The only thing that is comming to my mind is that I am really really really sorry. I know I have delayed "a little" the update. Serioulsy it was kind of hard to write this chapter, that in the end turned to be a filler chapter. But I promise you the next one is going to be mindblowing. I promise. Is just I have written the next 3 chapters while being in holiday at my parents. And I have written them with the pen in a copybook, but this chapter I hadn't the feeling to it. I wasn't feeling it. And maybe I was a little lazy (I always try to cut down my laziness at maximum.)
Thank you to Beautiful Runner, damnsexy and zerocool for making me to get my ass to work. And of course A HUGE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE with this story. I honetly didn't think that it would be read by so many readers. Thank you again.
Chapter 7 Masochistic decade
He remembered. He remembered . These two words were the ones that disturbed Caroline's nights. She was supposed to be thinking who will go to the decade dance with her, or what dress should she wear, or what hairstyle would be perfect to her outfit, or the color of her lipstick…but not this. This was not supposed to be the thing that kept her up all night. And the night seemed to not end. He wasn't supposed to remember. And even if he did, he shouldn't have told her. What is she going to do with this new development? What is she going to do in regards to Klaus? Or Nick, how he presented him. Nothing. She is going to do nothing. That is exactly what she is going to do. She will act like this has never happened. She will play the amnesia act. She will be amnesiac until she finds a way to avoid Klaus as much as possible. Like until now. Like until he came back. With these thoughts Caroline fell asleep, if a one hour sleep can be considered sleep.
The morning before the dance, came up quicker than she had thought. She wanted to go and stretch on her balcony but she remembered the person she didn't want to see running around there, so she didn't go there. She went straight to the shower. All her thoughts were consumed by the last touches over the decade dance with short interruptions upon a certain British guy. Going to the kitchen Caroline saw Elena and Stefan being totally engulfed in each other. She totally wanted to see Lena happy, she deserved it. She was, still is, an amazing sister to her, and after seeing her eyes sparkling like these she just knew that Elena found that one. The One. The One to warm her soul, to ease her pain, to make her smile when all around are crying. And the breakfast that morning was perfect too. It seems that Lena put too many feels in the breakfast.
"Morning sis" Caroline approached Elena and kissed her cheek "sorry Stef, don't be jealous, I am sure you already collected the first kiss in the morning." Stefan's eyes told everything to Caroline. She didn't need an answer.
"Morning to you also Care. By the way I heard a rumor about a guy sleeping at us? Care to share?"
"Oh, nothing important Lena. It was Henrick." Elena's confused look told Caroline that she should tell her who Henrick was "Henrick, the youngest of Mikaelson, it was a fight in their family and I invited him in to stay here until the fight is over, and we watched a movie and I sent him to sleep in mom's room. Is that a problem?" Caroline sound annoyed to Elena.
"Not more of a problem as a misunderstanding, because I certainly can not understand why didn't you tell me? I just find this inexcusable. We used to tell everything to each other Care. And by everything I mean every single little and insignificant thing. We even told each other what color of panties we were supposed to wear and…"
"Don't mean to interrupt, but... Caroline do you know what color Elena's panties are? Because I do." Elena killed Stefan's attempt to ease up the atmosphere with her deadly stare.
"Yeah right, Elena. You don't tell me a lot of things too. So please do not make me feel guilty." Care turned on heels to exit the house, but turned to them again. "Will you be chaperoning tonight at the decade dance?"
"No, because I trust so much in the teens nowadays. I am sure no one will bring alcohol, simply because Mr. Tanner didn't allow it."
"Just asking. And by the way, Stefan did I tell you that I think you may become my best friend? You know you tried to ease up the situation earlier."
Caroline went to school and let Stefan and Elena drinking their tea. Stefan was amused by Elena's pouty mimics. He tried to kiss her on cheek but Elena kept avoiding him.
"What? Is not like I told her the color actually."
"Stefan, the idea was to get Caroline to tell me everything, like we used to. Not to give her some credit and to make me look even worse than her, because I want her to tell me everything and in return I am not telling her."
"What is with this obsession of yours to know everything? I think that she wants to keep things for herself. I don't think that she hides you something awful. I am sure of it."
