The Change of Caroline Forbes
Summary: Everyone saw how catty and bitchy Caroline was to Elena in the Awakening-but why is she
this way? This is the story of Caroline's change...up to the Awakening
It was kindergarten when Caroline first made friends with them, the gang. Her best friends.
Caroline was a lot more shy, and didn't expect to make friends so quickly. But soon after they came to get their juice box, a blonde-haired girl went to join her.
"Hi. Can I sit with you?" the girl asked.
She nodded.
From then on, Caroline found everything about her. That her name is Elena, that she is a only child, and how excited she was to make new friends. It didn't take long for Caroline to be fond of her; to think of
her as a friend.
It wasn't long after that two other girls joined the group. One girl was named Bonnie and the other Meredith. They became friends with Bonnie easily, since she seemed to already like Elena. Even in
grade school, however...Meredith was hard to read. Some days she seemed to like them, other days
she was quiet and distant. But once a bully tried snatching her lunch from her, that's when their group
truly formed.
"Give it back." Meredith's voice was quiet but Caroline could tell by her eyes she was trying not to
cry.
The bully just shook his head and held it up in the air. Caroline wasn't sure what to do then. She wasn't
the type to voice her thoughts, so saying something seemed risky. Going to the teacher was just going
to label her as a snitch. So she stayed quiet.
Luckily Elena came at the right moment. She seemed to know exactly what to do and what to say. "Give it back or I'll tell the teacher."
"Nuh uh. Or I'll tell everyone you're a snitch."
Elena just rolled her eyes and screamed. "Mrs. Jones! Mrs. Jones! Tyler stole Meredith's lunch box."
The teacher came and everything got sorted out.
"Thanks." said Meredith.
Elena smiled. "No problem. We saved a seat if you wanna join us."
That day was a lot of firsts for Caroline.
But the most important one-was that-this was the first time Caroline was envious of Elena Gilbert.
It was middle school when Elena and Caroline began their rivalry. Caroline was more confident then she used to be. So she expected to be better. After all, Elena got to be best in grade school. Why couldn't Caroline have this?
But it wasn't meant to be, as she found out. If Caroline got a cute haircut then Elena got a even cuter haircut. If Caroline had a new outfit then Elena had millions of new outfits. On friendships it was even worse. Caroline couldn't count how many times she tried being closer to Bonnie or Meredith. But they liked Elena more.
Everybody liked Elena more. She had teachers wrapped around her finger and never got in trouble with them. Boys seemed to worship her-even Matt Honeycutt. That made Caroline feel worse since she liked Matt.
But fate was against her-as it always was...
"Hey. Um. Elena. I was wondering if you could read this." said Matt.
Elena smiled. "Yeah. Sure." They watched as Matt walked away and waved. Elena waved back until he left and read the note aloud.
Hey. I just wanted you to know I think you are pretty and real nice. I was too scared to ask you out for real...so will you go out with me?
YES NO
Elena blushed while Bonnie squealed.
"Say yes, say yes!"
Meredith grinned. "Well, are you gonna say yes or no? Matt is real cute."
Caroline was boiling up in anger inside. But she didn't want her pride to be shot by telling them she liked Matt. So Caroline put on a encouraging smile.
Elena laughed. "Aaron already asked me and I said yes."
A part of her felt relief but another was reeking in resentment.
Elena got to have everything...
Why couldn't Caroline have one thing?
As soon as Caroline got home, she ran into her room and cried into her pillow.
It was ninth grade when Elena became the unofficial Queen Bee. It was unsurprising to Caroline, but instead of keeping it inside she vented to Meredith.
"Why does Elena get everything, Mer? I try so hard..."she said. Her voice was scratchy and there were tears in her eyes.
Meredith, as always, went for the logical approach. "Elena just has that personality. It isn't as if you aren't lovable. You are. But Elena has just got that something we don't."
Caroline understood her point. But it didn't make her resentment and anger lessen a bit. "How do I get that? I want that."
"Then do your hardest to be the best person you can be. If you feel that's Elena then I'll support you. But me, Bonnie, and Meredith like you just the way you are."
That's when Caroline's change began.
It was little changes at first.
Slightly different posture; the way she carried herself. It made Caroline gain more popularity, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough.
So Caroline began getting catty. She flirted with Elena's boyfriends when neither she or her friends were around. After all, if Elena can get any guy then it shouldn't be a problem. As usual, however, it didn't work.
"Car, I'm sorry. But I like Elena." said Harry, Elena's current conquest.
Caroline was disappointed. But she hid that with a pout. "Okay. But if you ever get bored of Elena...
I'm here."
Ha. As if anyone ever gets bored of her. It's the other way around, she thought.
Eventually Caroline got guilty. So she went to her mother.
"It's like this. Elena gets everything she wants. I don't. I'm second best. I didn't want to be so I tried to be like Elena. But it didn't work. So what should I do? Should I even be doing this stuff to her?" Her cat-like eyes pleaded with her mother.
Her mother looked at her and sighed. "Honey, I was in the same situation when I was a teenager. Except I was the Elena. Now I don't want you to ruin your friendship over this. If you feel insecure about this stuff, tell her. I'm sure Elena doesn't mean any harm."
