Glad all of you liked it :]

Big thanks to Layla55 for all her support.

If it wouldn't be too much, go on my profile and vote on my poll of who I should write a one-shot for next. Only if you watch Glee, Gossip Girl, or The Vampire Diaries [duh]

there's always something in the way
there's always something getting through
but it's not me, it's you
you, switchfoot

"Care!"

She turned immediately, scanning her eyes through the frenzied crowd to see who called her name, and smiled when she spotted Bonnie, holding up a finger before turning back to the freshman with an internal sigh.

"Listen...what was your name again - you know what, that's irrelevant. It's not that hard. Just take the sponge, fill it with soap and water, and wash the next car in your station," she ordered, a small dose of guilt making its way through her at the girl's intimidated expression. "Do you understand?" she asked the petite brunette, trying to use a softer tone, but it still came out sounding obnoxious and cruel.

Kara - there you go! - nodded, her posture straightening a bit the more she backed away from Caroline.

"Shit," she cursed, taking a deep breath. Remembering Bonnie, she turned around, but was surprised to instead find Stefan standing behind her. Her eyebrows raised in surprise, a grin stretching her lips apart almost instantly. "Hey, glad you came to support Mystic Falls High's insistence on clean cars."

His eyebrows furrowed despite the small smile on his face. "Now you are a complete different girl than the one I just saw a couple of seconds ago," he told her, and she internally winced at the note of disappointment in his voice.

"You saw that?" she asked, crossing her arms across her chest and growing more self-conscious by the second as he nodded, his eyes discreetly demanding an explanation. She gave a one-shouldered shrug, her smile dispersing as she tried to come up with a plausible answer that wouldn't make her look more like an idiot than she already did. Caroline deduced in her head that out of everyone she knew, Stefan was probably the only one who hadn't seen how she acted towards people that weren't her friends.

"Look Stefan, I don't want to come off as a cold-hearted bitch," she started. "But...it makes me...feel...safer, you know? Like, people will take me seriously if I act like that. Does that even make sense?"

He let out a small chuckle and gave a slight nod, and she in turn let out a relieved sigh. "It kind of does. Only because I know you aren't really like that."

"Thank you. Don't go spreading around the news that I'm actually nice though," she warned.

"Of course. Wouldn't want a mutiny to start."

She laughed, and he started laughing too, relishing the pure delight in her eyes that wasn't always there and she committed the sound of his laughter to a memory, because it was the first time she heard it. After the laughter died down, she realized she'd never really seen Stefan without Elena. "Where's Elena?" she inquired.

"Talking to Bonnie," he answered and she peered around his body to find Elena and Bonnie conversing. "We should head over there," he continued.

She nodded half-heartedly. "Let's."

"One more thing, Caroline. Are you doing okay?"

She gave him a small smile as they started walking towards her best friends. "I am. But I'm sure I wouldn't be if it wasn't for you. I honestly don't know how I will ever repay you, Stefan."

"And I don't know how many times I'm going to have to tell you not to worry about it."

"We'll see," she allowed, and he raised an eyebrow. "I'll give you a free pass since we don't know each other very well yet, but here's one thing about me; I am possibly the most stubborn person you are likely to meet," she informed him.

"Are you forgetting that Damon is my brother?" he countered.

"Touche."

"Hey, Care. Hey, you." Elena quickly grinned when she caught sight of Stefan and he more than happily returned it, leaning down so she could give him a quick peck on the lips. Caroline tried to hide how...uncomfortable she seemed to be.

(Uncomfortable, not jealous. Because jealous would require feelings. So yeah, Caroline wanted a guy like Stefan. That didn't mean she wanted the Stefan. Because he belonged to Elena. She would be crazy to desire something so irrational. Something that couldn't happen. Not even if she wanted it to - which she didn't.)

Bonnie rolled her eyes, grabbing a hold of Caroline's arms as she started dragging her away, knocking aforementioned blonde out of her conflicting reverie.

"Let's give the lovebirds some alone-time and go get a drink." When they were at the concession stand on the other side of the yard, Bonnie turned to her. "What the hell happened to you last night?"

Caroline furrowed her eyebrows.

"I went looking for you so we could leave Tyler's party and I couldn't find you anywhere. When I checked outside, your car was gone."

That reminded her.

"My car is still at the Mystic Grill! Dammit." She refocused her attention on Bonnie. "I'm so sorry. Did you get home okay?"

She nodded. "I hitched a ride to Elena's place with Matt. But seriously, Caroline. I was so worried that I called Elena, and then she was so worried that she had Stefan look for you all over the place." Caroline smiled at the mention of her savior. "We were so relieved when Stefan called and said he'd found you and got you home safe. What were you doing at the Mystic Grill anyways?"

Caroline couldn't resist the urge to chuckle. "Enough with the third degree, Bonnie." Her smile disappeared at the reminder of the original reason for being at the bar. "Well, I was having an amazing time at Tyler's party, but then I just turned around and there's Matt, kissing another girl. A week after breaking up with me, after being together for a fucking year," she explained.

Bonnie gaped, reaching her arms up and embracing Caroline. "I'm sorry, Care. He must've been drunk," she tried to reason.

She gave a wry chuckle and willed her tear ducts to stay at bay. "You just said he drove you to Elena's. If he was sober enough to do that, then he knew perfectly well what he was doing." She averted her eyes. "Thanks for trying to make me feel better, though."

Bonnie gave her a half-smile. "You deserve so much better. I hope you know that." Her green eyes were sincere, and Caroline found herself smiling at her, unable to stay sad for long with a friend like Bonnie.

"Did you just use your witchcraft on me or something? Because I feel so much better now."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, but the grin on her face betrayed the supposed annoyance she was trying to portray. "Very funny."

Caroline shrugged playfully. "I try."

Across the yard, Stefan's eyebrows furrowed, having heard the entire exchange, five words flashing like a neon sign in the younger Salvatore's head.

Matt is a dead man.

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