"Oh, and now I am being obsessive? Thank you Stefan, you really know how to make me feel better."
"You said it not me. I don't think you are obsessive, you are just concerned to know that everything is fine with the people you care about. That's it."
"No, no, no, no, no. This will not spare you from my wrath. I am still angry with you. Oh by the way on telling each other everything. There is a thing I need to tell you. Katherine and Elijah today are going to have a date. I guess Elijah charmed our Ice Lady."
"I actually think is vice – versa. Elijah constantly talks about her. I think he is smitten with her. He always mentions her beautiful eyes, hair, lips and so on. And by the way, I might be jealous on this."
"What do you mean?"
"Well there are certain similarities within you and Katherine. And if he makes compliments to Katherine he makes them to you too."
"First of all: You should not be envy but to be proud of having such an exquisite beauty beside you" Elena's mocking tone amused Stefan "and second: Katherine and me do not look anything at all. Is just you saw us together for some times and, you know what they say the features of those who you are bonding with are seen in you more and more with each bonding."
"Well, as you say. The question is, will you take your best lover with you chaperoning over your sister at school or not? See I have a great experience at chaperoning."
"And how is that?"
"Well my brother used to get in many troubles, and even is he was older than me, I was the one to get him out of the troubles. Is this considered chaperoning? Because I truly think it is, considering how many charms I had to put on to get him out of the troubles. And let me tell you the Salvatores have a lot of charm in it."
"Well most of you Italians are. I bet you and your brother have ruined half of the women from Italy, so I do really think that was enjoyable for you to turn your charms on. Was it?"
"Well for Damon was, but not for me"
"Damon? Did you say Damon?"
"Yes, do you know him or what?"
Elena eyed Stefan cautiously and her mind wandered back to the moment when she met a certain Damon but what the odds would be to actually have a thing for her ex's brother. This is not possible. She may be one of the unluckiest people in the world but not such an unlucky person. She even looked in the features, she certainly didn't see anything common among Stefan and Damon, except the same family name. But Salvatore maybe was a popular family in Italy as Damon said that his ancestors were from Italy too.
"No, did you acquainted us? No! So how could I know him? I knew a certain Damon, but this is a popular name. More or less. So meet me tonight at 5. Be dressed like in 1920's because this is the decade dance theme. Of course we are only chaperoning, but who would mind a little fun, especially since I asked to get out of work earlier. So right now is time for me to kiss you and head out to work." Elena stood up on her toes and kissed Stefan lightly on the lips, but he couldn't let her escape with that only chaste kiss, so he pressed her tightly to him and kissed her like only Stefan Salvatore could.
"Wow, that was something. Now I will have to ask myself even earlier from work, because I certainly am looking forward for more of this before or after the chaperone thing." Stefan only smiled at her.
"Well I would advise you to expect more than this." With this Elena took her bag and headed to work with Stefan leaving her house right beside her.
Last touches as Caroline thought would be last, but the amount of them made her think that she was planning it from the very beginning. And Rebekah was quite the help. They got along, she even didn't think of this. She was funny. Caroline got along with Rebekah without even expecting it or wanting it. Well the fact that Henrick was there helping made their bond to end with no quarrel or fight. Of course Matt liked Rebekah, of course he was running back and forth to please her, he even fought with Caroline over the colour of the lights. Rebekah wanted the colours to be white while Caroline wanted them to be beige and when Matt asked why the colours can't be mixed their answers were pretty obvious that he must take a side. Of course he took Rebekah's side, and Caroline hated that famous Mikaelson's smirk that now was Rebekah wearing too. She hated that smile that told her "I won." And most of all she hated Matt for being with Rebekah on this one. She will totally make him pay for this. But the surprise didn't come from Matt and Rebekah but from Tyler who had the guts to ask Caroline if she wanted to accompany him at the decade dance. Caroline simply watched him, scoffed at him, and turned around. She didn't even want to honour him with an answer. She wasn't even burn her calories by talking to him, and he didn't deserve her calories. Of course a little calories to be burn, and become slender and to make him hate himself even more for cheating on her would be a good thing, but still she thought that all these mentioned things don't balance the spent calories. And not some simple calories, but Caroline Forbes' calories. So she didn't answer him.
