Chapter Three – A Constant Presence

A/N: Feel free to skip this author's note if you wish; it won't help or hinder your reading experience for "Tensions & Hostilities."

I hate to start off on a sour note, but I want to address something and I have no other place to put it except here.

I received a somewhat negative review for the last chapter — I say 'somewhat' because, while it was unexpected and did shock me, it wasn't out-right negative or hurtful (and I imagine that it could have been so much worse) — but the review was from a "Guest" so I cannot respond personally to it. (And as anyone who has left a review will hopefully know, I do respond to each review, unless it is sent anonymously.)

I know I should be grateful that the review wasn't worse than it actually was or that there was only one review of this nature, but it still threw me for a bit of a loop. I'm bringing attention to it as a benefit to anyone else who might feel the same way or agree with the review.

I know I cannot please everyone — I'm not going to try — and I know the choices I've made for this story will alienate or annoy some people, but I will explain some of them.

I just wanted to let that Guest reader and reviewer know that the Klaus and Caroline interaction is coming. That was only Chapter Two of a story with at least ten chapters, so don't worry that the story seems to be more about Elena and Damon than Klaus and Caroline. It's not; hence the tag. I was just setting up the plotlines and backstories. (If this story was to consist of only Klaus and Caroline, I wouldn't have introduced other characters at all.)

Once they start interacting, Klaus and Caroline will definitely take centre focus.

As for the re-purposing of dialogue from TVD (as in attributing dialogue from the show to another character in my story), I never promised that I would not do that, but I apologize if that bothered anyone.

On that note, please accept this as your fair warning: there are certain lines — I'm referring to ones specifically in Chapter Four, but there may be others — where I have done this re-allocation. I will not apologize for it. (For example, in Chapter Four, I've given a Damon line to Tyler (I hope you will see some similarities, regarding Caroline, with Damon from season one and Tyler in this story — as in, being mean to Caroline and not appreciating her in the slightest.), and later on in that same chapter I've changed the dialogue from a Matt-and-Caroline-scene on the show into the dialogue for a Klaus-and-Caroline-scene in my story. I feel these changes work and they fit my story plot and characters.)

I apologize for this rant, and for its length.

And now, as promised, here is the first interaction between Klaus and Caroline.

Enjoy!

Klaus sat on the bleachers after school. The football team was practicing, and despite all the noise they were making — whistle-blowing and grunting sounds — Klaus's attention was focused on the sidelines of the field, where the cheerleaders were having their practice.

She stood out for him completely. Not because she was blonde — there were several blonde cheerleaders, including his own sister — not because she had been previously pointed out to him, and not because she was the captain. She was in a league all her own because she was positively radiant.

Even when he didn't try, Klaus couldn't take his eyes away from Caroline. She was obviously beautiful and she appeared to be truly in her element as the leader of the cheer squad. Or at least, as far as he could tell, considering he knew nothing about cheerleading.

But she was too good. She drew in all the attention to herself. She wasn't trying to, even Klaus could tell that. But he was unable to look away. He didn't even spare a glance to his own sister, Rebekah, a sophomore, who was also on the cheer squad.

"Okay," Caroline told the other cheerleaders once they finished that particular routine. "Not bad, girls. But we still have a lot of work to do. That's all for today."

As Caroline walked to her bag and bent down to find her water bottle, Klaus leapt from his spot on the bleachers and walked up to her.

"Hello," he said, catching her attention. "And how are you today?" he asked with a charming smile.

She stood and scoffed silently at him.

Great, another creeper coming to ogle the cheerleaders.

"I'm sweating horribly, actually. And yourself?"

"Wow. Utter honesty. How refreshing. Now there's a way to win over a man."

She picked up her gym bag. "Yes, my mission in life. But I appear to have struck your fancy, so oh my gosh," she said, tilting her head to the side and suddenly playing up the dumb blonde act, "I guess the plan worked."

Caroline began to walk away. Klaus easily fell into step beside her.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked in an exasperated tone.

"Yes. Let's go out tonight."

"Oh, right. Yea, sure," she responded with an eye roll as she walked faster to get further away.

"You could take a chance."

Caroline halted her steps and turned to stare at him. "Seriously? You're seriously asking me out? Do you even know my name?"

"I know a lot more than you think."

She scoffed again, audibly this time. "Oh, doubtful. Very doubtful." And before Klaus could respond again, Caroline quickly turned again and walked away, leaving him standing alone.

