First just want to thank everyone for their kind reviews, it means so much to me to get some feedback! You're all awesome.
Let me know what you think of this next installment! I'm sorry if the story seems to be skipping parts, I don't want the plot to get too messy, and complicated. Mostly trying to keep it pretty light, and about Klaus and Caroline :) Cause they're the fun ones to write about!
Also, was re-reading the last chapter and realized how many grammar and spelling errors there were! Whoops! Hope this one is better :) - Cheers
I cut the engine, my purring car falling silent. I check my rear-view mirror, Elena must have taken longer leaving school than I thought; the absence of her vehicle sends a little nervous itch to the pit of my stomach. I glance at the large house in front of me, it intimidates me from afar—let alone going inside.
I reach up to knock on the heavy wood door before noticing the door bell next to the brass door knob. I hesitate, and then press the button.
No answer, not even the slightest movement from inside the house.
With another quick look over my shoulder to check if Elena is pulling in; which she is not, I try the door handle. It pops open easily, soundlessly falling ajar.
I guess a family of original vampires aren't scared of petty intrusions into their unlocked home; and anything worthy of their fear would not be held back by a feeble wooden door.
I step into the substantial entryway, I'm sure the hall space is at least as big as my bedroom.
My boots make muted sounds against the wood floors as I venture further into the house, peering into a room I expect to be the living area, I stop in my tracks, and press my lips into a tight line.
Klaus lounges on the long dark leather couch, his back to me; his left arm behind his head as his right hand works lazily at a sketch propped in his lap. He bends his neck side to side, running his hand through his hair as he stares at the unfinished landscape.
I curl my hands into fists, cursing Rebekah for luring me here.
I contemplate slipping out the way I came, with any luck, unnoticed.
As my foot slides back in my attempted escape, the flood groans quietly; unfortunately loud enough to draw the distracted original's attention.
He sees me, and quickly sits up, the sketch book sliding onto the couch, the task at hand forgotten.
"Heeey..." I inch forward, clasping my hands in front of me out of nervous habit.
He raises an eyebrow at me, and I begin to feel my cheeks heat.
"Caroline," He tucks the pencil he was using behind his ear, and stands up, wiping his charcoal stained hands on his pants. "What can I do for you?"
"Nothing," I shrug, my voice is too high, my words too playful. I'm nervous and he can see it.
We haven't seen each other since we got back from the road trip to Hannah's. The car ride back had been tense. Torturously so.
"So I guess you didn't really have to come along after all." I rub my arms in the cool night breeze, making sure to keep a safe distance between the two of us as we stand at my front door, late Tuesday night.
"All the same," He tries to step closer, but when I lean away, he pauses. Gauging my body language, I know he can feel the chill from my end.
"You're never going to let me in," It's more of a statement than a question, though I search for the words to answer him just the same. But he's talking again, and his tone breaks my heart. "One day Caroline, I hope that you will see, that it's not people, or the things that you surround yourself with that will keep you from true happiness." He's stepping away, his hands clasped behind his back, retracting any physical bond with me. I feel cold. "It will be you."
I want to stop him, so badly I want him to stay—with me, for as long as I can keep him there. But something pulls me back, holding my words in, keeping my hands at my sides as I watch him leave my porch. My mind goes back to a few months ago when he was released from the Gilberts living room—leaving me on the deck, my entire body crying out for him to stay as my lips remain frozen cold around the words.
I listen to his footsteps carry him away until they're nothing left to hear.
"What are you doing?" His voice slices through the layers of sadness that blanket the memories of that night.
"I..." I pause, think, and then ask, "What do you mean?"
"I meant what are you doing here. In my living room."
"Hello?" Elena's voice comes from behind me, causing me to jump; Klaus remains stoic as she enters the room, stopping when she sees the two of us.
"Oh, hey, I rang the bell, but I think it's broken." Elena looks between Klaus and me for a second. "Is uh...Rebekah here?"
"Oh good, you're here. It was starting to get boring." Rebekah appears from a room on the far wall, announcing her apparent eavesdropping. I glance at Klaus for his reaction towards his little sister, but he's gathering his sketch pad and pulling his jacket from the back of the the nearest chair. He leaves the room, never looking in my direction.
1 week later
"Okay, that's it!" I throw my hands in the air in frustration.
"What was that?" Klaus's look of confusion tilts his eyebrows into a crooked frown.
"I give in, okay! You win."
"I'm sorry Caroline," He pushes himself away from the bar, the waitress at the grill giving me a strange look before pushing the doors open to the kitchen and disappearing into the back. "I'm not quite sure what you mean, maybe you could clue me in on what exactly I've won."
"I don't know! Bragging rights?" I shrug, "I can't stand this!"
"English Caroline."
"All week you've been ignoring me; the silent treatment; avoiding me at every cost— I know you're doing this to prove some kind of point."
His lips twitch with that familiar smirk, hiding just below the surface.
"I'm afraid you're mistaken Love, I have not been avoiding your company at all." He leans his elbows on the bar; taking a swig of whatever alcoholic beverage clasped in his hand, the glass makes a plinking noise as he tips against his lips. "I'm merely not seeking it out."
I pause, and blink.
"Oh. Why?"
His chuckle is sharp and ends too quickly to convince me it carries any kind of genuine humor. "Taking your advice. Taking a hint."
"Why now?" My voice is too high again, almost squeaky.
Within a second, he's right next to me; his breath smells of hard liquor.
"Why does it bother you so much?" I don't answer. "Do you miss me?" I don't answer. "What is it that you want Caroline?" His voice is getting louder now, and the people sitting down the bar glance over in annoyance. "Tell me," He backs up a few staggered steps. More inebriated than I originally thought. "Cause I'll do it, just tell me what you want. You want me to keep my distance, I can do that. You want me to kiss you again; disappear altogether," I glance around at the few people who are in ear shot, glancing our way briefly.
"Will you keep your voice down?" I hiss.
He steps forward, grabbing the tops of my arms roughly, leaning down, leveling his eyes with my own.
"What do you want?"
I'm speechless; no words hang on my tongue, eager to be free. Nothing comes to mind.
"I... Don't know." I finally say, my voice much quieter than his, but I know her hears me. His fingers tighten on my arms to the point where it's nearly painful.
"Not good enough—"
"Hey buddy, why don't you leave the pretty girl alone?" A man from further down the bar calls in our direction. "You're obviously scaring her."
Klaus's eyes flicker to the young, human man a few barstools behind mine. His pupils dilate, and the irises flicker yellow, the veins under his eyes threatening to protrude; and then in an instant, his expression smoothes.
Letting go of my arms, I feel the blood flow gush into the deprived veins he was obstructing with his firm hold; though I know the bruises are already healing.
He squares his shoulders, flashing a quick tooth bearing smile at the human man behind me, before leaning in close to my ear, his words thick with alcohol and frustration.
"I'm a patient man Caroline. But an eternity is a long time to spend waiting for someone who will squander their entire immortal life making themselves miserable, over something as trivial as juvenile insecurities."
That night is another sleepless one.
Yeesh! Kinda intense. Well, hope you all don't mind some drama!