Rebekah asked Nik to go chaperoning. According to Mr. Tanner there had to be at least 10 chaperones. At first he was reluctant but when he thought of what happened to Henrick at the last party he thought he would be going there. No more drunk Henrick. No more remorse. So he agreed. Of course Tatia wouldn't miss an opportunity to be seen at a party in a little town and make some publicity that she was there to give some money to the school for some lab or something else.
"Hey mate. So tell me Stefan how is it going between you and the Forbes girl? I may assume that everything is more than fine if you decided to watch over her little sister?"
"Yep. I can't complain. And Elena is here too. She just went to see Care."
"Wow Care. I see the two of you became friendly already. I bet she will be a good friend for you when…"
"Klaus Mikaelson, at a teen party? You must be kidding me. The one who wanted to run out my sister from his party is at a party that is organized by my sister. Isn't this a bit ironic?"
"Well my sister did help yours, so I have the right to chaperone my sister. And if Rebekah wasn't helping at this party I would have found a way to ruin it a little as your sister did to my mood in that very evening we don't want to talk about. But since my lovely Rebekah has found a liking in participating in the organization of this party, and took Henry as a helper too, I promise I will behave."
"I am sorry Elena but Klaus and I were kind of in a conversation that he left it in wind."
"Well Stefan I don't want to intrude in your conversation especially now when my beautiful fiancée that is dresses as Daisy Buchanan, and Tatia's version is better than the original one. So I leave you. Have a nice time Stef."
"Sorry Stef but what was that about?"
"I don't even know. Ask Klaus."
"Yes because we are best friends with Klaus. I just can't imagine you being friends with him. He is kind of a bad person."
"No he is not. He is just this arrogant and closed up with people that he doesn't know or doesn't want to know. But with his siblings or friends he is very nice and cool. He is funny, he has these sarcastic jokes that can and will hit you just like a jab. And plus he is charming."
"Sorry Stefan but you sound like you dated him and you are in love for so may years."
"Who Stefan dated?"
"Caroline! As Daisy Buchanan!"
"Am I not better than the original?" Elena looked Stefan over the shoulder and that smile crept her lips. "Lena, hello, am I not talking to you? Didn't I ask you something? I am waiting for the positive answer that my version of Daisy Buchanan is better than the original one. Am I right?" Stefan and Elena made an exchange of glares. "Elena you still want me to help you with that interview of the pupils from school?"
"Yes, of course Care!"
"Then?" Caroline's eyes and position suggested Elena that the positive answer for the given question should follow.
"Oh yes, yes, you look a lot whole better that Daisy Buchanan itself, even if you tried to borrow her looks. Right Stefan?" Elena turned to Stefan with that uncomfortable smile.
"Totally, yeah totally, you are better The best actually."
"The best? Is there someone else who is dressed as Daisy Buchanan? Who is she? I am going to kill her. No I better kill me, how would I think that no one will copy Daisy Buchanan – the only thing that some people remembered from the twenties? Am I not stupid? Why didn't I go as… I don't know Greta Garbo, Clara Bow, Dolores del Rio… or someone else, but no I had to dress like other 20 Daisies Buchanan over here."
"The thing is not that you dressed like Daisy Buchanan" said Stefan "the thing is that you sounded a lot like someone who earlier said to know the best Daisy Buchanan. That is why our exchanged looks were intimidating you."
"Oh no, they weren't. They just made me feel uncomfortable. And who was that "I think I am the best Daisy Buchanan?" Huh?"
"Doesn't matter! It was no one important."
"Okay. I have fully trust in both of you that no Daisy is better that Caroline's Daisy. Even the original Daisy Buchanan isn't as similar to Daisy Buchanan as Caroline's Forbes Daisy. Okay, I have to go now to see when the band will start to sing, because they are…" Caroline looked at her watch "two minutes late."
