Everybody Talks: A Klaroline Fanfiction

Chapter 4

The next morning, Caroline was regretting her decision to consume so much alcohol the night before. Her head was pounding and they had to catch an early flight to Milan. She popped a few aspirins and slipped her oversized sunglasses over her bloodshot blue eyes as they took the taxi to the airport.

"How was the rest of last night?" Elena asked her.

"Nothing happened," Caroline answered just a bit too fast. Elena gave her a suspicious look.

Nothing had happened. Nothing had even almost happened she swore to herself. It was just a product of the alcohol and the energy of the club and the dancing. She didn't almost kiss Klaus. Or he didn't almost kiss her. She had told him that she wasn't interested. She wasn't. She had never wanted him to kiss her. But at the time she couldn't seem to recall the reason why his lips on hers was anything but a good idea. Even though moments of last night were a bit hazy she could remember standing there looking up at his tempting mouth, wondering what it might be like to just let go and have one kiss. Caroline shook her head. No! She had to stop reading so many romance novels.

"What did Klaus do?" Elena prodded.

"Nothing. We really only stayed for like another ten minutes after you left and then we just went back to the hotel." Caroline was glad her eyes were hidden by her sunglasses. It made lying easier. She didn't know why she felt so guilty, but she knew that only meant it was fortunate that they hadn't followed through on that kiss. She couldn't imagine how guilty she would really feel if she had kissed him. Even worse than imaging the 'what-if' was thinking about what she would do when he confronted her. Something told her he wouldn't be letting her off the hook.

She had the entire drive to the airport and trip through security to contemplate what she was going to do. Her first thought was to ignore it, claim that she was really drunk, and didn't remember anything. Her second plan was to just attack head on before he could get to her and tell him that she was glad they didn't kiss because it would have been a bad idea.

Once on the plane, Caroline stretched back in her seat and closed her eyes. She hoped a nap would make her headache go away. There was no time to be sick. As soon as they landed, they would change, and then head out to a fashion show. Front row seats! Caroline couldn't have been more excited. She needed to look fresh and fabulous and not hung-over and anxious while sitting next to Elena and surrounded by gorgeous models.

The airline they were on had tiny touchscreens on the back of every seat so the passengers could watch movies or listen to music during the flight. Caroline popped her white ear-buds into the side of the screen and scrolled through the music selections. Maybe some Chopin would help her headache and lull her to sleep. Her finger swiped across the touchscreen, when she stopped and saw one of Klaus's CDs listed on the 'most popular' menu. She'd never listened to any of his music before. Caroline musical preferences were pop or whatever happened to be on the radio most of the time, and Klaus's music wasn't the type that was played on her kind of stations.

That night he was playing a show that they all would be going to of course; Elena would be playing supportive girlfriend that night. Caroline tapped her finger over the picture of the cover art and pressed play. Her ears were soon filled with the sounds of Klaus's voice, over guitars, bass and drums. She closed her eyes and listened to the lyrics, which were nothing close to what she expected. As the music played, she unconsciously started taping out the rhythm onto the arm of the sear, her head bobbing in time ever so slightly.

Lost in the song she turned her head to the side, her eyes fluttering and caught sight of Klaus sitting in the seat next to her, starring at her with an amused smile on his face. She jumped and ripped the ear-buds from her ears.