I was sitting at the Grill; third time this week.

I eat here way too often…

Matt brought my order over.

"Hey Riley, I'm going on my break; do you mind if I sit with you?"

It was a little weird — Matt and I never spent any time together outside of when C introduced us and the few greetings we've exchanged either at school or here at The Grill — but I smiled and said okay.

"Thanks. I normally just sit at the bar, but…" Matt trailed off, looking irritated as he glanced over at the bar.

I followed his gaze; a few people were sitting at the bar, but only one I recognized: "Klaus?"

"Yeah."

"You think he's here just to annoy you?" I asked, incredulously.

Matt nodded. "He should just drink at home."

"Maybe he appreciated the Grill's atmosphere." Matt didn't seem to like my viewpoint. I tried not to laugh, knowing Klaus could very well hear us. "No offense Matt, but I'm sure a thousand-year-old Original Hybrid has better things to do with his time than annoy you."

Matt scoffed. "Not since Elena turned."

"Right. Ending the doppelganger bloodline. Poor Elena," Matt nodded. I looked down at my hands as they lay in my lap and whispered, so softly that I knew Matt couldn't hear: "I wouldn't wish this on anyone."

"I'm so sick of seeing his entire family around. They should just leave," Matt continued on his rant.

"Technically, they were here first…" I trailed off; my sarcasm was not appreciated at this moment.

"So what brings you to the Grill tonight?" Matt asked, trying to change the subject. "Care and Tyler making out in the living room again?"

"No, thank goodness. Actually, C spent the day hanging out with Elena. Helping her… 'adjust' and all."

"Really? I thought Elena had a handle on all that. She's returned to school and everything."

I shook my head. "It's a constantly-changing learning curve."

"You seem to handle it just fine," Matt pointed out.

I shrugged him off, not wanting to turn the focus of this conversation onto me. "And it just makes more sense for C to help Elena; as much as he loves her, Stefan 'the blood-aholic' Salvatore is not someone you want to learn blood-lust control from."

"Yea…" Matt averted his eyes, clearly not comfortable talking about that aspect of being a vampire.

I rolled my eyes at his sheepishness. "C will be a big help to Elena," I said with a nod.

"Yea. Looks like Care being a vampire will finally pay off."

So Matt doesn't like that Caroline is a vampire — it is why he broke up with her — but now that she can use her nearly-a-years' worth of experience to help Elena, now it's okay?

The food on the plate in front of me suddenly looked disgusting and unappealing. A waitress walked by at that exact moment. "Can you take this away, please?" I asked her. "I've suddenly lost my appetite."

"Ri, I didn't meant it that w–"

I cut Matt off. "You know, I have no idea how Caroline does it."

"Does what?" he asked, confused.

"How she can stand to live in a town where no one appreciates her." I stood and walked to the other side of the table. "I guess that shows how truly strong and amazing she is. I would have left this stupid town long ago, were I in her shoes." And before Matt could respond, I walked out of the Grill.

A few hours later, I was sitting in my room reading when C knocked on my bedroom doorframe.

"Hi. I didn't realize you were home," I said with a smile.

"Just got here." She paused before continuing. "Matt pulled up outside the house right after I did. He wants to see you." C seemed confused, and she had a right to be; Matt and I didn't have much interaction outside the Grill. Certainly not enough to warrant him coming over to see me at the house.

I rolled my eyes at the thought of him here. "Tell him no thanks."

"What's going on?"

"Nothing. He's probably here to apologize. Again."

C chuckled as she spoke. "Matt 'Wonderboy' Donovan? What could he have to apologize for?"

I shouldn't have said anything; I couldn't tell C that her ex-boyfriend and good friend basically called her useless. Instead of answering, I got up, walked out the front door (completely ignoring Matt as he stood just inside the front room), walked down the front walkway, and around the street corner.

I didn't plan to go anywhere specific, but eventually I found myself standing outside the Grill.

What is the draw of this place for me?

I walked in and laughed; Klaus was still at the bar. I walked up to him. "I'm so glad you're still here."

He quirked an eyebrow in my direction. "Not the typical response I evoke from the people around here."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "It is a sad day in my world if I am being compared to the people of Mystic Falls."

"No, I was pointing out how you differ."

"Good." I sat on the bar stool next to Klaus and he smirked at my action. "Care to order a drink for the under-aged girl? Whiskey, please."

"Why don't you order your own?"

"Because I don't like to use compulsion unless absolutely necessary. And as much as I want a drink right now, I don't need one."

"All right."

As Klaus ordered my drink, and one for himself, I looked around the Grill.

"The blonde busboy isn't here."

I looked back at Klaus. "His name is Matt. And yes, I know that. He came by the house earlier. Which is why I left the house."

Right as the bartender brought our drinks, Klaus said "You're right, you know."

"Yes, I know." I took a sip. "But about what, this time?"

Klaus chuckled, but spoke in a serious tone. "About how no one in this one-pony town appreciates your cousin. I noticed that almost immediately, once I settled here."

"I just don't understand how these people can live with her for their entire lives and not realize how amazing she is," I said before downing my drink.

"They're simple-minded."

"It's because everything in this town revolves around Elena Gilbert. And you," I pointed at him, "are not an exception."

"My only concern over Elena is her blood, not her personality." Klaus paused, finished his drink, then muttered "…was her blood."

"Did you mean what you said earlier?" Klaus asked me.

"About what?"

"Before the busboy showed his idiocy, you said you wouldn't wish vampirism on anyone."

"You heard that?" I knew Klaus could hear my conversation with Matt, but I was shocked that he could hear the breath of a whisper from across a crowded restaurant. Maybe that shouldn't have surprised me. Klaus just nodded.

I sighed. "Honestly, I'm still conflicted about the whole being-a-vampire thing. There are, of course, many benefits and drawbacks. What I meant earlier was that I wouldn't wish the lack of choice on anyone. She shouldn't have been robbed of her will and her life. I just wish Elena had gotten to decide how she wanted to spend the rest of her life, and if she wanted to become a vampire, instead of having that choice made for her."

"Like with you?" Klaus asked.

What!? How does he know that?

Should anything involving Klaus surprise me anymore? I should just learn to expect the shock.

"Your tone gave you away," he paused, answering my unspoken question. "And the sadness in your eyes."

I nodded. "And you, according to what Caroline has told me."

"So you two do talk about me?" He said with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, a girl does have questions when she learns that she's now living in the same town as the very first vampires. And in the town that started it all, no less."

"What sort of questions?"

"So many. Like why have you stuck around Mystic? With Elena…" I trailed off, unable to finish that sentence. I tried again. "With the doppelganger bloodline now discontinued, why stay here?"

"This is my home. This was my first home, where my family and I lived our human lives."

"Really?"