He grinned to himself, glad that she wasn't going to make this too easy for him. He did so love the chase.

Stefan had been sitting at the opposite end of the bleachers from where Klaus was. He watched the football team's practice while Klaus was still sitting.

Stefan decided that he wanted to inquire about joining the football team. Football was the one thing — possibly the only thing aside from his friend Lexi — that he actually missed about his old school. He wasn't the greatest player, but he was good. And he loved the sport.

And the Mystic High Timberwolves could definitely use any help that came their way, if their practice was any indication.

But once Klaus stood and left the bleachers, Stefan watched his interaction with Caroline. It didn't start out well; Caroline spent the entire time trying to walk away from Klaus. And eventually she did succeed in walking away, leaving Klaus to watch her retreating form. But this interaction did confirm one thing for Stefan. He looked out over the football field and caught Matt's eye.

He took the bait. Klaus is in; he's a part of this deal.

Klaus gave Caroline the weekend to reconsider going out with him. He saw her Monday around school, but they never spoke.

On Tuesday, he changed that.

He found Caroline at her locker, but she wasn't alone; she was chatting with her friend and he didn't want to interrupt — that didn't seem like an act that would score him any points in regards to her favour. He ducked into the doorway of a nearby classroom. He was out of sight, but he could still hear them — that way, he would know when Caroline was alone.

He heard her friend speak. "Explain to me again why you never go to the dances and parties that you so meticulously plan."

"Exactly, Bon! 'Meticulously.' I meticulously plan these events to include or think of every last, tiny detail. And while I'm planning, I'm imagining these grand and wonderful moments happening — you know, the ridiculously cheesy, sweep-you-off-your-feet romantic gestures made by some unknown someone."

Caroline let out a soft sigh before continuing. "But obviously these moments will never come to fruition. I set myself up for utter disappointment. So I don't go, therefore avoiding that downfall and disenchantment."

"But aren't you even a little curious about what happens at one of your dances?"

"Nope. Because what happens in my mind is so much better than any reality could ever be."

Klaus chuckled softly, but he wasn't sure if he was amused by her determination or the level of her disillusionment.

Caroline's friend left her shortly thereafter, heading to class. As Caroline grabbed her books from her locker, Klaus appeared at her side with a knowing smirk on his face.

"Hello."

She ignored him.

"You hate me, don't you?"

"I don't really think you warrant that strong of an emotion," she replied as she grabbed her pencil case.

"Then say you'll spend the evening with me at the Grill."

"And why would I ever want to do that?" Caroline wasn't even looking at him as she grabbed her notebook from the top shelf in her locker.

"Come on — we'll have something to eat, down a few shots, shoot some pool…."

"Wow! What a night!" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

Klaus ignored her mockery. "So how's seven-thirty, then?"

Caroline slammed her locker shut and walked away from him. She wouldn't dignify that with a response.

She went to class, only to realize it was English, which meant Klaus was in that class too.

Ugh, great!

Caroline sat in her usual spot, and Klaus sat directly behind her. She was thankful for this, because at least that meant she wouldn't have to see him.

"Hello, again."

She turned around in her seat to face him. "Seriously? Do you have to sit there?" She gestured to the top of the desk he was sitting at.

Klaus shrugged. "I usually sit in the back anyway; this seat just has a much better view." As he spoke, he raked his eyes up and down Caroline's torso.

She scoffed, trying not to feel self-conscious under his gaze. "Whatever," she said as she turned back to face the front of the classroom.

But the oddest thing happened during class. Even though Caroline couldn't see Klaus, she was hyper aware of him. Every time he shifted in his seat, she focused in on the sound of his movement. She heard every scratch of his pencil against the paper.

It was unbelievably annoying.

When the class ended, Caroline grabbed her things and tried to rush out of the classroom as quickly as possible. But as soon as she stood, Klaus was right there, standing close to her, invading her personal space.

"You're not much of a talker, are you?"

"Depends on the subject. But seriously, any subject initiated by the guy who has recently turned to stalking me will not ever make me particularly loquacious." Caroline pushed past Klaus and walked away.

She was nearly out of the classroom when she heard Klaus's voice.

"You're not afraid of me?"

She whirled around to face him. He hadn't moved from near her seat and Caroline noticed that they were the only two people left in the classroom. "Why would I be afraid of you?"

"Most people are."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not." Caroline turned and continued walking out of the classroom. She rolled her eyes when Klaus easily caught up to her and fell in step next to her.

