Class was finished, Caroline gathered her books and caught eyes with Elena, they needed to speak. The brunette had understood and nodded back at her, silently saying sure we can talk.. The blonde always felt kept out of the loop. Like she has to prove her competence. Maybe they still see her as the dumb blonde. She brushes the thought away and her skirt bounces as she stands up to leave the room.
What Caroline did not expect was for Ric to call out her name and ask whether he could speak to her. Elena and Caroline shared a confused glance but Caroline waved her hand at her as if to say 'we will speak later.'
Caroline turned around to face Ric and said with her most pleasant smile, 'Sure Ric.' Ric's expression changed upon her using the nickname. A slight smirk appeared. Caroline felt a frown come to her face but smoothened it quickly. They waited a couple moments until there were only empty desks and chairs surrounding them.
Caroline felt uncomfortable not knowing why she was here. While there was still subdued noise in the hallway Caroline started speaking, 'So what did you want to talk about?'
Ric looked up from his notes and paused for a second before stating, 'To be honest, I am worried about Elena.' It's always about Elena.
Caroline felt an edge to her voice as she said, 'so.. why talk to me?' His eyes caught hers. Ric's eyes had an intensity to them: like he was giving her all his attention.
He opened his mouth and said, 'She won't talk to me.' This confused Caroline 'I thought you were close,' she thought aloud. Ric leaned back against his desk chair and took a breath, 'She only mentions the bare minimum, just enough to stop me from prying any further.' He paused, but then continued, 'She shouldn't have to carry all this stuff on her own.'
Caroline shrugs and sits down on one of the chair's near Ric's desk. 'Well that makes the two of us.' She crosses her legs. 'I never really believe Elena is telling the full story anymore.'
They enter into a contemplative silence with Caroline looking at her feet: one hanging in the air, the other on the ugly classroom floor. Ric never stopped looking at her.
Caroline looked up at him again, before stating, 'You didn't answer my question'.
Ric looked puzzled now, asking a silent 'what?'
Caroline sat up straight as if to challenge him before repeating, 'Why me?' A smirk appeared on Ric's face again. It looks strange on him.
'Why not you?' Ric asked.
Vulnerability and hesitance entered Caroline's gaze upon hearing those words. 'Well, there is Bonnie,' she stated hollowly as if that explained everything.
'What about Bonnie?' Ric asked seriously, though his eyebrows were wiggling.
This caused Caroline to laugh and say, 'Seriously, Ric.'
'What?' Ric said.
She paused before stating with a smile 'Don't be daft'. Ric seemed very amused, the lights in his eyes dancing.
'Tut, tut, tut, is that a way to speak to your teacher, Caroline?' said Ric with humour in his voice. Caroline blushed, she couldn't help herself. She had never had this kind of banter with Ric before. There was also something new about the way he said her name. It felt somewhat exotic.
Wanting to avoid thinking more about this she quickly said, 'I thought it was obvious that Elena prefers Bonnie over me.'
Ric was silent in response, inviting her to continue speaking.
'Though, I think we are closer now ever since I became a vampire,' Caroline considers. She was on a roll now, all the words tumbling from her mouth with no effort at all. 'I think I am a better person for being a vampire.' Upon hearing those words Ric leaned forward. Somehow he managed to look even more interested in what she had to say.
'Is that so?' Ric pressed her urging her to elaborate.
'Yup, I never thought I would have to thank that bitch Katherine for smothering me with a pillow,' Caroline continues nonchalantly. Ric's lips quirked up as if pleasantly surprised.
Caroline's eyes narrowed, she felt suspicious all of sudden, thinking aloud, 'What has got you so interested?' Ric smiled at her.
'Oh, it's just refreshing to see a young vampire truly embrace who they are now,' Ric replied with ease.
Caroline shrugged and said, 'I don't have a choice.' Ric stared at her.
Then Ric said, 'But you do. You always have a choice.'
