Happy Birthday to the lovely Stephanie, klarolinedrabbles I think I'm late (I seriously need a list for all the amazing klaroliner birthdays so I can keep track) but I hope that you had a lovely day and enjoy this short drabble.
I love your blog and your constant support of my writing, it means so much to me, lovely : ) I know you are a New York girl so based it there in various locations. Oh and I adore shoes, so thanks for the opportunity to indulge!
No synopsis on this necessary, I think you know where this 'fairy tale' is going…
These Boots Are Made for Walking
Monday 12:30pm – 599 Lexington Avenue, New York City
"I never knew you had a thing for women's footwear," Rebekah drawled, hopping onto his desk, holding up the shoe and inspecting it carefully.
"I don't recall saying you could come inside," he scowled, snatching it back. "Or perching yourself on my desk, for that matter."
"Yeah, I don't buy it; you would never have this impeccable taste in shoes. So who's the mystery girl missing half of her very expensive pair of Manolo Blahniks?"
"That is none of your business, little sister," he shot back. "Now, I'm trying to do some work here and you are wearing on my last nerve."
"Defensive hey? That's a classic Niklaus Mikaelson deferral tactic," she joked. "You know I thought you were more professional than to do it in your office."
"I didn't do it in my office," he hissed, getting up and stalking over to his door and closing it behind him. "And I'd appreciate you not telling my entire workplace, including Lexi and her big mouth."
"Where do you think I get all my gossip titbits from, Nik? Look, I'm going to keep asking so you're going to have to forcibly remove me and I don't think that your colleagues would take too kindly to you manhandling your dear sister."
"What do you want?"
"I just want some information, like who this well-styled woman is who owns this mystery shoe?"
"I don't know," he uttered, taking back his seat and running his hands through his blonde curls. "She left it behind after we…."
"It sounds like the girl has a weird Cinderella fetish." He looked at her wordlessly by way of response. "You know leaving one shoe behind so that you'll track her down, put it on her left foot and live happily ever after?"
"In her defence it was wedged pretty tightly between the headboard and the mattress."
"What the hell were you doing for that to happen?" She asked, before quickly continuing. "Ew, yuck. Pretend I never asked my own brother that question."
"All I'm saying is that she probably couldn't find it."
"Oh, I know what happened," she surmised. "She snuck out on you while you were sleeping, she didn't want to disturb your slumber so left her shoe behind."
"You know I'm so glad we can have these chats."
"I never thought I'd see the day where someone ran out on Houdini himself. If anyone can execute a masterful escape, it's you, big brother."
"I am not that bad."
"So, the obvious question is…" she trailed off, choosing to ignore his denial. "Why is her shoe sitting on your desk like some kind of weird object?"
"Sounds like something else sitting on my desk right now."
"Are you really that pissed she ran out? Is this some kind of weird voodoo ritual?"
"Yes, I stick these thumb tacks into the shoe to cause her maximum pain for leaving me without saying goodbye."
"You like Cinderella!" Rebekah grinned, knowingly. "Having her shoe is like having a small piece of her."
"Oh please, I barely know her."
"Well, that's debatable given what transpired."
"When I escape after sex there's a reason for it, I'm sure she had the same one, Rebekah."
"You know it's okay to admit that you might like this girl, right?"
"Even if I did, I have no way of finding her with only a first name and one shoe."
"Do you know who you're talking to?" She baulked. "Now, start from the beginning and tell me everything about her."
Tuesday 8:35am – One World Trade Centre, New York City
"So, you threw your drink on this guy at NoMad but yet still went home with him?" Her best friend and work colleague, enquired.
"Yes, Kat. Let's just say my vodka martini dampened some of that frustrating arrogance and then he was actually quite bearable."
"You know when I left you there I didn't expect this. So, what the hell happened?"
"I think you can fill in the blanks," she murmured, feeling somewhat embarrassed. One-night stands weren't her thing; in fact, she was still trying to figure out why she even did it. Suddenly his face filled her mind and Caroline knew those crimson lips, the blue eyes, that stubble and those bloody dimples had a lot to do with it.
"Yes, engaging in nocturnal activities," she teased. "So, tell me honestly, how was it, seriously?"
"So damn good," she groaned, thinking back to just how amazing their chemistry was between the sheets.
