⚜️ Chapter Theme Songs ⚜️
Find Your Way Back Home - Dishwalla
By the time the 20s themed Decade Dance came around, we were all feeling overwhelmed by the supernatural weight on our shoulders.
Unfortunately, one of those weights was my own friend, Elena, and talking to Matt about her during the dance probably wasn't a good idea. But I just didn't want him to get hurt, ya know? The people that love that girl always end up in the crossfire.
I mean, seriously. I got turned into a vampire as well as my other best friend, Bonnie's, mom. Bonnie also lost her grandmother and Jeremy has died twice already. Just knowing Elena is definitely toxic to a lot of people's lives. But, we stay around. Why? Because we love her.
"What's he doing here?" Matt asked as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
I turned to see Tyler confidently strolling through the Decade Dance.
"Are you crazy?" I asked him incredulously as a walked up to him waving frantically. "If Klaus sees you—
"What's he gonna do? Draw you another picture?"
Ugh, seriously? Is he never going to let that go? Nothing happened.
Crossing my arms over my chest with one eyebrow raised, I gave him a stern look. "Tyler, this isn't a joke."
"I can pretend I'm still sired if I have to," he said. "But I'm not gonna hide if he's macking all over you."
"Tyler," I said with an exasperated sigh. "You do not need to be jealous of Klaus."
"I am jealous." Oh wow, he admitted it. Maybe, he feels this way because he thinks he has something to lose. I didn't know it yet, but he did.
"But I'm also competitive, so hang on. I'm about to sweep you off your feet."
I squealed as he literally picked me up and spun around the dance floor with me still in his arms. It was so good to have him back, I really did miss him. He makes me smile and feel safe, loved. Dancing with him helps me forget that he might die if we don't convince Damon not to kill Klaus.
Not a moment too soon, I could tell something was wrong when Tyler stiffened as we danced.
"What is it?" I asked him.
"Where've you been mate?" I heard Klaus' voice before looking up to meet his gaze.
Damn, speak of the original hybrid and he shall appear, or whatever Richard Chenevix Trench said. Yes, I'm educated.
"I just got back in town."
"That's funny," the old one said. "I don't recall giving you permission to leave in the first place. You don't mind if I cut in, do you?"
"Yes," I said finally speaking up. "Actually, we do."
"No, it's fine." I could tell Tyler hated to leave me alone with Klaus, but he had to keep up the façade of being a good little sired hybrid.
"Why do you always have to prove you're the alpha male?" I placed myself in between him and Tyler.
"I don't have to prove anything, love." There he goes with that damn word again. "I am the alpha male. Come on, one dance. I won't bite."
I reluctantly gave him my hand as he pulled me closer.
"You would have loved the 1920s, Caroline." I tried not to lean into him too much. Tyler was still here. Although I wasn't afraid for my safety, I was afraid for his. "Girls were reckless, sexy, fun. They literally used to dance until they dropped."
"Hah, I don't suppose it ever happened to their dance partners."
"You should be nicer to me, I'm leaving town tomorrow." I gazed into his eyes at that, he was being serious. For a moment, it felt as if I was losing something. Something I didn't realize I wanted until the chance to take it was gone.
"I'd invite you to come with me, but we both know you're not ready to accept my offer. Perhaps one day, in a year. Or even a century, you'll turn up at my door and let me show you what the world has to offer."
I scoffed in his face. My thoughts and emotions were cloudy. I could tell Tyler was listening as we danced. I watched him and his facial expressions were unreadable. I knew he wasn't happy. Klaus wasn't happy with my reaction either. A darkness crept into his eyes that frightened but thrilled me at the same time.
"You mark my words," he said. "Small-town boy, small-town life. It won't be enough for you."
He briskly walked away leaving me even more confused about my feelings than I was before. There was no doubt in my mind that I loved Tyler, but my feelings for Klaus had reluctantly grown since the last time I saw him. But, I wasn't ready to admit to myself just yet.
"Trouble in paradise?" A familiar voice asked.
"Kol? The hell are you doing here?"
"Can't I come to the dance and have fun with a new friend?" He asked.
