"Oh no, oh no, oh no!" Caroline almost cried as she ran through the campus trying to find her way to professor Prentiss' class of Musical Theory 1. Caroline couldn't even use her vampire speed since it was the busiest hour on campus, on Monday afternoon in the brightest of day light.
Caroline entered the right building, went up the stairs to the second floor and saw at the end of the hallway that professor Prentiss was just about to close the door.
"Wait!" Caroline cried out. "Wait, I'm coming! Please don't shut the door!"
Professor Prentiss glanced to see who was shouting like that and in that time Caroline managed to get to the door. Caroline put in her best "please-let-me-in" face and prof. Prentiss nodded, sighing heavily at the same time.
"Ms. Forbes?" She asked quietly before Caroline went to find her seat. "I assume that you have your assigment with you also?"
Caroline gulped loudly. She didn't, she didn't remember to write the essay that was suppose to deliver today. Caroline felt like the blush of shame crept on her face and she shook her head so little that only Prof. Prentiss saw it.
"Alright then." Professor said. "Seems like we need to discuss then. Stay after class." Prentiss turned to speak to the whole class and Caroline went to sit to the very back line and buried her face in her palms. This wasn't going so great as she'd have thought.
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"Ms. Forbes... or may I say Caroline?" Prof. Prentiss asked after the class of Musical Theory 1 had dismissed and there was no one else I the classroom anymore.
"Yeah, sure..." Caroline mumbled, "Professor, I'm really sorry, I won't be late again and I promise I will bring you that paper tomorrow, I promise!"
"Caroline. I'm afraid that it might not help you in this situation." Professor Prentiss said severely."I'm a little concerned abour your studies, Caroline. You seem like a nice and talented girl, and during the first lectures, I had a feeling that you would really put an effort for your studies in the field of music. But the further the semester goes, the lesser I see you attending and I have heard this from other teachers too."
Caroline lowered her sight, she was so embarrased. She had tried, but there was always some kind of a distraction.
"I'm not trying to be too harsh on you, Caroline. First year in college can be a though one. It's a whole new situation."
Caroline just nodded.
"I recommend you to think about very carefully what is it that you really want, from life and from your education. It's only a fair thing to do for yourself... and for your class mates, too. I will not have you attending to my class for the rest of the semester. I want you to think, if you really want to be in it, and then actually attend as you should."
"You're going to drop me out?!" Caroline gasped.
"Yes." Professor said. "Use this extra free time to figure out how much are you willing to do for your education. Get your life together."
Caroline raised her eyes to meet Professor Prentiss' eyes. Caroline saw that she had quite a determined look in her greyish-green eyes.
"Seems like there is nothing I an do about it, then." Caroline sighed and stood up to leave. There was no point of compelling Proffessor, she would have to do that to her other teachers too then.
Before Caroline could do anything else, Professor Prentiss had toom a firm grib from both of Caroline's upper arms. "Yes you can. Take your time and make room for your studies! I hate to see such a potential thrown away. Get focused and start over next semester!" Then Professor squeezed gently Caroline's arms. "I'm only though for those I feel can handle it. You can. Now you're free to go." She let Caroline go.
Caroline gathered her stuff and just before exiting the class room she heard Professor saying:" Don't worry about your previous assignements, I have them all recorded, what you have or haven't already done. They will do in he next class too."
"Ok, thanks Professor!" Caroline said, slightly stupefied. Looks like she had just dropped at least one college class, for who know how long.
Caroline stumbled her way out, the sun was still high up in the sky and Caroline felt that after these slightly odd and embarasing moments, she needed just lay down in the sun for a while. Caroline found a good spot in the middle of other students, layed on her back and shut her eyes. While drifting between reality and dreams Caroline started to feel that Professor Prentiss might have a good point.
"I need to focus on Lucas first, after that how to get rid of Marcel, then college. It's not like this would be a one time thing... I have all the time in the world at least in theory..." Caroline was halfly fallen asleep I the warm sun light when suddenly a shadow cast over her.
"Well, I haven't seen you around here for a while." Someone purred.
