Chapter 7

Elena was beyond furious when she stomped back into the Salvatore house. The both of them were making it as if she was the cause for the problems in their lives. She certainly hadn't been the one to chase Tyler off and it was all Caroline's fault that Stefan even knew about her and Damon sleeping together. She had wanted to be gentle about the whole thing and break the ice slowly to him – but no Caroline as usual had to interfere and stick her nose in her business. Caroline was supposed to be one of her best friends, but she didn't seem to care about her or her well-being.

Damon chose the wrong moment to walk in on Elena while she was musing around in her own head.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he moved closer towards Elena.

However Elena was having none of it.

"Don't come any closer alright." She moved further away from him.

Damon was genuinely confused at the other vampire's strange behavior. He understood a hundred percent that a newly vampires emotions were like a pimply skinny teen on steroids. Unpredictable. Hell, she was acting even more erratic than Stefan had been in his ripper days and that was saying something. He couldn't help but wonder if the sire bond was a consequence of her emotions or was she having second doubts about their relationship? After all they hadn't established anything or even defined what was going on between them. It had mostly been physical and Damon had no complaints there but the sensitive and emotional man inside him longed for her to say that she was a hundred percent devoted to him and him alone.

Stefan was gripping the steering wheel with such a tight grip that Caroline was afraid that he was going to rip the thing into shreds. But she knew it was better not to say anything, sometimes a person needed to focus on the anger simply to carry on breathing.

"This is so gloom and doom." She broke the silence as she reached for the advanced radio that was fitted into the classic car's dash. She flicked through the radio stations determined to find something suitable to listen to.

"Adele is gloom and doom?" Stefan answered as he flickered his glance towards the blonde.

"Yes. I'm not in the mood to listen to all this sad and emotional shit." She said annoyed.

"Well you have changed the radio station at least fifty times already in the last hour alone."

Caroline continued to fiddle with the buttons and knobs. Her face was scrunched up in aggravation and concentration as she tried to find a light hearted station that wasn't designed to make you feel like driving over the bridge because you realized that you're all alone and that your life has no purpose.

"Well these radio stations suck!"

Stefan gestured towards the glove compartment, "Check in there. I might have some cds that you might like."

Caroline opened the glove compartment and was gob smacked when an avalanche of cd's proceeded to fall out. She cast a curious gaze towards Stefan, but he didn't seem too phased about the mess that she had created. She leaned down and glanced at a few of the covers. His music tastes were off the scale – he seemed to like a lot of everything. She was more than surprised when she happened upon a few cds that she herself had lying around in her bedroom at home. Perhaps they had more in common than she realized.

A cd case marked Stefan's favorites caught her eye and she grinned cunningly as she held it out towards him.

"Your mix tape?"

"I'm pretty sure you won't like that cd. I have some bubble gum pop songs somewhere in there." He nodded his head at her.

A few seconds later he received a slap at the back of his head. He lost control of the vehicle for a split second but he was able to at the last minute, pull the car back into the proper alignment of the road.

"What the hell Caroline?" Stefan sounded out of his breath as he turned to look at her.

"I might be blonde but I do not fit the stereotype of your average Californian blonde." Glaring at him she placed the cd into the CD player.

Don't you forget about me by simple minds blasted through the stereo? Caroline couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face.

"I love this song!" She shouted out enthusiastically.

Stefan couldn't help but feel ashamed for his previous comment. Caroline had a way of surprising him all the time, he had a rather bad habit of second guessing her. A grin broke out on his face as he watched the blonde beside him bobbing her head in time to the music. She had slipped her huge shades over her eyes as she moved her body around in the small contained space of the coupe, somewhat dancing and singing along with the words.

"This is a good song." He agreed as he himself couldn't help but tap his fingers on the steering wheel in time with the beat of the song.

"I always wanted to dance to this at the prom. It's such a good feel song."

"I saw them live once with Lexi. I had to drag her wasted body out of the venue before she compelled the lead singer to do another encore." He chuckled at the memory. God he missed Lexi sometimes. She was like his sister/brother all in one go.

"Lucky bastard but this song totally sums up how you're supposed to feel." She answered.

"I don't follow." Stefan asked curiously.

Caroline shrugged her shoulders, almost as if she was coming to terms with some inner philosophical reason.

"You don't want someone to forget about you." She half whispered out as she thought about her failed relationships, her current status with Tyler and the distinct possibility that she could easily be forgotten.

Stefan sensed the blonde's sudden discomfort. He knew without a doubt that she was thinking about Tyler. She had that look on her face.

"No one could forget about you Caroline. Not even me. I kind of can't imagine life without Caroline Forbes in it." He answered truthfully as he gave her a small smile.

"Really? You're not just saying that are you?" She asked.

"No I'm not."

Caroline glanced away embarrassed as she looked out the window. She didn't want to read something in his face that wasn't even there. She couldn't afford to let past insecurities and feelings interrupt her process of moving on with her life.

"Do you want to grab a bite?" Stefan broke the silence.

Caroline glanced over her shoulder and smiled.

"No human's right?" She asked amused.

Stefan shook his head with amusement, "No some good old fashioned grub."

Caroline nodded her head as she tried to ignore the little flutter that danced around inside her whenever he laughed or smiled.

"Don't even go there" She whispered to herself, unaware that Stefan was studying her every move.