Caroline went towards the scene and searched for the band members. All of them were ready beside the soloist which apparently was drunk enough to go leave the band and get drunk and go with a girl somewhere, a place that Caroline knew wasn't meant to sleep. What was she going to do? It was the 1920's decade dance. Who would she engage in singing the songs of that period? As she stayed thinking of a way to solve the problem she felt herself tapped on the shoulder. She turned to see who was the one bothering her.
"Dean? What are you doing here? This is a decade dance for the pupils of the school, not for the owners of the restaurants."
"Well since Matt wanted to come, and the other 99 % of my stuff too I left them to be at this party, no matter the prejudices that my bar would have due to the closed bar. And since the 1920's decade dance needed champagne and some aperitifs I decided to be the driver tonight for the guys who will serve you the drinks for you the party people."
"Awwww, so kind of your majesty" said Caroline while bowing in front of Dean. "Apparently the party will be a mess, and I hate it, especially since I spent so much time for this to happen, and now this stupid guy from the band decided that he was paid not to sing but to have sex with a random student. Ugh, I hate when the things don't happen my way. I hate when unpredictable happens, I hate when someone steals my idea, I hate when someone…"Caroline stopped because she felt a hand on her shoulder that was bringing her closer to a chest. To Dean's chest.
"Hey, calm down. Don't get so nervous. If you want I can sing." This affirmation made Caroline smile. "If you want when we find that boy from the band I will kick his ass. I can do it. Or maybe you want a glass of champagne?"
"I guess a glass of champagne will be good enough."
Dean quickly opened a bottle, after he called some guys to come and take the champagne inside. Of course the champagne was non – alcoholic.
"This is non – alcoholic? Yeah Mr. Boss, you are of great help. Why would I want to drink non – alcoholic champagne? Sometimes I even wonder why men were created."
"Well let's not start the long list with the reasons why men were created. Ok let me fix this." Dean looked for something in the pocket of his jacket, getting out of it a little drinking bottle with whiskey.
"So? Want a threat?" Caroline didn't even answer and just have taken the bottle while rolling her amazingly blue eyes. After she scrunched her face a little she drank a little champagne to make the stirring feeling of the whiskey to disappear from her burning throat. One minute later she again took another huge sip of whiskey and another one of champagne. Now Caroline felt a little bit not so hateful.
"So, now that you have brought the champagne aren't you supposed to go take care of "The Grill?" Or tonight is the night off."
"No, I don't have to, Mr. Tanner kindly asked me to attend this party, and how could I refuse such an offer, since you were the one organizing it. And also if the non-alcoholic drink ends I will have to go and bring some more. Anyway you want me to leave? Again Caroline Forbes turned on her bossy side."
"I am not bossy."
"Well sorry, bitchy then."
"What? I am not bitchy! You will pay for this!" cried Caroline while punching Dean in the chest. Dean just smirked and playfully pushed her back, Caroline simply got in his back. "Now I have you!" her smiles were heard from meters away, she smiled, finally Caroline Forbes smiled, it means she have forgotten about the little inconvenience with the soloist of the band. Now she didn't care. She wasn't the controlling Caroline right now, she just was Caroline who drank a little whiskey and felt better than before. Actually a lot better than before.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? My Tatia riding someone's back."
Dean heard and turned to see who was there. It was the guy that one evening was threatening Caroline, Caroline's smile fell. She lost her good mood immediately. She got off of Dean's back and adjusted her dress.
"Oh this is you. No wonder you are riding someone's back."
Caroline wanted to slap him. She had never felt so humiliated. And when just some time ago she thought he was a good man, not the asshole that he presented himself to be, just when she was thinking to tell him to get over their little past, to be good, nice and welcoming neighbors, he had to show up and ruin everything. Apparently this was his real personality, and that man who was kind of kind it was all an illusion.
"What did you just say? Apologize to the lady!"
"Lady? See one here?"
"Dean let it be, he doesn't deserve it."
"Well, well, well, already Dean. Dean, right? You know that she isn't 18 still?"
"Not that I have to explain you, but we are friends. Anyway I didn't hear you apologize to Caroline."
"If I considered it being needed I would've. But I don't see the necessity to apologize for something that I like to call it the truth." It was one blink later when Caroline saw Dean hitting Klaus right in the jaw. Klaus fell on the grass. While he was holding his jaw a woman figure appeared in the background.