"Oh no, it can't be..." Caroline thought and opened her eyes. It was, who else than Marcel.
"Like I said, I haven't see you around here lately..." Marcel teased and smiled his usual wide smile. "And you slipped away from my party also, without even saying goodbye. Shame on you, Miss Forbes!" Marcel acted like he was slightly offenced. He stood
"Oh, I guess college wasn't my thing after all..." Caroline rose to sit and laughed dryishly, "How come you have started to hang around on campus? I thought you'd prefer fancy masquerade balls and midnight blood-parties." Caroline asked little too cheekily.
"You sounded so excited about college so I thought, why not give it a try. I have a little spare time between massacres and other boring duties. Back in my days, before I became a vampire, I wouldn't have had even a chance to learn to read." Marcel said and kneeled down to be more close to Caroline.
"So you are here because of me?" Caroline stared at him, thinking he must be joking.
"You caught me." Marcel laughed and raised his hands as to surrender. "I have to admit that I have hoped for running to you time to time here in campus. But I guess I have bad luck when it comes to you..." Marcel gave Caroline a mischievous look, "I never get a chance to spend more time with you, only few moment at the time. You're kind an elusive, Caroline."
"Umm.." Caroline was puzzling inside her head. Marcel was so upfront, he just admitted that he was there because of her. "How could I use it to my advantage? Should I just set the plan rolling?", Caroline thought. "My time is valuable. One has to prove that they are worthy of my company." Caroline finally announced, clearly theatrically, hoping that Marcel would play along, and he did.
"Oh, my lady. What shall I do, so I could be in your favour?" Marcel smiled. He had swallowed the bite without hesitating.
"Try hard enough." Caroline said arrogantly, but then she softened. "But I guess you have done so. You have earned a cup of coffee with me in the campus café." Caroline had done it. She was yet again the distraction to the bad guy and hopefully she could manage to get out of it alive.
"Fantastic!" Marcel couldn't be more happier as he stood up and offered his hand to Caroline. "Please, come, my lady!"
Caroline took Marcel's hand and then gathered her belongings. She couldn't believe what she was doing, believing that Marcel had bought her act so quickly was even harder. They walked tot the café nearby and as Marcel was ordering their coffees, Caroline speed-texted to Klaus and Elijah, where she was, with who and told them not to worry. Elijah was fine by it, but Klaus... well he never reacted well in surprises. Especially when he had absolutely no control on them. If a text message could kill...
For Caroline's fortune, the sudden "date" was very casual, althought Caroline had to keep her guards up all the time so she wouldn't spill out anything top-secret. Marcel didn't notice, or at least Caroline thought he didn't. Marcel was all-excited that he finally managed to get some alone time with Caroline. He showed his interest very openly and enquired Caroline's love life thoroughly. Caroline tried to weasel out of it, then suddenly Marcel asked:
"How old are you?
"Excuse me?" Caroline was confused.
"How old are you?" Marcel repeated.
"19." Caroline answered.
"I mean, how long have you been a vampire?"
"Umm... about 2 years, so technically I'm 17 forever." Caroline said.
"Oh now I get it!" Marcel laid back in his chair and laughed.
"Get what?" Caroline's eyes narrowed.
"You are still a baby-vampire." Marcel said cheesily. "I get why you were so awkward... You haven't lived enough yet. That's cute. Maybe you let me show you how wonderful it is to be a vampire."
"Ok, then... " Caroline mentally rolled her eyes. Yeah, she was technically a baby-vampire, but heck she had been through A LOT! If Marcel wanted to see her as an innocent, little-knowing vampire, Caroline would pull that act out. The bigger surprise for Marcel, when he would realize the truth...
To Marcel, Caroline tried to blush a little and then she announced that she had to go now. Marcel was full of enthusiasm but let her go. As Caroline was out of Marcel's sight. Klaus appeared on her side out of nowhere.
"Do you know how sick-worried I became when I received your message?" Klaus hissed venomously. They kept on walking like normal human beings.
"You seem more pissed that worried." Caroline whispered.
"What if something would have happened?" Klaus asked severely.