Caroline nodded. "Yes, mother. But may I ask a question?" If her mother was the Queen Bee of her class...that must mean she knows how Elena gets everything.
"Go on."
Caroline hesitated before saying, "How did you and Elena become the people you are? Like, popular and loved by everybody?"
Her mother thought for a few minutes before replying, "It's simple sweetie. We go after what we want."
Caroline finally decided to take her mother's advice a few weeks later.
"Hey Elena. Can I talk to you?" she asked.
Elena nodded before giving the girls and Harry the signal to leave them alone. "What's up Car? Do
you need me to get Tyler and Dick for giving you a hard time? Or is it a boy?" Her voice rang in excitement after the latter.
The guilt set in. Elena was such a good friend to her and here she had basically flirted with all of her conquests. Even if Elena didn't like the guy much, it still wasn't right for to do that.
Caroline hesitated. Should she say it?
Elena gave her a encouraging smile and she took a deep breath. Here goes nothing...
"I been jealous of you. It seemed like everybody likes you and I'm, like, second best. Bonnie and Meredith like you better. The guys like you better. It just hurts me and I don't want to ruin our friendship because I'm jealous." Caroline figured it was best to leave out that she flirted with Harry.
Elena's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm so so sorry, Car. I swear to God it wasn't intentional."
Caroline smiled. "I know. But look at you. It's no wonder everybody likes you better. You are so pretty and assertive."
"You are gorgeous. I don't know anybody who has that natural shade of red-even Bonnie. Plus you are so fun and fashionable. It's their loss if they don't like you more." said Elena.
Elena looped her arms through Caroline's and made their way to the group.
Caroline thought everything from that point would be good. Elena knew about her insecurites and it seemed like she understood.
But things went turn for the worse.
Elena's parents died and she seemed to turn into a different person. Gone was the girl that thought about everyone. Now she was a Ice Queen.
"I'm thinking about asking Cory out. You don't mind, do you Bon?"
Bonnie has liked Cory for a few weeks now. She had gushed about it, talked about the day she would finally get the courage to ask him out. Of course she would mind. Caroline expected her to voice that.
But all she said was, "No..it's okay."
Caroline didn't believe that. So after English Lit, Caroline went over to Bonnie's locker. She didn't find her though so she went to the bathroom.
Bonnie looked like a mess. Her eyes were shot and any trace of her girlishness was gone.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Bonnie shook her head as she sniffed. "No."
Thinking Bonnie wouldn't talk when there was a chance people could hear them, she grabbed Bonnie's hand and took her to the cemetery. It was a notorious skipping place.
A few minutes later and Bonnie was pouring out all her feelings. How Bonnie had always envied Elena; how she seemed to say the right. Bonnie even traced it to their looks-about how beautiful Elena was compared to her.
"I know how you feel." said Caroline.
Bonnie's eyes widened. "Really? But you are just as confident as Elena. I thought the stuff never bothered you..."
Laughing, she said, "Of course it does. But I hide it."
From that point on they became close. It wasn't BonnieElenaMeredith anymore but CarolineBonnie and ElenaMeredith. It felt good. For once Caroline didn't envy Elena. She had Bonnie as her best friend; Elena didn't.
But it still made her angry when Elena continued to steal any boys they liked. What made her so entitled to have everything? It wasn't right. Caroline tried to talk about putting Elena in her place to Bonnie and Meredith. But they didn't want to hear it.
"Her parents died. This is just her way of acting out." said Bonnie.
Meredith shrugged. "She'll grow up. Just give it time."
Caroline tried to give it time. But once Elena went after Matt, the final straw was drawn.
"Me and Matt are going on a date. You don't mind, do you Car?"
Nasty thoughts streamed through her head. How Elena was loose; a slut. That she was a vindictive whore.
Caroline faked a smile. "Of course not. Go after him."
No more Ms. Nice Girl.
It was the summer before senior year that Caroline completed the change.
She made her clothing sexier, more revealing. Her makeup changed from natural to dark. The previous attitude Caroline had back but with a upgrade.
Caroline was going to make a new group of friends; ones that was going to worship the ground she walks on. If Bonnie comes with her group that's great. If she doesn't, well, that's her loss. As for Meredith? Caroline knew she wouldn't leave Elena.
Not long later Caroline walked up to a girl named Erin.
"You're Erin right?" she asked confidently.
Erin nodded. "Yeah."
Just like that she made a new friend. Then another..and another...
Caroline didn't need Elena.
Everyone was back for the school year. Groups were together; the dorks with the dorks. The jerks were with the jerks except with a new addition. Vicki Donovan. And Caroline was in her rightful place; the popular people.
"And he said 'Caroline, you are so hot. Come on a date with me?" she boasted.
Bonnie, Elena, and Meredith were in the center talking in the center. In the corner of her eye Caroline could see Bonnie looking at her in confusion.
"Why are you over there? Come over here." mouthed Bonnie.
Caroline shook her head, mouthing, "I'll explain later."
She smirked.
Watch out Robert. E. Lee, there is a new Queen in town.
Thank you for reading! I know Caroline isn't a popular character and I could see why, but I wanted to give her depth.
I hope you like it! Please give some feedback