"Nik? What the bloody hell you are doing? Oh my God, and you are called a chaperone? You are doing the troubles."
Klaus didn't say anything he just got up, and with that menacing tone of his he hissed "You will pay for this. Do you hear me? No one hits Niklaus Mikaelson without repercussions. And you" he turned to face Caroline "you…" he didn't finish his sentence, he didn't know what he wanted to tell her he just took his chin with the right hand aggressively , touched his lower lip and turned away grabbing Rebekah by the hand.
Dean felt the awkwardness that Caroline fell in. He didn't know what to tell, what to tell? Hell he didn't even know what to think. These two definitely had a history, and apparently that Klaus Mikaelson wasn't over it.
"You two were together?"
"What? No! God forbid!" her tongue let slip this small lie. It was a half lie, Dean meant if they were together as in a relationship, but they definitely weren't in a relationship, they had a hook – up, nothing important, everyone has hook – ups at a certain point in his life. No one is protected from them. Is just why this hook – up was awakening such goose bumps until now? She watched Dean and let out a little smile. A shy smile.
"Thank you Dean. You didn't have to. But still thank you." Caroline approached Dean and kissed him on his left cheek. "You are really a gentleman. You defended me. I owe you."
"Nah, you don't. I just wanted to kick someone's ass. And he was here and was giving me reasons to kick his ass." Dean looked at that beautiful blonde that smiled shyly at him. "Come on let's search for the guy that has to entertain your party people." Caroline just smiled and let herself led by Dean's hand that peacefully laid on her small back.
When Caroline entered the school, not after literally pushing people out of her way and being bitchy Caroline that everyone was afraid of and respected, she saw the soloist of the band. She started not only to yell at him, but to put him in such a place that he not only felt uncomfortable but surely blushed from the fear this girl inspired. She was angry with him and she let him know about that. Caroline even had the impression that the guy became sober in the very moment she ended her tirade. No one ever wanted to mess with Caroline Forbes, but apparently the singer didn't know, and he immediately regretted for not listening to her from the very beginning. As a planner of the evening Caroline and Rebekah were responsible for every little thing to go as planned and nothing to deviate from the perfect plan in order to have a perfect party, so of course they had to stay sober, well Caroline already managed to drink a little bit, but that was an inoffensive dose of whiskey, so both of them agreed to go to "The Grill" after the party and to make a party there. No pry eyes, no responsibilities, no principals, no sisters, no brothers. So they decided that the best way to relax was this. Not that there was any choice in Mystic Falls, but they still found a way to entertain themselves. The only condition is that they had to go there by themselves no attachments.
Caroline, for the first time in her experience, wanted a party to end. She felt a little bit not in her waters. She felt like everyone was thinking about her the way a certain Mikaelson did. She was afraid that Dean may have caught that slight note of awkwardness that was present there at the moment of the spat, she was afraid that he disappointed him by bonding with Dean, but since when does Caroline Forbes think about someone who doesn't even deserve to be thought about. Since when does Caroline Forbes think about a man that is going to be occupied soon. Maybe since she understood that is hard for her to let go of that night. Maybe from the moment when she saw him moving near her, maybe from the moment when his dirty hand mudded her body. She didn't know when, but she certainly felt a sting in her chest when looking at him "chaperoning" Tatia, or with Tatia. And certainly in the moments when he caught her looking at them he would look away quickly as he had seen nothing and Caroline would do the same, because this was the right thing to do. Because she wasn't even supposed to be looking at him. She wasn't even supposed to think about him. She was supposed to hate him. And damn she hated to hate him. But she did. She hated him without knowing why. She was thinking about him, even if just a little, but she didn't even know why. She was watching him, without knowing why. Maybe because she was a masochistic person? Maybe she was. Yes she definitely was, and the thing that she was suffering without wanting it, and without knowing, and without admitting it, it transformed her into a blind masochistic. And everyone knows that blind masochistic are the worst. So that is why she decided to drink all "The Grill". And that is why she let Dean take her home. That is why she was crying now in the middle of the night. When all the people around were sleeping she was wetting the pillow with her salty tears. And she didn't even know why.