"Nothing did. We just had some coffee and I got under his skin. I thought that was the plan, distract him, flirt with him so we can break the bond between her and Davina when we figure out how to get her see how treacherous Marcel really is." Caroline felt slightly quilty though, it wasn't nice if your signifigant other flirted with someone else, even if it was only for the plot.
Caroline heard Klaus only gnarling as they continued their journey. Few blocks away from Elijah's, Klaus whispered to Caroline. "See you soon." And vanished.
Caroline continued her way to Elijah, wondering where did Klaus go and what would he possibly do after their brief conversation. Finally she reached home and began to wait for Klaus's return.
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"Caroline." Elijah said carefully. "Niklaus waits you in the library."
"Oh?!" Caroline s´was surprised. "Damn, he's fast..." She murmured under her breath. "Well, I guess it's better face it sooner rather than later."
"Is he mad at you?" Elijah raised one of his eye brows.
"Yes." Caroline nodded. "He thinks that my date with Marcel today was irresponsible and apparently I can't act on my own, without his order."
Elijah said something so quietly that Caroline couldn't hear.
"What?!" Caroline frowned.
"I have to admit that it was quite a sudden thing to happen..." Elijah said vaguely and fell in to his thoughts.
Caroline shook her head and prepared for the battle of wills as she approached to the library. The room was halfly lit and Klaus was facing the big bookselves that contained more books than Caroline had ever read. She made her entrance loud enough for Klaus to notice but he didn't turn.
"Let's juts get this over with." Caroline said. "I know you don't like me to hang with Marcel but it is the only way to get Davina lose her trust on him. I know you have hard time to trust me but I'm not going to do anything with Marcel! I know you were worried but everything was perfectly under control."
Caroline nodded as she finished and waited Klaus to answer her. He was awfully quiet.
"Could you please say something? Anything? I bet you want to yell at me..." Caroline begged after the silence grew really pressuring.
"You seem to know so much, Caroline." Klaus finally said, his voice was distant and low. It wasn't anything usual for him. "You know how I feel about your 'woman on a mission' kind of an escapades. You know how it tores my heart when you flirt to another man, even though I hopefully know it isn't real..." There was no rant in his voice, like all the emotions had drained away from it.
Caroline grew vary. She was just about to say something when Klaus turned to face her. He had Lucas in his arms, sleeping his innocent baby sleep.
"But do you know, Caroline, what is it like to grow up without a mother?" Klaus asked and Caroline shook her head, her face drawn into a severe expression. "Me neither." Klaus continued. "But I hope that my son.... our son, won't have to undergo that kind of a situation."
Klaus took a few steps towards Caroline and offered Lucas to her, who took him in her arms protectively. Caroline looked down to her son and caressed his soft cheek with her fingertips.
"If you won't protect yourself because of me, do it at least because of that precious little boy in your arms." Klaus whispered, his voice reveal that he was shattered inside. He used his hybrid speed to exit the apartment.
"Klaus!" Caroline yelled after him as the tears began breaking down from her eyes. She had realized why Klaus had been so upset and why she really had acted like a fool. She felt like an idiot. It had been more important to show off to Klaus and Elijah that she could handle danger and she wasnät afraid of it that she had ignored the fact that there was someone who needed her, who was more important that anyone else in the world. Lucas. And if something had happened to Caroline, Lucas would be growing up without a mother. Caroline also realized that Klaus had also tried to appeal for his concerns, his fear about her safety, but Caroline had taken that as a some kind of an offence or as a try to manipulate her. "Please come back, I'm sorry!" She whispered after him.
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"Royce, I need to ask you something." Klaus spoke into his phone so fast it was almost impossible to understand.
"What is it?" Royce said in the other end.
"Is there someway... anyway you could put a protection spell over Caroline?" Klaus dropped the words as he was in some sort of pain.
"I'm afraid there isn't. Davina would notice it." Royce answered quietly, obviously feeling sorry for Klaus.
Klaus cursed under his breath. "I guess there isn't any other option for me than start to stalk my beloved 24/7."