Chapter 11
Caroline parked at the school parking lot, making sure to wipe away a few forgotten tears before getting out of the car.
This was the second time in two days that she cried over a guy, and she was sick and tired of it. Even though she was a bit of a mess, she had still decided to go to school today. Life sucked, but it went on.
She would try to apologize to Tyler today. She wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted right now, but at least she wanted them to stop fighting. Their relationship might not be restored again, but at least their friendship could.
Caroline wasn’t even sure that she wanted their romance to continue. Sure, she really loved him, but nowadays it felt more friendly than steamy.
Not like it is with Klaus… she thought briefly, before clearing her head from that thought. She didn’t really know her feelings for him yet, but she would deal with them after fixing things with Tyler.
His words had stung a lot, accusing her of being a sick person who took advantage of people. That was definitely not how she was, and she hated him for saying that. One second he could be the most charming man on Earth, and the next he could be the coldest.
She perfectly understood his anger, since he had thought that she would just immediately resume her relationship with Tyler again. That however didn’t give him the perfect excuse to insult her and storm out.
Sighing, Caroline realized that she had been thinking about Klaus, the thing she had just said she wouldn’t do. Concentrating on trying to remember if they had any homework, she walked into the school.
School continued as usual. She often wished she could be like the oblivious human students again, not knowing about the world they lived in. That time was long gone for her.
At lunch Caroline sat with Bonnie and Elena as usual. Stefan wasn’t there, probably dealing with some problem outside school. For them, the problems never ended.
“How are you doing?” Caroline asked Elena, looking at her with pity. She knew how hard it had to be for her.
“I’m surviving, I guess. Everything is so different now, though. Everything is so clear,” she answered, looking around her as if to prove it.
“And the hunger? Is it bad?” Bonnie asked, looking at her worriedly.
“Yeah, I’m dealing with it,” she sighed, looking down at her plate without any appetite for human food.
Looking up, Elena looked at Caroline. “What’s happened with you and Tyler, by the way? You guys aren’t talking to each other today.”
“We had a fight,” she sighed, picking at her food.
“What? Why?” Bonnie asked, frowning.
“Because he got jealous,” Caroline muttered. She really hoped that Elena and Bonnie wouldn’t judge her.
“Jealous of whom?” Elena elaborated.
“Of Klaus,” she replied in a low voice.
“Excuse me?” Bonnie said, not believing her ears.
“Klaus! Okay?” Caroline exclaimed, feeling exasperated.
Both of her friends’ eyes widened as they understood. Elena first looked angry, but then understanding. Bonnie’s face was however only covered with utter disbelief.
“You can’t have seriously started to fall for his tricks?” she questioned, looking agitated.
“What tricks?” Caroline snapped, getting irritated with her friend.
“He’s just using you! He doesn’t actually care about you!” Bonnie said, raising her voice.
“He does care,” Elena objected, making both girls turn to face her. She turned to face Bonnie, smiling sadly. “I’ve seen it. He was determined to finally kill Damon, but one move from Caroline and he suddenly changed his mind. I have never seen him change his mind for anyone but his family.”
Caroline was taken by surprise by Elena taking her side. Considering what happened to Jenna, she thought that she would be the last person to support her.
“You don’t mind?” Caroline asked, needing to hear a vocal confirmation.
“I can’t say that I approve, but I can understand what you feel. Sometimes we don’t fall for the persons who are the best for us,” she answered. Something flashed in her eyes as she said this, but before Caroline could think about what it was Bonnie spoke again.
“After all that he has done to us? You are going to forgive him for killing Jenna ?”
“I haven’t forgiven him for that! How can you even say that? I just don’t think that he is the monster everyone says that he is!”
Caroline remembered his playful behavior, and also the more cultured and artistic side of him. Even though he had been hated his whole life and even had his own parents wanting to murder him, he could still see the world’s beauty. He could still appreciate life, even if it sometimes didn’t seem worth living.