"So have a drink with me. Coffee, whiskey, whatever you wish."

She stopped walking again. She glared at him and his smirk as she responded. "No. I'm busy. Now go away." She gave him a fake, sickly-sweet smile before walking away again.

This time, Klaus didn't follow her.

He turned and headed in the opposite direction, stopping only when he reached his own locker. He dumped his books in and sighed.

He shut his locker and found Tyler standing next to him. And Tyler was wearing his angry face.

"When I shell out fifty, I expect results."

Klaus groaned inwardly. "I'm working on it."

"Well, work faster, dude. Taking a little stroll with her for a few feet across the football field doesn't count. Neither does hanging out with her after a class you two have together."

"What are you doing, following us?"

Who's displaying stalker tendencies now?

"It's called keeping an eye on my investment. So get to it. By the end of the week."

Tyler started to walk away when he heard Klaus's voice. "I just upped my price."

"You what?" Tyler whirled around. "No."

Klaus nodded. "A hundred bucks per date. In advance."

"Forget it."

Klaus smirked. "Forget her friend, then."

Tyler thought this through for a frustrated moment. He threw his fist into the nearest locker when he realized Klaus had him cornered.

"Damn it!" He pulled out his wallet and, with a menacing scowl, handed another fifty dollars to Klaus. "You'd better hope you're as smooth as you think you are, Mikaelson."

Klaus took the money with a cheesy, sarcastic smile and waited for Tyler to walk away.

Klaus was sitting in his Biology class when two people suddenly decided to sit at his lab table — two guys who have never sat there before. Some of the other people in class were moving about as well, but no one ever joined him at this lab table. They sat down and they kept taking careful, peaking glances at Klaus.

It wasn't quiet in the classroom; the science teacher had given them time to work on their latest assignment.

Klaus sighed in frustration. "Say it," he said to the two guys at his table. They looked completely terrified.

"Say what?" the one with the blonde hair spoke.

"Whatever it is you came over here to say."

The other guy, the one with the darker spikey hair, swallowed audibly before speaking. "We came to talk with you about the plan."

Klaus chuckled. The idiot all but whispered as he said the words 'the plan.' He rolled his eyes. "What plan?"

"We know that you're working with Tyler Lockwood; we know that he's paying you to date Caroline Forbes."

"Is that so? And what do you plan to do about it?"

"Help you," the blonde one spoke again. "We'll help you with Caroline."

"You're going to help me so Lockwood can get the friend? What are you, his lackeys?"

"No, no, no. We set all this up, but with the intention that my brother can get Elena. Tyler is just a pawn."

Klaus nearly smirked at that; he enjoyed the idea of Tyler Lockwood being a pawn in someone's game. "So you two are going to help me win over the perfectionist, huh? How"

The darker haired one spoke. "Matt here knows Caroline fairly well."

The blonde one nodded. "I've known her my entire life. I can provide insight."

The other one nodded and grinned. "We're your guys."

"And you are…?"

"Stefan Salvatore."

"He's new here."

"Well, obviously." Klaus may not pay attention to most of the people in this school, but he could at least recognize their faces, and he knew that this Stefan did not have a face that he had seen around before.

"And Stefan's brother, Damon, is the one we want Elena to end up with."

"Elena?"

"Caroline's friend."

Klaus rolled his eyes. As if any of this mattered to him.

"And I know of the perfect place to start," the one apparently named Matt said. "Friday night. Duke's holding a party out by the falls." Matt turned to Stefan. "Duke holds a party here every time he comes home from Duke."

"Wait, Duke goes to Duke…?" Stefan tried not to laugh at the absurdity of that.

"Yeah, I know. But there's always tons of beer." He turned back to Klaus. "And the party provides a perfect opportunity."

"The perfect opportunity for what?"

"For you to take out Caroline."

A party? A high school party? These morons thought it would be good for him to take Caroline to a party out by the falls? So far, they were inspiring very little conviction about the level of 'help' they could provide.

"I'll think about it." Klaus had enough of talking to them. He got up and walked out, right in the middle of class.

Stefan and Matt turned to each other while the teacher was still stunned by Klaus's actions.

"And we're in," Matt said, triumphantly.

Tyler met up with Elena in the hallway just after the last bell rang for the day. "Elena, hey."

"Oh, hi Tyler."

"How's it going?"

Elena raised her eyebrow slightly. She had never had a casual conversation like this with Tyler before. Sometimes their parents shoved them together at town functions, but they never willingly spoke with each other.

