Hey there :3 Here's another piece chapter because I'm really having fun writing this story right now thanks to all the nice reviews of my "regulars" here, you guys rock! :D
"I die each time you look away
My heart, my life will never be the same."
~ 'Love Song Requiem' by Trading Yesterday ~
As the meaning of Camille's words began to sink in, seconds turned into hours and time seemed to be standing still at once. Everything felt surreal.
I looked at her in disbelief, sifting through her sentence and trying to form it in a new way, so that it somehow made more sense than what she just had said.
She wasn't Klaus' fiancée. That was impossible.
„Pardon me." I cleared my throat, frantically searching for my old courage again that I had outright lost in her presence. „I'm afraid I just misheard you. Could you ... could you say that again, please?"
I was well aware that I was clatching at any straw I could get in this moment. But deep down in me a feeling started to rise, a stirring of wanting to throw up and cry at the same time and I desperately needed to suppress that emotion.
„I'm Niklaus' fiancée", Camille repeated in a sickeningly sweet way. She twisted one of her black strands around her finger and regarded me with mild curiosity. „Are you feeling ill, Miss Forbes? You look beyond terrible."
I opened my mouth to answer her but I was at a complete loss for words.
„No, I ... I'm fine", I stammered.
Before I could think of something more to say, the door to the library opened a second time and no other than Klaus accessed it. The sight of his rumpled light brown hair and the confident walk immediately calmed me down a bit. He was preoccupied in a bunch of letters that he was holding in his hands and didn't notice the two of us right away.
I longed to come up to him so he could assure me that this was some kind of a sick joke or simply a mistake ... but Camille beat me to it.
Shouting with glee she stormed towards him. „Niklaus!"
His head shot up and he stared at her in utter surprise. Then he laughed and caught her in his arms, twirling her through the air. „Cam. What are you doing here, love?"
None of them even paid attention to me anymore as they hugged each other joyfully and indulged in their reunion. She ran her fingers through his hair, exactly the way I had done yesterday, and instead of telling her to stop it, he let her go on with it and tolerated her touch.
„God, I've missed you", Camille sighed, leaned over and planted a kiss directly on his mouth.
The world around me started spinning.
My pulse set in to race unnaturally as I watched them embracing each other suddenly in a glowing, deep, steamy kiss directly in front of me.
Klaus did not look at me once. Apparently he didn't even care that I was in the same room as them, too, that I was forced to watch them. All he cared about was his Camille.
A single tear escaped my eye but I wiped it off defiantly. I wouldn't do him the favor to cry like some little girl, at least not in his presence. He wasn't going to watch me break down – I wanted to maintain at least this one last dignity.
My hands were shaking so hard that I had to hide them behind my back so they wouldn't betray me and show them how distraught I was. I breathed deeply to fight the emerging tears.
After what felt like an eternity they moved apart. Camille featured a very satisfied expression on her face and snuggled up against him.
I suddenly noticed that they were holding hands and winced as if Klaus had slapped me.
He still hadn't the guts to look straight into my face because he was busy regarding his fiancée affectionately and that was the worst part of it all: not that he was kissing another woman, but that he was kissing her and it was all the same to him if it hurt me or not.
„So who is this new face over there that was just violently rummaging through our books, Klaus?", Camille enquired lightly and pointed at me.
Our books ... I bit my lips because they had started trembling, too.
„Are you talking about Miss Forbes?"
Finally Klaus turned to me and gave me a level look. His blue eyes were ice-cold, his face completely expressionless. I was Miss Forbes again to him. „Oh, she is a friend of Rebekah's. I hardly know her, Cam."
Don't cry infront of him. You. Will. Not. Cry. In. Front. Of. Him.
I could have revealed his bare lie to Camille at this instant. I could have told her that he had been kissing me, even wooing me a bit while she had been gone, just to crash her arrogance and destroy their happiness. But what was the point in that?
Nothing I could say would change anything about Klaus' feelings for me. He didn't want me and he never had, at least not in the way that I wanted him. He had clearly just used me for his amusement to pass time until his real love returned to him. He had been fooling me since the day we met and I had fallen for his act completely. Stupid, stupid, little me.
How could I have been so naive to think for even one second that he was actually interested in me? A man with his power and his looks could get any woman he wanted in the world and of course someone like Camille was his first choice, not someone like me.
They looked stunning together, both matched the other one in their deadly and perfect beauty.
I had entirely lost sight of who I was. I didn't belong to this place. This was Camille's home and I needed to get the hell out of here.
„It was nice meeting you", I told her with a voice that I hardly recognized as my own. „I was just on my way to go back to the estate of my parents though, so I have to take my leave already. Have a nice stay."
