I was unable to leave the house on prom night without another argument with C about it. Finally, I ended the argument by saying, "Do you really want to begin your 'magical prom night,' as you so horrifyingly put it, by having another one of those circular-type arguments with me?" She saw my logic, and retreated to her room to put on her dress.

A few minutes later, she called me into her room and asked if I could zip up her dress.

Why do women's fashions require outside help?

She looked absolutely gorgeous in her deep red, strapless dress, but I expected nothing less; C always looked beautiful. Her hair was curled to perfection and partially pinned up. I only had time to tell her how spectacular she looked, and to give her a hug, before Aunt Liz came home, practically flying through the front door, full of worries that she had missed this significant moment. Tears gathered in her eyes as she caught her first glimpse of her daughter.

"You look so beautiful, sweetheart."

"Thanks, mom." C blushed as Aunt Liz found her camera and took a few pictures. She had to capture this 'milestone.'

"Too bad Riley wasn't going," Aunt Liz mused.

I glared at C. "Did you make her say that?"

"No." We all knew C was lying. We were still laughing about it when there was a knock at the door.

"That's probably Tyler," I said as I began walking to the door. "I'll get it." I opened the front door and gestured for the tux-clad Tyler to enter. "Well, don't you look dashing."

"Thanks, Ri." Tyler couldn't say any more; Aunt Liz exited C's bedroom, followed by C, and Tyler's breath seemed to have gotten caught in his throat. He did, however, manage to choke out "Care, wow!"

"That about sums it up," Aunt Liz said. She took a few pictures of the couple. C looped her arm through Tyler's, and they were nearly out the door when I stopped them.

"Hang on a minute. Tyler, will you take a picture of us three girls?" I looked to C, then Aunt Liz, and back to C again as I spoke. "I know C is the only one dressed up, but I think a picture of the three of us in this moment would be really nice." Everyone else nodded.

With C in the middle, me on her right, and Aunt Liz on her left, we stood in front of the closed front foyer doors and Tyler took a few pictures. Once we were done, Aunt Liz hugged C goodbye again and the couple left for the prom.

I left shortly after and made my way to the Mikaelson mansion. Rebekah answered the door. I was pleasantly surprised to find her still at home. "I thought you would have left for the prom by now."

"I had to wait and see you," she said in a 'Silly Riley' sort of tone, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world that she couldn't leave until I came over. I stepped inside and took in her appearance. Her straight blonde hair was swept into an elegant updo and her golden, one-strapped dress hugged her curves and made her skin glow.

"You look magnificent, Bekah. Words fail."

"Thank you." She pulled me in for a hug.

As she grabbed her purse from the nearby table, I told her to have fun tonight.

"You too, Ri; Nik is in the Ballroom," Rebekah called over her shoulder as she pointed to the left of the staircase before leaving the house and closing the door behind her.

The Ballroom?!

They have a ballroom?

This house needs one of those maps you see at the mall, complete with arrows saying 'you are here.'

I walked in the direction Rebekah had pointed, which luckily led straight to the ballroom. I entered the room and slowed my pace as I took in the sight before me. The room was empty except for the paintings that hung on the walls, the small table with two chairs at the side of the room, and the soft twinkling lights that filled the room with subtle illumination. Instrumental music was playing from an out-of-sight source. And standing in the middle of the room was Klaus.

Once my eyes landed on him, he smiled and walked towards me. "What have you done?" I asked in stunned amazement. He looked incredibly handsome; somehow, the black and white of his tuxedo made his eyes glow.

He took my hand and led me further into the ballroom. "I thought we could have our own private prom, since you adamantly refused to go to the actual one."

"You should have told me this was what you had in mind," I scolded him.

"You would have avoided this version as well." I opened my mouth to speak but he held up his hand and spoke first. "Don't deny it, Riley."

"Yea, but…" I trailed off and looked down at my simple long-sleeved shirt, black pants, and ballet flats.

One note-worthy point: at least I'm not wearing my usual sneakers…

"I had no idea that tonight would be so extravagant. Not for us."

