"also known as the sensible young adult novel. because screw insta-love and supernatural connections, when it gets too messy, you go and run away for your life because no hot boy is worth dying for.

"I think we need more books like these.

"Please. If I did this to a koroline fic, you guys would riot XD

"I demand that as a prompt.

"I hate myself. " -Me and QueenVamp

Nothing bad ever happens in Mystic Falls. At least until Elena Gilbert and her parents drive their car off Wickery Bridge and the town is changed forever. The summer has gone by and no one has forgotten that sweet, perfect Elena has left the world. Even in her darkest moments of jealousy and rejection, Caroline never wished death upon the girl and yet the guilt seems to want to swallow her up.

It's the guilt that makes her go to the bridge every day after school, looking down and throwing flowers at the water. Today's flowers are white daisies, simple but lovely like Elena. She closes her eyes and wonders how different things would've been if Elena had somehow survived or had the car never swerved off the bridge. Such thoughts are haunting and she shakes her head to get them out.

"Hello lovely,"

The voice is male and has an English lilt, pleasant to her ears. She opens her eyes and looks to her left to see a boy maybe just a bit older than her, standing a few feet away and he's the most beautiful boy she's ever seen. He's all cream and onyx with asymmetric features. A perfect face for a magazine or one of those soap operas her mom Is secretly addicted to.

"Hello," She returns his greeting warily.

Nothing bad never used to happen in Mystic Falls but things have changed.

"Are you going to jump?" He asks glibly, looking over the edge of the bridge as if his contemplating the effectiveness of such an attempt. "Because if you are, darling, there are better ways to go about it."

"Excuse me but who are you?"

She's getting a little freaked out because some hot boy deciding to talk about death is way too Pretty Little Liars for her taste and it's strange. It makes her want to shiver like someone walking on her grave.

"Name's Kol Mikaelson, dove," He smiles at her all white teeth and warm brown eyes. He steps closer to take her hand and give it a light kiss. "And you are, my dear?"

"Caroline Forbes," She takes her hand back and starts to step back. "Sorry but I need to go. My mom's probably looking for me."

"No, she isn't."

She freezes and looks at him wide-eyed.

He grins and there's nothing harmless about it, like a predator showing off his teeth. "Because your mother's at the station right now being alerted about the dead bodies I left behind in the Grill."

She gasps and turns around to run but he's there in an instant, moving faster than any human should. She's shaking now, pure fear coursing through her and he laughs lightly as he cups her cheek, hands warm and strong. "W-What are you?"

He says nothing in return and shows her instead, eyes reddening, veins protruding on the skin underneath, fangs lengthening in his mouth. Her breath stutters as he leans down and the tips of his teeth dance on her pulse point, his breath like fire on her cold skin. "Are you scared, sweetheart?"

"Y-Yes," She stammers and he releases her, face back to its magnetic perfection. "What do you want?"

His fingers trace the seam of her lips, eyes intense. "You, Caroline, you."

She wants to run and he lets her.

When she gets home, the first thing she does is call her dad in Memphis and ask if she can stay with him. Then she makes a quick call to her mom before stuffing her car with her things and driving out of town. She swears as she looks back using the rear view mirror, she can see the silhouette of something in the dark. She drives faster.