Although she wasn't quite expecting the subsequent conversation over bad infomercials, the grilled cheese snacking, the chess game that descended into more sex with the board being up-ended and pieces scattered around the bed and then finally the way he pulled her body tightly against him as they fell asleep.
She awoke with a start, her eyes flying to the red numbers on the bedside clock. His arms were still wrapped around her and Caroline suddenly felt claustrophobic. She didn't want to have a disappointing and awkward conversation where he pretended to care and asked for her number but never called.
Caroline was far too proud to be one of those girls and that's when she began to plan her exit. It wasn't an easy task and took a full half hour to execute, involving moving away from his clutches and hurriedly collecting her items of clothing strewn across his bedroom. It was only when she was desperately trying to locate her other shoe that he began to stir and although it would cost her $300 and some beautiful footwear, she needed to get the hell out of there.
"Well except for losing my favourite shoe," she mourned, wondering what fate had befallen her one beloved Manolo. "In my haste to get out of there, it kind of got sacrificed."
"I'm curious. If it was so good why did you need to escape?"
"It wasn't going anywhere," she scoffed. "I just preferred to leave before things became awkward."
"How do you know that?"
"Trust me, this Klaus guy is your typical playboy. If anything I just saved myself…."
"From getting hurt."
"Excuse me?"
"You like this one," she offered, Caroline hoped her flushed cheeks weren't giving away the fact that she did indeed have some feelings for him. Luckily she got out of there, bar one shoe, without him knowing who she was.
Caroline finished the last dregs of her coffee and stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some work to get back to and apparently so do you." She commented as Katherine's cell began to sound out.
"Katherine Pierce," she answered, as usual when her work phone rang.
"My name's Rebekah Mikaelson, I think we have a few things to talk about."
Friday 5:30pm – 31 West 54th Street, New York City
"It's you," Caroline accused, noticing her one-night stand leaning against the wall of her favourite shop.
"Well, hello to you too," he drawled.
"Are you stalking me?"
"You wish, princess," he scoffed, stepping forward. "I really should have known that when I was sent to this particular address my sister was involved."
"Your sister?"
"She has a thing for matchmaking and apparently designer shoes," he offered, pointing to the Manolo Blahnik sign above him.
"Sounds like my best friend," she agreed. "I thought we were going shopping and yet you turn up in all your glory."
"Well, you did sneak out on me, I suppose I have every right to ask why?"
"I didn't sneak out on you," she snorted, wishing that a simple shopping trip was all this outing was going to entail. If there was anything Caroline hated, it was talking about her feelings. "I had a busy morning."
"With your personal trainer?"
"Excuse me?"
"That's usually my excuse when I want to make a quick getaway if I get caught..."
"Oh, I get what this is," she conceded, staring him down. Klaus was trying to ignore just how gorgeous she looked poured into a fitted, charcoal dress and not surprisingly cute, pink suede shoes. "You're upset I left you first."
"No, I'm actually upset that you left at all," he shared. "I don't usually do this Caroline, but I actually had a really good time."
"Beating me at chess?" She asked, hands on her hips defiantly. Why did she have to look so damn cute doing that?
"That I could do in my sleep but that infomercial commentary was priceless and your cheese grilling skills are actually second to none."
"Damn straight," she concurred. "I'm just curious about something though."
"And what's that?"
"We're at Manolo Blahnik, does that mean you're going to buy me a new pair of shoes to replace my lost one from the other night?"
"I still have your shoe, but if you'd like I could buy you another pair. Size 8, right?"
"As tempting and weird as that sounds, I don't take charity," she baulked. "So, where exactly are you holding my shoe ransom?"
"My place," he admitted, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "I'd be more than happy to take you out to dinner though in the meantime."
"You know what I'd prefer?" She asked, moving closer so their chests were within mere inches of each other. "A chess rematch, my grilled cheese and last but not least my shoe."
"Oh really?"
"Don't expect any sex, mister. I'm not that kind of girl despite what the other night indicated."
"I'm more than okay with that," he grinned. "Cinderella."
It wasn't surprising that her nickname between them became Cinderella. No one who heard the story could ever believe they'd come together because of a shoe, but they had and Klaus and Caroline knew they had his interfering sister and her best friend respectively to thank for their union.