"We are hardly friends, Kol," she said with a roll of her eyes.
"Deny it all you want but you like me."
"You're slightly less insufferable than your brother," I said. "But that doesn't mean we're friends."
"I'll break down that hard exterior one way or another," he said.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
Kol was a mess but he did make me laugh.
Morning came quicker than usual today, probably because I was exhausted from the dance and losing Alaric. Esther had turned him into an original vampire but he refused the transition. All of our hearts were heavy but there was nothing we could do. He made his choice... just like my dad did.
And now, here I am alone at the school because no one wanted to help clean up after the Decade Dance. It's like I always have to do everything by myself.
All of a sudden, I heard noises coming from down the hall.
"Hello?"
At least, I thought I was alone.
Walking into the cafeteria, I saw that it was actually Rebekah here cleaning up. I was kind of sad for her, she didn't even to go to the dance because her mom did some witchy stuff and she ended up daggered.
"I'm sorry about your mom," I said. "I mean, I know you like hated her and everything, but still. I'm sorry."
"Sorry about your teacher," the original said. "He seemed like a nice guy."
"Yeah, he was."
"I'm gonna get started on the gym," she said leaving me to my thoughts.
Suddenly, I heard Alaric's voice. Oh crap, he transitioned! But how??
I didn't have any time to contemplate what happened to him when he was currently attacking Rebekah.
When she and I realized the stake he had couldn't kill him, we ran.
Unfortunately, I wasn't fast enough. He broke my neck and the next thing I saw was darkness.
Pain. So much pain.
Alaric tied me up, stuck pencils in my hands, and used rope dipped in vervain to keep the toxic substance in my system.
He's ruthless now and won't stop until all vampires were dead. But, I had this conversation already. I already said that I didn't want to die and yet here I am on death's door once again.
I need serious help and I don't know if anyone is coming to save me.
At this point, I could hear Alaric and Elena talking but I was going in and out of consciousness. Apparently, he had lured her here in the hopes of getting Klaus to come out of hiding. Apparently I was Elena's weakness and Klaus needed her blood for his hybrid army.
All of a sudden I could hear him screaming. Elena started freeing me and once I was in the clear, I vanished. Unfortunately, when I turned around, she wasn't behind me.
I slowed down to catch my breath before getting caught by Klaus himself.
"It's okay, it's okay." He had his hand over my mouth but I knew he wouldn't hurt me. I knew he was here to help. "It's me, it's okay. You're safe."
I knew I was. At that moment, I was really glad that it was him who came to help me.
"We'll save Elena," he said. Who else is here? At this point, it didn't even matter. "You go straight home, you stay inside. You understand?"
I didn't respond, I was in shock.
He spun me around to face him. "Do you understand me?"
I nodded, my heart beating wildly as I looked into his eyes. "Thank you."
He didn't say anything before vanishing to go stop Alaric.
I found out that the guys desiccated Klaus instead of Alaric. While I was happy he couldn't hurt anyone anymore, I couldn't help but feel as if I lost something. I couldn't help but feel as if I lost the chance at something really great.
"You two are really going to walk me all the way to the door aren't you?" A feminine voice asked.
The Salvatores must have just gotten here with Elena. I know that I shouldn't be listening but who would I be if I didn't check on my friends every once in a while.
"You lost a lot of blood today," I heard Stefan say with my heightened hearing.
"Yeah, I know. But, I told you I'm fine," she replied. "I just... I have a little headache."
"Yeah, but the sun's about to go down," Damon said. "And, Ric's gonna be able to terrorize the streets any minute."
"But, he can't hurt me. It's you two we should be worrying about." I swear, if Elena doesn't choose between them already...
"Nahhh," Stefan said. "He won't be able to find us. I'll uh... I'll call you when we get back."
"I know it's selfish," Elena began. Ugh I can already hear what she's about to say. "I— I know that it seems like I'm stringing you both along, but I don't... I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I mean... if I choose one of you, then I lose the other. And I've lost so many people, I just... I can't bear the thought of losing one of you."
"Ah, it's, uhh..." Here goes Stefan not knowing what to say. "It's been a long day."