Caroline shivered thinking about it but let out, 'Not much of a choice if the alternative is death.'
Ric shook his head and countered, 'I have seen many vampires choose death over being this version of themselves, a monster.'
Caroline felt defensive and quickly stood up. 'I am not a monster, I am different, I have control,' She said flush with red anger. Did she say that to convince him or herself? She doesn't even know. 'Also, are you seriously judging me for wanting to live?' Caroline said as she put her hands on her hips.
Ric shook his head at her misunderstanding, smiling to himself.
'Well are you?' Caroline asked again with an urgency. The blonde is at loss why he is affecting her like this. They never really talked before, did they? So where is this coming from?
Caroline was startled out of her thoughts by the feeling of Ric's hands on her shoulders. She looked up surprised. He was standing right in front of her looking at her like she was the only girl in the world. Caroline was at loss for words and her mouth fell open slightly.
'On the contrary' Ric whispered as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, 'I admire you.' With those words the tension left her shoulders. She closed her eyes. She felt the urge to lean into him; to lean into the comfort of these words.
As she felt him gently stroking her shoulder reality came creeping back. Ric noticed the change in her and backed away accordingly.
Before she could think about how intimately they had just stood there, how nice it had felt, Ric fired another question at her.
'Which of the Salvatore brothers do you prefer?'
Her response was automatic, 'Stefan.'
Ric smiled at her warmly. 'Me too,' Ric said.
Caroline laughed disbelievingly. She always saw Ric hang out with the dark Salvatore brother. No way that he likes Stefan better.
'Why are you so averse to Damon?' Ric asked. Clearly he had noticed her distaste for the older Salvatore,
Caroline tensed up on this before stating the obvious, 'He is a dick.'
Ric laughed, 'That he is.' He stared at her searchingly, 'Is that the only reason?'
Caroline looked away as if to say 'that is a conversation for another day.'
Ric responded with a nod as if to say 'I'll let it go.'
Instead Caroline provided, 'Stefan taught me everything I know about being a vampire,' Ric looked at her with curiosity.
'Oh yes, like what? Ric asked.
Caroline counted on her fingers, 'The bunny-diet, how to stay in control of the blood lust, the heightened senses that come with being a vampire.' Ric chuckled at that, apparently laughing at an inside joke. Caroline frowned and raised an eyebrow.
'It's just ironic,' Ric commented, 'Stefan the Ripper teaching you about control.' He shook his head.
Caroline rolled her eyes at that and said, 'I am sure that he has done some bad things, but he is one of the good ones I know it.'
By now they were sitting down again; both on their respective seats. Caroline was glad that this was her last class of the day because they must have been here for quite a while. Ric didn't comment on her last statement and instead asked her about Bonnie. Caroline felt like spilling her guts to this man, any feeling of suspicion had washed away.
'Bonnie didn't like it much when I became a vampire, in fact she avoided me. It hurt. Thankfully, she came around." She played with her daylight ring. 'Witches don't like vampires by their nature,'
Ric eyed her ring. 'Did she charm it for you?' He asked.
Caroline nodded. 'I am so glad we have Bonnie.'
Ric nodded and a small silence emerged between them again.
Caroline took a deep breath and decided it was time to break the spell between them. She brought the conversation back to where they started: Elena.
'About Elena...' Caroline started as she came to her feet again.
Ric's eyes widened; clearly very interested in what she was about to say.
It was always about Elena. And with that thought the room felt big again. Caroline could hear the voices of students echoing in the hallways and took note of all the empty chairs and desks around them. The blonde wanted to go now. Finishing her sentence Caroline said, 'For as long as we have Bonnie you don't need to worry. Bonnie would never let anything happen to Elena, she would rather die.'
Then she walked away.
Before Caroline closed the door behind her she looked back one more time. She was surprised to find a grim expression on Ric's face instead of a relieved one.
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Hope you liked this first chapter of the Alaric/Klaus - and Caroline meet, let me know what you think xxx :)