She shrugged. "It's fine. I'm actually on my way to the library. I have to study."

"Want some company?"

Elena shook her head. "No thanks. Company would defeat the purpose of studying."

"Yea, you're probably right." When Elena didn't respond, he spoke again. "Are you going to the party this Friday night?"

Elena shook her head slightly. "I didn't know there was a party on Friday."

"Yea. It's a Duke party."

"Oh, great. I hope I can show up." Elena smiled at the idea of going to a party with Damon.

"Me, too." Tyler smiled at her. "It'll be boring without you."

Elena laughed, feeling uneasy. "Thanks, Tyler." She quickly walked away before he could say anymore.

That was rather awkward, Tyler.

She went straight to the library, where she met up with Stefan for another tutoring session.

Elena didn't even greet him; she simply started with, "Have you heard about Duke's party?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"I'd really like to go. Have you made any progress with the Klaus-and–Caroline thing?"

Stefan sighed quietly, remembering how easy he thought this would be when he first suggested the idea. "I'm working on it. But so far, she hasn't gone for him. I may need your help."

"With what?"

"With understanding Caroline. What does she like? What does she hate? Where does she hang out? I need more insight into her, in order to get her to go out with this guy."

"Okay…" Elena tapped her fingers against the tabletop as she thought. "Where to start…"

Matt and Stefan approached the door of a dive bar in the town next to Mystic Falls.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Stefan asked, apprehensively.

Mat nodded. "Yea, this is the place."

They tried to walk in, but were stopped by the bouncer.

Klaus was inside, playing pool, when he heard a commotion at the door. He looked up and saw the bouncer about to throw Stefan and Matt out.

"Hey, Lou. It's okay," Klaus told the bouncer. "They're with me."

Lou looked at Klaus, surprised, and then reluctantly let the two enter the bar. They joined Klaus at the pool table; he downed his drink and continued playing pool.

"What do you have for me?" he asked as he lined up his next shot.

Stefan answered. "A little insight into a very complicated woman."

"But I have a question first," Matt said. "Should you be drinking alcohol when you don't have a liver?"

"What?!" Matt asked his question right as Klaus took his shot, so the white ball didn't go anywhere near his target.

"Never mind," Matt said quickly.

"First thing," Stefan said, trying to distract Klaus from Matt's stupid question. "Elena said Caroline goes for pretty guys."

This was met with silence. Klaus looked between Matt and Stefan. They both looked anywhere except at Klaus.

"What?" Klaus raised his arms up at his sides. "You don't think I'm a pretty guy?"

"He's very pretty," Matt said quickly to Stefan. "He's attractive. He's a gorgeous guy."

"I wasn't sure," Stefan said. "I didn't know." He pulled a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket to change the mood. "Okay, likes: popular current music, reality television, and Italian food."

When Stefan didn't continue reading from his 'list,' Klaus suspected those three things were the only items on said list.

Great help you two are.

"So what does that give me? I'm supposed to buy her some pasta and something from the Top 40 and then, what, sit around watching some random guy date ten or twenty women?"

Pass.

"Well, there's that," Matt said. "Or there is another option. She has plans with Bonnie and Elena tomorrow night. You could show up there."

"Where?"

Matt and Stefan exchanged an apprehensive glance before answering Klaus's question.

Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena spent Thursday evening together having a girls' night at Caroline's house. The Forbes house was always the ideal hang-out spot because Caroline's mother was never home; they always had all the privacy they wanted.

Not that the girls were doing anything that required privacy. Tonight they were getting ready to go to the Grill. Once they were done there, they planned to return to the Forbes house to give each other manicures and pedicures.

"That was my mom," Elena said as she hung up her phone. "She wants us to have fun, but she reminds us that tonight is a school night, so we had better not stay out too late."

Bonnie laughed as she touched up her makeup. Caroline merely smiled as she did her hair; she loved Mrs Gilbert, but it sadden her just a bit to think that her own mother would never touch in with Caroline or her friends like that.

Elena eyed Caroline as she used the curling iron.

"Sometimes, I'm incredibly jealous of your blonde hair, Care."

"What?" she asked with a scoff. "You have beautiful, pin-straight chocolate hair. Why would you want my unruly curls?"

