The rest of Caroline's day went by in a blur. She didn't have anymore confrontations in the hallway with Klaus and for that she was eternally grateful to whatever high power there was. She had so much planning to do for this dance and papers to grade. The last thing she needed was Klaus getting in her way.
She tried to remember why she volunteered to help in this dance. Yes, she was around when the 60's, that were in full swing, and she knew what music and style wasneeded, but if she had known that she was going to have the week like she had so far, she would've never signed up for it.
Smooth move Forbes.
Caroline started to make her way out to the school yard when she heard a fight starting. Jeremy Gilbert and Tyler Lockwood were at it again. Ever since Jeremy's parents had died he had started to fall behind in his studies and was constantly getting into fights. Tyler Lockwood was Tyler Lockwood: arrogant, self-absorbed football player who came to school for booze and girls. He was also the Mayor's son, which made him feel superior to the other kids. Especially Jeremy.
Caroline heard what was being said. Something about a Vicki and 'If you hurt her again, I will kill you'. Pretty violent. She had to get over there before someone really got killed. When Caroline got over there she found Tyler on top of Jeremy punching him in the face. She tried to break them apart, but there was no use. She could not use her Vampire strength. How strange would that look? A young woman throwing a huge football player to the ground and pulling up a very built young man. All she could do was holler at them to stopbut it wasn't working.
Then suddenly a man ran over and grabbed Tyler off of Jeremy and yanked Jeremy onto his feet. Tyler looked at him and tried to start explaining himself, but the man cut him off saying, "I don't want to hear it! Now, both of you, get to whatever classroom you're supposed to be in.Now." And Tyler and Jeremy made their way into the school, throwing hateful looks at each other.
After the rest of the students dissipated into the school, Caroline spoke to the man and said, "Thanks for swooping in like that. You came just in time too."
He had dark hair with tanned skin and a very nice smile. She hadn't seen him around here before. "Oh, no problem. Someone had to step in before they ripped each other apart."
"Well, thanks again. I'm Caroline. I teach here," she said with her hand extended.
The man took it and said, "I'm Mason. Mason Lockwood."
So that's why they look similar.
"You're Mayor Lockwood's younger brother?"
"Yes, maam. Though that's not what I'm known for," he said with a grin.
Caroline laughed with him for a moment then realized she had a class to teach. "Well I'd better get going. Thanks again, Mason," Caroline said moving towards the school biulding.
"You're welcome. Nice to meet you, Caroline."
"You too, Mason," she turned to him and smiled, then walked into the school.
X
Jeremy had been sent to the nurse with a busted nose and Tyler left the fight without a scratch. He showed no mercy during his fight with Jeremy. Tyler had all of this rage inside of him and he didn't know why. He was always the bully in school, but he never wanted to pound someone's face into the ground. Literally, to the ground.
His dad was a lot like him in that way. Not violent with his hands but his mannerisms. The way he spoke to Tyler when he was mad at him. Tyler never did anything right in his father's eyes. Maybe that was the reason why he was the way he was.
Part of Tyler was happy his Uncle Mason had jumped in when he did. Jeremy was a pain, but Tyler didn't want to cause anything worse than a busted nose. He blacked out whenever he got violent and had no control.
And he hated feeling powerless.
X
Caroline finished her last class for the day and made her way to her car. She was ready for a blood bag, a hot shower, and sleep. She was going to have long day tomorrow with school and decorating for the dance and making sure chaperones were in place and during all that time keeping a close eye on Elena. When she finally got to her car, she thought it was weird he hadn't shown up yet. Of course he had to go and check on her.
"Nice night, isn't it?" Klaus said. Since their little 'spat' in the hallway in the morning, he had let Caroline alone. She seemed busy anyways and he didn't want to bother her anymore than he already had. But he couldn't help it.
Caroline huffed and said, "Well it was. Nice nights are often spoiled by unwanted company."
"Oh don't be angry, love. We had a little spat. I'm over it already," Klaus said. He was a bit taken aback by Caroline's response to his harmless greeting. He wasn't insulting her, why was she being rude to him?
"Oh well I'm not," Caroline really wasn't. The fact that he would kill someone just because she didn't feel like going to a dance with him was completely ridiculous and cruel. But this is Klaus we're talking about. Ridiculous and cruel were attached to his DNA as the stereotype that said that Americans only ate hamburgers. It was fake, but people couldn't shake it out of their heads.
"How can I acquit myself?" Klaus wanted to know what he could do to make up for their argument. He would never admit he was wrong, but in Caroline's case, he'd move mountains to get her to forgive him.
She finally turned to look at him and said, "You and your threats and your invitations to dances, can leave me alone." He looked at her with a bit of hurt in his eyes. He may be in Alaric's body but his expressions and emotions were all Klaus'.
"Oh, come on. Take a chance Caroline. Who knows? You may actually have fun on Friday night." Caroline scoffed at him as if the idea of having fun with him was unbelievable. "I dare you."
That was it.
Caroline would never turn down a good dare.
"With one condition. You do nothing to sabotage the dance, my students or anything else that goes on." Klaus looked at her for a moment and took in her beauty. The sunset shining on her face made her look radiant. More radiant than she already was.
