine prodded him.
"And a lawyer." He added. "I teach at New York University."
Everyone's attention went straight to Caroline because she went to New York University.
"Caroline aren't you a student there?" Elena asked knowingly.
Caroline shot Elena a warning glare. Obviously she went there.
"Yes." She said through gritted teeth.
"I'm just surprised you guys don't already know each other, that's all." She smiled innocently.
They arrived at the nightclub before the conversation could progress any further. Caroline hurriedly stepped out of the limo trying to avoid any contact with her professor. She needed to get a few drinks in her because tonight was a disaster waiting to happen.
As she walked towards the entrance she felt a hand at the small of her back. She leaned her head over her shoulder and was relieved when she found that it was Stefan.
She smiled at him and kept moving forward. Caroline heard the snickers of her friends in the background.
Once inside they quickly found a secluded section and ordered their first round of drinks. Caroline didn't want to drink like a fish, but she wasn't making any promises.
It was nearly midnight and the majority of the people were still making their way inside.
She was thankful that they were far out of the area. There would be no way she could run into Klaus this far away from his apartment.
On her third drink Stefan approached her. He extended his hand and Caroline took it.
He led them out to the dance floor and Caroline twirled in his arms as they reached the center. She faced him as they began to dance. Caroline liked Stefan like this. It was easy and fun. The nature of their dancing wasn't in any way romantic.
She just hoped that he didn't cross that line.
She loved Stefan dearly. It was just the moral fact that he was Klaus' best friend that couldn't allow anything but a platonic relationship. He was her friend and that was a line she knew she could never cross.
"Are you having fun?" He asked her in between songs.
"More than I thought." She grinned spinning in his arms. They were by no means dancing according to club standard, but she didn't care.
"Good." He smiled curtly like he was hiding something. He looked suddenly distracted and his gaze was fixed somewhere else.
She stared at him for a moment and when he tensed, Caroline decided to follow his gaze.
She felt the air leave her body. Her limbs went cold and her heart started beating frantically. Her throat constricted and she felt like she was going to pass out at the sight that she saw before her.
Never in a million years had she thought she would run into him here. Looking at Klaus in the arms of another woman was a sight that she wasn't ready to see. It was something that she should have prepared herself for, should have expected, but it still would have hurt nonetheless.
"I didn't know he would be here." Stefan said honestly. She knew he was telling the truth. You couldn't fake a reaction like he had.
Caroline didn't speak. She forced herself to stop looking at the image that would forever be engraved in her memory.
"We can leave if you want." Stefan suggested.
"No." She said suddenly. "I'm not going to let him ruin my night." She told him.
She left the dance floor with Stefan in order to retrieve her drink. Caroline finished it within seconds and already had two more on the way.
She was going to face him. She was going to face this, but Caroline didn't want to do it sober. Caroline wanted to show him that she was better off without him.
Halfway through her fourth drink she felt someone grab her glass.
"Slow down, killer." Matt.
"I'm fine." She shot him a murderous look.
"You're drinking like a fish." He pointed out.
She glared at him once more and lifted the glass back up to her lips. She finished the drink while keeping her eyes on Matt the entire time.
"And what are you going to do about it, Mr. Donovan?" The alcohol was beginning to speak.
"Call me Matt when we're alone." He corrected her. "And as for what I'm going to do…" He took her by the hand, just like Stefan had.
When she stood up this time, she felt the minor effects of the alcohol. Reckless maybe, but in control yes.
Matt intimately walked behind her as Caroline found a spot on the dance floor near Klaus. Matt swept a few of Caroline's curls away from her neck and leaned into her ear.
"I watch you everyday in class, Miss. Forbes." He whispered. "I wish every single day that you weren't my student so that I could bend you over on my desk and make you scream my name."
She was not expecting that.
"That's why I secured your job at the firm." He admitted. "But don't think it's just because I find you incredibly sexy. You're also very bright Miss. Forbes. One of the smartest law students I have."
His body moved in sync with hers. His hips dug into the low of her back and she felt his arousal through his dark Armani jeans. He wanted her. Bad.
She moved like a wanton in his arms. Not caring who was looking, especially Klaus. Mr. Donovan was feeding her what she wanted to hear.
That she was wanted.
And it was about damn time that someone wanted her because they thought she was worth it.
She felt his lips on her neck first and she slightly moaned in approval of his intimate gesture.
Her eyes accidentally glanced over to where Klaus was, but he was no longer there. She tried to refocus her attention to Matt.
The dance floor at this point was immensely packed and she couldn't find anyone that she came with let alone Klaus.
Not that she was looking for him.
She spun around in Matt's arms and came face to face with him. A slow song came on a few seconds later and Caroline noted how unusual it was for a nightclub. Mr. Donovan leaned into the crook of her neck as he held her.
Caroline looked over towards the bar and finally spotted Stefan.
He was sitting with Klaus.
And Klaus' gaze wasn't directed towards her.
He nursed his drink and shot daggers at the mysterious man on her arm. He was surprised when he learned that Stefan came with Caroline and all her friends.
