How could I write a fic without including Caroline's perspective from time to time? This is her turn.

Sterolineshipper: Yeah, the Matt thing... I actually like Matt as a character, but he was not right for Caroline. Maybe it was a the timing. Still better boyfriend than Tyler though.

Now, on the question some have been asking, is Caroline going to turn into a vampire? A lot of things depend on this, and for the moment I'm undecided. What do you think?


The way you move is like a full on rainstorm
And I'm a house of cards
You're the kind of reckless that should send me running
But I kinda know that I won't get far

And you stood there in front of me just
Close enough to touch
Close enough to hope you couldn't see
What I was thinking of

Taylor Swift, "Sparks fly"


5. The simple intimacy of the near touch.

Her dad at least has the decency to keep his thoughts to himself when she fails to attend his step-daughter's birthday (after all, he didn't visit when it was her birthday, and she is his real daughter). He even asks if she's okay, but just like when her mom did, it feels almost as an afterthought. Until now, there's only one person who sounded genuine when asking for her well-being.

In a moment like this, she should be supporting Matt and not silently counting every person who is insensitive to her feelings, and she has done her best to be the supportive girlfriend. The only reason she's here is because she finally realized she was being more of a burden to Matt than anything else. His mom hates her, and although Caroline has her own opinion about Kelly Donovan and her shitty parenting, she's still Matt's mom and the only one who can understand what he is going through. Caroline sucks at situations that involve grief and mourning and death in general.

But Elena, Elena is the sensitive friend Matt needs. Even if it breaks her heart to admit it.

It's always been there, the uncomfortable feeling of being second best to Elena Gilbert, now amplified due to the fact she's dating her friend's ex boyfriend. Then Elena and Stefan, the school's perfect couple since day one, broke up and she had to endure Matt glancing at Elena when he thought no one was looking.

Isn't it funny? She's pretty, and smart, and has everything in her hands to be somebody in a town full of nobodies. And yet, she's so desperate for a bit of affection and recognition from this one person who treated her kindly when no one else did. Maybe anyone else in her position would scoff at this ridiculous situation and end things already, but he says he wants to be with her and Caroline isn't the type to abandon a relationship just because it's hard for her.

So here she is, sitting at her usual spot in the Grill, because if she's going to lose the pageant anyway (after working so hard for it) then she doesn't have to worry about fitting into her dress anymore.

It's obvious Elena's going to get it.

Now she can't even say aloud how unfair that is because, according to Bonnie, that's not sensitive. Sure, Bonnie thinks it is just a childish competition, and Elena doesn't even want it but will do it because her mom wants her to. But Caroline has worked so hard for it, and it doesn't even matter.

"Do you mind if I sit with you"

She raises her head to see Stefan, who is smiling at her.

"Oh, hi!" She smiles back. "What brings you here all alone?"

"I could be asking the same. You were lost in thought just now."

She shrugs it off. "I was just thinking about the pageant, at the Founder's court. You are attending too, right? As a member of a founding family, you have to."

"I think Damon got me covered."

Caroline likes Stefan, even though the first time they met she shot herself in the foot with a stupid crush and when he rejected her it hurt so had that she went ahead to make the biggest mistake of her life until the moment, also known as Damon Salvatore.

But that was all forgotten when he and Elena started dating, so Caroline moved past it. Since then, he'd been nice and attentive, but she didn't think of Stefan as a friend until recently. Perhaps it's just his personality but these days it feels like he cares more than any of her other friends and it also makes it easier to sympathize with him.

It doesn't matter that he and Elena are no longer together, it must hurt to know she's got Damon as her escort. It has some importance, the person you choose to lead you to the dance floor. Of course, she's going with Matt, so what does it say about Elena and Damon if they are going together?

So she doesn't insist on the Founder's court.

"So, what did you do this weekend? Memorizing another classical novel?"

One time in English class, he recited a whole passage of the Great Gatsby by heart.

"You're not going to let that go, are you?"

Bonnie arrives right then, and raises an eyebrow before sitting with them. She does not approve of Caroline getting along with Stefan, but it's exactly for these reasons (Bonnie playing favorites) that she needs other friends.


"I'm sorry, Care. I didn't get permission to go… so I won't make it today."

Matt tells her this the morning of the pageant, and where is she going to get an escort in just a few hours?

Carol Lockwood gets one of her nephews to help, and she is grateful for it, she really is, but the guy just looks so dull and she can't help but compare herself to Elena again (Damon is an ass and she hates the way he treated her, but no one can deny he looks the part).

"Maybe I can help, too."

"Stefan?"

Every time he appears so unexpectedly in a convenient moment, she can't help but question how it is that he has such good timing. He even explains himself before she asks him herself.

"I was a bit curious about these things so I was just passing by, but if I can be of help…"

"A Salvatore. And such a good-looking young man." Ms. Lockwood smiles at Caroline. "Isn't this a good thing, dear?"

It's not. Her friends are not going to like this. However, what's the dull Lockwood with the forgettable name compared to Stefan Salvatore dressed in a suit?

She smiles.

"So you're my savior, uh?"

"This is what friends are for."

When she and Elena are standing above the balcony later and her friend notices, the inquiry comes right after.

"What happened to Matt?"

"They wouldn't let him out of work. So… Stefan just happened to be around, and he offered to fill in."

All day she'd been thinking of a way to make it up to Elena for being the shallow friend who wanted her to quit, and had even prepared a speech asking for understanding and apologizing if necessary, but all of that is thrown out of the window because nothing can save her from Elena's furrowing eyes and the accusatory look in her face.

"Did it really have to be him?"

"Listen, Stefan is my friend too, if he offered to help, why would I say no?"

It's not as if she's done something bad.

"Miss Caroline Forbes and her escort Stefan Salvatore."


Caroline is so nervous as she descends the stairs that she's afraid that, in spite of all that practice, she's going to forget the steps. All she can feel is her friends' stares on her back, up to the moment her hand touches Stefan's. Then the anxiety fades away as if it was nothing in the first place, as if this is the most natural thing in the world.

He is a good dance partner, graceful and always keeping his gaze on her, the lightest of the smiles on his face. For the first time she can actually look him in the eyes for long enough to take note of the deep forest green of his eyes.

"For someone who doesn't like to dance, you do it quite well."

"It's because I have a good partner."

She has a boyfriend and her heart shouldn't skip a beat because of a guy who's just broken up with her friend not long ago. Stefan is off-limits.

She shouldn't even be having these thoughts.

What kind of horrible person is she?

Even though she's on the moon when they announce she's the winner and the new Miss Mystic Falls, there's this thorn buried in her heart.