"You look enchanting." That was easy for him to say as he stood there, wearing a tuxedo.

"You're lying."

He shook his head. "You would look beautiful wearing a trash bag, Riley." I looked down at my feet as I smiled and blushed. "I will make you believe that eventually, sweetheart," Klaus whispered.

He led me over to the table set for two, where he pulled out a chair and gestured for me to sit.

A server came in holding two plates; she placed one in front of me and the other in front of Klaus. It smelled delicious.

But even the server was dressed elegantly.

"I'm feeling seriously underdressed here."

"If anything, love, I'd say you are far too overdressed." He spoke with a wolfish grin. I rolled my eyes, but didn't respond. Instead, I picked up the fork and began eating the side salad.

Another server entered the room; he held a tray, carefully balancing four nearly-full wine glasses. He set down two of them by me before placing the other two by Klaus's plate. One was probably wine, while the other one was definitely blood. I didn't know anything about drinking wine, so I chose the glass of blood and took a sip.

We were only halfway through our meal when Klaus stood up from the table, stepped closer to me, and extended his hand, waiting for mine. The look in his eyes made me forget about the food. I took his hand as he faced me and walked backwards until we were in the middle of the dance floor. He raised his left hand, the one that held mine, and spun me once before pulling me in closer to him and placing his right hand on the small of my back. The soft twinkling lights cast soft shadows around the room as we danced.

"I really don't like dancing."

"I know," he whispered. But neither one of us stopped. I rested my cheek against his shoulder and just enjoyed the swaying of his body.

"You constantly surprise me, Riley."

"Said the man who planned the private prom."

He chuckled. "Earlier, you chose the glass of blood over the wine."

I lifted my head to look into his eyes. "Was that a test?"

"Not at all. I merely wanted to make sure you had options. Though I see," his eyes flickered away from mine, to the table behind me, and back again, "that you didn't touch the wine at all."

I shrugged. "I don't like wine; I don't know anything about drinking it."

"I could teach you."

I laughed. "You wanna teach me how to get drunk with wine? I'm not sensing an ulterior motive there at all."

Klaus laughed loudly at my sarcasm. "That could be an added bonus, perhaps." I scoffed lightly as I rolled my eyes and shook my head before resting my cheek against his chest as we resumed dancing. The fingers of his right hand gently played with the ends of my hair. I leaned against his warm body and felt relaxed in his arms.

We moved slowly to the instrumental music, together as one. I closed my eyes, enjoying the movement.

We danced for a while before he spoke again. "You're awfully quiet."

"Just thinking."

"What about?"

"Becoming a vampire." We stopped dancing and I looked into his eyes. "Lewis came by the house yesterday. Aunt Liz told him off; it was kind of awesome!" I laughed a little at the memory. "Can you — Can a person —" I sighed and tried once more. "Do you think it's possible to regret an action but not its consequences?"

He let go of my hand, bringing his up to my face. His thumb drew lazy, tingly designs across my cheek as he considered my question. "Would these consequences have come about any other way?"

I lightly shook my head. "Never say never, but probably not." I linked my hands behind his neck.

"Then no; one depends entirely on the other. I think you have to take both or none at all."

"Like a packaged deal?"

"Precisely. Now will you please explain your train of thought?" I liked how he would answer my questions before fully understanding the reasons behind them. It felt like some kind of trust.

I gave him a half smile. "I don't hate that I'm a vampire, but I hate that people had to die in order for me to become one. And I hate that I never had a choice. I didn't get to decide if I wanted this; it was forced upon me. But then I think about how different my life would be if I were still human: my mom would still be alive and I would have never stepped foot in Mystic Falls — I wouldn't know C the way I do; I wouldn't know anyone in this town; and I never would have met you."

I thought about seeing Jeremy on my first day of school. I thought about Matt's smiling face and warm greeting every time I step into the Grill or see him in the hallway at school. I thought about how informative Bonnie was and how nice and sweet Elena had been to me. I thought about Rebekah's wit and her amazing ability to be brutally honest but make it sound like a compliment — most of the time. I thought about the walking bubble of sunshine that is Caroline. And I thought about Klaus.

