Aunt Liz drove us to the Founder's dance at the Lockwood mansion in C's car; according to C, we could hardly arrive in the sheriff's car. C abandoned me almost immediately, once she saw Tyler in his tux. Aunt Liz left me shortly after to speak with Mayor Lockwood.

From where I stood, I saw Elena — in a stunning green dress — enter on the arm of Stefan. At the present moment, they were talking with Bonnie, who was wearing a yellow dress. Damon, who I must admit looked rather dashing, was at the Lockwood mansion when we arrived; he was now talking with the mayor and Aunt Liz. I saw Jeremy skirting around the edges of the crowd; I waved to him, and he returned the wave, but he kept his distance. I haven't spoken to him outside of class since the delivery of roses, and I've hardly even seen him; he was avoiding me. I did feel a little bad, because until I saw him here at the Founder's dance, I hadn't even realized how little I saw him around school. I'd been spending more time with Rebekah. Speaking of, I saw the beautiful blonde enter, looking fantastic in light blue.

Before I could walk over to speak with her, Mayor Lockwood called for everyone's attention.

"Welcome, everyone, to our annual Founder's Day dance." She paused for applause. "As we all know, Mystic Falls has an illustrious history, dating back to its founding in 1860. Tonight, we kick off our Founder's Day celebrations with this dance and fundraiser. And please feel free to check out the heritage pieces from the original settlers of Mystic Falls that we have on display in the open rooms here on the main floor." She paused for applause again.

Maybe Tyler's ego has nothing to do with being a hybrid…

"And now, to start off the evening, I'll ask everyone to get a partner and join me on the dance floor for the opening dance sequence, the near-touch dance."

Why do founders dances have to involve the stupid near-touch dance? C explained this dance to me. It seems so silly.

Though secretly, I think I do enjoy watching multiple couples dance in some kind of synchronicity.

I found myself actually looking forward to watching this particular dance, as it was about to begin.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on mine, pulling me forward. Klaus pulled me onto the dance floor with a mischievous look in his eyes. He didn't let my hand go until we were near the middle of the dance floor. He placed me at the end of the row of women — despite my protests — then stood across from me at the end of the row of men, with a sly smile on his face.

I glared at him. I was annoyed that he was forcing me to dance, but I also appreciated the up-close view I had of Klaus in a tux. He looked amazing, but I expected nothing less.

The music started; as we brought up our right hands and walked around each other, Klaus spoke. " 'O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! / It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night / Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear'."

As we raised our left hands to each other's and walked around each other in the opposite direction, Klaus continued. " 'Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! / So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, / As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.' " I rolled my eyes.

As we brought both our hands together, almost touching, and walked around each other again in the first direction, I spoke. "Am I supposed to be impressed that you can quote Shakespeare or charmed that you think of yourself as Romeo?"

Klaus chuckled softly. "It's a compliment, love."

We stepped towards each other again. He took my hand in his, with his other hand gently landing on my back.

" 'If I profane with my unworthiest hand / This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this'."

"Seriously?" I thought this would end when the speech ended, but apparently not.

" 'My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand / To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.' "

I rolled my eyes. He was clearly not going to let this go.

" 'Good pilgrim,' " I responded. " 'You do wrong your hand too much, / Which mannerly devotion shows in this'." Klaus raised his eyebrows in a combination of mild surprise and amusement. " 'For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, / And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.' "

Whatever shock Klaus experienced at the fact that I could recite the scene with him was quickly wiped from his face and replaced with his smirk. " 'Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?' "

" 'Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.' "

" 'O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do! / They pray; grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.' "

I scoffed lightly and slightly pulled away from him. "Nice try."

"I don't believe that is how the scene continues, love."

"Well, too bad. I'm not going to invite you to kiss me. I am not a Juliet. Nor are you a Romeo."

"I don't know. I do see some parallels."

"Please. I hope not. It's a three-day relationship that brings about the death of six people."

"That is a very cynical view of Shakespeare, sweetheart."

"Remind me to never go out onto a balcony or else you'll be expecting me to say 'Wherefore art thou Klaus?' "

"Again, I do see parallels between their story and our own."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, shut up!"

As soon as the dance was over, I nearly flew off the dance floor; I was not getting conned into dancing again.

When I got home from the Founder's dance, I didn't feel like doing anything. I wasn't tired enough to go to bed, but I didn't want to read either. After changing out of the black dress and into my pyjamas, I decided I needed fresh air.

I was sitting on the side edge of the front porch, watching the stars, when Aunt Liz came home.

"Well, that's over for another year," she said with a laugh.

Thank goodness.

Aunt Liz continued. "It's just the two of us tonight, Ri. Care's staying over at the Lockwood mansion. To help clean up and everything."

I doubt that excuse was for me — Aunt Liz sounded like she was trying to convince herself more so. I was unsure how to respond — a snarky comment did not seem appropriate — so I just said "Okay."

Aunt Liz stood at the front edge of the porch, looking up at the night sky, and we enjoyed some quiet moments while listening to the night sounds before she spoke again.

"You and Klaus looked good dancing tonight."

I groaned slightly. "I hate dancing."

"As an observer, I couldn't tell." She smiled at me. "You two make a good-looking couple."

"We're not a couple, Aunt Liz."

"It didn't look like that from where I was watching."

I rolled my eyes at her but she didn't respond. She would never believe me anyway. She was too much like my mother that way; once she had an idea in her head, she stuck with it.

"Do not let C hear you talk like that; she'd probably freak. She's not exactly thrilled that we're friends."

"Caroline is like her father that way; she stands by her beliefs very strongly."

"Rather like you too, according to mom." We paused, obviously both thinking about her. "Why aren't you following in C's footsteps? Shouldn't you be lecturing me about safety and how I should stay away from Klaus? Or do you not..." I trailed off, unsure of how to proceed. What if Aunt Liz didn't know about Klaus and the other Originals, or that they were Originals? I couldn't be the one to tell her.

Fortunately, I didn't have to. "Do you mean that I should warn you to stay away from him because he's a hybrid or because he's an Original?"

Oh good! She knows.

I shrugged. "Both, maybe. I don't know; you're the parental figure here."

"Do I like that my niece is spending time with not only a very strong and old vampire, but one who is part werewolf as well — especially considering that I don't know very much about hybrids? Of course not. But I can't hate him too much. Even if he was the one who caused it, Klaus still saved my daughter's life when she could have died from a hybrid bite. He certainly didn't have to, but he did. And for that, I will always be grateful to him."