He came alone tonight in hopes of searching for something new, but all he saw was Caroline every single time.
She haunted him the entire night and when he spotted her on the dance floor with Stefan, he knew that it had to be more than a coincidence.
"Who is he?" He asked Stefan.
"My friend." He admitted warily. "And Caroline's professor."
That hit the nail on the head.
"You hooked them up?" He asked trying to keep his cool.
"No" He said immediately in defense. "I already had plans to come here with him tonight. Caroline invited herself, along with her friends. She didn't know that he was going to be here. She didn't even know I was friends with her professor." Stefan explained.
"Fair enough." He said through gritted teeth. "I want to talk to her."
Stefan looked at him apprehensively. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Is anything I do ever a good idea?" He asked rhetorically.
He waited for an appropriate moment to approach her. Klaus wasn't about to go all cavemen on her and pull her from her professor's arms. Instead, he continued to watch from a distance.
It was painful.
It hurt.
And he deserved it.
Caroline escaped Matt's arms for a few minutes to use the restroom. She should have used the 'buddy system', but she couldn't find any of her friends in sight.
She felt him behind her before she saw him.
"Caroline." Her named rolled off his lips in desperation.
"Klaus." She turned around and met his gaze equally.
His mind went blank for a moment. The pure sight of her mixed with alcohol wasn't something that he was prepared to handle. Instead, Caroline took the initiative and spoke.
"I see that you're making attempts to 'find yourself' tonight." Her voice came out as harsh as he expected. "How's that going for you?"
"I see that you're here with your professor." Klaus couldn't help but hurt her back. It was in his nature. "How's that going for you?"
"Fuck you, Klaus." She spun around and took a beeline towards the restroom.
She did not come here to deal with this.
She did not have to answer to him.
Caroline finished quickly in the restroom and found that Klaus was still outside of the door waiting for her. She decided to ignore him and attempt to walk away.
He grabbed her quickly with both hands and wrapped his arms around her waist. Klaus pushed her small, delicate body against the wall. Caroline made no attempt to fight him.
"My attempts are failing." He admitted in a drunken haze. "The only person I see is you." His fingers were digging into her sides. There was no doubt that there would be a bruise in the morning.
"I hope it was worth it." She told him trying to pull him off of her. It was hard to walk away from Klaus. It was hard to see him in pain, but she was hurting too.
He did this to her. He brought this on himself. So why did she feel bad for him? He was a successful man with a bad past.
She never felt bad for him. He hated when people felt bad for him. Caroline didn't pity him either. She was the one who brought him to life when he was at a low.
Caroline was the one who helped him overcome all of his psychosocial issues. She did that. No one else.
And she was the only one who was able to keep him sane.
Klaus was starting to slowly understand that.
They were both a part of each other and one couldn't breath without the other.
It was by his stupidity that he was learning that fact.
Of course they were still madly in love with each other, but they were not close enough to be with one another again.
They both needed time.
"I love you, Caroline." His forehead touched hers. "No matter what happens, I still love you. You got that?"
Caroline closed her eyes as she felt the tears fall from her face. She was strong, but Klaus was the only thing that could make her weak.
"Don't do this to me." She told him.
His hand came up and brushed the side of her cheek. He then leaned in and captured her lips. The kiss was sensual and familiar.
Yet it also sent sparks throughout her entire body, turning her to putty. She couldn't think rationally when he was around.
Caroline parted her lips allowing Klaus more access to her perfect pink lips. He nibbled on her lip and began to kiss her jawline.
He murmured sweet nothings and promises of love.
None of it was real.
They were in the moment. Neither one of them thinking of the consequences.
Caroline was the first to pull away.
Klaus looked down at her.
Her curls a wild mess, lips swollen and pink. Her face was flushed and by now Caroline could feel his arousal on her stomach.
They continue to stare at one another for what seemed like hours. Klaus moved his hands along her torso reassuringly.
His hands would every once in a while graze her breasts causing Caroline to arch her back. His fingers would skim across her nipples making her want to give into temptation.
"I still want you, Caroline." His confession shattered her heart. "I can't stand seeing you in the arms of another man."
But she had to be the strong one.
"I feel the same way." She told him trying to straighten herself out.
"But I'm not ready for… this again." He added. His thoughts were jumbled and confused.
That hit a nerve in Caroline's head.
Now she needed to leave.
"You can't have me and everyone else, Klaus."
"I know." He put his head down. "But I do want you." He tried reassuring her again.
"Wanting isn't always enough." She told him. "This will be the last time we ever meet like this. I can't continue to let you hurt me. Go out. Explore. Do what you want to do and I'm going to do that same." She felt her anger rising.
"And who knows? Maybe I'll end up dating my professor."
Klaus slammed his fist into the wall. Caroline jumped and pulled herself from his grasp. His fist had only been mere inches from her face.
"No." He told her. "Don't."
"Goodbye, Klaus." She began to walk away from Klaus and he was going to stop her before he saw her professor waiting for her at the end of the corridor.
AN:
Thoughts, feelings?
:)