Would I have regretted it? Would I have regretted not knowing any of them at all?

I felt Klaus's hand resting softly but firmly against my back; I felt his other hand provide a sensation against my cheek that was comforting yet felt like a mild electrical shock as we stood still on the dance floor; and I saw how, unlike everyone else in my life, when he looked at me, it felt as though he actually saw me.

And there was my answer.

I may have been undecided about the action that set everything else in motion — the fact that I had to die and I had to lose my mother — but I really loved the result; the outcome of moving to Mystic Falls and having this life that I now do made it incredibly worthwhile.

I smiled up at Klaus before leaning against his chest. He kissed the crown of my head.

"I have something for you." We were still dancing.

I pulled away enough to look up at his face. "You really have to stop saying that; you're going to give me a complex."

He ignored what I said. "Technically, during courtship, it is improper for a woman to receive gifts or letters from a gentleman unless they are engaged."

I was unsure of how to respond.

"But we have set aside courtship, love. And these are modern times. For example, we exchange electronic notes all the time."

I gave him a look. "Text messages."

He nodded. "And I want you to have this." He removed his hands from my back; one of them pulled the lapel of his tuxedo jacket slightly away from his body as the other reached inside the jacket and pulled out a square, black box the size of my fist.

I hesitated before taking it from him. I gave him a 'this is ridiculous' look before I opened the box.

Inside was a silver bracelet, made up of side-by-side hearts. Half of the hearts were upside down, and they alternated: upside-down heart, right-side-up heart, upside-down heart, right-side-up heart, etc. The upside-down hearts were a silver outline; the right-side-up hearts were also outlined in silver, but their middles were filled with black crystal-like substances. (Knowing Klaus, these were probably black diamonds.)

It was gorgeous. And extravagant. I was speechless.

"Black and silver: your two favourite colours." He bent his head down to catch my eyes. "I thought this could fill the space left by your daylight bracelet."

I shook my head as my mouth hung open. "I can't wear this. Every pieces of jewelry I wear is fake, costume jewelry. I can't just add a diamond bracelet into the mix."

Klaus shrugged. "Then I'll simply replace all your jewelry."

"Don't you are!" He smirked. "Seriously, Klaus. Don't!" I took a breath and tried to explain my point again. "You don't have to buy me jewelry; you don't have to buy me anything. I—" I closed the box containing the bracelet and handed it back to him. "Thank you, but I cannot accept this."

"I want you to have it, Riley."

"I—It's— No. I can't." I finally got my words out. "I'd never wear it; I'd be too afraid of losing it."

He opened the box and took the bracelet out. "And if you lose it, I'll buy you a replacement." As he spoke, he grabbed my right hand, pushed my sleeve up my arm a bit, and closed the clasp of the bracelet, securing it around my wrist where my daylight bracelet used to lay.

I rolled my eyes. "Yet another difference between us," I mumbled.

I had to admit: the bracelet looked even better being worn than sitting in the box. "It's stunning. Thank you."

"It does not begin to compare to the person wearing it," he said as he raised my right hand up closer to his face and kissed it.

"Thank you for tonight. It was magical." I smiled, remembering how C used the same word to describe her plans for prom night.

"The night's not over yet, love."

"What does that mean? More dancing?" I hate dancing — I really do — but if I had to spent any more time dancing with Klaus, I just may change my opinion. Maybe.

"I don't actually have anything else planned; I merely meant that you don't have to leave."

I scrunched my nose a bit. "I should get home."

He put his hand under my chin and dipped his head until our eyes were level. "No, you should stay."

"Wow. You contradict that one statement and just expect me to agree with you."

"Yes."

I smiled. "Interesting strategy."

I was stalling — avoiding the inevitable, for some reason.

Ultimately, though, I knew I would not be going home tonight. And I knew I didn't want to go home tonight.