She played it off as cool, but Caroline was more stunned than she let on. She had spent much of her life being second choice; everyone always preferred the perfect Elena to the mess-up that was Caroline. Caroline had been friends with Matt Donovan and Elena since they were all quite young children, yet even though Caroline had a big crush on him, it was Elena that he asked out. And even Bonnie chose Elena first; it was always Elena and Bonnie before anything ever became Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline. Always. She was the constant third wheel.

(This stupid 'deal' thing was the first time there has been a Caroline and Elena thing that didn't involve Bonnie.)

Caroline was even second choice to her parents. They didn't choose Elena over her, but they did each choose something else instead of putting their daughter first — Liz threw herself into her career and Bill chose a different life altogether, complete with a different family.

No one ever put Caroline first.

But she tried to be worth of being first; oh gosh, did she try. She defied her dumb blonde stereotype by working hard to become a straight-A honour student and she was captain of the cheer squad, reigning Miss Mystic Falls, and the head of several volunteer and planning committees not just at school, but around the town as well.

But that never mattered to anyone.

They still saw perfection personified in Elena Gilbert.

"Your hair is not unruly, Care," Elena said as she watched Caroline wrap a strand of golden hair around the barrel of the curling iron. "You tame it very well."

"As you do with everything in your life," Bonnie added.

"What does that mean?"

"Just that you always have everything under control. Nothing goes against Caroline Forbes and lives to tell the tale."

Caroline put the hand that wasn't wielding the curling iron onto her hip. "Is that how you see me?"

"That's how everyone sees you. But you could let up a little. Sometimes it does come off as hostile."

"Hostile? I'm not hostile." Caroline shrugged. "I simply know what I want."

Once everyone was ready, Caroline drove them all to the Grill.

Elena spoke up from the back seat. "There's a big party tomorrow night." She was trying to bring the subject up subtly.

"Really?" Bonnie asked. "I hadn't heard about it. Who's throwing it?"

"It's a Duke party, out by the falls."

"Ewh. I'll pass," Caroline said quickly. A Duke party was not something she wanted to attend.

Elena's face fell. If Caroline said 'no' so quickly, there was no way she could ever change her friend's mind. She remained relatively silent for the rest of the quick car ride.

Caroline saw Elena's crestfallen expression in her rear-view mirror. She hated when Elena was sad, but she hated a Duke party even more.

Once Caroline pulled into a parking space at the Grill and turned off her car, she turned in her seat to face both of her friends. "Who's ready for some karaoke fun?" she asked in her sing-songy way as she lightly clapped her hands together. She was excited to spend some time with her best friends, and what was better than karaoke?

Klaus's truck pulled up into the Grill's parking lot just as Bonnie finished singing her first song for karaoke night. Caroline had gone first — her enthusiasm and excitement was nearly palpable. Elena opted to go second — not right after Caroline; they let some other patrons at the Grill participate as well — in an attempt to boost her own spirits after learning that Caroline didn't want to go to Duke's party.

Now that Bonnie had sung, they had fulfilled their agreement: they all had to perform at least once.

But Caroline was excited and wanted to sing again.

"How about a group number?" she asked.

Elena scrunched her nose. "No thanks, Care." Caroline had a beautiful voice, but hers and Bonnie's, not so much. Elena did her friendship duty and performed once; that was her limit.

Bonnie shook her head no as well.

"Fine," Caroline said. "I'll go again. By myself." She smiled at them, letting them know that she was mocking them and being dramatic. Then went up to the stage and chose her song.

She had just finished singing the first verse when Klaus entered the Grill. She didn't see him, and he didn't see her.

He nodded to the bartender as he entered.

"Woah, Mikaelson," the bartender exclaimed. "I never thought I'd see you here on karaoke night."

"Yea, I know. It's not my kind of thing."

"So what brings you by?"

He didn't really want to explain himself — nor did he need to — so he kept his explanation short. "Someone I'm into likes this sort of thing."

The bartender nodded. "Here's a drink to start you off. On the house."

Klaus gladly accepted it.

It was only as he raised the glass to his lips that he realized someone was singing.

Not too bad of a voice. But such a bloody awful song.

He had expected tone-deaf, pitchy screeches when he learned that Caroline and her friends were planning to attend the Grill's karaoke night. This was actually pleasantly surprising to him.

He turned around to lean against the bar and faced the stage. That's when he saw her.

It was Caroline's beautiful voice he was hearing.

He watched her sing, smiling at her joy and her obviously bubbly disposition.

Caroline looked positively radiant. She was gleeful; she looked completely at ease and at home up there on the stage. She had none of her usual 'attitude.' Klaus found himself transfixed by her. And he was most definitely attracted to her.