I gathered my dress and made my way past them with a stiffened back. I lowered my head so my eyes wouldn't meet his because I just couldn't bear the pain - but it wasn't even necessary: Camille captured his attention already again by smothering him with more kisses.
Something inside of me broke quietly into a million, little pieces.
Like a sleepwalker I paced the corridor, went down the stairs and said goodbye to the servants at the entrance. When they asked me how I'd liked my visit here, I forced a smile on my face and even managed polite lie.
As the same carriage drove up that had brought me here two days ago, a soft moan came off my throat but I managed to climb in and shut the door before I allowed myself to weep freely after all. The tears were almost a relief, it had been so incredibly hard to hold them back.
I started crying like I never had in my entire life before. My uncontrollable sobbing shook my whole body and let out all the despair I had been choking ever since Camille had entered the library. The image of her kissing Klaus and fondling him was indelibly imprinted into my memory, it haunted me and whenever my tears stopped for a moment, it came back at full tilt just to agonize me all over again.
While I was lying on the ground of the carriage with tears streaming down my face and hopelessly clinging to the seats, the cruel, painful realization hit me that without me even noticing I had irretrievably and irreversibly fallen in love with Klaus.
„Honey, you're finally back. We've been so worried about you! Are you alright?"
My mother pulled me out of the coach and locked me in her arms. Under different circumstances I would been happy to see her again but now I didn't feel anything while I hugged her back.
„What happened to your eyes?", my father asked in a shocked voice, looking down on me over her shoulder. „Have you been crying, Caroline?"
I was sure that they were red and swollen from my weeping so it was pointless to pretend like nothing had happened.
„I will explain everything later", I promised with a weak voice though I had absolutely no intention on explain anything whatsoever. „But can you let me rest for a while? I'm terribly exhausted."
Ignoring their protests I went up to my room and collapsed into bed.
I didn't move the whole day.
„What the ...?"
Elena trod my bed chamber with an incredulous expression. „Care, what is going on? I didn't want to believe your parents when they told me that you haven't eaten or slept in two days now! Are you even changing your clothes regularly?"
I stared blankly at the ceiling. „What's the point in that?"
My parents had obviously sent my best friend to me to make me talking again but I still didn't feel like speaking about what had happened at the Mikaelson's property. Everyone believed that Klaus was a monster anway, so if I told them the truth, I would never hear the end of it.
Two days now since I had left him. Two days without any sign of him. No contact of any kind, no word, no letter ... he was probably busy with Camille and the very thought of them being together filled me with nausea.
„Caroline?"
I looked at Elena who had sat with me on the edge of my bed. Her huge, brown eyes were full of concern for me. „Will you tell me why you are ... like this? I'm worried about you."
I gave her a small smile. „I know and I'm sorry. But you don't really want to know, trust me."
„If you can't talk about, then it's fine with me. Just know that I'm here for you whenever you need me, okay?" She stood up, grabbed my hand and pulled me with her. „But I won't accept this current state of yours. You're going to take a bath and dress up. There is someone downstairs who wants to talk to you but he can't see you like that. I'll keep him busy while you make yourself look as pretty as usual again!"
„Who is it?" My heart beat sped up straightaway.
„See for yourself. And now hurry!"
Lucy helped me getting ready in no time. She chose my dress, a cream lemon one with a broad white ribbon around my waist, coiffured me and told me how glad she was to have me back in between.
„I was absolutely bored and had nothing to do while you were gone. Don't ever do that to me again, understood?"
Lightly I kissed her on the cheek. „Understood."
I walked down the stairs and paused in the lobby. I heard several voices in the lounge, one of them in particular unfamiliar to this place – I opened the door and spotted my father and mother sitting and laughing together with Elena ... and Tyler.
As he saw me, he stood up and they all became quiet at once.
Something was going on but I had absolutely no idea what it was.
Tyler bowed to me. „Good afternoon, Caroline. Would you care for a walk with me?"
Confused I interlaced my fingers. Why was he behaving so formally? And why was everyone staring eagerly at us?
Say yes, Elena formed with her mouth behind Tyler's back and beamed at me.
„Sure", I nodded and followed him uneasily outside, taking a little jacket and a scarf matching the colors of my dress with me.
We started walking side by side across the lawn and he engaged me in a conversation about the weather.
Still nervous because my parents and Elena had been acting so oddly, my answers came off short and bland. From time to time I peered at him, wondering what I had ever really seen in him. He was in fact very good-looking but we had absolutely nothing to talk about.
And it had taken Klaus only days to make me forget all about Tyler ...
„... have been thinking about this for a long time now. You are everything I want in a woman."