"We'll call you from the road," Damon said. "After we dump Klaus' body in the lake."
The lake?? I mean... Why should I care where they drop his body... Damn it, not entirely sure why that's making me feel some type of way.
"Just be careful," she said. "Both of you."
"Are you ready?" A voice said in my ear. I tried to smile because it was my boyfriend trying to cheer me up. "Don't look so down because your creepy ancient stalker is locked away in a coffin."
"Very funny, Tyler." I stuck my tongue out at him but I couldn't help the niggling feeling in the back of my mind. I can now put all of my focus into finishing high school, my actual relationship, and my future. I should be happy that Klaus is out of my life. But, why aren't I?
"What are you guys doing here?" A feminine voice suddenly asked.
I was jolted out of my thoughts and brought back to the present, Elena just walked into the kitchen.
"Welcome to our victory party!" I exclaimed, putting on a happy face.
Even though this celebration was my idea in the first place, I wasn't really feeling it anymore. Lately, it feels like everything we do is for Elena. I love her and she's one of my best friends, but damn. We all get caught in the crossfire because we love her. Hell, I told Matt this exact same thing and today, I was the victim of my own sentiments. It's especially frustrating being her friend right now when she's doing exactly what her own ancestor did in 1864, stringing the Salvatore brothers along because she's confused about her feelings. Her words, not mine.
Tuning back into the conversation happening right in front of me, Tyler was teasing Matt about how he would have definitely gotten hurt if he tried to help out with the Klaus take down.
I looked over at Elena and she seemed a little out of it and I decided to give her my two cents on her situation.
"Here. You need this," I handed her a shot of whiskey. "I heard and you know that sooner or later, you're going to have to choose. Right?"
"I know," she said looking down. I could tell she was conflicted.
"Honestly, Elena." I put my hand on her shoulder. "I'm no longer going to interfere with your love life. It's your choice who you want to be with and if that person is Stefan, who I'm rooting for... or Damon, I will not judge you for it."
"Thank you, Care."
"You're welcome, Elena."
"Cheers?" She asked.
"Always," I said in return and clinked our shot glasses.
The thing is, I'm not even sure if I can take my own advice. Here I am, supposedly happy with Tyler and I can't even stop thinking about Klaus. I guess that's my own fault because I see the good in even the worst of people. Klaus is the ultimate bad guy. He does whatever he wants, whenever he wants. He daggers his siblings and kills anyone he wants because he can. That should make me fear him, that alone should make me hate him. He turned Tyler into a hybrid and told him to bite me, on my fucking birthday no less. But then he turned around and saved my life, gave me that damn bracelet, and tried to woo me with art, culture, horses, and promises to whisk me away on the adventure of my life. I question his intentions and motives every time I see him but I can't help but think of that offer he gave me at the ball his mother threw in honor of the Mikaelson family. I really do want to see the world and doing that with someone I love would make the experience that much better.
However, as much as I hate to say this, I don't think Tyler would be up for discovering the wonders of the world, and soaking up new cultures and languages with me.
Don't get me wrong, I've changed because of him and he has changed because of me. We came together at a time where things were pretty shaky for the both of us living in Mystic Falls. I helped him through his transition into being a werewolf even though he could have killed me.
I'm pretty sure that's when I began to fall in love with him.
Unfortunately, he then trusted those other wolves over me and the whole ordeal with being a sired or unsired hybrid is just putting a damper on my mood.
Ever since he got back from the Appalachian Mountains, it also really feels like he isn't being honest with me... as if there's something he's hiding from me.
Look at me, worried about what he's hiding from me when I'm conflicted in my own feelings toward two people. I sound like an amazing girlfriend. Haha.
But hey, there are pros and cons in regards to dealing with both of the hybrids that have made their feelings toward me very clear. One hybrid has a cons list that is a lot more lengthy than the other but hey... I still have to choose.
"To a Klaus-free life, and to all of you, my family," Elena said, once again bringing me back to the celebration at hand. "Cheers!"
"Cheers!" I exclaimed with the others, giving a small smile that didn't quite reach my eyes as I took another shot of expensive liquor.
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