The harder he stared at her, the more he decided he liked her. She had spirit and a bright fire burning within her.

She finished her song, to a smattering of applause, and returned to her table. Klaus only noticed then that her friends were with her. He knew they would be, but he had been so transfixed with Caroline that he hadn't noticed anyone else.

He sat himself down at the end of the bar, sparing casual glances in Caroline's direction all evening.

Her blonde hair seemed to glow under the regular house lights at the Grill, so he noticed when her golden locks moved more than what was normal for regular conversation with her friends.

Caroline stood. "I'm thirsty. Do you want anything?" she asked her friends.

Elena nodded and Bonnie said, "Yes, please."

Caroline made it to the bar and orders three waters; she couldn't order anything stronger, being the sheriff's daughter an all — the entire town knew she and her friends were underage. The joys of a small town.

Ugh!

While she waited, she looked around and spotted Klaus sitting at the bar a few feet away from where she was standing.

"Shit," Caroline said to herself.

She snuck another glance at Klaus. He was staring at her, but he looked away right as she glanced over at him. She scowled as the bartender handed the three bottles of water to her. She grabbed them and marched over to Klaus's seat, forgetting to pay for them.

"You're not fooling anyone."

Klaus looked up at her with a surprised look on his face. "Hello, love."

"Seriously, what are you, some kind of stalker?"

He sighed internally. "Come now. 'Stalker' seems a bit unfair."

She rolled her eyes. "If you're planning on asking me out again, can you please get it over with so I can go back to my friends and enjoy the rest of the night."

"Excuse me?"

"That's why you're here, right?"

"I'm just here for a drink and the atmosphere." He gestured to the 'atmosphere' around him. "And you're sort of ruining it for me."

Caroline wasn't sure how to respond. Klaus resumed his lean against the bar, making no attempt to hit on her. It caught her by surprise; she knew how to evade or turn down his advances, but she didn't know what to do when he wasn't openly flirting with her.

She stepped closer to him. "You don't seem like the karaoke type."

He shrugged. "I'm not. That's why I'm back here and not vying for a chance to get up on that stage." Klaus locked his gaze with hers. "But you were wonderful, love."

Caroline was completely taken aback.

Had he really heard her sing?

Klaus used the moment to his advantage. He stood and stepped into her; there was only a breath of space between them. He raised his hand and brushed some of her hair back behind her ear.

He leaned in and spoke into her ear. "I watched you up there. I've never seen you look so sexy." Caroline could feel his stubble graze her cheek.

She stepped away, trying to hide the blush that was slowly creeping into her cheeks.

He flashed her his cocky smile. "Come to that party with me tomorrow."

Caroline was having a problem forming a coherent thought. "What?"

The bartender approached them. "You forgot to pay," he said to Caroline.

"I got it," Klaus offered as he tossed some bills on the bar.

Caroline just watched, trying to figure out what his motive was.

Klaus turned back to face her. "Come on. Take a chance, Caroline. I dare you."

Caroline narrowed her eyes at him. "You never give up, do you?" She tried to sound dismissive, but she had to admit to herself that she was intrigued by him. It was as if he knew exactly how to push her buttons. And which buttons to press. She scoffed and rolled her eyes as she took a step back, creating more distance between them.

"Was that a yes?"

"No." Caroline turned and began walking back to her friends.

"Well then, was that a no?"

"No," she called over her shoulder.

He had to raise his voice now. "I'll see you at 9 o'clock, Caroline."

She merely waved her hand in his direction as she walked away. She gave him one last glance before she slipped into the crowd and made her way back to Elena and Bonnie.

Klaus smiled before bringing the glass up to his lips; she hadn't said 'no' this time.

When Caroline returned to the table, Elena leaned over to speak with her. "Who were you talking to, Care?"

Truthfully, Elena had been watching Caroline very intently since she left the table; she had told Stefan about their plans to come here tonight, so it seemed likely that Klaus would show up too.

"Ugh," Caroline groaned. "Klaus Mikaelson."

"Really?" Bonnie spoke up. "He's here?" Bonnie craned her neck, looking around for him. When she couldn't spot him, she turned back to her friends. "He was gone from school for nearly the whole year last year. I heard he was doing porn movies."

Elena laughed; she hadn't heard that rumour before.

Caroline scoffed. "I'm sure he's completely incapable of doing anything that interesting."