It was her impatient look that awoke him from her trance. "Agreed. I'll see you tomorrow, Caroline." And with that Klaus walked away with a huge grin on his face. He was going on a date with Caroline. But Klaus wouldn't be Klaus if he didn't have a plan in the had a lot to plan.
Caroline got into her car trying to replay what she had just agreed to. She had said 'yes' this morning, but after he accused her of having something going on with Elijah she had decided against it. Oh wait, Elijah! She had forgotten he was staying with her. She hoped Elijah had some dinner cooked when she got there. And knowing Elijah, he surely did.
X
Mason had picked up Tyler from school that day. He didn't expect to break up Tyler from a fight though. He was afraid Tyler would go too far and something would happen. Something that would never be reversed, something that couldn't be helped, something he wasn't expecting to find when he came back to Mystic Falls for a quick visit with his brother and favorite nephew for the weekend. Mason remembered the day it happened to him.
He was out on a joy ride after graduation. He really wasn't too drunk, but drunk enough to feel a buzz. The buzz that blinded you on the road. A buzz you shouldn't hear while driving. Mason didn't see that man walking in front of him, so even if he tried not to, Mason hit him in the instant. Mason felt his heart race and his vision become clear. Clearer than ever. Almost like he could see in the dark. And from that night, everything changed.
That was seven years ago.
The whole way home from school, Tyler kept quiet. Hewas provably expecting Mason to yell at him, but Mason knew he got that enough from his dad. They were getting ready to turn on the path that led to Lockwood property, but Mason just kept on going. "Uncle Mason, we missed the turn," Tyler said. "Yeah, I know. I'm taking you somewhere we can talk. Just you and me," Mason replied. He wouldn't yell or scream at him. He'd do what his dad never did. Talk to him like a seventeen year-old boy who had no idea what he truly was.
After driving for a few more minutes, Mason stopped at the edge of the woods. "Come on, let's go for a walk," Mason said as he got out of the car. Tyler followed suit and started walking with him. "I want to talk to you about what happened today. You and that kid really hate each other huh?"
Tyler didn't answer. He didn't hate Jeremy, he just really really didn't like him.
"Tyler, you can't constantly be getting into fights at school. It's does no good for you or anyone else."
"I can't help it. Sometimes I just get so angry and the next thing I know is that I'm punching them and blood is everywhere. I just sort of... black out." Tyler had paused before saying black out, obviously it didn't happen a lot if the boy didn't even know how to describe it.
Mason thought on this for a second. He remembered when he would feel those urges to hurt someone and blacking out completely in anger. "Tyler, I know it's hard. But you need to have more control. Even if you feel like you can't help it, just breathe and walk away. Because based on what I saw today, you could have lost it completely and something worse could have happen, worse than a bloody nose on a boy."
Tyler looked away from Mason. He knew that he needed to learn control, but hearing it from his uncle hurt. Tyler did not like to be seen as weak, especially by someone he really cared about.
"I know. I'll try to have more control. Please don't tell my father about what happened," Tyler pleaded. He didn't want to face the wrath of his father. Mayor Lockwood was exactly that. The Mayor. Not 'dad.'
"I won't, Tyler. Now come on, let's get home. I hope your mom's cooking something really good for dinner," and together they walked out of the woods.
Sometimes man-to-man time was needed.
X
Caroline pulled up to her driveway smelling the aroma of food. Elijah had cooked for her again. Oh, What a sweet man. He really didn't have to do anything for her, but he was such a gentleman so he did it anyways. Hopefully he would stick around. She walked in the door and saw Elijah setting the table. He had flowers in a vase as a centerpiece and was using Caroline's best china.
He really went all out with this one.
"Ah, Caroline. Welcome home! I trust your day went well?" Elijah said as he took Caroline's coat.
Caroline wanted to tell him exactly how her day explain him about her run in with Klaus, about the fight in the school yard, about the fact that she had so much planning to do in regards to the dance.
But she couldn't.
She promised she wouldn't tell anyone about Klaus so all she could say was, "it went well. How was your day?"
Elijah could tell she was avoiding the actual question. But she didn't need to know that he could read her that well. "Oh fine. Just went and got some fresh clothes and got some things for dinner. Now, why don't you go freshen up and when you come back, dinner will be ready."
Caroline smiled "Elijah you really didn't have to."
"Nonsense, you're letting me stay in your home, the least I can do is make you a proper meal. And I know I don't have to, that's part of why I want to do it."
Caroline just looked at him. Why did Elijah have to beso good to her? She didn't deserve him at all. "Okay, I'll go wash up," she said and started walking towards her room, she turned around. "Elijah," he turned around to face her, "I hope you plan on staying a while. I could get used to all of this cooking,Caroline said with a grin.
Elijah just laughed and walked back into the kitchen wondering how he lasted so long without his best friend by his side. Little did he know Caroline was thinking the same thing.
HERE IT IS! chapter 21! I hope it was worth the wait! im sorry it's taken me so long but with school and work and life in general it's taken a while so thank you for your patience! Also thank you to my magnificent beta: RoseJeanBlack. Without you this story is simply words and I couldn't have gotten this far without you :)
please review and follow! Thank you my lovelies ;)