I couldn't believe it. Am I really standing here?

I had to get away from C and I found myself at the one place I knew she wouldn't search for me: the Mikaelson mansion. Two times in as many days I find myself here…

I shouldn't be here, I thought. I shouldn't impose on Klaus just because I want to avoid arguing with C over something so stupid.

Suddenly, before I could decide to leave, the door opened, revealing a raised-eyebrowed, though amused-looking, Klaus. "Were you going to knock or was it your intention to just hover on the doorstep?"

I scoffed. "I'd hardly call it hovering," I said as I walked inside.

"Please, do come in," Klaus said sarcastically as he closed the door.

"We both know I don't need an invitation," I replied over my shoulder as I headed for the living room.

"What brings you here, love?" he asked, his sarcasm gone, as I sat down on the couch.

I sighed before confessing, "I'm avoiding Caroline."

He chuckled as he sat down next to me. "You've picked an excellent hideout, then; she'll never come here to look for you."

"That's what I'm hoping for. But I'm sorry for imposing."

"Nonsense. You are always welcome to seek sanctuary in my home."

I didn't know what to say to that. "Thank you."

"And what has the lovely Caroline done that causes you to evade her?"

I paused, unsure of how to respond. I couldn't tell Klaus the truth — that C wanted me to stop spending time with him. That would most definitely prompt him to ask questions that I did not want to answer. So I went with the other reason that C has been annoying me lately: "She just… she keeps trying to get me and Tyler in the same room so we can bond, or something."

"And you dislike Tyler?"

I sighed, "N—," before pausing. Do I really want to tell this to Klaus? "It's not that. I barely know him. But I find myself not wanting to know him. That probably sounds bad. There's just something about first impressions: Tyler made a bad one and I just cannot… shake it."

"That's not bad. Or wrong. It's called following your instincts, love, and it happens to be a very useful tool; one that most people ignore."


"You should stay for dinner."

"I don't know…"

"I'll cook. That's not something you'll want to miss."

"You cook?" I asked with a laugh.

"I suppose you will have to stick around to find out," he replied with a smirk.

"Okay. That sounds good, actually. I've been eating way too often at the Grill." I paused for a moment. "Are any of your siblings here?" I asked as I looked around the room.

"Just Rebekah at the moment. I'm sure we will see her sooner or later."

"Sooner, actually." The voice came from the entrance to the living room. I looked up to see a beautiful blonde entering the room.

Klaus smiled and stood. "Rebekah, I'd like you to meet Riley Davis."

I stood as Rebekah come closer to where we were standing. She looked at me as if she was appraising me. She did not look impressed. "Ah yes, the new girl. And Caroline Forbes's cousin."

"Be nice, Rebekah." Klaus said with a warning tone.

I was uncomfortable with the amount of disdain she used when speaking of Caroline, but I ignored that for the moment. "Yes, that is correct."

"You and Rebekah are schoolmates," Klaus explained to me. "She has several classes with Caroline."

I knew that already. I had seen Rebekah around school. It was hard to miss the gorgeous blonde; even harder when C scoffed every time Rebekah was nearby. "Oh."


Rebekah turned her attention back to me, giving me a malicious look. "So what did you do that made your parents ship you off to live here with your aunt?"

How dare her!

I took one step closer to Rebekah and put as much scorn into my voice as possible. "I did nothing; they died."

The shock was evident on Rebekah's face; this was not an answer she had anticipated. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

The silence was overwhelming.

I turned to Klaus but I could not look at his face as I spoke. "I'm suddenly not so hungry. I'm just gonna go."

And I ran out of there as fast as possible before anyone else could speak.