Bonnie shook her head. “I’m sorry Caroline, but I can’t be your friend if you start dating Klaus.” She picked up her tray and walked away, saying good-bye to Elena and ignoring her protests.
Placing her head in her hands, Caroline sighed. “Why does everyone hate me?”
“They don’t hate you. They just don’t understand you,” Elena replied, always being the wise one.
“How do you?” Caroline asked, looking up at her again. “I mean, if anyone has the right to judge it’s you.”
“I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He would never hurt you, even though he might really want to. He loves you. And by the looks of it, he’s not the only one with feelings,” Elena smiled, looking pointedly at her.
Even though Caroline knew that Elena wasn’t saying it in a regretful way, she still felt the need to defend herself.
“I don’t know what I feel! Tyler got mad when he found out that I cared about Klaus, and left. I want to talk to him and explain, but I’m not even sure if I want to be together with him anymore. I love him, but it doesn’t feel like it’s in the same way anymore,” she explained. “I know that Klaus can be horrible, but he keeps showing me this other side of him. I don’t think that he’s naturally cold and hateful. He’s just always been rejected.”
Elena smiled while nodding, seeming to understand. “Look, you go sort things out with Tyler, and then figure out your feelings with Klaus. It will all work out in the end,” Elena reassured her.
They stood, and after leaving their trays they left the food court. Caroline spotted Tyler at the end of the corridor, and after saying good-bye to Elena she quickly walked to him.
“Hi! Can we talk?” she asked.
Tyler looked at her for a few seconds, before nodding. They walked out of the school and sat at a nearby bench. It was still quite warm outside, and Caroline breathed in the fresh air.
Looking at her while raising his eyebrows, Tyler said, “So?”
“So,” she continued, swinging her arms beside her, “I wanted to know how things are between us.”
“I don’t know. You tell me,” he replied with a bit of venom in his voice.
“I’m sorry,” she said truthfully, looking into his eyes.
After a moment he sighed, looking guilty. “I know. It’s not your fault. Things haven’t really been the same between us lately.”
Caroline nodded, relieved that he understood.
“Maybe we should just call it off for a bit?” Tyler suggested, scratching the back of his head thoughtfully.
“That sounds good,” Caroline smiled. “But we’re still friends though?” she added to make sure.
“Still friends,” Tyler assured her.
Grinning, Caroline hugged him. “Thank you for being so nice.”
“You’ve always been there for me, so I want to do the same for you, no matter what,” he told her, hugging her back before letting her go.
They both went to their separate classes after that. Caroline felt as if a huge rock had been lifted from her chest. At least now one of her problems had been solved. She and Tyler had broken up, yes, but they were still friends. Friendship was for now honestly the only type of relationship she wanted with him.
Now she just had to make Bonnie understand what she felt for Klaus. And actually herself comprehend her feelings for him.
He seemed to genuinely care about her, but in the next moment he would snap and become ruthless and unforgiving. She didn’t know which side was the real one and which one was the mask.
Deciding to think about it after school, she focused on the lectures. Soon enough the final bell rang, and she went to her car after saying bye to all her friends.
She drove home while singing to the song on the radio. When she arrived at home she got out of the car, pointing the key over her shoulder as she walked and hearing the car lock behind her.
When she walked into the house though, something felt wrong. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something felt strange.
“Mom?” she called uncertainly, thinking that maybe she was home.
Walking a bit farther into the house, all she had time to see was something being swung at her before everything went black.
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And here is the looooong chapter I promised you guys!!! I know the up-date is a bit late, but the amount should make up for the time past. xP
Thanks all of you who followed me! :D I didn't realize that all I had to do was ask. Ask and you shall receive. ;) So....how about a new goal of at least 35 followers? Considering that this story has around 4000 reads (OMG), I think that it's a reasonable proposition. *puppy-eyes
I appreciate all comments and votes!!! :D