I blinked as he all of a sudden kneeled down in front of me.
„Tyler!"
„I know this must come as a surprise to you", he said with a grin, mistaking my horror for excitement. „But I have singled you out as the companion for my future life. Miss Caroline, Forbes, will you marry me?"
I had no idea how to respond. This was my first proposal of marriage ever and the little girl inside of me dreaming about this day since forever had never imagined it would take place like this: me being heartbroken and the man asking for my hand not the man I was in love with.
What was I going to say?
„I'm ... Tyler, I'm very flattered", I made a desperate effort to spare his feelings. „But ... you are right, this is a suprise. I will need some time for myself to think about it."
His smile darkened with irritation. „Please, what is there to think about, Caroline? I am one of the richest bachelors in Mystic Falls, all the ladies want me to marry their daughters. You can honestly consider yourself lucky that I selected you out of all people!"
„I know, I do", I insured him. „But ..." My voice trailed off. But we are not right for each other. But I don't love you. But I love someone else. „But accepting a marriage is something that should be considered wisely."
Annoyed he got up on his feet again and took my hands in his. „I wanted to be civil to you and not mention this but apparently you leave me no choice, Caroline: everyone in town knows that you have been staying at the Mikaelson's overnight."
Immediately I grew stiff. I knew what he was going to say ...
„People are talking about it. Rumors spread very quickly. How many more proposals do you think you will get the chance to accept after all this? Nobody wants to marry a girl someone else has already used ..."
„He hasn't touched me like that", I whispered, deeply hurt. „Nothing has happened."
Tyler stroke my cheek. „I know. I believe you. But not everybody is going to be as generous as me, Caroline. You should keep that in mind before you turn me down."
My mind was emptied. I couldn't think clearly.
Was he right? Was the whole town talking about me? Did they assume Klaus had taken advantage of the situation?
Nobody wants to marry a girl someone else has already used.
The only man I really wished to marry didn't want me anyway. So did it matter after all if I married Tyler or anyone else? Either way I was never completely going to be happy.
Maybe it was better to be with just someone instead of being alone.
And at least I knew Tyler. He was going to treat me well and I could stay close to my parents and friends. He was the perfect choice. Everyone would be so overjoyed if I accepted.
„Yes", I said under my breath before I could have a change of heart. „I will marry you, Tyler."
In triumph he hugged me to himself and started kissing me. I closed my eyes, tried to relax and pretended that those lips weren't his but someone else's.
Finally he broke away from he, dragged me along behind him through our garden and started getting excited about our next steps. „The engagement period shouldn't be too long, I don't want to wait more than necessary. Tomorrow is going to be a teaparty at the Donovan's – the whole society is invited, so that's a very good occasion for us to announce that we are going to get married, don't you think?"
He didn't wait for my responce but started going on about this for what seemed like an hour.
Meanwhile I barely listened to his words because I was too busy questioning myself if I had made the right decision or not.
„Holy shit!", he suddenly yelled and stopped walking.
I followed his eyes and discovered a tall wolf standing on the edge of the forest abutting on our yard, just metres away from us.
My heart skipped a beat as I recognized him as the wounded wolf I had found some days ago in the woods – it was the same pelt color, the same eyes, the same height. His hip and leg seemed to be completely cured by now and he looked stronger than ever.
„What on earth is that creature?", Tyler panted out and seeked for something in the pockets of his pants.
„Don't worry", I told him cheerfully and made a step forward in the direction of the wolf that was considering me intently. „He won't hurt us. He's tame."
„Tame?" Tyler burst out laughing. „Are you crazy?"
He grabbed my arm and pulled me rudely away. The wolf bared his teeth and growled threateningly at him.
„Wolves can't be tamed, Caroline", Tyler spat out and finally found what he'd been searching for in his trouser pockets. „They can only be killed."
He got a knife out and branched off to face the wolf.
„No!", I screamed in panic and put myself in his way. „You can't hurt him. Please, Tyler. He's not going to attack us, I promise."
But before we could get into an argument about this, the wolf turned away brusquely from us and vanished in a single bount into the forest again.
„Wow, that was a close shave." Tyler lowered the knife again. „Disgusting things, those beasts. We realy need to get rid of them in this area if they're venturing to step on private property already. Come on, let's go inside and tell everybody the pleasant news of our engagement."
„Okay." I followed him inside but looked over my shoulder one single last time regretfully.
Although I felt relieved that the wolf had saved himself I couldn't help but be disappointed that he had disappeared so quickly.
It had been nice seeing him again.
Sooooo, on a skala from 1 - 10 how much has Klaus' behaviour shocked you? :P Don't judge him right away though before you've read the next chapter please!
xx